"And Mrs. Plummer will say that it was all 'providential,'" laughed Mr. March.
"And so shall I, Robert," said Mrs. March, very earnestly.
The next morning Mr. March and Long Billy set off together at seven o'clock. It was the first time Mrs. March had been separated from her husband in this new country, and she dreaded it.
"Good-by! good-by!" called the children, in their night-gowns, at the bedroom window; "good-by, papa."
"Good-by!" said the Deacon; "reckon your bones'll ache some, before ye get to the Springs, a ridin' that wheeler." Mr. March was riding the rear wheeler, and Long Billy was walking by his side.
"Not if he don't walk any faster than this," said Mr. March. "And I shall walk half of the time."
"Ye needn't walk a step if ye'd rather ride," said Billy. "I'm all right this mornin'. 'Tain't only about ten miles down to Colorado Springs. I don't think nothin' o' walkin' that fur, especially when I've got company to talk to. Mules is dreadful tiresome critters. Now a hoss's real good company; but a mule ain't no company, 't all."