They were a seasoned lot of Harney's frontier fighters, grimed and grizzled, their hats, boots and clothing gray with dust, but their weapons bright.

Their leader was a young lieutenant, who approached me when I rode up.

It seemed to me I remembered his blue eyes and his light mustaches, curled upward at the points.
"Lieutenant Belknap!" I exclaimed.

"Do you remember meeting me down at Jefferson ?" "Why, Mr.Cowles!" he exclaimed.

"How on earth did you get here?
Of course I remember you." "Yes, but how did you get here yourself--you were not on my boat ?" "I was ordered up the day after you left Jefferson Barracks," he said, "and took the _Asia_.