almost due
north, and if the present rate of travel was maintained, Cabin Creek
would be reached during the forenoon of the 7th. This meant business,
and the word was quietly passed around that all volunteers were to be
ready to move in the morning. A cowman named Retallac, owner of a range
on the Yellowstone, had previously been decided on as captain, and would
have under him not less than seventy-five chosen men, which number, if
necessary, could easily be increased to one hundred.

Morning dawned on a scene of active operations. The two wagons were
started fully an hour in advance of the cavalcade, which was to follow,
driving a remuda of over two hundred saddle horses. Sponsilier and I
expected to accompany the outfit, but at the last moment our plans were
changed by an incident and we remained behind, promising to overtake
them later. There were a number of old buffalo hunters in town, living
a precarious life, and one of their number had quietly informed Sheriff
Wherry that they had been approached with an offer of five dollars a day
to act as an escort to the herds while passing through. The quarantine
captain looked upon that element as a valuable ally, suggesting that if
it was a question of money, our side ought to be in the market for their
services. Heartily agreeing with him, the company of guards started,
leaving their captain behind with Sponsilier and myself. Glendive was a
county seat, and with the assistance of the sheriff, we soon had every
buffalo hunter in the town corralled. They were a fine lot of rough men,
inclined to be convivial, and with the assistance of Sheriff Wherry,
coupled with the high standing of the quarantine captain, on a soldier's
introduction Dave and I made a good impression among them. Sponsilier
did the treating and talking, his offer being ten dollars a day for a
man and horse, which was promptly accepted, when the question naturally
arose who would stand sponsor for the wages. Dave backed off some
distance, and standing on his left foot, pulled off his right boot,
shaking out a roll of money on the floor.

"There's the long green, boys," said he, "and you fellows can name your
own banker. I'll make it up a thousand, and whoever you say goes with
me. Shall it be the sheriff, or Mr. Retallac, or the proprietor of the
Stock Exchange?"

Sheriff Wherry interfered, relieving the embarrassment in appointing a
receiver, and vouched that these two Texans were good for any reasonabl