nce more. "We have a guide even here.
We are the luckiest of men!"

"Soon we come where three rivers," said Sacajawea one day. They
had passed to the south and west through the first range of
mountains--through that Gate of the Mountains near to the rich gold
fields of the future State of Montana. "By and by, three rivers--I
know!"

And it was as she had said. The men, wearied to the limit by the toil
of getting the boats upstream by line and setting pole, at last found
their mountain river broken into three separate streams.

"We will camp here," said the leader. "We are tired, we have worked
long and hard!"

"My people come here," said Sacajawea, "plenty time. Here the
Minnetarees struck my people--five snows ago that was. They caught me
and took me with them, so I find Charbonneau among the Mandans. Here
my people live!"

Without hesitation she pointed out that one of the three forks of the
Missouri which led off to the westward--the one that Meriwether Lewis
called the Jefferson.

And now every man in the party felt that they were on the right path
as they turned into that stream; but at the Beaver Head Rock--well
known to all the Indians--they went into camp once more.

"Captains make medicine now," said Sacajawea to Charbonneau, her
husband.

For once more the captains hesitated. There were many passes, many
valleys, many trails. Which was the way? The men grew sullen again.

They lay in camp for days, sending out parties, feeling out the way;
but the explorers always came back uncertain. It was Clark who led
these scouting parties now, for Lewis was well-nigh broken down in
health.

One night, alone, the leader sat by his little fire, thinking,
thinking, as so often he did now. The stars, unspeakably brilliant,
lit up the wild scene about him. This was the wilderness! He had
sought it all his life. All his life it had called to him aloud. What
had it done for him, after all? Had it taught him to forget?

Two years now had passed, and still he saw a face which would not go
away. Still there arose before him the same questions whose debate had
torn his soul, worn out his body, through these weary months.

"You will be cold, sir," said one of the men solicitously, as he
passed on his way to guard mount. "Shall I fetch your coat?"

Lewis thanked him, and the man brought from his tent the captain's
uniform coat, which he had forgotten. Absently he sought to put it on,
and felt something crinkling in