We did n't want the advice but we hugely welcomed the ham . Presently our guide appeared -- quite a spruce old Indian , as Indians go . I had never been able to shake off my childhood conviction that an Indian was a fearsome creature , hopelessly addicted to scalping knives and tomahawks , and I secretly felt quite horrified at the idea of two defenceless females starting out on a lonely prairie trail with an Indian for guide . Even old Peter Crow 's meek appearance did not quite reassure me ; but I kept my qualms to myself , for I knew Kate would only laugh at me . It was ten when we finally got away from the M.P. outpost . Sergeant Baker bade us goodbye in a tone which seemed to intimate that he never expected to see either of us again . What with his dismal predictions and my secret horror of Indians , I was beginning to feel anything but jubilant over our expedition . Kate , however , was as blithe and buoyant as usual . She knew no fear , being one of those enviable folk who can because they think they can . One hundred and twenty miles of half-flooded prairie trail -- camping out at night in the solitude of the Great Lone Land -- rain -- muskegs -- Indian guides -- nothing had any terror for my dauntless cousin . For the next three hours , however , we got on beautifully . The trail was fair , though somewhat greasy ; the sun shone , though with a somewhat watery gleam , through the mists ; and Peter Crow , coiled up on the folded tent behind the seat , slept soundly and snored mellifluously . That snore reassured me greatly . I had never thought of Indians as snoring . Surely one who did could n't be dreaded greatly . We stopped at one o'clock and had a cold lunch , sitting in our wagon , while Peter Crow wakened up and watered the ponies . We did not get on so well in the afternoon . The trail descended into low-lying ground where travelling was very difficult . I had to admit old Peter Crow was quite invaluable . He knew , as Kate had foretold , `` all the dry spots '' -- that is to say , spots less wet than others .
But , even so , we had XXXXX make so many detours that by sunset we were little more than six miles distant from our noon halting place .
For as at because into over than though to with