here is my wife? Where are my children?" demanded Boone as soon as he
entered the fort.

"Gone," answered Sam Oliver, who at the time was making one of his
occasional visits at the settlement.

"'Gone!'" repeated Boone in astonishment. "'Gone!' Where?"

"Your wife and all your children except Jemima have gone back to North
Carolina. They all believed you to be dead and your wife felt that she
could no longer remain here. Jemima is the only one that stayed."

It was not long before the scout found his intrepid daughter, who in
spite of the departure of the other members of the family had been
strong in her conviction that either her father would return or some
definite word concerning his fate would be received. For that reason she
had remained in the fort.

Not a moment was to be lost. Weary, indeed almost exhausted by his long
flight, as soon as food and a brief rest had been obtained Boone at once
helped the little garrison to work day and night upon their
fortifications. New gates were made and double bastions were speedily
completed. The horses and cattle were driven in from the fields, and
powder and balls prepared. Before ten days had elapsed the fort was in
readiness for the coming of the enemy.

Early in the morning of the final day, while Daniel Boone was himself
on guard, he discovered a man approaching from the forest. Keenly
watching the indistinct figure and prepared for instant action, although
as yet he had not summoned any of his companions, Boone soon was aware
that the returning man was none other than his friend Peleg.

The young scout was admitted by Boone, and in response to his queries he
was soon describing what had befallen him.

In the midst of the excitement which had followed the escape of Boone,
Peleg found the opportunity for which he himself had been waiting, and
he, too, fled from the little village. In some ways, however, he had
been more successful than his friend, inasmuch as he had been able to
secure both Singing Susan and some ammunition, together with a
hunting-knife.

"Have they followed you, lad?" inquired Boone eagerly.

"I do not know. They were filled with the plan of attacking the fort and
I do not know whether anything has been done to turn them aside from it.
I have had many trials," continued the young scout. "If I had not found
the circles of stones which you left I could not have followed your
trail. I do not know how you crossed the Ohio."

"I found an old c