CHAPTER V
READY FOR A FRESH START
TURNING to Dick and Roger, Captain Lewis told them to follow him tothe shack where he and Captain Clark transacted whatever business theyfound necessary for the conduct of the expedition. It had been built sothat the severe cold of winter might not interfere with their comfortand such was the success of the experiment that other cabins were eventhen in process of construction for the remaining members of the party.
Here they found the military head, busy with his charts. The leadersknew so little of the mysterious country which they were bent onexploring in the coming spring that notes were carefully kept of everyscrap of information obtainable.
Often this consisted of fragmentary tales related by some wanderingIndian concerning the strange things he had encountered far away towardthe land of the setting sun. Allowances were made for the superstitionof the natives when a record was kept of these tales; but often thereseemed a shred of truth behind it all which could be made to serve thepurposes of the daring explorers.
So deeply interested was Captain Clark in some work on which he wasengaged, and which seemed to be in the nature of making a new map ofthe country through which they had already passed, that he had actuallypaid no attention to all the shouting outside.
When his colleague came in, accompanied by the two boys, Captain Clarkrealized for the first time that something out of the ordinary musthave happened.
He listened intently as the story of Mayhew's strange loss wasunfolded, asked a number of questions that put him in possession of allthe known facts, and then gave his conclusion.
"I am of the same opinion as the rest of you!" he declared. "It musthave been the work of the men who would profit should that paperfail to reach the Armstrongs by spring; this French trader, FrancoisLascelles, and his equally unscrupulous son, Alexis."
"But to think of them following us all the way to this point! It seemsalmost impossible," urged the other captain.
"Why should it be considered so?" asked the soldier, who appeared tograsp the salient points much easier than the President's privatesecretary had done. "We have encountered no difficulties that a partyof hardy voyageurs and trappers might not have overcome. Besides, itis quite possible that this same trader may have been in this countrybefore now. The French were in possession of the great MississippiValley all the way down to the Gulf many years before it came into thehands of the United States Government. They must have had trading postsfar to the west, and their half-breed trappers have taken beaver andall other fur-bearing animals from the streams of the Far Northwest."
"You are right, Captain Clark," said the other, warmly "and, afterhearing your reasonable explanation, I can well believe that these menare no strangers to the region of the headwaters of the Missouri."
"I also agree with Mayhew regarding the camp having been watched,"continued the soldier, gravely. "They suspected we would be sendingback a report of our progress, and surmised also that these brave boyswould either themselves carry their paper to their homes or else giveit into the keeping of our messengers. Just how they knew that Mayhewwas carrying their document, and not either of the other messengers, Icannot say, but it seems that they managed to do so."
He turned to Dick and his cousin to say:
"I am sorry indeed that this new trouble has befallen you, my lads, butthroughout your long journey you have shown such fortitude, and suchdetermination to succeed, that I feel sure you will not be downheartednow."
"Thank you, sir," replied Dick, for Roger could not say a word, since alump in his throat seemed to be choking him. "We have been brought upby fathers who never knew what it was to despair. I was just wonderingwhether Francois Lascelles would immediately destroy that document, andthen go on his way, resting under the belief that he had ruined all ourwork of months. He may have forgotten one thing, which is that JasperWilliams still lives, and can duplicate his signature, with both of youfor witnesses."
"Just what I was about to say," declared the soldier, with a smile ofsatisfaction, "and it pleases me to know that you have hit upon thesame idea. Yes, while this Lascelles may think he has won his fight,the battle is never over until the last trump has sounded. When youagain secure the signature you require, we will see to it that anothermessenger is dispatched to your home bearing it."
Roger managed to find his voice then.
"But how are we going to reach Jasper Williams," he asked, anxiously,"when he has gone off to find that wonderful valley where the game isso plentiful, but which the Indians are afraid to visit on account ofthe spirits that guard it?"
The two captains exchanged glances. They realized that difficultiesindeed lay in the way of accomplishing the plan they had so cheerfullylaid out.
"He may come back in a week or two, he told me," Dick explained, "andthen again it is possible, if his companions agree, and the place suitsthem, that they may not return until late in the winter."
"And it would be too late then to get the paper to our people at home,"sighed Roger, looking exceedingly downcast.
"I think I voice your sentiments as well as my own, Captain Clark,"said the private secretary to the President, "when I make thissuggestion. We can place one of our trusty hunters in charge of theselads, and send them off to try to find Jasper Williams and his party,whose general direction we already know."
"I am of the same opinion, Captain," added the soldier, promptly,showing that he must have been thinking along similar lines. "Indeed,if an immediate start were made, they might even overtake the others onthe way, for I do not fancy they will be in any great hurry, since theyhave orders to make notes of all they see by the way."
