ousand things have
delayed us. Are you ready to start?"

"In ten minutes--in five minutes. I will have my boy York go up and
get my rifle and my bags."

"Your brother, General Clark, how is he?"

William Clark shrugged with a smile which had half as much sorrow as
mirth in it.

"The truth is, Merne, the general's heart is broken. He thinks that
his country has forgotten him."

"Forgotten him? From Detroit to New Orleans--we owe it all to George
Rogers Clark. It was he who opened the river from Pittsburgh to New
Orleans. He'll not need, now, to be an ally of France again. Once more
a member of your family will be in at the finding of a vast new
country!"

"Merne, I've sold my farm. I got ten thousand dollars for my
place--and so I am off with you, not with much of it left in my
pockets, but with a clean bill and a good conscience, and some of the
family debts paid. I care not how far we go, or when we come back. I
thank Mr. Jefferson for taking me on with you. 'Tis the gladdest time
in all my life!"

"We are share and share alike, Will," said his friend Lewis, soberly.
"Tell me, can we get beyond the Mississippi this fall, do you think?"

"Doubtful," said Clark. "The Spanish of the valley are not very well
reconciled to this Louisiana sale, and neither are the French. They
have been holding all that country in partnership, each people afraid
of the other, and both showing their teeth to us. But I hear the
commission is doing well at St. Louis, and I presume the transfer will
be made this fall or winter. After that they cannot stop us from going
on. Tell me, have you heard anything of Colonel Burr's plan? There
have come new rumors of the old attempt to separate the West from the
government at Washington, and he is said to have agents scattered from
St. Louis to New Orleans."

He did not note the sudden flush on his friend's face--indeed, gave
him no time to answer, but went on, absorbed in his own executive
details.

"What sort of men have you in your party, Merne?"

"Only good ones, I think. Young Shannon and an army sergeant by the
name of Gass, Patrick Gass--they should be very good men. I brought on
Collins from Maryland and Pete Weiser from Pennsylvania, also good
stuff, I think. McNeal, Potts, Gibson--I got those around Carlisle. We
need more men."

"I have picked out a few here," said Clark. "You know Kentucky breeds
explorers. I have a good blacksmith, Shields, and Bill Bratton is
another blacks