"I guess God sent you to us to be a little sister to us in baby's place," she said chokily.
Nina turned and put her arm about her neck.
"Perhaps He did. I never had any sisters or brothers. I'd like to be your sister. I like you."
"I'm glad," said honest Ruth, and kissed her.
"So'm I," cried Lige; but Joe said nothing.
That night when camp was struck the three wagons were drawn into a circle with the horses and cow inside.
Joshua Peniman did not remove his clothing, but having seen his family comfortably disposed, with the strange child in the wagon with his wife and the younger children, he stretched himself out beside the wagons, with Spotty near him and his musket by his side. Joe refused to go to his place in his own wagon, but lay down beside his father.
The prairies looked vast and still under the glimmering starlight with no sound but the sough of the wind through the grass and the occasional howling of a coyote. For a long time he lay awake, some vague, haunting uneasiness upon him. Twice he sprang up, his musket leveled, every nerve and muscle strained to attention.
They had agreed that Mr. Peniman was to take the first watch of the night and Joe the second. At two o'clock Joe woke, and seeing his father patrolling up and down beside the wagons insisted that he should go to bed. This the weary man refused to do, but wrapping himself in his blankets lay down upon the ground.
Joe sat beside him, his gun leaning against his knees, and looked up at the silent stars, feeling them companions in his loneliness.