e army must march to
their rescue!"

The other officers raised their voices in affirmation. Henry and his
friends bowed. All three were affected deeply. But Henry said:

"Colonel Clark, you can't know how much we thank you for such an offer,
but we three must go alone. If the army followed into the woods, and
pressed the Indians closely, they would put their prisoners to death the
very first thing. They always do it. In a case like this, only silence
and speed can succeed. We must follow alone."

Daniel Boone spoke up in his gentle, but singularly impressive tones.

"The boy is right, Colonel Clark," he said. "If the job can be done it
is these three alone who can do it."

"I suppose you are right," said Colonel Clark regretfully, "but it does
hurt me to see you leave us, unhelped. When do you wish to go?"

"Now," replied Henry.

Colonel Clark held out his hand. There were actual tears in his eyes. He
shook hands with the three, one by one, and all the others did the same.
Boone and Kenton went with them a little distance into the woods.

"Now, lads," said Boone, "don't ever forget to be careful. You got to
get your friends back by stealth and cunnin'. Keep out of a fight unless
the time comes when everything depends on it. Then if you've got to
fight, fight with all your might."

The three thanked him. Last hand-clasps were given and then Boone and
Kenton heard for a brief second or two only faint and dying footfalls in
the forest. They went back quietly to camp ready for the return with the
army to Kentucky, but the three were already deep in the forest, and far
beyond the area of light.

"I'm thinkin'," said Sol, "that the Indians hev crossed the river. It's
likely that they'd want to keep the water between themselves an' us."

"Looks like good argument to me," said Tom Ross.

Henry being of the same opinion, they decided to cross Mad River also,
and approach as nearly as they could to the chief body of the Indians.
It was probable that many bands were wandering about and they would be
in great danger from them, but it was their business to follow the
advice of Daniel Boone and avoid them. They exercised now their greatest
skill and patience. At a distance of eight or ten miles from Piqua they
found two Indian camps, but, after a thorough examination, they became
satisfied that Paul and Jim were not in either of them. Just before
daylight they found a valley in which a great mass of warriors, women
and