of a messenger from
the attacking army--a white man. Before he arrived at the stockade he
was hailed by Daniel Boone, who, with Peleg, was standing on one of the
bastions.

After a few preliminary words the man said: "I am instructed by Captain
Duquesne to state to you that he has received orders from Governor
Hamilton at Detroit to take this fort, but to save the lives of the
people, if it is possible so to do."

Boone gazed down into the face of the speaker, but did not reply.

"I am further instructed by Captain Duquesne," resumed the messenger,
"to ask you to send nine men from the fort to arrange for a treaty. You
can meet the men from our army wherever you desire."

"I shall report to you as soon as I have consulted my friends," said
Daniel Boone as he and his companion retired to the fort.

When the defenders were assembled Sam Oliver declared hotly: "I should
never send nine men out to meet the redskins! It is one of their tricks,
and not one of the nine will ever come back."

"I do not feel that way about it," said Boone. "I suspect that it may be
a trick, as you suggest, but it may help us to put off the beginning of
the fight until some of the other settlers for whom we have sent can
come to our aid. I favour sending a delegation of nine men to meet a
delegation from the Indians, but the place must be within fire from the
fort. I do not know how you feel, but for myself I am willing to say
that we shall never surrender this place while there is one man left
alive to defend it."

"That's the way we all feel," said Sam Oliver, who still opposed the
proposed meeting.

Daniel Boone returned to the bastions and announced to the messenger
that nine men would meet a party from the Indians in accordance with the
proposition which had been made for the conference.

Selecting eight of his followers, the scout led the way to the appointed
place of meeting, which was sixty yards from the fort. There the little
band met Captain Duquesne and eighteen or twenty Indians. The red
warriors were silent, but their flashing eyes impressed the scout more
than any words could have done.

"What we propose," began Captain Duquesne, "is that every man in the
fort shall swear allegiance to King George the Third and submit to our
rule. If this can be done we can assure you that you may live in peace
and retain all your property."

Boone, who was the spokesman of the settlers, arose to reply. He knew
little of the great str