“That’s the size of it. Wouldn’t have got through, either, but for that girl pard of yours. Say, she’s a brick.” “She is,” agreed the scout. “What did she do in your case?” Patterson went into the matter at length, beginning with the way Dell scampered off from Fort Grant. Then he followed the recital on down to the fight, and the way Dell and Little Cayuse had brought him in. The doctor interfered, once or twice, to say that Patterson was talking too much. But Patterson wouldn’t stop until he had finished all he had in mind. “Certainly Dell should have stayed at Grant,” said the scout, “but fate usually knows best when it takes such matters in hand and regulates them. If Dell had stayed at the post, you’d be on the hogback now minus your scalp; and Geronimo would have had Grayson’s despatches. The wily old red would have given a lot to get hold of those papers.” Buffalo Bill went back to the table and seated himself. Ten minutes later, Dell and Cayuse reappeared. “Sit down now,” said the scout, “and give me the whole of this thing. You first, Dell, and then Cayuse can open fire.” Dell, as might be expected, glossed over her part in the night’s doings, gave Patterson a lot of credit, and Cayuse considerably more. Cayuse began his recital with an account of the disaster to Bascomb’s escort. He told how the escort, expecting no trouble, rode into the Apache ambush; how a murderous fire opened upon the escort from right and left; how Nomad, unhurt, turned to flee; and how he--Cayuse--thinking Nomad would escape, gave attention to his own safety. Outmaneuvering the Apaches, Cayuse went on to describe how he skirmished back toward the scene of the ambush, hoping to find Nomad; how he examined the slain and scalped soldiers, without being successful in locating the trapper; how he picked up the trail of the Apaches and followed them to Tonio Pass, saw the wounded Bascomb lifted from his horse, and saw Geronimo personally superintending the work of caring for the white renegade. After this Cayuse started for Bonita to report to Buffalo Bill, crossed the trail of more Apaches, and followed it to the hogback, where he made such good use of his rifle in helping Dell and the sergeant. “All three of you distinguished yourselves,” said the scout; “you acted just as Buffalo Bill likes to see his pards act. But, Cayuse, I should like to know whether you are positive the Indian you saw at Tonio Pass was Geronimo.” “Heap sure,” declared the boy. “You know him, do you?” “Me see um plenty times when me belong with the army.”