“I doesn’t like dem dead red Injuns lyin’ out dere,” said a trooper, with an awe of the dead and darkness. “Never mind, we’ll have more of ’em soon,” said the sergeant. Then darkness came and the men waited, each man a sentinel, for there was no sleep for those black defenders of the hill that night. All was silent and darkness, suddenly broken by the words: “Who commands here?” The voice was clear and stern, and came from a point close at hand. Then a tall form arose from behind a group of rocks. “Massa Buf’ler Bill!” The cry came almost in a shout, and every man left his position and rushed to where the scout stood, for he it was, in truth, who had invaded the retreat of the corralled negro soldiers. CHAPTER XIII. THE RIDE FOR HELP. The darkness hid the tears of joy in the eyes of the colored troopers, at the coming of Buffalo Bill. The scout had crept into the corral unseen, and he said sternly: “If I could get in here, redskins can--who is commander here?” “I am, sir, Sergeant Mobile Buck, and we were going to meet you, Chief Cody.” “I am glad to meet you, Sergeant Buck; but you have only colored troops?” “Yes, sir, from the Tenth Cavalry, and Major Armes told us we could come and meet you on the trail, and mighty glad we are to see you, sir.” “I saw your man ahead killed, but could not save him, for he rode right into an ambush I was watching, and his doing so saved me. Then I watched developments and saw you retreat here, so waited until dark to creep in, for there are more Indians coming and you are in a bad way.” “Oh, Lordy!” Buffalo Bill laughed. “You are not dead yet, boys,” he said, “and you made a good fight when they attacked you; but you will not be attacked again until morning, about dawn, and then by a force large enough to run you down.” “Jist you take us to de fort, Massa Bill, fer you kin do it, sah,” said one, and all held the same opinion. “No, you could never leave here, and I’ll have to sneak out; but my horse and pack animal are a mile away, on the trail to the fort, and I’ll go there for help, and it will take three or four troops to do it, too. “The fort is about twenty-five miles from here, and I’ll make it in three hours, for I’ll hide my pack animal soon as I can, and I will be back with help in four hours more. “That will get us here just in time, and you keep watch for all you are worth, strengthen your position all you can, have your rifles and revolvers ready, and you can fight them off, if they do attack, until we get here.” “Don’t yer think I better go wid yer, Massa Bill?” asked a trooper, who preferred to take his chances with Buffalo Bill alone to remaining with his score of comrades. “No, every man is wanted here.” “Dat’s so, an’ I wishes you was goin’ ter stay, too, sah,” and this remark voiced the idea of all.