cept them.

Instantly Buffalo Bill dashed over the ridge of the hill that concealed
him from the view of the Cheyennes, and rode directly toward the band
going to attack the two white horsemen.

They halted suddenly at sight of him, but, seeing that he was alone,
they started for him with wild yells.

But still he kept on directly toward them, until within range, when he
opened upon them with his matchless Evans rifle, a thirty-four-shot
repeater, and a hot fight began, for they returned the fire.

This was just what Buffalo Bill wanted, for the firing alarmed the
horsemen and placed them on their guard, and he knew that the Indian
volleys would be heard at the command and hasten them forward.

Having dropped a couple of red-skins and several ponies, Buffalo Bill
wheeled to the rightabout, dashed up to the top of a hill, and,
signaling to the two whites to follow him, headed for the command at
full speed.

As he had anticipated, the two men were scouts with important dispatches
for General Merritt, and Bill's bold act had not only saved their lives,
but also the dispatches, and the result of it was that the Fifth Cavalry
went at once into line of battle, while the Cheyennes also formed for
battle, though evidently surprised at being headed off at that point.

But they saw that they were double the force of the whites, and were
determined upon a fight, and their chiefs reconnoitered carefully their
foes' strength and position.

Buffalo Bill also volunteered to go out and get a closer look at them,
to see what they were up to, and General Merritt told him to do so, but
not to venture too near and expose himself.

As he left the line two Indian horsemen also rode out from among their
comrades, and one was some lengths in front of the other.

At a glance Buffalo Bill saw that the two were full chiefs, and they had
not advanced far toward each other when he discovered that he was the
especial object of their attention.

But though one halted, the other came on, and the scout and the chief
came within a hundred yards of each other.

Then the Indian cried out in his own tongue:

"I know Pa-e-has-ka the Great White Hunter and want to fight him."

"Then come on, you red devil, and have it out," shouted back Buffalo
Bill, and forgetting General Merritt's orders not to expose himself, and
to the horror of the regiment, every man of whom saw him, as well as did
the Indians, he dashed at full speed toward the chief,