ncle Aleck," said Oscar. "What makes
you in such a hurry? Why, you have all along said we need not get away
from here for a week yet, if we did not want to; the grass hasn't
fairly started yet, and we cannot drive far without feed for the
cattle. Four yoke, too," he added proudly.

"The fact is, Oscar," said his father, lowering his voice and looking
around as if to see whether anybody was within hearing distance, "we
have heard this morning that there was a raid on this place threatened
from Kansas City, over the border. This is the free-State headquarters
in this part of the country, and it has got about that the store here
is owned and run by the New England Emigrant Aid Society. So they are
threatening to raid the place, burn the settlement, run off the stock,
and loot the settlers. I should like to have a company of resolute men
to defend the place," and Mr. Bryant's eyes flashed; "but this is not
our home, nor our fight, and I'm willing to 'light out' right off, or
as soon as we get ready."

"Will they come to-night, do you think?" asked Sandy, and his big blue
eyes looked very big indeed. "Because we can't get off until we have
loaded the wagon and fixed the wheels; you said they must be greased
before we travelled another mile, you know."

It was agreed, however, that there was no immediate danger of the
raid--certainly not that night; but all felt that it was the part of
prudence to be ready to start at once; the sooner, the better. When
the boys went to their blankets that night, they whispered to each
other that the camp might be raided and so they should be ready for
any assault that might come. Sandy put his "pepper-box" under his
pillow, and Charlie had his trusty rifle within reach. Oscar carried
a double-barrelled shot-gun of which he was very proud, and that
weapon, loaded with buckshot, was laid carefully by the side of his
blankets. The two elders of the party "slept with one eye open," as
they phrased it. But there was no alarm through the night, except once
when Mr. Howell got up and went out to see how the cattle were getting
on. He found that one of the sentinels who had been set by the
Quindaro Company in consequence of the scare, had dropped asleep on
the wagon-tongue of the Dixon party. Shaking him gently, he awoke the
sleeping sentinel, who at once bawled, "Don't shoot!" to the great
consternation of the nearest campers, who came flying out of their
blankets to see what was the matter. When