At length, the shore was reached, the hoofs touched bottom, and Buffalo Bill dismounted to give the horse a rest.
But only for a minute, for, remounting, he set off at a sweeping gallop for the fort, from that point not half a dozen miles.
“I have saved all of an hour and a half, if not more. You did it splendidly, Buckskin,” said the scout, and coming back into the trail, he sent the horse flying along at full speed.
Within half an hour the light of the fort came into view, and it was not yet midnight.
“Ho, sentinel, let me in—I am Buffalo Bill, the scout—and sound the alarm, for help is needed at once, or Sergeant Mobile Buck and his men will all be wiped out!”
This startling salute and alarm at once roused the garrison to action, and Buffalo Bill dashed to the headquarters of Major Armes, and reported his coming to that officer and asked for three troops of the Tenth Cavalry to go to the rescue.
“God bless you, Cody, you shall have them, and within ten minutes,” cried Major Armes, and the order was given.
Within half an hour, mounted upon a fresh horse, Buffalo Bill rode away from the fort at the head of over a hundred black cavalrymen, to the rescue of Sergeant Buck and his band.
“I’ll set the pace, Captain Keyes, and those who cannot keep up can follow.