Little Cayuse gave a disgusted grunt and squatted on the ground by the water-hole, his knees up under his chin and his hands twined about them.
“Where’s Pa-e-has-ka, Cayuse?” inquired Dell, impatient because of the boy’s provoking silence.
“Weren’t you, and Buffalo Bill, and Nomad with the soldiers who were taking Bascomb to Fort Apache?”
“We leave Phœnix all same with escort. Pa-e-has-ka meet pony-soldier from Bowie. Pony-soldier say something to Pa-e-has-ka, and Pa-e-has-ka go with pony-soldier to Bonita. Wuh.”
Cayuse was silent for a space, breathing hard and looking gloomily around.
“Wolf-killer and Cayuse go on with escort,” said he finally. “Two pony-soldiers in escort; two pony-soldiers, Wolf-killer, and Cayuse--him four _por todos_; five you count Bascomb.”
Again the boy relapsed into gloomy silence, his hands clenching about his upraised knees and his black eyes smoldering in the half-light.
“’Paches come,” answered Cayuse fiercely. “’Paches kill um pony-soldiers, take away Bascomb, make um Wolf-killer prisoner. Cayuse he _run_!” The boy released his hands, doubled his fist, and brought it savagely down on the ground. “Cayuse _run_,” he repeated, as though, by so saving himself, he had stretched the score of disgrace to the uttermost.
“That was the proper thing for you to do, Cayuse,” returned Dell.
“Cayuse warrior,” grunted the boy; “him ought to stand by Nomad until him die. Cayuse think um Wolf-killer get away, too; but him captured. Ugh!”
“Ye’re a queer little imp,” remarked Patterson. “Used to be in the army, didn’t ye? Bugler ’r somethin’?”
“Wuh. No like um army; rather stay with Pa-e-has-ka.”
“Cayuse thinks the world and all of Buffalo Bill, Patterson,” said Dell. “For Cayuse the sun rises and sets in the king of scouts. It’s a knack Buffalo Bill has of drawing his pards to him.”
“Pa-e-has-ka big chief,” said Cayuse curtly; “biggest chief of all the Yellow Eyes. Him my chief, all same, always. Wuh.”
“When did the Apaches attack you, Cayuse?” went on Dell.
Cayuse lifted both hands, fingers outspread, three times.
“It’s a wonder you ever got away,” breathed Dell.
“Me fool um. Piute fool um ’Pache every time.”
“All same scout through hills; find out where um ’Pache take Bascomb.”