Ike growled his discontent. He felt that if he had refused to mix up with Price he would not be in such desperate circumstances. To be landed in the middle of a hostile country, with nothing but enemies on all sides, was no joke. To be there without a mount was doubly serious.
Although the distance to the hills looked short, these men knew that it was a long and tiresome journey to those unfamiliar with pedestrianism.
Price noted that the Sioux traveled in a southeasterly direction; he decided to proceed west, hoping to be able to find a remote ranch, from which they could steal food and horses. Almost any horse would be a relief from this leg-wearying march.
And thus it came about that late that night two tired and hungry men, searching for a hiding and resting place among the bluffs and gashes of the ever-changing hills, came over the rim of a basin, to see a cheerful fire at its bottom and a group of men sitting around it.
“Good!” almost shouted Price. “A party of gold seekers, who have crossed from the Black Hills. They are prospecting these hills and are no doubt well supplied with provisions and horses. Perhaps we can annex—with your knowledge of mining and my knack of tickling human nature.”
“Safer to steal it and keep away from these fellows. If they lose a couple of horses and some duffle, they’ll lay it to the Indians.”
“But this doesn’t look like an easy place to sneak out of, with a horse attached.”
“That’s so, but in that case we’d better annex the grub, an’ wait for a better show. If ye mingle with these fellows it is just so many more who know where we are, and if any soldiers meet up with them and ask for you, they’ll connect.”
“You’re right, Ike, but I’m so hungry I don’t believe I can wait to make a good steal.”
“Leave that to me. You stay up here in the rocks an’ chew your boot leg, while I go down to look things over. I hope I get a grab at the powder supply.”