Hugh Hall still lay where he had fallen; but he was dead, greatly toBilly's sorrow, who had hoped he would not die.
Then, while farmer Vennor remained by the body, Billy went for thenearest neighbors, and ere nightfall Hugh Hall was buried, and his twoallies in crime were captured in Leavenworth, and given warning to leaveKansas forever, which they were glad to do, for they had not expectedsuch mercy at the hands of the enraged farmers.
But before they left they confessed that Billy's story was a true one,and told where the wife of Hugh Hall could be found, and once again didthe boy become a hero, even in the eyes of the bravest men, and thesettlers gave him the name of Boss Boy Billy, while Nannie Vennor, now amother of grown sons, each Christmas time sends him a little souvenir,to show him that she has not forgotten her boy lover who fought hisfirst duel to save her from a villain.
CHAPTER IV.
SHOOTING FOR A PRIZE.
While Mr. Cody was an Indian trader at Salt Creek Valley in Kansas,Billy laid the foundation for his knowledge of the red-skin character,and which served him so well in after years and won him a name as scoutand hunter that no one else has ever surpassed.
For days at a time Billy would be in the Indian villages, and often hewould go with the warriors on their buffalo and game hunts, and now andthen would join a friendly band in a war trail against hostiles.
Another favorite resort of Billy's was Fort Leavenworth, where hishandsome face, fearlessness and manly nature made him a great favoritewith both officers and men.
On one occasion while at the fort a large Government herd of horses,lately brought up from Texas, where they had been captured wild on theprairies, stampeded, and could not be retaken.
Once or twice Billy had come into the fort with a pony of the fugitiveherd which he had captured, and the quartermaster said to him:
"Billy, if that herd remains much longer free, they will be harder totake than real wild horses, so go to work and I'll give you a reward often dollars for every one you bring in, for the Government authorizes meto make that offer."
This was just to Billy's taste, and he went at once home and spent acouple of days preparing for the work before him, and from which hismother and sisters tried to dissuade him; but the boy saw in it abonanza and would not give it up.
His own pony, Rascal, he knew, was not fast enough for the work ahead,so he determined to get a better mount, and rode over to the fort to seea sergeant who had an animal not equaled for speed on the plains.
Rascal, some sixty dollars, a rifle, and some well-tanned skins wereoffered for the sergeant's horse and refused, and in despair Billy knewnot what to do, for he had gotten to the end of his personal fortune.
"Sergeant," he suddenly cried, as a bright idea seized him.
"Well, Billy?"
"They say you are the crack shot in the fort."
"I am too, Billy."
"Well, I'll tell you what I'll do to win your horse, Little Grey. I'llput up all I have offered you against your animal and shoot for them."
"Why, Billy, I don't want to win your pony and money."
"And I don't want you to; but I'll shoot with you for your horse againstmine and all else I have offered."
The sergeant was a grasping man, and confident of his powers, at lastassented, and the match was to take place at once.
But the officers learning of it were determined Billy should have fairplay, and a day was set a week off, and the boy was told to practiceregularly with both pistol and rifle, for the terms were ten off-handshots with the latter at fifty and one hundred yards, and six shotsstanding with the revolver at fifteen paces and six from horseback, andriding at full speed by the target.
Billy at once set to work to practice, though he had confidence in hisunerring aim, and upon the day of trial came to the fort with a smilingface.
Nearly everybody in the fort went out to see the match, and the sergeantwas called first to toe the mark.
He raised his rifle and his five shots at fifty yards were quicklyfired.
Billy gave a low whistle, but toed the scratch promptly, and his fiveshots were truer than the sergeant's, and a wild cheer broke from oneand all.
At one hundred yards the sergeant's shooting was better than the boy's;and so it was with the pistol shooting, for when standing the sergeant'sshots were best, and in riding full speed by the target, Billy's werethe truest, and it was called a tie.
"How shall we shoot it off, Billy?" asked the sergeant, who seemedsomewhat nervous.
Billy made no reply, but went to his haversack and took from it anapple, and going up to his pony placed him in position, the rein overthe horn of the saddle.
The apple he then put on the head of the pony, directly between hisears, and stepping back while all present closely watched him, he threwforward his pistol and fired.
The apple flew into fragments and a wild burst of applause came from allsides, while Billy said quietly:
"I've got another apple, sergeant, for you to try the same on LittleGrey."
"I'll not run the risk, Billy, of killing him, so give in; but I'll winhim back from you sometime," said the sergeant.
"Any time, sergeant, I'm willing to shoot," replied the boy, and with ahappy heart he mounted his prize and set off for home.
CHAPTER V.
WILD HORSE HUNTING.
For several days after Billy Cody got his prize he did nothing but trainthe animal to his use and was delighted to find that Little Grey wouldfollow him like a dog wherever he went.
Having all arranged now for his wild horse hunting, he set out one dayfrom home to be gone a week or more, he told his mother, and with thepromise that he would bring her a small fortune soon.
He had already discovered the feeding grounds of the herd, and thitherhe went at once, arriving in the vicinity shortly before dark.
