TO THE MEETING-PLACE
The judgment of Daniel Boone was accepted by all the men in the band.
Indeed there were many now who were blaming others as well as themselves
for not having listened to the word of the wise old scout before they
had entered into the unequal struggle with the Indians at Blue Licks.
Swiftly and seriously the men retraced their way to Bryant's Station,
where they were dismissed by Colonel Logan with the understanding that
they would respond if he should call for their help in the near future.
This he fully expected to do.
In a rude wagon Daniel Boone and Peleg carried the wounded boy back to
his home. The wound itself was not believed to be serious, although
naturally after the tragedies which had occurred in his family Daniel
Boone was anxious for his son. Daniel Morgan Boone, or "young Dan," as
he sometimes was called by the settlers, to distinguish him from his
father, made light of his experiences and even declared that he was
prepared to ride his horse back to Boonesborough instead of being
carried in the jolting wagon. His protest, however, was not heeded, and
in a short time the Boonesborough men were back in their settlement.
To all it now was evident that Daniel Boone held a place in the regard
of the settlers such as he never before had won. His deep sorrow over
the distressing tragedies which had resulted in the loss of two
promising sons, and his willingness to do all in his power to aid his
friends: these qualities won him sympathy and affection in addition to
the respect in which he was held because of his excellent judgment. The
simple manner of the great scout, his skill as a hunter, his knowledge
of the Indians, and his enduring friendship, were more highly
appreciated with every passing day.
Shortly after the return of Boone and his companions, the scout said to
Peleg, "I have just received word from Colonel George Rogers Clark from
the Falls of the Ohio."
"What does he want?" asked Peleg quickly. The sturdy colonel in control
of the forces of the entire region was known to be a man of action, and
one whose activities were familiar to all the settlers.
"He sends me word," said Boone quietly, "that he plans to raise a force
of one thousand men to go against the Indian towns."
"Why does he do that?"
"He has two reasons: One is that the people are so discouraged and
disappointed by the recent successes of the Indians that many are
thinking of withdrawing from Kentucky. The other reason is that he
thinks the Indians ought not to be permitted to rest upon the victories
which they have won, and that the battle of Blue Licks and the fight at
Bryant's Station must be avenged, or the Shawnees and the Wyandottes
will soon be more active than they have been."
"What do you think?" inquired Peleg.
"It is not for me to say," replied Boone, his rare smile lighting his
face for a moment as he spoke.
"But you think what you do not say," persisted Peleg.
"I think Colonel Clark is doing the only thing which will bring help to
our stations. Either the Indians or we are to live in this country. It
is a pity that we cannot say, the Indians _and_ we; but from the feeling
they have shown, and the way in which I know many of the whites look
upon them, I am afraid such a plan will be impossible. There is then
only one thing for us to do."
"What is that?"
"It must be decided once for all whether the country is to be occupied
by the white men or by the red. There can be but one answer. However,"
continued Boone, "I have little time to discuss these matters with you,
now. It is a time for action, and much as you and I may dislike to leave
our homes, we cannot lightly regard such a summons as Colonel Clark has
sent us."
"What is the plan?"
"He proposes to raise an army of one thousand men, as I said, and march
to destroy the Indian villages."
"Where do we meet?"
"At the Falls of the Ohio. I have seen Colonel Logan, and he is to
assemble his men and march in one body to the meeting-place. My own
judgment is that it would be better for the force to split up into
smaller parties, but that is not for me to say. I have, however,
arranged with Colonel Logan for you and six other men to go as a band of
scouts to the north of the route we are to take, and at the same time
have several bands move to the south. I do not believe there will be any
danger before we arrive at the meeting-place, but it is well to provide
for what may happen before it comes to pass. As you know, that has
always been my plan. I do not think I ever had a fight with an Indian
that I did not try to think what he would do, or what I would do if I
were in his place, before the real contest began."
"Are you to lead the scouts on the south?"
"That is for the King to say," replied Boone, smiling as he quoted the
well-known saying of Sam Oliver.
The following morning Peleg, as leader of his little band of scouts,
departed for the place of assembly. The advance to the Falls of the Ohio
would require three days or more. It was not believed that there would
be anything more than occasional attacks on the main body by small bands
of Indians, for few braves would dare to oppose the coming of this great
army.
In Peleg's little band was Sam Oliver, the hunter. Sam now was plainly
showing the effects of the passing years. He was suffering from
rheumatism acquired by exposure in the many winters during which he had
been known throughout the settlements as a great hunter. His visits to
the stations were more frequent than formerly, and he remained longer
than in the preceding years. He was still sensitive, however, concerning
his physical strength and skill, and refused to listen to any suggestion
that he was not in condition to accompany the younger men on their way
to the meeting-place of the army.
"Peleg," said Sam Oliver, when the party, all mounted, had set forth on
their expedition, "I know a little Indian town about seventy-five miles
from here where we can get some horses."
"Is it on our way?"
"It is not far from the river. If we can get a dozen or more horses it
will make the heart of Colonel Clark rejoice."
