The Hunters of the Ozark

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The Hunters of the Ozark, by Edward S. Ellis

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Title: The Hunters of the Ozark
Author: Edward S. Ellis
Release Date: September 17, 2007 [EBook #22646]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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[Illustration: "Terry heard distinctly the footsteps of the warrior."]
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THE HUNTERS OF THE OZARK.
BY EDWARD S. ELLIS
Author Of "Young Pioneer Series," "Log Cabin Series," "Great River Series," Etc., Etc.
Philadelphia: Henry T. Coates & Co.
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Copyright, 1887, by PORTER & COATES.
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CONTENTS.
CHAPTER. PAGE.
I.--AN ESTRAY, 5 II.--THE TINKLE OF A BELL, 15 III.--AN ABORIGINAL PLOT, 25 IV.--A PARTY OF THE THIRD PART, 34 V.--A FRIEND IN NEED, 44 VI.--FRED LINDEN RECEIVES A MESSAGE FROM THE OZARK CAMP, 54 VII.--THE HUNTERS OF OZARK, 64 VIII.--A WELCOME ACQUAINTANCE, 74 IX.--A MISHAP, 84 X.--A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE, 94 XI.--TRAMPING SOUTHWARD, 104 XII.--A STRANGE ANIMAL, 114 XIII.--A TROUBLESOME VISITOR, 124 XIV.--A WELCOME ALLY, 134 XV.--"DEERFOOT WILL BE SENTINEL TO-NIGHT," 144 XVI.--AROUND THE CAMP-FIRE, 154 XVII.--A SUSPICIOUS SOUND, 164 XVIII.--LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT, 174 XIX.--SHAWANOE AND WINNEBAGO, 185 XX.--ANOTHER NIGHT VISITOR, 195 XXI.--THE CAMP OF THE WINNEBAGOS, 205 XXII.--"KEEP TO THE TRAIL," 215 XXIII.--AN INFURIATE SHAWANOE, 225 XXIV.--THE DEFIANCE, 236 XXV.--THE SIGNAL FIRE, 245 XXVI.--ON THE EDGE OF THE PRAIRIE, 257 XXVII.--A MORNING MEAL, 269 XXVIII.--A STRANGE RIDE, 281 XXIX.--A YOUNG HUNTER'S STRATEGY, 293 XXX.--TERRY FINISHES HIS RIDE, 305 XXXI.--THE DEVIL'S PUNCH BOWL, 316 XXXII.--THE TERROR IN THE AIR, 328 XXXIII.--FRED LINDEN AWAKENS TO AN ALARMING FACT, 340 XXXIV.--THE CANOE, 352 XXXV.--AMERICA VERSUS IRELAND, 364 XXXVI.--AMERICA VERSUS AMERICA, 376 XXXVII.--THE LAST CAMP-FIRE, 388 XXXVIII.--CONCLUSION, 400
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THE HUNTERS OF THE OZARK.
CHAPTER I.
AN ESTRAY.
One day in the autumn Terence Clark came to the house of Frederick Linden and urged him to join in a hunt for a cow that had been missing since the night before. The latter got the consent of his mother and the two lads started on a search that proved to be the most eventful one they had ever known.
A few words in the way of explanation must be given at this point. The date of the events I have set out to tell was toward the close of the last century, and the scene the south-western part of the present State of Missouri, but which was then a part of the vast territory known as Louisiana. Though the town of St. Louis had been settled a good many years before, there were only a few pioneers scattered through the almost limitless region that stretched in every direction from the Mississippi. Here and there the hunters and trappers were often absent from their homes for months at a time, during which they suffered much exposure and hardship. They slept for weeks in the open woods, or when the severity of the weather would not allow this, they found refuge in caves or hollow trees. Then, when enough skins had been gathered to load their pack-horses they started on the long tramps to the French trading post on the Mississippi. They followed faintly marked paths or trails that converged from a score or hundred different points until they reached the Father of Waters, where the peltries were soon sold and the proceeds, too often, squandered within the succeeding few hours.
At the date of which I am speaking, a small settlement known as Greville stood in the south-western section of the large State of Missouri, as it is now known. The first cabins were put up only a few years before, and the settlers, including men, women and children, numbered about two hundred. Near the center of the straggling settlement stood a rude but strong blockhouse to be used for refuge in the event of an attack by Indians. As yet this emergency had not arisen, for the red men in that section were far less warlike and hostile than those in Ohio and Kentucky.
The father of Fred Linden was one of the hunters and trappers who made regular visits to the wild section near the Ozark Mountains for the purpose of gathering furs. He never had less than two companions, and sometimes the number was half a dozen. As you are well aware, the furs of all animals are in the finest condition in wintry weather, since nature does her best to guard their bodies from the effects of cold. Thus it came about that the party of hunters, of whom I shall have more to say further on, left Greville in