n
with Clark of whose location he knew nothing. A more terrible choice has
seldom been presented to a man. Harrod, Kenton and other famous scouts
stood with him and shared his perplexity.

"What shall we do, gentlemen?" he asked.

There was no answer save the sound of a rifle shot from the woods in
front of them.

"I don't blame you for not answering," said the Colonel moodily,
"because I don't know of anything you can say. Listen to those shots! We
may be fighting for our lives before noon, but, by all the powers, I
won't go back. We can't do it! Now in the name of all that's wonderful
what is that?"

Every pair of eyes was turned toward the muddy surface of the Licking,
where a white body floated easily. As they looked the body came to the
bank, raised itself up in the shape of a human being and stepped ashore,
leaving a trail of water on the turf. It was the figure of a youth, tall
and powerful beyond his kind and bare to the waist. He came straight
toward Logan.

"Now, who under the sun are you and what do you want!" exclaimed the
startled Colonel.

"My name is Henry Ware," replied the youth in a pleasant voice, "and
what I want is first a blanket and after that some clothes, but
meanwhile I tell you that I am a messenger from Colonel Clark whom you
wish to join."

"A messenger from Colonel Clark?" exclaimed Logan. "How do we know
this?"

"Simon Kenton there knows me well and he can vouch for me; can't you
Simon?" continued the youth in the same pleasant voice.

"And so I can!" exclaimed Kenton, springing forward and warmly grasping
the outstretched hand. "I didn't know you at first, Henry, which is
natural, because it ain't your habit to wander around in the daytime
with nothing on but a waist band."

"But how is it that you came up the Licking," persisted Colonel Logan,
still suspicious. "Is Colonel Clark in the habit of sending unclothed
messengers up rivers?"

"I came that way," replied Henry, "because all the others are closed.
I've been swimming nearly all night or rather floating, because I had a
little raft to help me. I came up the Ohio and then up the Licking. I
ran the Indian gauntlet on both rivers. At the gauntlet on the Licking I
lost my raft which carried my rifle, clothes and ammunition. However
here I am pretty wet and somewhat tired, but as far as I know, sound."

"You can rely on every word he says, Colonel," exclaimed Simon Kenton.

"I do believe him absolutely," said Colonel Lo