ok their stands and Joe Smith gave the word, saying in a
low 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 Buffalo
Billy stood still, and waited until he had received four shots, all
coming dangerously near, when he suddenly threw his revolver to a level
and 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 man
could not continue the fight, and as Billy had not killed his foe, the
animal could not be claimed by them.

Wild Bill and Lew Simpson roundly cursed Joe Smith and his Danites for a
set 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 away
like an arrow from the bow.

The Danites opened a perfect fusilade of pistol-shots upon the boy, but
they flew harmlessly by him, and a number mounted and gave pursuit in
hot haste.

But Sable Satan left them far behind and they gave up the chase, while
Billy 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 find
that 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 to
winter at the fort, where there were a number of troops and train
employees of Russell, Majors and Waddell, who were formed into military
companies, officered by wagon-masters.

As Wild Bill was placed in command of the battalion of train-men, he
made Buffalo Billy an _aide-de camp_ and the boy devoted himself
assiduously to the duties devolving upon him, and before the long and
tedious winter passed was forced to experience hardships of the severest
kind, as the garrison had to live on mule meat, and haul wood from the
distant mountains themselves, their animals having been served up as
food.

In the spring Simpson started east with a train, and Buffalo Bill
accompanied him as hunter for the men, his well known marksmanship and
skill in securing game readily getting for him that position.

One day Lew Simpson and an "extra hand" accompanied him on one of his
hunting expeditions, and to the