With the Indian struggle at an end, the English were more eager than ever to push forward to the west, to establish trading posts and settlements, and it is with this movement that the present volume concerns itself. The advance of the whites was watched with hatred by the Indians, who lost no opportunity to do them injury. Among those to push onward, to the fertile country bordering the Ohio River, were our old friends, the Morrises—and what they did to make our glorious country what it is to-day I leave the pages which follow to relate. In closing this series I wish to thank the many thousands who have shown their appreciation of my efforts to amuse and instruct them. In penning the volumes I have endeavored to be as accurate historically as possible, and I trust the perusal will do my young readers much good. EDWARD STRATEMEYER. _Independence Day, 1906._ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. A GLIMPSE OF THE PAST 1 II. A BUFFALO AND A BEAR 9 III. DAVE AND THE INDIAN 18 IV. TAKEN BY SURPRISE 28 V. THE FLIGHT TO THE RIVER 37 VI. BACK TO THE FORT 46 VII. THE START FOR THE EAST 56 VIII. THE MASSACRE OF A PACK-TRAIN 65 IX. UNDER THE CLIFF 75 X. BARRINGFORD AS A SCOUT 85 XI. IN WHICH WHITE BUFFALO APPEARS 95 XII. HOME ONCE MORE 105 XIII. AN OLD ENEMY APPEARS 115 XIV. A FIGHT WITH A WOLVERINE 125 XV. WOLVES, AND A SNOWSTORM 135 XVI. SAVED BY A WINDSTORM 145 XVII. THE JOURNEY TO THE TRADING POST 155 XVIII. RUNNING INTO A TRAP 164 XIX. THE SHOOTING CONTEST 174 XX. ANOTHER LONG JOURNEY 184 XXI. A NEW MOVE 194 XXII. A FIGHT AMONG WILD BEASTS 204 XXIII. THE RESCUE OF THE STRANGER 214 XXIV. SNOWBOUND ON THE TRAIL 225 XXV. CRUSHING NEWS 234 XXVI. BY WAY OF THE TUNNEL 244 XXVII. HOLDING THE TRADING POST 254 XXVIII. IN WHICH A BATTERING RAM IS USED 264 XXIX. FROM ENEMIES TO FRIENDS 274 XXX. FOR LIFE OR DEATH 285 XXXI. DAYS OF PEACE—CONCLUSION 297 ILLUSTRATIONS The battle was now on in all its fury (page 287) _Frontispiece_