CHAPTER IX
ALONG THE BANK OF THE MISSOURI
“What a shame!” exclaimed Roger, as soon as he could speak.
“Oh! well, it might have been a lot worse,” remarked Dick.
“You mean that we didn’t care very much for old Peter, after all; is that it, Dick?” demanded the other.
“Yes; and, besides, just think what a mess we would have been in if it had been a party of Indian thieves, and they’d made a clean sweep of all our horses,” was the way Dick consoled himself.
Of course his cousin quickly saw things in the same light, as he generally did after Dick had explained his views.
“How lucky,” he went on, “that we were smart enough to build our little cooking fire last night in that hollow, so it couldn’t have been seen a hundred feet away. Only for that this same horse thief must have found out where we had our camp, and tried for the balance of our horses.”
“Well, how can we blame him for picking up a stray animal that seemed to be wandering around without an owner?” asked Dick. “I heard an old trapper and trader tell Captain Lewis one day, when I was hanging around the camp near the settlement, that he would always have lots of trouble keeping his horses; for that was one thing the Indians coveted. After this, we must not let our two animals wander away.”
“I should say not,” Roger returned, vigorously. “Why, it wouldn’t take an Indian ten seconds to throw a leg over one of our fine horses, and be off like a flash. What would be the use of firing after him, when we’d be just as apt to hit the running animal? No, we’ll simply have to be careful—more than ever, now. To lose a horse would ruin our chances for overtaking the expedition, wouldn’t it, Dick?”