Evening star., 1924-02-10
CONTINUED from Yesterdays Starr
CHAPTER Nj.
The Tanning of Patrick Gass.

1t was midnight. For more than
am hour Mcriwether Lewis had sat,
his head dropped, in silence:
I'VE are going to start?" Shannon's
1ace lightened eagerly. Wen be off
at sunup?'
Before that. Get the men--wen
wharf"
Eager enough, Shannon fastened
away on his midnight errand. Within
an hour every man of the little party
was at the waterfront. ready for de-
parture. They found their leader
walking up and down, his head bent,
his hands behind him.
1t was short work enough, the
completion of such plans. as remained
unfinished. The great keel boat lay
completed and equipped at the wharf.
The men lost little time in slowing
such casks and bales as remained un-
shipped. Shannon stepped to his
chief.
"Alrs aboard, sir" said he. Shall
we cast off?''
without word, Lewis nodded and
made his way to his place in the
boat. In the darkness, without
shout or a cheer TO mark its passing,
the expedition was launched on it's
long journey.
Slowly the boat passed along the
waterfront of Pittsburgh town. Here
rose gauntly, in the glare of torch
or campfire, the mast of some half
built schooner. Houseboats We're
drawn up or anchored mongshore,
long pirogues lay moored or beached,
or now and again d giant broadhorn,
already partially loaded with house
hold goods, common carrier for that
human food passing down the great
waterway, stood out blacker than
the shadows in which it lay:
Here and there campfire flickered.
each the center of ribald group
OF the hardy river men. Through
the night came sounds of roiStering,
songs. shouts. Arrested, pent, dam
med up, the lusty life of that great
waterway water leading into into the the west West and
The boat slipped on down, now
crossing a shaft of light flung on the
water from some lamp or fire, now
blending with the ghostlike shadows
passed out of the town itself and
edged into the shade of the forest
that swept continuously for so many
leagues on ahead.
through the darkness, after a time.
Who goes there"
The splash of sweep had attract
ed the attention of some one on shore.
The light of a 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 1 fire on yez to make yez
answer 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
slowly in his seat, casting q glance
over his silent crew.
set in" said he. sharply and
shortly.
Without a 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
followed-as he was by all of his
men-strode on up the bank into the
circle of light made by the campfire.
About the fire lay a dozen or more
men of the hardest of the river type,
which was saying quite enough: for
of all the lawless and desperate char
acters 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, mo-
troubling to accost him.
who hailed us?" demanded the lat
ter shortly.
"Begorrah, twas me-" said a short.
strongly built man, stepping forward
Clad in loose shirt and trousers.
like most of his comrades, he showed
q powerful man, a 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?'
"That is what 1 came ashore to
learn" said Meriwether Lewis. I'VE
are about our business. What con-
Germ is that of yours? L am here to
learn"
"Yez can learn. if we're SO anxious"
replied the other. ",Tis 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 ye to come ashore, tits no
to your facet
1t was the accepted fashion of
challenge known anywhere along
1000 miles Of waterway at that time,
and readiness to fight were the sole
tests of distinction. Woe to the man
who evaded such an issue, once it
WAS offered to him!
The speaker had stepped close to
Lewis-so close that the latter did
not need to advance a foot Instead,
he held his ground, and the chal-
lenger, accepting this as sign of
Willingness for battle, rushed at him,
! with the evident 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 IL bar against
his throat.
At this rebuff he roared like a bull
and, breaking back, rushed in once
more, his giant arms failing. Lewis
swung back half step, and then, so
quickly that none saw the blow, but
n,,I, ,ictI 10 1n -H tnI
on his feet. leaned into his thrust
and smote the joyous challenger so
fell stroke in the throat as laid
him, quivering and helpless. The
brief fight was ended all too soon to
suit the wishes of the spectators,
used to more prolonged and bloodier
encounters.
a sort of gasp, 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
rifie-locks offered the most serious
of warnings.
The sudden appearance of these
visitors, so silent and so prompt
the swiftNact of their leader, without
threat, without warning-the instant
readiness of the others to back their
leaders initiative-caught every one
of these rude fighting men in the
sudden grip of surprise. They hesi-
tated.
Il am no fighting man." said Meri-
wether Lewis, turning to them; ''yet
neither may I be insulted by any lout
who chooses to call me ashore to
thrash him. Do you think that an
officer of the army has no better
business than that? Who are you
that would stop us?'
The group fell back muttering,
lacking concerted action. What
might have occurred in case they had
reached their arms was prevented by
The action of the party of the first