because of the hostility of the savages. But the confidence of the young
traders that they could make friends with the Indians, and Tom's glowing
accounts of the country of which he spoke, caused them to look with favor
upon his proposition.

"We will think about this matter," said Ree, "and let you know. You will
be here a day or two?"

"Yaas, a day or two," said Tom Fish. "But don't let me influence ye; it's
mighty reesky business you kittens is bent on."

"It seems to me like a good plan," Ree reflected aloud, when he and John
were alone. "If we went to General Putnam's settlement we would still
feel that we must go up the Muskingum river to reach the Indians and
profitable trading, and would have to build a raft or buy a boat to carry
our goods. Moreover, people here say that within a few years the country
all about Pittsburg will be settled up and that land will become
valuable."

"Whatever you say suits me," said John with a laugh; and then and there
Ree gave him a talking to for being so ready to accept the judgment of
another, instead of having thoughts and opinions of his own.

But one or two ridiculously low offers the boys received for their horse
and cart, and the discovery that they could not find room on the boat
down the Ohio except at a fancy price, resulted in their decision to join
Tom Fish. They talked all day of the subject, but when they went to bed
that night, they knew that not for many months to come would they sleep
again within the borders of civilization.

A frosty November morning ushered in another day, and early as they were
astir Ree and John found the little town wide awake. Tom Fish was
sky-larking all about saying good-bye to friends, and just a little under
the influence of whiskey. It seemed that everybody knew him; and people
having found out from Tom what they had not already found out from
others, about the venturesome lads from Connecticut, quite an assemblage
gathered to wish the travelers good luck.

A repeated suggestion which had been made to the boys was that they
should abandon their cart and take with them only such goods as they
could carry by using old Jerry as a pack-horse. It was true that for a
portion of the distance they proposed to travel, there was a rough road,
but beyond Fort McIntosh, at the mouth of the Beaver river, they would
have no road but the rough Indian trail. But Tom Fish said he "reckoned
old Colonel Boquet's road was still there," and that t