op. He had hoisted up
the sticks from the lower to the second tier, and was standing on the
poles which supported it, while raising the sticks to the upper tier,
when four stout Indians, with guns, entered the low door and called
him by name.

[Illustration]

"'Now, Boone, we got you. You no get away more. We carry you off to
Chilicothe this time. You no cheat us anymore.'

"Boone looked down upon their upturned faces, saw their loaded guns
pointed at his breast, and recognising some of his old friends the
Shawanese, who had made him prisoner near the Blue Licks in 1778, coolly
and pleasantly responded:

"'Ah, old friends, glad to see you.'

"Perceiving that they manifested impatience to have him come down, he
told them he was quite willing to go with them, and only begged that
they would wait where they were, and watch him closely until he could
finish removing the tobacco.

"While thus parleying with them, Boone inquired earnestly respecting his
old friends in Chilicothe. He continued for some time to divert the
attention of these simple-minded men, by allusions to past events with
which they were familiar, and by talking of his tobacco, his mode of
curing it, and promising them an abundant supply. With their guns in
their hands however, they stood at the door of the shed, grouped closely
together so as to render his escape apparently impossible. In the
meantime Boone carefully gathered his arms full of the long, dry tobacco
leaves, filled with pungent dust, which would be blinding and stifling
as the most powerful snuff, and then with a leap from his station twelve
feet high, came directly upon their heads, filling their eyes and
nostrils, and so bewildering and disabling them for the moment, that
they lost all self-possession and all self-control.

"Boone, agile as a deer, darted out at the door, and in a moment was in
his bullet-proof log-hut, which to him was an impregnable citadel.
Loop-holes guarded every approach. The Indians could not show themselves
without exposure to certain death. They were too well acquainted with
the unerring aim of Boone's rifle to venture within its range. Keeping
the log cabin between them and their redoubtable foe, the baffled
Indians fled into the wilderness.

"Colonel Boone related this adventure with great glee, imitating the
gestures of the bewildered Indians. He said that notwithstanding his
narrow escape, he could not resist the temptation, as he reached the
door of