The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-10-18
CHAPTER Y.
Fellow Passengers

Simon Kenton was mystifed by the
disappearance of young Ashbridge ana
the canoe.
The scouts familiarity with the Ohio
left no doubt Of his having returned to
the very point where he had parted
from the youth, so the ranger could not
make himself believe the mistake lay
with him.
He stood motionless on the edge Of the
overhanging limbs, where the water
reached almost to his shoulders, and
tried to figure it out.
''I must find him." he reflected. for
he's got my gun, and 1 wouldn't lose
that for all the canoes and Ashbridges
this side of Virginny.'
In the stiffness he heard sound as OF
suppressed voices, as though people
were talking with each other. He lis
tened and quickly located the point IL
was on the river and not far off:
A minute or two was sufficient for
Kenton to gain an inkling of the truth.
Without hesitation n began swimming
toward the point, aiming so as not TO
go directly to but somewhat follow 1t.
He was swimming in an easy, deliber-
Rtive way when he caught the outline OF
a canoe a little distance out in the river.
The suspicious of the hunter were
stirred, and he cautiously swan toward It,
1t sat so high on the water that ne
knew it contained no more than single
occupant if indeed it had that. Nearer
approach convinced him that the craft
was the one for which he was looking
and that it was empty.
minute later the whole truth was
manifest. 1t was the canoe that had
vanished so mysteriously and its con-
tents consisted of the long paddle and the
rifles respectively OF Kenton and young
Ashbridge.
Everything became clear to the scout
1.-THE yOnker has found the f1atboat Of
his friends. They're all on board, and
he was so tickled to larn it that he
Just dived over the gunnell and forgot
to fasten the canoe that took him there.
Wal, it was a piece of 'stronnery care
lessness for the younker, but it won't
do to be too hard on him. He amt the
first chap that has lost his wits cause
he was happy"
From this sOliloquy the reader will
perceive that the sagacious ranger was
not far from the truth.
preached the fiatboat, which speedily
doomed to view in the darkness. His
appearance caused some alarm among
the folks who were on the craft, but
when the identity of the famous scout
became known it need not be said that
he received a most joyous welcome.
Indeed. as the elder Ashbridge declared.
the party was completed by the arrival
of the dripping ranger.
ut amt often things turn out like
this" observed Kenton; where Injins
Is consumed it most giner'ly goes tother
way-that is, where things look all right
they're powerful apt to be all wrong. "
Tn so delighted, Kenton, that L can
hardly restrain myself from fiinging up
my cap and shouting said young Ash
bridge, who had managed to move close
enough to Agnes Altman TO touch her
hand in a timid way.
I'D put that ere shoutin' and yellin'
off fur awhile" gravely advised Kenton.
For how long2'
"Waal, say two or three years; by that
time this part Of the country will be
purity well settled and you'll be out of
the woods. Better wait till then. AS
was sayin', were powerful apt to find
that things have gone wrong rather
than right when Injins is consumed /
had a sneaking hope all along that meb-
be the younker was off the trail and his
folks was on another f1atboat that the
varmints hadn't got hold Of but when
Sine Girty obsarved them things to me
and / knOwed they was the truth-that
the people on that ere boat down the
river was a man, his wife and darter
and an old mani couldn't doubt any
more. / never heerd the younker speak
Il fxrrT oil, G.xra1 ~
thing. and / s'posed, of course, the old
man was one of the family"
Then you had no hope of finding us
alive2''. asked young Ashbridge, always
Interested in what his friend had to say
mot the fust bit-that is, / didn't
ontil come across the canoe"
1t should be said that the fiatboat or
which our friends were descending the
Ohio was the counterpart of the one that
had fallen into the hands Of Girty and
the Shawanoes. The most careful scru.
tiny would hardly have detected any diff
ference.
There was not a foot's variation in
the length and width. and each had the
single sweeping oar hung on a pivot al
either end.
The variation, If IL may be considered
such, was at the stern, which had beer
use of the male and female members Of
the company.
This part was rooted over, and tn,
sides protected by bullet proof planking
True, the quarters were somewha
cramped, but in the days OF the pioneer
the discomforts and hard necessities o
these times would have been considered
Injuries.
1t must be remembered, too, that tn
females were only four In number, an,
1t was midsummer.
While there were three males 1t wa
necessary that one of them should al
ways be on guard. Mr.. Ashbridge's ex
perience in the west had taught hin
the danger of running any risk tina
could be avoided by care and vigilance
Ali this time the fiat-boat was ridinl
at anchor.
The canoe had been fastened to tn
side. and Kenton withdrew the eide
Ashbridge and altman to the forwar'
part Of the craft to talk over SOM
matters while beyond hearing Of tn
women folks.
The ladies' first thought. after tn
furry Of the meeting was over, was tn
duty Of hospitality.
They had eaten their evening meal be
fore the day was wholly gone, but tn
youth and the scout had partaken onl,