The Scouts of the Valley.....................................................................................................................................1

Joseph A. Altsheler..................................................................................................................................1

CHAPTER I. THE LONE CANOE ........................................................................................................1

CHAPTER II. THE MYSTERIOUS HAND ..........................................................................................7

CHAPTER III. THE HUT ON THE ISLET .........................................................................................16

CHAPTER IV. THE RED CHIEFS .....................................................................................................21

CHAPTER V. THE IROQUOIS TOWN ..............................................................................................25

CHAPTER VI. THE EVIL SPIRIT'S WORK ......................................................................................34

CHAPTER VII. CATHARINE MONTOUR .......................................................................................43

CHAPTER VIII. A CHANGE OF TENANTS .....................................................................................49

CHAPTER IX. WYOMING .................................................................................................................58

CHAPTER X. THE BLOODY ROCK .................................................................................................63

CHAPTER XI. THE MELANCHOLY FLIGHT .................................................................................69

CHAPTER XII. THE SHADES OF DEATH .......................................................................................77

CHAPTER XIII. A FOREST PAGE ....................................................................................................85

CHAPTER XIV. THE PURSUIT ON THE RIVER ............................................................................94

CHAPTER XV. "THE ALCOVE" .....................................................................................................101

CHAPTER XVI. THE FIRST BLOW ................................................................................................106

CHAPTER XVII. THE DESERTED CABIN ....................................................................................118

CHAPTER XVIII. HENRY'S SLIDE ................................................................................................125

CHAPTER XIX. THE SAFE RETURN .............................................................................................133

CHAPTER XX. A GLOOMY COUNCIL .........................................................................................139

CHAPTER XXI. BATTLE OF THE CHEMUNG .............................................................................142

CHAPTER XXII. LITTLE BEARD'S TOWN ...................................................................................148

CHAPTER XXIII. THE FINAL FIGHT ............................................................................................155

CHAPTER XXIV. DOWN THE OHIO .............................................................................................163

A light canoe of bark, containing a single human figure, moved swiftly up one of the twin streams that form

the Ohio. The water, clear and deep, coming through rocky soil, babbled gently at the edges, where it lapped

The thin shadows of early dusk were falling, casting a pallid tint over the world, a tint touched here and there

with living fire from the sun, which was gone, though leaving burning embers behind. One glowing shaft,

piercing straight through the heavy forest that clothed either bank, fell directly upon the figure in the boat, as

a hidden light illuminates a great picture, while the rest is left in shadow. It was no common forest runner

who sat in the middle of the red beam. Yet a boy, in nothing but years, he swung the great paddle with an

ease and vigor that the strongest man in the West might have envied. His rifle, with the stock carved

beautifully, and the long, slender blue barrel of the border, lay by his side. He could bring the paddle into the

boat, grasp the rifle, and carry it to his shoulder with a single, continuous movement.

His most remarkable aspect, one that the casual observer even would have noticed, was an extraordinary

vitality. He created in the minds of those who saw him a feeling that he lived intensely every moment of his

life. Born andbred in the forest, he was essentially its child, a perfect physical being, trained by the utmost

hardship and danger, and with every faculty, mental and physical, in complete coordination. It is only by a

singular combination of time and place, and only once in millions of chances, that Nature produces such a

The canoe remained a few moments in the center of the red light, and its occupant, with a slight swaying

motion of the paddle, held it steady in the current, while he listened. Every feature stood out in the glow, the

firm chin, the straight strong nose, the blue eyes, and the thick yellow hair. The red blue, and yellow beads on

his dress of beautifully tanned deerskin flashed in the brilliant rays. He was the great picture of fact, not of

He gave the paddle a single sweep and shot from the light into the shadow. His canoe did not stop until it

grazed the northern shore, where bushes and overhanging boughs made a deep shadow. It would have taken a

keen eye now to have seen either the canoe or its occupant, and Henry Ware paddled slowly and without

The sunlight lingered a little longer in the center of the stream. Then the red changed to pink. The pink, in its

turn, faded, and the whole surface of the river was somber gray, flowing between two lines of black forest.

The coming of the darkness did not stop the boy. He swung a little farther out into the stream, where the

bushes and hanging boughs would not get in his way, and continued his course with some increase of speed.

The great paddle swung swiftly through the water, and the length of stroke was amazing, but the boy's breath

did not come faster, and the muscles on his arms and shoulders rippled as if it were the play of a child. Henry

was in waters unknown to him. He had nothing more than hearsay upon which to rely, and he used all the

wilderness caution that he had acquired through nature and training. He called into use every faculty of his

perfect physical being. His trained eyes continually pierced the darkness. At times, he stopped and listened

with ears that could hear the footfall of the rabbit, but neither eye nor ear brought report of anything unusual.

The river flowed with a soft, sighing sound. Now and then a wild creature stirred in the forest, and once a

deer came down to the margin to drink, but this was the ordinary life of the woods, and he passed it by.

He went on, hour after hour. The river narrowed. The banks grew higher and rockier, and the water, deep and

silvery under the moon, flowed in a somewhat swifter current. Henry gave a little stronger sweep to the

paddle, and the speed of the canoe was maintained. He still kept within the shadow of the northern bank.

He noticed after a while that fleecy vapor was floating before the moon. The night seemed to be darkening,

and a rising wind came out of the southwest. The touch of the air on, his face was damp. It was the token of

It was no part of his plan to be caught in a storm on the Monongahela. Besides the discomfort, heavy rain and

wind might sink his frail canoe, and he looked for a refuge. The river was widening again, and the banks sank

down until they were but little above the water. Presently he saw a place that he knew would be suitable, a

stretch of thick bushes and weeds growing into the very edge of the water, and extending a hundred yards or

He pushed his canoe far into the undergrowth, and then stopped it in shelter so close that, keen as his own

eyes were, he could scarcely see the main stream of the river. The water where he came to rest was not more

than a foot deep, but he remained in the canoe, half reclining and wrapping closely around himself and his

His position, with his head resting on the edge of the canoe and his shoulder pressed against the side, was full

of comfort to him, and he awaited calmly whatever might come. Here and there were little spaces among the

leaves overhead, and through them he saw a moon, now almost hidden by thick and rolling vapors, and a sky

that had grown dark and somber. The last timid star had ceased to twinkle, and the rising wind was wet and

cold. He was glad of the blanket, and, skilled forest runner that he was, he never traveled without it. Henry

remained perfectly still. The light canoe did not move beneath his weight the fraction of an inch. His

upturned eyes saw the little cubes of sky that showed through the leaves grow darker and darker. The bushes

about him were now bending before the wind, which blew steadily from the south, and presently drops of rain

The boy, alone in the midst of all that vast wilderness, surrounded by danger in its most cruel forms, and with

a black midnight sky above him, felt neither fear nor awe. Being what nature and circumstance had made

him, he was conscious, instead, of a deep sense of peace and comfort. He was at ease, in a nest for the night,

and there was only the remotest possibility that the prying eye of an enemy would see him. The leaves

directly over his head were so thick that they formed a canopy, and, as he heard the drops fall upon them, it

Distant lightning flared once or twice, and low thunder rolled along the southern horizon, but both soon

ceased, and then a rain, not hard, but cold and persistent, began to fall, coming straight down. Henry saw that

it might last all night, but he merely eased himself a little in the canoe, drew the edges of the blanket around

The rain was now seeping through the leafy canopy of green, but he did not care. It could not penetrate the

close fiber of the blanket, and the fur cap drawn far down on his head met the blanket. Only his face was

uncovered, and when a cold drop fell upon it, it was to him, hardened by forest life, cool and pleasant to the

Although the eyelids still drooped, he did not yet feel the tendency to sleep. It was merely a deep, luxurious

rest, with the body completely relaxed, but with the senses alert. The wind ceased to blow, and the rain came

down straight with an even beat that was not unmusical. No other sound was heard in the forest, as the ripple

of the river at the edges was merged into it. Henry began to feel the desire for sleep by and by, and, laying the

paddle across the boat in such a way that it sheltered his face, he closed his eyes. In five minutes he would

have been sleeping as soundly as a man in a warm bed under a roof, but with a quick motion he suddenly put

the paddle aside and raised himself a little in the canoe, while one hand slipped down under the folds of the

His ear had told him in time that there was a new sound on the river. He heard it faintly above the even beat

of the rain, a soft sound, long and sighing, but regular. He listened, and then he knew it. It was made by oars,

Henry did not yet feel fear, although it must be a long boat full of Indian warriors, as it was not likely, that

anybody else would be abroad upon these waters at such a time. He made no attempt to move. Where he lay

it was black as the darkest cave, and his cool judgment told him that there was no need of flight.

The regular rhythmic beat of the oars came nearer, and presently as he looked through the covert of leaves the

dusky outline of a great war canoe came into view. It contained at least twenty warriors, of what tribe he

could not tell, but they were wet, and they looked cold and miserable. Soon they were opposite him, and he

saw the outline of every figure. Scalp locks drooped in the rain, and he knew that the warriors, hardy as they

Henry expected to see the long boat pass on, but it was turned toward a shelving bank fifty or sixty yards

below, and they beached it there. Then all sprang out, drew it up on the land, and, after turning it over,

propped it up at an angle. When this was done they sat under it in a close group, sheltered from the rain. They

were using their great canoe as a roof, after the habit of Shawnees and Wyandots.

The boy watched them for a long time through one of the little openings in the bushes, and he believed that

they would remain as they were all night, but presently he saw a movement among them, and a little flash of

light. He understood it. They were trying to kindle a firewith flint and steel, under the shelter of the boat. He

Their fire, if they succeeded in making it, would cast no light upon him in the dense covert, but they would be

outlined against the flame, and he could see them better, well enough, perhaps, to tell to what tribe they

He watched under his lowered eyelids while the warriors, gathered in a close group to make a shelter from

stray puffs of wind, strove with flint and steel. Sparks sprang up and went out, but Henry at last saw a little

blaze rise and cling to life. Then, fed with tinder and bark, it grew under the roof made by the boat until it

was ruddy and strong. The boat was tilted farther back, and the fire, continuing to grow, crackled cheerfully,

By a curious transfer of the senses, Henry, as he lay in the thick blackness felt the influence of the fire, also.

