He whistled loud, our Scouts' signal whistle; and off down the trail Major Henry or Kit Carson whistled back, and added the whistle that meant "All right." (Note 16.) "Hear that?" asked General Ashley. "That means we've got your horses!" Hurrah! So we had. You see, Major Henry and Kit Carson had been sent back to watch the enemy's camp; and when the gang had left, on foot, to surprise us, our two scouts had gone in and captured the horses. We couldn't help but whoop and yell a little, in triumph. But General Ashley ordered "Silence!" and we quit. "Aw, we were just fooling," said Tony Matthews. They talked together, low, for a few moments; and Bill called: "Come on in. We won't hurt you." "Of course you won't," said General Ashley. "But _we_ aren't fooling. We mean business. We'll keep the horses until you've promised to clear out and let this camp alone." "We don't want the horses. Two of 'em are hired and the longer you keep them the more you'll have to pay." That was a lie. They didn't hire horses. They borrowed. "We can sleep here very comfortably, kid," said Mike Delavan. "You'll not get much sleep in those beds," retorted General Ashley. "Will they, boys!" And we all laughed and said "No!" "And after they've walked ten miles back to town, we'll bring in the horses and tell how we took them." The enemy talked together low, again. "All right," said Bill Duane. "You give us our horses and we'll let the camp alone." "Do you promise?" asked General Ashley. "Yes; didn't I say so?" "Do you, Mike?" "Sure; if you return those horses." "Do you, Tony and Bert?" "Uh huh." That was the best way--to make each promise separately; for some one of them might have claimed that he hadn't promised with the rest. "Then go on down the trail, and you'll find the horses where you left them." "How do we know?" "On the honor of a Scout," said General Ashley. "We won't try any tricks, and don't you, for we'll be watching you until you start for town." They grumbled back, and with Bill Duane in the lead stumbled for the trail. General Ashley whistled the signal agreed upon, for Major Henry and Kit Carson to tie the horses and to withdraw. We might have followed the enemy; but we would have risked dividing our forces too much and leaving the camp. We were safer here. So we waited, quiet; and after a time somebody signaled with the whistle of the patrol. It was Kit Carson. "They've gone, sir," he reported, when General Ashley called him. "What did they say?" "They're mad; but they're going into town and they'll get back at us later." "You saw them start, did you?" "Yes, sir." "Where's Henry?" "Waiting to see if they turn or anything." "They won't. They know we'll be ready for them. Shall we move camp, or post sentries, boys?"