utenant, and giving him the back
seat in the ambulance we were soon headed for camp.

Pretty soon Major Brown took the reins from his driver, and at once began
whipping the mules. After getting them into a lively gallop he pulled out
his revolver and fired several shots. The road was terribly rough and the
night was so dark that we could hardly see where we were going. It Was a
wonderful piece of luck that we were not tipped over and our necks
broken. Finally Bache said, good-humoredly:

"Is this the way you break in all your Lieutenants, Major?"

"Oh, no; I don't do this as a regular thing, but it's the way we
frequently ride in this country," said the Major; "just keep your
seat, Mr. Bache, and we'll take you through on time." The Major
appropriated the reply of the old California stage driver, Hank Monk,
to Horace Greely.

We were now rattling down a steep hill at full speed, and just as we
reached the bottom, the front wheels struck a deep ditch over which the
mules had jumped. We were all brought up standing by the sudden stoppage
of the ambulance. Major Brown and myself were nearly pitched out on the
wheels, while the Lieutenant came flying headlong from the back seat to
the front of the vehicle.

"Take a back seat, Lieutenant," coolly said Major Brown.

"Major, I have just left that seat," said Bache.

We soon lifted the wagon out of the ditch, and then resumed our drive,
running into camp under full headway, and creating considerable
amusement. Every one recognized the ambulance and knew at once that
Major Brown and I were out on a "lark," and therefore there was not much
said about our exploit. Halting with a grand flourish in front of his
tent, Major Brown jumped out in his most gallant style and politely
asked his lieutenant in. A very pleasant evening was spent there, quite
a number of the officers calling to make the acquaintance of the new
officer, who entertained the visitors with an amusing account of the
ride from the depot.

Next morning at an early hour, the command started out on a hunt for
Indians. General Carr having a pretty good idea where he would be most
likely to find them, directed me to guide him by the nearest route to
Elephant Rock on Beaver Creek.

Upon arriving at the south fork of the Beaver on the second day's march,
we discovered a large, fresh Indian trail which we hurriedly followed for
a distance of eight miles, when suddenly we saw on the bluffs ahead of
us, quite a lar