By this time we had Prince saddled, and, springing onto him, as he galloped after Saunders's party Bill called back to me: "Keep a sharp lookout, Peck, till we get back here, for there may be some skulkers laying for you in the timber 'round here." CHAPTER XXIV CAPTAIN SAUNDERS' FIGHT Glancing around as Bill galloped away, I plainly saw, in the bushes at the edge of the timber back of our burnt haystack, two Indian ponies tied to some bushes, with saddles and bridles on. They were the mounts of the two Kiowas who had entertained me throughout the night and one of whom Bill had just killed. The other fellow, who set fire to the haystack, I supposed had made good his escape. And, as I thought this, I naturally turned to look at the spot from where he had fired the burning arrow. "I'm sure I hit him when I shot at him out of the tent," I said to myself. "I wonder if I hurt him much? I'll just step down there and see if there is any blood on the ground." As I approached the spot I saw something like the end of a dirty blanket showing from behind the jutting bank where he had been concealed, and, fearing that the Indian, wounded, might be lying there waiting to shoot me, I cocked my rifle and crept cautiously around to where I could see behind the projecting bank; and there lay the Indian, sure enough, but without sign of life. On a nearer approach I found he was dead and cold--probably having bled to death soon after I had shot him. On turning the body over to get a good look at his face, I was somewhat astonished to recognize the features of old Broken Nose, the medicine-man from To hausen's camp. Leaving the body where it was, I hurried back to the tent to climb up on the derrick with the field-glass, anxious to see what I could of the fight between the Kiowas and soldiers out on the prairie. There was not much to see. Saunders' party had been delayed too long in making the detour to get in the rear of the enemy. Lieutenant Wilson had made his attack at daylight, according to orders, and the Indians, abandoning their siege of the wagon, were retreating to the nearest point of the Walnut Creek timber. From my stand I could see Saunders' party trying to cut off the fleeing Indians from the timber, but they seemed to succeed in intercepting only a few of the hindmost ones. Saunders, Wild Bill, and party went on in pursuit of the fleeing Kiowas until they passed out of sight behind a point of timber. Turning my glass toward the wagon, I could see a party of soldiers gathered around it. Soon the wagon started moving toward our camp, accompanied by the mounted men. The soldiers must have recaptured the mules and harness. As the wagon party came down the grade from the upland at a brisk trot, it occurred to me that they would all be as hungry as coyotes, and, rushing down into the dugout, I began doing what I could to prepare something for them to eat.