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The Boy Who Saved a Village

In western pioneer days, out on the Pacific Coast, the adventurous life of the settlers was beset with many dangers. About the time the "gold fever" struck the people of the United States, a family named Goodman, started from one of the eastern states to find a home in the Northwest, somewhere along the coast. The region was inhabited only by a few Indians and hunters, engaged in trapping wild animals for their fur. After weary months of travel overland, in slow carts drawn by oxen, suffering from hunger, thirst and sickness, and harassed by Indians, - the family at last reached a place on Puget Sound, and built themselves a home. There were two children, - a little girl, and a boy who, even though only nine years old, was quite useful in helping his father build the log cabin, and plant the garden.

As the boy grew larger, he went with his father hunting wild game, and fishing. So that, by the time he was twelve years of age, he could use his rifle with deadly aim, and could paddle a boat as well as any Indian along the coast.