PREPARING FOR THE WORST 43 CHAPTER V. THE STORM BURSTS 56 CHAPTER VI. GATHERING COURAGE FROM DESPAIR 73 CHAPTER VII. A CONTRAST 83 CHAPTER VIII. TREADING OUT THE GRAIN 91 CHAPTER IX. A LITTLE SUNSHINE 102 CHAPTER X. LIBERTY IS SWEET 115 CHAPTER XI. THE RAFT 129 CHAPTER XII. A DAY OF UNALLOYED PLEASURE 143 CHAPTER XIII. CANNOT GIVE IT UP 156 CHAPTER XIV. THE BEAN-POT 167 CHAPTER XV. THE SURPRISE 177 CHAPTER XVI. THE DAWN OF A LIFE-PURPOSE 193 CHAPTER XVII. SELF-RELIANCE 209 CHAPTER XVIII. FRUITS OF PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE 226 CHAPTER XIX. TRIUMPH OF THOUGHT AND INGENUITY 246 CHAPTER XX. UNCLE SETH'S SURPRISE 264 CHAPTER XXI. NED RANGELY 273 CHAPTER XXII. CARRYING THE WAR INTO AFRICA 294 CHAPTER XXIII. THE QUAKER'S APPEAL TO THE DELAWARES 309 CHAPTER XXIV. THE RETURN OF THE CAPTIVE 323 FOREST GLEN; OR, THE MOHAWK'S FRIENDSHIP. CHAPTER I. THE BREWING OF THE STORM. Our story opens at that period of the year when summer is fast verging to autumn. As the wind that had blown fresh during the night diminished, about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, to a gentle breeze, the heat in the valley of Wolf Run, hemmed in by mountains, became excessive. Corn-blades rolled up, pitch oozed from the logs of which the houses were built, all broad-leaved plants wilted, and the high temperature was adapted to produce an unusual sluggishness. Stewart, who held the day-watch at the fort, seated on the platform over the gate, was sound asleep. Half a dozen sheep lay in the shade of the walls, panting, with mouths wide open. Not a person was to be seen in the vicinity of the houses or in the fields. Not a rooster had sufficient courage to crow, or even a dog to bark. The windmill inside the stockade made one or two revolutions; but, as the wind died away, gave up with a groan, and remained motionless. The profound silence was rudely broken by the successive discharge of fire-arms. The sentinel awoke, and grasped his rifle; but, after listening a few moments, settled back in his corner, and was soon once more asleep. Two of the sheep rose up, but in a few moments lay down again. The firing continued at intervals for more than an hour, no notice being taken of it by the sentry, who, in the mean time, finished his nap. If our readers will go with us in the direction of the river, we will endeavor to find out what it is all about, and shall perceive that the settlers were improving the leisure interval between hay and grain harvest, in making preparations for future exigencies.