Leaving the scouts arguing as to whether any of them would undertake the venture, I reported to General Sheridan.  He informed me that he was looking for a man to carry dispatches to Fort Dodge, and, while we were talking, Dick Parr, his chief of scouts, came in to inform him that none of his scouts would volunteer.  Upon hearing this, I said: 

“General, if no one is ready to volunteer, I’ll carry your dispatches myself.”

“I had not thought of asking you to do this, Cody,” said the general.  “You are already pretty hard-worked.  But it is really important that these dispatches should go through.”

“If you don’t get a courier before four this afternoon, I’ll be ready for business,” I told him.  “All I want is a fresh horse.  Meanwhile I’ll get a little more rest.”

It was not much of a rest, however, that I got.  I went over to Hays City and had a “time” with the boys.  Coming back to the Post at the appointed hour, I found that no scout had volunteered.  I reported to the general, who had secured an excellent horse for me.  Handing me the dispatches, he said: 

“You can start as soon as you wish.  The sooner the better.  And good luck to you, my boy!”

An hour later I was on my way.  At dusk I crossed the Smoky Hill River.  I did not urge my horse much, as I was saving him for the latter end of the journey, or for any run I might have to make should the “wild boys” jump me.

Though I kept a sharp watch through the night I saw no Indians, and had no adventures worth relating.  Just at daylight I found myself approaching Saw Log River, having ridden about seventy-five miles.

A company of colored cavalry, under command of Major Cox, was stationed at this point.  I approached the camp cautiously.  The darky soldiers had a habit of shooting first and crying “Halt!” afterward.  When I got within hearing distance I called out, and was answered by one of the pickets.  I shouted to him not to shoot, informing him that I carried dispatches from Fort Hays.  Then, calling the sergeant of the guard, I went up to the vidette, who at once recognized me, and took me to the tent of Major Cox.

This officer supplied me with a fresh horse, as requested by General Sheridan in a letter I brought to him.  After an hour’s sleep and a meal, I jumped into the saddle, and before sunrise was on my way.  I reached Fort Dodge, twenty-five miles further on, between nine and ten o’clock without having seen a single Indian.

When I had delivered my dispatches, Johnny Austin, an old friend, who was chief of scouts at the Post, invited me to come to his house for a nap.  When I awoke Austin told me there had been Indians all around the Post.  He was very much surprised that I had seen none of them.  They had run off cattle and horses, and occasionally killed a man.  Indians, he said, were also very thick on the Arkansas River between Fort Dodge and Fort Larned, and had made considerable