Shortly after he retired, however, the Prophet returned and the informal council meeting was resumed. The project of laying the case before President Tyler was abandoned. Joseph had received an inspiration to go west, and all would be well. He said: "The way is open. It is clear to my mind what to do. All they want is Hyrum and myself; then tell everybody to go about their business, and not collect in groups, but scatter about. There is no danger; they will come here and search for us. Let them search; they will not harm you in person or in property, and not even a hair of your head. We will cross the river tonight and go away to the west." The Prophet and his brother Hyrum at once crossed the river and their friends were instructed to procure horses for them and make all necessary preparations to start for "the Great Basin of the Rocky Mountains." The next morning a Mrs. Thompson entered Elder Taylor's house about seven o'clock. "What, you here!" she exclaimed, very much surprised, "the brethren have crossed the river some time since." "What brethren?" "Brother Joseph and Hyrum, and Brother Richards." Elder Taylor at once concluded that those brethren had determined finally to leave for the East for a season, as had been talked of the night before, instead of going to Carthage. He knew what a storm of rage and disappointment that would arouse in the breasts of the mob militia at Carthage, who were waiting with ill-concealed impatience for the coming of their prey. Being satisfied that if the mob forces which Governor Ford had exalted to the dignity of "state militia" should come to Nauvoo, and find their victims gone, the first thing they would do would be to destroy the printing office. He therefore called to his assistance a few brethren in whom he had confidence and removed the type, the stereotyped plates of the Book of Mormon and the fixtures that were the most valuable. This done he made arrangements for the adjustment of his accounts, having determined, in the event of not finding Joseph and his companions, to go to Upper Canada for a season. In caring for the valuables in the printing office, and in making his preparations to leave Nauvoo, he had been materially assisted by Cyrus H. Wheelock. He was an active, enterprising man, just such a man as Elder Taylor would need if he went to Canada, so he said to him: "Brother Wheelock, can you go with me ten or fifteen hundred miles? "Yes." "Can you start in half an hour? "Yes."