u, and yet he'll kill the rattler every time. Howsumever," added
the elder ranger, "what's snakes got to do with the bus'ness afore us?"

"That's what I was thinking. Now, Dan'l, we've got to make the varmints
think we're going to try to pass through Rattlesnake Gulch to-night, so
they'll all gather there to welcome us."

"And then what will our folks do?"

"Take some other route."

"But which one? The woods are so thick on the right and left that they,
especially the women, can't go ten feet without making a noise that'll
be sartin to be heard by the varmints."

"There are several things they can do," replied Kenton, thoughtfully,
proving that, like his companion, he had speculated much on the matter.
"In the first place, they must move so slow that they won't reach the
neighborhood of the gulch till after dark, and yet if they move too slow
the Shawanoes will be suspicious. I wish night was near at hand."

"What good does wishing do?"

"None, and never did; but when night does come we can turn about--that
is, some of the boys can, with the women--and cross the river further
down stream, strike the trail on the other side of the Ohio, and go
straight to the block-house."

Boone shook his head. The scheme did not impress him favorably.

"How are you going to get them women and two children across the river?
It isn't likely that any one of 'em knows how to swim a stroke."

"What trouble would it be to tote 'em over?"

Boone again shook his head; he was not pleased with the suggestion.

"I didn't mean to do anything of the kind, but," added Kenton, more
seriously, "there's a canoe of mine hid under the bushes just this side
of the gulch, purvided the varmints haven't tumbled over it."

"More'n likely they've took it away or smashed it, but if I ain't
mistook, there's a craft alongside the flatboat that you left at the
clearing."

"You are right."

"Why not go back for that?"

"It ain't a bad idee," remarked Kenton, thoughtfully. "If I can manage
to fetch the boat up the river without any of the varmints 'specting it,
it'll be just the thing."

"It won't carry all the women and children and rest of the folks at
once."

"Then we can make two v'yages or more, if it's necessary."

"It's risky bus'ness, but it's the best thing that can be done. If you
are lucky 'nough to find tother boat where you left it, seems to me
things will look up."

Kenton glanced around among the tree-tops, as if searching for