I　shook　my　head　emphatically；　guessing　that　I　was　to　be　seat　on
  another　proud　mission。
  〃Are　you　afraid　of　the　damned　Mormons？〃
  〃Not　of　any　damned　Mormon；〃　I　answered；　taking　advantage　of　the
  opportunity　to　curse　our　enemies　without　fear　of　the　avenging　back
  of　mother's　hand。
  I　noted　the　little　smile　that　curled　his　tired　lips　for　the　moment
  when　he　heard　my　reply。
  〃Well；　then；　Jesse；〃　he　said；　〃will　you　go　with　Jed　to　the　spring
  for　water？〃
  I　was　all　eagerness。
  〃We're　going　to　dress　the　two　of　you　up　as　girls；〃　he　continued；　〃so
  that　maybe　they　won't　fire　on　you。〃
  I　insisted　on　going　as　I　was；　as　a　male　human　that　wore　pants；　but　I
  surrendered　quickly　enough　when　father　suggested　that　he　would　find
  some　other　boy　to　dress　up　and　go　along　with　Jed。
  A　chest　was　fetched　in　from　the　Chattox　wagon。　　The　Chattox　girls
  were　twins　and　of　about　a　size　with　Jed　and　me。　　Several　of　the
  women　got　around　to　help。　　They　were　the　Sunday　dresses　of　the
  Chattox　twins；　and　had　come　in　the　chest　all　the　way　from　Arkansas。
  In　her　anxiety　mother　left　the　baby　with　Sarah　Dunlap；　and　came　as
  far　as　the　trench　with　me。　　There；　under　a　wagon　and　behind　the
  little　breast…work　of　sand；　Jed　and　I　received　our　last
  instructions。　　Then　we　crawled　out　and　stood　up　in　the　open。　　We
  were　dressed　precisely　alikewhite　stockings；　white　dresses；　with
  big　blue　sashes；　and　white　sunbonnets。　　Jed's　right　and　my　left　hand
  were　clasped　together。　　In　each　of　our　free　hands　we　carried　two
  small　pails。
  〃Take　it　easy；〃　father　cautioned；　as　we　began　our　advance。　　〃Go
  slow。　　Walk　like　girls。〃
  Not　a　shot　was　fired。　　We　made　the　spring　safely；　filled　our　pails；
  and　lay　down　and　took　a　good　drink　ourselves。　　With　a　full　pail　in
  each　hand　we　made　the　return　trip。　　And　still　not　a　shot　was　fired。
  I　cannot　remember　how　many　journeys　we　madefully　fifteen　or
  twenty。　　We　walked　slowly；　always　going　out　with　hands　clasped；
  always　coming　back　slowly　with　four　pails　of　water。　　It　was
  astonishing　how　thirsty　we　were。　　We　lay　down　several　times　and　took
  long　drinks。
  But　it　was　too　much　for　our　enemies。　　I　cannot　imagine　that　the
  Indians　would　have　withheld　their　fire　for　so　long；　girls　or　no
  girls；　had　they　not　obeyed　instructions　from　the　whites　who　were
  with　them。　　At　any　rate　Jed　and　I　were　just　starting　on　another　trip
  when　a　rifle　went　off　from　the　Indian　hill；　and　then　another。
  〃Come　back！〃　mother　cried　out。
  I　looked　at　Jed；　and　found　him　looking　at　me。　　I　knew　he　was
  stubborn　and　had　made　up　his　mind　to　be　the　last　one　in。　　So　I
  started　to　advance；　and　at　the　same　instant　he　started。
  〃You！Jesse！〃　cried　my　mother。　　And　there　was　more　than　a　smacking
  in　the　way　she　said　it。
  Jed　offered　to　clasp　hands；　but　I　shook　my　head。
  〃Run　for　it；〃　I　said。
  And　while　we　hotfooted　it　across　the　sand　it　seemed　all　the　rifles
  on　Indian　hill　were　turned　loose　on　us。　　I　got　to　the　spring　a
  little　ahead；　so　that　Jed　had　to　wait　for　me　to　fill　my　pails。
  〃Now　run　for　it；〃　he　told　me；　and　from　the　leisurely　way　he　went
  about　filling　his　own　pails　I　knew　he　was　determined　to　be　in　last。
  So　I　crouched　down；　and；　while　I　waited；　watched　the　puffs　of　dust
  raised　by　the　bullets。　　We　began　the　return　side　by　side　and
  running。
  〃Not　so　fast；〃　I　cautioned　him；　〃or　you'll　spill　half　the　water。〃
  That　stung　him；　and　he　slacked　back　perceptibly。　　Midway　I　stumbled
