I rode after him as fast as possible, but he had arrived at the command some time before me and when I got there the General had, as I had suspected he would do, ordered out two companies of cavalry to go in pursuit of the Indians.

I told the General that the Indians were only some Pawnees, who had been out hunting and that they had merely played a joke upon us.

I forgot to inform him that I had put up the trick, but as he was always fond of a good joke himself, he did not get very angry.
I had picked up McCarthy's hat and gun which I returned to him, and it was some time afterwards before he discovered who was at the bottom of the affair.
When we returned to Fort McPherson we found there Mr.Royal Buck, whose father had been killed with his entire party by Pawnee Killer's band of Indians on the Beaver Creek.

He had a letter from the commanding officer of the Department requesting that he be furnished with an escort to go in search of the remains of his father and the party.

Two companies of cavalry were sent with him and I accompanied them as guide.