ment.
At the foot of the mountain in Montreal the great
Northwester was building a palace, fit abode for "the
lord of the lakes and the forest," when the summons came
in 1804. Up the rivers and lakes the word was carried
into the uttermost wilds,—"McTavish is dead." Thus
it came to Lewis and Clark, this last news from the outer
world.
The meeting at Fort William had been held without him,—McTavish was dead.
He was the head and front of the Northwest Company. Under the King, Simon McTavish ruled Canada, ruled half of British America, making Hudson's Bay tremble on her northern sea.
The quick wit of the American born of Irish parents belonged to Patrick Gass. While others were struggling toward an idea, Pat had already seized it. Brave, observant, of good sense, and hating the British, he kept an eye on Larocque.
"Do not trust that Frinchman."
Larocque had a stock of goods to trade. He lingered around Fort Mandan, and offered to go over the mountains with Lewis and Clark, but they politely declined. Already Larocque knew of the order at Fort William. His own brother-in-law, Quesnel, was to be the companion of Fraser's voyage, and was to leave, like Fraser, his name on the rivers of British Columbia.
Then there was trouble with Charboneau. He became independent and impudent and demanded higher wages. Somebody was tampering with Charboneau. Suddenly flaming with new raiment, gay vests, and yards of blue and scarlet cloth, he announced:
"I weel not work. I weel not stand guard. I eenterpreteur,—do as I pleese, return wheen I pleese."
"We can dispense with your services," coolly answered the Captains. Charboneau stepped back, surprised.
Ignoring his presence, preparations were hurried on. The boats, the troublesome, cracking, warping cottonwood boats, were hauled to the fort and pitched and calked and tinned, until at last they were ready to try the water. No one spoke to the Frenchman, no one noticed him as he lingered expectan
