“Fort Advance has been surrounded for three days by a thousand red devils under Oak Heart!” exclaimed Cody to the officer on duty. “I must see Colonel Royal at once.” The commander of the fort had gotten out of bed already, and he received the scout in his nightshirt. “Is this true, Cody?” he cried. “Is Major Baldwin threatened?” “Why, sir, your scouts must have been hived up for a week past if they haven’t seen Injun signs,” said Cody earnestly. “For three days the Sioux have held the garrison of Fort Advance prisoners, and five men have been killed trying to get to you. They’re pretty nearly out of ammunition.” “My God, Cody! You astonish me. I’ve had the scouts working through the country on the other side, trusting to hear from you if anything went wrong in the direction of Advance.” “I’ve been to Denver, sir. Just got back to-day. I managed to run in half a packload of ammunition that I had cached, and then Texas Jack and I got through the lines again late this afternoon and--here I am!” “Texas Jack! He’s not killed, I hope?” “I don’t know. The reckless fellow _would_ try to go back to cheer the fort with the news that I had got away safely.” “That’s enough now, Bill. You’ll get something to eat, and if you are going back with the men I send----” “You bet I am. I got a fellow to rub Chief down, and he’ll be good for it.” “Your horse? Well, I’m off to see things prepared.” The energetic commander at once ordered his adjutant to call out two troops of cavalry, mount two companies of infantry, and, with a couple of light guns, to start to the reenforcement of Fort Advance. Extra supplies and ammunition were to be taken in ambulances. Captain Alfred Taylor, of the Fifth Cavalry, was given command of the expedition, and ordered to start within the hour. They tried to get Cody to take some rest, for more than twenty-four hours the scout had been active, most of the time in the saddle, and part of the time fighting for his very life, but he was determined to go back with the party of reenforcements. When it pulled out from Post Resistence Buffalo Bill rode ahead as guide, while half a dozen of Colonel Royal’s scouts went along to guard the flanks, and to clear out the cañon when they came to it. Cody felt that Oak Heart, knowing that the white men had got through his lines and were probably making for Resistence, might send a part of his force forward to meet any rescue party coming to the aid of the garrison of Fort Advance. And the wise scout had not been mistaken in this. Perhaps one reason why Texas Jack had succeeded so easily in returning to Fort Advance was because the king of the Sioux had drawn off quite three hundred of his braves for special duty, and sent them along the track toward Fort Resistence.