The Border King might have picked off the chief with his rifle as he climbed the farther bank of the stream on his wearied pony. But he scorned to do such an act. Besides, far up the river he saw a slender figure dive down the bank, plunge into the stream, and fight the fierce current to the other side, where it quickly scrambled out, up the bank, and ran to join the fleeing Indians. “What become of the girl, Cody?” whispered Dick Danforth, getting him aside. The Border King pointed to this figure following the trail of the defeated warriors. “There she goes, Dick,” he whispered. “Remember your promise!” It was indeed a great victory for the whites. The Sioux had lost many ponies and more than a hundred slain, although some of the dead had been taken away. In wounded the Indians had suffered more heavily still. However, it was a costly victory for the whites. More than twenty troopers lay dead within the fort, and several were scattered upon the plain. There were more than half a hundred seriously injured, while of minor casualties there were so many that the garrison had ceased to note them. Almost everybody within Fort Advance showed, at least, some slight mark of the conflict. Upon every tongue was heard the name of Buffalo Bill, the Border King; for, but for him, how different might have been the result! All felt that the great scout had saved Fort Advance, and, as Texas Jack said, “put a crimp in the Sioux that they’d remember till they were gray-headed.” Indeed the fame of this deed for many years made Buffalo Bill’s name a household word along the frontier. Embarrassed by the praise bestowed upon him, the scout looked to the care of his horse, Chief, and then slipped away to hide and rest, Texas Jack keeping his hiding-place a secret that he might not be disturbed. When he slipped out of his retreat the next day he was greeted with a cheer, and Major Baldwin sent for him at parade that evening and complimented him publicly for his work, with a word of praise for Texas Jack, as well. When matters had quieted down a little at the fort and the rescuers had returned to Fort Resistance, Buffalo Bill had a talk with Major Baldwin. “Somebody should make an attempt to see what old Oak Heart is about now,” said the scout. “And I reckon I’m the man, major. There are still a lot of masterless Indians in these hills, and we want to know what they’re up to. There is another matter I wish to scout around about, too. On my way down from Denver I crossed the trail of Boyd Bennett.” “You don’t mean that despicable deserter has dared show up again?” cried the major. “I believe he is in the neighborhood. There have been several robberies of stage-coaches and mail-wagons up north, and they bear the ear-marks of Boyd Bennett. At any rate, this clue I speak of will bear following up.” “Very well, Cody. I’ll excuse you from your other duties. I wish I was giving you a quiet vacation, however.” The scout smiled.