“And meanwhile Oak Heart will throw his entire force over those palisades!” cried the scout. “By the time we deploy into the valley there’ll be no garrison, and the red devils can turn their attention to us. The firing will call up the gang from the cañon, and we’ll be between two fires.”
“It can’t be helped——”
“It can be helped, sir—begging your pardon! Give me a few of your men and let me push on. It will make a diversion in favor of the garrison. If the braves see us coming they’ll hesitate about throwing themselves into the fort and so being caught in a trap.”
“Good, Cody! You are right. And your appearance will at least show that help is at hand and encourage the garrison. But I’m afraid you’ll be cut to pieces.”
“We’ll have to take that chance. Somebody has got to die this day—why not us?” demanded the courageous scout. “Let me have some of your cavalry as they come up. There’s the head of the column!”
“Go, and God bless you, my brave fellow! Take all the men whose horses can stand a hard run,” said the gallant captain.
He signaled the head of the column forward at once. The troops had already heard the firing, and were eager to get into action.
“You’ll have to bring your artillery and ambulances down into the valley by yonder ridge, captain,” said the scout, pointing out the tongue of rocky land over which he had raced the day before with his pack-load of ammunition for the beleaguered fort. “From there you can sweep the valley to the very gates of the fort, and likewise you can cover the exit of the cañon through which the ambushing party will like enough pour in a short time.”
“Good! I’ll make a note of that,” declared the officer. “There, Cody, are your men. Pick out the horses you think will be able to keep somewhere near your whitey. Every man of them is eager to attend, I promise you!”
This was true enough, as the scout well knew. In five minutes, with two lieutenants and a couple of score of troopers at his heels, the scout set the pace over the ridge and down into the smoke-wreathed valley.