Everybody crowded around Lee.

He said that they had had a hard time with the Indians keeping them off of us, and that Major Higbee, with fifty of the Mormon militia, were ready to take us under their charge.
But what made father and Laban and some of the men suspicious was when Lee said that we must put all our rifles into one of the wagons so as not to arouse the animosity of the Indians.

By so doing we would appear to be the prisoners of the Mormon militia.
Father straightened up and was about to refuse when he glanced to Laban, who replied in an undertone.

"They ain't no more use in our hands than in the wagon, seein' as the powder's gone." Two of our wounded men who could not walk were put into the wagons, and along with them were put all the little children.

Lee seemed to be picking them out over eight and under eight.