ey go each day?" demanded Jesse, "and how often did they
eat?"

They all broke out in a roar of laughter over Jesse's appetite.

"They ate when they could," answered Uncle Dick, "for they had their
hands full, working that big scow upstream. She was loaded heavy, and
they often had to drag her on the line. When the line broke, as it did
several times, she'd swing into the current and there'd be trouble to
pay.

"How far did they go? Well, that's really hard to say. They usually set
down the courses and distances on the bends. For instance, here is the
first record of that sort, May 15th. 'S{t}' means starboard, right-hand
side going up, and 'L{bd}' means larboard, to the left.

"'Course and Distance assending the Missourie Tuesday May 15.

Course M{ls}
West 1-0--To p{t} on S{t} Side
N 80 deg.W 2-0--" " " " "
N 11 deg.W 2-1/2--" " " " "
N 20 deg.W 1-1/2--" " " L{bd} "
S 10 deg.W 1-1/2--" " " S{t} "
S 22 deg.W 1-0--" " " " "
-----
9-1/2'

"We'll not try to keep our own courses, and we'll have to guess at our
distances except as we can estimate it from average speed, which is what
they also did. I suppose it seemed a long way. Patrick Gass says it was
three thousand and ninety-six miles to the head of the river. Anyhow,
they didn't make it as soon as we shall."

They ran on steadily, both motors firing perfectly and the sun bright
overhead, while the fresh breeze back of them still held fair for most
of the bends. They made St. Charles by noon, as had been predicted, but
did not pause, eating their lunch aboard as they traveled.

"Our captains didn't do this," said Rob. "As near as I can learn, they
camped and cooked on shore. And they certainly got plenty of game."

"I know!" said Jesse, his mouth full of bread and marmalade. "Deer and
turkey all along in here, then."

"Sure!" added John. "Thirty deer, four bear, and two wolves in the first
six weeks."

Uncle Dick sighed. "Well, we'll have to live on rolls and marmalade, and
if Jesse's appetite holds we'll have to make a good many towns for
supplies. More's the pity, there's a good town now about every ten miles
or so--two dozen towns in the first two hundred and fifty miles."

"Aw now!" said Jesse. "Aw now! I guess a fellow can't help getting
hungry. Maybe we can catch some fish, a