erified by the discovery of a large camp of
hostiles on the opposite bank of the stream. The warriors were as
quick of eye, and as they greatly outnumbered the soldiers, and were
emboldened by the success of their late exploit, they did not wait the
attack, but came charging across the river.

They were nearly a mile distant, and Captain Armes had time to plant the
howitzer on a little rise of ground. Twenty men were left to handle it.
The rest of the command advanced to the combat.

They were just at the point of attack when a fierce yelling was heard in
the rear, and the captain discovered that his retreat to the gun was cut
off by another band of reds, and that he was between two fires. His only
course was to repulse the enemy in front. If this were done, and the
colored gunners did not flee before the overwhelming numbers, he might
unite his forces by another charge.

The warriors came on with their usual impetuosity, whooping and
screaming, but they met such a raking fire from the disciplined troops
that they fell back in disorder. Just then the men at the howitzer
opened fire. The effect of this field-piece on the children of the
plains was magical--almost ludicrous. A veritable stampede followed.

"Follow me!" shouted Captain Armes, galloping in pursuit; but in their
eagerness to give chase the troops fell into such disorder that a
bugle-blast recalled them before any further damage was done the flying
foe. The Indians kept right along, however; they were pretty badly
frightened.

Captain Armes was somewhat chagrined that he had no prisoners, but
there was consolation in taking back nearly all the horses that had been
stolen. These were found picketed at the camp across the river, where
likely they had been forgotten by the Indians in their flight.

Shortly after this, Will tried his hand at land speculation. During
one of his scouting trips to Fort Harker, he visited Ellsworth, a new
settlement, three miles from the fort. There he met a man named Rose,
who had a grading contract for the Kansas Pacific Railroad, near Fort
Hayes. Rose had bought land at a point through which the railroad was to
run, and proposed staking it out as a town, but he needed a partner in
the enterprise.

The site was a good one. Big Creek was hard by, and it was near enough
to the fort to afford settlers reasonable security against Indian raids.
Will regarded the enterprise favorably. Besides the money sent home
each month, he ha