Chapter 16

June 2, 1848

It seemed like Bob's family was even farther withdrawn from us than they were yesterday. We were still traveling along the Platte. They had pulled out far to the south of us. We'd see their wagons occasionally, but for the most part, it was like they weren't there.

The Platte looked like it had shrunken in on itself. It is never a navigable river, but now it was even worse than normal. Ab said he was a little concerned about us having sufficient water for the cattle and horses if it continued to dry out.

We made twenty-two miles for the day and camped on a large stream that only had water standing in the deeper pools. When we camped for the night, Bob's families camped about a quarter of a mile away from us.

Lettie and Jo rode with Becky again, today. I rode on Sin, although my leg was hurting me a little. I decided if it was hurting in the morning, I'd ride on a wagon again.

I guess I'll never understand women. I'd have never even have thought of telling everyone I'd made love to Jo the night before; but evidently, they didn't think the way I did. At supper it was quite evident that all of the women in our camp knew about it. I'd have been surprised if they didn't know all the details.

At supper, George told us that it looked like we were gaining on the wagon train that was in front of us. "I'd say we're not more than three or four days behind it now," he said.

"Well, maybe we can get rid of Bob's sisters when we catch up to it," Ab said.

"From what we're seeing, it looks like there was a sizeable herd of cattle that went through a few days before the wagon train. We're not hurting for grass or anything, but it might be a problem if grass starts getting scarce."

"Any idea how big of a herd?"

"I talked about it some with Ab and we think there may have been as many as a thousand head," George said.

"How would it be if we just moved out from the river a ways if we need to, Ab?" I asked.

"I think that'd work. George and I looked things over, and it don't look too bad. I know some trail herds have as many as three or four thousand head, so I'm not too worried about it," Ab said.

June 3, 1848

Today was a 'bad luck day'. Before all of the wagons were even moving, the second one in line broke an axle. Ab called a halt and we looked it over. We had a couple of spare axles with us, and changing the axle out wouldn't normally have taken more than a couple of hours.

Unfortunately, changing this one was going to take a little longer than that. First we had to unload the wagon. This one was fully packed and it even had Lettie's new cook stove on it.

Ab had everyone set up camp again. We decided we were going to lay over, and check our other wagons, also.

June 4, 1848

Except for yesterday, we are really making much better time than we did with the wagon train. We must have made nearly twenty-four miles, today. My leg had been hurting when I finished up yesterday, so I decided to ride on the wagon with Jo and Becky today.

Becky had been doing a lot better with her grief, but it overflowed again today. Bob has only been dead for five days, and they had been really close. Jo acted like a 'little mother', herself. She mostly took care of Della, and spent a lot of time with her arm around Becky, consoling her.

Ab said that sometime in the next few days, we should give the animals a day of rest. He said that some of them were looking a little thin.

"We should be at Ash Hollow in a couple or three days," he said. "That'd probably be a good place to give them a rest."

John and I agreed.

June 5, 1848

We made another twenty-three miles today. When we camped, Ab said we weren't more than eight or ten miles from the Brule crossing. There must have been a lot of rain up in the mountains, because we noticed the level of the Platte seemed a lot higher than it had been a few days ago. It still looked like thin mud, though. I'd have had to have been dying of thirst before I would have drunk it.

I spent most of the day on Sin, but did ride on the wagon for a couple of hours right after our nooning. I was doing much better, but I didn't want to strain anything. Matthew was driving the wagon I rode on, today. He and I had a long talk.

Becky's name kept coming up, and I got the feeling Matthew might just be taken with her. I had to smile. Becky is a very pretty young lady, and I think Matthew is a fine young man.

Bob's sisters and their families rode way off to our south again. I had Phillip ride down and tell them that we'd probably be crossing the Platte tomorrow, and that they should join us, so we could help them cross. When he came back he said Gait had seemed surly, but had agreed they might need help.

After supper, I asked Lettie to go for a walk with me. Wanda, Jo and Tess said they were coming, too. I certainly didn't have anything to hide from them, so I agreed.

"I think Matthew is smitten by Becky," I said after we were away from the group.

"You just noticed that?" Lettie laughed.

"Becky seems to be a little smitten with him, too," Jo said.

"Jase, haven't you noticed that when Becky feeds Della at night, she always turns toward Matt?" Tess asked.

"No, I didn't notice. That's pretty brazen. I'm surprised she'd do that," I said.

"I don't think she even realizes she's doing it," Tess said.

Lettie laughed. "Jase, women's minds work differently than men's. A man can just walk up to a woman he's interested in and say, 'I think you're a very pretty lady and I'd like to get to know you better.' A woman can't do that."

"A woman has to be like a fisherman. She dangles the bait in front of the fish, until he bites," Tess said.

"And the bait here is Becky's pretty tit?" I asked.

Lettie hit me on the shoulder and said, "So, you think Becky has pretty tits. I'm ashamed of you, Jase Tackett."

"Of course I think she has pretty tits. I also think you have pretty tits. I think Wanda has pretty tits. I think Jo has pretty tits. I think Tess has pretty tits."

