CHAPTER XI

BANISHED FROM CAMP

THE man held a couple of guns in his hands and was apparently loaded down with the ammunition that had been left as a most attractive bait. He hung his head as if at first overcome with a sense of shame; nor could the boys blame him for giving way to this feeling.

Some of the other men, awakened by the loud command of Captain Lewis, now came hurrying toward the spot. They were undoubtedly greatly astonished to discover what was taking place. And among the first to arrive were Drewyer and Fields, the two who in turn had been unjustly suspected of being the guilty person.

"Take those guns away from him," ordered Captain Lewis, "and then search him for ammunition! He was carrying off a good part of our visible supply, and meant to join forces with those rascally Frenchmen we let go last fall, fellows who are once more hanging about our trail for evil purposes."

Waller made no attempt to resist. Indeed, it would have been a foolish thing on his part, and could only have resulted in his being roughly treated. So presently they had stripped him of all his stolen goods, and even his own gun had been taken away.

After that he had to listen to the stinging words of reproach which Captain Lewis heaped upon him.

"The man who betrays his trust as you have done, Waller," said the other in conclusion, "deserves to be stood up before a file of soldiers and shot. That fate, indeed, would be your portion if you were an enlisted man, and had taken the oath of fidelity to the country. As it is I intend simply to send you out of this camp with the scorn of all honest men ringing in your ears. You can find those French friends of yours and make your bed with them."

"But you will not think of turning me out into the wilderness without some weapon with which to secure food, or to protect myself against the wild beasts?" the man found his tongue to say, with anxiety in his voice.

"Gun you shall have none, in punishment for your offense," he was sternly told. "Your hunting knife and a hatchet will be given to you, also a certain amount of provisions, sufficient to last you several days. For the rest, look you to those friends whose gold you accepted to betray these lads; for we can now understand who it was knifed their skin boat so that it might sink with them in the rapids!"

The man at bay opened his mouth as though tempted to declare that he had had nothing to do with such a base affair; but, on second thought, he stifled his intended denial. He must have decided that, since exposure had come, the less he had to say the better it would be for him in the end.

Under the orders of Captain Lewis his knife and hatchet were returned to him. Then a package of food was made ready and also given into his charge. Some of the men were grumbling to themselves, as though they did not approve of such leniency, for, according to their way of thinking, a traitor deserved but one punishment, and one that would place it out of his power to repeat his fault.

The man did not attempt to plead for mercy. He had a certain amount of pride; and, besides, he feared lest he be turned over to the soldiers for punishment, and he knew what to expect in that case.

"Now go forth," Captain Lewis told him, "and seek your new friends, or join the Indians whose treacherous ways you have even shamed by your acts. We warn you not to be seen again by any in this camp. Such is your reward for turning against those who trusted you. That is all."

Waller drew a long breath. He knew what it meant for him, should he fail to find the Frenchmen. Hundreds of miles lay between that spot and the nearest white settlement; and, unless he could get in touch with some of the Indian tribes along the Missouri, he would starve by the time another winter came around.

Being a woodsman, Waller of course knew many of the secrets of Nature, and could prolong his life by means of clever snares in which to catch small animals; but, with the coming of cold weather, his case would be pitiful unless he had help.

Dick felt sorry for the man at first. He believed Waller had simply yielded to temptation when he accepted the Frenchman's gold and agreed to work in his interest.

That feeling, however, did not last long, for, as the man started to leave the camp, he looked at the staring men contemptuously, and, on passing the two boys, scowled blackly, as the light of the resurrected fire disclosed.

"We may meet again!" he told Roger as he passed him; and there was a deep significance back of the words.

Perhaps it was fortunate for Andrew Waller that Captain Clark did not happen to hear what he muttered; for the soldier might have insisted that some more drastic punishment, than mere dismissal from the camp, be visited upon the culprit. But the threat was not heard by those in authority, and Waller went out into the darkness, and they saw no more of him for the time.

During the remainder of the night the boys slept peacefully. It was a great satisfaction to them both to feel that the mystery had now been solved, and that they need no longer fear treachery in the camp.

Then again it pleased Dick to know that neither Drewyer nor Fields had been connected with the plot against them, for he was very fond of both men, in a way, and had always believed them to be as honest as they were capable. History has written their names on the scroll of honor whereby the heroes of this remarkable enterprise are ever to be remembered.

On the following morning the journey was resumed. Day succeeded day, and in many particulars they were very much alike. The travelers had difficulties to surmount, and often met with delays that were exasperating; but through it all shone that indomitable spirit that would not admit defeat.

