The Hunters of the Ozark

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