E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Josephine Paolucci, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) THE KEEPERS OF THE TRAIL A Story of the Great Woods by JOSEPH A. ALTSHELER Author of "The Young Trailers," "The Forest Runners," Etc. Appleton-Century New York Copyright, 1916, by D. Appleton and Company All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission of the publishers. Copyright, 1944, by Sallie B. Altsheler Printed in the United States of America FOREWORD "The Keepers of The Trail" deals with an episode, hitherto unrelated, in the lives of Henry Ware, Paul Cotter, Shif'less Sol Hyde, Long Jim Hart, and Silent Tom Ross. In point of time it follows "The Forest Runners," and, so, is the third volume of the "Young Trailer" series. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. HENRY IN HIS KINGDOM 1 II. THE BIG GUNS 23 III. THE INDIAN CAMP 41 IV. THE DEED IN THE WATER 61 V. THE FOREST JOKER 83 VI. THE KING WOLF 101 VII. THE FOREST POETS 123 VIII. THE PATH OF DANGER 140 IX. THE KEEPERS OF THE CLEFT 164 X. BESIEGED 187 XI. THE SHIFTLESS ONE 207 XII. ON THE GREAT TRAIL 230 XIII. FIVE AGAINST A THOUSAND 251 XIV. HOLDING THE FORD 270 XV. THE GREAT CULMINATION 293 THE KEEPERS OF THE TRAIL CHAPTER I HENRY IN HIS KINGDOM A light wind blew over the great, primeval wilderness of Kentucky, the dense, green foliage rippling under it like the waves of the sea. In every direction forest and canebrake stretched in countless miles, the trees, infinite in variety, and great in size, showing that Nature had worked here with the hand of a master. Little streams flashing in silver or gold in the sunlight, flowed down to the greater rivers, and on a bush a scarlet tanager fluttered like a flash of flame. A youth, uncommon in size and bearing, stepped into a little opening, and looked about with the easy, natural caution belonging to the native of the forest who knows that danger is always near. His eyes pierced the foliage, and would have noticed anything unusual there, his ear was so keen that he would have heard at once any sound not a part of the woods. Eye and ear and the indefinable powers of primitive man told him no enemy was at hand, and he stood on the green hill, breathing the fresh, crisp air, with a delight that only such as he could feel. Mighty was the wilderness, majestic in its sweep, and depth of color, and the lone human figure fitted into it perfectly, adding to it the last and finishing touch.