As he had expected, he found the herd, nearly five hundred in number,but he kept out of sight of them, as it was so near dark, and campeduntil morning, when he found they had gone up the valley for some miles.
Cautiously he followed them, and getting near unobserved at last made adash upon them.
Into their midst he went and a good horse was picked out and lariated inthe twinkling of an eye and quickly hoppled and turned loose.
Then another and another, until Billy felt that he had done a prettygood day's work.
He had discovered two things, however, and that was that Little Greyseemed more than a match for any of the herd with one exception, andthat one was a large, gaunt-bodied black stallion, that appeared to drophim behind without much effort.
"I've got to have him," said Billy, as he returned to his hoppled prizesand began to drive them toward the fort.
It was a long and tedious work, but the boy was not impatient andreached the fort at last and received his reward, which he at oncecarried to his mother and received her warm congratulations upon hisfirst success.
Back to the herd's haunts went Billy, and again he camped for the night,but was aroused at dawn by a sound that he at first thought was distantthunder.
But his ears soon were undeceived as he sprung to his feet, well knowingthat it was the herd of wild horses.
Instantly Billy formed his plan of action and mounting Little Grey rodeinto a thicket near by, which wholly concealed him from view.
Here he waited, for he knew that the herd was coming to the river todrink, and a cry of delight burst from his lips as he beheld the blackstallion in the lead.
"It is the horse the settlers call Sable Satan and that belonged to ahorse thief, father told me, who was shot from his back one night.
"Well, if I can catch him I'll be in luck, and I'll try it, though theysay he is awful vicious. Be quiet, Gray, or you'll spoil all."
On came the large drove at a trot directly for the river, and abeautiful sight it was as they moved forward in solid mass, with flowingmane and tail and the rising sun glancing upon every variety of color.
The leader was a perfect beauty, black
as ink, with glossy hide and longmane and tail--the equine king of the herd.
With his reins well in hand, his lariat ready, and full of excitement,Billy waited for the horses to reach the stream, which they entered toquench their thirst.
As every head was lowered and the nostrils driven deep into the coolwaters, out of the thicket dashed the Boy Horse-Hunter, and theclattering hoofs startled the drove, and in confusion and fright theyturned to fly.
Straight as an arrow went the boy toward the black stallion, whichattempted to dash by with the mass.
But with an unerring hand the lariat was thrown, the coil settled downover the haughty head, a tremendous jerk followed, and Sable Satan wasthrown to the ground.
With an exultant cry Billy sprung from his saddle, and quickly formed a"bow-stall"[1] which, when properly made, is more effective than asevere curb bit--and placed it upon the animal that was choked beyondthe power of resistance.
[Footnote 1: A "bow-stall" is formed by taking a turn with a rope orlariat between the nostrils and eyes of a horse, and passing one endover the head, back of the ears and tied on the opposite side. A secondnoose is then made around the jaws and from this the reins lead backtoward the rider, who can then thoroughly manage the animal.--THEAUTHOR.]
Loosening the lariat around his neck Billy sprung upon the prostrateanimal, which, with a wild snort bounded to his feet, and withprodigious leaps started on after the flying herd, his daring youngrider firmly seated upon his back.
Finding he could not unseat Billy by bounding, he came to a sudden halt,and then reared wildly; but with catlike tenacity the boy clung to him,and then Sable Satan mad with rage and fright, attempted to tear himfrom his back with his gleaming teeth.
A severe jerk on the bow-stall however thwarted this, and with amaddened cry the splendid prairie king bounded on once more after theflying herd, a call to Little Grey from Billy causing him to follow ata swift run.
With a speed that was marvelous Sable Satan flew on, directly into thedrove, the daring young rider still clinging to him, determined to dareany danger to keep the animal whose capture had baffled the very besthorsemen of the plains.
Sweeping through the herd, as though they were stationary, so great washis speed, the black stallion soon left them far behind, and glancingback Billy saw that Little Grey had not cared to venture into the midstof the wild band and was galloping away over the prairies.
Not knowing who might pick him up, and having his rifle, ammunition andprovisions strapped to his saddle, he determined to go on after LittleGrey, and at once a fierce fight began between the boy and his horse.
But the boy proved the master, and after a severe struggle the blackstallion was subdued, and guided by the bow-stall was in full chase ofLittle Grey, while Sable Satan's former subjects were flying awaynorthward without their leader.
When in chase of Little Grey, Billy soon discovered the remarkable speedof his new capture, for he overhauled his former pet with ease, and nowthoroughly broken in, the saddle and bridle were transferred to theblack's back, and exultant over his success the boy rode on to the fort,where large sums were offered him for the famous stallion.
But Billy refused each tempting offer, and on Sable Satan set out tocapture more of the herd, and which he readily succeeded in doing; butas the Government offer of ten dollars for the fugitive animals becameknown, there were a number of men starting on the trail of the wildmustangs and though Billy got the lion's share, he did not quite realizethe expected fortune, but was content with the few hundreds he made, andthe ownership of Sable Satan and Little Grey, the two fastest horses onthe Kansas prairies.
CHAPTER VI.
SAVING A FATHER'S LIFE.
