The general at once turned to the paper he held in his hand, and glanced rapidly over it.
Then he sent the orderly to request the presence of his adjutant-general, and that officer promptly put in an appearance.
"Major, I have here a note from Carey, brought by Flying Fox here, who left him six hours ago in the Bad Lands. He states that Red Hatchet was really the cause of the trouble at Wounded Knee, and escaped. That he went on a raid with thirty braves immediately afterward and captured the daughter of Settler Vance Bernard, who has been so stubborn, against all urging and orders, to remain at his ranch. Red Hatchet escaped to the Bad Lands with his captive, though pursued by Carey, and the latter unable to come up with him, and knowing that an ambush awaited him, scattered his scouts, and disguising himself as a Brule medicine chief, entered the camps of the hostiles."
"Carey is too reckless, and he'll never escape, I feel sure, sir, without detection," the adjutant said.
"Well, he came out of the retreat to write me this letter, and send it by his redskin scout here, who tells me that he has a comrade in hiding at the place where Carey joined him and sent him from. Then Carey returned to the retreat of the hostiles, but you see here is a full list of their forces, chiefs, warriors, and women and children, and a description of their camp and its approaches. This is most valuable information, and wins for Carey a brevet captaincy, given on the field, until he can get his promotion. The captive girl, he says, is there, and Red Hatchet also, while he hints at a discovery which will be a surprise, and says that I may send his man back again, and he will dispatch his other courier to-morrow night, or as soon after as possible, if he gleans other news, or will come himself if he can escape with the settler's daughter."
"Carey does, indeed, deserve his captaincy, general, and I only hope he will live to get it," said the adjutant.
After some further conversation upon the subject the general ordered the Indian soldier to be ready to start upon his return to his white captain in time to get near the Bad Lands by nightfall, so as to gain the hiding-place unseen where his comrade was, and where Kit Carey was to meet him.
Well rested and fed, and mounted upon a fresh horse, Flying Fox started upon his return at the appointed hour, and in a letter that he carried to the cavalry officer occurred these words:
"Your indomitable pluck shown in the execution of your perilous duties during this campaign thus far, allow me the pleasure of appointing you in the field as special scouting officer, with the rank of captain."
Then followed some instructions as to the positions of the various forces, as a guide to Captain Carey, should he need quick aid from any one of the commanders who were narrowing the circle about the hostiles' retreat.