Arriving at the camp we were astonished at seeing that the emigrants had no system whatever in forming their camp or corralling their wagons and stock, all being scattered here and there, hodge-podge.

I remarked to Gen. Kearney that they had certainly not met with any trouble from Indians so far, else they would have been more careful.  The General replied that they would learn before they got much further.

When we arrived at their camp quite a crowd gathered around us, and among the balance was one man apparently forty years old, who walked up to Gen. Kearney and said:  “How are you, John?” that being the General’s first name.

Gen. Kearney looked at him for a moment, then shook hands with him and said:  “You seem to know me, but you have the best of me.  If I ever saw you before I don’t remember when or where.”

The gentleman then said:  “When we used to go to school together you were the only boy in my class that I could not throw down, but I believe that I could to-day.”

They had been schoolmates in Ohio and this was the first time they had met since they quit school.  “Of course,” said Gen. Kearney, “you had the advantage of me, for you knew I was out here, while I never dreamed of you being in this country.”

We soon learned that the emigrants had heard about the hostility of the Sioux Indians, and were dreading them very much.

After the General and his old schoolmate talked over by-gone days for awhile they commenced asking him all sorts of questions relative to the Indians on ahead.

The General gave his views regarding the outlook for the coming summer, and after having “said his say” about the noble red men, a number of the emigrants thought they would turn back the next morning.

Gen. Kearney said to them:  “Here are two as good mountaineers as may be found west of the Missouri river and I believe that you could hire them to go the entire trip with you at a reasonable figure, and I feel sure they will be able to render you valuable service, while passing through the Indian country, they being well posted as to where the Indians would be most likely to make an attack.  They are also well informed as to water, wood and grass, and the different drives to be made between camping places, &c.”

When we were just ready to mount our horses to return to the Fort for supper, a number of the men came to Jim and me and asked how much per month or per day we would take to go with them as scouts through the Indian country.  We told them to get their supper over and call their men together, and we would go back to the Fort and get our supper, after which we would come down to their camp again and talk matters over and see if we could make a bargain.  By this time a number of ladies had gathered around, and among them was an old lady who said:  “You two gentlemen with buckskin coats on can come and take supper with us in our tent.”