and strong, did the work.

The summer was splendid in its promise and prodigal in its favors. The
rains fell just right, and all that the pioneers planted came up in
abundance. The soil, so kind to the wheat, was not less so to the corn
and the gardens. Henry surveyed with pride the field of maize cultivated
by himself, in which the stalks were now almost a foot high, looking in
the distance like a delicate green veil spread over the earth. His
satisfaction was shared by all in Wareville because after this
fulfillment of the earth's promises, they looked forward to continued
seasons of plenty.

When the heavy work of planting and cultivating was over and there was
to be a season of waiting for the harvest, Henry went on the great
expedition to the Mississippi.

In the party were Ross, Shif'less Sol, the schoolmaster, Henry and Paul.
Wareville had no white neighbor near and all the settlements lay to the
north or east. Beyond them, across the Ohio, was the formidable cloud of
Indian tribes, the terror of which always overhung the settlers. West of
them was a vast waste of forest spreading away far beyond the
Mississippi, and, so it was supposed, inhabited only by wild animals. It
was thought well to verify this supposition and therefore the exploring
expedition set out.

Each member of the party carried a rifle, hunting knife and ammunition,
and in addition they led three pack horses bearing more ammunition,
their meal, jerked venison and buffalo meat. This little army expected
to live upon the country, but it took the food as a precaution.

They started early of a late but bright summer morning, and Henry found
all his old love of the wilderness returning. Now it would be gratified
to the full, as they should be gone perhaps two months and would pass
through regions wholly unknown. Moreover he had worked hard for a long
time and he felt that his holiday was fully earned; hence there was no
flaw in his hopes.

It required but a few minutes to pass through the cleared ground, the
new fields, and reach the forest and as they looked back they saw what a
slight impression they had yet made on the wilderness. Wareville was but
a bit of human life, nothing more than an islet of civilization in a sea
of forest.

Five minutes more of walking among the trees, and then both Wareville
and the newly opened country around it were shut out. They saw only the
spire of smoke that had been a beacon once to Henry and Paul, rising