am."

"When come back?"

Billy was afraid to tell him the truth, so said:

"In two moons."

"Long time."

"Yes; but do your young men intend to kill me?"

"Me have talk and see."

The Indians then held a council together, and Billy could see that the
chances were against him; but old Rain-in-the-Face triumphed in the end,
and said:

"As pale-face boy is only pappoose, my young men not kill him."

Billy had often longed to be a man; but now he was happy that he was a
boy, and answered:

"Yes, I am only a little pappoose."

"Him heap bad pappoose, me remember," said Rain-in-the-Face, recalling
some of the jokes the boy played at Fort Laramie.

The Indians then unsaddled their ponies and camped at the dug-out for
two days, and when they left they carried with them the sugar and
coffee, Billy's rifle and one revolver, and most of the ammunition,
besides what cooking utensils they needed.

Then old Rain-in-the-Face bade the boy good-by, and they rode off
without poor Billy's blessing following them.

Hardly had they gone before a severe snow-storm sprung up, and it was
hard indeed for the crippled boy to get wood enough to build a fire, for
the red-skins had put it out before leaving.

The wolves, seemingly understanding how helpless the boy was, scratched
at the door, and ran over the roof of the dug-out, at the same time
howling viciously; but Billy frightened them off with an occasional
shot, and resigned himself to his lonely fate.

But at last a month passed away, and with its end appeared brave Dave
Harrington.

He had passed through innumerable dangers, but had at last come back in
safety, and brought with him an ox-team.

Never in his life had Buffalo Billy felt the joy of that moment, and,
though not a boy given to showing his feelings, he burst into tears of
delight.

As it was impossible to at once return, on account of the very great
depth of the snow, Dave told Billy they would wait until spring, as he
had plenty of provisions, and that fur animals were plenty.

As soon as the snow began to melt Dave got his traps in, collected his
pelts, which numbered a thousand, and putting them on the wagon, so as
to serve as a bed for Billy, started his oxen homeward.

After twelve days they reached the ranch where Dave had purchased the
oxen, paid in furs for the team, and started on to Junction City.
Arriving there they sold their team, wagon and furs, the latter bringing
them about two hundre