The scout bent his antagonist backward, and with a blow of his fist put the savage temporarily out of commission. “Back across the brook, Nick, and then leg it up river to the horses!” he said, crashing through the brush and leaping across to the thick growth on the opposite bank. For Nomad it was hard to resist a volley at the oncoming reds, but orders were orders when they came from Buffalo Bill, and he bounded after his leader. The Indians plunged into the thicket and found the buck just regaining his senses and yet unable to comprehend his condition. A few paused to question him, while others scurried about in the willows, looking for some sort of enemy. The scout and trapper made good time up river, but suddenly saw outlined against the sky, on the bank above them, several horsemen. Instantly they crouched low and waited. To continue up river they must pass almost at the feet of these horsemen who seemed to be waiting for them or else watching events below. “They are all about us, Nick,” whispered the scout. “Waugh!” returned the trapper. “One on ’em got his goozelet squoze till I’m gamblin’ he cyant chew buffler gravy ter-night, nohow.” The torch bearers were coming nearer along the stream, apparently having discovered the tracks the pards had made in jumping across. Then from above them came a guttural query in a shout to those beating the bush. “He asked what the fuss was about,” whispered the scout. The pards could make out seven men on horseback, for the other five were grouped about two of them, and it could be seen that both the latter wore hats instead of feathers. Then one of the men spoke to the other in good English: “It looks like our finish, Ike, down in that gang of red cutthroats.” “It is Price!” whispered the scout. “An’ Bloody Ike,” added the trapper. CHAPTER XXIV. CAYUSE SENTENCED TO DIE. Straight out upon the plain, Hickok, astride his own horse and leading Bear Paw, fled. He had little fear of being overtaken, and soon discovered that the Indians had missed his course entirely and were passing south of him. He decided to circle northward and go back to the mouth of the long gully, in the hope of learning something of his companions. Nearing- the stream again, some distance above the Indian camp, the Laramie man was suddenly startled by a shrill whinny, and he instantly knew it to be the call of Navi to his friend Bear Paw. Wild Bill jerked up the heads of his horses so suddenly that both desisted from the response which they were ready to give. The Laramie man made haste to investigate, and so confident was he that no other pony could imitate the neigh of Navi that he took long chances of running into an ambuscade. Wild Bill was a man who was ever ready to take chances if anything was to be gained thereby. If there was but one in a thousand he would take that one--and Wild Bill’s “luck” was phenomenal.