XIX. THE BATTLE OF THE BANK 322

XX. THE BATTLE OF THE BAYOU 334

XXI. THE DEFENSE OF THE FIVE 349

XXII. THE CHOSEN TASK 361





THE FREE RANGERS




CHAPTER I

THE CALL


The wilderness rolled away to north and to south, and also it rolled away
to east and to west, an unbroken sweep of dark, glossy green. Straight up
stood the mighty trunks, but the leaves rippled and sang low when a gentle
south wind breathed upon them. It was the forest as God made it, the
magnificent valley of North America, upon whose edges the white man had
just begun to nibble.