“The line of duty is very clear to me. I must go to the mountains.” Such was the young pioneer’s firm reply on the morrow. That very day a boat was starting up the Missouri for the Northwest. The captain was hastily sought and interviewed. The fare was found to be one hundred dollars. “I haven’t that much money,” was the missionary’s frank reply to the statement concerning the sum required. “Well, I have no through passenger, so I’ll take you for seventy-five.” “I’m sorry, but I haven’t got it.” “Well, what in the world are you going to Montana for?” “Oh, to sing and pray, and to encourage people to be good.” The captain eyed the would-be passenger wonderingly. “Well, I have been running this boat for a good many years, but I have never known of a person going to Montana for that purpose,” he exclaimed. “If you will sing and preach for us, I’ll take you for fifty dollars.” The embarrassed young man was forced to admit that he did not have even five dollars; then he made a venture of faith. “If you will take me to Fort Benton, you will find fifty dollars waiting for you here in care of Pastor Crozier when you return,” he said. The good-natured captain agreed. When the boat came into Sioux City again many weeks later, he promptly received the fifty dollars. So much was he impressed by the incident, that he sent the greater part of the money to Montana for the missionary’s work――to help “encourage people to be good.” The debt was paid in a curious manner. A group of friends back in the oil region of Pennsylvania had been following the western journey of the young missionary with deep interest but with no real knowledge of his exact circumstances. They realized, however, that some money would “come in handy,” and without previous notice or arrangement had forwarded to Pastor Crozier, at Sioux City, a sum which made it possible for him to keep the promise which the dauntless Van Orsdel had made to the captain. It was on June 12, 1872, that the boat, the _Far West_, started on its twelve-hundred-mile trip up the Missouri River carrying the missionary to his new work. This proved to be a notable run, the quickest made by any boat to Fort Benton. The reason for the unusual speed was the fact that a rival boat, the _Nellie Peck_, had left Sioux City two days before, and the captain was eager to pass her. In spite of insufficient fuel, hostile Indians, and difficult channels, the _Far West_ came to Fort Benton one hour before the _Nellie Peck_. On the second day out from Sioux City the tenderfoot missionary on the boat saw a battle between hostile Indians on the banks of the river, and the question came to him, “If we are in hostile country so soon, what will it be when we get to Montana?”