ted.

"She say here in dis spot is where de Snake camp was surprise' by de
Minnetaree, five years ago, an' chase' into de timber," announced
Drouillard the hunter. "De Minnetaree keel four warrior an' capture
four boy an' all de women. She was capture' here, herself."

Hurrah! the trail was getting warm. The canoes had to be hauled by
tow-lines, with Sacagawea proudly riding in one of them and helping to
fend off with a pole. She had not been here since she was a girl of
eleven or twelve, but she caught more landmarks.

"Dat is w'at ze Snake call ze Beaver's Head," proclaimed Chaboneau,
whose feet had given out. "Ze Snake spen' deir summer 'cross ze
mountains jes' ze odder side. She t'ink we sure to meet some on dis
side, to hunt ze boof'lo. Mebbe furder up one leetle way."

Captain Lewis took three men and struck out, to find an Indian trail
and follow it into the mountains.

"I'll not come back until I've met with the Snakes," he asserted.

He was gone a long time. The shallow river, full of rapids and shoals,
curved and forked and steadily shrank. But although Sacagawea eagerly
peered, and murmured to herself, no Indians appeared.

The water was icy cold, from the snow range. This was middle August,
in extreme southwestern Montana (a high country). The nights were
cold, too. Game grew scarce. Three thousand miles had been logged
off, from St. Louis. Unless the company could get guides and horses
from the Snakes, and travel rapidly, they would be stuck, for the
winter--likely enough starve; at any rate be forced to quit.

By August 16 Captain Lewis had not returned. Captain Clark set out
afoot, with Sacagawea and Chaboneau, to walk across country. The
Snakes simply must be found.

The toiling boats rounded a great bend, and a shout arose.

"There's Clark! He's sighted Injuns, hasn't he?"

"So has Sacagawea! Sure she has! See?"

"Injuns on horseback, boys! Hooray!"

For Captain Clark, yonder up the curve, was holding high his hand, palm
front, in the peace sign. Sacagawea had run ahead, little Toussaint
bobbing in the net on her back; she danced as she ran; she ran back
again to him, sucking her fingers.

"Dat mean she see her own peoples!" panted Cruzatte the chief boatman,
who was a trapper and trader, too, and knew Indians. "Dere dey come,
on de hoss. Hooray!"

"Hooray!"

What a relief! The Indians were prancing and singing. They made the
captain mount one of the horses,