In a few moments the bow of the first steamer emerged from behind the timber point, and then appeared her tall smoke stacks, with the little pilot-house between them, towering above the dazzling white woodwork of her cabins. "The _Chippewa Falls_!" exclaimed every one in a breath, as she steamed majestically into full view. Close behind her came the Alone and then the spectators watched the bend for the third steamer, the old _Island City_, so pleasantly remembered by the staff officers. But she did not appear; and shortly the _Chippewa Falls_ glided up to the bank and a landing plank was thrown out. General Sully stepped aboard and heartily grasped the hand of Captain Hutchison, saying, "I am delighted to see you, Captain. We are badly in need of you. How long have you been waiting for us?" "Ten days," replied Captain Hutchison, broadly smiling his pleasure at seeing the army after his tedious days of expectation. "So long? I congratulate you on your quick trip up this unknown river," said the General. "Rea, back here with the _Alone_, and I, have been the first to navigate it," replied the Captain, with a little pardonable pride. "Rea and you?" exclaimed the General, anxiously. "Where is Lamont with the _Island City_?" "I'm sorry to tell you, General Sully," returned Captain Hutchison, "that the _Island City_ struck a snag a couple of miles below the mouth of the Yellowstone on the evening we were entering. She sank very quickly and boat and cargo are a total loss, though Lamont is trying to get the engines out of her and hopes that one of the boats coming down from Fort Benton will take them on board and carry them to St. Louis for him." General Sully and his officers stood aghast at this disastrous piece of news. Finally the Assistant Adjutant General, Captain Pell, spoke up. "That puts us in fine shape," he lamented. "She had nearly all the corn, didn't she?" "Fifty thousand pounds," replied General Sully, looking very much chagrined. "And most of the barrelled pork, and the building materials for the post on the Yellowstone. We shall have to give up building that this year. How much corn have you aboard, Captain?" he asked, addressing Captain Hutchison. "Very little; three or four thousand pounds," the other replied. "The _Alone_ has about the same." "Enough for about one feed for all the stock in the command," said the General. "We shall have to pull out for Fort Union as quickly as possible." "Yes, sir," Captain Hutchison interrupted; "and not only on account of your troops and animals, but on account of the boats. The river is falling very fast and I doubt if we can get over the shoals below here now without lightening the boats and double-tripping, or else using the army wagons to haul cargo around the shallow places."