of the great scout,
his gentleness and consideration of others, his fearlessness in time of
peril, the readiness with which he met every event, and above all the
conviction which held him that he was divinely called to be a pathfinder
for the coming generations, all had made a deep impression upon his
young companion. Peleg was not without hope, too, that somehow he was
coming to hold a place in the interest and affection of the man which
once had been held by his son James.

"Yes," continued Boone thoughtfully, "the Governor has given me the
command of three garrisons in the campaign which is to be made against
the Shawnees."

"When do you go?" queried Peleg.

"Immediately--that is, if I can persuade you to look after my family
while I am absent. Israel is beginning to feel that he is almost old
enough to take the place of his brother James, but I shall feel very
much more at ease if I can go with the assurance that you will be
looking out for the welfare of my wife and children."

Striving to repress the disappointment which he felt at the words of his
friend, Peleg said quietly, "You know, sir, that I shall be willing to
do all in my power for you at any time. I do not know, but----"

The rare smile known only to his closest friends appeared for a moment
on the strong face of the hunter as he shook his head and said: "Nay,
Peleg, not this time. I fancy there will be other and perhaps greater
work soon to be done, and in that you shall have your share. The time is
coming when I hope to take my family again to that marvellous region I
have found in Kantuckee. No land I have ever seen can compare with it.
There I would live and there I would die. Meanwhile I must do my part in
trying to make the lives of these hardly beset settlers a little safer."

"You may depend upon me to do my best," said Peleg cordially.

"That is all I need to know, lad, and I shall be at ease while I am
gone."

The great scout immediately departed from the little shop which Peleg
had built and in which he was accustomed to make or repair the various
utensils used by the household of Daniel Boone. Here he had fashioned
Singing Susan, and in this place he had rebuilt his gun after his return
from the long journey he had made with the scout and in which, as we
know, the rifle had suffered from the blow of the tomahawk which the
huge Indian had hurled at him.

A moment Peleg stood in the doorway watching the scout as he departed.
The exp