"Carry 'em over," suggested Maybe Dixon. "I'll take one o' the gals, if she'll let me." And he waded into the mud. Josiah Socket was willing enough to follow the advice given, and he plunged into the mud. His wife was doubtful about trusting herself on his shoulder, but at last took the seat with many cautions. "If ye slip down, Josiah Socket, I'll never forgive ye," she declared. "Never, in all this wide world!" "I ain't a-goin' to slip down," he muttered, stubbornly, and he did not. Soon the lady was safe by the side of the trail and so were the two girls, Maybe Dixon bringing over one and Bob the younger miss. "I feel like leaving the blamed outfit where it is," grumbled Josiah Socket, in deep disgust. "I'm sick o' emigratin' to Californy." "Don't leave it where it is," said Maybe Dixon. "If so, maybe 'twill sink through to Chiny." "I think we can help haul you out," said Bob. "Come, Mark, help splice a rope on here, and we'll tow his bark out of that hole in jig time." The rope was produced and made fast to the back of the boys' wagon, and horses and mule were started up. The boys hauled and so did the men, and at last, with a deep sound of suction, the Socket outfit came up out of the mud-hole and was dragged to a spot that was high and dry. "Good fer you!" cried Josiah Socket, his face brightening wonderfully, now that the difficulty was over. "Tell ye wot, many hands make short work, don't they?" "I'll reward you boys," said Mrs. Socket. "I'm going to bake to-morrow--pervidin' it don't rain,--and I'll give you some fresh loaves of bread." "Good enough!" cried Mark. "I've been longing for fresh bread--the real kind, I mean, since we left Si's home." "Ditto here," put in Bob. "The kind we've been turning out ain't any better than hardtack, if as good." "Mother certainly knows how to bake bread," put in Si, softly, and then a far-away look came into his eyes as he thought of the home so many miles eastward. He could picture the others gathered around the family board, eating supper--and perhaps talking about him. He had a little streak of homesickness go over him, and to work it off set about pitching camp for the night and building a fire for the evening meal. Many things were still wet and the boys were glad to find that plenty of firewood was handy, so that a generous blaze was started, and kept up a good part of the night, drying things out thoroughly. The Sockets camped close at hand, and in the morning the promised bread was baked and delivered. It was certainly good and the boys did not hesitate to say so. This pleased Mrs. Socket and she said she would bake them bread another time, providing they would furnish the flour. CHAPTER X AT FORT LARAMIE "Bob, what is that tall rock ahead of us?" "I don't know, Mark."