History is the record made by men and women; so the story of the western plains is the story of Buffalo Bill and of those other hard workers who with their deeds and even with their lives bought the great country for the use of us to-day. The half of what Buffalo Bill did, in the days of the Overland Trail, has never been told, and of course cannot be told in one short book. He began very young, before the days of the Overland Stage; and he was needed long after the railroad had followed the stage. The days when the Great Plains were being opened to civilized people required brave men and boys――yes, and brave women and girls, too. There was glory enough for all. Everything related in this book happened to Buffalo Bill, or to those persons who shared in his dangers and his deeds. And while he may not remember the other boy, Dave Scott, whom he inspired to be brave also, he will be glad to know that he helped Davy to be a man. That is one great reward in life: to inspire and encourage others. EDWIN L. SABIN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, June 1, 1914 CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. TALL BULL SIGNALS: “ENEMIES!” 17 II. THE HERO OF THE MULE FORT 30 III. WITH THE WAGON TRAIN 42 IV. VISITING BILLY CODY 58 V. DAVY GOES ON HERD 71 VI. DAVY HAS AN ADVENTURE 83 VII. DAVY CHANGES JOBS 100 VIII. THE GOLD FEVER 114 IX. THE HEE-HAW EXPRESS 127 X. “PIKE’S PEAK OR BUST” 140 XI. SOME HALTS BY THE WAY 157 XII. PERILS FOR THE HEE-HAWS 171 XIII. THE CHERRY CREEK DIGGIN’S 188 XIV. DAVY SIGNS AS “EXTRA” 204 XV. FREIGHTING ACROSS THE PLAINS 218 XVI. YANK RAISES TROUBLE 231 XVII. DAVY “THE BULL WHACKER” 244 XVIII. BILLY CODY TURNS UP AGAIN 257 XIX. DAVY MAKES ANOTHER CHANGE 267 XX. FAST TIME TO CALIFORNIA 280 XXI. “PONY EXPRESS BILL” 293 XXII. CARRYING THE GREAT NEWS 305 XXIII. A BRUSH ON THE OVERLAND STAGE 318 XXIV. BUFFALO BILL IS CHAMPION 336 ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE As Lame Buffalo Had Said, the “Little One” Shot the Straightest of Any _Frontispiece_ William Frederick Cody (“Buffalo Bill”) 13 “Two; Give Two,” he Urged, Meaningly. “Take Rest” 98 “Give It to Them! Split ’em! Split ’em!” 155 “Why――Hello, Billy! Is That You?” 261 “That’s Right. Fight ’em off, Davy” 334 [Illustration: WILLIAM FEDERICK CODY “BUFFALO BILL” From a photograph taken in 1871, in the possession of Clarence S. Paine, Esq.] CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE