We've many times more wagons than any Santa Fe train ever had, and we've hundreds of loose cattle along.

That means a sweeping off of the grass at every stop, and grass we've got to have or the train stops.
"Besides our own call on grass, I know there'll be five thousand Mormons at least on the trail ahead of us this spring--they've crossed the river from here to the Bluffs, and they're out on the Platte right now.

We take what grass they leave us.
"What I'm trying to get at, captain, is this: We might have to break into smaller detachments now and again.

We could not possibly always keep alignment in four columns." "And then we'd be open to any Indian attack," interrupted Woodhull.
"We might have to fight some of the time, yes," rejoined Banion; "but we'll have to travel all the time, and we'll have to graze our stock all the time.

On that one basic condition our safety rests--grass and plenty of it.