During those days they were not without alarms, and on two occasions left the field to join the others at the fort. But one alarm was entirely false, and the other made by two drunken red men who were easily subdued, so there was no serious trouble.
After the last of the vegetables had been brought in and stored away, and the pease and beans dried, the boys turned their attention to firewood, and day after day found them at the edge of the clearing, hewing down the trees which were to keep them warm during the winter, and were also to help enlarge the fields which in the future were to produce the best of garden truck, as well as corn and rye.
Each boy was skillful with his ax, and they often wagered between themselves as to which could bring down a tree first. Sometimes the girls or Mrs. Parsons would come out to watch them for a brief spell, but usually these persons had all they could do in and around the cabin, where they were constantly spinning and weaving, knitting and sewing, on the various garments necessary for the approaching winter.
One day, when the boys were hard at work cutting down two tall hickory trees, a messenger rode into Boonesborough with news of the expedition that had gone forth. At once the lads dropped their axes and ran after the man to learn what he might have to tell.
“We have not seen the regular body of Indians yet,” said the messenger. “But we met three redskins on a river about a hundred miles west of here. Two of ’em were shot down in the fight, and the third man captured. He didn’t want to talk at first, but later on he thought better of it, and promised to lead us to Long Knife’s hang-out.”
The messenger had come in to have a wound in the shoulder attended to, and to obtain two more rifles and some special ammunition. He spent two days at Boonesborough, and during that time Joe and Harry learned from him that Mr. Winship and Mr. Parsons were as well as ever, and that they had great hopes of the ultimate success of the march against the enemy.
“They are moving rather slowly,” said Joe. “Do you know what I am inclined to think? That neither father nor the others want to attack the Indians until they have gone into winter quarters.”
“Well, if they do that, it’s more than likely they will catch the redskins off their guard,” answered Harry. “As a general thing an Indian don’t care to fight in the winter.”
It was not until the day following that the two young pioneers went to work to finish cutting down the two hickory trees. Each was anxious to have his tree fall first, and each worked away with vigor, making the broad chips fall in all directions.
“My tree is quivering!” cried Joe presently. “She’ll be down in another five minutes, and I know it!”