Its warmth was upon his face, and it was pleasing to see the red and yellow light victorious against the sodden

background of the rain and dripping forest. The figures of the warriors passed and repassed before the fire,

and the boy in the boat moved suddenly. His body was not shifted more than an inch, but his surprise was

A warrior stood between him and the fire, outlined perfectly against the red light. It was a splendid figure,

young, much beyond the average height, the erect and noble head crowned with the defiant scalplock, the

strong, slightly curved nose and the massive chin cut as clearly as if they had been carved in copper. The man

who had laid aside a wet blanket was bare now to the waist, and Henry could see the powerful muscles play

The boy knew him. It was Timmendiquas, the great White Lightning of the Wyandots, the youngest, but the

boldest and ablest of all the Western chiefs. Henry's pulses leaped a little at the sight of his old foe and almost

friend. As always, he felt admiration at the sight of the young chief. It was not likely that he would ever

The presence of Timmendiquas so far east was also full of significance. The great fleet under Adam Colfax,

and with Henry and his comrades in the van, had reached Pittsburgh at last. Thence the arms, ammunition,

and other supplies were started on the overland journey for the American army, but the five lingered before

beginning the return to Kentucky. A rumor came that the Indian alliance was spreading along the entire

frontier, both west and north. It was said that Timmendiquas, stung to fiery energy by his defeats, was

coming east to form a league with the Iroquois, the famous Six Nations. These warlike tribes were friendly

with the Wyandots, and the league would be a formidable danger to the Colonies, the full strength of which

But the report was a new call of battle to Henry, Shif'less Sol, and the others. The return to Kentucky was

postponed. They could be of greater service here, and they plunged into the great woods to the north and, east

Now Henry, as be looked at Timmendiquas, knew that report had told the truth. The great chief would not be

on the fringe of the Iroquois country, if be did not have such a plan, and he had the energy and ability to carry

it through. Henry shuddered at the thought of the tomahawk flashing along every mile of a frontier so vast,

and defended so thinly. He was glad in every fiber that he and his comrades had remained to hang upon the

Indian hordes, and be heralds of their marches. In the forest a warning usually meant the saving of life.

The rain ceased after a while, although water dripped from the trees everywhere. But the big fire made an

area of dry earth about it, and the warriors replaced the long boat in the water. Then all but four or five of

them lay beside the coals and went to sleep. Timmendiquas was one of those who remained awake, and

Henry saw that he was in deep thought. He walked back and forth much like a white man, and now and then

he folded his hands behind his back, looking toward the earth, but not seeing it. Henry could guess what was

in his mind. He would draw forth the full power of the Six Nations, league them with the Indians of the great

valley, and hurl them all in one mass upon the frontier. He was planning now the means to the end.

The chief, in his little walks back and forth, came close to the edge of the bushes in which Henry lay, It was

not at all probable that he would conclude to search among them, but some accident, a chance, might happen,

and Henry began to feel a little alarm. Certainly, the coming of the day would make his refuge insecure, and

The boy rose a little in the boat, slowly and with the utmost caution, because the slightest sound out of the

common might arouse Timmendiquas to the knowledge of a hostile presence. The canoe must make no plash

in the water. Gradually he unwrapped the blanket and tied it in a folded square at his back. Then he took

thought a few moments. The forest was so silent now that he did not believe he could push the canoe through

the bushes without being heard. He would leave it there for use another day and go on foot through the woods

Slowly he put one foot down the side until it rested on the bottom, and then he remained still. The chief had

paused in his restless walk back and forth. Could it be possible that he had heard so slight a sound as that of a

human foot sinking softly into the water? Henry waited with his rifle ready. If necessary he would fire, and

Five or six intense moments passed, and the chief resumed his restless pacing. If he had heard, he had passed

it by as nothing, and Henry raised the other foot out of the canoe. He was as delicate in his movement as a

surgeon mending the human eye, and he had full cause, as not eye alone, but life as well, depended upon his

success. Both feet now rested upon the muddy bottom, and he stood there clear of the boat.

The chief did not stop again, and as the fire had burned higher, his features were disclosed more plainly in his

restless walk back and forth before the flames. Henry took a final look at the lofty features, contracted now

into a frown, then began to wade among the bushes, pushing his way softly. This was the most delicate and

difficult task of all. The water must not be allowed to plash around him nor the bushes to rustle as he passed.

Forward he went a yard, then two, five, ten, and his feet were about to rest upon solid earth, when a stick

submerged in the mud broke under his moccasin with a snap singularly loud in the silence of the night.

Henry sprang at once upon dry land, whence he cast back a single swift glance. He saw the chief standing

rigid and gazing in the direction from which the sound had come. Other warriors were just behind him,

following his look, aware that there was an unexpected presence in the forest, and resolved to know its

Henry ran northward. So confident was he in his powers and the protecting darkness of the night that he sent

back a sharp cry, piercing and defiant, a cry of a quality that could come only from a white throat. The

warriors would know it, and he intended for them to know it. Then, holding his rifle almost parallel with his

body, he darted swiftly away through the black spaces of the forest. But an answering cry came to his, the

Indian yell taking up his challenge, and saying that the night would not check pursuit.

Henry maintained his swift pace for a long time, choosing the more open places that he might make no noise

among the bushes and leaves. Now and then water dripped in his face, and his moccasins were wet from the

long grass, but his body was warm and dry, and he felt little weariness. The clouds were now all gone, and

the stars sprang out, dancing in a sky of dusky blue. Trained eyes could see far in the forest despite the night,

and Henry felt that he must be wary. He recalled the skill and tenacity of Timmendiquas. A fugitive could

scarcely be trailed in the darkness, but the great chief would spread out his forces like a fan and follow.

He had been running perhaps three hours when he concluded to stop in a thicket, where he lay down on the

His breath had been coming a little faster, but his heart now resumed its regular beat. Then he heard a soft

sound, that of footsteps. He thought at first that some wild animal was prowling near, but second thought

convinced him that human beings had come. Gazing through the thicket, he saw an Indian warrior walking

among the trees, looking searchingly about him as if he were a scout. Another, coming from a different

direction, approached him, and Henry felt sure that they were of the party of Timmendiquas. They had

followed him in some manner, perhaps by chance, and it behooved Mm now to lie close.

A third warrior joined them and they began to examine the ground. Henry realized that it was much lighter.

Keen eyes under such a starry sky could see much, and they might strike his trail. The fear quickly became

fact. One of the warriors, uttering a short cry, raised his head and beckoned to the others. He had seen broken

twigs or trampled grass, and Henry, knowing that it was no time to hesitate, sprang from his covert. Two of

the warriors caught a glimpse of his dusky figure and fired, the bullets cutting the leaves close to his head, but

The boy was conscious that his position contained many elements of danger. He was about to have another

example of the tenacity and resource of the great young chief of the Wyandots, and he felt a certain anger.

He, did not wish to be disturbed in his plans, he wished to rejoin his comrades and move farther east toward

the chosen lands of the Six Nations; instead, he must spend precious moments running for his life.

Henry did not now flee toward the camp of his friends. He was too wise, too unselfish, to bring a horde down

upon them, and he curved away in a course that would take him to the south of them. He glanced up and saw

that the heavens were lightening yet more. A thin gray color like a mist was appearing in the east. It was the

herald of day, and now the Indians would be able to find his trail. But Henry was not afraid. His anger over

the loss of time quickly passed, and he ran swiftly on, the fall of his moccasins making scarcely any noise as

It was no unusual incident. Thousands of such pursuits occurred in the border life of our country, and were

lost to the chronicler. For generations they were almost a part of the daily life of the frontier, but the present,

while not out of the common in itself, had, uncommon phases. It was the most splendid type of white life in

It was impossible for Henry to feel anger or hate toward Timmendiquas. In his place he would have done

what he was doing. It was hard to give up these great woods and beautiful lakes and rivers, and the wild life

that wild men lived and loved. There was so much chivalry in the boy's nature that he could think of all these

Up came the sun. The gray light turned to silver, and then to red and blazing gold. A long, swelling note, the

triumphant cry of the pursuing warriors, rose behind him. Henry turned his head for one look. He saw a group

of them poised for a moment on the crest of a low hill and outlined against the broad flame in the east. He

saw their scalp locks, the rifles in their hands, and their bare chests shining bronze in the glow. Once more he

sent back his defiant cry, now in answer to theirs, and then, calling upon his reserves of strength and

Henry's flight lasted all that day, and he used every device to evade the pursuit, swinging by vines, walking

along fallen logs, and wading in brooks. He did not see the warriors again, but instinct warned him that they

were yet following. At long intervals he would rest for a quarter of an hour or so among the bushes, and at

noon he ate a little of the venison that he always carried. Three hours later he came to the river again, and

swimming it he turned on his course, but kept to the southern side. When the twilight was falling once more

he sat still in dense covert for a long time. He neither saw nor heard a sign of human presence, and he was

sure now that the pursuit had failed. Without an effort he dismissed it from his mind, ate a little more of the

The whole day had been bright, with a light wind blowing, and the forest was dry once more. As far as Henry

could see it circled away on every side, a solid dark green, the leaves of oak and beech, maple and elm

making a soft, sighing sound as they waved gently in the wind. It told Henry of nothing but peace. He had

eluded the pursuit, hence it was no more. This was a great, friendly forest, ready to shelter him, to soothe

He found a place among thick trees where the leaves of last year lay deep upon the ground. He drew up

enough of them for a soft bed, because now and for the moment he was a forest sybarite. He was wise enough

He lay down upon the leaves, placed the rifle by his side, and spread the blanket over himself and the

weapon. The twilight was gone, and the night, dark and without stars, as he wished to see it, rolled up, fold

after fold, covering and hiding everything. He looked a little while at a breadth of inky sky showing through

Henry slept until a rosy light, filtering through the leaves, fell upon his face. Then he sprang up, folded the

blanket once more upon his back, and looked about him. Nothing had come in the night to disturb him, no

enemy was near, and the morning sun was bright and beautiful. The venison was exhausted, but he bathed his

face in the brook and resumed his journey, traveling with a long, swift stride that carried him at great speed.

