the
Ashbridges. This was hardly done when Daniel Boone appeared at the
clearing with disquieting news. He advised them, however, to stay, since
their means of defence was good, but hardly was the decision reached
when a runner came in with the news that an uprising among the
surrounding tribes had already begun, and it would not do for the
pioneers to remain another day. Nothing could save the lonely cabins and
exposed dwellings except immediate flight to the nearest settlement or
block-house.

Ten miles from the clearing, and standing on the northern bank of the
Ohio, was the block-house in charge of Captain Bushwick. The Altmans and
Ashbridges made the sad mistake of not fastening the flatboat to the
bank and taking up their quarters at this frontier post until the full
truth was learned about the dangers confronting them.

The first intention of Boone and his party was to escort the settlers
back to the block-house. They had a brush with a company of Shawanoes,
and defeated them. It was not the main body, however, under the
leadership of The Panther. That remained to be heard from, and its
whereabouts was unknown.

Mr. Altman, his wife, and daughter Agnes, and his negro servant, Jethro
Juggens, Mr. Ashbridge and his wife, daughter Mabel, and their son
George set out for the block-house on the Ohio side of the river.

Their plan was to keep along the Kentucky bank until opposite the post,
when the means would be readily found for crossing. The two families
were in charge of the rangers that Boone had brought with him for the
purpose of acting as their escort. They were forced to leave behind them
all their earthly possessions in the solitary cabin, with not the
remotest prospect of ever seeing them or it again.

Although the day was well along when the start was made, yet the
situation was so critical, because of the part The Panther was certain
to play in the coming events, that Boone and Kenton took the advance,
proceeding by parallel but separated lines, and on the guard against any
stealthy approach from the Indians.

It was the hope that by preventing or, rather, averting any attack until
nightfall, the prospects of the pioneers would be vastly improved.
Though the forest possessed no available trail that could be used even
in the daytime, the rangers, and especially Kenton and Boone, were so
familiar with it, that they could guide their friends with unerring
accuracy when the darkness was so profound tha