There were four trails to the “diggin’s.” The two best known were the Santa Fe Trail, on the south, which followed up the Arkansas River in southern Kansas, to the mountains, and then turned north for the gold fields; and the big Salt Lake Overland Trail, on the north, which from the Missouri River followed up the Platte River, until in western Nebraska the gold hunters turned south for Pike’s Peak. Omaha and St. Joseph were the outfitting points for this northern trail, and Leavenworth traffic struck it by the government road which ran through Salt Creek Valley on into the northwest. The Russell, Majors & Waddell “bull trains” hauled their freight over this route.
The other two trails were new central trails, made especially for the Pike’s Peak rush. One trail followed up the Republican River through southern Nebraska; the other followed up along the Smoky Hill Fork River, through central Kansas. Emigrants coming in by St. Joseph were taking either the Salt Lake and California Overland route or the Republican route; the emigrants outfitting at Leavenworth and the Salt Creek Valley were taking the Smoky Hill route or else the Overland Trail route.
By the Overland Trail (the Salt Lake and California Trail) it was accounted 580 miles from Omaha to the diggin’s; and the Pike’s Peak Guide-book recommended that trail. But from Leavenworth it was 100 miles further, and the Smoky Hill Trail was said to be the straightest and the shortest. The Leavenworth & Pike’s Peak Express Company stages had chosen that route.
“I reckon that’s the route for us,” said Hi. “I hear we can follow the Smoky clear to the mountains, and have water all the way.”
“When the first stage comes back we’ll know more about it, but we can’t wait,” mused the Reverend Mr. Baxter.
“Oh, we’ll get through,” spoke Billy, quickly. “And the sooner we start the better, before all the grass and fuel are used up. Look at the people, will you, pulling out every day!”
“Do you think one wagon will be enough to bring back our gold?” squeaked Left-over, anxiously. “I don’t want to quit till I get a million dollars’ worth for myself alone.”
“Then what’ll you do, Left-over?” asked Jim, with a wink at the rest.
Left-over Joe scratched his long freckled neck and looked like a chicken.
“I’d buy a gun and have all the pie I wanted, too,” he declared foolishly.