The boy was making for a definite point, one that he knew well, although nearly all the rest of this wilderness

was strange to him. The country here was rougher than it usually is in the great valley to the west, and as he

advanced it became yet more broken, range after range of steep, stony hills, with fertile but narrow little

valleys between. He went on without hesitation for at least two hours, and then stopping under a great oak he

It was not a loud note, but it was singularly penetrating, carrying far through the forest. A sound like an echo

came back, but Henry knew that instead of an echo it was a reply to his own signal. Then he advanced boldly

and swiftly and came to the edge of a snug little valley set deep among rocks and trees like a bowl. He

stopped behind the great trunk of a beech, and looked into the valley with a smile of approval.

Four human figures were seated around a fire of smoldering coals that gave forth no smoke. They appeared to

be absorbed in some very pleasant task, and a faint odor that came to Henry's nostrils filled him with

Long Jim Hart halted in midair the large slice of venison that he had toasted on a stick. Paul Cotter sprang

"I kin see where the briars hev been rakin' across your leggins. Reckon that wouldn't happen, 'less you was in

"You're right," said Henry. "Now, Jim, you've been holding that venison in the air long enough. Give it to me,

and after I've eaten it I'll tell you all that I've been doing, and all that's been done to me."

Long Jim handed him the slice. Henry took a comfortable seat in the circle before the coals, and ate with all

the appetite of a powerful human creature whose food had been more than scanty for at least two days.

"Take another piece," said Long Jim, observing him with approval. "Take two pieces, take three, take the

whole deer. I always like to see a hungry man eat. It gives him sech satisfaction that I git a kind uv taste uv it

Henry did not offer a word 'of explanation until his breakfast was over. Then lie leaned back, sighing twice

"It has," continued Henry with emphasis," and I want to say to you boys that I've seen Timmendiquas, the

"No less a man than he," resumed Henry. " I've looked upon his very face, I've seen him in camp with

warriors, and I've had the honor of being pursued by him and his men more hours than I can tell. That's why

"Then we cannot doubt that he is here to stir the Six Nations to continued war," said Paul Cotter, "and he will

succeed. He is a mighty chief, and his fire and eloquence will make them take up the hatchet. I'm glad that

we've come. We delayed a league once between the Shawnees and the Miamis; I don't think we can stop this

"Who are these Six Nations, whose name sounds so pow'ful big up here?" asked Long Jim.

"Their name is as big as it sounds," replied Henry. They are the Onondagas, the Mohawks, Oneidas, Senecas,

Cayugas, and Tuscaroras. They used to be the Five Nations, but the Tuscaroras came up from the south and

fought against them so bravely that they were adopted into the league, as a new and friendly tribe. The

Onondagas, so I've heard, formed the league a long, long time ago, and their head chief is the grand sachem

or high priest of them all, but the head chief of the Mohawks is the leading war chief."

"I've heard," said Paul, "that the Wyandots are kinsmen of all these tribes, and on that account they will listen

"Seems to me," said Tom Ross, "that we've got a most tremenjeous big job ahead."

After that they spoke little. The last coals were covered up, and the remainder of the food was put in their

pouches. Then they sat on the leaves, and every one meditated until such time as he might have something

worth saying. Henry's thoughts traveled on a wide course, but they always came back to one point. They had

heard much at Pittsburgh of a famous Mohawk chief called Thayendanegea, but most often known to the

Americans as Brant. He was young, able, and filled with intense animosity against the white people, who

encroached, every year, more and more upon the Indian hunting grounds. His was a soul full kin to that of

Timmendiquas, ;and if the two met it meant a great council and a greater endeavor for the undoing of the

"It's my opinion that Timmendiquas is on the way to meet him. I remember hearing a hunter say at Pittsburgh

that about a hundred miles to the east of this point was a Long House or Council House of the Six Nations.

Timmendiquas is sure to go there, and we must go, too. We must find out where they intend to strike. What

As Henry spoke the last word he rose, and tile others rose with him. Saying no more, he led toward the east,

and the others followed him, also saying no more. Separately every one of them was strong, brave, and

resourceful, but when the five were together they felt that they had the skill and strength of twenty. The long

rest at Pittsburgh had restored them after the dangers and hardship of their great voyage from New Orleans.

They carried in horn and pouch ample supplies of powder and bullet, and they did not fear any task.

Their journey continued through hilly country, clothed in heavy forest, but often without undergrowth. They

avoided the open spaces, preferring to be seen of men, who were sure to be red men, as little as possible.

Their caution was well taken. They saw Indian signs, once a feather that had fallen from a scalp lock, once

footprints, and once the bone of a deer recently thrown away by him who had eaten the meat from it. The

country seemed to be as wild as that of Kentucky. Small settlements, so they had heard, were scattered at

great distances through the forest, but they saw none. There was no cabin smoke, no trail of the plow, just the

woods and the hills and the clear streams. Buffalo had never reached this region, but deer were abundant, and

They camped the second night of their march on a little peninsula at the confluence of two creeks, with the

deep woods everywhere. Henry judged that they were well within the western range of the Six Nations, and

they cooked their deer meat over a smothered fire, nothing more than a few coals among the leaves. When

supper was over they arranged soft places for themselves and their blankets, all except Long Jim, whose turn

"Don't be gone long, Jim," said Henry as he composed himself in a comfortable position. "A circle of a half

"I'll not be gone more'n an hour," said Long Jim, picking up his rifle confidently, and flitting away among the

" Not likely he'll see anything," said Shif'less Sol, but I'd shorely like to know what White Lightning is about.

He must be terrible stirred up by them beatin's he got down on the Ohio, an' they say that Mohawk,

Thayendanegea is a whoppin' big chief, too. They'll shorely make a heap of trouble."

"But both of them are far from here just now," said Henry, "and we won't bother about either."

He was lying on some leaves at the foot of a tree with his arm under his head and his blanket over his body.

He had a remarkable capacity for dismissing trouble or apprehension, and just then he was enjoying great

physical and mental peace. He looked through half closed eyes at his comrades, who also were enjoying

repose, and his fancy could reproduce Long Jim in the forest, slipping from tree to tree and bush to bush, and

"Feels good, doesn't it, Henry?" said the shiftless one. " I like a clean, bold country like this. No more plowin'

"Jim don't do things by halves," said the shiftless one. "Guess he's beatin' up every squar' inch o' the bushes.

A quarter of an hour passed, and Long Jim did not return; a half hour, and no sign of him. Henry cast off the

blanket and stood up. The night was not very dark and he could see some distance, but he did not see their

Another quarter of an hour, and no Long Jim. Henry sent forth the low penetrating cry of the wolf that they

No answer came. The four looked at one another in alarm. Long Jim had been gone nearly two hours, and he

was long overdue. His failure to reply to the signal indicated either that something ominous had happened or

The others had risen to their feet, also, and they stood a little while in silence.

"It isn't that," he said. "Jim is too good a woodsman for such a mistake. I don't want to look on the black side,

"Suppose you an' me go an' look for him," said Shif'less Sol, "while Paul and Tom stay here an' keep house."

The two, rifles in the hollows of their arms, disappeared in the darkness, while Tom and Paul withdrew into

Henry and the shiftless one pursued an anxious quest, going about the camp in a great circle and then in

another yet greater. They did not find Jim, and the dusk was so great that they saw no evidences of his trail.

Long Jim had disappeared as completely as if he had left the earth for another planet. When they felt that they

must abandon the search for the time, Henry and Shif'less Sol looked at each other in a dismay that the dusk

"Mebbe be saw some kind uv a sign, an' has followed it," said the shiftless one hopefully. "If anything looked

"I hope so," said Henry, "but we've got to go back to the camp now and report failure. Perhaps he'll show up

"No more do I," said Shif'less Sol. "'Tain't like Jim not to come back, ef he could. Mebbe he'll drop in afore

They returned to the camp, and two inquiring figures rose up out of the darkness.

The four talked together a little while, and they were far from cheerful. Then three sought sleep, while Henry

stayed on watch, sitting with his back against a tree and his rifle on his knees. All the peace and content that

be had felt earlier in the evening were gone. He was oppressed by a sense of danger, mysterious and

powerful. It did not seem possible that Long Jim could have gone away in such a noiseless manner, leaving

He watched with both ear and eye as much for Long Jim as for an enemy. He was still hopeful that he would

see the long, thin figure coming among the bushes, and then hear the old pleasant drawl. But he did not see

Time passed with the usual slow step when one watches. Paul, Sol, and Tom were asleep, but Henry was

never wider awake in his life. He tried to put away the feeling of mystery and danger. He assured himself that

Long Jim would soon come, delayed by some trail that he had sought to solve. Nothing could have happened

to a man so brave and skillful. His nerves must be growing weak when he allowed himself to be troubled so

But the new hours came, one by one, and Long Jim came with none of them. The night remained fairly light,

with a good moon, but the light that it threw over the forest was gray and uncanny. Henry's feeling of mystery

and danger deepened. Once he thought he heard a rustling in the thicket and, finger on the trigger of his rifle,

he stole among the bushes to discover what caused it. He found nothing and, returning to his lonely watch,

saw that Paul, Sol, and Tom were still sleeping soundly. But Henry was annoyed greatly by the noise, and yet

more by his failure to trace its origin. After an hour's watching he looked a second time. The result was once

more in vain, and he resumed his seat upon the leaves, with his back reclining against an oak. Here, despite

the fact that the night was growing darker, nothing within range of a rifle shot could escape his eyes.

