"I know that myself," said Sherman. "How far are we from the Springs?"
The guide hesitated. "I have never been there but once," he said, "and then I was with a big party of Indians who did the guiding." He added that on a perfectly flat country, dotted with buffalo, he could not positively locate our destination. Unless we were sighted and guided by Indians we would have to chance it.
Sherman swung round on the rest of us. "Do any of you know where the Springs are?" he asked, looking directly at me.
"Yes, sir," I said, "I do."
"How do you know, Billy?" asked Curtis.
"I used to come over here with Charley Bath, the Indian trader," I said.
"Where are we now?" asked Sherman.
"About twelve miles from the Springs. They are due south."
"Due south! And we are traveling due west!"
"Yes, sir," I replied, "but if Mr. Curtis had not turned in a few minutes I was going to tell you."