“Then as soon as it is dark we can go down into the valley, mount some of the best ponies and stampede the whole herd.”
The scouts all gave a chuckle of delight.
“We can dash away with them, and keep pushing them along.
“Of course, as you know, some of the braves will have ponies near their tepees, and will follow, but they won’t see us, and, if there are many of them, we can push on ahead of the herd, if the pace becomes too hot.
“In this way we can get by these redskins without being seen.
“The Indians will not know what stampeded their ponies, and we will leave them to find out the best way they can.”
This plan of Buffalo Bill met with the approval of each man, though Black Bill seemed to regret not being able to get a chance to “skeer dem red Injuns silly,” as he expressed it.
Down the range, out of sight of the Indian camp, went the scouts, until Buffalo Bill halted at a spot just above where the herd of ponies were feeding.
Finding a hiding place, the chief swept the valley with his glass, and soon discovered that there were only a couple of youths in charge of the herd, and they were seated upon their ponies in the shadow of the trees along the river bank.