Coming in sight of a wagon-train bound for the West, he rode up to itand recognizing the wagon-master as an old friend of his father, he toldhim what had occurred, and that he feared he had killed Steve Gobel.
"Served him right, Billy, and we'll just go into camp, take the boysalong, and go over and clean out the house o' l'arnin'," was the bluntreply of the wagon-master.
But this Billy would not bear to, and the wagon-master said:
"Well, my boy, I'm bound with the train to Fort Kearney, so come alongwith me, and I'll make a man of you."
"But what will my mother think of me?"
"Oh! I'll send a man back with word to her, while you stay, for I won'tgive you up to that boy's friends."
And thus it was settled; a man rode back to the Cody farm, and thefollowing day he overtook the train again, and Billy's heart was madeglad by a letter from his mother telling him that Steve Gobel was notbadly wounded, but that under the circumstances he had better go on withthe wagon-master and remain away until the anger of the Gobel familycooled down.
Thus, as a Boy Bullwhacker, Billy made his first trip across the plains,and months after, upon his return home, found that the Gobels hadforgiven the past, and that Mary Hyatt had, little coquette that shewas, found another beau.
But shortly after his return his father died, and having to aid in thesupport of his mother and sisters, Billy accepted a position as herderfor a drove of Government cattle to be driven to the Army of GeneralAlbert Sydney Johnson, that was marching against the Mormons at SaltLake.
CHAPTER VIII.
KILLING HIS FIRST INDIAN.
When the train and beef-herd, with which Billy Cody had gone, arrived inthe vicinity of old Fort Kearney their first serious adventure occurred,and for a while the boy thought of his mother's prediction, that he"would be killed or captured by Indians."
Not expecting an attack from red-skins in that vicinity, the party hadcamped for dinner, and most of them were enjoying a _siesta_ underthe wagons, Billy being among the latter number, while but three menwere on duty as herders.
But suddenly they were aroused by shots, wild yells, and rapidhoof-falls, and down upon them dashed a band of mounted warriors, whileothers had killed the three guards and the cattle were stampeding inevery direction. But the train hands quickly sprung to their feet,rallied promptly for the fight, and met the advancing red-skins with avolley from their Mississippi yagers, which were loaded with ball andbuck-shot, and checked their advance.
Knowing that they could not hold out there the train-master called out:
"Boys, make a run for the river, and the banks will protect us."
All started, when Billy called out:
"Don't let us leave these wounded boys."
They turned at his word, to find that two of their number had beenwounded, one seriously in the side and the other in the leg.
Raising them in their arms they started at a run for the bank, ere theIndians had rallied from the fire that met them, and reached it insafety, though the man who had been shot in the side was dead ere theygot there.
A short consultation was then held, and it was decided to make their wayback to Fort Kearney, by wading in the river and keeping the bank as abreast work.
A raft of poles was constructed for the wounded man, and the partystarted down the stream, protected by the bank, and keeping the Indiansat bay with their guns, for they followed them up closely.
As night came on, utterly worn out with wading and walking, Billydropped behind the others; but trudged manfully along until he wassuddenly startled by a dark object coming down over the bank.
It was moonlight, and he saw the plumed head and buckskin-clad form ofan Indian, who, in peering over the bank to reconnoiter had lost hisbalance, or the earth had given way, and sent him down into the stream.
He caught sight of Billy as he was sliding down, and gave a wildwar-whoop, which was answered by a shot from the boy's rifle, for thoughtaken wholly by surprise he did not lose his presence of mind.
Hearing the war-whoop and the shot, and at the same time missing Billy,the men came running back and found him dragging the red-skin along inthe stream after him.
"It's my Injun, boys," he cried exultantly.
"It are fer a fact, an' I'll show yer how ter take his scalp," repliedFrank McCarthy the train-master, and he skillfully cut off thescalp-lock and handed it to Billy, adding:
"Thar, thet is yer first scalp, boy, an' I'm willin' ter swear it won'tbe yer last, for Billy, you is ther boss boy I ever see."
Billy thanked McCarthy for the gory trophy, gave a slight shudder as hetook it, and said significantly:
"I ain't so tired as I was, and I guess I'll keep up with you all now,for if the bank hadn't caved in that Injun would have had me."
At daylight they came in sight of Kearney, and after a volley or two atthe Indians still dogging their steps, made for the fort and reached itin safety.
The commanding officer at once sent out a force in pursuit of thered-skins; but they neither found them or the cattle they had drivenoff.
After a short stay at Fort Kearney Billy returned with a train toLeavenworth, where the papers dubbed him the "Boy Indian-Killer," andmade a hero of him for his exploit on the South Platte.
CHAPTER IX.
WINNING A NAME.
When Billy returned home, after his first Indian-killing expedition, hecarried with him the pay of a bullwhacker, and all of it he placed inhis mother's hands, for the death of Mr. Cody had left the family inindigent circumstances.
Finding that she could not keep Billy at home when he had found out thatby his exertions, boy though he was, he could support the family, Mrs.Cody gave a reluctant consent for him to make another trip to the farWest under an old and experienced wagon-master named Lew Simpson, andwho had taken a great fancy to the youthful Indian-fighter.
