Міжзірковий мандрівник

           Thishadbeenduetotheexcitementofthefirstattack,whenwedidnotknowhowquicklyitmightbefollowedbyasecondone.Andnowitwastoolate.Atfifteenrods’distancefromtheIndianpositiononthehillwedidnotdareunchainourwagons.Insidethecorral,southofthegraves,weconstructedalatrine,and,northoftheriflepitinthecentre,acoupleofmenweretoldoffbyfathertodigawellforwater.

           Inthemid-afternoonofthatday,whichwasthesecondday,wesawLeeagain.Hewasonfoot,crossingdiagonallyoverthemeadowtothenorth-westjustoutofrifle-shotfromus.Fatherhoistedoneofmother’ssheetsonacoupleofox-goadslashedtogether.Thiswasourwhiteflag.ButLeetooknonoticeofit,continuingonhisway.

           Labanwasfortryingalongshotathim,butfatherstoppedhim,sayingthatitwasevidentthewhiteshadnotmadeuptheirmindswhattheyweregoingtodowithus,andthatashotatLeemighthurrythemintomakinguptheirmindsthewrongway.

           “Here,Jesse,”fathersaidtome,tearingastripfromthesheetandfasteningittoanox-goad.“Takethisandgooutandtrytotalktothatman.Don’ttellhimanythingaboutwhat’shappenedtous.Justtrytogethimtocomeinandtalkwithus.”

           AsIstartedtoobey,mychestswellingwithprideinmymission,JedDunhamcriedoutthathewantedtogowithme.Jedwasaboutmyownage.