med to be about twenty, more or less, this afternoon, but
toward night some others come from 'cross the river, I reckon, as there
must be all of thirty."

"Who has charge of 'em, Daniel?"

"That painted imp they call Wa-on-mon, or The Panther."

CHAPTER XVI.

SIMON KENTON IN A PANIC.

It was no surprise to Simon Kenton to learn that his old enemy, The
Panther, was at the head of the formidable war party that were plotting
with so much success against the pioneers. He had suspected the truth
before he learned it from Boone.

The fact removed the last vestige of suspicion any one might have held
as to the motive of the chieftain in failing to accept the challenge of
Kenton to mortal combat. Wa-on-mon had made haste to hunt up the war
party of Shawanoes that he must have known were in the vicinity, well
aware that with them at his beck and call he could strike a thousandfold
more effective blow than by the simple overthrow of Kenton, accompanied
by the disablement of himself.

The ferocious leader was perilously near success, and it looked as if
nothing could extricate the fugitives from destruction.

The reader need not be reminded that it was the presence and care of the
four females that was a mortal handicap to the brave men who had set out
to conduct them to the block-house up the river. Had they been already
there, the pioneers and rangers would have given the Shawanoes a hot
fight, and driven them off with the loss of more than one of their
bravest leaders.

From what has been already made known, it will be seen that it was not a
hard thing for a friend or enemy to enter the rough inclosure which had
been dignified with the name of fort. The discovery of the Shawanoe's
presence was in the nature of an accident; but for Agnes Altman he might
have wandered almost at will among the men on guard, and, having learned
all he had set out to learn, stole away without detection.

Kenton and Boone reversed the method when they appeared on the scene.
They had but to make themselves known (an easy matter, since they were
expected) to receive a welcome. At the same time they avoided detection
by the Indians, who were hovering on all sides.

It has been shown that, in a certain sense, one part of the
fortification was open, since nothing in the nature of a defence
interposed between it and the river. The presumption was, that in this
direction one would have a fair chance of stealing away undiscovered.

The