first person I met was my old friend and partner,
Texas Jack, who had been sent out as a dispatch carrier for the _New
York Herald_.

General Whistler, upon learning that General Terry had left the
Yellowstone, asked me to carry to him some important dispatches from
General Sheridan, and although I objected, he insisted upon my performing
this duty, saying that it would only detain me a few hours longer; as an
extra inducement he offered me the use of his own thorough-bred horse,
which was on the boat. I finally consented to go, and was soon speeding
over the rough and hilly country towards Powder river; and I delivered
the dispatches to General Terry that same evening. General Whistler's
horse, although a good animal, was not used to such hard riding, and was
far more exhausted by the journey than I was.

After I had taken a lunch, General Terry asked me if I would carry some
dispatches back to General Whistler, and I replied that I would. Captain
Smith, General Terry's aid-de-camp, offered me his horse for the trip,
and it proved to be an excellent animal; for I rode him that same night
forty miles over the bad lands in four hours, and reached General
Whistler's steamboat at one o'clock. During my absence the Indians had
made their appearance on the different hills in the vicinity, and the
troops from the boat had had several skirmishes with them. When General
Whistler had finished reading the dispatches, he said:

"Cody, I want to send information to General Terry concerning the Indians
who have been skirmishing around here all day. I have been trying all the
evening long to induce some one to carry my dispatches to him, but no one
seems willing to undertake the trip, and I have got to fall back on you.
It is asking a great deal, I know, as you have just ridden eighty miles;
but it is a case of necessity, and if you'll go, Cody, I'll see that you
are well paid for it."

"Never mind about the pay," said I, "but get your dispatches ready, and
I'll start at once."

In a few minutes he handed me the package, and mounting the same horse
which I had ridden from General Terry's camp, I struck out for my
destination. It was two o'clock in the morning when I left the boat, and
at eight o'clock I rode into General Terry's camp, just as he was about
to march--having made one hundred and twenty miles in twenty-two hours.

General Terry, after reading the dispatches, halted his command, and then
rode on and overtook Genera