ugh to change the nature of a whole campaign. 'Tis
lucky that we have this Caesar of the backwoods to defend us. What is
your plan now, Henry?"

Mr. Pennypacker, like the others, instinctively looked upon Henry as the
leader.

"We'll go straight to the Falls of the Ohio," replied Henry. "It will
take us two or three weeks to get there, and we'll have to live mostly
on our rifles, but that's where we're needed. Clark will want all the
men he can get."

"I am old," said the schoolmaster, "and it has not been my business
hitherto to fight, but in this great crisis of Kentucky I shall try to
do my part. I too shall offer my services to George Rogers Clark."

"He'll be glad to get you," said Tom Ross.

After the brief rest they began the long journey from what is now the
middle part of the state of Ohio to the Falls of the Ohio and the new
settlement of Louisville there. It was an arduous undertaking,
particularly for the schoolmaster, as it led all the way through woods
frequented by alert Indians, and, besides deep rivers there were
innumerable creeks, which they could cross only by swimming. Bearing
this in mind Henry's thoughts returned to the first boat which they had
hidden in the bushes lining the banks of one of the Ohio's tributaries.
As the whole country was now swarming with the warriors the passage down
the Ohio would undoubtedly be more dangerous than the path through the
woods, but the boat and the river would save a vast expenditure of
strength. Henry laid the two plans before the others.

"What do you say, Sol?" he asked.

"I'm fur the boat an' the river," replied the shiftless one. "I'd rather
be rowed by Jim Hart than walk five hundred miles."

"And you, Paul?"

"I say take to the boat. We may have to fight. We've held them off on
the water before and I'm sure we can do it again."

"And you, Tom?"

"The boat."

"And you, Jim?"

"The boat, an' make Sol thar do his share uv the work."

"What do you say, Mr. Pennypacker?"

"I'm not a forester, and as all of you are for the boat, so am I."

"That seems to make it unanimous, and in an hour we'll start for our
hidden navy. It's at the edge of the next big river east of the Scioto
and we ought to steer a pretty straight course for it."

They traveled at a good pace. Mr. Pennypacker, while not a woodsman, was
a good walker, and, despite his age, proved himself tough and enduring.
They crossed Indian trails several times, but did not come into