in it?"

"There isn't exactly a fortune in it," said Wild Bill, "but I'm scouting
for Uncle Sam at Fort Ellsworth. The commandant needs more scouts, and I
can vouch for you as a good one."

"All right," said Will, always quick in decision; "I'll go along with
you, and apply for a job at once."

He was pleased to have Colonel Hickok's recommendation, but it turned
out that he did not need it, as his own reputation had preceded him. The
commandant of the fort was glad to add him to the force. The territory
he had to scout over lay between Forts Ellsworth and Fletcher, and he
alternated between those points throughout the winter.

It was at Fort Fletcher, in the spring of 1867, that he fell in with the
dashing General Custer, and the friendship established between them was
ended only by the death of the general at the head of his gallant three
hundred.

This spring was an exceedingly wet one, and the fort, which lay upon the
bank of Big Creek, was so damaged by floods that it was abandoned. A new
fort was erected, some distance to the westward, on the south fork of
the creek, and was named Fort Hayes.

Returning one day from an extended scouting trip, Will discovered signs
indicating that Indians in considerable force were in the neighborhood.
He at once pushed forward at all speed to report the news, when a second
discovery took the wind out of his sails; the hostiles were between him
and the fort.

At that moment a party of horsemen broke into view, and seeing they
were white men, Will waited their approach. The little band proved to
be General Custer and an escort of ten, en route from Fort Ellsworth to
Fort Hayes.

Informed by Will that they were cut off by Indians, and that the only
hope of escape lay in a rapid flank movement, Custer's reply was a
terse:

"Lead on, scout, and we'll follow."

Will wheeled, clapped spurs to his horse, and dashed away, with the
others close behind. All hands were sufficiently versed in Indian
warfare to appreciate the seriousness of their position. They pursued
a roundabout trail, and reached the fort without seeing a hostile, but
learned from the reports of others that their escape had been a narrow
one.

Custer was on his way to Larned, sixty miles distant, and he needed a
guide. He requested that Will be assigned to the position, so pleased
was he by the service already rendered.

"The very man I proposed to send with you, General," said the
commandant, who knew wel