“I believe I do,” was the reply. “From what I’ve picked up here and there it appears to be the plan to leave part of the expedition in camp somewhere along the upper reaches of the Missouri until next year, while the rest make a dash for the Coast on the horses.”
“It was fixed,” continued Dick, “that Captain Clark should lead the party headed for the sea; but I have heard since that Captain Lewis has changed his mind. He doesn’t feel like being cheated out of that glorious sight after all he has passed through.”
“And who can blame him?” burst out the impetuous Roger. “I only hope they let us keep along with them. We have a horse apiece, you know, and could easily hold our own when it came to hunting for game.”
“Captain Lewis promised that we should set eyes on the sea if any one in the party did, and he is a man of his word, you know.”
“I should never get over the disappointment,” declared Roger, “if anything prevented us from keeping on to the end. We have made great sacrifices in order to be in the company. Besides, I am fairly burning to set eyes on some of the many wonders we expect to meet with in crossing the big mountains of rock. The Indians have kept telling us about strange animals to be encountered there.”
“Those mountains,” Dick went on to say, “are the home of the terrible brown bear which Captain Lewis has called the grizzly. We know how they can fight, because we had an experience in a cave with one that we’re not likely ever to forget.”[5]
“Yes,” added Roger, “and according to the Indians’ way of doing, we’re entitled to wear those dreadful claws around our necks, after slaying the monster at close quarters. Whenever you run across an Indian with the claws of a grizzly bear worn as a necklace you can count on it that he’s proved his right to the name of warrior.
“Then we’ve also heard of a beast living among the crags of these mountains that has immense curved horns, upon which he alights after throwing himself from some lofty height. That may be only a fairy story, but I’d like to see for myself if there’s any truth in it.