Chapter 48

"Well, Captain, you can try to take them by force, but there are a couple of things you should consider. First off, we outnumber you. If you try to take them by force, some of your men are going to be killed. Secondly, if you did manage to kill off enough of us that you could take the horses, how is it going to look to your commanding officer when he finds out?" I asked.

"It is none of your business what my commanding officer would think, Mr. Hill. Things happen when you're at war."

"But, Captain, you would be killing American citizens. Are you at war with America? We're just protecting our property from theft."

Captain Jamison stared at me for a couple of minutes, then he wheeled his horse and spurred back toward his troop. He almost unhorsed his Sergeant as he did so. The Sergeant looked at me and shook his head ruefully. Then, he followed his Captain.

"I don't think the Captain is used to having someone tell him no," Mark grinned.

"I expect not," I agreed.

"Do you think he'll give us any trouble?" Andy asked.

"I don't know, Andy. If he doesn't, the Pawnee might. I think we should double our guard tonight. I also think we should have some outriders during the day. Have four men riding about half a mile to each side, and to the front and rear. I'll volunteer to be one of them," I said.

I should have known I couldn't get away with riding out by myself. When I started for my position about a half of a mile to the front and to the right of the herd, Tina and Cassie were with me.

"I really don't need an escort," I told them.

Cassie just told me to shut up.

Even with all of the delays, we reached the Platte River today. I was a little disappointed in it. The water was down and it looked like a mud flow.

Okay, Sally wasn't a virgin. Heck, she had two kids. Sally is a very enthusiastic lover though. She came into our wagon with us that evening and she was undressing before the rest of my wives.

I watched as I removed my own clothes. When all of us were naked, I pulled Sally into my arms for a very passionate kiss. I know my heart speeded up and I could feel hers getting faster and her breath coming in gasps as the kiss continued.

My other wives gathered around us and were caressing and kissing every part of us they could reach. I broke the kiss and moved my lips down to her very prominent nipples. Sam took over kissing her lips and Sally groaned into her mouth.

I watched as Cassie latched onto Sally's other nipple and I ran my hand down to her butt, only to find another hand there already. Sally pulled her lips away from Sam and said, "God, Ed, I need you inside me."

She sank to the mattress and I moved between her legs. Sally grabbed me and guided me into her center. There is no feeling in the world that even comes close to making love with someone you love and who loves you as well.

Saturday, May 20, 1848

Ed: Day 17 - On the Oregon Trail

I talked with Mark Lester this morning about taking tomorrow off so the devout could have a religious service. He said he thought we were making good enough time that we could do that. I also asked him about the condition of the Platte and he told me it was always muddy and always shallow, but that this was the worst he had seen it. He also said that there were many streams flowing into the Platte, where we could get good drinking water.

When I rode out to my position in front of the herd, Cassie and Tina were with me again. This time I was very glad to have them.

We had been moving for about an hour when we topped a small rise and there before us were about twenty Indians. We stopped about twenty feet from them, and the man who appeared to be their leader rode forward a few feet. He said something that none of us could understand.

"Can you talk to him in sign language?" I asked Tina.

"I think so," Tina said, then she started going through the motions of greeting.

We waited until the Indian had signed back for a while, then Tina said. "This is Little Pipe. He said they were watching us yesterday when the cavalry stopped us. He wants to know what the Captain wanted."

"Tell him the Captain wanted our horses, but that we refused to sell them to him."

Tina went into sign mode and Little Pipe answered her back in the same fashion.

"He is pleased that we didn't sell horses to the cavalry. He wants to know what you would do if he wanted our horses." "Tell him that my answer to him would be the same as it was to the Captain."

Tina did so, then she looked at me with fear in her eyes. "He wants to know what you'd do if he just decided to take our horses."

"Tell him I can see by looking at him that he is a fine, brave warrior. Tell him I would hate to have to kill him."

Tina looked at me, wide eyed and asked, "Are you sure you want me to tell him that?"

"Yes."

I watched as Tina made her signs. When she was finished, Little Pipe laughed. Then he signed back to Tina.

"Little Pipe says that their horses are in good shape or we would have to see which of you could kill the other. He says the cavalry don't know how to treat their animals or how to treat the Indian people."

"Ask him if they would like a couple of our cattle so they don't have to slow down to hunt."

"He says we are coming into buffalo country so that hunting will not be a problem. He says they are going to be traveling west for a while. He also says the cavalry is to the north and east of us and he doesn't expect they'll be able to keep up with him."

I had to smile at that. Maybe if the older Sergeant we saw was in charge of the troop, they'd be closer to Little Pipe. With the young Captain in charge, I was sure Little Pipe was right.

