THE PURSUIT
The screams of the terrified girls were plainly heard at the fort. A
little company of frightened women and frantic men quickly assembled
upon the bank, but in spite of the piteous appeals it was too late to
help the unfortunate prisoners. Four additional Indians appeared and,
assisting their comrades, seized the girls and with them rushed into the
wilderness.
The men from the fort who were standing on the bank of the stream were
unable to cross, the only canoe being now on the opposite shore.
Calling to one another, the men endeavoured to find some one who would
venture to swim to the other shore. No one volunteered, however, as all
were afraid that the Indians might return if such an attempt should be
made. Both Daniel Boone and the father of Miss Callaway were absent from
the settlement at the time, and it was nearly night when they returned.
Stopping only a moment to comfort his heartbroken wife, Daniel Boone, as
soon as he was informed, acted promptly and decisively, as was his
habit. He was well aware that no time should be lost, and fortunately he
discovered Peleg at that moment returning to the fort.
"The girls have been taken by the Indians," said Boone, suppressing his
emotion.
"What girls? What do you mean?" inquired Peleg, aghast.
"Jemima and her friend, the Callaway girl."
"When?"
"This noon. I have no time to explain. We must get a party to start
right away. Find every man you can and I, too, will look about, and we
will meet here at the fort just as soon as we can get our party
together."
Darting into the house, Peleg secured Singing Susan, and then, finding
Israel Boone, who was almost as aroused as his father, the two instantly
began their search for men who would join the rescue party.
Soon afterward a band of eight men stood with the scout on the bank of
the Kentucky River near the fort. The quiet of the summer evening was
unbroken save by the occasional cry of some night-bird. It had been long
since the screams of the disappearing girls had been heard, but the
direction from which they had come indicated the way in which to start
the pursuit.
"How many are here?" inquired Boone, as he glanced about the group.
"Eight," replied Peleg, "including you and Israel."
"We need more, but I shall not wait. We will start at once."
The canoe meanwhile had been secured by one of the boys of the
settlement who swam across the river at dusk and returned in the little
craft, paddling with his hand, for the blades had been broken by the
Indians to delay pursuit.
The men now were ferried across the river, and as soon as every one was
standing on the opposite bank Daniel Boone again inquired: "Is every one
prepared?"
Every member of the party declared that he was ready to follow wherever
the great scout might lead.
Instantly Daniel Boone led the way into the forest. The anxious scout
was so quiet and self-controlled that an uninformed spectator would
never have suspected that he was labouring under special stress. Even
Peleg was astonished at the composed bearing of the man.
Turning to Israel, the young scout remarked: "Your father is saving
every ounce of his strength for the work ahead of us. He is not wasting
any time crying."
"He never does," responded Israel proudly. "Do you know, Peleg," young
Boone said, "there are times when Parson John Lythe preaches to us that
he speaks of the Great Father of us all, and somehow I always think of
Him as if He looked somewhat as _my_ father does."
Deeply impressed as Peleg was by the reverence in which the son of
Daniel Boone held his father, there was no opportunity at the time for
further conversation.
In Indian file the pursuers advanced, and all soon were running,
following the custom of the Indians. So skilled was the leader in this
work that it was well known that he was able for many hours to maintain
the pace at which he was now moving.
"One time," said Israel to Peleg, "my father ran like this for eight
hours, then rested two hours, and then ran eight more, and after he had
taken another rest he made the third stretch of the same number of
hours."
The leader had not spoken except when in the dim light of the moon he
was compelled to stop to search for the trail. Once when he halted he
said to his companions: "The Shawnees are not moving in one body. They
have broken up into ten parties and are moving in parallel lines."
"Did they expect to throw us off the trail in that way?" asked Israel
scornfully.
"Doubtless they hoped to. Peleg," inquired Boone, turning to the young
scout, "how many do you make out were in this band that stole Jemima?"
"About thirty, I should say," replied Peleg.
"It is more nearly thirty-five," declared Boone, as he turned to direct
his followers to resume the pursuit.
Somehow the night did not prove to be a serious obstacle to the great
leader. Almost as if by instinct Boone found his way, and the parallel
trails made by the Indians, instead of throwing the pursuers into
confusion, really aided them. If the trail was lost in one place it then
became comparatively easy for the men to scatter and in a brief time
discover it nearby.
"How far have we come?" Israel inquired of his father when a halt was
made in the morning.
"Thirty miles," replied Daniel Boone.
"Do you find anything new?"
"Yes," replied the scout, nodding his head. "The Indians are less
careful than they were. The trail is becoming plainer. I hope we shall
overtake them before noon."
It was not long before the pursuit was resumed, and the pace of the
entire party was increased when it was discovered that the Indians had
entered a buffalo road and were following that clearly defined path.
The expression upon the face of Boone, who, with Peleg and Israel, was
in advance of the little band, made every one aware that he expected
soon to overtake the savages. The time of anxiety as well as peril was
surely approaching.