Nothing stirred. The noise did not come a second time from the thicket. The very silence was oppressive.

There was no wind, not even a stray puff, and the bushes never rustled. Henry longed for a noise of some

kind to break that terrible, oppressive silence. What he really wished to hear was the soft crunch of Long

The night passed, the day came, and Henry awakened his comrades. Long Jim was still missing and their

alarm was justified. Whatever trail lie might have struck, he would have returned in the night unless

something had happened to him. Henry had vague theories, but nothing definite, and he kept them to himself.

Yet they must make a change in their plans. To go on and leave Long Jim to whatever fate might be his was

"We are in one of the most dangerous of all the Indian countries," said Henry. "We are on the fringe of the

region over which the Six Nations roam, and we know that Timmendiquas and a band of the Wyandots are

They went about their task in five minutes. Breakfast consisted of cold venison and a drink from a brook.

Then they began to search the forest. They felt sure that such woodsmen as they, with the daylight to help

them, would find some trace of Long Jim, but they saw none at all, although they constantly widened their

circle, and again tried all their signals. Half the forenoon passed in the vain search, and then they held a

I think we'd better scatter," said Shif'less Sol, "an' meet here again when the sun marks noon."

It was agreed, and they took careful note of the place, a little hill crowned with a thick cluster of black oaks, a

landmark easy to remember. Henry turned toward the south, and the forest was so dense that in two minutes

all his comrades were lost to sight. He went several miles, and his search was most rigid. He was amazed to

find that the sense of mystery and danger that he attributed to the darkness of the night did not disappear

wholly in the bright daylight. His spirit, usually so optimistic, was oppressed by it, and he had no belief that

At the set time he returned to the little hill crowned with the black oaks, and as he approached it from one

side he saw Shif'less Sol coming from another. The shiftless one walked despondently. His gait was loose and

shamblinga rare thing with him, and Henry knew that he, too, had failed. He realized now that he had not

expected anything else. Shif'less Sol shook his head, sat down on a root and said nothing. Henry sat down,

"The others will be here directly," said Henry, "and perhaps Long Jim will be with one of them."

But in his heart he knew that it would not be so, and the shiftless one knew that he had no confidence in his

" If not," said Henry, resolved to see the better side, we'll stay anyhow until we find him. We can't spare good

Shif'less Sol did not reply, nor did Henry speak again, until lie saw the bushes moving slightly three or four

"There comes Tom," he said, after a single comprehensive glance, "and he's alone."

Tom Ross was also a dejected figure. He looked at the two on the hill, and, seeing that the man for whom

"Paul's our last chance," he said, as he joined them. He's gen'rally a lucky boy, an' mebbe it will be so with

They waited patiently, although they really had no belief that Paul would bring in the missing man, but Paul

was late. The noon hour was well past. Henry took a glance at the sun. Noon was gone at least a half hour,

Henry noticed his emphasis on the word "lost," and a sudden fear sprang up in his heart. Some power had

taken away Long Jim; could the same power have seized Paul? It was a premonition, and he paled under his

brown, turning away lest the others see his face. All three now examined the whole circle of the horizon for a

The forest told nothing. The sun blazed brightly over everything, and Paul, like Long Jim, did not come. He

was an hour past due, and the three, oppressed already by Long jim's disappearance, were convinced that he

"We must hunt for him, but we must not separate. Whatever happens we three must stay together."

I'm not hankerin' to roam 'roun jest now all by myself," said the shiftless one, with an uneasy laugh.

The three hunted all that afternoon for Paul. Once they saw trace of footsteps, apparently his, in some soft

earth, but they were quickly, lost on hard ground, and after that there was nothing. They stopped shortly

"I don't know what to think," replied the youth, "but it seems to me that whatever took away Jim has taken

"Looks like it," said Sol, "an' I guess it follers that we're in the same kind o' danger."

"We three of us could put up a good fight," said Henry, " and I propose that we don't go back to that camp,

Their new camp was made quickly in silence, merely the grass under the low boughs of a tree. Their supper

was a little venison, and then they watched the coming of the. darkness. It was a heavy hour for the three.

Long Jim was gone, and then PaulPaul, the youngest, and, in a way, the pet of the little band.

"Ef we could only know how it happened," whispered Shif'less Sol, "then we might rise up an' fight the

danger an' git Paul an' Jim back. But you can't shoot at somethin' you don't see or hear. In all them fights o'

ours, on the Ohio an' Mississippi we knowed what wuz ag'inst us, but here we don't know nothin'."

" It is true, Sol," sighed Henry. "We were making such big plans, too, and before we can even start our force

is cut nearly in half. Tomorrow we'll begin the hunt again. We'll never desert Paul and Jim, so long as we

Henry and the shiftless one acquiesced, and seeking the softest spots under the tree sat down. Tom Ross took

his place about ten feet in front of them, sitting on the ground, with his hands clasped around his knees, and

his rifle resting on his arm. Henry watched him idly for a little while, thinking all the time of his lost

comrades. The night promised to be dark, a good thing for them, as the need of hiding was too evident.

Shif'less Sol soon fell asleep, as Henry, only three feet away, knew by his soft and regular breathing, but the

The darkness seemed to sink down like a great blanket dropping slowly, and the area of Henry's vision

narrowed to a small circle. Within this area the distinctive object was the figure of Tom Ross, sitting with his

rifle across his knees. Tom had an infinite capacity for immobility. Henry had never seen another man, not

even an Indian, who could remain so long in one position contented and happy. He believed that the silent

His surmise about Tom began to have a kind of fascination for him. Would he remain absolutely still? He

would certainly shift an arm or a leg. Henry's interest in the question kept him awake. He turned silently on

the other side, but, no matter how intently he studied the sitting figure of his comrade, he could not see it stir.

He did not know how long he had been awake, trying thus to decide a question that should be of no

importance at such a time. Although unable to sleep, be fell into a dreamy condition, and continued vaguely

He suddenly saw Tom stir, and he came from his state of languor. The exciting question was solved at last.

The man would not sit all night absolutely immovable. There could be no doubt of the fact that he had raised

an arm, and that his figure had straightened. Then he stood up, full height, remained motionless for perhaps

Henry knew what this meant. Tom had heard something moving in the thickets, and, like a good sentinel, be

had gone to investigate. A rabbit, doubtless, or perhaps a sneaking raccoon. Henry rose to a sitting position,

and drew his own rifle across his knees. He would watch while Tom was gone, and then lie would sink

The faintest of winds began to stir among the thickets. Light clouds drifted before the moon. Henry, sitting

with his rifle across his knees, and Shif'less Sol, asleep in the shadows, were invisible, but Henry saw beyond

the circle of darkness that enveloped them into the grayish light that fell over the bushes. He marked the

particular point at which he expected Tom Ross to appear, a slight opening that held out invitation for the

He waited a long time, ten minutes, twenty, a half hour, and the sentinel did not return. Henry came abruptly

out of his dreamy state. He felt with all the terrible thrill of certainty that what happened to Long Jim and

Paul had happened also to Silent Tom Ross. He stood erect, a tense, tall figure, alarmed, but not afraid. His

eyes searched the thickets, but saw nothing. The slight movement of the bushes was made by the wind, and

But he might be mistaken after all! The most convincing premonitions were sometimes wrong! He would

give Tom ten minutes more, and he sank down in a crouching position, where he would offer the least target

The appointed time passed, and neither sight nor sound revealed any sign of Tom Ross. Then Henry

" Yes," said Henry, " but we must stay together. If we follow the others, Sol, we must follow 'em together."

It would be safer," said Sol. " I've an idee that we won't find Tom, an' I want to tell you, Henry, this thing is

It was certainly on Henry's, also, but without reply he led the way into the bushes, and they sought long and

well for Silent Tom, keeping at the same time a thorough watch for any danger that might molest themselves.

But no danger showed, nor did they find Tom or his trail. He, too, had vanished into nothingness, and Henry

and Sol, despite their mental strength, felt cold shivers. They came back at last, far toward morning, to the

bank of the creek. It was here as elsewhere a narrow but deep stream flowing between banks so densely

"It will be daylight soon," said Shif'less Sol, "an' I think we'd better lay low in thicket an' watch. It looks ez ef

"It looks like the best plan to me," said Henry, " but I think we might first hunt a while on the other side of

"That's so," replied Shif'less Sol, "but the water is at least seven feet deep here, an' we don't want to make any

splash swimmin'. Suppose you go up stream, an' I go down, an' the one that finds a ford first kin give a signal.

Henry followed the current toward the south, while Sol moved up the stream. The boy went cautiously

through the dense foliage, and the creek soon grew wider and shallower. At a distance of about three hundred

yards lie came to a point where it could be waded easily. Then he uttered the low cry that was their signal,

and went back to meet Shif'less Sol. He reached the exact point at which they had parted, and waited. The

shiftless one did not come. The last of his comrades was gone, and he was alone in the forest.

Henry Ware waited at least a quarter of an hour by the creek on the exact spot at which he and Solomon

Hyde, called the shiftless one, had parted, but he knew all the while that his last comrade was not coming.

The same powerful and mysterious hand that swept the others away had taken him, the wary and cunning

Shif'less Sol, master of forest lore and with all the five senses developed to the highest pitch. Yet his powers

had availed him nothing, and the boy again felt that cold chill running down his spine.

