That Buffalo Bill had not got back was a cause of deepest anxiety, but the sergeant was brave and told his men that the scout with help was doubtless close at hand, only waiting for the Indians to attack the retreat, and this gave them hope. Soon a dark mass was visible, moving out from the distant timber. The Indians were advancing to the attack, and they were mounted. “Men, we’ll empty these extra guns at them first, for they’ll reach them, and then you fire only when I give the order,” cried the sergeant. The three guns rattled forth their seven shots each, and they must have hit hard, for the redskins wavered, yelled like demons, and came on with a rush. “Fire!” All the rifles opened fire, and the shots told, for ponies fell and riders dropped to the ground. But the rush was on, the Indians were in heavy force, hundreds against a score of black troopers, and the showers of arrows, the maddened yells and the roar of the charging ponies, struck terror to the hearts of the troopers. “Hold ’em, men, or all is lost,” shouted the sergeant, adding: “Revolvers now!” But as the rattle of revolvers began and the redskins were almost up to the retreat, above the wild yells of the redskins arose the piercing, thrilling notes of a bugle, followed by the ringing war cry of Buffalo Bill, and a stern command from Captain Keyes: “Ride them down, men!” The bugle notes broke upon the ears of the redskins just in time to deprive them of their prey, for, wheeling to one side of the retreat, they drove on at full speed, for they knew that United States cavalry was upon them and in large force. “After them, men!” shouted Buffalo Bill, and with Captain Keyes by his side, and nearly a hundred troopers following, they rode hot on the heels of the flying redskins. It was a complete surprise, of the kind that causes a stampede, and the Indians only sought to escape their pursuers until they reached a place where they could rally and ambush their foes. But Captain Keyes was too good a soldier to be caught in a trap, with tired-out horses and men, and he called a halt when his command drew near a heavily timbered hill. “Halt here, men, and let them think this is all the force, while Cody, you go back, meet the other men and flank yonder ridge with them, ordering a courier to go to the reserve and fetch them, with the gun, to your aid with all speed.” It was almost daylight now, and the tired men rested where they were in line of battle, while Buffalo Bill rode back, checking the troopers still coming up and ordering them to keep out of sight in the timber, while he went to the retreat of those who had been rescued in the nick of time. CHAPTER XV. A VERY STRANGE FIND. “The goo’ Lor’ bress you, Massa Bill!” came a cry in chorus from a dozen men, as the scout approached the retreat. Sergeant Mobile Buck came out to meet Buffalo Bill, and wrung his hand hard, while he said: