counties
lying directly south is Yellowstone. The boundary between these two is
the Musselshell River, which, flowing directly northward, separates
Custer and Dawson counties, joining the Missouri at the northeastern
corner of Fergus County. It was in the latter part of May, 1805, that
Deerfoot and the two Shelton boys, after a long, wearisome ride and
tramp through a wild and unknown region, broken by mountain spurs and
crossed by numberless streams, arrived at the mouth of the Musselshell.

Even with summer hardly a fortnight off, ice formed at night, flurries
of snow filled the air at times and the camp fire became a necessity.
And yet our friends were plagued by mosquitoes, grass was plentiful,
and there was no lack of game. The party seemed to be sharing the
summer and winter seasons, with the most disagreeable features of both.

Having followed the Missouri so far, Deerfoot said that a crossing
place must be found before the morrow, for it was inevitable that the
farther they went down stream the larger it would become, because of
its numerous tributaries. The Missouri was an eighth of a mile across
at its junction with the Musselshell, but its current was gentle. Not
an Indian had been seen for four days, and Deerfoot was on foot
searching the northern shore for a good crossing place when George
Shelton called out:

"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?"

"Thi