e are some of the best
men in the garrison in that party."

"I suppose we are off after the hostiles," said the soldier who rode by
Bob's side. "The scout told the colonel that there were three hundred
braves in that party, didn't he?"

Bob answered that that was what he understood him to say.

"Then I wish we had a hundred men instead of forty," continued the
trooper. "Our squad is too large to conceal itself, and too small to
make a successful fight against such overwhelming odds. Well, if worst
comes to worst--"

The speaker thrust his hand into his boot-leg and drew out a loaded
Derringer. He intended to send its contents through his own head rather
than fall alive into the hands of the hostiles. Probably nine out of ten
men in that squad were provided with weapons just like it, and which
they intended to use in the same way should circumstances require it.
Veteran Indian-fighters never fail to give this advice to a recruit:
"When it comes to a fight, save the last shot for yourself."

But, as it happened, Bob and his companions were not out after hostiles
on this particular afternoon, for that raiding-party of Kiowas was
already beyond the reach of any force that the commander of Fort
Lamoine could have sent in pursuit of it. They found out in due time
that their mission was of an entirely different character. They rode at
a sharp trot until it was nearly dark, and then they went into camp in a
belt of post-oaks and cooked and ate their supper. After an hour's rest
they mounted and rode back toward the fort again. Arriving within a mile
of the stockade, a halt was ordered, the men were dismounted, and, every
fourth trooper being left to hold the horses, the others marched off
through the darkness, armed only with their revolvers. Then Bob began to
understand the matter. The object of the expedition was to capture the
deserters. It had been led away from the fort simply as a "blind," and
in order to lull the malcontents into a feeling of security no change
whatever had been made in the guards who were to do duty that night.

After the lieutenant had marched about half a mile another halt was
ordered, and sixteen men, divided into squads of four men each, were
told off to begin the work. The officer approached each squad in turn,
and after designating some one to take charge of it, gave him his
instructions in a whisper. When he walked up to Bob he asked,

"Do you know where post No. 4 is? and can you go strai