"Helloa!" called the lad, "Who are you?"
A man answered in a clear voice:
"This is a United States expedition under Captains Lewis and Clark, on its way to the Pacific Ocean. Who are you?"
"This is an American expedition under Deerfoot the Shawanoe, on its way from the Pacific Ocean."
The man turned and said something to a companion near him. They seemed amused by the reply, and the former speaker called back:
"Won't you join us in camp?"
"We shall be glad to do so. We are hunting for a ford."
"I don't think you will find any. We will send our canoes to you and you can swim your horses over."
"We shall be very much obliged, and shall be glad to stay with you till morning."
A few minutes later two canoes, each in charge of a single man, put out from the southern shore and were paddled across the Missouri to our friends. The luggage was removed from the back of Zigzag and placed in one of the boats, which was so deeply laden that it could carry no one beside the white man. The other was buoyant enough, though severely taxed, to sustain the four. The horses swam beside the boats.