“You two boys? I don’t doubt you’d do as well as anybody, if the Indians didn’t get after you, but in a case like this——”
“Aw, shucks!” blurted George, who wasn’t much on military discipline. “We’re used to Injuns. ’Tisn’t far, Mr. Hurd. Only twenty miles. Injuns wouldn’t see us any quicker than they would anybody else. We’ve ridden worse trails than that.”
“And we’ve got General Dodge’s dispatches, too,” added Terry. “Wish you’d let us go, sir.”
“I expect they could make it as well as two men, major,” put in Colonel Seymour. “That is, if they’re as smart as they think they are.”
“We’re smart enough to fool Injuns,” asserted George. “Anyway, we’re not afraid.”
“You’re a likely pair,” said Major Hurd, abruptly. “I’ll chance your getting through. You’ll start at midnight. That’ll bring you there by daylight. I’ll give you a dispatch for the military commander at new Fort Russell. There’ll be several graders’ camps along the way—but you’d better keep out from them if you can, or somebody’ll take a shot at you. If you’re driven into one, then halloo in good English before you arrive.”
“Yes, sir. I don’t believe we’ll need any help, though,” answered Terry; and George proclaimed:
“Sure not. We’ll not stop for help. Injuns don’t bother in the dark.”
“Huh!” Terry replied. “Don’t they, these days? You ought to have been with us at Plum Creek!”