we will send back for the horses, which by that time will be recovered; and we will descend along the river to the civilization of our own people and the just reward, I trust, of a Country appreciative of your efforts."
Sergeant Meek faced the men and flourished his lean arm.
"Three cheers for the cap'n and the Red River, boys! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!"
They all spent the next four days in building the block-house with logs, and in hunting. A good pasture was found, for the wretched horses. John Sparks made a new stock for the lieutenant's broken gun.
Baroney and Pat Smith were to stay here. Although a great deal of the baggage, including the lieutenant's own trunk with his "chief's" uniform, was left also, what with the ammunition and axes and spades, and the presents in case the Comanches or other Indians should be met, and the meat, the lieutenant and the doctor and the eleven men carried each seventy pounds, weighed out equally, and Stub himself had a pack.
Followed by a good-luck cheer from Baroney and Pat, they marched out from the block-house on the morning of January 14, southward bound across
