Chapter 13
At night the men pull the wagons into a circle, a corral, as protection against anyone, human or animal, with a mind to cause trouble. Last night, after a quick supper where we finished the beans and rice from our nooning meal, everyone in the train—man, woman, and child—did their best to rest and gather strength for the next phase of the journey. Instead of resting, I heard the people tossing and turning in their tents. I could feel their restlessness in my jittery joints. This journey will only become more painful the further we go. The most difficult days are ahead of us, as Hiram likes to remind us. We’ve already seen tragedy, and I worry what else lies in wait for us. I tried to settle myself enough to fall sleep but it didn’t work. As soon as I thought about closing my ey
