"You see, being a scout in those days wasn't all play. It brought many hardships that we know little about, but, after all, it called for the same kind of boy. Washington was brave and true, helpful, kind, and clean, and he was prepared. When the time came, his preparedness put him in command of the American forces and afterward made him the first President of the United States." "Washington was great stuff, all right," said Skinny, shaking his head sadly, "but everything has been discovered now, and explored, and Injuns ain't much good outside a show. There ain't anything for a feller to do any more." CHAPTER XIX ON HISTORIC GROUND WE were one more night on the road before reaching the Connecticut River. "This trip is going to be a great part of the fun," Mr. Norton had told us, "and the best part of it is that we can go as slowly or as fast as we please. We'll cross over the mountain to-day, stopping whenever we feel like it, and go into camp somewhere on the other side. I want to have you do some of our Scout stunts on the way." I don't know which was the most fun, walking along the mountain road, which wound through green woods and across laughing brooks, or pitching our camp at night and, after a good supper of our own cooking, listening to Mr. Norton's stories, around the campfire. We started bright and early in the morning, carrying only our bows and arrows and Skinny's hatchet. The other things were on the wagon. Mr. Norton drove because we boys wanted to play. Skinny was George Washington, making his way through the wilderness. He carried the hatchet because he might have to build a raft to get across Deerfield River. Benny was bound to be Christopher Gist. Bill had a right to first choice, on account of being corporal, but Benny wanted to be Gist and Bill didn't care. He said he'd rather be White Thunder, anyhow; it sounded so nice and noisy. Hank said that he'd be the Half King, whatever that was. "His name was Tanacharisson," said Mr. Norton. "He was a Seneca chief of great note in those days. He was called 'Half King' because he wasn't a whole king. He was under the chief of the Six Nations." I don't know what the rest of us were, but I do know that we had a fine time, scouting through the forest and along the road. When we came to the town of Florida, on top of the mountain, Skinny told us that it was the Indian village of Venango, where we'd find the French outposts. He wanted to surround it, but White Thunder was for pushing on because he was getting hungry, although it was still quite early in the forenoon. So we trudged along, and down the mountain road on the other side, until we came to Deerfield River. We found a bridge across the river and didn't have to make a raft. There wasn't water enough to float one over the rocks, anyhow, although there was more than usual on account of the big rain.