Nothing loath, I seized the Indian by the long scalp-lock, while my big friend guided my hand, and amid laughter and cheers I cut off my first trophy of war.  Nor did I have any other feeling than fierce hatred of the race which had killed my father.

Those who have known armies in their discipline will find it difficult to understand the leadership of the border.  Such leadership was granted only to those whose force and individuality compelled men to obey them.  I had my first glimpse of it that day.  This Colonel Clark to whom Tom delivered Mr. Robertson’s letter was perchance the youngest man in the company that had rescued us, saving only a slim lad of seventeen whom I noticed and envied, and whose name was James Ray.  Colonel Clark, so I was told by my friend Cowan, held that title in Kentucky by reason of his prowess.

Clark had been standing quietly on the bank while I had scalped my first redskin.  Then he called Tom McChesney to him and questioned him closely about our journey, the signs we had seen, and, finally, the news in the Watauga settlements.  While this was going on the others gathered round them.

“What now?” asked Cowan, when he had finished.

“Back to Harrodstown,” answered the Colonel, shortly.

There was a brief silence, followed by a hoarse murmur from a thick-set man at the edge of the crowd, who shouldered his way to the centre of it.

“We set out to hunt a fight, and my pluck is to clean up.  We ain’t finished ’em yet.”

The man had a deep, coarse voice that was a piece with his roughness.

“I reckon this band ain’t a-goin’ to harry the station any more, McGary,” cried Cowan.

“By Job, what did we come out for?  Who’ll take the trail with me?”

There were some who answered him, and straightway they began to quarrel among themselves, filling the woods with a babel of voices.  While I stood listening to these disputes with a boy’s awe of a man’s quarrel, what was my astonishment to feel a hand on my shoulder.  It was Colonel Clark’s, and he was not paying the least attention to the dispute.

“Davy,” said he, “you look as if you could make a fire.”

“Yes, sir,” I answered, gasping.

“Well,” said he, “make one.”

I lighted a piece of punk with the flint, and, wrapping it up in some dry brush, soon had a blaze started.  Looking up, I caught his eye on me again.

“Mrs. McChesney,” said Colonel Clark to Polly Ann, “you look as if you could make johnny-cake.  Have you any meal?”

“That I have,” cried Polly Ann, “though it’s fair mouldy.  Davy, run and fetch it.”

I ran to the pack on the sorrel mare.  When I returned Mr. Clark said:—­

“That seems a handy boy, Mrs. McChesney.”

“Handy!” cried Polly Ann, “I reckon he’s more than handy.  Didn’t he save my life twice on our way out here?”

“And how was that?” said the Colonel.