Cordially yours, HARRISON ADAMS. _May 20th, 1912._ [Illustration] [Illustration] CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE PREFACE v I. AFTER FRESH VENISON 1 II. THE CABIN IN THE CLEARING 13 III. CAUGHT IN THE SNOW-STORM 25 IV. THE WOLF PACK 36 V. WHEN KATE CAME HOME 47 VI. THE DIE IS CAST 59 VII. INTO THE UNKNOWN LAND 68 VIII. THE PERILS OF THE WILDERNESS 77 IX. ALONG THE BUFFALO TRAIL 88 X. ATTACKED BY INDIANS 97 XI. ON THE BANK OF THE OHIO 106 XII. BOONE, THE CAPTAIN OF PIONEERS 118 XIII. BLUE JACKET 129 XIV. A NEW HOME IN THE WILDERNESS 141 XV. THE SUDDEN PERIL 152 XVI. CHASED BY THE FLAMES 167 XVII. A STRANGE PRISON 178 XVIII. AFTER THE FOREST FIRE 189 XIX. CAPTURED BY THE SHAWANEES 200 XX. THE COUNCIL FIRE 211 XXI. TIT FOR TAT 223 XXII. THE ESCAPE 235 XXIII. A CANOE TRIP IN THE STARLIGHT 245 XXIV. THE FEATHERED MESSAGE 255 XXV. AFLOAT ON THE FLOOD 266 XXVI. THE SINKING CRAFT 277 XXVII. BOB 286 XXVIII. A RESCUE 295 XXIX. WONDERFUL TIDINGS 306 XXX. CONCLUSION 315 NOTES 327 [Illustration] [Illustration] LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE "'HERE WE ARE AT THE SPOT I PICKED OUR FOR YOUR SETTLEMENT'" (_see page_ 119) _Frontispiece_ "DISCOVERED A HALF CIRCLE OF GLEAMING YELLOW EYES WATCHING HIM" 35 "KICKING FURIOUSLY AT A LEAN BLACK BEAR, JUST BELOW HIM" 49 "SLIPPING ADROITLY AROUND THE BEECH AS FAST AS THE BUFFALO COULD CHASE AFTER HIM" 89 "THE FIRE WAS . . COMING ON AT HEADLONG SPEED" 170 "A PAIR OF MUSCULAR BRONZED ARMS SUDDENLY CLOSED ABOUT THE BOY" 202 [Illustration] The Pioneer Boys of the Ohio CHAPTER I AFTER FRESH VENISON "SHALL we give it up for to-day, Sandy?" "But the afternoon is only half spent, Bob, and we have had such poor luck hunting."