We went outside the corral, and we found the ten men there with their horses.  I asked them if they all had rifles and pistols.  They said they had.  I next asked them if they had ever practiced shooting off their horses’ backs, and they all said no, nor had ever heard of such a way of shooting.  I then said, “Now boys, it is too late in the evening to commence practicing, but I want you all to meet me here after breakfast in the morning, and have your horses and guns and pistols with you, and you may make up your mind to do a hard day’s work tomorrow.”

That evening Jim and I had a talk by ourselves in regard to how much time we should take to drill the men.  Jim said, “Will, do you think you can drill your men in one day so they will know enough to risk starting out day after tomorrow?”

I answered, “I think I can, Jim.”

He thought a moment and then said, “I don’t like to hurry you in training your men, Will, but you know it is getting late in the season, and we have a long road to travel after we get these emigrants through to California in order to get back home to Taos before the winter sets in, and I have no doubt Kit will be looking for us long before we get there.”

I said, “Jim, this will be my last trip as a pilot for emigrants.”

Jim laughed and answered, “I thought this kind of business just suited you, Will, for you are a favorite with the girls, especially when you bring in scalps.”

I answered, “The girls are all right, Jim, but there is too much responsibility in such an undertaking, and besides, it is impossible to suit everybody.”

Jim answered, “There is a good deal of truth in what you say, Will.  It is not an easy job to please so many people all at once.  We will hurry this trip through as quick as possible and get them off our hands.”

The next morning I was up early and met the men who were to be trained to make scouts.  We went to a little grove of timber about a quarter of a mile from camp.  I selected a small tree, probably a foot through, dismounted and made a crossmark with my knife.  I then asked the boys, if they thought they could hit that cross with their guns or pistols with their horses on the dead run.  One of them said, “No, I don’t know as I could hit it with my horse standing still.”

I answered, “But that is just what I must teach you to do if you are ever to make a scout to guard against Indians or fight them.  I will mount my horse and go back to that little bunch of brush,” and I pointed to a bunch of brush that was perhaps a little more than a hundred yards from the tree, “and all of you men follow me.”

When we reached the brush, I turned my horse’s head towards the tree I had marked, and I then said, “Now boys, I am going to put my horse down to his best speed, and I want you all to follow me and keep as close to me as you can, and each man look out for his own horse when I commence to shoot.  At the same time keep your eyes on me, for I want each one of you to take his turn in doing as I do, and I want you to repeat the thing until you can hit the mark as I shall do.”