THE MOUNTAINEERS 95 



Fitzpatrick thought to baffle the spies by trapping from 

 west to east. 



Having wintered on the Snake, he moved gradually 

 up-stream. Crossing southward over a divide, they un 

 expectedly came on the very rivals whom they were 

 avoiding, Vanderburgh and Drips, evidently working 

 northward on the mountaineers trail. By a quick 

 reverse they swept back north in time for the summer 

 rendezvous at Pierre s Hole. 



Who had told Vanderburgh and Drips that the 

 mountaineers were to meet at Pierre s Hole in 1832? 

 Possibly Indians and fur trappers who had been notified 

 to come down to Pierre s Hole by the Rocky Mountain 

 men ; possibly, too, paid spies in the employment of the 

 American Fur Company. 



Before supplies had come up from St. Louis for 

 the mountaineers Vanderburgh and Drips were at the 

 rendezvous. Neither of the rivals could flee away to 

 the mountains till the supplies came. Could the moun 

 taineers but get away first, Vanderburgh and Drips 

 could no longer dog a fresh trail. Fitzpatrick at once 

 set out with all speed to hasten the coming convoy. 

 Four hundred miles eastward he met the supplies, ex 

 plained the need to hasten provisions, and with one 

 swift horse under him and another swift one as a relay, 

 galloped back to the rendezvous. 



But the Blackfeet were ever on guard at the moun 

 tain passes like cats at a mouse-hole. Fitzpatrick had 

 ridden into a band of hostiles before he knew the 

 danger. Vaulting to the saddle of the fresh horse, he 

 fled to the hills, where he lay concealed for three days. 

 Then he ventured out. The Indians still guarded the 

 passes. They must have come upon him at a night 



