The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-10-11

track of their movements, for they must
be near at hand.
The ranger was puzzled at not seeing
anything of The Panther and his COM
panions.
His own position in the water. below
the bow of the flatboat, gave him
view that commanded all the approaches
except at the stearn, such as he had
the Indians would draw nigh at that
point
1T heard their paddles" he reflected,
but it must have been some careless
ness on their part. / guess they were
padding close in shore"
The reader will perceive that in this
supposition the scout was correct
The discovery was disappointing, for
ii proved ne might have stayed with
Girty longer and draw more information
from him.
But it could not be helped, and it
would never do to return to the boat,
as for an instant he meditated doing.
Pm in no hurry to go back to that
younker," he reflected, with the news
that I'll have to take him-Helloar'
The canoe with its three occupants
assumed form in the gloom, approach
ing the iatboat from the direction of
the Kentucky shore. The watcher was
certain that one of the three was The
Panther
With an almost imperceptible motion
Kenton worked his way to the craft,
striving to use il as a screen against
the Shawanoes as he had done against
Girty. The smaller craft favored this
purpose by drawing near the stearn.
BY and by the projecting bow shut it
from sight
Then it was that the ranger put forth
all his power and skill and went through
the water as though it was his native
element.
He did not move his eyes from the
cumbersome craft. for he was going into
-. hoo
great danger and the sltuatlon became me
more critical with every swing OF his
powerful arms.
He was within a dozen feet of the
bow when, TO his dismay, the figure Of
an Indian warrior rose to his feet, as
though projected upward from spring
board. There was less than twenty feet
between the man in the water and the
one standing at the front of the fiat
boat.
It was an alarming position for the
ranger, for If the Indian happened TO
look in his direction he could not fail
to discover him. Fortunately at the mo-
ment he rose so Unexpectedly TO sight
his side was turned toward the ranger,
and he was looking at the shore from
which he and his companions had come
In the gloom it was impossible to
identify the profile of the man, but,
with q. singular motion, Kenton decided
him to be no other than his old enemy
''Wouldn't he like to catch me here?"
reflected the intrepid scout. who, fear
full of running further risk. for there
could be no doubt that the fellow would
scan all the river in his field of vision,
again sank under the surface, aiming
not to come up until too close to be
seen.
The distance he was obliged to swim
was less than in the former instance,
but, curiously enough, Kenton made a
| miscalculation this time.
When he supposed he was at the right
point and gently assembled the few inch
es necessary, he was really under the
| boat. Instead of reaching the clear,
pure air, he struck the planks of the
| bottom.
| gentleness of the impact prevented any
| suspicious jar, although The Panther
was standing almost directly over his
| head.
Kenton knew the nature of the mis-
| take. and, with the same marvellous
| GOODNESS which seemed never to desert
| him, he swan until clear of the raft,
| coming up Immediately under the bow.
| This being of a sloping form, effectual-
| ~ shut him from sight. unless the Sha-
vance INDUCED in a whim to lean for
ward and peer over the shelving plank
| ing-a thing he was not likely to do I'M
| less his suspicion was aroused.
The object of the ranger in this dan
Gus business was to overhear some of
| the conversation on board.
He understood the Shawanoe tongue as
we'll as his own. and his hope was that
the information not obtained from Girty
/ would thus be obtainable.
| Circumstances to some extent favored
| the scout, who, from his curious hiding
| place, did not lose a word of what was
| uttered.
The first information was given by The
Panther, who told of the encounter in
the wood during the afternoon. when one
| of their number fell before the deadly
rifle of the great scout and pioneer, ST.
mon Kenton-
The chief pronounced his name. so
| there could be no doubt Of his recognition
/ of his old enemy.
His version of the affair, in which he
4 was Endorsed by his companion, differed
| from the truth, in that he made the num-
/ Der of contestants twice his own instead
| of only two one Of whom did not appear
until after the encounter was virtually
| over.
\ Kenton smiled, but cared nothing for
| that 1t was characteristic of the Ameri-
| can race to indulge in exaggeration. His
/ own people were not guiltless of the same
fault.
| Then Girty had to explain the cause of
| the vanishment of his companion on
board the fiatboat.
| he stuck partly to the truth, inasmuch
| as there was nothing to be gained by
classifying further than to represent Ken
! ton as keeping himself so we'll sheltered
| on the bank that neither renegade nor
| Lame Bear could secure a shot at him.
| This information was already possessed
| by the listener. He wanted more, and it
| was not long in coming.
Girty sauntered to the side of The
| Panther and held a short conversation in
| the Shawanoe tongue which may be lib
orally translated
| 1--WE have lost two of our braVest war
| riors. we have three left. What is the
| will of the great chief, The Panther
| whose name makes the pale-faces trem-
| ble?"
1T is the will of Wa-on-mon that we
| wait here until another boat comes down
the river; though there be hundred
pale-faces on it we will take their scalps
| as we did those of the other; then We
| will burn the boats and hang the scalps
| of the pale-faces to the ridgepoles of our
| wigwam.
There was the interesting program laid
| out by the generalissimo of the hostile
1 forces.
They had captured this craft by some
! means unknown to Kenton, and meant
| TO use 1t to secure another. Doubtless
| they intended TO use deception and
treachery, the favorite means of their
people.
The reader will perceive the fearful
| advantage in the hands of The Panther
because of the presence and fullest sup
| port of the renegade.
Hardly one person in a hundred OF
| those who descended the Ohio knew Girty
by sight, though the terror of his name
| had nanetrated even to the settlements