“You was very fortunate, Cody, in thinking of that cattle story; but for that little game your hair would now be an ornament to a Kiowa’s lodge,” said he.

Just then Dick Curtis spoke up and said:  “Cody, the Captain is anxious to send some dispatches to General Sheridan, at Fort Hays, and none of the scouts here seem to be very willing to undertake the trip.  They say they are not well enough acquainted with the country to find the way at night.”

As a storm was coming up it was quite dark, and the scouts feared that they would lose the way; besides it was a dangerous ride, as a large party of Indians were known to be camped on Walnut Creek, on the direct road to Fort Hays.  It was evident that Curtis was trying to induce me to volunteer.  I made some evasive answer to Curtis, for I did not care to volunteer after my long day’s ride.  But Curtis did not let the matter drop.  Said he: 

“I wish, Bill, that you were not so tired by your chase of to-day, for you know the country better than the rest of the boys, and I am certain that you could go through.”

“As far as the ride to Fort Hays is concerned, that alone would matter but little to me,” I said, “but it is a risky piece of work just now, as the country is full of hostile Indians; still if no other scout is willing to volunteer, I will chance it.  I’ll go, provided I am furnished with a good horse.  I am tired of being chased on a government mule by Indians.”  At this Captain Nolan, who had been listening to our conversation, said: 

“Bill, you may have the best horse in my company.  You can take your choice if you will carry these dispatches.  Although it is against regulations to dismount an enlisted man, I have no hesitancy in such a case of urgent necessity as this is, in telling you that you may have any horse you may wish.”

“Captain, your first sergeant has a splendid horse, and that’s the one I want.  If he’ll let me ride that horse, I’ll be ready to start in one hour, storm or no storm,” said I.

“Good enough, Bill; you shall have the horse; but are you sure you can find your way on such a dark night as this?”

“I have hunted on nearly every acre of ground between here and Fort Hays, and I can almost keep my route by the bones of the dead buffaloes.”  I confidently replied.

“Never fear, Captain, about Cody not finding the way; he is as good in the dark as he is in the daylight,” said Curtis.

An orderly was sent for the horse, and the animal was soon brought up, although the sergeant “kicked” a little against letting him go.  After eating a lunch and filling a canteen with brandy, I went to headquarters and put my own saddle and bridle on the horse I was to ride.  I then got the dispatches, and by ten o’clock was on the road to Fort Hays, which was sixty-five miles distant across the country.  The scouts had all bidden me a hearty good-bye, and wished me success, not knowing when, if ever, they would again gaze upon “my warlike form,” as the poet would say.