34

The Wilderness Road 39

The Rescue 45

The Fort Is Saved 51

Daniel Boone's Reward 59

Daniel's Indian Friend

Daniel Boone was a boy who lived on the edge of the deep woods in
Pennsylvania. At that time this country still belonged to England.

Friendly Indians often came out of the woods to visit the white men.
Daniel liked the Indians. He liked them so well that he wished he could
live with them.

One day he was taking care of his father's cattle. The pasture was
several miles from the settlement. Although Daniel was a ten-year-old
boy, he sometimes became lonely by himself.

Today he lay on a hillside and sang aloud. He wanted to hear a voice,
even if it was only his own.

There was a low laugh behind him. Daniel sprang to his feet. A tall,
slim Indian boy stood a few feet away. The white boy liked him at once.

"I sing, too," the young Indian said.

He threw back his head and sang. Daniel could not understand a word.

"I sing to the sun and the wind and the rain," the boy explained.

"I like your Indian song," Daniel said, "but I'm glad you speak
English."

The boy patted the bow that hung over his right shoulder. "You like
this?"

The bow was strong and shining. Daniel ran a finger along the smooth
wood.

"I like it very much," he said.

The other boy took an arrow and placed it on the bowstring. He pulled
back the bow. The arrow flew away.

"You get," the Indian said.

Daniel ran after the arrow. He picked it up and looked back. The Indian
boy was right beside him.

He took the arrow from Daniel. Again he shot it. Again the white boy
ran after it. The young Indian ran beside him.

He shook his head when Daniel handed him the arrow.

He handed Daniel the bow.

"Shoot!" he said.

Daniel took the bow in his hands. He pulled it back and let the arrow
fly.

By now Daniel had forgotten the cattle. He had forgotten everything but
the wonderful bow, his new friend, and the wide, wild woods.

After a while the boys came to a high hill. At the bottom was an Indian
village. The brown-skinned boy took Daniel by the hand and ran toward
the settlement.

Several dogs barked at them. Some women were hoeing their gardens. They
hardly looked up as the boys passed.

An old woman was stirring something in an iron pot over a fire. It
smelled good. Daniel remembered that he had eaten nothing since