Why the Indian came to our camp we could never understand.  He would have stood a better chance of stealing our horses by watching the camp, then slipping in upon us in the night and driving them away, unless it was to throw us off our guard.  The probabilities are that he was either a Snake or a renegade Columbia or Umatilla Indian, and counted on getting our horses.  Finding we were on our guard, and seeing an opportunity of “swapping horses” while the men were busy, paid no attention and gave no thought to the boy.  Certain it was our, or rather the old gentleman Driskol’s watchfulness, that saved us from being left afoot forty miles from home.  Whether he had confederates, we never knew, as we lost no time in putting as many miles between us and the “Snake country” as possible.  During the day we kept in the open country, avoiding any point where an advantage could have been taken of us.  We of course talked over the affair of the morning, but not once was the goose mentioned by Mr. Driskol.  He did not even refer to the goose when apologizing to me for scoldings he had given me.

We arrived late at night at the ferry, and found everything in turmoil of excitement.  Two men, an old man and his son, Briggs by name, if I remember correctly, had been killed by the Indians in Tye Valley, about thirty miles away.  The murders created intense excitement, all fearing it was the signal for a general massacre of the settlers around the Dalles and the isolated traders on the Walla Walla road.  The Smith brothers had returned and had been assisting the two men at the ferry in fortifying the post.  The house, a mere shack, was being walled in with rock, port holes for the rifles being left.  Our absence had created uneasiness on the part of the Smiths, but they knew it would be futile to attempt to find us.  Besides, it was thought more than probable that we had already been massacred and to undertake to find us would be only to throw their own lives away.

Their surprise and pleasure was therefore great when we rode into the station at 11 o’clock at night.  They at once informed us of the murder of the old man and his son, and heartily congratulated us when in return we told them of our own adventure.  The two men at the ferry were positive that the Indian did not belong in that section, and by our prudence, they said, we had saved our horses and probably our lives.  The next day we all joined in completing the fortifications, and when finished felt that we could “stand off” two or three tribes.  Yet, notwithstanding our confidence, we felt that in the event of a general outbreak we were still in a dangerous position and that every care should be exercised.  Upon my own part, I felt no uneasiness.  Zim Smith was there, a rollicking devil-may-care fellow, and I believed he alone was the match for all of the Indians east of the Cascade Mountains.  A careful guard was maintained, however, our horses kept near at hand, and we anxiously awaited results.