th the Sioux, in
which a few of the latter had been killed.

The next day the regiment set forth upon the trail of the Sioux. They
traveled rapidly, and plainly gained ground.

At every camp the print of a woman's shoe was noted among the tracks
of moccasined feet. The band evidently had a white captive in tow, and
General Carr, selecting the best horses, ordered a forced march, the
wagon-trains to follow as rapidly as possible. Will, with six Pawnees,
was to go ahead and locate the hostiles, and send back word, so that a
plan of attack might be arranged before the Indian village was reached.

This village the scouts discovered among the sand-hills at Summit
Springs, a few miles from the South Platte River; and while the Pawnees
remained to watch, Will returned to General Carr with the news.

There was suppressed excitement all along the line, as officers and men
prepared for what promised to be a lively scrimmage. The troops moved
forward by a circuitous route, and reached a hill overlooking the
hostile camp without their presence being dreamed of by the red men.

The bugler was ordered to sound the charge, but he was trembling with
excitement, and unable to blow a note.

"Sound the charge, man!" ordered General Carr a second time; but
the unhappy wight could scarcely hold his horn, much less blow it.
Quartermaster Hays snatched the instrument from the flustered man's
hands, and as the call rang out loud and clear the troops rushed to the
attack.

Taken wholly by surprise, the Indian village went to pieces in a
twinkling. A few of the Sioux mounted and rode forward to repel the
assault, but they turned back in half a minute, while those that were
not mounted scattered for the foothills hard by. The cavalry swept
through the village like a prairie fire, and pursued the flying Indians
until darkness put an end to the chase.

By the next morning the bugler had grown calm enough to sound "Boots
and Saddles!" and General Carr split his force into companies, as it was
discovered that the Indians had divided. Each company was to follow a
separate trail.

Will made one of a band of two hundred, and for two days they dogged
the red man's footsteps. At sunrise of the third day the trail ran into
another, showing that the Sioux had reunited their forces. This was
serious for the little company of regulars, but they went ahead, eager
for a meeting with the savages.

They had not long to wait. The sun was scarcely an ho