“Yes, that’s so,” Roger replied, nodding his head to show that he quite agreed with his cousin; “and, do you know, Dick, if only we could find some safe way to get that paper home, after it has been signed by Jasper Williams, I’d like nothing better than to keep right on with Captain Lewis, and go with him all the way to the ocean. Oh! what a glorious thing that would be; and what strange sights we would see when we got to the mountains we’ve heard so much about, that they say reach far up into the clouds, and abound in all sorts of game, such as can be found nowhere else.”
Dick himself heaved a sigh, on hearing his companion speak in that way.
“Yes, that would be almost too good for us to enjoy, Roger,” he said, “much as we might wish it to come true. Our first duty is to make sure that the paper gets to our grandfather, since so much depends on it. I wouldn’t take any chance about its safe delivery, because we would never forgive ourselves if it went astray.”
“But, Dick, if we found that Captain Lewis meant to dispatch some of his men over the back trail, with an important message of his own, telling President Jefferson what success he had met with so far, couldn’t we trust the paper in their charge?”
“Well, we won’t discuss that unless the opportunity comes,” the other remarked; for, to tell the truth, the temptation was almost irresistible, even to steady, reliable Dick Armstrong. Both boys possessed a strong yearning for exploration, and during their various hunts they had sought out new fields in every direction, whenever it was at all possible.
Another temptation had come to Roger with almost every hour of the day. This was the presence of innumerable prairie hens that were flying up from the long grass in every direction, as the horses passed along.
Roger kept his bow and arrows handy, and was frequently tempted to make use of them in trying for some of these plump and edible fowl, which often presented what looked like easy shots; but Dick was for hurrying, and did not wish to delay, at any time, long enough for his companion to creep up on the “chickens.”
But when they rested at noon, or in the early evening stopped to make camp, Roger would be denied his pleasure no longer, but started to stalk some of the ever present birds.
Nor was success wanting, for he succeeded in sending his feathered shafts through a brace of plump hens, which they managed to cook over a fire that was built in a hole dug in the ground, so that the flame might not be seen afar and draw the attention they sought to avoid.
Another day saw them crossing a wide stretch of the prairie, to avoid a slough that seemed to extend for many miles along the border of the river.