"We have come too far to quit now," Captain Lewis would say when they were facing some new difficulty, "and the only thing to do is to push ahead despite temporary checks. The goal will soon be in sight, and the victory won. Then will come the reward when all men honor our names, and give us our meed of praise. It will be worth all it costs to win the thanks of the whole nation."

In this manner he cheered them when their spirits drooped. There never could have been a finer leader for such a tremendous undertaking than the former private secretary of President Jefferson. Every man in all that company felt that he would willingly go through fire and flood for Captain Lewis.

From time to time they met with Indians on the river, or came to some village on the bank. These natives had never as yet seen white men, and were, as a rule, disposed to be friendly. They seemed to have learned about a Great Father far away toward the rising sun, who was very rich and powerful, and whose favor it might pay them to seek.

Among the trappers connected with the party there were always those who could communicate with the Indians, partly by signs, but also with the aid of other and allied Indian tongues. In this way, then, it was possible to learn much concerning the nature of the country toward the west.

Strange, indeed, were many of the stories that came to the ears of the travelers. They heard of burning deserts, where for ten days they would find nothing but wastes of sand, except for a few cacti, or prickly pears. Here they were likely to leave their bones to the vultures and the prowling coyotes--the latter a small species of the wolf tribe, which the men of the expedition had begun to notice collecting about their camp at nights. These animals kept up a miserable chant in chorus, but they possessed a very cowardly nature, quite unlike the gray timber wolf.

If Captain Lewis and his followers had not possessed stout hearts they would have been dismayed by all they heard of the country lying beyond. The mountains reached above the clouds, rearing themselves in a most forbidding way, and were exceedingly rocky and devoid of vegetation.

Besides, there were tribes of fierce Indians living in the deep canyons who would lie in wait to overwhelm the pilgrims in hopes of obtaining their horses and those wonderful sticks that spat out fire. The beasts inhabiting those elevations were also awe inspiring, especially the bears, which, as the travelers already knew, were of the ferocious variety known as grizzlies.

In spite of all these thrilling stories there was no disposition manifested on the part of the explorers to back down. They had already met many perils without flinching, and it was too late now to show the white feather.

The summer was now well along, and, before a great while, they could expect to arrive at the headwaters of the Big Muddy. The two captains had decided that, when it was no longer possible to continue with the boats, they would make a permanent camp, where a portion of the expedition could spend the coming winter, while a certain number pushed on, to cross the rocky barrier and reach the sea, if such an accomplishment could be carried out.

Every day began to see changes in the flowing current upon which they had been voyaging for so many months. Remembering its extreme width, down where their homes were located, it was hard indeed for the boys to believe that this narrow ribbon of clear water was the same stream.

"All that its banks hold these days," Dick had explained to Roger when the other was expressing these ideas, "comes from the melting snows away up in those mountains whose tops we sometimes think we can see far, far away to the west. That is why it is so clear and cold, and the fish we catch now are not like the ones we have often brought in to our mothers at home."

"The beautiful one, with the specks that were all the colors of the rainbow, must have been some kind of trout," Roger continued, his face lighting up eagerly, for he was a born angler, "and I only hope we are able to catch many more of the same kind. I never tasted such a fine fish, and the meat was of the true trout color, too."

"I think we can depend on taking many a fine mess of them from now on," Dick continued, "though we must try to find out from the Indians just where they lurk in the river. Perhaps one of these smaller creeks, that empty into the Missouri, may turn out to be a good place."

"To-morrow will be our chance then," Roger announced, "because I heard Captain Clark tell some of the men we would likely hold over for a day, so as to mend one of the boats that has been leaking badly and needs attention."

"Let us consider it settled that way, then, Roger; and we shall see what sort of luck the best of bait will fetch us. In some of the old stumps and dead wood we can find big, fat grubs, which I am sure the fish will take to savagely."

"I mean to start looking for bait this very evening when we make camp," declared Roger, evincing the greatest interest, for the memory of the feast they had enjoyed when that splendid speckled fish was broiled over the red coals had haunted him ever since.

That afternoon the air was unusually clear, and every one was able to see, off in the distance, the lofty peaks of the mountain barrier which must be scaled by the adventurous travelers before they could hope to reach the slopes, on the west, leading down to the blue waters of the Pacific. Somehow the knowledge that on this summer day they had almost arrived at another positive stage of their great undertaking inspired their hearts with fresh hope. And in that cheering atmosphere camp was made when the shadows began to fall.