Page:Lost with Lieutenant Pike (1919).djvu/153

 IX

A TRY AT THE "GRAND PEAK"

Early in the morning the lieutenant set the men at work cutting down fourteen trees, for stockade logs. A stockade was a fort. This fort was to be only a pen, open on the river and five feet high on the three other sides.

Soldiers John Brown and Terry Miller were the men chosen. That made a party of five. They all took only a blanket or robe apiece, and a little dried meat, besides their guns and Stub's bow and arrows. They started horseback at one o'clock, to cross the river and travel up the north fork, for the Grand Peak.

The men paused long enough to give three cheers, and wave their caps.

"Bon voyage (Good journey)," Baroney called.

"Good luck to yez."

"We'll be lookin' for you back."

"When ye get to the top, be lightin' us a bonfire, Terry."

The lieutenant raised his hat, in reply. The doctor waved, the two soldiers and Stub waved.