“No, sir,” I replied, “I’ll do nothing of the kind.  I’ll remain in the guardhouse till I get an answer from General Sheridan.”

“If I give you your horse and mule will you proceed at once to Fort Lyon?”

“No, sir; I have some bills to settle at Sheridan and some other business to transact.”

“Well, sir, will you at least promise not to interfere any further with the quartermaster’s agent at Sheridan?”

“I shall not trouble him any more, sir.  I have had all I want from him.”

General Bankhead thereupon sent for Captain Laufer and ordered him to turn the horse and mule over to me.  In a few minutes I was on my way to Sheridan, and, having settled my business there, I proceeded to Fort Lyon, arriving there two days afterward.  I related my adventures to General Carr, Major Brown, and the other officers, who were highly amused thereby.

CHAPTER VI

When I returned to General Carr’s command after my experience as a prisoner I was informed that the general had been waiting for me for two weeks.

“I’m glad you’ve come, Bill,” said the general.  “While we’ve been at this Post a number of valuable animals have been stolen, as well as many Government horses and mules.  We think the thieves are still near the fort.  Fresh tracks have been found near Fort Lyon.  Perhaps Bill Green, the scout who has been up there, can tell you something about them.”

Sending for Green, I found that he had marked the place where he had lost the trail of the marauders.

Next morning, accompanied by Green, Jack Farley, and another scout, I set out after the horse-thieves.

While making a circuit about the tracks we had found leading away from the spot where Green discovered them, we found the trail of twelve animals—­four mules and eight horses—­in the edge of the sandhills.

From this point we had no trouble in trailing them down to the Arkansas River.  This stream they had followed toward Denver, whither they were undoubtedly bound.

When we got within four miles of Denver we found that the thieves had passed four days before.  I concluded that they had decided to dispose of the animals in Denver.  I was aware that Saturday was the big auction day there, so we went to a hotel outside the town to await that day.  I was too well known in the city to show myself there, for the thieves would have taken alarm had they learned of my presence.

Early Saturday morning we rode into the city and stabled our animals at the Elephant Corral.  I secured a room in a hotel overlooking the corral, and took up a post of observation.  I did not have to wait long.

A man, whom I recognized at once as Williams, one of our old packers, rode into the ring, mounted on Lieutenant Forbush’s mule, and leading another Government mule.  This mule had been recently branded, and over the “U.S.” a plain “D B” had been stamped.