Little Pipe started signing again and when he had finished, he wheeled his horse and the Indians disappeared over the next rise.

"What did he say there at the last?" I asked Tina. "He said that we seem like good people. He said he'd send word to his brothers to the west that we aren't to be bothered."

"That's amazing," I said. "Aren't we going out of Pawnee country though?"

"Yes, but he was referring to the Sioux and the Cheyenne," Tina informed me.

"Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to worry about Indians on the way out?" I asked.

"Well, even if we don't have to worry about the Sioux or the Cheyenne, we'll still have to worry about the Crow, the Arapaho, the Comanche, the Paiute, and... Do you see what I'm saying?"

"I'm afraid so."

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. We made camp that night on a large creek that flowed into the Platte. The water in the creek was clean and pure, but it was also very shallow. Even so, there was enough water and enough grass that we thought we could lay over for a day.

Sunday, May 21, 1848

Ed: Day 18 - On the Oregon Trail

What a great day. We slept late, for us. Most people would say we got up early. I think that one of the biggest differences I've found in this time period is that almost everyone seems to get up at dawn.

Even though the creek was shallow we found a hole that was deep enough for our family to take a bath. We had a lot of fun splashing and playing, and I felt cleaner than I had for a while.

Prudence Hankins led a religious service for everyone who was interested in attending. She actually had a pretty good turnout. Most people spent the morning servicing their wagons. They greased axles, tightened wheels and spokes, and touched up the tar on their wagon beds.

Prudence came around and talked to Sam for a while after the service. I didn't learn what they talked about until later.

When we were all snuggled in our wagon, preparing for sleep, Sam said that Prudence told her that she had let Clell see her naked for the first time last night.

"How did she do that?" I asked.

"She said she left a candle burning as she changed into her night clothes. She said he watched her like a hawk."

"I'll bet he did," I laughed.

"Yeah, she said he told her he loved her for the first time in a long time after they were in bed," Sam said.

Monday, May 22, 1848

Ed: Day 19 - On the Oregon Trail

Wagon trains had been coming through here for several years now. Nothing like the number that would be coming through in the next few years, but still quite a few. Prior to reaching the Platte, the routes west varied considerably. We would see where other wagon trains had come through, but not in any great number.

When the wagons reached the Platte, it was like they were on a natural road, going west. Almost every wagon train heading west took this route. Consequently, we saw a great deal of discarded furniture; broken down wagons; and the remains of dead animals from this point on.

This morning, we saw the remains of a dead mule, and an upright piano about thirty feet behind it. Obviously, when the mule died, the family didn't feel their remaining animals could continue to pull their wagon with such a heavy burden on it.

I've read that in later years, the ruts from the wagon wheels are so deep that you sink to where the axle is almost dragging the ground. It's not nearly that bad now, though.

Mark says we should reach Fort Kearney today, and several of the men are planning to leave at that point. Actually, we'll be south of Fort Kearney, with the Platte River between us and the fort.

Sam actually paid the men who are going to leave before we started this morning. We thanked them for their help and told them if they were ever in Oregon to look us up. All of them left, when we stopped for our nooning, on good terms.

Mark says we are only a week or a little more to where we'll cross the South Platte, and move north to follow the North Platte. He told us of a very nice place to lay over for a couple of days and allow the cattle to recover from their travels. It would also be a great place to repair any damage to our wagons. The name of the place is Ash Hollow. Sam says she remembers reading about it.

Tuesday, May 23, 1848

Ed: Day 20 - On the Oregon Trail

Yesterday was a good day, in that there were no squabbles in which I had to intervene. Today didn't look like it was going to shape up that way. As the women were fixing breakfast and the men were hitching the teams to the wagons, we heard a woman yelling.

At first, I thought it was just some woman yelling at her kids. Then it sank in that this woman was really angry about something. I looked over at Andy and nodded. Both of us started off in the direction of the uproar.

Eleanore McGinty was the woman doing all of the yelling. The woman she was yelling at was Abby O'Connell. Abby wasn't saying much, and what she was saying was in a low, calm, soothing voice. Mrs. McGinty looked and sounded like she was going to explode into violence at any moment.

"What's going on here?" I asked as I came up to the women.

"This bitch kicked over my water bucket," Mrs. McGinty yelled.

"Did you kick over her water bucket, Abby?" I asked.

"Yes, I knocked it over, Ed. It was an accident. I apologized and offered to get her another bucket of water," Abby said.

"Mrs. McGinty, if Abby apologized and offered to get you another bucket of water, I don't know what you are so mad about," I said.

"It's her condescending attitude that makes me mad. She acts all high and mighty, like she's too good to associate with the rest of us."