“As to my being a coward, Colonel Todd,” replied Boone, mildly, with dignity, “when the word’s explained so as I know the full meaning on’t, prehaps I’ll be able to decide ef I be or not.  Ef it means prudence in a time o’ danger, on which the welfare o’ my country and the lives o’ my countrymen depends, I’d rather be thought cowardly than rash.  Ef it means a fear to risk my own poor body in defence o’ others, I reckon as how my past life’ll speak for itself; and for the futer, wharsomever Colonel Todd dars to venter, Daniel Boone dars to lead.  As to glory, we’ll talk about that arter the battle’s fought.”

Thus ended the discussion; and the matter being put to vote, it was carried by an overwhelming majority in favor of Todd’s proposition, that the Indians should be pursued without further delay.  It was now about three o’clock in the afternoon; and immediately on the final decision being made, the council broke up, and orders were rapidly given to prepare to depart forthwith.  All the horses in or about the station were now collected together, on which most of the officers and many of the privates were soon mounted; and by four o’clock the eastern gate was thrown open, the order to march given by Colonel Todd, and the procession, composed of the flower of Kentucky’s gallant sons, moved forth, amid sighs and tears from the opposite sex.  Reynolds—­who, during the past two or three days, since the retreat of the enemy, had employed his leisure moments in the company of the being he loved, and who was now finely mounted on a superb charger which had been presented him by Colonel Boone—­turned upon his saddle, as he was leaving the station, and waved another adieu to Ella, who stood in the door of her cottage, gazing upon his noble form, with a pale cheek, tearful eye, and beating heart.  She raised her lily hand, and, with a graceful motion, returned his parting salute; and then, to conceal her emotion, retired into the house.

The Indians, it was found, had followed the buffalo trace, and, according to the account given by the scouts, had made their trail obvious as possible, by hacking the trees on either side with their tomahawks.  Their camp fires, however, were very few, comparatively speaking, which to Boone seemed plainly evident of a desire to mask their numbers.  He had lived in the woods all his life, was the oldest settler on the borders, and had been several times a prisoner of the Indians; so that he was familiar with their artifices for decoying their enemies; and he believed, from what he saw, that it was their desire to be followed by the whites; and that they would probably seek to draw the latter into an ambuscade in the vicinity of the Blue Licks, where the wild country was particularly favorable to their purpose.  In imagination he already saw the disastrous result that was destined to follow this hasty expedition; but his counsel to the contrary had been disregarded, and it was not a time now to dampen the ardor of the soldiers, on which alone success could depend, by expressing his fears and laying himself liable to further reproach and contumely.  He had said and done all that was consistent in his situation to prevent the present step; and he now saw proper to keep his fears of the result to himself; the more so, as a retreat was out of the question.