it was
likely, would be here, and he meant now to have food, not blackberries,
but the nutritious flesh that his strong body craved. He could easily
secure it now, and he stroked the beautiful rifle joyously.

Except for the great villages at Chillicothe, Piqua, and a few other
places, the Indians shifted their homes often, leaving one region that
the game might increase in it again, until such time as they wished to
come back, and Henry judged that the country in which he now was had
been abandoned for a while. If so, the game should be plentiful and not
shy.

The prairie was perhaps a mile in length, and at its far edge two deer
were grazing. It was not difficult to stalk them, and Henry, choosing
the doe, brought her down with an easy shot. He carried the body into
the woods, skinned it, cut off the tenderer portions, and prepared for a
solid dinner. With his food now before him, he realized how very hungry
he was. Yet he was fastidious, and, as usual, he insisted upon doing all
things in season, and properly.

He brought forth the Indian's flint and steel--he was very glad now that
he had had the forethought to take them--and after much effort set about
kindling a fire. Flint and steel are not such easy things to use, and it
took Henry five minutes to light the blaze, but five minutes later he
was broiling tender, juicy slices of deer meat on the end of a twig, and
then eating them one by one. He ate deliberately, but he ate a great
many, and when he was satisfied he put out the fire. He crushed the
coals into the earth with his heels and covered them with leaves,
instinctive caution making him do it. Then he went deep into the forest,
and, lying down in a thicket, rested a long time.

He knew that the Indian tribes intended to gather at Tuentahahewaghta
(the site of Cincinnati), the place where the waters of the Licking,
coming out of the wild Kentucky woods, joined the Ohio, and he believed
that the best thing for him to do was to go to that point. He calculated
that, despite his long delay at the Wyandot village, he could yet arrive
there ahead of the fleet, and after seeing the Indian mobilization, he
could go back to warn it. Only one thing worried him much now. Had his
four faithful comrades taken his advice and stayed with the fleet, or
were they now in the forest seeking him? He well knew their temper, and
he feared that they had not remained with the boats after his absence
became long.

But these com