“No, you could never leave here, and I’ll have to sneak out; but my horse and pack animal are a mile away, on the trail to the fort, and I’ll go there for help, and it will take three or four troops to do it, too.
“The fort is about twenty-five miles from here, and I’ll make it in three hours, for I’ll hide my pack animal soon as I can, and I will be back with help in four hours more.
“That will get us here just in time, and you keep watch for all you are worth, strengthen your position all you can, have your rifles and revolvers ready, and you can fight them off, if they do attack, until we get here.”
“Don’t yer think I better go wid yer, Massa Bill?” asked a trooper, who preferred to take his chances with Buffalo Bill alone to remaining with his score of comrades.
“No, every man is wanted here.”
“Dat’s so, an’ I wishes you was goin’ ter stay, too, sah,” and this remark voiced the idea of all.
“Now, sergeant, send your men back to their posts, and let them know if they go to sleep some of them may wake up in the Indians’ happy hunting grounds.
“Then Sergeant Buck go with me to the end of the timber, for I wish a word with you.”
The troopers were sent again to their posts of duty, and the sergeant went with Buffalo Bill to a gully, by which he intended to retreat, for it was not guarded as horses could not go that way.