ould start out in the morning with the intention of making the trip in
one day. Early in the morning, after a good night's rest, I was on hand,
mounted on my large mouse-colored mule--an animal of great endurance--and
ready for the journey; when the General saw me, he said:

"Cody, I want to travel fast and go through as quickly as possible, and I
don't think that mule of yours is fast enough to suit me."

"General, never mind the mule," said I, "he'll get there as soon as your
horses. That mule is a good one," as I knew that the animal was better
than most horses.

"Very well; go ahead, then," said he, though he looked as if he thought I
would delay the party on the road.

For the first fifteen miles, until we came to the Smoky Hill River,
which we were to cross, I could hardly keep the mule in advance of the
General, who rode a frisky, impatient and ambitious thoroughbred steed;
in fact, the whole party was finely mounted. The General repeatedly told
me that the mule was "no good," and that I ought to have had a good
horse. But after crossing the river and striking the sand-hills, I began
letting my mule out a little, and putting the "persuaders" to him. He
was soon out-traveling the horses, and by the time we had made about
half the distance to Fort Larned, I occasionally had to wait for the
General or some of his party, as their horses were beginning to show
signs of fatigue.

"General, how about this mule, anyhow?" I asked, at last.

"Cody, you have a better vehicle than I thought you had," was his reply.

From that time on to Fort Larned I had no trouble in keeping ahead of the
party. We rode into the fort at four o'clock in the afternoon with about
half the escort only, the rest having lagged far behind.

General Custer thanked me for having brought him straight across the
country without any trail, and said that if I were not engaged as post
scout at Fort Hays he would like to have me accompany him as one of his
scouts during the summer; and he added that whenever I was out of
employment, if I would come to him he would find something for me to do.
This was the beginning of my acquaintance with General Custer, whom I
always admired as a man and as an officer.

[Illustration: GENERAL CUSTER]

A few days after my return to Fort Hays, the Indians made a raid on the
Kansas Pacific Railroad, killing five or six men and running off about
one hundred horses and mules. The news was brought to the commanding
o