In explanation of the hunter's words, it may be said that stealing
horses from the Indians was not looked upon as any crime by the early
pioneers. Such a conviction may have been due in part to the fact that
the tribes and white settlers were usually in a state of war with one
another. The Indians' intense distrust of the early settlers had, as we
know, long ago deepened into enduring hatred.
There were few who believed the Indians were governed by any other than
treacherous, bloodthirsty motives. So intense had become this belief
along the border that it was well-nigh impossible for the men of that
time to look upon the simple questions of right and wrong in any way
that might favour the red men or even do them simple justice. To them
they simply were enemies that must be driven from the region or
exterminated.
Late in the following afternoon Sam Oliver, when his friends halted,
donned his Indian garb. In his disguise he was scarcely to be
distinguished from one of the warriors.
"I have learned the lingo, too," he said laughingly. "A good many times
I have gone right into their villages and no one has suspected that I
was a white man. I want to get about fifteen horses," continued Sam,
"and I want almost as much to get one of the Indians alive."
"What for?" demanded Peleg in surprise.
It was seldom that prisoners were made of the warriors at that time,
because whenever a fight occurred it was usually a struggle to the
death. The Indians, however, occasionally, as we know from the
experiences of the great scout himself, not only made captives of their
prisoners, but at times adopted them into their tribes in place of young
braves that had been killed in battle.
"I want one for a pet," laughed Sam Oliver.
"I would sooner have a rattlesnake," declared one of the party.
"That is what I used to say," said Sam, "but then that was years ago
when I was young and slender. I know more about them now, and if I can
get one alive I am going to make a pet of him."
"You will be making a mistake," declared Schoolmaster Hargrave, who also
was one of Peleg's band. It had been long since he had wielded the
ferrule or had taught the boys and girls in Boonesborough. In recent
years he had been toiling in the fields, as had the great scout and
Peleg. He was, however, scarcely more successful in raising tobacco than
he had been in training the children in his school. The title of
"Schoolmaster" still clung to him, and when Sam Oliver laughed loudly
and turned to answer his protest, he said, "Well, Schoolmaster, I can
understand how you do not like the Indians. You had some pretty wild
experiences yourself, in the schoolhouse. I understand that two or three
of the boys disguised themselves the way I have and put you out through
the window. Is that true?"
Whether the statement was true or not it was never explained, for the
hunter suddenly warned his companions to become silent as they were
approaching the village he was seeking.
Advancing with three of his companions and leaving Peleg and the
remainder of the party behind to await their return, Sam stealthily
began to make his way toward the little Indian village which he said was
located only a few yards distant from the spot where a halt had been
made.
Sam was absent only two hours. His approach was heard by his waiting
companions long before the hunter could be seen. It was plain, too, that
he had been successful. The noise of snapping branches and an occasional
whinny indicated that Sam was not returning empty-handed.
"Did I not tell you what I would do?" boasted the hunter, when he
returned. "I said I wanted a dozen horses. I have six, so that I am only
half as happy as I ought to be."
"You are happier now than you soon will be," retorted Peleg, "unless we
leave this part of the country right away."
The horses which had been secured were all young and only partly broken.
It was impossible for the party to mount them, and there were times when
it was difficult even to lead them by the leathern straps which were
fastened about their necks.
Sam acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, and no urging was
required to make the men push forward rapidly.
When night fell they selected for their camp a spot on the bend of a
little stream. Two of the men were assigned positions in the rear of the
camp to watch for any pursuing Indians. There was no fear of an attack
from the opposite side of the stream.
At midnight the guard was relieved, and as it was Peleg's turn to take
the position, he said quietly, "I can do this alone. All the rest of you
turn in and get your sleep."
His directions were speedily followed. The night passed without alarm,
and the young scout was beginning to think that either the warriors of
the village were aware of the plan of Colonel Clark, and had departed to
join their own bands, or that they were absent from the village at the
time, and had not yet learned of Sam's theft.
The first faint streaks of the dawn had appeared, and Peleg, taking a
little bucket, stepped to the brook to secure some running water. The
fire which had been kept alive throughout the night was burning low.
When Peleg returned to the camp he was startled when he discovered by
the dim light that the water in his bucket was muddy. There could be but
one explanation, and the young scout hastily aroused his companions.
"The brook was not muddy last night, but it is now," said the young
leader. "To my mind that shows that we are being followed, and the
Indians are coming down the stream to creep close to us."
Just then the schoolmaster was seized with sharp pains and began to
groan and writhe in his suffering. No one understood the nature of the
attack, and the simple remedies which were used apparently produced no
relief. At last the suffering man was covered with a blanket and placed
near the ashes of the fire. All the men except Peleg then lay down once
more upon the ground. A strenuous day was awaiting them, and whether
Master Hargrave was ill or not, they must get their necessary rest. They
were inclined to believe, too, after their long wait, that no Indians
were near them. The stream might have been muddied by any one of half a
dozen other means. Probably a 'coon had been the guilty party.
And yet all unknown to the little body of settlers a band of twelve
warriors had been furtively approaching them in the very manner Peleg
had suspected. Their noiseless footsteps had even brought them within a
few yards of the camp. Only the coming of the morning was required to
enable them to attack.