Bill was accordingly enlisted as an "extra," which meant that he was toreceive full pay and be on hand ready to take the place of any one ofthe train that was killed, wounded, or got sick.
The wagon train pulled out of Leavenworth, all heavily freighted, eachone carrying about six thousand pounds weight, and each also drawn byfour yoke of oxen under charge of a driver, or "bullwhacker."
The train consisted of twenty-five wagons, under Lew Simpson, then anassistant wagon-master, next Billy, the "extra," a night herder, acavallard driver, whose duty was driving the loose and lame cattle, andthe bullwhacker for each team.
All were armed with _yagers_ and Colt's revolvers, and each man hada horse along, Billy's being Sable Satan, still as good as the day hecaptured him, and a piece of equine property all envied the boy thepossession of; in fact there were several of the men who swore theywould yet have the horse.
"I guess not, pards; the boy caught that horse wild on the prairies, andthe man that lays hands on him settles with me."
The speaker was J.B. Hickok, known to the world as "Wild Bill," and uponthat trail he and William F. Cody for the first time met.
Wild Bill was assistant wagon-master on that trip, and all knew him sowell that the idea of possessing Sable Satan by unfair means was at oncegiven up and Billy felt secure in his treasure, for such the horse was,as his equal for speed and bottom had not been found on the plains.
As an "extra hand" Billy had nothing to do while the bullwhackers keptin good health, and no Indians were met with, so became the hunter ofthe train, keeping it well supplied with fresh meats and wild fowl.
It was upon one of these hunts that Billy won the name of Buffalo Billy,though afterward it was shortened by dropping the _y_ after provinghimself the champion buffalo-killer on the plains.
Dismounting from Sable Satan to cut up an antelope he had shot, he wassuddenly startled by seeing his horse bound away over the prairie.
Springing to his feet he at once discovered the cause, for over adistant roll of the prairie a herd of thousands of buffaloes were comingat terrific speed.
One chance of escape alone presented it
self and that was a lonecottonwood tree standing some few hundred yards distant.
In all the prairie around not another tree was visible, and Billy hadnoticed this lone sentinel as he was creeping up for a shot at theantelope.
At full speed he rushed for the tree and hastily climbed it, securing asafe seat amid its branches, while yet the herd was some distance away.
But glancing back over the huge drove to his horse he beheld a band ofmounted warriors in full chase.
The center of the herd was headed directly for the tree, and the Indianswere so following that they must come directly under it.
If discovered Billy knew well what his fate would be. The Indians wouldgive up buffalo meat for a human scalp.
These thoughts flashed through the boy's mind, and he at once decidedwhat he would do.
To remain, was certain death at the hands of the red-skins.
To leave, as he intended, by the means of a buffalo was a fearful risk.
But he would take it; and accordingly strapped his rifle upon his back,picked out his buffalo, a huge bull, and swinging quickly from a limb,watched his chance and dropped down upon the back of his choice.
Clutching the long, shaggy mane he clung for dear life, at the same timeholding himself on with his spurs.
Maddened with fright the bull bounded into the air, snorted wildly,gored those in the advance and soon led the herd.
Billy kept his seat nobly, a grim smile upon his face, and occasionallyglanced backward at the herd and the pursuing Indians.
And straight for camp went the herd, until discovered by the train men,who started out in force to head them off.
But pell-mell into camp they went, stampeding the oxen and horses andfrightening the men, and Billy began to feel that he must keep on hisracer clear to the hills.
But the animal was tired out now and had dropped to the rear of theherd, and Wild Bill, seeing his young friend, raised his rifle anddropped the buffalo bull just as he was running out of camp.
From that day the boy was known as Buffalo Billy.
CHAPTER X.
CAPTURED BY DANITES.
With the usual adventures incident to a trip across the plains, anoccasional fight with Indians, and several grand hunts, the train atlast arrived near Green River in the Rocky Mountains.
Billy, Lew Simpson and another of the train had dropped back during theafternoon for a hunt, and upon drawing near the place where they were toencamp, were surprised to discover a band of horsemen coming towardthem, whom they observed, however, to be white men.
Suspecting no harm from those of their own race, they rode forward, and,as they met, were startled to hear:
"Up with your hands! You are dead men if you resist!"
"Who are you?" asked Lew Simpson, angrily.
"Joe Smith, the Danite," was the calm reply of that leader.
"If I had known you were that accursed scoundrel I'd have shot you,"growled Lew Simpson.
"Am awful glad you did not know it; but come, you are my prisoners, andyour train is in my power," was the reply, and upon arriving at campthey found that it was but too true, for the boys had not suspecteddanger from men they had believed a party of United States cavalry.
The Danite leader, Joe Smith, then ordered all that could be packed onhorses to be taken and the wagons set on fire, and told the train men toset out on foot for Fort Bridger, saying:
"You can reach there, but I guess Albert Sydney Johnson and his troopswill never get the supplies."
The train was burned, all but one wagon, which carried supplies for themen, and armed only with their revolvers, they were ordered away by theDanites.
