The Pioneer Boys on the Mississippi

ly nothing tha

ed the less. To go on down the flood was a dreadful outlook; and almost anything was to be prefe

ard voices, as if those in the canoe were asking each other w

English, though evidently one of the speakers was an Indi

enough for his voice to carry some distance away; for immediately, even before Bob

byes I'm afther hearin' out on this

d to hear the sound of your voice, because we need

er from a point close at hand. "Give us another few digs at the paddle

Then this turned out to be a long canoe, in which two persons were sitting, the one in the stern using

e been something familiar about the movements of this paddler, for he certainly did not ha

lated, with a thrill of delight, as well as

a voice he knew almost as well

d friends should happen to be on the river this n

enture. Bob was a much more serious fellow than his younger brother, and imbibed some of the sentiments that influenced his gentle mother. To him there was something especially P

log, to which both the Irish trapper and

they had known away back in Old Virginia, before the thought of daring the perils of the unknown wilderness had ever

e carefully placed his musket in the canoe before

hink that he even kept himself in readiness to clutch Sandy, should the other manage to slide down the side of the log into the water, instead o

was so light in build that it careened under the passage of the boys, and might have tipped over had not b

will have a good voyage down to the great Mississippi. Tell them that, perchance, the Armstrong boys will be navigating that way to see s

the craft toward the southern shore of the swollen river. Pat O'Mara had his share of c

ut on this high water," he started to say; "and, by the same token, if yee

n old log. It was just an accident, and that's all. My paddle broke under the strain; and, when this log came whirling down on o

as loud in his excl

the hollow av his hand," he declared. "I warrant ye that nine out av tin min would have at laste taken a d

y, "when Bob thought of a way. Just when we heard your answer to our last shout we were about to f

a winning, sunny disposition, which appealed especially to the genial, roving Irish trapper. "But, afther all, 'tis just as will that Blue Jacket and mesilf came upon the sane at the time

to these last words of their old friend, who had

om the way you head across the river?" he asked, desirous of drawing the other out, and lea

their best guardian. As he was forever roaming the great forests, sometimes in the company of such noted men as Daniel Boone, Si

g of this character that was now causing him to

s being buffeted about in a swirl of waters, not unlike a miniature whirlpool. "An', whin I larned that the chief was aven thin on his way to warrn the white settlers as fast as he could go,

ur people? Have the Indians again taken to the warpath, after their profes

il av another color intirely. The flood is bearin' down upon yees like a race horse, and, befoor the dawn a

n it must be many miles up the river, and coming muc

smoke signals in the day time, and fires at night. From hill to hill, many miles away, they sind these smokes; and, so I've

I knew about, but had fo

t?" asked Bob, anxiously; for his thoughts were upon the little community some miles up the river, which had

are wild with alarrm. Their ould medicine-min do be on the rampage, and kape tillin' thim they do be sufferin' from the anger av the Great Spirit, becase av their allowin' the white trispassers till

been listening with deep anxiety to what the trapper said, at the same time hi

n exclamation, and this time there was a note of

shore below, and just about where we

e it; yes, with an Indian also," added Bo

feet, and seem to be looking this way. Can it be some of our

firelight now; but, from the glimpse I had, I took them to b

dy, who had secretly always admired the forest ranger, Kenton, and aspir

ight in to that point where they have built their fire, as though he mean

of the stream. Under the skillful guidance of the sturdy young Shawanee brave, whose name, although not very well known just then, was fated

The Irish trapper quickly reached his side, and then came Bob, and the dusky Blue Jacket, who certainly co

t be better able to conduct the intercourse with the strangers; for already Bob and Sandy had discovered that the two white men were totally unknown to them. Besides,

when he heard the Irish trapper mutter something half

ait