The other men objected in chorus: "He's nothing but a boy. He can't go. We can't take a boy and we can't take a dog."
"Don't want to take the dog; never do take the dog," was the easy answer.
"The boy is too small," was the second chorus.
The bright gray eyes ran over Doby from his eager face to his moccasined toes. Then Simon Kenton said "He is big enough for me. I can use him on this ventur'. I've taken chances afore on folks that befriended my dog. Nary chance did I ever lose."
Without more ado he took command of the expedition. He showed each man his duty. Then he said to Doby: "I'll trust ye. Climb into yer new suit, son, and scoot along. Show us yer ready for business. I reckon ye'll never be anybody's small boy again. When ye made up yer mind to give a man the things that belonged to him—the minute ye wrote that note—w'y, just that minute ye growed into a first-class scout!"
V
BLUE-JAY FEATHERS
An Indian Talisman on Clark's Kentucky War Road