He turned and was about to go; then he paused, and added:
“The Gray Lizard is old. He has seen many things. He knew the Yadkin when the white man was a stranger on its banks. Take warning by his words: do not venture beyond the blue hills.”
Then, his long staff ringing on the stones, he went limping down the trail.
CHAPTER II
A COMING STRUGGLE
As the strange figure of the old Cherokee went halting along the river trail, the eyes of Boone and his companions followed curiously.
“A queer sort of customer,” commented Colonel Henderson. “I don’t recall ever having seen him before.”
“He’s a wonder worker and medicine man,” said Boone. “And he spends a good bit of his time on the fringe of the settlements. Sometimes,” and here a frown came upon his brow, “I’ve thought him more of a spy than anything else.”
“At any rate he knows how to creep up on one secretly,” said the colonel, with a laugh. And then, more soberly: “And he seemed rather earnest in his sayings.”
Daniel Boone nodded his head.
“All these old redskins are crafty,” said he. “They spend their days and nights finding out ways of imposing on their fellow savages. And managing to do this without trouble they think they can impose in the same way upon the white man.”