go on with his story.

CHAPTER VI.

When Boone reached Boonesborough, the object he most loved was not to be
found. His poor wife, wearied with waiting for him, and naturally
concluding that he was lost to her for ever, had returned to her friends
on the Yadkin. The settlers had begged her to remain, and offered her
every kindness; but her husband was gone: she was heart-sick, and longed
to return to her friends in Carolina. Disappointed as he was, however, he
had no time to waste in sorrow. The Indians were approaching, and
Boonesborough was well nigh defenceless. Just before his return, a Major
Smith had taken charge of the post, and been busy in strengthening it,
but much was still to be done. Boone's energies were now at work, and in
a little time the station was ready for an attack. A white man now came
into the settlement with news. He had escaped from the Indians. The
party from which Boone had escaped had postponed their attack for three
weeks, and gone back to strengthen themselves. They felt that Boone had
reached home--the alarm was given, the place fortified--and that it was
idle to attack it at this time.

Boone determined at once to improve the mean season. With nineteen men,
he started off to surprise the Indians at Paint Creek Town, a small
village on the Scioto. When he came within four miles of the place, he
met a party of the savages on their way to join the large body marching
against Boonesborough. The fight instantly commenced: one Indian fell
dead, several were wounded, and the rest were forced to retreat; their
horses and all their baggage fell into the hands of Boone. Two men were
now sent to reconnoitre the town. They found no Indians there; they had
all left. After setting fire to the village, they returned, and Boone
immediately hurried homeward.

He had scarcely entered the station, and closed the gates, when an army
of four hundred and forty-four Indians, led on by a Frenchman named
Duquesne, appeared before the settlement. They soon sent in a flag,
demanding, in the name of the King of Great Britain, that the station
should instantly surrender. A council was immediately held in the fort.
With such a force before them, Smith was in favor of meeting their
proposal; Boone opposed it; the settlers backed him in this opposition;
and he sent back for an answer to the Indians that the gates should never
be opened to them. Presently another flag of truce was sent in, with a
message th