It soon became a hard trail to follow, but after a mile it led into a cañon, and there the scout beheld a small, rude cabin. The door was closed, and the scout slipped up cautiously, to find it tied on the outside. It was empty, but it was evident that Ginger Sam had been there, for he had changed his wet boots for others. The ashes in the fireplace were cold, and Buffalo Bill seemed to grasp the situation, for he said: “He came here and left without weapons; he has gone, and where but to the Indian village to get more. “That will take him a week or longer, so I will visit him upon our return, for he doubtless has a gold find near here, so that keeps him alone in these wilds, for alone he certainly is. “He may have struck it rich, and so will I when I find him, as there are old scores to settle with that man.” Then, fastening the door as he found it and returning to where he had left his horse, for he had followed the trail on foot, Buffalo Bill started for the camp of his black scouts. The negro courier from the penned-up settlers of the valley had made himself solid with one and all of the black scouts, who did all they could to hasten the recovery of his strength. He had recuperated wonderfully, and was so anxious to start upon the trail of rescue that Buffalo Bill decided to make a start the next afternoon and travel by half-day trails until Black Bill was able to stand what the others could. So the next day the chief and his scouts started upon the trail of rescue. CHAPTER XXI. TO THE RESCUE. Feeling that he was on a trail of rescue, Black Bill rallied so fast that he began to scout on ahead, and one day as Buffalo Bill came near to where the negro lay full length upon the ground, he had reached the summit of a range and was gazing over at something he had discovered on the other side. Creeping up to the side of the negro, Buffalo Bill peered over cautiously, and he, too, lay low, and motioned to the coming scouts to come quietly and see the discovery that Black Bill had made. “Massa Bill, jist look a-yonder, sah, and see what I found,” said the negro. “You can have them, Black Bill, for I don’t want them,” answered Buffalo Bill, as he looked in the direction the negro pointed. The discovery was an Indian village. There it was in the valley, a hundred tepees, at least, and with a large herd of ponies feeding near. It did not look like a permanent village, and the experienced eye of Buffalo Bill now told him that it was not. It was an Indian village upon the march, and apparently halting there in the valley for rest and game for a few days. One by one, the black scouts came up and dropped down at full length by the side of their chief to peer over the range. They had expected some important discovery, but they saw more than they cared to see. Not a word was spoken other than a low ejaculation of surprise or a whistle at the startling discovery.