[The Young Trailers by Joseph A. Altsheler]@TWC D-Link book
The Young Trailers

CHAPTER X
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THE CAVE DUST The great supply of salt brought by Ross and his men was welcome to Wareville, as the people had begun to suffer for it, but they would have enough now to last them a full year, and a year was a long time to look ahead.

Great satisfaction was expressed on that score, but the news that a Shawnee war party was in Kentucky and had chased them far southward caused Mr.Ware and other heads of the village to look very grave and to hold various councils.
As a result of these talks the palisade was strengthened with another row of strong stakes, and they took careful stock of their supplies of ammunition.

Lead they had in plenty, but powder was growing scarce.

A fresh supply had been expected with a new band of settlers from Virginia but the band had failed to come, and the faces of the leaders grew yet graver, when they looked at the dwindling supply, and wondered how it could be replenished for the dire need that might arise.

It was now that Mr.Pennypacker came forward with a suggestion and he showed how book learning could be made of great value, even in the wilderness.
"You will recall," he said to Mr.Ware and Mr.Upton, and other heads of the settlement, "that some of our hunters have reported the existence of great caves to the southwestward and that they have brought back from them wonderful stalactites and stalagmites and also dust from the cave floors.


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