"Yes," Frank said, "a riding horse, and a pony for my baggage."
"We calls it swag out on the plains," one said; "we don't talk of baggage here. Are you with any one?"
"No," Frank replied, "I am alone; but I am open to join some party. I suppose there will be no difficulty about that."
"None on airth," the other answered; "the stronger the better. In course you have a rifle, besides that Colt in your belt."
"Yes," Frank replied; "but I suppose all this Indian talk is exaggeration, and there is not much danger from them."
"Don't you go to think it, young man; the Injins is thar, you bet, and no mistake, and a big grist of scalps they will take. The news of this here percession across the plains will bring them down as thick as bees on the track, and I tell you there will be some tough fights afore we get across."
"Have you had much experience of the plains?" Frank asked.
"We are hunters," the other said briefly, "and have been out there, more or less, since we were boys. We knows what Injins is, and have fought them agin and agin; but none of us have ever made this journey,—indeed there warn't five men who had ever crossed the Rockies by the northern track afore the gold scare began. But I know enough of the country to know as it will be a fearful journey, and full half of these people as you see fooling about here as if they were out for a summer excursion will leave their bones by the way."
"You don't really think things are as bad as that," Frank said.
"I does," the other replied emphatically. "What with Injins, and want of food and water, and fatigue, and the journey across the plains, it will want all a man to make the journey. We four means to get through, and are bound to do it; but as for this crowd you see here, God help them!"