Page:Hugh Pendexter--Kings of the Missouri.djvu/363

 seemed to be within jumping distance. One of them tested his memory by repeating:

"'Mr. McKenzie's mighty sorry but he must have th' boat to take Mr. Phinny's dead body down-river.'"

"'All t'other boats bein' needed for company work!'" sullenly completed the second voice.

"Then we're to say that if he ain't in too much of a hurry he can have a boat arter th' rush is over. Mebbe in a week or ten days. I reckon I can tote that talk to th' Three Forks o' th' Missouri an' fetch it back an' never lose a word."

"Shet yer trap an' open yer peepers. We'll soon be able to see things."

This as a tiny spiral of flame ran up a mass of sun-dried debris.

Lander held his breath. He could make out the forms of two men armed with rifles, as they passed between him and the growing fire. The blaze as yet was scarcely under way. Bridger sighed in deep content and murmured:

"They'll be looking up-stream. By the time the fire gits to burning at a good lick they can look up or down an' be cussed, so far as we care. 'Nother three minutes an' we'll be nosing into the Yallerstone."