CHAPTER XI
BANISHED FROM CAMP
THE man held a couple of guns in his hands and was apparently loadeddown 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; norcould 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 greatlyastonished to discover what was taking place. And among the first toarrive were Drewyer and Fields, the two who in turn had been unjustlysuspected of being the guilty person.
"Take those guns away from him," ordered Captain Lewis, "and thensearch him for ammunition! He was carrying off a good part of ourvisible supply, and meant to join forces with those rascally Frenchmenwe let go last fall, fellows who are once more hanging about our trailfor evil purposes."
Waller made no attempt to resist. Indeed, it would have been a foolishthing on his part, and could only have resulted in his being roughlytreated. 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 whichCaptain Lewis heaped upon him.
"The man who betrays his trust as you have done, Waller," said theother in conclusion, "deserves to be stood up before a file of soldiersand shot. That fate, indeed, would be your portion if you were anenlisted man, and had taken the oath of fidelity to the country. As itis I intend simply to send you out of this camp with the scorn of allhonest men ringing in your ears. You can find those French friends ofyours and make your bed with them."
"But you will not think of turning me out into the wilderness withoutsome weapon with which to secure food, or to protect myself againstthe wild beasts?" the man found his tongue to say, with anxiety in hisvoice.
"Gun you shall have none, in punishment for your offense," he wassternly told. "Your hunting knife and a hatchet will be given to you,also a certain amount of provisions, sufficient to last you severaldays. For the rest, look you to those friends whose gold you acceptedto betray these lads; for we can now understand who it was knifed theirskin boat so that it might sink with them in the rapids!"
The man at bay opened his mouth as though tempted to declare that hehad had nothing to do with such a base affair; but, on second thought,he stifled his intended denial. He must have decided that, sinceexposure had come, the less he had to say the better it would be forhim in the end.
Under the orders of Captain Lewis his knife and hatchet were returnedto him. Then a package of food was made ready and also given intohis charge. Some of the men were grumbling to themselves, as thoughthey did not approve of such leniency, for, according to their way ofthinking, a traitor deserved but one punishment, and one that wouldplace it out of his power to repeat his fault.
The man did not attempt to plead for mercy. He had a certain amount ofpride; and, besides, he feared lest he be turned over to the soldiersfor punishment, and he knew what to expect in that case.
"Now go forth," Captain Lewis told him, "and seek your new friends, orjoin the Indians whose treacherous ways you have even shamed by youracts. We warn you not to be seen again by any in this camp. Such isyour reward for turning against those who trusted you. That is all."
Waller drew a long breath. He knew what it meant for him, should hefail to find the Frenchmen. Hundreds of miles lay between that spot andthe nearest white settlement; and, unless he could get in touch withsome of the Indian tribes along the Missouri, he would starve by thetime 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 catchsmall animals; but, with the coming of cold weather, his case would bepitiful unless he had help.
Dick felt sorry for the man at first. He believed Waller had simplyyielded to temptation when he accepted the Frenchman's gold and agreedto work in his interest.
That feeling, however, did not last long, for, as the man started toleave the camp, he looked at the staring men contemptuously, and, onpassing the two boys, scowled blackly, as the light of the resurrectedfire disclosed.
"We may meet again!" he told Roger as he passed him; and there was adeep significance back of the words.
Perhaps it was fortunate for Andrew Waller that Captain Clark did nothappen to hear what he muttered; for the soldier might have insistedthat some more drastic punishment, than mere dismissal from the camp,be visited upon the culprit. But the threat was not heard by those inauthority, and Waller went out into the darkness, and they saw no moreof him for the time.
During the remainder of the night the boys slept peacefully. It was agreat satisfaction to them both to feel that the mystery had now beensolved, and that they need no longer fear treachery in the camp.
Then again it pleased Dick to know that neither Drewyer nor Fields hadbeen connected with the plot against them, for he was very fond ofboth men, in a way, and had always believed them to be as honest asthey were capable. History has written their names on the scroll ofhonor whereby the heroes of this remarkable enterprise are ever to beremembered.
On the following morning the journey was resumed. Day succeeded day,and in many particulars they were very much alike. The travelershad difficulties to surmount, and often met with delays that wereexasperating; but through it all shone that indomitable spirit thatwould not admit defeat.
