vies had the office side of the stockade battened up with old wagons
and boxes and things to fill the gap. Faith, sir, he never seemed to
close an eye night or day until this blessed morning, when the valley
was clear of Indians and we knew it meant that the general was coming."
And as O'Brien told his tale to attentive ears, others of the little
garrison, lately beleaguered, joined the battalion, still steadily in
march, and found eager auditors everywhere along the jogging column.
Every one sorrowed at hearing of Boynton's serious wound, for he was a
soldierly, faithful fellow, albeit a trifle blunt and unsociable, but as
man after man spoke in lavish praise of Davies, of his plucky grapple
with the most redoubtable chief in the rebellious tribes, of his calm,
cool vigilance and skill in the conduct of the defence after the command
devolved upon him, Cranston's eyes sparkled, and Hay and Truman joined
in the chorus of congratulation.

When at last the battalion unsaddled at the stream and the officers
pressed into the stockade to shake hands with the defenders, they found
Boynton and the wounded feebly rejoicing in Burroughs's hands and
Davies tucked away in a corner under an old wagon, rolled in agency
blankets, sleeping the dreamless sleep of a tired child.

"Don't disturb him for anything," said the general, with moistened eyes.
"They tell me he hasn't had an hour's rest since Friday. He's behaved
like a trump."

That night our old friend Tintop came trotting in at the head of eight
strong troops of horse, some of his own, others of the --th Cavalry.
Behind them, with the wagons, came the infantry, supplementing the
little detachment of the Fortieth already on the ground,--the sturdy
trampers from Fort Scott. Next day the agent and his household, with the
other women and children, were bustled off to Braska until new quarters
should be built for them, and his red wards be rounded up, run down, and
returned to the arms of Uncle Sam by their natural oppressors, the
cavalry. Sending Red Dog in irons and Boynton and the wounded back to
Scott by easy stages, leaving four companies of the Fortieth to build
cantonments for themselves and their comrades, the Gray Fox took the
field with the residue of his force and set forth upon a winter campaign
in search of the now scattered and despondent Indians. The oratory of
Red Dog had borne its fruit. Four truculent bands had joined in the
outbreak at the agency and lost their