The next morning was wintry again, with snowflakes floating
in the air. The ground was frozen, and the wind seemed to come
through the wagon-cover with rather more freedom than we enjoyed.
"It's time we began the return voyage," said Jack. "We're a
long way from home, and we won't get there any too soon if we go
as fast as we can and take the shortest out." So we started that
afternoon.
The shortest cut was to return to Rapid City, and then,
instead of going south into Nebraska, to go straight east,
through the Sioux Indian Reservation, crossing the Missouri at
Pierre, and then on across the settled country of eastern Dakota
to Prairie Flower, over against the Minnesota line.
We followed the same road between Deadwood and Rapid City,
with the exception that we turned out in one place, and went
around by Fort Meade. Here we found a beautiful camping-place the
first night near a little stream and great overhanging rocks, and
not far from Bear Butte. We reached Rapid late the next night,
which was Saturday, and stopped at the old camp near the
mill-race.
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