Henry expected the omnipotent force to come against him, also, but his instinctive caution made him turn and

creep into the thickest of the forest, continuing until he found a place in the bushes so thoroughly hidden that

no one could see him ten feet away. There he lay down and rapidly ran over in his mind the events connected

with the four disappearances. They were few, and he had little on which to go, but his duty to seek his four

comrades, since he alone must do it, was all the greater. Such a thought as deserting them and fleeing for his

own life never entered his mind. He would not only seek them, but he would penetrate the mystery of the

It was like him now to go about his work with calmness and method. To approach an arduous task right one

must possess freshness and vigor, and one could have neither without sleep. His present place of hiding

seemed to be as secure as any that could be found. So composing himself he took all chances and sought

slumber. Yet it needed a great effort of the will to calm his nerves, and it was a half hour before he began to

feel any of the soothing effect that precedes sleep. But fall asleep he did at last, and, despite everything, he

Henry did not awake to a bright day. The sun had risen, but it was obscured by gray clouds, and the whole

heavens were somber. A cold wind began to blow, and with it came drops of rain. He shivered despite the

enfolding blanket. The coming of the morning had invariably brought cheerfulness and increase of spirits, but

now he felt depression. He foresaw heavy rain again, and it would destroy any but the deepest trail.

Moreover, his supplies of food were exhausted and he must replenish them in some manner before

A spirit even as bold and strong as Henry's might well have despaired. He had found his comrades, only to

lose them again, and the danger that had threatened them, and the elements as well, now threatened him, too.

An acute judge of sky and air, he knew that the rain, cold, insistent, penetrating, would fall all day, and that

he must seek shelter if he would keep his strength. The Indians themselves always took to cover at such

He wrapped the blanket around himself, covering his body well from neck to ankle, putting his rifle just

inside the fold, but with his hand upon it, ready for instant use if it should be needed. Then he started,

walking straight ahead until he came to the crown of a little hill. The clouds meanwhile thickened, and the

rain, of the kind that he had foreseen and as cold as ice, was blown against him. The grass and bushes were

reeking, and his moccasins became sodden. Despite the vigorous walking, lie felt the wet cold entering his

system. There come times when the hardiest must yield, and be saw the increasing need of refuge.

He surveyed the country attentively from the low hill. All around was a dull gray horizon from which the icy

rain dripped everywhere. There was no open country. All was forest, and the heavy rolling masses of foliage

Toward the south the land seemed to dip down, and Henry surmised that in a valley he would be more likely

to find the shelter that he craved. He needed it badly. As he stood there he shivered again and again from

head to foot, despite the folds of the blanket. So he started at once, walking fast, and feeling little fear of a

foe. It was not likely that any would be seeking him at such a time. The rain struck him squarely in the face

now. Water came from his moccasins every time his foot was pressed against the earth, and, no matter how

closely he drew the folds of the blanket, little streams of it, like ice to the touch, flowed down his neck and

made their way under his clothing. He could not remember a time when he had felt more miserable.

He came in about an hour to the dip which, as he had surmised, was the edge of a considerable valley. He ran

down the slope, and looked all about for some place of shelter, a thick windbreak in the lee of a hill, or an

outcropping of stone, but he saw neither, and, as he continued the search, he came to marshy ground. He saw

ahead among the weeds and bushes the gleam of standing pools, and he was about to turn back, when he

noticed three or four stones, in a row and about a yard from one another, projecting slightly above the black

muck. It struck him that the stones would not naturally be in the soft mud, and, his curiosity aroused, he

stepped lightly from one stone to another. When he came to the last stone that he had seen from the hard

ground he beheld several more that had been hidden from him by the bushes. Sure now that he had happened

upon something not created by nature alone, he followed these stones, leading like steps into the very depths

of the swamp, which was now deep and dark with ooze all about him. He no longer doubted that the stones,

the artificial presence of which might have escaped the keenest eye and most logical mind, were placed there

The stepping stones led him about sixty yards into the swamp, and the last thirty yards were at an angle from

the first thirty. Then he came to a bit of hard ground, a tiny islet in the mire, upon which he could stand

without sinking at all. He looked back from there, and he could not see his point of departure. Bushes, weeds,

and saplings grew out of the swamp to a height of a dozen or fifteen feet, and he was inclosed completely. All

the vegetation dripped with cold water, and the place was one of the most dismal that he had ever seen. But

Henry made a shrewd guess as to whither the path led, but he inferred from the appearance of the stepping

stoneschiefly from the fact that an odd one here and there had sunk completely out of sightthat they had

not been used in a long time, perhaps for years. He found on the other side of the islet a second line of stones,

and they led across a marsh, that was almost like a black liquid, to another and larger island.

Here the ground was quite firm, supporting a thick growth of large trees. It seemed to Henry that this island

might be seventy or eighty yards across, and he began at once to explore it. In the center, surrounded so

closely by swamp oaks that they almost formed a living wall, he found what he had hoped to find, and his

relief was so great that, despite his natural and trained stoicism, he gave a little cry of pleasure when he saw

A small lodge, made chiefly of poles and bark after the Iroquois fashion, stood within the circle of the trees,

occupying almost the whole of the space. It was apparently abandoned long ago, and time and weather had

done it much damage. But the bark walls, although they leaned in places at dangerous angles, still stood. The

bark roof was pierced by holes on one side, but on the other it was still solid, and shed all the rain from its

The door was open, but a shutter made of heavy pieces of bark cunningly joined together leaned against the

wall, and Henry saw that he could make use of it. He stepped inside. The hut had a bark floor which was dry

on one side, where the roof was solid, but dripping on the other. Several old articles of Indian use lay about.

In one corner was a basket woven of split willow and still fit for service. There were pieces of thread made of

Indian hemp and the inner bark of the elm. There were also a piece of pottery and a large, beautifully carved

wooden spoon such as every Iroquois carried. In the corner farthest from the door was a rude fireplace made

Henry surveyed it all thoughtfully, and he came to the conclusion that it was a hut for hunting, built by some

warrior of an inquiring mind who had found this secret place, and who had recognized its possibilities. Here

after an expedition for game he could lie hidden from enemies and take his comfort without fear. Doubtless

he had sat in this hut on rainy days like the present one and smoked his pipe in the long, patient calm of

Yes, there was the pipe, unnoticed before, trumpet shaped and carved beautifully, lying on a small bark shelf.

Henry picked it tip and examined the bowl. It was as dry as a bone, and not a particle of tobacco was left

there. He believed that it had not been used for at least a year. Doubtless the Indian who had built this hunting

lodge had fallen in some foray, and the secret of it had been lost until Henry Ware, seeking through the cold

It was nothing but a dilapidated little lodge of poles and bark, all aleak, but the materials of a house were

there, and Henry was strong and skillful. He covered the holes in tile roof with fallen pieces of bark, laying

heavy pieces of wood across them to hold them in place. Then he lifted the bark shutter into position and

closed the door. Some drops of rain still came in through the roof, but they were not many, and he would not

He intended to build a fire on the flat stones, and, securing fallen wood, he stripped off the bark and cut

splinters from the inside. It was slow work and he was very cold, his wet feet sending chills through him, but

be persevered, and the little heap of dry splinters grew to a respectable size. Then he cut larger pieces, laying

Flint and steel are not easily handled even by the most skillful, and Henry saw the spark leap up and die out

many times before it finally took hold of the end of the tiniest splinter and grew. He watched it as it ran along

the little piece of wood and ignited another and then another, the beautiful little red and yellow flames leaping

up half a foot in height. Already he felt the grateful warmth and glow, but he would not let himself indulge in

premature joy. He fed it with larger and larger pieces until the flames, a deeper and more beautiful red and

yellow, rose at least two feet, and big coals began to form. He left the door open a while in order that the

smoke might go out, but when the fire had become mostly coals he closed it again, all except a crack of about

six inches, which would serve at once to let any stray smoke out, and to let plenty of fresh air in.

Now Henry, all his preparations made, no detail neglected, proceeded to luxuriate. He spread the soaked

blanket out on the bark floor, took off the sodden moccasins and placed them at one angle of the fire, while

he sat with his bare feet in front. What a glorious warmth it was! It seemed to enter at his toes and proceed

upward through his body, seeking out every little nook and cranny, to dry and warm it, and fill it full of new

He sat there a long time, his being radiating with physical comfort. The moccasins dried on one side, and he

turned the other. Finally they dried all over and all through, and he put them on again. Then he hung the

blanket on the bark wall near the fire, and it, too, would be dry in another hour or so. He foresaw a warm and

dry place for the night, and sleep. Now if one only had food! But he must do without that for the present.

He rose and tested all his bones and muscles. No stiffness or soreness had come from the rain and cold, and

he was satisfied. He was fit for any physical emergency. He looked out through the crevice. Night was

coming, and on the little island in the swamp it looked inexpressibly black and gloomy. His stomach

complained, but he shrugged his shoulders, acknowledging primitive necessity, and resumed his seat by the

In the last hour or two Henry did not move. He remained before the fire, crouched slightly forward, while the

generous heat fed the flame of life in him. A glowing bar, penetrating the crevice at the door, fell on the earth

outside, but it did not pass beyond the close group of circling trees. The rain still fell with uncommon

steadiness and persistence, but at times hail was mingled with it. Henry could not remember in his experience

a more desolate night. It seemed that the whole world dwelt in perpetual darkness, and that he was the only

living being on it. Yet within the four or five feet square of the hut it was warm and bright, and he was not

He would forget the pangs of hunger, and, wrapping himself in the dry blanket, he lay down before the bed of

coals, having first raked ashes over them, and he slept one of the soundest sleeps of his life. All night long,

the dull cold rain fell, and with it, at intervals, came gusts of hail that rattled like bird shot on the bark walls

of the hut. Some of the white pellets blew in at the door, and lay for a moment or two on the floor, then

But neither wind, rain nor hail awoke Henry. He was as safe, for the time, in the hut on the islet, as if he were

in the fort at Pittsburgh or behind the palisades at Wareville. Dawn came, the sky still heavy and dark with

Henry, after his first sense of refreshment and pleasure, became conscious of a fierce hunger that no amount

of the will could now keep quiet. His was a powerful system, needing much nourishment, and he must eat.

