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Laban seemed to consider carefully for a space ere he replied。
〃Jesse； I don't mind tellin' you we're in a damned bad hole。 But
we'll get out； oh； we'll get out； you can bet your bottom dollar。〃
〃Some of us ain't going to get out；〃 I objected。
〃Who； for instance？〃 he queried。
〃Why； Bill Tyler； and Mrs。 Grant； and Silas Dunlap； and all the
rest。〃
〃Aw； shucks； Jessethey're in the ground already。 Don't you know
everybody has to bury their dead as they traipse along？ They've ben
doin' it for thousands of years I reckon； and there's just as many
alive as ever they was。 You see； Jesse； birth and death go hand…in…
hand。 And they're born as fast as they diefaster； I reckon；
because they've increased and multiplied。 Now you； you might a…got
killed this afternoon packin' water。 But you're here； ain't you； a…
gassin' with me an' likely to grow up an' be the father of a fine
large family in Californy。 They say everything grows large in
Californy。〃
This cheerful way of looking at the matter encouraged me to dare
sudden expression of a long covetousness。
〃Say； Laban； supposin' you got killed here〃
〃Who？me？〃 he cried。
〃I'm just sayin' supposin'；〃 I explained。
〃Oh； all right then。 Go on。 Supposin' I am killed？〃
〃Will you give me your scalps？〃
〃Your ma'll smack you if she catches you a…wearin' them；〃 he
temporized。
〃I don't have to wear them when she's around。 Now if you got
killed； Laban； somebody'd have to get them scalps。 Why not me？〃
〃Why not？〃 he repeated。 〃That's correct； and why not you？ All
right； Jesse。 I like you； and your pa。 The minute I'm killed the
scalps is yourn； and the scalpin' knife； too。 And there's Timothy
Grant for witness。 Did you hear； Timothy？〃
Timothy said he had heard； and I lay there speechless in the
stifling trench； too overcome by my greatness of good fortune to be
able to utter a word of gratitude。
I was rewarded for my foresight in going to the trench。 Another
general attack was made at sundown； and thousands of shots were
fired into us。 Nobody on our side was scratched。 On the other
hand； although we fired barely thirty shots； I saw Laban and Timothy
Grant each get an Indian。 Laban told me that from the first only
the Indians had done the shooting。 He was certain that no white had
fired a shot。 All of which sorely puzzled him。 The whites neither
offered us aid nor attacked us； and all the while were on visiting
terms with the Indians who were attacking us。
Next morning found the thirst harsh upon us。 I was out at the first
hint of light。 There had been a heavy dew； and men； women； and
children were lapping it up with their tongues from off the wagon…
tongues； brake…blocks； and wheel…tyres。
There was talk that Laban had returned from a scout just before
daylight； that he had crept close to the position of the whites；
that they were already up； and that in the light of their camp…fires
he had seen them praying in a large circle。 Also he reported from
what few words he caught that they were praying about us and what
was to be done with us。
〃May God send them the light then；〃 I heard one of the Demdike
sisters say to Abby Foxwell。
〃And soon；〃 said Abby Foxwell； 〃for I don't know what we'll do a
whole day without water； and our powder is about gone。〃
Nothing happened all morning。 Not a shot was fired。 Only the sun
blazed down through the quiet air。 Our thirst grew； and soon the
babies were crying and the younger children whimpering and
complaining。 At noon Will Hamilton took two large pails and started
for the spring。 But before he could crawl under the wagon Ann
Demdike ran and got her arms around him and tried to hold him back。
But he talked to her； and kissed her； and went on。 Not a shot was
fired； nor was any fired all the time he continued to go out and
bring back water。
〃Praise God！〃 cried old Mrs。 Demdike。 〃It is a sign。 They have
relented。〃
This was the opinion of many of the women。
About two o'clock； after we had eaten and felt better； a white man
appeared； carrying a white flag。 Will Hamilton went out and talked
to him； came back and talked with father and the rest of our men；
and then went out to the stranger again。 Farther back we could see
a man standing and looking on； whom we recognized as Lee。
With us all was excitement。 The women were so relieved that they
were crying and kissing one another； and old Mrs。 Demdike and others
were hallelujahing and blessing God。 The proposal； which our men
had accepted； was that we would put ourselves under the flag of
truce and be protected from the Indians。
〃We had to do it；〃 I heard father tell mother。
He was sitting； droop…shouldered and dejected； on a wagon…tongue。
〃But what if they intend treachery？〃 mother asked。
He shrugged his shoulders。
〃We've got to take the chance that they don't；〃 he said。 〃Our
ammunition is gone。〃
Some of our men were unchaining one of our wagons and rolling it out
of the way。 I ran across to see what was happening。 In came Lee
himself； followed by two empty wagons； each driven by one man。
Everybody crowded around Lee。 He said that they had had a hard time
with the Indians keeping them off of us； and that Major Higbee； with
fifty of the Mormon militia； were ready to take us under their
charge。
But what made father and Laban and some of the men suspicious was
when Lee said that we must put all our rifles into one of the wagons
so as not to arouse the animosity of the Indians。 By so doing we
would appear to be the prisoners of the Mormon militia。
Father straightened up and was about to refuse when he glanced to
Laban； who replied in an undertone。 〃They ain't no more use in our
hands than in the wagon； seein' as the powder's gone。〃
Two of our wounded men who could not walk were put into the wagons；
and along with them were put all the little children。 Lee seemed to
be picking them out over eight and under eight。 Jed and I were
large for our age； and we were nine besides； so Lee put us with the
older bunch and told us we were to march with the women on foot。
When he took our baby from mother and put it in a wagon she started
to object。 Then I saw her lips draw tightly together； and she gave
in。 She was a gray…eyed； strong…featured； middle…aged woman； large…
boned and fairly stout。 But the long journey and hardship had told
on her； so that she was hollow…cheeked and gaunt； and like all the
women in the company she wore an expression of brooding； never…
ceasing anxiety。
It was when Lee described the order of march that Laban came to me。
Lee said that the women and the children that walked should go first
in the line； following behind the two wagons。 Then the men； in
single file； should follow the women。 When Laban heard this he came
to me； untied the scalps from his belt； and fastened them to my
waist。