He said he would go back and stay at the house we had passed, and would do what he could to assist us to go to Los Angeles where we could get some supplies.

Then he rode away, and as we talked it over we saw no way but to follow the directions of our newfound friend.
It seemed now that my lameness had indeed been a blessing.

If I had been able to walk we would now have been well on toward the seashore, where we could have found no such friend as this who had appeared to us.

The way seemed clearer to us, but the time for our return was almost up and there was no way of getting back in fifteen days as we had agreed upon, so there was great danger to our people yet.

It seemed very likely to take us twenty four or thirty days at best, and while they probably had oxen enough to provide them food for so long a time they might take a notion to move on, which would be fatal.
At the big live oak tree we found an American camper, who was on his way to the gold mines.