That hunger became so great that it was acute physical pain. He was assailed by it at all points, and it could

be repelled by only one thing, food. He must go forth, taking all risks, and seek it.

He put on fresh wood, covering it with ashes in order that it might not blaze too high, and left the islet. The

stepping stones were slippery with water, and his moccasins soon became soaked again, but he forgot the

cold and wet in that ferocious hunger, the attacks of which became more violent every minute. He was

hopeful that he might see a deer, or even a squirrel, but the animals themselves were likely to keep under

cover in such a rain. He expected a hard hunt, and it would be attended also by much danger these woods

must be full of Indians but be thought little of the risk. His hunger was taking complete possession of his

mind. He was realizing now that one might want a thing so much that it would drive away all other thoughts.

Rifle in hand, ready for any quick shot, he searched hour after hour through the woods and thickets. He was

wet, bedraggled, and as fierce as a famishing panther, but neither skill nor instinct guided him to anything.

The rabbit hid in his burrow, the squirrel remained in his hollow tree, and the deer did not leave his covert.

Henry could not well calculate the passage of time, it seemed so fearfully long, and there was no one to tell

him, but he judged that it must be about noon, and his temper was becoming that of the famished panther to

which he likened himself. He paused and looked around the circle of the dripping woods. He had retained his

idea of direction and he knew that he could go straight back to the hut in the swamp. But he had no idea of

returning now. A power that neither he nor anyone else could resist was pushing him on his search.

Searching the gloomy horizon again, he saw against the dark sky a thin and darker line that he knew to be

smoke. He inferred, also, with certainty, that it came from an Indian camp, and, without hesitation, turned his

course toward it. Indian camp though it might be, and containing the deadliest of foes, he was glad to know

He approached with great caution, and found his surmise to be correct. Lying full length in a wet thicket he

saw a party of about twenty warriorsMohawks he took them to bein an oak opening. They had erected bark

shelters, they had good fires, and they were cooking. He saw them roasting the strips over the coalsbear

meat, venison, squirrel, rabbit, birdand the odor, so pleasant at other times, assailed his nostrils. But it was

now only a taunt and a torment. It aroused every possible pang of hunger, and every one of them stabbed like

The warriors, so secure in their forest isolation, kept no sentinels, and they were enjoying themselves like

men who had everything they wanted. Henry could hear them laughing and talking, and he watched them as

they ate strip after strip of the delicate, tender meat with the wonderful appetite that the Indian has after long

fasting. A fierce, unreasoning anger and jealousy laid hold of him. He was starving, and they rejoiced in

plenty only fifty yards away. He began to form plans for a piratical incursion upon them. Half the body of a

deer lay near the edge of the opening, he would rush upon it, seize it, and dart away. It might be possible to

Then he recalled his prudence. Such a thing was impossible. The whole band of warriors would be upon him

in an instant. The best thing that he could do was to shut out the sight of so much luxury in which he could

not share, and he crept away among the bushes wondering what he could do to drive away those terrible

pains. His vigorous system was crying louder than ever for the food that would sustain it. His eyes were

Henry stopped once to catch a last glimpse of the fires and the feasting Indians under the bark shelters. He

saw a warrior raise a bone, grasping it in both hands, and bite deep into the tender flesh that clothed it. The

sight inflamed him into an anger almost uncontrollable. He clenched his fist and shook it at the warrior, who

little suspected the proximity of a hatred so intense. Then he bent his head down and rushed away among the

Henry walked despondently back toward the islet in the swamp. The aspect of air and sky had not changed.

The heavens still dripped icy water, and there was no ray of cheerfulness anywhere. The game remained well

It was a long journey back, and as he felt that he was growing weak he made no haste. He came to dense

clumps of bushes, and plowing his way through them, he saw a dark opening under some trees thrown down

by an old hurricane. Having some vague idea that it might be the lair of a wild animal, he thrust the muzzle of

his rifle into the darkness. It touched a soft substance. There was a growl, and a black form shot out almost

into his face. Henry sprang aside, and in an instant all his powers and faculties returned. He had stirred up a

black bear, and before the animal, frightened as much as he was enraged, could run far the boy, careless how

His aim was good. The bear, shot through the head, fell, and was dead. Henry, transformed, ran up to him.

Bear life had been given up to sustain man's. Here was food for many days, and he rejoiced with a great joy.

The bear, although small, was very fat. Evidently he had fed well on acorns and wild honey, and he would

yield up steaks which, to one with Henry's appetite, would be beyond compare. He calculated that it was

more than a mile to the swamp, and, after a few preliminaries, he flung the body of the bear over his shoulder.

Through some power of the mind over the body his full strength had returned to him miraculously, and when

he reached the stepping stones he crossed from one to another lightly and firmly, despite the weight that he

He came to the little bark hut which he now considered his own. The night had fallen again, but some coals

still glowed under the ashes, and there was plenty of dry wood. He did everything decently and in order. He

took the pelt from the bear, carved the body properly, and then, just as the Indians had done, he broiled strips

over the coals. He ate them one after another, slowly, and tasting all the savor, and, intense as was the mere

physical pleasure, it was mingled with a deep thankfulness. Not only was the life nourished anew in him, but

When he had eaten enough he fastened the body of the bear, now in several portions, on hooks high upon the

walls, hooks which evidently had been placed there by the former owner of the hut for this very purpose.

Then, sure that the savor of the food would draw other wild animals, he brought one of the stepping stones

and placed it on the inside of the door. The door could not be pushed aside without arousing him, and, secure

Henry awoke only once, and that was about half way between midnight and morning, when his senses, never

still entirely, even in sleep, warned him that something was at the door. He rose cautiously upon his arm, saw

a dark muzzle at the crevice, and behind it a pair of yellow, gleaming eyes. He knew at once that it was a

panther, probably living in the swamp and drawn by the food. It must be very hungry to dare thus the smell of

man. Henry's hand moved slowly to the end of a stick, the other end of which was a glowing coal. Then he

The hot end of the stick struck squarely between the yellow eyes. There was a yelp of pain, and the boy heard

the rapid pad of the big cat's feet as it fled into the swamp. Then he turned over on his side, and laughed in

genuine pleasure at what was to him a true forest joke. He knew the panther would not come, at least not

while he was in the hut, and he calmly closed his eyes once more. The old Henry was himself again.

He awoke in the morning to find that the cold rain was still falling. It seemed to him that it had prepared to

rain forever, but he was resolved, nevertheless, now that he had food and the strength that food brings, to

begin the search for his comrades. The islet in the swamp would serve as his basenothing could be

betterand he would never cease until he found them or discovered what had become of them.

A little spring of cold water flowed from the edge of the islet to lose itself quickly in the swamp. Henry drank

there after his breakfast, and then felt as strong and active as ever. As he knew, the mind may triumph over

the body, but the mind cannot save the body without food. Then he made his precious bear meat secure

against the prowling panther or others of his kind, tying it on hanging boughs too high for a jump and too

slender to support the weight of a large animal. This task finished quickly, he left the swamp and returned

The falling rain and the somber clouds helped Henry, in a way, as the whole forest was enveloped in a sort of

gloom, and he was less likely to be seen. But when he had gone about half the distance he heard Indians

signaling to one another, and, burying himself as usual in the wet bushes, he saw two small groups of

warriors meet and talk. Presently they separated, one party going toward the east and the other toward the

west. Henry thought they were out hunting, as the Indians usually took little care of the morrow, eating all

When he drew near the place he saw three more Indians, and these were traveling directly south. He was

quite sure now that his theory was correct. They were sending out hunters in every direction, in order that

they might beat up the woods thoroughly for game, and his own position anywhere except on the islet was

becoming exceedingly precarious. Nevertheless, using all his wonderful skill, he continued the hunt. He had

an abiding faith that his four comrades were yet alive, and he meant to prove it.

In the afternoon the clouds moved away a little, and the rain decreased, though it did not cease. The Indian

signs multiplied, and Henry felt sure that the forest within a radius of twenty miles of his islet contained more

than one camp. Some great gathering must be in progress and the hunters were out to supply it with food.

Four times he heard the sound of shots, and thrice more he saw warriors passing through the forest. Once a

wounded deer darted past him, and, lying down in the bushes, he saw the Indians following the fleeing

animal. As the day grew older the trails multiplied. Certainly a formidable gathering of bands was in

progress, and, feeling that he might at any time be caught in a net, he returned to the islet, which had now

It was not quite dark when he arrived, and he found all as it had been except the tracks of two panthers under

the boughs to which he had fastened the big pieces of bear meat. Henry felt a malicious satisfaction at the

At dusk the rain ceased entirely, and he prepared for a journey in the night. He examined his powder carefully

to see that no particle of it was wet, counted the bullets in his pouch, and then examined the skies. There was

a little moon, not too much, enough to show him the way, but not enough to disclose him to an enemy unless

very near. Then he left the islet and went swiftly through the forest, laying his course a third time toward the

Indian camp. He was sure now that all the hunters had returned, and he did not expect the necessity of

making any stops for the purpose of hiding. His hopes were justified, and as he drew near the camp he

became aware that its population had increased greatly. It was proved by many signs. New trails converged

upon it, and some of them were very broad, indicating that many warriors had passed. They had passed, too,

in perfect confidence, as there was no effort at concealment, and Henry surmised that no white force of any

size could be within many days' march of this place. But the very security of the Indians helped his own

design. They would not dream that any one of the hated race was daring to come almost within the light of

Henry had but one fear just now, and that was dogs. If the Indians had any of their mongrel curs with them,

they would quickly scent him out and give the alarm with their barking. But he believed that the probabilities

were against it. This, so he thought then, was a war or hunting camp, and it was likely that the Indians would

leave the dogs at their permanent villages. At any rate he would take the risk, and he drew slowly toward the

oak opening, where some Indians stood about. Beyond them, in another dip of the valley, was a wider

opening which he had not seen on his first trip, and this contained not only bark shelters, but buildings that

indicated a permanent village. The second and larger opening was filled with a great concourse of warriors.

