ore, and to have all in readiness for their arrival. Frank had
purchased a strong, serviceable horse for his own riding, and a pony for
his baggage, together with blankets and other necessaries for the
journey. His mining outfit he decided to get at Sacramento, as, although
the cost would be considerable, he did not wish to encumber himself with
it on his journey across the plains. The rifle and revolver had been
presented him by Mr. Willcox, and he determined to practise steadily
with both on his voyage up the river, as his life might depend on his
proficiency with his weapons.

The voyage up the Mississippi and Missouri was performed without any
notable adventure, although in the little-known waters of the upper
river the tug ran several times aground. Those on board the flats had
but little to do, their duties being confined to pumping out the water
when there was any leakage; and the negroes had been taken up more for
the purpose of unloading the cargo, carrying it to its destination, and
putting up the store, than for any service they could render on the
voyage. Frank, who had laid in a large store of ammunition for the
purpose, amused himself by practising with his pistol at a bottle towed
behind the scow, or with his rifle at floating objects in the stream, in
feeding and taking care of his horses, and in listening to many yarns
from Hiram.

"I can tell you, lad," the latter said one day, when, after passing St.
Louis, they had entered the waters of the Missouri, "thar have been
changes on this river since I was a youngster. I was raised at St.
Louis, which was not much more than a frontier town in those days, and
most of the work lay below; here and there there was a farm on the
Missouri, but they got thinner as they got higher up, and long before we
got to where we are going it was all Indian country. I used to go up
sometimes with traders, but I never liked the job: first, I didn't like
selling 'fire-water,' as they called it, to the Indians, for it made
them mad, and brought on quarrels and wars; in the next place, it was a
dangerous business. The Indians used to meet the traders at some place
they had appointed beforehand, and there would be big feastings;
sometimes the traders would come back with the boat loaded up with
buffalo robes and skins, and Indian blankets, and such like; once or
twice they didn't come back at all, and it was just a mercy that I
didn't stay behind with them on one of the trips.