at
all our own other trips."

"Depends on how many hours you work," said Frank. "We don't belong to
the longshoremen's union, you know. Some days we might travel twelve
hours, if we'd nothing else to do. And I don't think there's much
fishing, and it would be off season for shooting, most of the time."

"I'll tell you," said Uncle Dick, after a time. "I doubt if we could do
it all the way by boat by September. But I'll see your teacher, here in
St. Louis, where we're all going to winter this year, and arrange with
him to let you study outside for the first few weeks of the fall term in
case we don't get back. You'll have to work while you travel, understand
that."

The boys all agreed to this and gave their promise to do their best, if
only they could be allowed to make this wonderful trip over the first
and greatest exploring trail of the West.

"It can perhaps be arranged," said Uncle Dick.

"You mean, it has been arranged!" said Rob. "You've spoken to our school
principal!"

"Well, yes, then! And you can cut off a little from the spring term,
too. But it's all on condition that you come back also with a knowledge
of that much history, additional to your regular studies."

"Oh, agreed to that!" said Rob; while John and Jesse began to drop their
books and eagerly come closer to their older guide and companion.

"What'll we need to take?" asked John. "We can't live on the country as
we did up North."

"Cut it light, young men. One week's grub at a time, say. The little
tent, with a wall, and the poles along--we can spread it on the boat if
we like."

"Not the mosquito tent?" asked Jesse.

"No, not after the seasoning you chaps have had in the North. Some
mosquitoes, but not so many for us old-timers. Take bars, no head nets.
We're not tenderfeet, you see."

"A blanket, a quilt, and an eiderdown quilt each?" suggested John.

"You'll not! Did Lewis and Clark have eiderdown?"

"No, but they had buffalo robes!"

"And so have we!" Uncle Dick laughed aloud in triumph. "I found three in
an old fur trader's loft here, and--well, I bought them. He'd forgotten
he had them--forty years and more. A blanket and a quilt and a robe
each, or Jesse and John to divide the biggest robe--and there we are!"

"A tarp to go over all," said Rob.

"Yes. And our regular mess kit. And the usual wool scout clothes and
good shoes and soft hat. That's about all. Two trout rods, for the
mountains. One shotgun for luck, and one .