Fortunately the foliage around the opening was very dense, many trees and thickets everywhere. Henry crept

to the very rim, where, lying in the blackest of the shadows, and well hidden himself, he could yet see nearly

everything in the camp. The men were not eating now, although it was obvious that the hunters had done

well. The dressed bodies of deer and bear hung in the bark shelters. Most of the Indians sat about the fires,

and it seemed to Henry that they had an air of expectancy. At least two hundred were present, and all of them

were in war paint, although there were several styles of paint. There was a difference in appearance, too, in

the warriors, and Henry surmised that representatives of all the tribes of the Iroquois were there, coming to

While Henry watched them a half dozen who seemed by their bearing and manner to be chiefs drew together

at a point not far from him and talked together earnestly. Now and then they looked toward the forest, and he

was quite sure that they were expecting somebody, a person of importance. He became deeply interested. He

was lying in a dense clump of hazel bushes, flat upon his stomach, his face raised but little above the ground.

He would have been hidden from the keenest eye only ten feet away, but the faces of the chiefs outlined

against the blazing firelight were so clearly visible to him that he could see every change of expression. They

were finelooking men, all of middle age, tall, lean, their noses hooked, features cut clean and strong, and

their heads shaved, all except the defiant scalp lock, into which the feather of an eagle was twisted. Their

bodies were draped in fine red or blue blankets, and they wore leggins and moccasins of beautifully tanned

They ceased talking presently, and Henry heard a distant wailing note from the west. Some one in the camp

replied with a cry in kind, and then a silence fell upon them all. The chiefs stood erect, looking toward the

The cry was repeated, but much nearer, and a warrior leaped into the opening, in the full blaze of the firelight.

He was entirely naked save for a breech cloth and moccasins, and he was a wild and savage figure. He stood

for a moment or two, then faced the chiefs, and, bowing before them, spoke a few words in the Wyandot

The chiefs inclined their heads gravely, and the herald, turning, leaped back into the forest. In two or three

minutes six men, including the herald, emerged from the woods, and Henry moved a little when he saw the

first of the six, all of whom were Wyandots. It was Timmendiquas, head chief of the Wyandots, and Henry

had never seen him more splendid in manner and bearing than he was as he thus met the representatives of

the famous Six Nations. Small though the Wyandot tribe might be, mighty was its valor and fame, and White

It was an extraordinary thing, but Henry, at this very moment, burrowing in the earth that be might not lose

his life at the hands of either, was an ardent partisan of Timmendiquas. It was the young Wyandot chief

whom he wished to be first, to make the greatest impression, and he was pleased when he heard the low hum

of admiration go round the circle of two hundred savage warriors. It was seldom, indeed, perhaps never, that

Timmendiquas and his companions advanced slowly toward the chiefs, and the Wyandot overtopped all the

Iroquois. Henry could tell by the manner of the chiefs that the reputation of the famous White Lightning had

The chiefs, Timmendiquas among them, sat down on logs before the fire, and all the warriors withdrew to a

respectful distance, where they stood and watched in silence. The oldest chief took his long pipe, beautifully

carved and shaped like a trumpet, and filled it with tobacco which he lighted with a coal from the fire. Then

he took two or three whiffs and passed the pipe to Timmendiquas, who did the same. Every chief smoked the

Henry was so much absorbed in this scene, which was at once a spectacle and a drama, that he almost forgot

where he was, and that he was an enemy. He wondered now at their silence. If this was a council surely they

would discuss whatever question had brought them there! But he was soon enlightened. That low far cry

came again, but from the east. It was answered, as before, from the camp, and in three or four minutes a

warrior sprang from the forest into the opening. Like the first, he was naked except for the breech cloth and

moccasins. The chiefs rose at his coming, received his salute gravely, and returned it as gravely. Then he

Curiosity pricked Henry like a nettle. Who was coming now? It must be some man of great importance, or

they would not wait so silently. There was the same air of expectancy that had preceded the arrival of

Timmendiquas. All the warriors looked toward the eastern wall of the forest, and Henry looked the same

way. Presently the black foliage parted, and a man stepped forth, followed at a little distance by seven or

eight others. The stranger, although tall, was not equal in height to Timmendiquas, but he, too, had a lofty

and splendid presence, and it was evident to anyone versed at all in forest lore that here was a great chief. He

was lean but sinewy, and he moved with great ease and grace. He reminded Henry of a powerful panther. He

was dressed, after the manner of famous chiefs, with the utmost care. His short military coat of fine blue cloth

bore a silver epaulet on either shoulder. His head was not bare, disclosing the scalp lock, like those of the

other Indians; it was covered instead with a small hat of felt, round and laced. Hanging carelessly over one

shoulder was a blanket of blue cloth with a red border. At his side, from a belt of blue leather swung a

silvermounted small sword. His leggins were of superfine blue cloth and his moccasins of deerskin. Both

The new chief advanced into the opening amid the dead silence that still held all, and Timmendiquas stepped

forward to meet him. These two held the gaze of everyone, and what they and they alone did had become of

surpassing interest. Each was haughty, fully aware of his own dignity and importance, but they met half way,

looked intently for a moment or two into the eyes of each other, and then saluted gravely.

All at once Henry knew the stranger. He had never seen him before, but his impressive reception, and the

mixture of military and savage attire revealed him. This could be none other than the great Mohawk war

chief, Thayendanegea, the Brant of the white men, terrible name on the border. Henry gazed at him eagerly

from his covert, etching his features forever on his memory. His face, lean and strong, was molded much like

Timmendiquas and Thayendanegeait was truly hereturned to the fire, and once again the trumpetshaped

pipe was smoked by all. The two young chiefs received the seats of favor, and others sat about them. But they

were not the only great chiefs present, though all yielded first place to them because of their character and

Henry was not mistaken in his guess that this was an important council, although its extent exceeded even his

surmise. Delegates and head chiefs of all the Six Nations were present to confer with the warlike Wyandots

of the west who had come so far east to meet them. Thayendanegea was the great war chief of the Mohawks,

but not their titular chief. The latter was an older man, Tekiehoke (Two Voices), who sat beside the

younger. The other chiefs were the Onondaga, Tahtootahoo (The Entangled) ; the Oneida, 0tatshehte

(Bearing a Quiver) ; the Cayuga, Tekahahoonk (He Who Looks Both Ways) ; the Seneca, Kanyataijo

(Beautiful Lake) ; and the Tuscarora, Tahaenteyahwakhon (Encircling and Holding Up a Tree). The

names were hereditary, and because in a dim past they had formed the great confederacy, the Onondagas

were first in the council, and were also the high priests and titular head of the Six Nations. But the Mohawks

All the Six Nations were divided into clans, and every clan, camping in its proper place, was represented at

Henry had heard much at Pittsburgh of the Six Nations, their wonderful league, and their wonderful history.

He knew that according to the legend the league had been formed by Hiawatha, an Onondaga. He was

opposed in this plan by Tododaho, then head chief of the Onondagas, but he went to the Mohawks and gained

the support of their great chief, Dekanawidah. With his aid the league was formed, and the solemn agreement,

never broken, was made at the Onondaga Lake. Now they were a perfect little state, with fifty chiefs, or,

Some of these details Henry was to learn later. He was also to learn many of the words that the chiefs said

through a source of which he little dreamed at the present. Yet he divined much of it from the meeting of the

Thayendanegea was talking now, and Timmendiquas, silent and grave, was listening. The Mohawk

approached his subject indirectly through the trope, allegory, and simile that the Indian loved. He talked of

the unseen deities that ruled the life of the Iroquois through mystic dreams. He spoke of the trees, the rocks,

and the animals, all of which to the Iroquois had souls. He called on the name of the Great Spirit, which was

Aieroski before it became Manitou, the Great Spirit who, in the Iroquois belief, had only the size of a dwarf

This land is ours, the land of your people and mine, oh, chief of the brave Wyandots," he said to

Timmendiquas. "Once there was no land, only the waters, but Aieroski raised the land of Konspioni above

the foam. Then he sowed five handfuls of red seed in it, and from those handfuls grew the Five Nations. Later

grew up the Tuscaroras, who have joined us and other tribes of our race, like yours, great chief of the brave

Timmendiquas still said nothing. He did not allow an eyelid to flicker at this assumption of superiority for the

Six Nations over all other tribes. A great warrior he was, a great politician also, and he wished to unite the

Iroquois in a firm league with the tribes of the Ohio valley. The coals from the great fire glowed and threw

out an intense heat. Thayendanegea unbuttoned his military coat and threw it back, revealing a bare bronze

chest, upon which was painted the device of the Mohawks, a flint and steel. The chests of the Onondaga,

Cayuga, and Seneca head chiefs were also bared to the glow. The device on the chest of the Onondaga was a

cabin on top of a hill, the Caytiga's was a great pipe, and the figure of a mountain adorned the Seneca bronze.

"We have had the messages that you have sent to us, Timmendiquas," said Thayendanegea, "and they are

good in the eyes of our people, the Rotinonsionni (the Mohawks). They please, too, the ancient tribe, the

Kannoseone (the Onondagas), the valiant Hotinonsionni (the Senecas), and all our brethren of the Six

Nations. All the land from the salt water to the setting sun was given to the red men by Aieroski, but if we do

"It is so," said Timmendiquas, speaking for the first time. "We have fought them on the Ohio and in

Kaintuckee, where they come with their rifles and axes. The whole might of the Wyandots, the Shawnees,

the Miamis, the Illinois, the Delawares, and the Ottawas has gone forth against them. We have slain many of

them, but we have failed to drive them back. Now we have come to ask the Six Nations to press down upon

them in the east with all your power, while we do the same in the west. Surely then your Aieroski and our

"You speak well, Timmendiquas," he said. " All the red men must unite to fight for the land of Konspioni

which Aieroski raised above the sea, and we be two, you and I, Timmendiquas, fit to lead them to battle."

