Day after day passed, after the extreme limit of the period fixed by the elder Boone for his return, and still he came not.  It may be imagined that Boone had need of all the firmness and philosophy of character, with which he was so largely endowed by nature, to sustain him under the pressure of anxiety for the safety of his brother, and to hear through him from his family.  He suffered, too, from the conviction that he must soon starve in the wilderness himself, as his ammunition was almost gone.  He could not hope to see his family again, unless his brother or some other person furnished him the means of obtaining food on his way to rejoin them.  His rifle—­his dependence for subsistence and defence—­would soon become entirely useless.  What to others would have been real dangers and trials—­a solitary life in the wilderness, exposure to the attacks of the savages and wild beasts—­were regarded by him as nothing; but here he saw himself driven to the last extremity, and without resource.  These meditations, although they made him thoughtful, did not dispirit him.  His spirit was unconquerable.  He was sitting one evening, near sunset, at the door of his cabin, indulging in reflections naturally arising from his position.  His attention was withdrawn by a sound as of something approaching through the forest.  Looking up, he saw nothing, but he arose, and stood prepared for defence.  He could now distinguish the sound as of horses advancing directly towards the cabin.  A moment afterwards he saw, through the trees, his brother mounted on one horse, and leading another heavily laden.

It would be useless to attempt to describe his sensations at this sight.  Every one will feel instantly, how it must have operated upon all the sources of joy.  More unmixed happiness is seldom enjoyed on the earth, than that, in which the brothers spent this evening.  His brother brought him good news of the health and welfare of his family, and of the affectionate remembrance in which he was held by them; and an abundant supply of ammunition, beside many other articles, that in his situation, might be deemed luxuries.  The brothers talked over their supper, and until late at night, for they had much to relate to each other, and both had been debarred the pleasure of conversation so long that it now seemed as though they could never weary of it.  The sun was high when they awoke the following morning.  After breakfast, they held a consultation with respect to what was next to be done.  From observation, Boone was satisfied that numbers of Indians, in small parties, were then in the neighborhood.  He knew it was idle to suppose that two men, however brave and skilful in the use of their weapons, could survive long in opposition to them.  He felt the impolicy of wasting more time in roaming over the country for the mere purpose of hunting.