In a few minutes the teams and escort came up, admitted by the sentry. We soon learned the results of Tom's trip. The badly wounded soldier, Dolan, had died shortly after Tom's arrival at the post. On reaching the fort Tom drove immediately to the adjutant's office and reported to the commanding officer the result of the fight and the condition of the wounded, and then hurried on to the hospital, followed by the major and several other officers and soldiers, all eager to learn all the particulars. By this time Tom's wounded leg had made him so lame that he realized the impossibility of his returning to our camp with the supplies; and our mule team, also, was not in condition to return immediately, so he suggested to the major that a couple of six-mule teams be quickly hitched up and started under escort for the camp with rations and feed for Saunders' men and horses; and he very thoughtfully, also, advised sending the blankets of Saunders' troopers, all of which was promptly ordered. One team would have been ample to have taken the supplies to Saunders, but Tom calculated that by sending two the second team, in the absence of our own, could be used, in returning next day, to move our plunder into the post. Captain Saunders could not say enough in praise of the old man's forethought and unselfishness. "He is certainly a valuable man among soldiers," he said, "for he always seems to know what to do and how to do it." "Cap," interjected Wild Bill, "you will please bear in mind that I suggested that Tom was the man to send on that trip." "So you did," admitted Saunders, "and you certainly knew your man." I had assigned the use of our tent to Captain Saunders' guard detail; and by stuffing a bale of skins into the mouth of the tunnel under the tripod, to stop the draught, and carrying the other bales outside, they made for themselves very comfortable quarters. The other men made their beds on the open prairie, outside the tent, with their saddles for pillows; and most of them turned in early, to get out of the cold night wind and from weariness, while a few still sat around the camp-fire talking over the events of the day. The officers and Wild Bill prepared to sleep with us in the cabin, and after we had spread down our beds I spoke to Bill about the events of the morning and the loss of his horse. "Yes," said he, "there ain't but one horse in the country that's as good as my Charlie, and maybe a little better in some ways, and that's your Black Prince; and I'm going to try to coax you boys to sell me that horse because I've fell in love with him and I need him bad in my business." "Why, Bill," said Jack, laughing heartily at the scout's guilelessness, "you ain't no sort of a horse trader. When you want to buy a man's horse you should run him down and make him out no account instead of bragging on him."