19
Neale slept in a tent, and when he was suddenly awakened it was bright daylight. His ears vibrated to a piercing blast. For an instant he could not distinguish the sound. But when it ceased he knew it had been a ringing bugle-call. Following that came the voices and movements of excited troopers.
He rolled from his blankets to get into boots and coat and rush out. The troopers appeared all around him in hurried orderly action. Neale asked a soldier what was up.
“Redskins, b’gorra—before brikfast!” was the disgusted reply.
Neale thought of Allie and his heart contracted. A swift glance on all sides, however, failed to see any evidence of attack on the camp. He espied General Lodge and Colonel Dillon among a group before the engineers’ quarters. Neale hurried up.
“Good morning, Neale,” said the chief, grimly. “You’re back on the job, all right.”
And Colonel Dillon added, “A little action to celebrate your return, Neale!”
“What’s happened?” queried Neale, shortly.
“We just got a telegraph message: ‘Big force—Sioux.’ That’s all. The operator says the wire was cut in the middle of the message.”