the forward deck, and the plan was
explained to him. His wife was a little better, and he was anxious to
join in the pursuit of the savages. I tried to prevail upon him to go
down to the landing with the soldiers; but he was resolute, and
declared that he would follow the Indians till he recovered his
daughter.

"One of us should go down with the soldiers, and take care of Mrs.
Gracewood; for I suppose she no longer thinks of going to Oregon," I
said.

"Why will you not go, Phil Farringford?" he replied.

"I am to act as the guide for the soldiers who pursue the Indians."

"I will guide them," added Mr. Gracewood.

"Either of you," interposed the lieutenant.

I was anxious to go with the soldiers myself, and to have a hand in
capturing the miscreants who had carried off Ella; but her father had a
stronger claim upon this duty, and I yielded. Two miles above the point
where we had passed the dugouts, the steamer made a landing. After I
had explained to Lieutenant Pope the nature of the country, and the
localities of the streams, he decided to take only half his force with
him, and to send the other half to the landing, with instructions to
march up the Little Fish towards the Indian village. The two
detachments would come together on the river before reaching their
final destination.

The soldiers who were to pursue the Indians landed, and the steamer
started again. It was about noon when we reached the landing at the
Castle. The captain, who had been detained so long by the events
narrated that he was impatient to be on his voyage up the river again,
hurried the soldiers on shore. Mrs. Gracewood bade adieu to her brother
and his wife, who proceeded on their long journey. It was hard to leave
without knowing the fate of poor Ella, but the circumstances were
imperative. I conducted Mrs. Gracewood to the shore, and the steamer
departed.

The poor mother was in a state bordering on frenzy. Her anxiety and
suspense were hardly endurable. I went up to the Castle, caught the
horses, harnessed them to the wagon, and conveyed her and her trunks to
the house. In the mean time the soldiers had marched up to the
clearing, and decided to pitch their tents near the block house, for
they were not to start for the upper country till the next morning,
lest the Indians should be alarmed before the other force could reach
the place of meeting.

The troops hauled their tents and provision to the camp ground with my
team; and t