d call in the Sioux by our shots."

They descended, through the gathering darkness; reached the plains, and
forded Big Goose Creek where snow-water ran breast high. Sergeant
Cornwell and Private Collins could not swim, would not try wading, and
had to be left in the bushes. The lieutenant promised to send back for
them. He dared not delay. Camp was still a dozen miles across the
plains.

The next six miles required four hours, to travel. The men were very
weak, and their boots were in tatters. At five o 'clock in the morning
they saw more Indians, and the Indians saw them.

"Let 'em come for us if they want us," the lieutenant growled. "We're
going on to camp, and we'll fight."

But the Indians hesitated, and stayed at a distance.

At half-past six they sighted two cavalry horses, saddled and grazing.
The horses belonged to troopers on a hunt, and foolishly bound for the
north, into the same kind of country where the detachment had been!
They very willingly changed their program and galloped for the camp,
with the news, and to get more mounts and supplies. The Sibley men
stopped short, to lie on the ground, and wait. They were about at the
end of their trail.

At eight o'clock the horses and supplies arrived. Sergeant Cornwell
and Private Collins were sent for. At ten o'clock on this Sunday
morning, July 9, the third day since they had ridden so jauntily out to
find the Sioux, they entered camp; but they were an entirely different
looking set of men.

The oldest Indian fighters in the one thousand of rank and file agreed
that it had been the narrowest escape on record, and achieved only by
the skill of Scouts Frank Gruard and Big Bat Pourier, the good sense of
Lieutenant Sibley, and the obedience of the men.

General Crook was away, on a hunt. Lieutenant-Colonel William B.
Royall of the Third Cavalry was temporarily in command. Lieutenant
Sibley wearily went to him, to report.

"We reached our objective in the Little Big Horn country, sir," he
said, "and found the Indians."

"Very good, sir," Colonel Royall approved. And he added, with a
twinkle in his eyes: "It looks as though you did! Or else they found
_you_."

Reporter Finerty went through the campaign with the Crook column; he
had many other adventures; but whatever they were, as long as he lived
his hair bristled when he gazed back, with a shudder, upon the most
perilous adventure of all: the "Sibley Scout."

THE END