Part 15 (1/2)

When I rode back to General Sheridan's headquarters, after a visit with old friends at Hays City, I noticed several scouts in a little group engaged in conversation on some important topic Upon inquiry I learned that General Sheridan wanted a dispatch sent to Fort Dodge, a distance of ninety-five miles

The Indians had recently killed two or threedispatches over this route On this account none of the scouts were at all anxious to volunteer A reward of several hundred dollars had failed to secure any takers

The scouts had heard of what I had done the day before They asked ave asan Indian, but that the chances were ten to one that he would have an exceedingly lively run before he reached his destination, provided he got there at all

Leaving the scouts arguing as to whether any of them would undertake the venture, I reported to General Sheridan He infor for a e, and, while ere talking, dick Parr, his chief of scouts, came in to infor this, I said:

”General, if no one is ready to volunteer, I'll carry your dispatchesyou to do this, Cody,” said the general

”You are already pretty hard-worked But it is really ih”

”If you don't get a courier before four this afternoon, I'll be ready for business,” I told hiet a little ot I went over to Hays City and had a ”ti back to the Post at the appointed hour, I found that no scout had volunteered I reported to the general, who had secured an excellent horse forme the dispatches, he said:

”You can start as soon as you wish The sooner the better And good luck to you, my boy!”

An hour later I was on my way At dusk I crossed the Sehiht have to h I kept a sharp watch through the night I saw no Indians, and had no adventures worth relating Just at daylight I foundridden about seventy-five miles

A company of colored cavalry, under command of Major cox, was stationed at this point I approached the ca first and crying ”Halt!” afterward When I got within hearing distance I called out, and was answered by one of the pickets I shouted to hi hi the sergeant of the guard, I went up to the vidette, who at once recognized me, and took me to the tent of Major cox

This officer supplied me with a fresh horse, as requested by General Sheridan in a letter I brought to him After an hour's sleep and a meal, I jumped into the saddle, and before sunrise was on e, twenty-fiveseen a single Indian

When I had delivered my dispatches, Johnny Austin, an old friend, as chief of scouts at the Post, invited me to come to his house for a nap When I awoke Austin told me there had been Indians all around the Post He was very much surprised that I had seen none of them They had run off cattle and horses, and occasionally killed a man Indians, he said, were also very thick on the Arkansas River between Fort Dodge and Fort Larned, and had e was very anxious to send dispatches to Fort Larned, but the scouts, like those at Fort Hays, were backward about volunteering

Fort Larned was o there anyhow So I told Austin I would carry the dispatches, and if any of the boys wanted to go along I would be glad of their co officer He sent for lad to have me take the dispatches, if I could stand the trip after what I had already done

”All I want is a fresh horse, sir,” said I

”I am sorry we haven't a decent horse,” he replied, ”but we have a reliable and honest Government mule, if that will do you”

”Trot out the h forAt dark I pulled out for Fort Larned, and proceeded without interruption to coon Creek, thirty on road some distance to the south, and traveled parallel to it This I decided would be the safer course, as the Indiansthe main road

At coon Creek I diset a drink of water While I was drinking the brute jerked loose and struck out down the creek I followed hi that he would catch his foot in the bridle rein and stop, but he on road, where I feared Indians would be lurking, without a pause At last he struck the road, but instead of turning back toward Fort Dodge he headed for Fort Larned, keeping up a jogtrot that was just too fast to perun in hand, and was sorely tempted to shoot him more than once, and probably would have done so but for the fear of bringing the Indians down onafter hiuage regarding the entire mule fraternity The mule stuck to the road and kept on for Fort Larned, and I did the sainning to break, we--thedown on the pawnee Fork, on which Fort Larned was located, only four un sounded ithin half a hly out of patience by this time

”Now, Mr Mule,” I said, ”it is un to my shoulder Like the majority of Government mules, he was not easy to kill He died hard, but he died