The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-23
(Continued.)

Here and there campfres fickered
each the center of a ribald group
Of the hardy rivermen. Through the
night came sounds Of FOSTERING, songs
shouts. Arrested, pent, damned up
! the lusty life of that great waterway
leading into the west and south scarce
took time for sleep.
The boat slipped on down, now cross
ing aishaft Of light flung On the water
from some lamp or fire, now blending
with the ghostlike shadows which lay
in the moonless night. 1t passed out
of the town itself and edged into the
shade Of the forest that swept continu
ously for SO many leagues on ahead.
"Hello, therey' called voice through
the darkness after a time. "Who goes
there?''
The splash of a sweep had attracted
the attention of some one on shore.
The light Of campfire showed.
Every one in the boat looked at the
leader, but none vouchsafed a reply to
the hail.
"Ahoy, there, the boat!' insisted the
same voice.
Shall fire on yez to make yez an
swer q civil question? Come ashore
vance, can lick the best of yez in
three minutes or me names not Pat
rick Gass!'
The captain of the boat turned slow
ly in his seat, casting a glance over his
silent crew.
"Set in!' said he sharply and shortly.
Without word they obeyed, and
with oar and steering sweep the great
craft slowly swung inshore.
Lewis stepped from the boat and,
not waiting to see whether he was fol-
lowed, as he was by all of his men,
strobe on up the bank into the circle
of light made by the campfire. About
the fire lay q dozen or more men Of the
hardest Of the river type, which was
saying quite enough, for Of all the law
less and desperate characters Of the
frontier none have ever surpassed In
reckless audacity and turbulence the
men Of the old boat trade of the Ohio
and the Mississippi
These fellows lay idly looking at
Lewis as he entered the light, not trou-
bling to accost him.
"Who hailed u.s." demanded the lat
ter shortly.
q "Begorrah, twas me- said a short,
strongly built man, stepping forward
from the other side Of the fire.
Clad in loose shirt and trousers, like
most of his comrades, he showed a
powerful man, shock Of reddish hair
falling over his eyes, a bull-like neck
rising above his open shirt in such
fashion that the size Of his shoulder
muscles might easily be seen.
Twas me hailed yez, and what of
it?'
4That is what I came ashore to
learn" said Meriwether Lewis. eve
are about our business. What concern
is that Of yours? I am here to learn"
.Yez can learn If ye're SO anxious"
replied the other It's me have got
three drinks of Monongahaly In me
that says can whip you or amy man
Of your boat And If that amt cause
for We to come ashore It's no fighting
man We are. an I'll say that to your
face"
: 1t was the accepted fashion Of chal-
lenge known anywhere along 1900
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 Of
fered to him!
The speaker had stepped close to
Lewis, SO close that the latter did not
need to advance foot. Instead he
held his ground, and the challenger,
accepting this as a sign of willingness
for battle, rushed at him with the evil
dent 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 bull
and, breaking back, rushed in once
more. his giant arms failing. Lewis
swung tack half step, and then, SO
quickly that none saw the blow, but
only it's result was visible, he shifted
on his feet, leaned into his thrust and
smote the joyous challenger SO fell
stroke in the throat as laid him quiv
ering and helpless. The brief fight was
ended all too soon to suit the wishes
Of the spectators, used to more pro
lOnged and bloodier encounters.
A sort Of gasp, a half roar of sur
prise 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 warn
ings.
The sudden appearance of these Wis
itors, so silent and SO prompt; the swift
act of their leader without threat
without warning; the instant readiness