Buffalo Bill then untied the man’s hands, told him to stand on the cliff until he hitched his horse, and, as he turned to do so, quick as a flash the man made the leap again.
Buffalo Bill sprang to the cliff, but did not follow him.
“I have not the time to lose, and I won’t shoot him when he comes into view,” he muttered.
Soon the man appeared, smiling boldly, and apparently believing Buffalo Bill was in pursuit.
But with his arms free, he felt the chances were that he could get away, as the scout was not armed.
“I’ll not shoot you this time, though I could do so—we’ll meet again,” shouted the scout.
But the outlaw had at once dove deep, when he saw the scout on the cliff, rifle in hand.
Then Buffalo Bill mounted his horse, after hiding Ginger Sam’s weapons, and rode rapidly away, for already had he lost too much time. He pushed his horse hard, as he felt he could do so, with the animal to get rest at the fort, and, making but short halts, he kept on through the night, to strike at dawn the camp of Captain Keyes, who had taken up the trail for the fort, going by easy marches with his wounded soldiers and Indians.