"You just think all women's tits are pretty," Jo teased.

"Not really. I don't think the ones that bump against a woman's knees when she walks are very pretty."

All four women got a giggle out of that. "You're not jealous are you, Jase?" Tess asked.

"No, Sis. I like Becky. I think she's a fine woman. I really can't say I'm attracted to her, though."

June 6, 1848

We reached the Brule crossing before noon. The wagon train we had been following was just getting their last wagons across as we got there. I could see right away we were going to have to float our wagons to get them through the channel.

Ab went on across and talked to the wagon master. When he came back he told us that they planned on staying for a day on the other side to repair wagons. Gait went over and talked with them as well.

We started swimming our stock across. John and I made several trips to carry some of the younger calves. Everything went surprisingly well and we made it across in good time. When Gait and Al's wagons were across, they pulled them in with the wagon train and returned our mules. They talked with Ab for a few minutes, but didn't say anything to the rest of us.

Ab told us later that they had relatives with the train, and that the relatives had enough extra animals to help them out. I was just as glad to be done with them.

Since it was early afternoon, we decided to push on, and see how many more miles we could get in for the day. We did a total of fifteen miles for the day, even with the crossing.

After supper, Lettie told me that Becky had been a little upset that the sisters hadn't even told her goodbye. Lettie said she and Jo had calmed her down.

The rest of us were almost in a party mood. We knew we'd be reaching Ash Hollow tomorrow, and that we'd have a day of rest.

June 7, 1848

The cattle didn't have nearly as hard of a time with Windlass Hill as we had with the wagons. We only had four of them though, so it didn't take too long. We reached Ash Hollow by the middle of the afternoon.

The grass at Ash Hollow was almost knee high over much of the area. The rest looked like it had been cropped some, but would still have been high enough to have fed our herd. From the looks of it, the other herd had only left a couple of days before we got there. I knew that spending almost a day and a half here was going to do the cattle and horses a world of good.

Tess and John were grinning from ear to ear all afternoon. It was only when we were eating supper, that I realized that this was where they had gotten married.

June 8, 1848

We all spent that day relaxing. We kept one man on watch to keep an eye on the herd, but there wasn't even much for him to do. We took it in two-hour shifts.

Some of the wagons from the wagon train we had passed started coming in, late in the afternoon. We might have thought of spending another day, but we didn't want to be around Bob's family any more than we had to.

June 9, 1848

We got a good early start today, and nooned on a nice creek that fed into the North Platte. I noticed Tess and John eating quickly, so I asked them about it.

"We're going to go up this creek a ways and have a bath," Tess said. "We'll catch up with you if you leave before we get back."

I had to grin. I think they had a lot more than a bath in mind. I started to say something, but Lettie punched me in the ribs with her elbow. They took off before I was half way finished with my food.

We hung around after eating longer than we normally would, but finally we decided we'd better get moving. The boys had moved the cattle out and we had the wagons hitched and moving when I heard a shot that came from the direction Tess and John had gone off in.

I mounted Sin and took off in that direction. Lettie, Wanda, and Jo were right behind me. We were only a couple of hundred yards up the creek when I saw John lying on the ground. He was trying to pull himself upright, but he had an arrow sticking out of his chest.

"Oh, shit!" I thought.

I swung off of sin and crouched down beside him. "What happened, John?"

"Indians. They took Tess," he said and then he coughed up some blood.

"Move," Lettie said and pushed me out of the way.

"Take it easy, Lettie," John said. "The arrow's in deep. I'm not going to make it. Jase, I think there were six of them. I managed to shoot one. He's over there in the bushes." He coughed again and then went on. "They shot me with the arrow, and grabbed Tess. They put her on the one I shot's horse, and took off to the southwest."

"Jo, go get Ab to stop everyone. Get me some jerky and a couple of canteens. I'll be there in a couple of minutes," I said.

Jo took off and I looked at Lettie and Wanda. Both of them had tears running from their pretty eyes. "Lettie, Honey, you need to take care of John. I have to go after Tess."

Lettie threw her arms around me and sobbed into my shoulder. "I know you do, Jase. Please be careful."

I turned to Wanda and hugged her to me. "I love you with all of my heart, little one. Please take care of Lettie and Jo while I'm gone."

"I will, Jase. I love you too. Please come back safe."

I kissed her and let her go.

"I will, Love," I said.

"Jase, Tess hasn't told anyone, but she's pregnant. Please take care of her and my baby," John said.

"I promise you I will, John," I said as I clasped his hand.

"Take my revolver too, Jase. You might need it."

He started coughing again, and a trickle of blood ran down his chin.

I pulled Lettie to her feet, and kissed her like I'd never see her again. Then, I jumped onto Sin, and headed for the wagons.

I met Ab coming out, and stopped for a few seconds.

"Ab, John has an arrow deep in his chest. He's probably not going to make it. Five Indians grabbed Tess, and took her with them. I'm going after them. You need to get the herd moving again as soon as possible."

"Do you want anyone to go with you?"