Joe looked at the men eagerly, and his heart fell when he realized that neither his father nor Mr. Parsons was among them.
“We have had a long, hard siege of it,” said one of the hunters. “We have had half a dozen battles with the redskins and had a last brush with them day before yesterday while on our way to this spot. They seemed to be coming from here.”
“That must have been the band that set fire to this forest,” said Daniel Boone.
From one of the hunters, old Pep Frost, Joe obtained the particulars of the advance on the Indians.
“We had two fights with ’em afore winter closed in on us,” said Frost. “Then we went into quarters on the sunny side o’ a cliff and went to shootin’ game to keep us alive.”
“But what of my father and of Mr. Parsons?” asked Joe impatiently. “And did you see anything of my mother and Clara Parsons?”
“One question at a time, lad. Yes, we saw both your mother and Clara Parsons, and two other captives, and we got ’em all away from the Injuns. That was a month ago. But two days later the redskins came down on us stronger nor ever and took the captives back. Your father and Mr. Parsons were fer following ’em up at once, and did so—an’ thet’s the last any o’ us saw o’ ’em.”
“Then you don’t know what has become of my father?”
“Nuthin’ further nor thet, Joey. It’s too bad, but I can’t give ye nuthin’ but the truth,” answered Pep Frost.
It was a great blow, and, coming after such a long wait, was doubly telling. The young pioneer covered his face with his hands and gave a long, deep sigh.