"We left our baby there," she said; and stared back again into the coals of the fire.
"We made it," resumed the immigrant. "We got to the Truckee River somehow, and we rested there three days. I don't know what became of the rest of our train; dead perhaps."
We told him of the immigrant register or bulletin board at Morton's.
"I must look that over," said he. "I don't know how long it took us to cross the mountains. Those roads are terrible; and our cattle were weak. We were pretty near out of grub too. Most of the people have no food at all. Well, here we are! But there are thousands back of us. What are they going to do? And when the mountains fill with snow----"
After the trio, well fed for the first time in months, had turned in, we sat talking about our fire. We were considerably subdued and sobered; for this was the first coherent account we had heard at first hand. Two things impressed us--the tragedy, the futility. The former aspect hit us all; the latter struck strongly at Old and Cal. Those youngsters, wise in the ways of the plains, were filled with sad surprise over the incompetence of it all.
"But thar ain't no manner of _use_ in it!" cried Old. "They are just bullin' at it plumb regardless! They ain't handled their cattle right! They ain't picked their route right--why, the old Mormon trail down by the Carson Sink is better'n that death-trap across the Humboldt. And cut-offs! What license they all got chasin' every fool cut-off reported in? Most of 'em is all right fer pack-trains and all wrong fer wagons! Oh, Lord!"
"They don't know," said I, "poor devils, they don't know. They were raised on farms and in the cities."
Johnny had said nothing. His handsome face looked very sombre in the firelight.
"Jim," said he, "we're due for a trip to-night; but I want you to promise me one thing--just keep these people here, and feed them up until we get back. Tell them I've got a job for them. Will you do it?"
I tried to pump Johnny as to his intentions, but could get nothing out of him; and so promised blindly. About two o'clock I was roused from my sleep by a soft moving about. Thrusting my head from the tent I made out the dim figures of our horsemen, mounted, and moving quietly away down the trail.