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THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE MISSOURI

[Illustration]

OR: IN THE COUNTRY OF THE SIOUX




THE YOUNG PIONEER SERIES

BY HARRISON ADAMS

ILLUSTRATED

[Illustration]


    THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE OHIO,
      Or: Clearing the Wilderness                 $1.25

    THE PIONEER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES,
      Or: On the Trail of the Iroquois             1.25

    THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
      Or: The Homestead in the Wilderness          1.25

    THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE MISSOURI,
      Or: In the Country of the Sioux              1.25

_Other Volumes in Preparation_

[Illustration]

    THE PAGE COMPANY
    53 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass.

[Illustration: "A SQUAW DARTED FORWARD,... AND, SEIZING HOLD OF
ROGER, LOOKED EAGERLY IN HIS FACE."

_See page 335._]




The Young Pioneer Series


THE PIONEER BOYS OF THE MISSOURI OR: IN THE COUNTRY OF THE SIOUX

    By HARRISON ADAMS
    Author of "The Pioneer Boys of the Ohio," "The Pioneer Boys
    on the Great Lakes," "The Pioneer Boys of the
    Mississippi," etc.

[Illustration]

    Illustrated by
    WALTER S. ROGERS


    THE PAGE COMPANY
    BOSTON [Illustration] MDCCCCXIV




[Illustration]

    _Copyright, 1914, by_
    THE PAGE COMPANY


    _All rights reserved_


    First Impression, April, 1914


    THE COLONIAL PRESS
    C. H. SIMONDS CO.
    BOSTON, U. S. A.




PREFACE


MY DEAR BOYS:--It is with great pleasure that I have responded to my
publisher's appeal for a new volume in connection with boy pioneer life
during those early days in the history of our country when brave men,
and women also, kept pushing the frontier line constantly westward,
toward the setting sun.

Since Bob and Sandy Armstrong came to the end of their migrations when
they settled on the land purchased by old David, near the junction of
the Missouri River with the mighty Mississippi, it is obvious that
little that is new could be written concerning those old friends of
ours.

But as it happened that they founded families of their own, and each
had a son who was said to be a "chip of the old block," the story of
young pioneer achievements can best be continued by transferring our
allegiance to these two sturdy lads, Dick and Roger, whom, I feel sure,
you will like fully as well as you did their fathers.

Just at the time when they had become strapping lads, ready to place
full confidence in their ability to take care of themselves, it
chanced that a wonderful opportunity came to them, whereby they were
enabled to traverse the course of the great Missouri River from its
mouth to its far-away source among the Rocky Mountains.

What this opportunity was like, and what astonishing things they met
with on the long and dangerous journey, I have endeavored to describe
and set down between the covers of this present book. I trust that you
will enjoy reading it fully as well as you did the preceding volumes;
and that at some date in the near future we may meet again in the pages
of still another story of boy pioneer life.

    HARRISON ADAMS.

_April 15th, 1914._


[Illustration]




[Illustration]




CONTENTS


    CHAPTER                                   PAGE
            PREFACE                              v
         I. TWO BOYS IN A DUGOUT CANOE           1
        II. THE HOLLOW TREE REFUGE              15
       III. A SHADOW OVER THE HOMESTEAD         27
        IV. THE CABIN OF BOB ARMSTRONG          38
         V. A GRAND PALAVER                     48
        VI. BAD NEWS                            58
       VII. OFF ON THE GREAT JOURNEY            68
      VIII. THE TRACK OF THE MARKED HOOF        76
        IX. ALONG THE BANK OF THE MISSOURI      86
         X. THE TWANG OF A BOWSTRING            98
        XI. "ALL, OR NONE!"                    110
       XII. THE