It war thar old John Ashburn pitched his Station, in '78; but the savages made murdering work of him, taking every scalp in the company; and so it makes one sad-like to pass thar, and the more partickelarly that it's all natteral fine ground for an ambush.

You'll see the road, when you're six mile deep in the forest, turning off to the right, under a shivered beech-tree.

You are then four miles from the river, or tharabouts, and just that distance, I reckon, from your company.

No, captain," he repeated, "the road is wide and open, and a guide war mere lumber on your hands." This was a point, however, on which the young soldier, doubly solicitous on his kinswoman's account, to avoid mistake, was not so easily satisfied: seeing which, the Kentuckian yielded to his importunity,--perhaps somewhat ashamed of suffering his guests to depart entirely alone,--and began to cast about him for some suitable person who could be prevailed upon to exchange the privilege of fighting Indians for the inglorious duty of conducting wayfarers through the forest.

This was no easy task, and it was not until he assumed his military authority, as commander of all the enrolled militia-men in his district, empowered to make such disposition of his forces as he thought fit, that he succeeded in compelling the service of one of his reluctant followers, under whose guidance Roland and his little party soon after set out.