The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-27
CHAPTER XII.

of the Platte where that O shallow stream stretches out two arms. one running to the noun tains far to the south. the other still reaching westward for a time. Be tween these two ran the Oregon trail, pointing the way to the Pacific. and on this trail. somewhere to the west, lay Laramie. Before us now lay two alternatives. We could go up the beaten road to Laramie or we could cross here and take an old trail on the north side of the -iver for a time. Auberry thought this latter would give better feed and water and perhaps be safer as to Indians. so we held little council over 1t.
 The Platte even here was a wide. treacherous stream. it's sandy bottom continuously shifting At night the melted floods from the mountains came down and rendered IL deeper than dur ing the day. when for the most part it was scarcely mOre than knee deep Yet here and there at any time. undiScover- able to the eye. were watery pitfalls where the sand was washed out. and in places there was shifting quicksand. dangerous for man or animal.
 We resortPd to the old plains make shift of calking the wagon bodies and turning them into boats, 1t being thought probable that two or three days would be required to make the crossing in this way. By noon of the following day our rude boats were ready. and our work began.
 l was not yet strong enough to be of much assistance. so 1 sat on the bank watching fhe busy scene Ouf
 
 the mounfninePrs brown almost as ln- dians. for even in those days white hunters often rode with no covering but the blanket and not that when the sun was warm. They were now in. now out of tho water. Straining at the lines which Steadied the rude boxes that bore our goods pulling at the heads of the horses and mules shout ing. steady1ne. eBcoura ging. always getting forwar1. It took them nearly an hour to make the t1r>I crossing and present 7 we could see the t1re of their farth'r camp. now occupied by some of thCse not engaged In the work
 As sat thus 1 was Joined by Mandy McGOvern. Did you see my boy. Andy Jacksou?" she asked He went acrOst with the first buuch-nary stitch of clothes on to him. has bopes-I certainly has hopes-that Andrew Ja' llson I'll kill a man some time yit. and like enough it'll be right soon."
 gave my assent to this amfable hope. and presently Mandy went on:
 But. say. man. you and me has got to get that girl acrost somehow be tween us. You know. her and me and sometimes that Engishman travels along in the amberlanch. She's allow ed to me quiet that when the time come for Der to go acrost shed ruther you and me went along. She's all ready now if you air."
 Very good" said l, "we'H go now. They've got q fire there and are cook ing. 1 suppose"
 We three. all mounted. met at the bank. Taking the girl between us. Mandy and l started. and the three horses plunged down the bank. As |; chnncrd. We struck a deep channel al the send of. and the horses were al once separated. The girl was swep out of her saddle. but before l coulG render any assistance she called out not to be alarmed. l saw that she was swimming. down stream from tho horse. with one hand on the pommeI Without much concern. she reached footing on the bar at which the horse scrambled up.
 Now I'm good and wet.' laughed she. "It won't make any difference after this. 1 see now how the squaws do."
 We plunged on across the stream,