Lost with Lieutenant Pike / How from the Pawnee Village the boy named Scar Head marched with the young American Chief clear into the Snowy Mountains; how in the dead of winter they searched for the Lost River and thought that they had found it; and how the Spanish Soldiery came upon them and took them down to Santa Fé of New Mexico, where another surprise awaited them

by Edwin L. Sabin

“What year is it now, please?”

“We’ve jest turned into 1807.”

“I guess that was three years ago, then.”

“And whereabouts in the mountains?”

“Near the head of the Platte River.”

“For gosh’ sake!” Freegift blurted. “We all jest come from there’bouts. But you didn’t say nothin’, an’ we didn’t see no gold.”

“I didn’t remember.”

“Well, we won’t be goin’ back, though; not for all the gold in the ’arth. Were you all alone up there?”

“My father—he was there. Some other men had started, but they quit. Then we met the Indians, and they were friendly till they stole me.”

“Did they kill your father?”