CHAPTER XXII.
A DESPERATE FIGHT.
On leaving camp, the command took a westward course up the Republican, and Major North with two companies of his Pawnees and two or three companies of cavalry, under the command of Colonel Royal, made a scout to the north of the river.

Shortly after we had gone into camp, on the Black Tail Deer Fork, we observed a band of Indians coming over the prairie at full gallop, singing and yelling and waving their lances and long poles.
At first we supposed them to be Sioux, and all was excitement for a few moments.

We noticed, however, that our Pawnee Indians made no hostile demonstrations or preparations towards going out to fight them, but began swinging and yelling themselves.

Captain Lute North stepped up to General Carr and said: "General, those are our men who are coming, and they have had a fight.
That is the way they act when they come back from a battle and have taken any scalps." The Pawnees came into camp on the run.

Captain North calling to one of them--a sergeant--soon found out that they had run across a party of Sioux who were following a large Indian trail.