tenderest women, and their eyes were wet and they were not ashamed,
when they saw her arm dangling; and so were Buffalo Bill's, and
when they laid her in his arms he said, 'My darling, how does this
come?' and she said, 'We came to save you, but I was tired, and
couldn't keep awake, and fell off and hurt myself, and couldn't get
on again.' 'You came to save me, you dear little rat? It was too
lovely of you!' 'Yes, and Soldier stood by me, which you know he
would, and protected me from the wolves; and if he got a chance he
kicked the life out of some of them--for you know he would, BB.'
The sergeant said, 'He laid out three of them, sir, and here's the
bones to show for it.' 'He's a grand horse,' said BB; 'he's the
grandest horse that ever was! and has saved your life, Lieutenant-
General Alison, and shall protect it the rest of his life--he's
yours for a kiss!' He got it, along with a passion of delight, and
he said, 'You are feeling better now, little Spaniard--do you think
you could blow the advance?' She put up the bugle to do it, but he
said wait a minute first. Then he and the sergeant set her arm and
put it in splints, she wincing but not whimpering; then we took up
the march for home, and that's the end of the tale; and I'm her
horse. Isn't she a brick, Shekels?

"Brick? She's more than a brick, more than a thousand bricks--
she's a reptile!"

"It's a compliment out of your heart, Shekels. God bless you for
it!"



CHAPTER X--GENERAL ALISON AND DORCAS