Here again, by that strange good fortune which seemed to guide them, they arrived just in time to see the canoes of Gass and his men coming down the Missouri. These latter had made the grand portage at the falls, had taken up all the caches, and had brought the contents with them. The stars still fought for the Volunteers for the Discovery of the West.
There was no time to wait. The Blackfeet would be coming soon. Lewis abandoned his horses here. The entire party took to the boats, and hurried down the river as fast as they could, paddling in relays, day and night. Gaunt, eager, restless, moody, silent, their leader neither urged his men nor chided them, nor did he refer to the encounter with the Blackfeet. He did not need to, with Drouillard to describe it to them all a dozen times.
At times it was necessary for the boats to stop for meat, usually a short errand in a country alive with game; and, as was his custom, Lewis stepped ashore one evening to try for a shot at some near by game--elk, buffalo, antelope, whatever offered. He had with him Cruzatte, the one-eyed Frenchman. It was now that fortune frowned ominously almost for the first time.
The two had not been gone more than a few minutes when the men remaining at the boat heard a shot--then a cry, and more shouting. Cruzatte came running back to them through the bushes, calling out at the top of his voice: "The captain! I've keeled him--I've keeled the captain--I've shot him!"
"What is that you're saying?" demanded Patrick Gass. "If you've done that, you would be better dead yourself!"
He reached out, caught Cruzatte's rifle, and flung it away from him.
"Where is he?" he demanded.
Cruzatte led the way back.
"I see something move on the bushes," said he, "and I shoot. It was not elk--it was the captain. Mon Dieu, what shall we do?"
They found Captain Lewis sitting up, propped against a clump of willows, his legging stripped to the thigh. He was critically examining the path of the bullet, which had passed through the limb. At seeing him still alive, his men gave a shout of joy, and Cruzatte received a parting kick from his sergeant.
There were actual tears in the eyes of some of the men as they gathered around their commander--tears which touched Meriwether Lewis deeply.
"It is all right, men!" said he. "Do not be alarmed. Do not reprove the man too much. The sight of a little blood should not trouble you. We are all soldiers. This is only an accident of the trail, and in a short time it will be mended. See, the bone is not broken!"