And the [wise scout] had not been mistaken in this. Perhaps one reason why Texas Jack had succeeded so easily in returning to Fort Advance was because the king of the Sioux had drawn off quite three hundred of his braves for special duty, and sent them along the track toward Fort Resistence.
The easiest and shortest trail between the two forts was through the cañon, and this Oak Heart well knew. He ordered the chiefs in charge of the three hundred to ambush the rescue-party near the entrance to the cañon at the other end, and not long before Cody and the other scouts, riding ahead of Captain Taylor’s command, came within shouting distance of the cañon the bloodthirsty savages were hidden among the rocks and trees on the sloping sides, ready to pour a deadly fire into the band of rescuers when they came along the trail beneath them.
While yet the scouts were some distance from the cañon something startled them ahead. Tearing along the trail toward them came a herd of deer, frightened from their night’s lair by something untoward.
“Now, what under the canopy started them to running?” asked Cody, who never let anything go past him unexplained.
“Wolves, it’s likely,” said one of the Resistence scouts named Judd.
“Haven’t heard a wolf howl to-night,” declared Buffalo Bill.
“You’re right there, pard,” said another scout, Barney by name.
“And there was no critter on the trail of those white-tails,” said a third man.
“That means Injuns, then,” declared Barney.
“I reckon you’re right, boys,” said the Border King. “Let’s see. Those deer came directly from the cañon.”