"The medicine I want you to get at the fort is nothing but a pint of commissary whiskey, but I didn't want to mention it before Jack. The doctors use it in pneumonia as a stimulant, diluted, an' given in tablespoonful doses. I've got everything else I need, and I'll take my little medicine-chest along with me down to the Injun camp in case there should be other sick ones that I'd want something for." Then he added: "You'd better take Prince to ride over to the fort and back. I rode him down to the camp, but he'll be good for your trip. I'll ride ol' Vinegar down to the camp this time; an' when you get back here to-morrow you can leave Prince here an' ride the gray mare or one of the mules down to the camp. By the way, while I think of it, I must take along a couple of candles an' a few more matches; for I'll have to be getting up in the night 'tendin' to the old man, an' there's no such thing as a light to be had in an Injun lodge without a body goes to the trouble of starting up a blaze in the fire. "I've got to keep on the right side of that old medicine-man that's doctoring the old chief now," said Tom; "and I'd like to teach him something if I could." Soon we were ready and started, Bill and I cantering off on the trail while Tom struck out down the creek. On arriving at Fort Larned, knowing that Lieutenant Lang always kept a demijohn of whiskey in his quarters, I procured a pint bottle of the "medicine" Tom desired and spent the night at his quarters. Just before going to the officers' mess for supper with Lieutenant Lang that evening, thinking that it would be an interesting trip for him, I had suggested to him that he go out to our camp and see something of the Kiowas with whom later he might have some dealings. He declined to go on the ground that the weather was wintry and the ride a long one. Captain Saunders, who was present, expressed surprise that Lieutenant Lang did not jump at the chance and said to me: "Mr. Peck, if I can get leave of absence from the major, may I accompany you on this trip to the Indian camp?" "Certainly, captain," I replied. "I'll be delighted to have you go along." The captain joined us later and told me that he had easily obtained the desired permission, but asked me to say nothing about it to other company officers, lest more of them should wish to go, for the major didn't think it best to spare more than one on such an errand. The next morning we set out and, after a long, cold ride, reached Camp Coyotelope. During the whole ride the captain kept plying me with questions about our past frontier service, evidently wishing to gain all the information he could about his new line of duty. He was a very pleasant and gentlemanly, young man, and although ignorant of military usage, he evinced a commendable eagerness to inform and qualify himself for his position. CHAPTER XIX A NIGHT IN THE KIOWA CAMP