Pluck on the Long Trail | Page 6

Scout,
while I was only a second) reported to General Ashley the whereabouts
of the enemy.
"Very well," said General Ashley. "Corporal Andrew Henry (that was
Tom Scott) and Second-class Scout Jed Smith (that was Dick Smith)
will go back a quarter of a mile and picket the trail until relieved; the
rest of us will proceed with camp duties."
Major Henry and little Jed Smith set off. We finished establishing camp.
Two holes were dug for camp refuse; that was my business. Places for
the beds were cleared of sticks and things; that was Kit Carson's
business. General Ashley chopped a cedar stump for wood (cedar burns
without soot, you know); and Fitzpatrick cooked. The burros had been
unpacked and the flags planted before Fitzpatrick and I came in. We
had to picket the burros out, to graze, at first, or they might have gone
back to town. Of course, as we were short-handed, we had to do
Henry's and Smith's work, to-night, too: spread the beds before dark
and bring water and such things. (Note 14.)
For supper we had bacon and two cans of the beans and biscuits baked
in a reflector, and coffee. (Note 15.) Major Henry and Jed Smith were
not getting any supper yet, because they were still on picket duty. But
when we were through General Ashley said, "Kit Carson, you and Jim

Bridger relieve Henry and Smith, and tell them to come in to supper."
But just as we stood, to start, Major Henry walked in amongst us. He
was excited, and puffing, and he almost forgot to salute General Ashley,
who was Patrol leader.
"They're planning to come!" he puffed. "I sneaked close to them and
heard 'em talking!"
"Is this meant for a report?" asked General Ashley. And we others
snickered. It wasn't the right way to make a report.
"Yes, sir," answered Henry. "That is, I reconnoitered the enemy's camp,
sir, and they're talking about us."
"What did you hear?"
"They're going to rush us when we're asleep, and scare us."
"Very well," said General Ashley. "But you weren't ordered to do that.
You left your post, sir."
"I thought you'd like to know. They didn't hear me," stammered Major
Henry.
"You'd no business to go, just the same. Orders are orders. Where is
Smith?"
"Watching on picket."
"Did he go, too?"
"No, sir."
"You exceeded orders, and you ought to be court-martialed," said
General Ashley. And he was right, too. "But I'll give you another
chance. When is the enemy going to attack?"
"After we're asleep."

"What is he doing now?"
"Eating and smoking and waiting, down the trail."
"You can have some coffee and beans and bread, while we hold council.
Carson and Bridger can wait a minute."
The council didn't take long. General Ashley's plan was splendid, a
joke and a counter-attack in one. Major Henry ate as much as he could,
but he wasn't filled up when he was sent out again, into the dark, with
Kit Carson. They were ordered to tell Jed Smith to come in, but they
were to go on. You'll see what happened. This double duty was Henry's
punishment.
We cleaned up the camp, and then Jed Smith arrived. While he was
eating we made the beds. We drew up the tarpaulins, over blankets and
quilts rolled so that the beds looked exactly as if we were in them, our
feet to the fire (it was a little fire, of course) and our heads in shadow.
We tied the burros short; and then we went back into the cedars and
pinyons and sat down, quiet.
It wasn't pitchy dark. When the sky is clear it never gets pitchy dark, in
the open; and there was a quarter-moon shining, too. The night was
very still. The breeze just rustled the trees, but we could hear our hearts
beat. Once, about a mile away, a coyote barked like a crazy puppy. He
was calling for company. The stars twinkled down through the stiff
branches, and I tried to see the Great Dipper, but that took too much
squirming around.
We must not say a word, nor even whisper. We must just keep quiet,
and listen and wait. Down the trail poor Major Henry and Kit Carson
were having a harder time of it--but I would have liked to be along.
All of a sudden Fitzpatrick the Bad Hand nudged me gently with his
knuckles, and I nudged Jed Smith, and Jed passed it on, and it went
around from one to the other, so we all knew. Somebody was coming!
We could hear a stick snap, and a little laugh, off in the timber; it
sounded as though somebody had run into a branch. We waited. The

enemy was stealing upon our camp. We hid