perimentally. Each man was clad in dark blue flannel
shirt and blouse, the latter soon probably to be stored with the big,
weighty boots in Truscott's saddle room at Beecher, with, probably too,
many of the light blue riding breeches, saddle-pieced with canvas--the
uniform at the start destined, in the case of veteran troopers, at
least, to be shed in favor of brown duck hunting trousers, or even,
among certain extremists, fringed, beaded and embroidered buckskin, than
which the present chronicler knows no more uncomfortable garb when
soaked by pelting rains or immersion in some icy mountain stream. Even
the brown campaign hats, uniformly "creased," as the fifty left the
ford, would soon be knocked out of all semblance to the prescribed
shape, and made at once comfortable and serviceable. Add to these items
the well-filled haversack and battered tin quart cup, (for on a forced
march of two or three days Captain Ray would have no pack mules,) and
the personal equipment of his men was complete. As for the mounts, each
sorrel tripped easily along under the sextuple folds of the saddle
blanket, and the black-skinned McClellan saddle tree, with its broad
horsehair cincha and hooded wooden stirrups, minus the useless skirts
and sweat leathers. Neither breast strap, crupper nor martingale
hampered the free movements of the sturdy, stocky little weight
carriers. The black, single-reined curb bridle, fastened as to the
throat latch by a light buckle, was slipped on over the headstall of the
so-called watering bridle, whose toggled and detachable snaffle bit was
generally "toted" from start to finish of a field scout in the saddle
bags,--a twist of the flexible lariat, Indian fashion, between the
complaisant jaws of his pet, being the troop's ready substitute. Add to
this that, full, free and unmutilated, in glossy waves the beautiful
manes and tails tossed in the upland breeze (for the heresies of
Anglomania never took root in the American cavalry) and you have Ray's
famous troop as it looked, fresh started from old Fort Frayne this
glorious autumn morning of 188-, and with a nod of approbation, and "It
couldn't be better, sergeant," to his devoted right hand man, the
veteran senior non-commissioned officer of the troop, Ray rang out the
command "At ease," and placed himself beside the silent young lieutenant
at the head of column.

[Illustration: RAY'S TROOP.]

As has been said, Ray's senior subaltern was on detached service.