is feet on the
ground, he drew the covering of his face sufficiently to one side to
permit him to peep forth. Seeing nothing, he ventured to raise his head
a little higher and to look around.

The dark object that had thrown him into the panic was just disappearing
from sight in the direction of the wood whence it came. There was enough
moonlight at that moment for him to identify it.

"By gracious! it am a bar! I done forgot dat I had my loaded gun and
could hab drapped him easy. If any ob de folks had come 'long while I
lay on my back kickin' at de sky, dey would hab tought I had a bone in
my froat and didn't know what to do wid it."

In all probability the bear, when he first appeared, intended to make an
investigation, but the sight of a figure, smothered in sheets and with
his feet thrumming in the air like a couple of drum sticks, must have
frightened bruin into leaving the strange animal alone.

Jethro was disposed to make chase after the animal and bring him to
account, but reflection showed the unwisdom of allowing any diversion to
interfere with the plain dictates of duty.

"Dar's no tellin' what trouble Mr. Kenton may hab tumbled into widout
habin' me dar to pull him out. De rest ob de folks don't know how to
shoot Injuns half as well as me."

It was evident the youth felt quite proud of his exploits, and who can
blame him? He surely had warrant for his pride. He had decided to pay a
visit to the flatboat even though time was so urgent. It lay close
against the bank, just as it had been left earlier in the day, after the
cargo was removed. Abandoning it before a chance was given to break it
up, and with the vague hope that they might be permitted to turn it to
account some time in the future, the pioneers offered it no harm, nor
was it injured by the Indians who, later, came upon the scene.

Jethro stepped over the heavy gunwale and looked about him with peculiar
interest, for, as is well known, that craft was the scene of many
stirring incidents during the preceding twenty-four hours.

There was the long sweeping oar, balanced on a pivot at either end, with
the handle reaching almost to the middle of the boat. That portion
considered the stern (although in no respect did it differ from the bow)
had the covered space, used as sleeping quarters for the females. At the
other end was where the cooking was done.

In the bottom lay the two long poles to be used in controlling the boat
when necessary, and