"Peleg," whispered Israel, "what do you think will be done to the girls
if the Indians see us before we get within rifle shot?"
Peleg shook his head and did not reply, although both he and his friend
were aware that the Indians would doubtless tomahawk their captives and
then flee if they should discover their pursuers close upon them.
Nearly ten more miles were covered before the escaping band was
overtaken. Each party discovered the other almost at the same moment.
The Indians were in the act of kindling a fire and preparing camp for
the night. Almost as if it was one sound, the rifles of Daniel Boone,
Peleg, and Israel rang out together.
Two of the Indians fell to the ground. All the other braves, as if
driven by one impulse, instantly turned and fled from the spot, leaving
the terrified girls behind them. So sudden had been the flight of the
savages that when they darted into the adjacent forest they had been
unable to don their moccasins. Not a man in the pursuing party had been
injured.
The cry of Jemima Boone when in the dim light she beheld her father
approaching at the head of the rescuing party was one that those who
heard her never were able to forget. She sprang from the ground where
she had been seated and threw herself into her father's arms. For a time
not a word was spoken by any one, while the well-nigh exhausted girl
clung to Daniel Boone sobbing as if her heart would break.
The pursuit which had been led by the great scout had been so swift and
unrelenting that scarcely any time for rest had been given the band
since its departure from the fort the preceding evening; and only a
short time for recuperation could be allowed even now. This was some
hardship for the men, but for the girls, who, in addition to the terror
and despair which had possessed them, had been compelled to travel
through the forests at a speed which exhausted their strength, it was
doubly hard.
Jemima explained to her father that they had arrived at the place where
they had been discovered only a few moments before the coming of the
hunter and his friends. The girl shuddered as she said: "If the Shawnees
had had two minutes more they would have killed both of us before they
ran; and I do not understand why they ran, anyway."
"How many warriors were in the band?" inquired her father.
"Thirty-six."
"We cannot stay here long. The varmints will be coming back, and they
outnumber us so greatly that we may have serious trouble."
It was accordingly decided that the party should begin their return at
once. For a time Daniel Boone carried his daughter in his arms, while
her companion, almost exhausted, was also carried by one of the men.
When several miles had been covered word for rest was given, and then,
after a hasty meal was made from the loin of a deer which Peleg shot,
the flight toward the fort was resumed.
It was soon discovered, however, that the Indians were not pursuing, and
when Boone became convinced that this was so, his anxiety was relieved,
and he decided not to maintain the swift pace at which they had been
moving.
Two days later the party arrived at the fort on the bank of the
Kentucky, and the relief of the distracted mothers as well as the
general rejoicing over the safe return of the rescuers was great. After
a rest of a day, the scout and all the party resumed their accustomed
summer tasks.
It was a few days afterward, while Peleg and Israel were engaged in
hoeing a field of corn that belonged to Peleg, that the scout approached
his friend.
"Peleg," he said, as he halted in front of the boy, "we are to have a
meeting in the fort to-morrow at noon and I hope you surely will be
present."
"What is the meeting for?"
"We are to pass some laws. We now have more than one hundred and fifty
souls in this little settlement, and up to the present time every one
has been a law unto himself. We now must pass some laws which shall
govern us as a community."
"Is Sam Oliver here again?" inquired Peleg with a laugh.
"Not as yet," answered Boone quizzically, smiling as he appreciated the
discovery his young friend had made as to one of the causes for his
desire to pass some laws by which all should be regulated.
"Colonel Henderson will preside," said Boone. "He, as you know, was the
original purchaser of this tract of land from the Cherokees, and he
kindly consented to permit us to make a settlement here."
"I shall try to be there," promised Peleg, as the scout passed on to
make further arrangements for the meeting, and the two boys resumed
their task.
It was a serious assemblage of men that met the following noon. After
accepting the chair, Colonel Henderson said: "I shall ask the Reverend
John Lythe, our pioneer preacher, to address the Throne of Grace."
At the conclusion of the old minister's prayer, Colonel Henderson
solemnly said: "This legislature is now opened in the name of his
Majesty the King of Great Britain." In his address he reminded his
hearers of the importance of laying a broad and strong foundation for
the future. He declared that the secret of future success depended
largely upon the carefulness of their present preparation. He also
explained how good and wholesome laws, such as would command the respect
and support of the people, would benefit not merely the settlement as a
whole, but also every individual member.
Various laws then were proposed, discussed, and adopted by vote of the
assembly.
In the midst of the meeting, which both Peleg and Israel were enjoying
keenly, Daniel Boone arose and asked for recognition from the chairman.
"My father is going to make a speech!" whispered Israel in amazement, as
he leaned toward Peleg. Never had either heard the scout speak under
such circumstances. He was so self-contained in his manner and spoke so
seldom that no one had thought of him as a man to make a public address.
It was therefore with intense interest that every one present turned to
listen to what Daniel Boone might say.