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Show FORTY YEARS AMONG THE INDIANS. IOI they had arrived destitute and out of provisions. Brother Alexander had told them about us. Our company was very anxious about us. They had given these poor fel-lows what provisions they could spare, enough to last them to Platte bridge provided they made the trip in rea-sonable time. One of the party had frozen his feet and was suffering terribly. We soon learned their condition, but they insisted on us eating supper. We thought of the poor lame fellow getting out of food ; we were within six miles of home so we pretended that we were not very hungry, and advised them to be careful of what they had and we would go on home. The smell of the food to us was like piercing our stomachs with a dagger. It was really hard to refuse taking a few bites, but we did. When we had got about half way home I went ahead with the cattle, Ben driving the tired mule. I wished to get in and have supper ready by the time my comrade arrived, which I did not suppose would be over one half hour. On arriving at the fort, most of the company were up waiting in suspense our arrival. Brother Alexander had a camp kettle full of meat and soup with dumplings ready. It was rations for seven men. He had kept it warm all day, and com-menced to dish some up for me, but I told him that I would not eat a bite until Ben came. It was more than an hour before he arrived, the give- out mule having broken loose and ran away from him and he had been following it. Finally he arrived, bringing the mule and feeling very much like beefing it when he got home. All now was ready for our supper. We sat down on some wolf skins before the fire, the camp- kettle in reach, and commenced to eat, but not hurriedly. Before daylight we had emptied the kettle. We relished this |