Boone had been telling the settlers the news imparted to him by the solitary hunter whom he had encountered in the forest in such a peculiar manner, and who was called Abe Lark.
“The Shawnees again on the war-path!” cried a stalwart settler, known as Jacob Jackson, and renowned as an Indian-fighter.
As Boone had predicted, there were white faces among the settlers when they heard the terrible news.
“True as shootin’!” cried Boone, “an’ comin’ ag’in’ us in bigger numbers than has ever been seen on the border since we licked ’em right hyer in the Dunmore war.”
A heavy frown came over the face of the stranger, who stood a little apart from the others, as Boone mentioned the battle of Point Pleasant. It was evident that the mention of that bloody fight brought back some unpleasant recollections to the mind of the stranger.
Murdock was watching the man closely, but he was careful not to betray to the stranger that he was being watched.
“Who leads the red-skins?” asked Jackson.
“Ke-ne-ha-ha,” replied Boone.
“The-man-that-walks!” said Jackson.
And at the name the faces of the whites grew serious. They knew full well that a better chieftain than the Shawnee never donned the war-paint, and that the whites had no abler or more deadly foe than Ke-ne-ha-ha.