"We have come too far to quit now," Captain Lewis would say when theywere facing some new difficulty, "and the only thing to do is to pushahead despite temporary checks. The goal will soon be in sight, and thevictory 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 winthe thanks of the whole nation."
In this manner he cheered them when their spirits drooped. There nevercould have been a finer leader for such a tremendous undertaking thanthe former private secretary of President Jefferson. Every man in allthat company felt that he would willingly go through fire and flood forCaptain Lewis.
From time to time they met with Indians on the river, or came to somevillage on the bank. These natives had never as yet seen white men, andwere, as a rule, disposed to be friendly. They seemed to have learnedabout a Great Father far away toward the rising sun, who was very richand powerful, and whose favor it might pay them to seek.
Among the trappers connected with the party there were always thosewho could communicate with the Indians, partly by signs, but also withthe aid of other and allied Indian tongues. In this way, then, it waspossible to learn much concerning the nature of the country toward thewest.
Strange, indeed, were many of the stories that came to the ears of thetravelers. They heard of burning deserts, where for ten days they wouldfind nothing but wastes of sand, except for a few cacti, or pricklypears. Here they were likely to leave their bones to the vultures andthe prowling coyotes--the latter a small species of the wolf tribe,which the men of the expedition had begun to notice collecting abouttheir camp at nights. These animals kept up a miserable chant inchorus, but they possessed a very cowardly nature, quite unlike thegray timber wolf.
If Captain Lewis and his followers had not possessed stout hearts theywould have been dismayed by all they heard of the country lying beyond.The mountains reached above the clouds, rearing themselves in a mostforbidding way, and were exceedingly rocky and devoid of vegetation.
Besides, there were tribes of fierce Indians living in the deep canyonswho would lie in wait to overwhelm the pilgrims in hopes of obtainingtheir horses and those wonderful sticks that spat out fire. The beastsinhabiting those elevations were also awe inspiring, especially thebears, which, as the travelers already knew, were of the ferociousvariety known as grizzlies.
In spite of all these thrilling stories there was no dispositionmanifested on the part of the explorers to back down. They had alreadymet many perils without flinching, and it was too late now to show thewhite feather.
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sp; The summer was now well along, and, before a great while, they couldexpect to arrive at the headwaters of the Big Muddy. The two captainshad decided that, when it was no longer possible to continue withthe boats, they would make a permanent camp, where a portion of theexpedition could spend the coming winter, while a certain numberpushed on, to cross the rocky barrier and reach the sea, if such anaccomplishment could be carried out.
Every day began to see changes in the flowing current upon which theyhad been voyaging for so many months. Remembering its extreme width,down where their homes were located, it was hard indeed for the boys tobelieve that this narrow ribbon of clear water was the same stream.
"All that its banks hold these days," Dick had explained to Roger whenthe other was expressing these ideas, "comes from the melting snowsaway up in those mountains whose tops we sometimes think we can seefar, far away to the west. That is why it is so clear and cold, and thefish we catch now are not like the ones we have often brought in to ourmothers at home."
"The beautiful one, with the specks that were all the colors of therainbow, must have been some kind of trout," Roger continued, his facelighting up eagerly, for he was a born angler, "and I only hope we areable to catch many more of the same kind. I never tasted such a finefish, 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 justwhere 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 heardCaptain 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 needsattention."
"Let us consider it settled that way, then, Roger; and we shall seewhat sort of luck the best of bait will fetch us. In some of the oldstumps and dead wood we can find big, fat grubs, which I am sure thefish 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 thefeast they had enjoyed when that splendid speckled fish was broiledover the red coals had haunted him ever since.
That afternoon the air was unusually clear, and every one was able tosee, off in the distance, the lofty peaks of the mountain barrier whichmust be scaled by the adventurous travelers before they could hope toreach the slopes, on the west, leading down to the blue waters of thePacific. Somehow the knowledge that on this summer day they had almostarrived at another positive stage of their great undertaking inspiredtheir hearts with fresh hope. And in that cheering atmosphere camp wasmade when the shadows began to fall.
The Pioneer Boys of the Columbia; or, In the Wilderness of the Great Northwest Page 14
