Sergeant Mobile Buck came out to meet Buffalo Bill, and wrung his hand hard, while he said:
“You did it, sir—you saved us, and just in time, for my men were giving way.
“I lost five killed, sir, and half a dozen wounded, though only two seriously.
“It will do the men good, sir, this fight, and they’ll follow you, Mr. Cody, to the devil!”
“And I want you and every man of them for my squadron of scouts, sergeant, as I will need yourself, a corporal, and twenty-four men.
“Now look to your wounded and then bury your dead, for I’ll have breakfast sent to you from the main camp over in the timber yonder, where they are now cooking for Captain Keyes and his men, who will remain where they are until I can flank yonder hill, for we have as many more men in reserve and a gun.”
“That’s good, sir, and Mr. Injun will get it bad, won’t he?” said the delighted sergeant, while Buffalo Bill rode through the retreat and called out:
“You had it hot and deadly here, I see, boys, but you fought like wild cats, all of you, and I am proud of my black scouts, for I want you all.”
A cheer answered the words of the scout, and he rode rapidly back into the timber, where the stragglers had come up with the pack animals, a camp had been formed, and breakfast was being prepared.
Sending a white scout on his trail of the night before to bring his pack horse, saddle and bridle from where he had left them on the river bank, Buffalo Bill hastily had breakfast with a half a hundred troopers, and led them by a flank movement to get in the rear of the Indians on the ridge. He had long before sent a courier to tell the reserve force, the troopers with their gun, to branch off at a trail, which would head him off at a point where they could reach the rear of the redskins.