“Then I would advise that you bend more to the northeast. There you will find a fertile valley and good streams, and be also within a third of a day’s journey from our camp, and you know there is safety in numbers.” “I have advised building a stronghold at once, and then, should the Indians prove troublesome, we have at least protection,” said Tom Sun. “You are right, Tom! You can reach the spot I speak of early to-morrow, and circumstances warrant that you make no delay in building your fort. How many men have you with you?” “We have about thirty, Buffalo Bill, and about as many noncombatants, and we are well armed and equipped, I assure you.” “In our band there are a score of miners,” said the scout, “and no women or children. If it comes to the worst, why, our united bands should make a good fight. But come, we had better go on.” Then the party rode rapidly after the train. It was several miles ahead, and Captain Ramsey had imprudently allowed it to proceed while he stopped to examine some traces of gold, accompanied only by his guide, son, and daughter. Ramsey was most enthusiastic over the Black Hills, had a bad case of “gold fever,” and was willing to risk life and all in the search for the precious yellow gold. CHAPTER XXVII. THE TWO STRONGHOLDS. Somewhat alarmed, in spite of himself, by the words of Buffalo Bill, Captain Ramsey began to feel that he had allowed his enthusiasm to go perhaps too far in leading an expedition into the Black Hills when the lives of the whole party might be the forfeit for their foolhardiness. But, having at length entered the promised land, it was not in the nature of the old soldier to turn back, and he contented himself with a determination to so fortify his camp as to make it impregnable to the attacks of the redskins. His energetic example, as soon as the train reached the designated spot for encampment, soon set all the men to work at the log fort. Having conducted the train to this site, which was advantageous both for gold hunting and defense from the Indians, Buffalo Bill left for his own camp, accompanied by Lone Dick and Tom Sun, the latter going with his brother scout to learn the locality of the miners’ camp. As the three men rode along they conversed over the future prospects of the country which they had so boldly invaded. They did not doubt but that their example would be followed by others as soon as it became known that white men were living in the Black Hills, which had always before been considered the rightful land of the redskin. Arriving at his own camp, Buffalo Bill found that his comrades had made rapid progress with their work, and that the walls of the stockade fort were already assuming shape. The site selected by the scout was certainly a most advantageous position, being under the shelter of a huge hill of rock, inaccessible to the foot of man, and fronting on the bank of a mountain stream.