Pioneer Boys of the Gold Fields by Edward Stratemeyer

They soon became acquainted with several folks camping in that vicinity. Next to them on one side was a man from Iowa named Josiah Socket, who had with him his wife and five children, three boys and two girls. Socket was a quiet individual, but his wife could talk enough for a dozen people.

"How do you do? " said the woman, the morning after Bob and Mark had settled down. "Nice morning, isn't it, but the sun is going to be warm. All alone, and only boys, too! Do you expect to get all the way to California? But of course you do, or you wouldn't be here. It's going to be a long trip, so I'm telling Josiah -- I mean my husband. Doing your own cooking, too, I see. You ought to have some woman to do that. Where are you from, if I'm not asking what I hadn't ought to?"