Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
The Ingalls family goes West A long time ago, Pa and Ma and Mary and Laura and Baby Carrie left their little house in Wisconsin. They drove away and left it lonely and empty among the big trees, and they never saw that little house again. They were going to Indian country.
Pa said there were too many people in Wisconsin now. Wild animals did not stay in a country where there were so many people, so Pa didn't want to stay. He liked a country where the animals lived without fear. He liked to see them looking at him in the forest and eating fruit from the trees.
In the long winter evenings Pa talked to Ma about the Western country. 'Let's go see the West,' he said. 'The land is flat and the grass grows thick and high. Animals run freely and there are no settlers. Only Indians live there.'
'Oh, Charles, must we go now?' Ma said.
'The weather's so cold and our warm house is so comfortable.'
'If we are going this year, we must go now,' said Pa. 'We can't cross the Mississippi River after the ice breaks.'
So Pa sold the little house in Wisconsin. With Ma's help, he made a canvas cover for their wagon. They put everything into the wagon except their beds and tables and chairs. Pa could make new ones out West.
The next morning when it was still dark, Ma gently shook Mary and Laura until they got up. By the light of the fire she helped them dress warmly. They put on warm dresses and heavy coats. Grandmother, Grandfather, aunts, and uncles were all there to say good-bye to them. Pa put his gun inside the wagon where he could reach it quickly. He put his fiddle between two blankets in order to keep it safe. Their dog Jack went under the wagon, and they drove away.
'When we get to the West,' Pa said to Laura, 'you'll see a papoose.'
'What's a papoose?' she asked.
'A papoose is a little brown Indian baby,' Pa explained.
It was a long, long way to Indian country. Almost every day the horses travelled as far as they could; almost every night Pa and Ma stopped in a new place. They rode across the wide Mississippi River before the ice broke, and crossed many other rivers and creeks.
One day Pa sold the tired brown horses and got two small young black horses with soft gentle eyes and long tails. 'They're western horses,' Pa said. 'Very strong but very gentle.' When Laura asked what their names were, Pa said that she and Mary could choose names for the horses. So they called one 'Pet' and the other 'Patty'.
They had travelled across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri. All that long way, their little dog Jack had walked along under the wagon. Pa sat up front, holding the reins. Ma sat next to him, straight and quiet. Baby Carrie slept in soft blankets in the back. Now they were crossing Kansas, an endless flat land covered with tall grass. Day after day they saw nothing but grass and a big sky. There was nothing new to do and nothing new to look at.
'Ma, can't we get out and run behind the wagon?' Laura said. 'My legs are so tired.' 'No, Laura,' Ma said.
'I'm hungry. I want to camp now!'
Then Ma said, 'Laura.' That was all she said, but Laura understood that she should stay quiet.
'We're coming to a creek or river,' Pa said. 'Girls, can you see those trees? That's where we'll camp tonight.'
Suddenly the road went down and they arrived at the creek.
Pet and Patty stopped to drink. The sound of fast-running water tilled the still air. The river was silver and blue and the water ran quickly in the middle.
'The creek's really high,' Pa said. 'But I guess we can cross It.' Pa looked at Ma. 'What do you say, Caroline?'
'Yes, Charles,' Ma answered. 'I think we can.'
So the wagon went forward. Soon the wheels were in deep water. 'The horses may have to swim out there in the middle,' Pa said. 'But we'll get across all right, Caroline.'
Laura thought of Jack and said, 'I wish Jack could ride in the wagon, Pa.'
Pa did not answer. He was busy with the horses, pulling their reins. Ma said, 'Jack can swim, Laura. He'll be fine.'
Then suddenly the wagon lifted and rocked, and Laura knew they were in the creek. Mary hid under the blankets. She was afraid of the water. But Laura was excited.
Ma said loudly, 'Lie down, girls! Don't move!'
Mary and Laura dropped flat on the bed. When Ma spoke like that, they obeyed her. Ma's arm pulled a blanket over them, heads and all. Laura felt the wagon turning. The water made so much noise. Then Pa's voice frightened Laura. 'Take the horses, Caroline!' he said. Suddenly Pa was gone. Ma sat alone, holding the reins with both hands. Mary hid her face in the blankets again, but Laura sat up and looked out. She couldn't see anything but water everywhere and three heads in the water - Pet's head, Patty's head, and Pa's small wet head. Pa's hand was holding Pet's head and he was talking calmly to the horses. Ma's face was white and frightened. Mary was crying and Laura felt cold and sick. She closed her eyes, but she could still see the terrible water with Pa in it. For a long time the wagon rocked in the water.
Finally the front wheels hit the ground and Pa shouted. Laura saw the wet horses climbing out of the water. Pa was running beside them, shouting 'Get up! Get up! Good girls!' And then the horses and the wagon stood still, safely out of that creek.
Pa was wet and tired. 'Oh, Charles!' Ma cried.
'Calm down, Caroline,' said Pa. 'We're all safe. All's well that ends well.' But Laura was still frightened. She knew they were lucky to be alive. Suddenly she shouted, 'Oh, where's Jack?'
They had forgotten Jack and could not see him anywhere. Pa walked up and down the creek looking everywhere for him. But Jack was gone. There was nothing to do but go on.
Laura tried not to cry. She looked back all the way but she saw nothing except hills and trees.
Soon Pa stopped the horses. He was ready to camp. Mary and Laura climbed to the ground, too. Pa seemed sad. He did not sing while he worked as he usually did. 'I don't know what we'll do in a wild country without a good dog,' he said. Pa made a fire and brought water from the creek. Mary and Laura helped Ma make a supper of salted pork, cornbread, and coffee. As they ate, purple shadows closed around the campfire. The wide prairie was dark and still.
Then Laura heard a long, frightening cry from the dark prairie.
'Wolves,' Pa said. 'I wish Jack was still with us.'
Laura felt like crying, but she knew she must be strong. Suddenly she jumped up. She had seen something. Two green lights were shining, deep in the dark. They were eyes.
'Look, Pa, look!' Laura said. A wolf!'
Pa moved quickly. He took his gun from the wagon and was ready to shoot at those green eyes. Pa threw some wood at the animal. The green eyes went close to the ground. Pa held the gun ready. The animal did not move.
'Don't shoot, Charles,' Ma said. But Pa walked slowly toward those eyes. And slowly along the ground the eyes moved toward him. And then Laura saw a little brown animal. She screamed and Pa shouted.
The next thing she knew, a happy, jumping Jack was on top of her. Her face and hands were wet from his warm wet tongue. He jumped from Pa to Ma and back to her again. Then he lay down close to Laura and slept.
When Laura went to bed that night, she looked at the large, shining stars in the sky. Pa could reach them, she thought. Suddenly she was very surprised. The largest star smiled at her!
Then she was waking up the next morning.
