s,
and crouched forward, so as to make our backs serve as a pent-house
for the rest of our persons. Meanwhile the cow, taking advantage of the
tumult, ran off, to the great discomfiture of the captain, who seemed to
consider her as his own especial prize, since she had been discovered by
Jack. In defiance of the storm, he pulled his cap tight over his brows,
jerked a huge buffalo pistol from his holster, and set out at full speed
after her. This was the last we saw of them for some time, the mist and
rain making an impenetrable veil; but at length we heard the captain's
shout, and saw him looming through the tempest, the picture of a
Hibernian cavalier, with his cocked pistol held aloft for safety's sake,
and a countenance of anxiety and excitement. The cow trotted before him,
but exhibited evident signs of an intention to run off again, and the
captain was roaring to us to head her. But the rain had got in behind
our coat collars, and was traveling over our necks in numerous little
streamlets, and being afraid to move our heads, for fear of admitting
more, we sat stiff and immovable, looking at the captain askance, and
laughing at his frantic movements. At last the cow made a sudden plunge
and ran off; the captain grasped his pistol firmly, spurred his horse,
and galloped after, with evident designs of mischief. In a moment we
heard the faint report, deadened by the rain, and then the conqueror
and his victim reappeared, the latter shot through the body, and quite
helpless. Not long after the storm moderated and we advanced again. The
cow walked painfully along under the charge of Jack, to whom the captain
had committed her, while he himself rode forward in his old capacity
of vedette. We were approaching a long line of trees, that followed
a stream stretching across our path, far in front, when we beheld the
vedette galloping toward us, apparently much excited, but with a broad
grin on his face.

"Let that cow drop behind!" he shouted to us; "here's her owners!" And
in fact, as we approached the line of trees, a large white object, like
a tent, was visible behind them. On approaching, however, we found,
instead of the expected Mormon camp, nothing but the lonely prairie, and
a large white rock standing by the path. The cow therefore resumed her
place in our procession. She walked on until we encamped, when R. firmly
approaching with his enormous English double-barreled rifle, calmly and
deliberately took aim at her he