“Percy, I wish one of your guns sent at once down to my camp, and with full speed, for I shall drop a shell or two into the camp across the river from me, and then push on down to the other camp, and have them give the reds a surprise, though we do not know just where they are located at the lower ford, and must guess at it.
“Toss a few more shells over there, and then limber up and get the gun away, whichever one you care to send.”
Half a dozen more shells were sent flying into the Indian camp, and then the gun was sent down to the camp of Lieutenant Worth, who, after supper with his officer comrades there, rode away with Buffalo Bill, the sergeant, and the three men sent there in the morning to build fires, back to his camp.
He found it no easy task to overtake the gun, the crew being anxious to reach their position and throw in a few shells before word could be sent down from the upper ford, though the firing would naturally be heard there, the sound traveling by the river.
The gun was dragged to the ridge, and the sergeant pointed out just where the camp and corral of ponies were.
“Aim it yourself, sergeant,” ordered Lieutenant Worth.
The sergeant did so, and the shell was seen to burst right behind the ledge.
Wild yells followed, and, with the firing of a second shell into the corral of ponies, it also struck home, for horses neighed wildly in fright.
“Give them a few more shells, sergeant, and then the gun can go to camp, while we hold on down to the lower ford.”
This was done, the gun retreated to camp, and Lieutenant Worth, Buffalo Bill, and Sergeant Fallon followed on down the river trail to the lower ford.