taken from the
waggons for the purpose.

After a few days' travelling we got so accustomed to the style of life
we were leading, that having encountered no serious difficulties we
began to hope that the dangers we had heard of were more imaginary than
real, and that we should after all perform our journey with ease and
safety. Silas Bracher had either received no notice of our departure,
or he did not suppose that Dio was with us, for we had travelled a
hundred miles or more northward without seeing any of his people. Mr
Tidey and I, however, as we rode in the rear, kept a look-out for them;
and had they come up with our train they would have found us well
prepared to give them a warm reception. It was satisfactory, however,
at length to believe that there was no risk of an encounter with them.

CHAPTER SIX.

DAN'S EAGERNESS FOR ADVENTURES--MOSQUITOS--A TEMPEST BREWING--THE STORM
UPON US--RISING OF THE RIVER--THE FLOOD--A FEARFUL FLASH--DIO TAKES THE
LEAD--A MISERABLE NIGHT--STRANGERS IN CAMP--RUMOURS OF INDIANS--
FOLLOWING UP THE TRAIL--THE PLUNDERED EMIGRANT TRAIN--THE WOLVES--A
PRAIRIE FLOWER--ALONE IN THE DESERTED CAMP--NEW DANGERS--A SURPRISE FOR
MY MOTHER--THE HALT--GRAVES BY THE WAYSIDE--THE ONLY RECORDS OF THE
SLAIN--"LILY'S MOTHER SLEEPS HERE."

"I say, Mike, I thought by this time that we should have fought half a
dozen battles with the redskins, killed no end of buffalo and deer,
unkennelled black bears and grizzlies without number, and trapped
beavers and racoons and 'possums by scores!" exclaimed Dan, as we were
seated round our camp-fire.

"Wait a bit, my boy, until we get farther on our journey," remarked Mr
Tidey, who overheard Dan, "we shall have adventures enough then to
satisfy you, and enable Mike to fill up his journal to overflowing,
though, for my part, I confess I shall be very glad, as I suspect will
be your father and mother, if we get through without them."

"Not much chance of that," I observed, "or we shall be an exception to
the general rule. I hope, however, if we do meet with hostile Indians,
that we may be able to beat them off. Martin Prentis, who has been a
good deal among them, says that they are arrant cowards, and will only
attack people when they find them unprepared."

We were, I should have said, encamped in our usual fashion, near a
stream, that we might obtain as much water as we required. Along the
bank was a belt of trees with a copse, which afforded us a su