“Then there has been an alliance made between the tribes, and we will have to meet the attack of a strong confederacy,” muttered the commandant.
He rang a bell and an orderly entered the room, saluted him, and stood at attention.
“Ask Colonel Cody to oblige me by stepping in here for a moment,” the colonel said.
The soldier left the room, and in a few moments returned, announcing the famous king of scouts, Buffalo Bill.
He had been making a tour of inspection to see that the horses of the soldiers were in good shape, and that all necessary preparations had been made for a long ride and a hard campaign, if the need should arise.
The famous frontiersman was an even more striking and handsome figure than his friend Hickok. At this time he was in the zenith of his vigorous manhood.
It was only a short time before that he had earned his sobriquet of Buffalo Bill by shooting a record number of buffaloes to supply fresh meat for the workmen engaged in the construction of the Kansas Pacific Railway.
Every line of his face and every movement of his body showed force, courage, and determination such as are rarely seen even among the bravest men.
The border king greeted his friend Hickok warmly, and said:
“So they couldn’t get you, old pard! I wish I’d been with you to help you put up a little bit of a fight.”