Soon Barringford came within sight of some of the soldiers. They wanted to know what was wrong, but he would not stop.
“Who has got the hottest fire here?” he demanded, as he rushed into the camp, and being directed to the spot, he requested some soldiers to heat up a pair of the thickest blankets to be found. He also asked for some steaming coffee, knowing Dave would not touch liquor.
A short time later found Dave stripped and between the hot blankets, and with jugs of hot water placed at his feet and over his heart. He had also been given some of the smoking coffee, and these various applications soon put him into a perspiration.
“Sam, you are very, very good,” he managed to whisper, for he was almost too weak to speak. “If it hadn’t been for you I wouldn’t have come——”
“Never mind now, Dave,” interrupted the backwoodsman. “Jest you keep quiet an’ git back your strength. Yes, I know it was a close shave.”
Barringford’s quick work saved Dave from serious sickness, and the young soldier suffered nothing more than a slight cold and a few pains in the knee that had been wrenched. The frontiersman went back the next day for the lines and the fish that had been caught, and by Dave’s advice the fish were distributed among those who had given their aid to him.
After this the winter passed without special incident. During the heavy snows the fort and the camp were cut off for several weeks at a time from communication with other points. Time often hung heavily on the soldiers’ hands and they did what they could to amuse themselves. One favorite sport was to shoot at a target, and as the commander was anxious to have all his soldiers good shots he allowed his men to use more powder and bullets than would otherwise have been the case.
Dave was interested in the shooting, and went into one of the contests, the captain of the company having put up three prizes—a new pair of boots, a silk neckerchief, and a jackknife.
“I don’t suppose I’ll win a prize,” said the young soldier. “But I am going to make all the points I can.”
Each man was allowed three shots, and each shot could count on the target from 1 to 5 points. On his first shot the young soldier made 4 points.