ain be afther thravellin' that way? Shure ye don't
know that."

"Certing it will. A putty consid'able pert o' it air made up o'
Mormings; an' they'll be boun' to the Salt Lake. We kin foller them an'
drop t'other. In the Morming settlements, we kin swop our unyforms for
suthin' else, an' the berra too. Es to the knepsacks an' cartridge-box,
I guess as how I inteend to make a spec on them ere two articles."

"Fwhat! a pair ov soger knapsacks, an' an owld kyarthridge-box! They
wuldn't fitch the worth ov dhrinks apaice."

"Theer your mistaking, Mister Tigg. Preehaps they'll swop better'n you
think. How d'ye know I ain't like to git a beest apiece for 'em--eyther
a mule or a hoss? This child ain't a going to fut it all the way to
Californey. B'yont the Morming City, he rides a spell, I recking."

"Be japers! that's an out-an'-out good oidea. But how dev ye mane to
carry it through? that's what bothers Patrick O'Tigg."

"We--ell, Petrick, I'll tell ee my plan. I ain't got it straightened
out yet, but I hope to hev it all right by the time we're on t'other
side the mountings--leastwise before we reaches Morming City."

"Arrah! fwhat is it?" inquired the impatient Irishman.

The Yankee did not vouchsafe an immediate answer; but, while polishing
off the bone he held in his hand, appeared at the same time to be busy
with some mental operation--perhaps _straightening out_ the plan he had
promised to reveal.

CHAPTER FORTY SIX.

A TOUGH STORY.

For some seconds the two worthies observed a mutual silence--broken only
by a formidable rattle of teeth, as large "chunks" of buffalo-meat were
put through their respective masticating machines. Curious to hear the
promised revelation, Wingrove and I checked our impatience, and clung to
our covert among the bushes. One thing--to which their speech had
incidentally adverted--was not without much significance; and had
produced upon me a certain impression that was unpleasant. They
appeared to know, or Sure-shot did, that at least a portion of the train
was _en route_ for the Mormon city. It is true, I had had originally
suspicions of this; but the letter of Lilian had led me to hope it might
be otherwise. Any destination but that.

I had commenced reflecting upon this point, when I was interrupted by
the voice of Sure-shot resuming the conversation. Thus did he enter on
his explanation:

"Ye see, kimrade, these Mormings, es I've heern, air mighty taken up