While in Kansas Mr. Cody became interested in the affairs of the Stateand joined the Free State party, and while making a speech on oneoccasion was deliberately attacked and severely wounded.
He however recovered sufficiently to work on his farm again, but wasconstantly harassed by his old foes, who on several occasions visitedhis home with the intention of hanging him.
On one occasion, when in town, Billy learned of an attack to be madeupon his father, and mounting Sable Satan rode with all speed out tothe farm.
He was recognized and hotly pursued; but he got home in time to warn hisfather who took Little Grey and made his escape.
The horsemen, a score in number, came to the farm, and finding Mr. Codygone, the leader struck Billy a severe blow and when he departed carriedwith him Sable Satan.
This almost broke the boy's heart; but he declared he would some dayregain his horse, and for weeks he tried to do so, but without success.
One night two horsemen came to the Cody farm and again asked for thefarmer, but were told by Mrs. Cody that he was away.
They would not take her word for it; but thoroughly searched the house,after which they forced Billy's sisters to get them some supper.
While they were eating Billy and his father returned, and warned by oneof the girls, Mr. Cody went up-stairs to bed, for he was quite ill, andsuffering from the wound he had received.
But Billy went into the kitchen and saw there the very man who hadstruck him the severe blow; and who had taken Sable Satan on his lastvisit.
"Well, boy, that's a good horse I got from you," he said, with a rudelaugh.
"Yes, he's too good for such a wretch as you are," was the fearlessreply.
"No lip, boy, or I'll give you a licking you'll remember. By the way,where's that old father of yours?" said the man.
Billy made no reply but walked out of the kitchen, to be soon afterfollowed by his sister Mary who said anxiously:
"Oh, Will, they say father must have come with you, and they intend tosearch the house again."
"Then I'll go up and tell father," whispered Billy, and up-stairs hewent.
He found his father asleep, and his mother was seated near him and toldBilly he had a high fever.
"Then don't wake him, and I'll not let them come up here," said Billy,and he went out of the room and took his place at the stairs.
A moment after the two men, both with pistols in their hands, came outof the kitchen and started to come up-stairs.
"Stop, Luke Craig, for you can't come up here," said the boy.
With a hoarse laugh the man sprung up the steps to fall back as a pistolflashed in his face and roll back to the bottom, knocking his companiondown too.
But the latter quickly sprung to his feet and dashed out of the house towhere their horses were hitched.
His horse was a white one, and his comrade's was Sable Satan, and to thelatter he ran.
But up went the window and in a loud voice Billy cried:
"I've got my rifle on you, and I'll fire if you take my horse."
The man evidently believed that he would, from what he had seen, andmounting his own horse dashed swiftly away in the darkness while Billyreturned to the one he had shot.
He found him badly wounded, but not fatally, and putting him in hisfather's buggy drove him to the nearest doctor, at whose house heremained for months before he was well again.
CHAPTER VII.
LOVE AND RIVALRY.
Finding that Billy was becoming far more accomplished as a rider andshot, than in his books, Mrs. Cody determined to send him to a smallschool that was only a few miles away.
Billy, though feeling himself quite a man, yielded to his mother'swishes and attended the school, which was presided over by across-grained Dominie that used the birch with right good earnest andseeming delight.
Of course Billy's love of mischief got him many a whipping; but forthese he did not seem to care until there suddenly appeared in theschool another pupil in the shape of a young miss just entering herteens.
The name of this young lady was Mollie Hyatt, and she was the daughterof a well-to-do settler who had lately arrived, and was as pretty as apicture.
Billy's handsome face and dark eyes won her young heart, and thelove-match was going smoothly along until a rival appeared
in the fieldin the shape of a youth two years the junior of young Cody, and largerand stronger.
These virtues on the part of Master Steve Gobel, with his growing loveof Mollie, made him very assuming, and he forced his company upon thelittle maid, and had things pretty much his own way, as all the boysseemed afraid of him.
As for Billy he let him have his own way for awhile, and then determinednot to stand it any longer he sought Steve Gobel for a settlement of theaffair, the result of which was, the teacher hearing them quarreling andcoming out took the word of young Cody's rival about it, and gave myhero a severe whipping before the whole school.
Since his meeting Mollie Hyatt, Billy had been a most exemplary youth,never having had a single whipping, and this cut him to the heart sodeeply that he did not seem to feel the pain of the rod.
And it made him treasure up revenge against Steve Gobel, who waslaughing at him during the castigation.
The next day Billy built for Mollie a pretty little arbor on the bank ofthe creek, and all admired it greatly excepting Steve Gobel, who, assoon as it was finished pulled it down.
Poor Mollie began to cry over her loss, and infuriated at beholding hersorrow, Billy rushed upon his rival and a fierce fight at once beganbetween them.
Finding that he was no match for the bully in brute strength, andsuffering under his severe blows, Billy drew from his pocket his knife,opened the blade with his teeth, and drove it into the side of his foe,who cried out in wild alarm.
Springing to his feet, amid the frightened cries of the children, Billyrushed to his pony, drew up the lariat pin, and springing upon his back,rode away across the prairie like the wind.