"Certainly, captain," I replied. "I'll be delighted to have you go along."
The captain joined us later and told me that he had easily obtained the desired permission, but asked me to say nothing about it to other company officers, lest more of them should wish to go, for the major didn't think it best to spare more than one on such an errand.
The next morning we set out and, after a long, cold ride, reached Camp Coyotelope. During the whole ride the captain kept plying me with questions about our past frontier service, evidently wishing to gain all the information he could about his new line of duty. He was a very pleasant and gentlemanly, young man, and although ignorant of military usage, he evinced a commendable eagerness to inform and qualify himself for his position.
CHAPTER XIX
A NIGHT IN THE KIOWA CAMP
We reached the dugout just before noon, and after unsaddling, watering, and feeding our horses and partaking of a good dinner that Jack had prepared we saddled up again. I now rode the gray mustang, as Tom had suggested, and on one of our mules packed my bedding for the use of Captain Saunders and myself at the Indian camp. We struck out down the creek for the Kiowa camp, I leading the mule and the captain bringing up the rear. This kind of campaigning was a revelation to Captain Saunders and seemed to interest him greatly.
At the Indian camp Tom was anxiously awaiting me, and seemed surprised to see me accompanied by the officer, whom I introduced, explaining the occasion of his visit.
Under the impulse of his long and strict military training, Tom came to "attention" and saluted and seemed somewhat surprised at the captain's proffered hand. In the regular service hand-shaking between an officer and a soldier or ex-soldier would be considered a breach of army etiquette. Quickly comprehending the situation, Tom grasped the extended hand and thereafter appeared to feel on terms of perfect equality with the officer.
"I can't allow you to see old To hausen," Tom explained, "he's too sick to see company; an' I can't devote much time to your entertainment myself, captain, but I'll tell the Injuns to try an' make your visit agreeable; an' you an' Peck'll have to get along the best you can."