  and　fell　headlong。　　A　bullet；　striking　directly　in　front　of　me；
  filled　my　eyes　with　sand。　　For　the　moment　I　thought　I　was　shot。
  〃Done　it　a…purpose；〃　Jed　sneered　as　I　scrambled　to　my　feet。　　He　had
  stood　and　waited　for　me。
  I　caught　his　idea。　　He　thought　I　had　fallen　deliberately　in　order　to
  spill　my　water　and　go　back　for　more。　　This　rivalry　between　us　was　a
  serious　matterso　serious；　indeed；　that　I　immediately　took
  advantage　of　what　he　had　imputed　and　raced　back　to　the　spring。　　And
  Jed　Dunham；　scornful　of　the　bullets　that　were　puffing　dust　all
  around　him；　stood　there　upright　in　the　open　and　waited　for　me。　　We
  came　in　side　by　side；　with　honours　even　in　our　boys'　foolhardiness。
  But　when　we　delivered　the　water　Jed　had　only　one　pailful。　　A　bullet
  had　gone　through　the　other　pail　close　to　the　bottom。
  Mother　took　it　out　on　me　with　a　lecture　on　disobedience。　　She　must
  have　known；　after　what　I　had　done；　that　father　wouldn't　let　her
  smack　me；　for；　while　she　was　lecturing；　father　winked　at　me　across
  her　shoulder。　　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever　winked　at　me。
  Back　in　the　rifle　pit　Jed　and　I　were　heroes。　　The　women　wept　and
  blessed　us；　and　kissed　us　and　mauled　us。　　And　I　confess　I　was　proud
  of　the　demonstration；　although；　like　Jed；　I　let　on　that　I　did　not
  like　all　such　making…over。　　But　Jeremy　Hopkins；　a　great　bandage
  about　the　stump　of　his　left　wrist；　said　we　were　the　stuff　white　men
  were　made　out　ofmen　like　Daniel　Boone；　like　Kit　Carson；　and　Davy
  Crockett。　　I　was　prouder　of　that　than　all　the　rest。
  The　remainder　of　the　day　I　seem　to　have　been　bothered　principally
  with　the　pain　of　my　right　eye　caused　by　the　sand　that　had　been
  kicked　into　it　by　the　bullet。　　The　eye　was　bloodshot；　mother　said；
  and　to　me　it　seemed　to　hurt　just　as　much　whether　I　kept　it　open　or
  closed。　　I　tried　both　ways。
  Things　were　quieter　in　the　rifle　pit；　because　all　had　had　water；
  though　strong　upon　us　was　the　problem　of　how　the　next　water　was　to
  be　procured。　　Coupled　with　this　was　the　known　fact　that　our
  ammunition　was　almost　exhausted。　　A　thorough　overhauling　of　the
  wagons　by　father　had　resulted　in　finding　five　pounds　of　powder。　　A
  very　little　more　was　in　the　flasks　of　the　men。
  I　remembered　the　sundown　attack　of　the　night　before；　and　anticipated
  it　this　time　by　crawling　to　the　trench　before　sunset。　　I　crept　into
  a　place　alongside　of　Laban。　　He　was　busy　chewing　tobacco；　and　did
  not　notice　me。　　For　some　time　I　watched　him；　fearing　that　when　he
  discovered　me　he　would　order　me　back。　　He　would　take　a　long　squint
  out　between　the　wagon　wheels；　chew　steadily　a　while；　and　then　spit
  carefully　into　a　little　depression　he　had　made　in　the　sand。
  〃How's　tricks？〃　I　asked　finally。　　It　was　the　way　he　always　addressed
  me。
  〃Fine；〃　he　answered。　　〃Most　remarkable　fine；　Jesse；　now　that　I　can
  chew　again。　　My　mouth　was　that　dry　that　I　couldn't　chew　from　sun…up
  to　when　you　brung　the　water。〃
  Here　a　man　showed　head　and　shoulders　over　the　top　of　the　little　hill
  to　the　north…east　occupied　by　the　whites。　　Laban　sighted　his　rifle
  on　him　for　a　long　minute。　　Then　he　shook　his　head。
  〃Four　hundred　yards。　　Nope；　I　don't　risk　it。　　I　might　get　him；　and
  then　again　I　mightn't；　an'　your　dad　is　mighty　anxious　about　the
  powder。〃
  〃What　do　you　think　our　chances　are？〃　I　asked；　man…fashion；　for；
  after　my　water　exploit；　I　was　feeling　very　much　the　man。
  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　wer