Page:Edward Ellis--Alden the Pony Express Rider.djvu/145

 “’Bout the same as ours; they’ve got an extra wagon and a few mules, but I don’t think thar’s more men and women.”

“Wouldn’t it be well for us to unite and travel together? It would be much safer in case of attack by Indians.”

Shagbark shook his head.

“’Twon’t work; they’ve got thar guide and we’ve got ourn; which one would be the boss in them sarcumstances?”

“You, of course.”

“The other chap, whoever he might be, would have something to say ’bout that, and like ’nough him and me would have a fout to settle the question. Our folks are all good friends and git along powerful pleasant; ’tain’t likely we could do that if we took in a lot of strangers that we’d never heerd of afore. No, sir.”

And Shagbark puffed hard at his pipe, which had nearly died out during the conversation.

That night the train went into camp on the western bank of a stream fifty yards wide, but comparatively shallow. There was no difficulty in fording it, the women and children riding in the wagons without getting wet.