Dell, as might be expected, glossed over her part in the night’s doings, gave Patterson a lot of credit, and Cayuse considerably more.
Cayuse began his recital with an account of the disaster to Bascomb’s escort.
He told how the escort, expecting no trouble, rode into the Apache ambush; how a murderous fire opened upon the escort from right and left; how Nomad, unhurt, turned to flee; and how he—Cayuse—thinking Nomad would escape, gave attention to his own safety.
Outmaneuvering the Apaches, Cayuse went on to describe how he skirmished back toward the scene of the ambush, hoping to find Nomad; how he examined the slain and scalped soldiers, without being successful in locating the trapper; how he picked up the trail of the Apaches and followed them to Tonio Pass, saw the wounded Bascomb lifted from his horse, and saw Geronimo personally superintending the work of caring for the white renegade.
After this Cayuse started for Bonita to report to Buffalo Bill, crossed the trail of more Apaches, and followed it to the hogback, where he made such good use of his rifle in helping Dell and the sergeant.
“All three of you distinguished yourselves,” said the scout; “you acted just as Buffalo Bill likes to see his pards act. But, Cayuse, I should like to know whether you are positive the Indian you saw at Tonio Pass was Geronimo.”
“Heap sure,” declared the boy.
“You know him, do you?”
“Me see um plenty times when me belong with the army.”
“Very good. For some time, now, this deserter, Bascomb, has made us a good deal of trouble. He had a few renegade Apaches with him, you remember, in the hills around the Three-ply Mine. When we caught the scoundrel on that island in Quicksand Lake, I was sure we had him at the end of his rope; and I am about equally sure that Geronimo and his bucks jumped the reservation in order to get Bascomb away from the soldiers. If that is the case, then Bascomb is the man for us to lay hold of. I have started on his trail, and I do not intend to hold back until he is landed.