[Illustration:  Exciting sport.]

Everything that he did, I wanted to do.  He was a sort of hero in my eyes, and I wished to follow in his footsteps.  At my request and with father’s consent, he took me with him, and many a wild and perilous chase he led me over the prairie.  I made rapid advances in the art of horsemanship, for I could have had no better teacher than Horace Billings.  He also taught me how to throw the lasso, which, though it was a difficult thing to learn, I finally became, quite skillful in.

Whenever Horace caught one of the horses which acted obstinately, and would not be led, he immediately threw him to the ground, put a saddle and bridle on him, and gave me Little Gray to take care of.  He would then mount the captive horse and ride him into Fort Leavenworth.  I spent two months with Horace in this way, until at last no more of the horses were to be found.  By this time I had become a remarkably good rider for a youth, and had brought both of my ponies under easy control.

Horace returned to assist father in hauling logs, which were being used in building a dwelling for the family who had moved over from Missouri.  One day a team did not work to suit him, and he gave the horses a cruel beating.  This greatly displeased father, who took him to task for it.  Horace’s anger flew up in a moment; throwing down the lines he hurried to the house, and began packing up his traps.  That same day he hired out to a Mormon train, and bidding us all good-bye started for Salt Lake, driving six yokes of oxen.

CHAPTER III.

BOY DAYS IN KANSAS.

During the summer of 1853 we lived in our little log house, and father continued to trade with the Indians, who became very friendly; hardly a day passed without a social visit from them.  I spent a great deal of time with the Indian boys, who taught me how to shoot with the bow and arrow, at which I became quite expert.  I also took part in all their sports, and learned to talk the Kickapoo language to some extent.

Father desired to express his friendship for these Indians, and accordingly arranged a grand barbecue for them.  He invited them all to be present on a certain day, which they were; he then presented them with two fat beeves, to be killed and cooked in the various Indian styles.  Mother made several large boilers full of coffee, which she gave to them, together with sugar and bread.  There were about two hundred Indians in attendance at the feast, and they all enjoyed and appreciated it.  In the evening they had one of their grand fantastic war dances, which greatly amused me, it being the first sight of the kind I had ever witnessed.

My Uncle Elijah and quite a large number of gentlemen and ladies came over from Weston to attend the entertainment.  The Indians returned to their homes well satisfied.

My uncle at that time owned a trading post at Silver Lake, in the Pottawattamie country, on the Kansas river, and he arranged an excursion to that place.  Among the party were several ladies from Weston, and father, mother and myself.  Mr. McMeekan, my uncle’s superintendent, who had come to Weston for supplies, conducted the party to the post.