Pluck on the Long Trail

nudged me with his foot, and nodded. He made the sign of birds flying up and pointed down the trail, below, us; so that I knew so

avan, Tony Matthews, and Bert Hawley. They were laughing and talking because the trail we made was plain and they thoug

upon the trail, and followed, alongside, so as not to ste

stopped. At every turn we sneaked and Fitzpatrick stuck just his head around, to see that the trail was clear. Suddenly

up and around, out of sight from the trail, and came in, bending low and walking carefully so as not to crack sticks, to listen and examine for sign. We found strange tracks-sol

nd that meant camp. Fitzpatrick (who was a first-class Scout, while I wa

econd-class Scout Jed Smith (that was Dick Smith) will go back a quarter of a mile

eral Ashley chopped a cedar stump for wood (cedar burns without soot, you know); and Fitzpatrick cooked. The burros had been unpacked and the flags planted before Fitzpatrick and I came in. We had to picket the burros out

enry and Jed Smith were not getting any supper yet, because they were still on picket duty. But when we were throug

amongst us. He was excited, and puffing, and he almost

e puffed. "I sneaked close to

eral Ashley. And we others snickered. I

s, I reconnoitered the enemy's camp

did yo

ush us when we're a

. "But you weren't ordered to do

know. They didn't hear me

just the same. Orders ar

ng on p

he go

, s

" said General Ashley. And he was right, too. "But I'll gi

we're a

s he do

ing and waiting,

and bread, while we hold council. Ca

much as he could, but he wasn't filled up when he was sent out again, into the dark, with Kit Carson. They were ordered

kets and quilts rolled so that the beds looked exactly as if we were in them, our feet to the fire (it was a little fire, of c

still. The breeze just rustled the trees, but we could hear our hearts beat. Once, about a mile away, a coyote barked like a crazy puppy. He was ca

and listen and wait. Down the trail poor Major Henry and Kit Carson

l knew. Somebody was coming! We could hear a stick snap, and a little laugh, off in the timber; it sounded as though somebody had run into a branch. We waited. The enemy was

r what they thought was us. They stepped on the beds and kicked at the tinware, and expected to scare us stiff with the noise-but you ought to have seen how quick they quit when no

nudge from General Ashley we had deploye

so we can see,"

h was just what we wanted. Now they were in

up the cam

around so

ake thei

their

ral Ashle

e said. "You let t

ound, must have made them jump, and for a

ill Duane, kin

e'll show you," answ

own the trail Major Henry or Kit Carson whistled back,

ral Ashley. "That means

when the gang had left, on foot, to surprise us, our two scouts had gone in and captured the horses. We

They talked together, low, for a few moments;

't fooling. We mean business. We'll keep the horses unti

e longer you keep them the more you'll have to pay." T

ery comfortably, kid

n those beds," retorted Gene

laughed and

s back to town, we'll bring in the

lked togethe

. "You give us our horses an

se?" asked Ge

idn't I

ou, M

ou return t

Tony an

hu

eparately; for some one of them might have c

l, and you'll find the ho

do we

"We won't try any tricks, and don't you, for w

gnal agreed upon, for Major Henry and Kit Carson to tie the horses and to withdraw. We might have followed

me somebody signaled with the whist

he reported, when Gen

did th

going into town and they

hem start,

s,

e's H

e if they turn

e ready for them. Shall we mov

felt later. So we built up the fire, and set some coffee on, and called Major Henry in, and General Ashley and Jed Smith took the first spell of two hours; then they were to wake up F