Journal_, boys--one of the
simplest and most manly books ever written. As I said, it was long
forgotten and came near being ruined.

"The book of Patrick Gass got out first, and it had many publishers on
both sides the ocean--though, of course, it had to be rewritten a great
deal. Up to 1851 there had been fifteen real and fake Lewis and Clark
books printed, in English, French, and German; and there are about a
dozen books with Sergeant Patrick Gass as the 'author.'

"They had no cameras in those days, but those men brought out exact word
pictures of that land and its creature inhabitants. The spelling we must
forget--that day was different and schools were rare. But good minds and
bodies they surely had. They were not traders or trappers--they were
explorers and adventurers in every sense of the word, and gentlemen as
well.

"But now," concluded Uncle Dick, "that'll do for the story of the
_Journal_. We've got it with us, and will use it right along. We're all
ready, now? Well, let's be off, for now I see the wind is with us, and
it's even more than William Clark started with when his three boats left
the Wood River and started up the Missouri. He said they had a 'jentle
brease.'

"Off we go--on the greatest waterway in all the world, and on the trail
of the greatest explorers the world has ever known."

"Now then," commanded Rob, laying hold of the rail. "Heave--o!"
The others also pushed. The good ship _Adventurer_ swung free of the
sand and lay afloat. They sprang in. Uncle Dick steadied her with the
oars. Jesse and John went ahead to trim ship. Rob gave a couple of
turns to the flywheels of the two outboard motors and adjusted his feet
to the special steering gear. The doubled motors began their busy
sput-sput-sput! Like a thing of life the long craft, _Adventurer, of
America_, turned into the current of the great Missouri, the echoes of
the energetic little engines echoing far and wide.

CHAPTER V

OFF UP THE RIVER

"She's riding fine, sir," called Rob to Uncle Dick, over the noise of
the two little propellers that kept the gunwales trembling. "I can head
her square into the mid current and buck her through!"

Uncle Dick smiled and nodded. "It's going to be all right! She rides
like a duck. Spread that foresail, Frank, you and Jesse. We'll do our
six miles an hour, sure as shooting! Haul that foresail squarer, Jesse,
so she won't spill the wind. Now, Rob, keep her dead ahead."

"How far did th