wagons,
completely around the circle, a shallow trench was dug and an earthwork
thrown up. This was for the fighting men.

Laban returned from a scout. He reported that the Indians had withdrawn
the matter of half a mile, and were holding a powwow. Also he had seen
them carry six of their number off the field, three of which, he said,
were deaders.

From time to time, during the morning of that first day, we observed
clouds of dust that advertised the movements of considerable bodies of
mounted men. These clouds of dust came toward us, hemming us in on all
sides. But we saw no living creature. One cloud of dirt only moved away
from us. It was a large cloud, and everybody said it was our cattle
being driven off. And our forty great wagons that had rolled over the
Rockies and half across the continent stood in a helpless circle. Without
cattle they could roll no farther.

At noon Laban came in from another scout. He had seen fresh Indians
arriving from the south, showing that we were being closed in. It was at
this time that we saw a dozen white men ride out on the crest of a low
hill to the east and look down on us.

"That settles it," Laban said to father. "The Indians have been put up
to it."

"They're white like us," I heard Abby Foxwell complain to mother. "Why
don't they come in to us?"

"They ain't whites," I piped up, with a wary eye for the swoop of
mother's hand. "They're Mormons."

That night, after dark, three of our young men stole out of camp. I saw
them go. They were Will Aden, Abel Milliken, and Timothy Grant.

"They are heading for Cedar City to get help," father told mother while
he was snatching a hasty bite of supper.

Mother shook her head.

"There's plenty of Mormons within calling distance of camp," she said.
"If they won't help, and they haven't shown any signs, then the Cedar
City ones won't either."

"But there are good Mormons and bad Mormons--" father began.

"We haven't found any good ones so far," she shut him off.

Not until morning did I hear of the return of Abel Milliken and Timothy
Grant, but I was not long in learning. The whole camp was downcast by
reason of their report. The three had gone only a few miles when they
were challenged by white men. As soon as Will Aden spoke up, telling
that they were from the Fancher Company, going to Cedar City for help, he
was shot down. Milliken and Grant escaped back with the news, and the
news settled the last h