The emigrants show the white feather--They retrace their steps to North Carolina--Boone refuses to turn his back upon Kentucky and Hardy proves staunch--“Didn’t we make a bargain?”--The new home in the cabin on the Clinch--Hardy enters upon his backwoods education--Boone finds him an apt and willing pupil--The hunting expeditions in the glorious Indian summer--Hardy soon learns to shoot straight and to stalk a deer--Hardy has a lesson in tracking a man--“I laid flat, thinking you might fire”--Winter trapping and camping--The Indians invade the settlements--Hardy serves in Dunmore’s War. When the first rays of the rising sun called the settlers from their rude couches, Boone appeared in camp, after a bath in the branch, as fresh and alert as though he had enjoyed a long rest like the others. The night before he had instructed them not to strike their shelters in the morning, for he designed to remain in the camp until the next day and devote the interval to searching for the strayed cattle. These were a very valuable property. Their milk was needed for the young children, and they were intended to form the nucleus of the stock in the new settlement. A party was sent out to search the thickets, but Boone was doomed to meet with a great disappointment before the close of the day and to have his cherished plans entirely upset. At about noon the heads of the families among the emigrants came to the leader and expressed their determination to return. The attack of the day before had convinced them that the Indians would oppose their farther progress, and they deemed it suicidal to venture into an unknown region, far beyond the limits of settlement. Many of the other men were married and had joined the expedition with a view to prospecting for land. These, also, were bent on returning to their homes. A few of the single men, who had no ties, were indifferent as to their future course, and of these perhaps half a dozen stayed in the district. Boone felt that if there was to be any turning back, the sooner it took place the better, and he did not try to dissuade the settlers from their purpose. For his own part, he had made up his mind to go to Kentucky and get there he would. He should stay where he was until an opportunity for going forward presented itself. While this understanding was being reached, Hardy stood beside his adoptive father, an interested listener. Boone now turned to him. “Hardy,” he said, with a grim smile, “here’s a fine chance to go back again, if you want to.” The boy looked up at the hunter with an expression of mingled surprise and reproach. “Didn’t we make a bargain?” he asked. “That we did, Hardy,” replied Boone heartily, slapping the lad on the back, “that we did, and I’m to blame for doubting you.”