These brave men, who had already successfully braved the dangers that beset them on their journey across the mountains to the Ohio valley, had heard stories from the lips of trappers who had penetrated far into the western land in pursuit of the rich skins of otter, beaver, fox, mink and marten. When their crops failed to turn out as well as they had anticipated, a spirit of unrest began to pervade the little community; and these wonderful tales were repeated, from lip to lip, always with a longing to obtain a glimpse of the country that offered such astonishing opportunities. It was this spirit of unrest that peopled our great West. Those who found themselves out-distanced in the race, unwilling that others should get ahead, gave up their holdings, partly improved as they might be, and once more started out to get in the van of the procession headed toward the setting sun. "Do you think we will have any trouble getting back to the other shore of the river, this afternoon?" Sandy asked, after they had walked along for a few minutes in silence, headed for the first of their traps. "I admit that I don't just like the way we were buffeted around on the voyage over," replied Bob; "and, if the waters keep on rising to-night, as I think they are going to, we will not be able to visit our traps on this side for several days." "Then had we better take them along with us?" asked Sandy. "No, they would bother us in the dugout," replied Bob; then, noticing the quick glance his brother shot in his direction, he added: "Yes, I am figuring on the chance of our boat being upset in the flood; and, if that happened, we'd have all we could do to save ourselves and our guns, let alone half a dozen heavy traps. They can stay here until we find a chance to cross again, after the water goes down." "But, I wonder if Colonel Boone knew about such a thing as a flood when he led us to where the settlement now stands?" remarked Sandy, with a frown. "Because, if the water rises very much more, we, as well as some of the other settlers, stand to lose our cabin. Already the water has covered the land where open fields lay, ready to be planted in maize this spring. All Mr. Bancroft's new fence has been taken down, to save it from being swept away." "No, I do not believe such a rise has been known for many years," Bob went on to say. "You know how it flows between banks that are covered with trees. These countless hills are crowned with great forests, and under the trees the ground is carpeted with moss and dead leaves. This is like a great sponge, father says, that soaks up the water during rainy seasons, and lets it out again in time of drought. I heard him say only this morning that the Indians never knew of a flood like this one. They believe that the Great Spirit is angry because they have not driven the palefaces from Kentucky. And there will be a renewal of the fighting, after this rainy spell is over, he fears." (Note 2.)