
In the waning heat of a Pennsylvania summer, a small frontier settlement clings to the edge of the wild Wolf Run valley. The quiet of the riverbank is shattered by intermittent gunfire, a reminder that danger lurks just beyond the cultivated fields. Here, settlers—Quakers, farmers, and soldiers alike—must balance daily toil with the ever‑present threat of conflict, learning to live side‑by‑side with the Native peoples who roam the surrounding woods.
Among the settlers’ children, a restless energy gives rise to makeshift militias. Boys as young as twelve form the “Screeching Catamounts,” practicing their aim on a pine‑marked target while older youths call themselves the “Young Defenders.” Their drills hint at the looming clash between cultures, yet also plant the seeds of unexpected alliances. As tensions rise, the story captures the gritty reality of frontier life and the quiet courage that emerges when young hearts confront the storm ahead.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (344K characters)
Series
Forest Glen series
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by David Edwards, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2020-09-09
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1813–1901
A 19th-century minister and storyteller, he became widely known for lively boys’ adventure books shaped by the values, humor, and outdoor life of coastal Maine. His work blended moral purpose with energetic tales that kept generations of young readers turning pages.
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