On the Trail of Geronimo — page 68: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

60 ON THE TRAIL OF GERONIMO. dictated. What more natural, therefore, than that a party were in this gorge for some purpose of their own? This was the question the lieutenant asked himself, as he carefully picked his way up the gorge. Hereflected thatif the party should prove to be Apaches, his mode of introduction to them was likely to be far different from what he antici- pated. The instruction at West Point does not include lessons on the best methods of fighting Indians, but Lieutenant Dick Whitcomb knew as much of the subject as one of his age and advantages could be expectedto know. It was notimpossible that the party which he was approaching was made up of friendly Indians, but it was prudent to take nothing for granted at such a time. The young officer, therefore, used every possible precaution in stealing over the short distance he had to travel. Several times he narrowly escaped falling, or knocking loose some stone that would have been sure to alarm any one on the watch. He met his reward, however, without mishap. He was yet some way from the camp fire, when he Comniclooolks (CO)