“When can we see the mountings?” quavered the woman, anxiously.
“Oh, goodness!” laughed Davy. “Not for a long time. You’ve got to cross the plains yet.”
“I didn’t think it was so fur,” she sighed. “Do you hear they’re findin’ lots of gold there?”
“You didn’t come from out thar, did you?” asked the younger man.
“No,” said Davy. “We’ve been herding in the valley here.”
“Keep going and you’ll arrive sometime,” called Mr. Baxter. And he and Davy passed on.
“That’s pretty tough, Dave,” he spoke across as they proceeded in the one direction while the wagon proceeded in the other. “Those people haven’t any more idea where the Cherry Creek country is than these cattle have; but there they go, woman and baby and all. They’ll find what seven hundred miles of ox travel means before they get through. And then they’re liable to be disappointed.”
“Don’t you think there’s any gold out there?” asked Davy.
“Oh, folks have been panning out a little gold for half a dozen years, but it hasn’t amounted to shucks. I’d rather take my chances herding cattle. Expect we’ll know more about it soon now. A gang are out there from Georgia, who know how to mine; and the governor sent out another gang from Lawrence last summer, you know, to locate a town and report back.”