ad in one of his theatrical companies a
Westerner named Broncho Bill. There were Indians in the troupe, and a
certain missionary had joined the aggregation to look after the morals
of the Indians. Thinking that Broncho Bill would bear a little looking
after also, the good man secured a seat by his side at the dinner-table,
and remarked pleasantly:

"This is Mr. Broncho Bill, is it not?"

"Yaas."

"Where were you born?"

"Near Kit Bullard's mill, on Big Pigeon."

"Religious parents, I suppose?"

"Yaas."

"What is your denomination?"

"My what?"

"Your denomination?"

"O--ah--yaas. Smith & Wesson."

While on his European tour Will was entertained by a great many
potentates. At a certain dinner given in his honor by a wealthy English
lord, Will met for the first time socially a number of blustering
British officers, fresh from India. One of them addressed himself to
the scout as follows: "I understand you are a colonel. You Americans
are blawsted fond of military titles, don't cherneow. By gad, sir, we'll
have to come over and give you fellows a good licking!"

"What, again?" said the scout, so meekly that for an instant his
assailant did not know how hard he was hit, but he realized it when the
retort was wildly applauded by the company.

Before closing these pages I will give an account of an episode which
occurred during the Black Hills gold excitement, and which illustrates
the faculty my hero possesses of adapting himself to all emergencies.
Mr. Mahan, of West Superior, Wisconsin, and a party of adventurous
gold-seekers were being chased by a band of Indians, which they had
succeeded in temporarily eluding. They met Buffalo Bill at the head of
a squad of soldiers who were looking for redskins. The situation was
explained to the scout, whereupon he said:

"I am looking for that identical crowd. Now, you draw up in line, and I
will look you over and pick out the men that I want to go back with me."

Without any questioning he was able to select the men who really wanted
to return and fight the Indians. He left but two behind, but they were
the ones who would have been of no assistance had they been allowed to
go to the front. Will rode some distance in advance of his party, and
when the Indians sighted him, they thought he was alone, and made a dash
for him. Will whirled about and made his horse go as if fleeing for
his life. His men had been carefully ambushed. The Indians kept up a
constant fi