“It looks that way,” Dick answered, between bites. “Pass me the old canteen that we filled with water at that fine spring late this afternoon, and I’ll wash down this dry meat. We’ve been delayed so many times now that the summer is passing away; and, after all, it begins to look as if we might come up with Captain Lewis just when he’s thinking of stopping over to pass the winter. You know we heard him say he felt sure he’d have to do that somewhere short of the big mountains the Indians tell such strange stories about, when bringing in their pelts to the trading posts.”
“But no matter, we’re bound to keep on, if it takes us all the way to the ocean—I’ve heard you say that more than once, Dick, and I know you meant it, too.”
“Yes, I’m just as determined as when we started out to overtake the expedition, and have that paper signed by Jasper Williams. Every time I shut my eyes when trying to go to sleep I can see my father’s troubled face, and how well do I remember discovering the tears in mother’s eyes as she looked around the little home, for I know she was thinking how it would break her heart to have to give it up now.”
“It must never happen, Dick. After coming this far we must succeed, and save the homes of our parents for them. I am twice as set on that as when we first started out. Think of all we’ve gone through; and yet it seems as if the Good Captain above must be watching over us, to keep all harm from overtaking us. Yes, we are going to succeed, if pluck and love can pull us through!”
In this manner the two boys buoyed up each other’s courage. Nor was it at all strange that there arose now and then some necessity for such a thing. The task which they had set for themselves might have well given grown men, experienced forest rangers, cause for hesitation and doubt. The hidden perils of this unknown country had been the subject of campfire talk ever since the lads knew anything; and unconsciously their young minds had been impressed with the idea that many kinds of fierce animals inhabited the country far beyond the Mississippi, in the Land of the Setting Sun. And then there were numerous tribes of warlike Indians roving over the plains, and through the forests in uncounted numbers, and great beasts, the like of which the eyes of hunters had never before seen, having their homes among the sky-piercing mountains lying like a barrier far toward the distant ocean.
The darkness closed in even as they ate their frugal meal and conversed in low whispers. Roger was more than ever on the alert. The many little sounds of the night caused him to listen, and try to determine whether the shrill cry of the cricket, or the monotonous call of the katydid were genuine, or some signal of creeping enemies.
When a whippoorwill suddenly gave out his loud notes from a neighboring tree, the nervous Roger started as if he had been shot, and even thrust forward a hand, as though ready to snatch up his gun.
When finally they had finished eating, Dick seemed to have made up his mind to something that had been worrying him.