t word that Mr Bracher was said to be very ill. We suspected
that he was suffering from a wound he had received while attacking our
house. There was some fear, should he hear of our intended departure,
that he might for the purpose of revenging himself, send a party to
follow us up and attack us while on the move.

"Never fear, friends," said Mr McDermont, when the subject was spoken
of, "I'll keep an eye on the proceedings of the gentleman, and if I hear
of any suspicious characters going in the direction you are travelling,
I'll dodge their steps and come to your assistance. They'll not follow
you far, if they follow at all, so I don't think that you need have much
fear of being troubled by them."

We exchanged kind farewells with our new friend, and not without many a
regret at leaving Uphill commenced our march. We all knew that it would
be a toilsome one and not free from danger, but my father had
determined, that as he was moving he would move far west, where the
curse of slavery was unknown.

The waggons I have mentioned were of a stronger build than those before
described. They had high tilts which made them comfortable
sleeping-places at night. My father and Uncle Denis rode alongside the
leading waggon, in which my mother, Kathleen, Biddy, and Rose travelled,
and Dan condescended when tired to take his seat with them. Martin
Prentis drove the first, Sam Hodding the second, Peter the third, and
some of our other men the rest. Mr Tidey and I brought up the rear.

For some days we kept Dio inside, lest he might be recognised and an
attempt made to carry him off. Boxer and Toby generally scampered on
ahead, coming back every now and then, and giving a loud bark as if to
hurry on the train.

We moved but at a slow pace, for although the patient oxen could travel
on for many miles without growing weary, it was impossible to make them
advance out of a steady walk. We proceeded northward, having the mighty
Mississippi on our left, until we reached the banks of the Illinois
river, which we crossed in flat-bottomed boats, and then proceeding
several days' journey westward, entered the wide prairies of Missouri,
the vast river from which the state takes its name being to the south of
us. We were now truly in the wilderness, but "Westward Ho!" was our
cry. We had numerous dangers to guard against; prairie fires might
occur and envelope us in their deadly embrace; hostile Indians might
attack us and attemp