"She cannot sit on the keel of it," replied Mr. Gracewood; for the soldiers had placed it bottom upwards on the sticks.
"We kin turn it t'other side up," added Kit. "Drop that boat, sogers."
[Illustration: NIGHT JOURNEY THROUGH THE FOREST. Page 169.]
The men, who were full of sympathy for Ella, laid the boat upon the ground. Kit turned it over, and with the painter and another line, slung it to the poles right side up. Ella seated herself in the barge, and the soldiers lifted it up, placing the poles upon their shoulders. The march was resumed, and occasionally Kit and Mr. Gracewood relieved the men, so that it was not very hard work. We reached the river, and embarked.
"Take care of yourself. There'll be a big fight to-morrer, and the Injuns'll git squeezed."
"I will endeavor to take care of myself," I replied, as we pushed off.
Mr. Gracewood took the oars, and I was permitted to rest myself, after the severe fatigue and excitement of the day.
"Is there any danger now, father?" asked Ella.
"No, child, I don't think there is," replied Mr. Gracewood.
"Do you think there is, Phil?" she added, appealing to me.
"No; but I should like to know where those two dugouts are."
"According to your story, one of them has gone adrift, and the other is up this river," said Mr. Gracewood. "Is your rifle in order, Phil?"
"Then keep a sharp lookout, Phil; and I think we shall be all right."
And we were all right till we reached a point near the mouth of Fish River, where I discovered a dugout moving out into the Missouri, and containing three men.
Mr. Gracewood was not rowing at the time I discovered the dugout, for the swift current of the Missouri gave us sufficient headway, and the oars were only used to keep the boat from whirling. Poor Ella, worn out by the fatigues and perils of the day, had dropped asleep, her head resting upon my shoulder. I only raised my hand, and pointed out the position of the dugout. Mr. Gracewood understood me, and looked in the direction indicated.
The three Indians in the boat were doubtless the ones who had visited the island in the morning. I concluded that they had found the dugout in which I had shot the savage, and which had probably grounded somewhere in the shallow water. But the Indians were not coming towards us, and I judged from their movements that they did not see us. The dugout came into the great river, and then headed down the stream.