Last of the Great Scouts; The Life Story of Col. William F. Cody, Buffalo Bill as Told by His Sister

📒 Excerpt: ...company instantly, and Will mounted him bareback, the saddle being at the camp, a mile away. Shouting an order to the men to follow him with a wagon to take back the meat, he galloped toward the game. There were other hunters that day. Five officers rode out from the neighboring fort, and joined Will while waiting for the buffaloes to come up. They were recent arrivals in that part of the country, and their shoulder-straps indicated that one was a captain and the others were lieutenants. They did not know "Buffalo Bill." They saw nothing but a good-looking young fellow, in the dress of a working man, astride a not handsome horse, which had a blind bridle and no saddle. It was not a formidable-looking hunting outfit, and the captain was disposed to be a trifle patronizing. "Hello!" he called out. "I see you're after the same game we are." "Yes, sir," returned Will. "Our camp's out of fresh meat." The officer ran a critical eye over Brigham. "Do you expect to run down a buffalo with a horse like that?" said he. "Why," said Will, innocently, "are buffaloes pretty speedy?" "Speedy? It takes a fast horse to overhaul those animals on the open prairie." "Does it?" said Will; and the officer did not see the twinkle in his eye. Nothing amuses a man more than to be instructed on a matter that he knows thoroughly, and concerning which his instructor knows nothing. Probably every one of the officers had yet to shoot his first buffalo. "Come along with us," offered the captain, graciously. "We're going to kill a few for sport, and all we care for are the tongues and a chunk of the tenderloin; you can have the rest." "Thank you," said Will. "I'll follow along." There were eleven buffaloes in the herd, and the officers started after them as if they had a sure thing on the entire number. Will noticed that the game was pointed toward a creek, and understanding "the nature of the beast," started for the water, to head them off. As the herd went past him, with the...