"
Captain Graham, who, I soon learned, was the senior officer, gasped.
"Well, I never saw the like before! Who are you, anyway?"
"My name is Cody," I said.
Lieutenant Thompson, one of the party, who had met me at Fort Harker,
cried out: "Why, that is Bill Cody, our old scout." He introduced me to
his comrades, Captain Graham and Lieutenants Reed, Emmick, and Ezekial.
Graham, something of a horseman himself, greatly admired Brigham. "That
horse of yours has running points," he admitted.
The officers were a little sore at not getting a single shot; but the
way I had killed the buffaloes, they said, amply repaid them for their
disappointment. It was the first time they had ever seen or heard of a
white man running buffaloes without either saddle or bridle.
I told them Brigham knew nearly as much about the business as I did. He
was a wonderful horse. If the buffalo did not fall at the first shot he
would stop to give me a second chance; but if, on the second shot, I
did not kill the game, he would go on impatiently as if to say: "I
can't fool away my time by giving you more than two shots!"
Captain Graham told me that he would be stationed at Fort Hays during
the summer. In the event of his being sent out on a scouting expedition
he wanted me as scout and guide. I said that although I was very busy
with my railroad contract I would be glad to go with him.
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