



Produced by David Edwards, Martin Mayer, and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive)





[Transcribers’ notes are placed after the text.]




[Illustration: CARL DISCOVERS THE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES.]




                                 CARL

                              THE TRAILER

                                  BY

                            HARRY CASTLEMON

       AUTHOR OF “THE GUNBOAT SERIES,” “ROCKY MOUNTAIN SERIES,”
                          “WAR SERIES,” ETC.

                       THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO.,

                             PHILADELPHIA,
                           CHICAGO, TORONTO.




                          COPYRIGHT, 1899, BY
                         HENRY T. COATES & CO.




CONTENTS.


 CHAPTER                                                           PAGE
       I. GETTING READY FOR THE HUNT,                                 1
      II. CARL, THE TRAILER,                                         14
     III. THE GHOST DANCE,                                           27
      IV. THE SOLITARY HORSEMAN,                                     40
       V. REINFORCEMENTS,                                            53
      VI. DISPATCHES,                                                65
     VII. GOING IN,                                                  78
    VIII. COMING OUT,                                                91
      IX. STILL IN THE SADDLE,                                      104
       X. THE SQUAWMAN’S PROPOSITION,                               116
      XI. THE INDIAN POLICEMAN,                                     129
     XII. MORE COURIERS,                                            142
    XIII. THE END OF SITTING BULL,                                  155
    XIV. AN INTERVIEW IN THE WOODS,                                 170
     XV. FIVE YEARS BEFORE,                                         182
    XVI. WHAT CLAUDE KNEW,                                          195
   XVII. THE PLAN DISCUSSED,                                        207
  XVIII. “THEY’RE IN THE OFFICE!”                                   220
    XIX. A TALK WITH HIS UNCLE,                                     233
     XX. A NEW PLAN,                                                245
    XXI. THE TRIP TO ST. LOUIS,                                     258
   XXII. A SURPRISE,                                                270
  XXIII. CLAUDE VISITS THE POOL ROOM,                               285
   XXIV. A HARD FIGHT,                                              298
    XXV. A BLOW FOR NOTHING,                                        310
   XXVI. THE NEW SCOUT,                                             323
  XXVII. OFF TO THE FRONT,                                          329
 XXVIII. GETTING READY FOR THE FIGHT,                               342
   XXIX. THE BATTLE OF WOUNDED KNEE,                                354
    XXX. OFF FOR HOME,                                              367
   XXXI. CONCLUSION,                                                381




 List of Illustrations


 Illustration                                                      Page
 Carl discovers the Indian horse thieves.                 _frontispiece_
 Carl captured by the squawman.                                     118
 The Robbers foiled.                                                234
 All their labor for nothing.                                       308




                          CARL, THE TRAILER.




CHAPTER I.

GETTING READY FOR THE HUNT.


“So you are nearly out of fresh meat, are you? Do your men get that way
often?”

“Yes, sir. These Pawnee scouts can’t eat like white men. When they have
any fresh meat on hand they eat all they can, and when it is gone they
look to us for more.”

“Well, I suppose I shall have to send an officer out after some. I
think I will try Lieutenant Parker. He has been a pretty good young
officer since he has been out here, and perhaps it will do him some
good to get a little exercise. Orderly, send Parker here.”

This conversation took place between Col. Dodge, the commander of
a small fort situated on the outskirts of the Standing Rock Agency,
and his commissary, who had come in to report the condition of the
garrison in regard to supplies. There was plenty of everything except
fresh meat, and their Pawnee scouts were already grumbling over their
diminished supply. Their commander must send out and get some more.
Game of all kinds was abundant a short distance back in the mountains,
but it was a little dangerous to send a body of troops out there.
Something out of the usual order of things had happened within a few
miles of Fort Scott, and there was every indication that Sitting
Bull, who had settled down at Standing Rock Agency since he came from
Canada, was trying to set his braves against the whites and drive them
from the country. The thing which started this trouble was the Ghost
Dance—something more of which we shall hear further on.

The orderly disappeared, and presently a quick step sounded in the
hall, the door opened, and Lieutenant Parker entered.

It was no wonder