Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: "Terry heard distinctly the footsteps of the warrior."] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE HUNTERS OF THE OZARK. BY EDWARD S. ELLIS Author Of "Young Pioneer Series," "Log Cabin Series," "Great River Series," Etc., Etc. Philadelphia: Henry T. Coates & Co. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright, 1887, by PORTER & COATES. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS. CHAPTER. PAGE. I.--AN ESTRAY, 5 II.--THE TINKLE OF A BELL, 15 III.--AN ABORIGINAL PLOT, 25 IV.--A PARTY OF THE THIRD PART, 34 V.--A FRIEND IN NEED, 44 VI.--FRED LINDEN RECEIVES A MESSAGE FROM THE OZARK CAMP, 54 VII.--THE HUNTERS OF OZARK, 64 VIII.--A WELCOME ACQUAINTANCE, 74 IX.--A MISHAP, 84 X.--A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE, 94 XI.--TRAMPING SOUTHWARD, 104 XII.--A STRANGE ANIMAL, 114 XIII.--A TROUBLESOME VISITOR, 124 XIV.--A WELCOME ALLY, 134 XV.--"DEERFOOT WILL BE SENTINEL TO-NIGHT," 144 XVI.--AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE, 154 XVII.--A SUSPICIOUS SOUND, 164 XVIII.--LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT, 174 XIX.--SHAWANOE AND WINNEBAGO, 185 XX.--ANOTHER NIGHT VISITOR, 195 XXI.--THE CAMP OF THE WINNEBAGOS, 205 XXII.--"KEEP TO THE TRAIL," 215 XXIII.--AN INFURIATE SHAWANOE, 225 XXIV.--THE DEFIANCE, 236 XXV.--THE SIGNAL FIRE, 245 XXVI.--ON THE EDGE OF THE PRAIRIE, 257 XXVII.--A MORNING MEAL, 269 XXVIII.--A STRANGE RIDE, 281 XXIX.--A YOUNG HUNTER'S STRATEGY, 293 XXX.--TERRY FINISHES HIS RIDE, 305 XXXI.--THE DEVIL'S PUNCH BOWL, 316 XXXII.--THE TERROR IN THE AIR, 328 XXXIII.--FRED LINDEN AWAKENS TO AN ALARMING FACT, 340