Part 5 (1/2)
”Shucks!” exclaimed a raw-boned Missourian. ”That's only a sample he's takin' up ter Bellevue. He ain't worryin' none about a little bottle like that, not with th' bar'ls they got up thar. What you boys up thar do with all th' likker ye take off'n th' boats? n.o.body ever saw none o'
it go back down th' river.”
The baited inspector hurled the bottle far out into the stream and tried to find a way out of the circle, but he was not allowed to break through.
”You said somethin' about Leavenworth bein' careless, or wuss,” said a soldier who was going up to that post. ”We use common sense, up thar.
Thar's as much likker gits past th' agencies on th' land side as ever tried ter git past on th' river. Every man up-bound totes as much o' it as he kin carry. Th' fur company uses judgment in pa.s.sin' it out, fer it don't want no drunken Injuns; but th' free traders don't care a rip. If th' company ain't got it, then th' Injuns trade whar they kin git it; an' that means they'll git robbed blind, an' bilin' drunk in th'
bargain. If I had my way, they'd throw th' hull kit of ye in th' river.”
”That's right,” endorsed a trapper, chuckling, and slapping the inspector on the back with hearty strength. ”You hold this hyar boat to th' bank at Bellevue jest as long as ye kin, parson. It makes better time than th' boys goin' over th' land, an' 'tain't fair ter th' boys.
Think ye kin hold her a hull week, an' give my pardners a chanct ter beat her ter th' Mandan villages?” He looked around, grinning. ”Them Injuns must have a hull pa.s.sel o' furs a-waitin' fer th' first trader.”
”What's th' trouble here?” demanded the captain, pus.h.i.+ng roughly through the crowd. ”What's th' trouble?”
”Nothing but the baiting of a government inspector and a wearer of the cloth,” bitterly answered the encircled minister.
”Oh,” said the captain, relieved. ”Wall, ye git as ye give. Are ye through with th' hold?”
The inspector sullenly regarded him. ”I think so,” he answered.
The captain wheeled to one of the crew. ”Joe, throw on that hatch, lock it, and keep it locked until we get to Bellevue,” he snapped. ”We're ready to comply with government regulations, at the proper time and place. You and your friends can root around all you want after we get to Bellevue. The next time I find you in the hold with a lighted candle I'll take it away from you and lock you in there.” He turned, ordered the crowd to disperse and went back to the texas.
It was an old story, this struggle to get liquor past the posts to the upper Missouri, and there were tricks as yet untried. From the unexpected pa.s.sage of this up-bound inspector, going out to his station at the agency, and his officious nosings, it was believed by many that any liquor on board would not have a chance to get through. And why should the _Belle_ be carrying it, since her destination and turning point was Bellevue?
”Is it true that liquor is smuggled up the river?” asked Patience as the inspector became lost to sight below.
Her companions laughed in unison.
”They not only try to get it up,” answered Tom, ”but they succeed. I've been watching that sour-faced parson on his restless ramblings about the boat, and I knew at once that there must be a game on. Sometimes their information is correct. However, I'll back the officers of this packet against him, any time.”
”I'm afraid you'd win your bet, Mr. Boyd,” choked the uncle.
”Uncle Joe! What do you know about it?” asked his niece accusingly.
”Nothing, my dear; not a single thing!” he expostulated, raising his hands in mock horror, his eyes resting on three new yawls turned bottomside up on the deck near the bow. He mentally pictured the half-dozen bullboats stowed on the main deck near the stern, each capable of carrying two tons if handled right, and he shook with laughter. This year the fur company's boat carried no liquor and its captain would insist on a most thorough inspection at Bellevue; but the fur posts on the upper river would be overjoyed by what she would bring to them. After the inspection she would proceed on her calm way, and tie against the bank at a proper distance above the agency; just as the _Belle_ would spend a night against the bank at a proper distance below Bellevue; and what the latter would run ash.o.r.e after midnight, when the inquisitive minister was deep in sleep, would be smuggled upstream in the smaller boats during the dark of the night following, and be put aboard the fur boat above.
”Uncle Joe!” said his niece. ”You know something!”
”G.o.d help the man that don't!” snorted her uncle. ”Look there!”
A heavily loaded Mackinaw boat had shot around the next bend. It was of large size, nearly fifty feet long and a dozen wide. In the bow were four men at the great oars and in the stern at the tiller was the _patron_, singing in l.u.s.ty and not unpleasant voice and in mixed French and English, a song of his own composing.
Patience put a finger to her lips and enjoined silence, leaning forward to catch the words floating across the turbulent water, and to her they sounded thus:
_”Mon pere Baptiste for Pierre Chouteau He work lak dam in le ol' bateau; From Union down le ol' Missou Lak chased, by gar, by carcajou._
_”Le coureurs des bois, le voyageur, too, He nevaire work so hard, mon Dieu, Lak Baptiste pere an' Baptiste fils, Coureurs avant on le ol' Missou._
_”McKenzie say: 'Baptiste Ladeaux, Thees lettaire you mus' geeve Chouteau; Vous are one dam fine voyageur-- So hurry down le ol' Missou._
_”Go get vous fils an' vous chapeau, You mebby lak Mackinaw bateau'-- Lak that he say, lak one dam day Le voyage weel tak to ol' St. Lou!”_
As the square stern of the fur-laden boat came opposite the packet the mercurial _patron_ stopped his song and shouted: ”_Levez les perches!_”