the rear:

"We'll camp here."

"Why do you want to camp? Look at the sun. It is not three o'clock yet."

"We'll camp here!"

This was the only reply vouchsafed. Delorier was in advance with his
cart. Seeing the mule-wagon wheeling from the track, he began to turn
his own team in the same direction.

"Go on, Delorier," and the little cart advanced again. As we rode on, we
soon heard the wagon of our confederates creaking and jolting on behind
us, and the driver, Wright, discharging a furious volley of oaths
against his mules; no doubt venting upon them the wrath which he dared
not direct against a more appropriate object.

Something of this sort had frequently occurred. Our English friend was
by no means partial to us, and we thought we discovered in his conduct a
deliberate intention to thwart and annoy us, especially by retarding
the movements of the party, which he knew that we, being Yankees, were
anxious to quicken. Therefore, he would insist on encamping at all
unseasonable hours, saying that fifteen miles was a sufficient day's
journey. Finding our wishes systematically disregarded, we took the
direction of affairs into our own hands. Keeping always in advance, to
the inexpressible indignation of R., we encamped at what time and place
we thought proper, not much caring whether the rest chose to follow or
not. They always did so, however, pitching their tents near ours, with
sullen and wrathful countenances.

Traveling together on these agreeable terms did not suit our tastes; for
some time we had meditated a separation. The connection with this party
had cost us various delays and inconveniences; and the glaring want
of courtesy and good sense displayed by their virtual leader did not
dispose us to bear these annoyances with much patience. We resolved to
leave camp early in the morning, and push forward as rapidly as possible
for Fort Laramie, which we hoped to reach, by hard traveling, in four or
five days. The captain soon trotted up between us, and we explained our
intentions.

"A very extraordinary proceeding, upon my word!" he remarked. Then he
began to enlarge upon the enormity of the design. The most prominent
impression in his mind evidently was that we were acting a base and
treacherous part in deserting his party, in what he considered a very
dangerous stage of the journey. To palliate the atrocity of our conduct,
we ventured to suggest that we were only four in number while his party
still inc