Buffalo Bill's Boy Bugler; Or, The Last of the Indian Ring

by Prentiss Ingraham

The scout tightened his belt, and looked to his revolvers. He was ready.

Then the still air of the early morning quavered in the clear, far-sounding notes of the bugle, and across the plain rang the “Forwar-r-d! March!” in stentorian tones. Again, far to the southward of the bugle call came other hoarse commands and the sound of galloping horses.

The Indians sprang up and darted hither and thither in consternation. Everything was in confusion.

Some of the braves kicked out every ember of fire, for that would make targets of the red men to the white soldiers beyond.

At the same moment pandemonium broke loose among the ponies. There were yelps, barks and screams, and the jumping, snorting and squealing of frightened mustangs. Away they scurried, and the dazed braves offered little resistance.

Buffalo Bill bounded in among the Indians, and, in the darkness and their demoralized state, they knew not but that he was one of them. He found Cayuse, cut the Piute’s bonds, and lifted the boy to his feet, when he heard a startled grunt at his elbow.

Like a flash the scout wheeled and sprang sidewise, in time to avoid a vicious drive from a knife. He whipped out his own blade, and steel met steel. The Indian was Buffalo Bill’s own height and a powerful fellow, agile as a cat, and skilled in the use of the weapon in hand.

The tumult about them and the gloom prevented instant discovery by the braves at hand. One buck came near enough to see the struggle and sprang at the scout with a tomahawk, but he met a club from Little Cayuse, who was now on his feet, that stretched him out.

Like tigers the scout and his antagonist lunged and parried, the steely muscles of the scout pressing the other back, yet neither sure of himself, because of the darkness.

In avoiding a terrific thrust, the scout stepped back, caught the red man’s blade on his own, and as the brave came on of his own momentum, almost into Buffalo Bill’s arms, the latter shot a quick blow with his left fist that caught the red on the point of the chin, and the battle was over.