alked by himself through the tall canes. Three
of the Indians took the captives.

Boone and his friends tried in vain to follow them. Sometimes they
would find a track but it would soon be lost in the thick canes.

Boone's party gave up trying to find their path. They noticed which
way the Indians were going. Then they walked as fast as they could the
same way for thirty miles. They thought the Indians would grow
careless about their tracks after traveling so far.

They turned so as to cross the path they thought the Indians had
taken. They looked carefully at the ground and at the bushes to see if
any one had gone by.

Before long they found the Indians' tracks in a buffalo path.
Buffaloes and other animals go often to lick salt from the rocks round
salt springs. They beat down the brush and make great roads. These
roads run to the salt springs. The hunters call them streets.

The Indians took one of these roads after they got far from the fort.
They could travel more easily in it. They did not take pains to hide
their tracks.

As fast as their feet could carry them, Boone and his friends traveled
along the trail. When they had gone about ten miles they saw
the Indians.

The Indians had stopped to rest and to eat. It was very warm and
they had put off their moc-ca-sins and laid down their arms. They were
kindling a fire to cook by.

In a moment the Indians saw the white men. Boone and Galloway were
afraid the Indians would kill the girls.

Four of the white men shot at the Indians. Then all rushed at them.

The Indians ran away as fast as they could. They did not stop to pick
up their guns or knives or hatchets. They had no time to put on their
moccasins.

The poor worn-out girls were soon safe in their fathers' arms.

Back to Boones-bor-ough they went, not minding their tired feet. When
they got to the fort there was great joy to see them alive.

I do not believe they ever played in the water again.

DECATUR AND THE PIRATES.

Nearly a hundred years have passed since the ship "Phil-a-del-phi-a"
was burned. But the brave sailors who did it will never be
for-got-ten.

The people of Trip-o-li in Af-ri-ca were pirates. They took the ships
of other nations at sea. They made slaves of their prisoners. The
friends of these slaves sometimes sent money to buy their freedom.
Some countries paid money to these pirates to let their ships go safe.

Our country had trouble with the pirates. This troub