Chapter 5

The snow was coming and we had put away enough dry meat and jerky to last the winter but were going to need dry goods and supplies from the trading post. I saddled Smoke and Cloud, put the packs on Bob and Bobbie then ate lunch with Bear Claw before we both geared up. I had all four pistols on my belt and the Bowie and tomahawk on my calves. Bear Claw had her pistol and Bowie on her belt and both our rifles with us as we mounted up and rode to the trading post. I had put the valuables in a deer skin then put them in a stone lined hole just out side the cave, a wooden cover was placed over the hole and dirt spread over the cover to conceal it from view, and then a buffalo hide with wood piled on it was dragged over the top. I did not like leaving the stuff unguarded, but it was too much to bring to the trading post and would just make things difficult once we got there. Just as before we slept in a booth out back for a $1 and that included dinner and breakfast. Since I was turning into a regular customer, William offered a friendship and I accepted. This time I had half the number of skins but still managed to get $100 for what I had. Because of the increase in sales back east, the demand was greater than could be delivered, especially for certain animal skins that I had most. I was happy with what we got and again the tempo changed as I began to shop. This time I bought several soft blankets and more cloth for Bear Claw to make clothes and things out of. We bought the dry goods and extra food items we were going to need and then bought two more Bowie knives, 10 pounds of lead, 10 pounds of powder, 250 caps and can of gun oil.

We spent the night and left the next morning, both mules packed full and us riding our horses. Half way to my cabin we saw smoke coming from the next ridge over. We rode up the ridge and looked down into the valley to see the remains of a small wagon train. We carefully and slowly rode down into the valley. Eight wagons were burning, sixteen men were dead, four women were dead, most of the animals were dead also. There were signs that some animals were taken away and possibly survivors, if any.

Bear Claw asked me if we were going to follow the tracks. I asked her if she wanted to get involved or mind our own business. After a short time she thought it over and said that she would want help if she were taken, and we should at least try to see if there were any people taken. I told Bear Claw to take the mules back to our cabin and put our stuff away as quickly as she could, then return and follow my signs. I would follow the tracks and wait for her to catch up to me before doing anything. The next evening I caught up to a war party of Indians I had never seen before. They were Apache and had two young boys of between ten to fifteen years and five females; one was at least in her twenties, one was around fifteen years, the last three looked to be younger than ten years. They had taken five oxen, six mules, and twelve horses that were not being ridden. I could count fifteen Apaches but was not sure if there were more out along our perimeter as lookouts or scouts. The Apaches stopped at a river for two days and during the night of the second day Bear Claw caught up with me. She had Running Elk, Little Beaver, and Dancing Bear with her. They had come by to visit and wanted to help, since any Indian tribe that entered Blackfoot land and made trouble required punishment or other tribes would start making trouble for the Blackfoot tribe. We used our bows to take out the sentries first then moved into the camp and attacked. I took out five with my pistols; Bear Claw shot two and Running Elk, Little Beaver, and Dancing Bear each took out two. As soon as the shooting started, a half dozen more charged in from the outer perimeter and we ended up rolling around in the dirt fighting them. Bear Claw had one on her as did Little Beaver; Running Elk had two jump him the same as me, Dancing Bear had taken a spear to the chest and was on the ground. He did not look like he was going to survive. Hell! At that moment I did not think I was going to survive myself. I had one Apache trapped between my legs with his knife hand trapped against his body and his free arm beating against my legs. The other Apache was trapped under both of us and he had my knife hand by my wrist with his free hand and I had his knife hand trapped with my tomahawk. I felt his wrist twisting free and knew I had only one chance! Lightning quick I struck the Apache in the head with my tomahawk and just barely was able to stop the knife from the one under me from striking too deep into my side with both my hands. Once I had the knife pulled free from my side and a tight enough grip on his wrist I was able to cut his throat with my Bowie. I pulled my tomahawk free from the other's head and had just enough time to throw it into the back of the Apache who was now on top of Bear Claw ready to sink his knife into her chest. I rolled over and stabbed the Apache who had just broken free from Running Elk, catching his knife as he tried to stab me as he fell to the ground, dying. I picked up my pistols as I heard more Apaches riding into the fight. There were four more and I shot each one once in the chest as an arrow struck me in the left shoulder. It really did not hurt, just kind of burned. Bear Claw growled and ran to my side to begin to treat my wounds. Little Beaver and Running Elk both gave war cries for Dancing Bear, who had died. I told everyone to reload quickly because there might be more. Once we were reloaded, Bear Claw sat me down and began to stitch up all my wounds and put dressings on them. Little Beaver and Running Elk took care of each other's wounds and I looked after Bear Claw. We checked with the prisoners and found them all to be in half way decent shape. Marge Simpleton was 23 years old, with two children, Karl who had just turned 9 was the younger of the two boys and Katie was the youngest girl at 6 years old. The older boy was Thomas Wright and he was 15 years old. His 7 year-old twin sisters were Tina and Toni. The last girl, Brenda Brown, was 16 years old. I asked if there were more than the 25 we had killed and all were quick to say that more than once there had been close to 30 Apaches in this group. Running Elk and Little Beaver quickly moved out to circle our position and stand watch. We gathered the group together and got them mounted on horses along with as much of the supplies as we could, taking all the live stock too. We moved quietly and quickly over the ridge and into the next valley. We had just reached my cabin when Little Beaver rode up to warn us that half a dozen Apaches were heading this way. Everyone moved into my cabin except for Little Beaver and me. We moved into the tree line to setup an ambush, while Running Elk had ridden for help.