"Look! There are white men on the other side of the river!" Deerfoot had observed them and had halted and scrutinized them with no little interest and wonder. The first sight was of six or eight men coming round a bend in the Missouri, all having hold of a long elk-skin rope which, passing over the shoulder of each, was fastened to a large pirogue. Directly behind them was a similar boat, and then six small canoes, the whole string being towed by fully a score of men. The boats contained a large amount of luggage, while a dozen men, one of whom was a negro servant, took turns at the labor. Since the afternoon was drawing to a close the party came to a pause, and the next minute were looking across the stream at the three youths with their four animals, the riders having dismounted, each party much impressed by sight of the other. At the suggestion of Deerfoot, Victor Shelton acted as spokesman. "Helloa!" called the lad, "Who are you?" A man answered in a clear voice: "This is a United States expedition under Captains Lewis and Clark, on its way to the Pacific Ocean. Who are you?" "This is an American expedition under Deerfoot the Shawanoe, on its way from the Pacific Ocean." The man turned and said something to a companion near him. They seemed amused by the reply, and the former speaker called back: "Won't you join us in camp?" "We shall be glad to do so. We are hunting for a ford." "I don't think you will find any. We will send our canoes to you and you can swim your horses over." "We shall be very much obliged, and shall be glad to stay with you till morning." A few minutes later two canoes, each in charge of a single man, put out from the southern shore and were paddled across the Missouri to our friends. The luggage was removed from the back of Zigzag and placed in one of the boats, which was so deeply laden that it could carry no one beside the white man. The other was buoyant enough, though severely taxed, to sustain the four. The horses swam beside the boats. When Deerfoot took his place he said to the white man: "My brother has worked hard. Will he not let Deerfoot take the paddle?" "I have no objection," replied the other, with a grin, "if you think you know how to do it better than I." "No better than my brother, but I hope nearly as well." "Just watch him," added Victor. "If there's anybody on either side of the Mississippi that can beat that Shawanoe handling a canoe, I'll eat him, boots and all." Deerfoot had no wish to display his skill, but since it was impossible for him to paddle without doing that he quickly won the admiration of the fellow, who was tired and glad to be relieved from work. He noted the easy grace and slight effort with which the dusky youth drove the craft athwart the current, quickly leaving the other boat behind, and called to his companion: