CHAPTER VIII.
ADVENTURES ON THE OVERLAND ROAD.
As the warm days of summer approached I longed for the cool air of the mountains; and to the mountains I determined to go.

After engaging a man to take care of the farm, I proceeded to Leavenworth and there met my old wagon-master and friend, Lewis Simpson, who was fitting out a train at Atchison and loading it with supplies for the Overland Stage Company, of which Mr.Russell, my old employer, was one of the proprietors.

Simpson was going with this train to Fort Laramie and points further west.
"Come along with me, Billy," said he, "I'll give you a good lay-out.

I want you with me." "I don't know that I would like to go as far west as that again," replied I, "but I do want to ride the pony express once more; there's some life in that." "Yes, that's so; but it will soon shake the life out of you," said he.
"However, if that's what you've got your mind set on, you had better come to Atchison with me and see Mr.Russell, who I'm pretty certain, will give you a situation." I replied that I would do that.

I then went home and informed mother of my intention, and as her health was very poor I had great difficulty in obtaining her consent.