Chandler had been there some days before us, and, thoroughly disguised, had been looking around the country for the whereabouts of all the best horses.

He directed us to secretly visit certain farms and collect all the horses possible, and bring them together the next night.

This we did, and upon reassembling it was found that nearly every man had two horses.

We immediately struck out for the Kansas line, which we crossed at an Indian ferry on the Kansas river, above Wyandotte, and as soon as we had set foot upon Kansas soil we separated with the understanding; that we were to meet one week from that day at Leavenworth.
[Illustration: NEARLY EVERY MAN HAD TWO HORSES.] Some of the parties boldly took their confiscated horses into Leavenworth, while others rode them to their homes.

This action may look to the reader like horse-stealing, and some people might not hesitate to call it by that name; but Chandler plausibly maintained that we were only getting back our own, or the equivalent, from the Missourians, and as the government was waging war against the South, it was perfectly square and honest, and we had a good right to do it.