out to camp
near Mr. Gilbert's ranche, but when I happened to mention your name, he
told me that you lived only ten miles away; so I came on, thinking that
perhaps you would like to see the boys again for the last time. We're
going up to Fort Lincoln to join General Terry," continued the captain,
as he dismounted and gave his horse up to one of George's herdsmen.
"That's in Dakota, you know. A determined--and, I hope,
successful--effort is about to be made to crush that old rascal, Sitting
Bull, by throwing three strong columns upon him--one under Crook from
the south, another under Gibbon from the west, and the third under Terry
from the east. There's where your old friends the 'Brindles' are going.
I suppose it doesn't make any difference to you where we camp?"

"Of course not," replied George. "There is plenty of grass and water
close at hand. Come into the house, both of you. I want to hear all
about that great expedition."

Were there not exciting times in the ranche that night? and didn't
George find the greatest satisfaction in acting as host to the men with
whom he had so often messed at the fort? The supper was the best the
house could afford, and all the officers in the column sat down to it.
When they had talked themselves out, and were about to go to camp,
George asked and obtained permission for Sergeant Owens and all the
members of his old squad to come in and visit him. Then there was
another supper to be eaten and another long conversation to be had, and
the consequence was that when reveille was sounded no one in that ranche
had had a wink of sleep.

Bob Owens rode away with his command that morning, and it was a long
time before George heard of him again. He left Fort Lincoln with General
Terry, went off with Custer on that memorable scout, and when that
officer divided his command into three detachments, Sergeant Owens was
one of those who were detailed to remain behind with the packs. He heard
all of that terrible fight on that bright Sunday afternoon when Reno was
defeated and Custer fell with so many of his devoted followers. He took
part in the closing scenes of it, for when the packs were ordered up,
about six o'clock in the evening, he was under fire from that time until
nine, and saw eighteen of his companions killed and forty-six wounded.
He marched back to Fort Lincoln with the remnants of the expedition,
which had been whipped at every point by the wily old savage it had
hoped to crush, a