To dismount and grasp the noses of their horses, to prevent their neighing, and stand as motionless as the rocks about them, was the work of a second, and the lieutenant and his two Cheyenne soldiers in the gloom of the night, though in full sight of the passing horsemen appeared like the rocks about them. There was no retreat behind them, for the way was impassable, and to go to the right or left, up or down the ridge, meant discovery. They had been fairly caught, and in the worst position for them that could be found anywhere. If the Indian horsemen took them in at a glance, as rocks, in the darkness, and so passed on, all was well; but if discovered then it must be a fight to the death. Holding a position for defense at least, and their number not known to the officer and his redskin soldiers, might, by a hot fire, put the Sioux to flight, thus giving them an opportunity to get away themselves. But if not, then they must remain and fight it out right there. These thoughts passed rapidly through the mind of Kit Carey as he stood there, grasping the nose of his horse with his left hand, and holding his repeating rifle, a splendid Evans repeating gun, shooting thirty-five times. The Cheyennes were armed with Winchesters, and stood ready, as did their commander. Then, too, all three had their revolvers, and the Sioux would think a whole troop was there should they discover them, and cause them to open fire. In spite of the peril of his situation, Lieutenant Carey calmly counted his foes. He saw by the feather bonnet, indistinctly seen, that a chief rode in advance. Then came the braves in single file until thirty had passed. Kit Carey gave a sigh of relief as they went by without discovering them, and said to the Cheyennes: "A chief and thirty braves. They cannot be very dangerous, or intending an attack. Some scouting party only, I think." The Cheyennes thought the same, and then came a consultation as to which way the Sioux were going, and was it best to follow them, or go on into the Bad Lands, as the lieutenant had intended. Kit Carey wished to get the ideas of the scouts, for he knew that they were well worthy of consideration, and the result was that he decided to send one of the Indian soldiers upon the trail of the party of Sioux, and the other ahead by a flank movement, to the command of the general toward whom they were making their way. As for himself, he would go on his rounds to his sentinel camps, for that only a band of thirty Sioux were leaving the Bad Lands did not disturb him. Had there been several hundred warriors moving toward the commands, or the settlements, the officer would have at once suspected an ambush, an attack, or a raid. So the Cheyennes went on the trail, one to follow the Sioux, the other to head them off, and as soon as their situation was learned to ride with full speed for the nearest military force, and report to the commander the discovery, as one of Kit Carey's couriers.