was the patron, singing in lusty 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 père Baptiste for Pierre Chouteau He work lak dam in le ol' bateau; From Union down le ol' Missou Lak chased, by gar, by carcajou.  [Pg 53]"Le coureurs des bois, le voyageur, too, He nevaire work so hard, mon Dieu, Lak Baptiste père 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!" 

He work lak dam in le ol' bateau;

Lak chased, by gar, by carcajou.

[Pg 53]

He nevaire work so hard, mon Dieu,

Coureurs avant on le ol' Missou.

Thees lettaire you mus' geeve Chouteau;

So hurry down le ol' Missou.

You mebby lak Mackinaw bateau'—

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!" and the four oars rose from the water and shot into the air, vertical and rigid. The pilot of the steamboat, chancing to be in the pilot house, blew a series of short blasts in recognition, causing the engineer to growl something about wasting his steam. The crew of the Mackinaw boat arose and cheered, the patron firing his pistol into the air. Gay vocal exchanges took place between the two boats, and the patron, catching sight of Patience, placed a hand over his heart and bowed, rattling off habitant French. She waved in reply and watched the boat forge 

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