Ftemont,  who  was  of  a  very  adventurous  nature,
and  fond  of  doing  things  out  of  the  common  way
— as  witness  his  successful  carrying  off  of  Miss  Qass
(the  "  Jessie  "  of  one  of  the  most  famous  Presidential
years  that  the  country  ever  passed  through) — was  at
this  very  time  putting  things  together  for  another,
the  third  of  his  great  expeditions.  The  announce-
ment came  upon  Kit-  not  altogether  pleasantly,  for
he  recollected  that  when  he  had  last  parted  from
Fremont,  the  latter  had  won  a  promise  from  him,
that  come  what  might  he  could  "  be  counted  in  "
whenever  again  his  favorite  commander  and  coijipan-
ion  was  in  thei  saddle.  Nevertheless  Fremont  had
his  pledged  word  that  he  would  be  "  thar,"  and  al-
though in  many  ways  it  considerably  inoomnujded
him  he  never  thought  of  going  back  on  his  plighted
word.
So  Kit,  disposing  of  his  farming  ventures  to  the
best  advantage,  and  yet  with  no  little  loss,  provided
for  his  wife  in  the  best  manner  possible,  and  was
soon  ready  to  turn  his  back  on  his  pleasant
home.
With  him' went  away  one  Owens,  who  was  not  only
a  friend  of  his,  proven  on  many  a  dangerous  tramp
through  trackless  forests,  but  more  recently  a  part-
ner in  his  farming  operations.
They  were  again  to  meet  not  only  old  friends,
but  the  scene  of  the  meeting  was  to  be  at  the  quar-
ters of  old  endeared  associates  by  a  hundred  dangers.
46  ADVENTtJEES  OF  KIT  CAESON.
and  any  number  of  daring  deeds  by  flood  and
field.
