The next day, Crow stood in front of 1st Sergeant Stump"s tent, hesitated and then went in. Stump, was sitting in an old chair, enjoying his pipe. He started to stand when Crow entered. “As you were, 1st Sergeant.” Crow went to a cot and sat down. “I have been reluctantly given permission to take you with me on a special assignment.”
Stump swung his chair around, so he faced Crow square. He continued to smoke his pipe, waiting to hear more.
“I"m to take twenty-five men of my choosing and train them as scouts. Gibbs gave me three weeks. I asked for and got four. I don"t know twenty-five men; so I"m going to tell you what I"m looking for and you"ll get them for me. Now then, I already have you, and I liked what I saw in McCauley, so I want him. You need only get twenty-three more.”
Stump
