The Promised Land (Destiny's Dreamers Book 2) by Kathleen Karr Page A

and continued with great seriousness.
    “There’ll be them among you who be tempted. Might even be some defections. Sure as shootin’ be lots of talk and fightin’ over it. But mind my words. There ain’t no easier way . The Oregon way be rough, but Hastings’ cut-off be death.’’
    Bridger’s information was digested as the old man leaned toward the fire. “Those ribs look just about done to me. Like ‘em when they’re still good an’ juicy. Carve up a hunk an’ pass it over.’’
    It was a strange night. The wolves surrounded them, howling more aggressively than ever, longing for scraps from the great kill that they smelled. The evening star had disappeared and the morning star was blinking on the horizon. The very air was filled with comradeship and prophesy. They would, indeed, eat until the dawn.
    Bridger finally rolled himself up in his skins and slept for a few short hours before taking his leave for Laramie. He left behind a groggy camp, trying to deal with not enough sleep and the need to preserve the bounty that remained from their hunt. It was not until afternoon that the remaining meat was jerked, the green skins cleaned, and the train rolled on its way again toward South Pass. Time was growing short. It was late June. The winter snows would not be long in coming.
    In the days ahead, it became harder and harder to conceive of winter snows. The desert land with its heat and aridity seared everyone and everything. Wagons began to groan more loudly as wood dried out, leaving cracks for more dust to enter, putting greater strain upon critical joints. White-tops began to break down. Oxen thinned and struggled for each new step. Ravens, buzzards, wolves: all manner of creatures of carrion haunted their days~and their dreams at night.

SEVEN
    The Stuart’s wagons had rotated to the front of the line at last and they were enjoying a brief respite from the dust of the trail behind. It was Jamie~one of the few still enjoying the daily experience~who spotted a new kind of prairie `civilization’. He’d been foraging ahead with Bacon, and came running back, just before noon, in high excitement.
    “There’s acres and acres of them!’’
    Johnny mopped his brow.
    “Acres of what, Jamie?’’
    “The funniest little animals. Like squirrels without bushy tails. And they talk to each other! They’ve got a whole city up ahead. But Bacon barked and they all disappeared down little holes, and~’’
    “Whoa. Could be prairie dogs. Go ask Mr. Chandler if it’s time to halt. It might be fun for everyone to see.’’
    Jamie raced off, and soon they’d stopped, a short walk from the prairie dog village. Maggie cobbled together a quick meal and the whole family set out to investigate Jamie’s find.
    They met the Krellers coming back, stepping carefully through the abrasive scrub brush.
    “See anything, Max?’’
    He shook his head no. “They were scared off by too many folks butting in, Johnny. Only thing we spied was a good sized rattler heading for one of the holes, a little `dog’ half shoved down his mouth. It upset the girls.’’
    Johnny was interested. “Didn’t you try to catch it, Max? Bridger said rattlers make good eating.’’
    Max paused to knock the dottle from his pipe. “I can stomach a lot of things these days, but rattlesnake ain’t one of them.’’
    Hazel, coming up behind her husband, was obviously relieved by his words. “And thank heaven for that, too. My insides are queasy enough these days. Don’t lallygag behind like that, Miss Matty. Not with snakes running loose.’’
    Maggie studied Hazel. “Try and take a little rest out of the sun until we leave.’’
    Hazel smiled wanly at her friend’s concern. “I fully intend to. But the girls wouldn’t let me be till I’d seen this new wonder. It turned out just like the rest of the elephant.’’
    Jamie pulled at Maggie’s arm. “Come on, Ma. We’ll creep up silent as Injuns, then get on our stomachs. They’ll come