Turning back on the trail until dark, the scout and Cayuse went into camp, deciding to remain until very early in the morning and then ride for town so as to reach there early in the day. They had turned in scarcely more than an hour when they were awakened by hoofbeats of horses hard pushed. The riders were coming down river at a stiff gallop and directly at the camp of the scout. “Make um saddle quick,” said Cayuse, springing up. “Him cowboys, Pa-e-has-ka,” continued the Indian boy. “No Injun ride same paleface puncher.” “I’ll bet it’s Red Dick’s men, who have ridden to the upper ford, and crossed, and are now after Dan and his crowd,” said the scout. The party went thundering by within a few rods, but did not see Cody and Cayuse. It was the cowboys from Bozeman, and there could be no mistaking their mission. They were shouting ribald threats as they rode, each trying to outdo his comrades in voicing what he would do to Fighting Dan. “Something of an effort to keep up their courage, I should say,” remarked the scout. “Ugh! Crows holler loud, all same fly ’way when eagle come,” offered Cayuse. Once more the neighborhood was quiet and our friends were not disturbed, until just at the break of day Navi aroused the human branch of the expedition by a shrill and prolonged neigh. Cayuse sprang up and approached his pinto to note the direction the sensitive nostrils were pointed. When he returned he said, pointing to the west: “Injun ponies that way. Mebbyso Crow warriors go cross.” “Well, I guess we don’t care for their company, so we had better canter along ahead.” As they were about to mount, an Indian pushed through a clump of willows, rode to within ten feet of the scout, stoically refraining from word or glance until he had halted his pony. Then, fixing his piercing eyes on the scout, the Indian said: “What Pa-e-has-ka do here?” Buffalo Bill looked steadily at the handsome Indian for a moment, and then answered as he advanced with extended hand: “To help good Indians like White-man-runs-him against bad palefaces.” “Ugh! Pa-e-has-ka heap brave paleface. Always friend of red man. Only one like um--Old Curly.”[A] “Yes, chief, the Boy General is a friend of the Indians, and so is Buffalo Bill. The Great Father at Washington has sent Pa-e-has-ka here to stop the paleface robbers from stealing the red man’s land, blankets, and game.” “Better stop bad palefaces selling fire-water to red man, too.” “White-man-runs-him speaks well. His words are true.” “Pa-e-has-ka heap brave and strong. Great Spirit love Pa-e-has-ka and Old Curly.” The Indian turned his pony and rode away. “Him honest Injun,” ventured Little Cayuse. “Yes, Cayuse; good and brave, and he loves his people.” At Bozeman the first man they saw that morning was Price. He was apparently in great haste and did not notice the scout and Little Cayuse. They rode into a stable, and Cayuse immediately started after Price on foot, at Buffalo Bill’s request.