-th.

Sore in soul and body was Kennedy, and sore and stiff was his gallant
bay, Kilmaine, when these comrades of over three years' service shook
the spray of the Platte from their legs and started doggedly northward
on the trail. Northward they went for full three miles, Kilmaine sulky
and protesting. The dust cloud was only partially visible now, hidden by
the ridge a few miles ahead, when, over that very ridge, probably four
miles away to the right front, Kennedy saw coming at speed a single
rider, and reined to the northeast to meet him. Blake and his men had
gone far in that direction. Two of their number, with horses too slow
for a chase after nimble ponies, had, as we have seen, drifted back, and
joined, unprepared though they were for the field, the rear of Webb's
column. But now came another, not aiming for Webb, but heading for
Frayne. It meant news from the chase that might be important. It would
take him but little from the direct line to the north, why not meet him
and hear? Kennedy reined to the right, riding slowly now and seeking the
higher level from which he could command the better view.

At last they neared each other, the little Irish veteran, sore-headed
and in evil mood, and a big, wild-eyed, scare-faced trooper new to the
frontier, spurring homeward with panic in every feature, but rejoicing
at sight of a comrade soldier.

"Git back; git back!" he began to shout, as soon as he got within
hailing distance. "There's a million Indians just over the ridge.
They've got the captain----"

"What captain?" yelled Kennedy, all ablaze at the instant. "Spake up, ye
shiverin' loon!"

"Blake! He got way ahead of us----"

"Then it's to him you should be runnin', not home, ye cur! Turn about
now! Turn about or I'll----" And in a fury Pat had seized the other's
rein, and, spurring savagely at Kilmaine,--both horses instantly waking,
as though responsive to the wrath and fervor of their little master,--he
fairly whirled the big trooper around and, despite fearsome protests,
bore him onward toward the ridge, swift questioning as they rode. How
came they to send a raw rookie on such a quest? Why, the rookie gasped
in explanation that he was on stable guard, and the captain took the
first six men in sight. How happened it that the captain got so far
ahead of him? There was no keepin' up with the captain. He was on his
big, raw-boned race horse, chasin' three Indians that was firin' and had
hit Meisner, but the