ade, in the attempt to secure them, that at last the thieves were
discovered.

The cry rang through the village at once, that the Long-Knives were
stealing their horses right before the doors of their wigwams. A great
hubbub ensued; and Indians, old and young, squaws, children, and
warriors, all sallied out with loud screams, to save their property from
the greedy spoilers. Kenton and his friends saw that they had overshot
their mark, and that they must ride for their lives. Even in this
extremity, however, they could not reconcile their minds to the
surrender of a single horse which they had haltered; and while two of
them rode in front and led a great number of horses, the other brought
up the rear, and, plying his whip from right to left, did not permit a
single animal to lag behind.

In this manner, they dashed through the woods at a furious rate with
the hue and cry after them, until their course was suddenly stopped by
an impenetrable swamp. Here, from necessity, they paused a few minutes,
and listened attentively. Hearing no sounds of pursuit, they resumed
their course, and, skirting the swamp for some distance in the vain hope
of crossing it, they bent their course in a straight direction to the
Ohio. They rode during the whole night without resting a moment. Halting
a brief space at daylight, they continued their journey throughout the
day, and the whole of the following night; and, by this uncommon
celerity of movement, they succeeded in reaching the northern bank of
the Ohio on the morning of the second day.

Crossing the river would now insure their safety, but this was likely to
prove a difficult undertaking, and the close pursuit, which they had
reason to expect, rendered it expedient to lose as little time as
possible. The wind was high, and the river rough and boisterous. It was
determined that Kenton should cross with the horses, while Clark and
Montgomery should construct a raft, in order to transport their guns,
baggage, and ammunition, to the opposite shore. The necessary
preparations were soon made, and Kenton, after forcing his horses into
the river, plunged in himself, and swam by their side.

In a few minutes the high waves completely overwhelmed him, and forced
him considerably below the horses, who stemmed the current much more
successfully than he.

The horses, being left to themselves, turned about and made for the Ohio
shore, where Kenton was compelled to follow them. Again he forced th