the pickets was first made for a garden-spot. Mrs. Boone and her daughter
brought out their stock of garden-seeds, and commenced cultivating this,
while the men went on earnestly in the work of preparing for their
fields. They were calculating that they were making their homes for life.
Day after day the neighborhood resounded with the crash of falling trees,
as these hardy men levelled the forests. While they were thus engaged,
they were made happy by a new arrival. Colonel Calloway, an old companion
of Boone's, led by the desire of finding his old friend and a new
country, came out to the settlement this spring, and brought with him his
two young daughters. Here, then, were companions for Boone's daughter.
The fathers were happy, and the mother and girls delighted.

Spring had not passed away, however, before they were in sorrow about
these children. When the wild flowers began to bloom in the woods, the
girls were in the habit of strolling around the fort and gathering them
to adorn their humble homes. This was an innocent and pleasant
occupation; it pleased the girls as well as their parents. They were
only cautioned not to wander far, for fear of the Indians. This caution,
it seems, was forgotten. Near the close of a beautiful day in July, they
were wandering, as usual, and the bright flowers tempted them to stroll
thoughtlessly onward. Indians were in ambush; they were suddenly
surrounded, seized, and hurried away, in spite of their screams for help.
They were carried by their captors to the main body of the Indian party,
some miles distant. Night came, and the girls did not return; search was
made for them, and they were nowhere to be found. The thought now flashed
upon Boone that the children were prisoners; the Indians had captured
them. The parents were well nigh frantic: possibly the girls were
murdered. Boone declared that he would recover his child, if alive, if he
lost his own life in the effort. The whole settlement was at once roused:
every man offered to start off with the two fathers in search of the
children. But Boone would not have them all; some must remain behind, to
protect the settlement. Of the whole number he chose seven; he and
Calloway headed them; and, in less time than I have been telling the
story, laden with their knapsacks and rifles, they were off in pursuit.

Which way were they to go? It was a long time before they could find a
track of the party. The wily Indians, as usual, had used