in our ears that mischief was on foot; we kept on, however, and coming
soon to a stream of tolerable water, we stopped to rest and dine. Still
the absentee lingered behind. At last, at the distance of a mile, he
and his horse suddenly appeared, sharply defined against the sky on the
summit of a hill; and close behind, a huge white object rose slowly into
view.

"What is that blockhead bringing with him now?"

A moment dispelled the mystery. Slowly and solemnly one behind the
other, four long trains of oxen and four emigrant wagons rolled over the
crest of the declivity and gravely descended, while R. rode in state
in the van. It seems that, during the process of shoeing the horse,
the smothered dissensions among the emigrants suddenly broke into open
rupture. Some insisted on pushing forward, some on remaining where they
were, and some on going back. Kearsley, their captain, threw up his
command in disgust. "And now, boys," said he, "if any of you are for
going ahead, just you come along with me."

Four wagons, with ten men, one woman, and one small child, made up
the force of the "go-ahead" faction, and R., with his usual proclivity
toward mischief, invited them to join our party. Fear of the
Indians--for I can conceive of no other motive--must have induced him
to court so burdensome an alliance. As may well be conceived, these
repeated instances of high-handed dealing sufficiently exasperated
us. In this case, indeed, the men who joined us were all that could be
desired; rude indeed in manner, but frank, manly, and intelligent.
To tell them we could not travel with them was of course out of the
question. I merely reminded Kearsley that if his oxen could not keep up
with our mules he must expect to be left behind, as we could not consent