And straight for camp went the herd, until discovered by the train men, who started out in force to head them off.
But pell-mell into camp they went, stampeding the oxen and horses and frightening the men, and Billy began to feel that he must keep on his racer clear to the hills.
But the animal was tired out now and had dropped to the rear of the herd, and Wild Bill, seeing his young friend, raised his rifle and dropped the buffalo bull just as he was running out of camp.
From that day the boy was known as Buffalo Billy.
Captured by Danites.
With the usual adventures incident to a trip across the plains, an occasional fight with Indians, and several grand hunts, the train at last arrived near Green River in the Rocky Mountains.
Billy, Lew Simpson and another of the train had dropped back during the afternoon for a hunt, and upon drawing near the place where they were to encamp, were surprised to discover a band of horsemen coming toward them, whom they observed, however, to be white men.
Suspecting no harm from those of their own race, they rode forward, and, as they met, were startled to hear:
“Up with your hands! You are dead men if you resist!”
“Who are you?” asked Lew Simpson, angrily.
“Joe Smith, the Danite,” was the calm reply of that leader.
“If I had known you were that accursed scoundrel I’d have shot you,” growled Lew Simpson.
“Am awful glad you did not know it; but come, you are my prisoners, and your train is in my power,” was the reply, and upon arriving at camp they found that it was but too true, for the boys had not suspected danger from men they had believed a party of United States cavalry.
The Danite leader, Joe Smith, then ordered all that could be packed on horses to be taken and the wagons set on fire, and told the train men to set out on foot for Fort Bridger, saying:
“You can reach there, but I guess Albert Sydney Johnson and his troops will never get the supplies.”
The train was burned, all but one wagon, which carried supplies for the men, and armed only with their revolvers, they were ordered away by the Danites.
But Buffalo Billy was not one to see his splendid horse go without remonstrance, and, as begging did no good, offered to take him upon any terms he could get him on.
“Boy, ain’t you the one who killed Hugh Hall in Kansas some time ago?” asked the man who had Billy’s horse.
“Well, I owe you one, for he was my pard, and you got me run out of the country by your work, so I’m willing to be even by keeping your horse.”
“I’ll fight you for him,” said Billy, fiercely.
“What with, boy, fists or knives?”
“You are a fool to talk that way, for you weigh double what I do; but I’ll fight you for the horse with rifle or pistol.”