says I can whip you or
anny man of your boat. And if that aint cause for ye to come ashore,
'tis no fighting man ye are, an' I'll say that to your face!"

It was the accepted fashion of challenge known anywhere along two
thousand miles of waterway at that time, in a country where physical
prowess and readiness to fight were the sole tests of distinction. Woe
to the man who evaded such an issue, once it was offered to him!

The speaker had stepped close to Lewis--so close that the latter did
not need to advance a foot. Instead, he held his ground, and the
challenger, accepting this as a sign of willingness for battle, rushed
at him, with the evident intent of a rough-and-tumble grapple after
the fashion of his kind. To his surprise, he was held off by the
leveled forearm of his opponent, rigid as a bar against his throat.

At this rebuff he roared like a bull, and breaking back rushed in once
more, his giant arms flailing. Lewis swung back half a step, and then,
so quickly that none saw the blow, but only its result was visible, he
shifted on his feet, leaned into his thrust, and smote the joyous
challenger so fell a stroke in the throat as laid him quivering and
helpless. The brief fight was ended all too soon to suit the wishes of
the spectators, used to more prolonged and bloodier encounters.

A sort of gasp, a half roar of surprise and anger, came from the group
upon the ground. Some of the party rose to their feet menacingly. They
met the silent front of the boat party, the clicking of whose
well-oiled rifle-locks offered the most serious of warnings.

The sudden appearance of these visitors, so silent and so
prompt--the swift act of their leader, without threat, without
warning--the instant readiness of the others to back their leader's
initiative--caught every one of these rude fighting men in the
sudden grip of surprise. They hesitated.

"I am no fighting man," said Meriwether Lewis, turning to them; "yet
neither may I be insulted by any lout who chooses to call me ashore to
thrash him. Do you think that an officer of the army has no better
business than that? Who are you that would stop us?"

The group fell back muttering, lacking concerted action. What might
have occurred in case they had reached their arms was prevented by the
action of the party of the first part in this _rencontre_--of the
second part, perhaps, he might better have been called. The fallen
warrior sat up, rubbing his throat; he strugg