“Those——” and Davy pointed in the direction taken by the Cut Nose band.
“I want to know!” The teamster gaped wide in astonishment, and from the crowd came a chorus of exclamations. “How’d you get away?”
“When you scared them off I hid behind a bush. Two squaws had me, and they didn’t wait.”
“You mean to say you war with those same pesky Injuns who war attackin’ this fort hyar?”
“Yes, sir. But I didn’t do any of the fighting.”
“No, o’ course you didn’t. Wall, I’m jiggered!” And the whiskered freighter seemed overwhelmed with amazement. But he rallied, as a thought struck him. “Come along hyar. I’ll interduce ye to another boy.” And by the sleeve he led Davy forward, through the staring crowd. “Hyar, now; I want to interduce ye to a reg’lar rip-snorter, not much older’n you are. Red, shake hands with little Billy Cody, the hero of the mule fort.”
III
WITH THE WAGON TRAIN
“Little Billy Cody” was the boy who had been with the two men in the mule fort. Surrounded by the staring crowd Davy felt rather timid and did not know exactly what to do. But Billy Cody promptly put out his hand, Davy extended his, and Billy gripped it warmly.