But Buffalo Billy was not one to see his splendid horse go withoutremonstrance, and, as begging did no good, offered to take him upon anyterms he could get him on.
"Boy, ain't you the one who killed Hugh Hall in Kansas some time ago?"asked the man who had Billy's horse.
"I am."
"Well, I owe you one, for he was my pard, and you got me run out of thecountry by your work, so I'm willing to be even by keeping your horse."
"I'll fight you for him," said Billy, fiercely.
"What with, boy, fists or knives?"
"You are a fool to talk that way, for you weigh double what I do; butI'll fight you for the horse with rifle or pistol."
The train men tried to dissuade Billy from this determination, for theysaw the Danite was anxious to take him at his word, and to kill him; buthe had made the offer and the Mormon urged it on, and the arrangementswere made to fight with pistols at fifty paces, walking on each otherand firing until one fell.
They at once took their stands and Joe Smith gave the word, saying in alow tone before doing so:
"He's a boy in years; but he must be got rid of."
At the word the Danite advanced at a rapid walk firing; but BuffaloBilly stood still, and waited until he had received four shots, allcoming dangerously near, when he suddenly threw his revolver to a leveland drew trigger.
At the flash the man fell, shot in the leg, and the duel ended.
But the Danites would not give up the horse, saying that a wounded mancould not continue the fight, and as Billy had not killed his foe, theanimal could not be claimed by them.
Wild Bill and Lew Simpson roundly cursed Joe Smith and his Danites for aset of thieves, while Billy said sadly:
"Good-by, Sable, old fellow, good-by."
As he spoke he went up to his splendid horse, that stood saddled near,and throwing himself upon his back, with a defiant yell, bounded awaylike an arrow from the bow.
The Danites opened a perfect fusilade of pistol-shots upon the boy, butthey flew harmlessly by him, and a number mounted and gave pursuit inhot haste.
But Sable Satan left them far behind and they gave up the chase, whileBilly hung about until the train-men came along, and joined them,receiving from one and all the highest praise for his daring escape.
Some days after the disconsolate train-men reached Fort Bridger, to findthat other trains than theirs had been robbed by the Danites.
CHAPTER XI.
A HOT INDIAN FIGHT.
As it was late in the fall Lew Simpson and his men were compelled towinter at the fort, where there were a number of troops and trainemployees of Russell, Majors and Waddell, who were formed into militarycompanies, officered by wagon-masters.
As Wild Bill was placed in command of the battalion of train-men, hemade Buffalo Billy an _aide-de camp_ and the boy devoted himselfassiduously to the duties devolving upon him, and before the long andtedious winter passed was forced to experience hardships of the severestkind, as the garrison had to live on mule meat, and haul wood from thedistant mountains themselves, their animals having been served up asfood.
In the spring Simpson started east with a train, and Buffalo Billaccompanied him as hunter for the men, his well known marksmanship andskill in securing game readily getting for him that position.
One day Lew Simpson and an "extra hand" accompanied him on one of hishunting expeditions, and to their surprise they came upon a band ofIndians coming out of a canyon not far from them.
They were out on the prairie, and knowing that they could not escape ontheir mules, Simpson and the extra told Billy to ride off on Sable Satanand save himself.
But this the boy would not do, saying that he would remain with them.
"Then your horse must go with our mules," said Simpson.
"All right, Lew," said Billy, though the tears came into his eyes.
Telling them to dismount, just as they came to a buffalo wallow, LewSimpson said:
"Now, give 'em a shot just back of the ears."
The shots were fired, Billy shutting his eyes as he pulled the trigger,and Sable Satan and the two mules dropped dead in their tracks.
In an instant they were dragged into position, so as to form atriangular fort, and getting into the wallow, with their knives thethree threw up the dirt as rapidly as possible to make their positionsafer.
By this time the Indians, some half hundred in number, were rushing uponthem with wildest yells.
But crouching down in their little fort of flesh and dirt, Lew Simpsonand his man and boy comrade leveled their rifles over the bodies of theslain animals, and, as the bowling red-skins came within sixty yards,fired together.
Down went three Indians, and while Lew Simpson reloaded the yagers Billyand George Woods fired with their revolvers with such right good willthe Indians were checked in their advance and turned to retreat out ofrange, followed by three more shots from the yagers.
Five Indians and four ponies were the result of this fight, and it gavethe holders of the triangular fort confidence in themselves.
But the Indians did not give up the attack, but circled around andaround the fort, firing upon the defenders with their arrows, andslightly wounding all three of them, while the bodies of the mules andhorse were literally filled with shafts.
After a few rides around their pale-face foes, the Indians suddenlycharged again, coming from every quarter, and forcing the whites to eachdefend the space in his front.
With demoniacal yells they came on once more, and once more the yagersopened, and then were thrown aside for the rapidly firing revolverswhich did fearful execution.
Glancing toward Billy Lew Simpson saw that he was perfectly cool and hada revolver in each hand, although his shirt was saturated with bloodfrom the arrow wound in his shoulder.
Beadle's Boy's Library of Sport, Story and Adventure, Vol. I, No. 1. Page 3