“Thank you, lads,” he said; “remember, we may have to whistle for our pay.”

“Damn the pay!” cried Bill Cowan, and we echoed the sentiment.

“We’ll see what can be done about land grants,” said the Colonel, and he turned away.

At dusk that evening I sat on the back door-step, by the orchard, cleaning his rifle.  The sound of steps came from the little passage behind me, and a hand was on my head.

“Davee,” said a voice (it was Monsieur Vigo’s), “do you know what is un coup d’e’tat?”

“No, sir.”

“Ha!  You execute one to-day.  Is it not so, Monsieur le Colonel?”

“I reckon he was in the secret,” said Colonel Clark.  “Did you think I meant to leave Kaskaskia, Davy?”

“No, sir.”

“He is not so easy fool,” Monsieur Vigo put in.  “He tell me paper money good if I take it.  C’est la haute finance!”

Colonel Clark laughed.

“And why didn’t you think I meant to leave?” said he.

“Because you bade me go out and tell everybody,” I answered.  “What you really mean to do you tell no one.”

“Nom du bon Dieu!” exclaimed Monsieur Vigo.

Yesterday Colonel Clark had stood alone, the enterprise for which he had risked all on the verge of failure.  By a master-stroke his ranks were repleted, his position recovered, his authority secured once more.

Few men recognize genius when they see it.  Monsieur Vigo was not one of these.

CHAPTER XVI

DAVY GOES TO CAHOKIA

I should make but a poor historian, for I have not stuck to my chronology.  But as I write, the vivid recollections are those that I set down.  I have forgotten two things of great importance.  First, the departure of Father Gibault with several Creole gentlemen and a spy of Colonel Clark’s for Vincennes, and their triumphant return in August.  The sacrifice of the good priest had not been in vain, and he came back with the joyous news of a peaceful conquest.  The stars and stripes now waved over the fort, and the French themselves had put it there.  And the vast stretch of country from that place westward to the Father of Waters was now American.

And that brings me to the second oversight.  The surprise and conquest of Cahokia by Bowman and his men was like that of Kaskaskia.  And the French there were loyal, too, offering their militia for service in the place of those men of Bowman’s company who would not reenlist.  These came to Kaskaskia to join our home-goers, and no sooner had the hundred marched out of the gate and taken up their way for Kentucky than Colonel Clark began the drilling of the new troops.

Captain Leonard Helm was sent to take charge of Vincennes, and Captain Montgomery set out across the mountains for Williamsburg with letters praying the governor of Virginia to come to our assistance.