your six shooters, gentlemen," now said the
leader.

"I'll give 'em to you in a way you don't want," replied Simpson.

The next moment three guns were leveled at Simpson. "If you make a move
you're a dead man," said the leader.

Simpson saw that he was taken at a great disadvantage, and thinking it
advisable not to risk the lives of the party by any rash act on his
part, he said: "I see now that you have the best of me, but who are
you, anyhow?"

"I am Joe Smith," was the reply.

"What! the leader of the Danites?" asked Simpson.

"You are correct," said Smith, for he it was.

"Yes," said Simpson, "I know you now; you are a spying scoundrel."

Simpson had good reason for calling him this and applying to him a much
more opprobrious epithet, for only a short time before this, Joe Smith
had visited our train in the disguise of a teamster, and had remained
with us two days. He suddenly disappeared, no one knowing where he had
gone or why he had come among us. But it was all explained to us now that
he had returned with his Mormon Danites. After they had disarmed us,
Simpson asked, "Well, Smith, what are you going to do with us?"

"Ride back with us and I'll soon show you," said Smith.

We had no idea of the surprise which awaited us. As we came upon the top
of the ridge, from which we could view our camp, we were astonished to
see the remainder of the train men disarmed and stationed in a group and
surrounded by another squad of Danites, while other Mormons were
searching our wagons for such articles as they wanted.

"How is this?" inquired Simpson. "How did you surprise my camp without a
struggle? I can't understand it."

"Easily enough," said Smith; "your men were all asleep under the
wagons, except the cooks, who saw us coming and took us for returning
Californians or emigrants, and paid no attention to us until we rode up
and surrounded your train. With our arms covering the men, we woke
them up, and told them that all they had to do was to walk out and drop
their pistols--which they saw was the best thing they could do under
circumstances over which they had no control--and you can just bet
they did it."

"And what do you propose to do with us now?" asked Simpson.

"I intend to burn your train," said he; "you are loaded with supplies
and ammunition for Sidney Johnson, and as I have no way to convey the
stuff to my own people, I'll see that it does not reach the United
States troops."

"Are you going t