ven been used. Thar bran' new, an' with 'em goes
th' mold. Jest because I've spent a lot o' my days up on Green River
ain't sayin' I'm green. They named it that because I left my greenness
thar."

"Th' caps air extry," said the vendor of Colt pistols.

"Ain't said nothin' about no caps, yit," retorted Ogden. "I'm talkin'
molds. Gimme one, an' give Hank one; or ye'll both shore as hell miss
his mother's funeral."

The stranger complied, sold some caps and left the saloon in good humor;
but he had not been gone two minutes before Enoch hastily arose and
pleaded that he had to meet a man; and when they saw him again he had a
newfangled contraption in a holster at his belt.

Hank carelessly opened his mold and glanced at it. "Pinted!" he
exclaimed.

Tom explained swiftly and reassured his friends, and then suggested that
they go down to a smithy owned by a mutual friend, and run some bullets.
"We better do it while we're thinkin' about it, an' have th' time," he
added.

"Got lots o' time," said Ogden. "Be three weeks afore th' second caravan
starts. Thar's two goin' out this year. If 'twarn't fer th' early warm
weather on th' prairies th' fust wouldn't 'a' left yet. Th' grass is
comin' up fast."

"Thar's some waggins o' th' second game out ter Council Grove already,"
said Alonzo Webb. "They wanted me an' Enoch ter go 'long with 'em, but
we couldn't see th' sense o' leavin' town so fur ahead o' time, an'
totin' that much more grub. 'Sides, th' roads'll be better, mebby, later
on."

The smith welcomed them and they used his fire during the lulls in his
business.

"Hear Zachary Woodson's goin' out with eight waggins this year," he told
them. "Missed th' fust caravan. Says he'll be tetotally cussed if he's
goin' ter be captain ag'in this year."

"That's what he says every year," grunted Alonzo.

"He'll be captain if we has th' say-so," replied Hank. "Only thing, he's
a mite too easy with th' fools; but thar's goin' ter be less squabblin'
about obeyin' orders this trip than ever afore. We'll see ter that."

While they discussed matters pertaining to the caravan, and ran bullets,
listening to the gossip of the smith's customers, they saw Uncle Joe and
his two wagoners driving his mules toward the shop to have them re-shod.
They shook hands all around and soon Uncle Joe, grinning from ear to
ear, told them that he was going out with the caravan. He was as tickled
as a boy with a new knife.

"Just as I feared," he