"But why don't you send Vic for help, Mr. Duncan?" asked Frank.

"Laddie, I believe you have saved us! Thank you for the suggestion.
We'll put the little girl's education to a practical test."

"What! Going to send her to Jemez for the men?" asked Sergeant
Cunningham.

"No; I hardly think I could make her understand our wishes in that
direction, but there is no doubt she can be sent to camp. She has done
that many times."

"Yes, sir, she'll go to the valley," said Frank. "You know I sent her
with a message to you from San Antonio Valley, six miles. I wonder how
far camp is from here?"

"'Bout nine miles," replied the sergeant; "but she'll do it, I think.
Look at her!"

Vic had come forward, and sat looking intelligently from one to the
other of us while this discussion ran on.

"All right, little girl," I said, patting and smoothing her silky
coat, "you shall have a chance to help us after dusk. Go and lie down
now."

The dog went to a corner and, lying down on Frank's saddle-blanket,
appeared to sleep; and while Corporal Frank took my place at a window
I wrote a message to Sergeant Mulligan at the camp, describing our
desperate situation and requesting him to send a detachment to our