At hearing this Roger brightened up considerably. As usual, a way outbegan to appear when things had become almost as gloomy as seemedpossible. As for Dick, he eagerly seized upon the chance to be doingsomething. Like most pioneer boys, these Armstrong lads had beenbrought up to strive to the utmost when there was anything worth whileto be attained.
"Oh, thank you, Captain Clark, and you, too, Captain Lewis!" hehastened to say, "that is the kindest thing you could do for us. Wewill get ready to start in the morning and, if our old luck only holdsout, we shall expect to come up with Jasper Williams inside of a fewdays."
"You will need a good trailer to assist you," remarked the soldier,"and among all our men I do not know of any who is the equal of Mayhewif only you would not have any ill feeling toward him on account ofwhat his carelessness has already cost you."
"Why, it was hardly his fault, that I can see, sir," declared Dick,"and I have always liked Benjamin Mayhew very much. If he cares to gowith us, tell him we will be only too glad of his company."
"Yes," added Captain Lewis, who knew his men as few commanders might,"and this I am sure of--Mayhew will strive with might and main toretrieve himself. You will find that he has really taken his bad luckto heart. He will want to prove to us that he is capable. He will dowonders for you, lads, and I believe you show the part of wisdom inwishing him to accompany you."
"Then consider that settled," said the soldier. "I will have Mayhew inhere presently, and talk with him. You can make your preparations foran early start in the morning."
"And both of us trust success will crown your gallant efforts to serveyour loved ones at home," said Captain Lewis. "I well remember yourfine old grandfather, David Armstrong. His name is familiar to all whoknow the history of the early settlements along the Ohio, where suchvaliant pioneers as Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton and Colonel Harrod ledthe way into the wilderness, and lighted the torch of civilization."
It was very pleasant for the boys to know they had such strong friendsin the leaders of the expedition making a track across the newlyacquired possession of the young republic.
When they left the shack they somehow seemed to feel anything butdownhearted. Indeed, with the buoyancy of youth they now faced thefuture hopefully, almost certain that they would quickly find JasperWilliams again, and bring him back to the camp, where he would make
outand sign a new document, to be witnessed by both the captains, whosenames were sure to carry weight in any court of law.
"It might be a great deal worse," admitted Roger, as he accompanied hiscousin to their quarters in order to make what simple preparations theythought necessary for the early morning start.
"Many times so," Dick assured him. "Why, after all, this may turn outto be one of those blessings in disguise our mothers have so often toldus about."
"You will have to explain that to me, Dick," admitted the other boy,"for I own up that it is too much for my poor brain to understand."
"Listen, then," continued the other. "What if that scheming FrancoisLascelles had delayed his attack on the messengers for days and evenweeks, until they were almost at St. Louis, and then secured our paper?We would never have known about its loss, and could not send another!"
"That is so," assented Roger, nodding his head as he managed to graspthe point his companion was making.
"Then again," continued Dick, who could follow up an argument with theskill of a born lawyer, "suppose the three messengers had been killedin that night attack, we should not have known a thing about it. Ourpaper, as well as the valuable reports sent to the President, wouldhave been lost."
"Yes, and, Dick, we would have gone on enjoying ourselves all throughthe winter, never knowing that we had failed to save our homes."
"As it is," continued the other, "Lascelles, believing he has cutour claws, may take himself out of this section of country, so thatanother messenger would have nothing to fear from him or his band."
"You are making me ready to believe that, after all, this may have beenthe best thing that could have happened," laughed Roger, as he beganto examine his bullet-pouch to ascertain just how many leaden missilesit contained, and then pay the same attention to his powder-horn.For it was of the utmost consequence that in starting forth on thisquest, that might consume not only days but weeks, they should be amplyprepared for any difficulties that might arise to confront them.
That was destined to be a busy evening for the two lads. They moldedbullets, replenished their stock of powder from the stores of theexpedition, talked over matters with Mayhew, who seemed greatly pleasedat the confidence they expressed in him, and even managed to lay outsomething of a chart for their guidance.
This map was made up of suggestions from Captain Clark, who had talkedwith Jasper Williams before the latter and his two companions leftcamp, and knew in a general way what direction they expected to take.
Before Dick and Roger allowed themselves to think of sleep, theyhad everything arranged for the start in the morning. It was a greatundertaking for two boys to think of venturing upon, but certainly notany more so than when they left their homes near St. Louis, and headedinto the trackless West with the intention of overtaking the Lewis andClark exploring expedition.
And both of them had faith to believe the same kind power that hadwatched over their destinies thus far would still continue to lead themby the hand.
The Pioneer Boys of the Yellowstone; or, Lost in the Land of Wonders Page 8