Henry lay fully an hour in the bushes. He had forgotten about the dogs that he dreaded, but evidently he was

right in his surmise that the camp contained none. Nothing disturbed him while he stared at what was passing

by the firelight. There could be no doubt that the meeting of Timmendiquas and Thayendanegea portended

great things, but he would not be stirred from his task of rescuing his comrades or discovering their fate.

They two, great chiefs, sat long in close converse. Othersolder men, chiefs, alsocame at times and talked

with them. But these two, proud, dominating, both singularly handsome men of the Indian type, were always

there. Henry was almost ready to steal away when he saw a new figure approaching the two chiefs. The walk

and bearing of the stranger were familiar, and HENRY knew him even before his face was lighted tip by the

fire. It was Braxton Wyatt, the renegade, who had escaped the great battles on both the Ohio and the

Mississippi, and who was here with the Iroquois, ready to do to his own race all the evil that he could. Henry

felt a shudder of repulsion, deeper than any Indian could inspire in him. They fought for their own land and

their own people, but Braxton Wyatt had violated everything that an honest man should hold sacred.

Henry, on the whole, was not surprised to see him. Such a chance was sure to draw Braxton Wyatt.

Moreover, the war, so far as it pertained to the border, seemed to be sweeping toward the northeast, and it

He watched Wyatt as he walked toward one of the fires. There the renegade sat down and talked with the

warriors, apparently on the best of terms. He was presently joined by two more renegades, whom Henry

recognized as Blackstaffe and Quarles. Timmendiquas and Thayendanegea rose after a while, and walked

toward the center of the camp, where several of the bark shelters had been enclosed entirely. Henry judged

that one had been set apart for each, but they were lost from his view when they passed within the circling

Henry believed that the Iroquois and Wyandots would form a fortified camp here, a place from which they

would make sudden and terrible forays upon the settlements. He based his opinion upon the good location

and the great number of saplings that had been cut down already. They would build strong lodges and then a

palisade around them with the saplings. He was speedily confirmed in this opinion when he saw warriors

come to the forest with hatchets and begin to cut down more saplings. He knew then that it was time to go, as

He slipped from his covert and was quickly gone in the forest. His limbs were somewhat stiff from lying so

long in one position, but that soon wore away, and he was comparatively fresh when he came once more to

the islet in the swamp. A good moon was now shining, tipping the forest with a fine silvery gray, and Henry

purveyed with the greatest satisfaction the simple little shelter that he had found so opportunely. It was a

good house, too, good to such a son of the deepest forest as was Henry. It was made of nothing but bark and

poles, but it had kept out all that long, penetrating rain of the last three or four days, and when he lifted the

big stone aside and opened the door it seemed as snug a place as he could have wished.

He left the door open a little, lighted a small fire on the flat stones, having no fear that it would be seen

through the dense curtain that shut him in, and broiled big bear steaks on the coals. When he had eaten and

the fire had died he went out and sat beside the hut. He was well satisfied with the day's work, and he wished

now to think with all the concentration that one must put upon a great task if he expects to achieve it. He

intended to invade the Indian camp, and he knew full well that it was the most perilous enterprise that he had

ever attempted. Yet scouts and hunters had done such things and had escaped with their lives. He must not

He made up his mind firmly, and partly thought out his plan of operations. Then he rested, and so sanguine

was his temperament that he began to regard the deed itself as almost achieved. Decision is always soothing

after doubt, and he fell into a pleasant dreamy state. A gentle wind was blowing, the forest was dry and the

leaves rustled with the low note that is like the softest chord of a violin. It became penetrating, thrillingly

sweet, and hark! it spoke to him in a voice that he knew. It was the same voice that he had heard on the Ohio,

mystic, but telling him to be of heart and courage. He would triumph over hardships and dangers, and he

Henry started up from his vision. The song was gone, and he heard only the wind softly moving the leaves. It

had been vague and shadowy as gossamer, light as the substance of a dream, but it was real to him,

nevertheless, and the deep glow of certain triumph permeated his being, body and mind. It was not strange

that he had in his nature something of the Indian mysticism that personified the winds and the trees and

everything about him. The Manitou of the red man and the ancient Aieroski of the Iroquois were the same as

his own God. He could not doubt that he had a message. Down on the Ohio he had had the same message

He heard a slight rustling among the bushes, and, sitting perfectly still, he saw a black bear emerge into the

open. It had gained the islet in some manner, probably floundering through the black mire, and the thought

occurred to him that it was the mate of the one he had slain, drawn perhaps by instinct on the trail of a lost

comrade. He could have shot the bear as he satand he would need fresh supplies of food soonbut he did not

The bear sniffed a little at the wind, which was blowing the human odor away from him, and sat back on his

haunches. Henry did not believe that the animal had seen him or was yet aware of his presence, although he

might suspect. There was something humorous and also pathetic in the visitor, who cocked his head on one

side and looked about him. He made a distinct appeal to Henry, who sat absolutely still, so still that the little

bear could not be sure at first that he was a human being. A minute passed, and the red eye of the bear rested

upon the boy. Henry felt pleasant and sociable, but he knew that he could retain friendly relations only by

If I have eaten your comrade, my friend," he said to himself, "it is only because of hard necessity." The bear,

little, comic, and yet with that touch of pathos about him, cocked his head a little further over on one side,

and as a silver shaft of moonlight fell upon him Henry could see one red eye gleaming. It was a singular fact,

but the boy, alone in the wilderness, and the loser of his comrades, felt for the moment a sense of

comradeship with the bear, which was also alone, and doubtless the loser of a comrade, also. He uttered a soft

The comical bear rose a little higher on his hind paws, and looked in astonishment at the motionless figure

that uttered sounds so familiar. Yet the figure was not familiar. He had never seen a human being before, and

the shape and outline were very strange to him. It might be some new kind of animal, and he was disposed to

be inquiring, because there was nothing in these forests which the black bear was afraid of until man came.

He advanced a step or two and growled gently. Then he reared up again on his hind paws, and cocked his

held to one side in his amusing manner. Henry, still motionless, smiled at him. Here, for an instant at least,

"You look almost as if you could talk, old fellow," he said to himself, "and if I knew your language I'd ask

The bear, too, was motionless now, torn by doubt and curiosity. It certainly was a singular figure that sat

there, fifteen or twenty yards before him, and he had the most intense curiosity to solve the mystery of this

There was a sudden flaw in the light breeze. It shifted about and brought the dreadful man odor to the nostrils

of the honest black bear. It was something entirely new to him, but it contained the quality of fear. That still

strange figure was his deadliest foe. Dropping down upon his four paws, he fled among the trees, and then

Henry sighed. Despite his own friendly feeling, the bear, warned by instinct, was afraid of him, and, as he

was bound to acknowledge to himself, the bear's instinct was doubtless right. He rose, went into the hut, and

slept heavily through the night. In the morning he left the islet once more to scout in the direction of the

Indian camp, but he found it a most dangerous task. The woods were full of warriors hunting. As he had

judged, the game was abundant, and he heard rifles cracking in several directions. He loitered, therefore, in

the thickest of the thickets, willing to wait until night came for his enterprise. It was advisable, moreover, to

wait, because be did not see yet just how he was going to succeed. He spent nearly the whole day shifting

here and there through the forest, but late in the afternoon, as the Indians yet seemed so numerous in the

He was about two miles from the swamp when he heard a cry, sharp but distant. It was that of the savages,

and Henry instinctively divined the cause. A party of the warriors had come somehow upon his trail, and they

would surely follow it. It was a mischance that he had not expected. He waited a minute or two, and then

heard the cry again, but nearer. He knew that it would come no more, but it confirmed him in his first

Henry had little fear of being caught, as the islet was so securely hidden, but he did not wish to take even a

remote chance of its discovery. Hence he ran to the eastward of it, intending as the darkness came, hiding his

He proceeded at a long, easy gait, his mind not troubled by the pursuit. It was to him merely an incident that

should be ended as soon as possible, annoying perhaps, but easily cured. So he swung lightly along, stopping

at intervals among the bushes to see if any of the warriors had drawn near, but he detected nothing. Now and

then he looked up to the sky, willing that night should end this matter quickly and peacefully.

His wish seemed near fulfillment. An uncommonly brilliant sun was setting. The whole west was a sea of red

and yellow fire, but in the east the forest was already sinking into the dark. He turned now, and went back

toward the west on a line parallel with the pursuit, but much closer to the swamp. The dusk thickened rapidly.

The sun dropped over the curve of the world, and the vast complex maze of trunks and boughs melted into a

solid black wall. The incident of the pursuit was over and with it its petty annoyances. He directed his course

boldly now for the stepping stones, and traveled fast. Soon the first of them would be less than a hundred

But the incident was not over. Wary and skillful though the young forest runner might be, he had made one

miscalculation, and it led to great consequences. As he skirted the edge of the swamp in the darkness, now

fully come, a dusky figure suddenly appeared. It was a stray warrior from some small band, wandering about

at will. The meeting was probably as little expected by him as it was by Henry, and they were so close

together when they saw each other that neither had time to raise his rifle. The warrior, a tall, powerful man,

Henry was borne back by the weight and impact, but, making an immense effort, he recovered himself and,

seizing the wrist of the Indian's knife hand, exerted all his great strength. The warrior wished to change the

weapon from his right band, but he dared not let go with the other lest he be thrown down at once, and with

great violence. His first rush having failed, he was now at a disadvantage, as the Indian is not generally a

wrestler. Henry pushed him back, and his hand closed tighter and tighter around the red wrist. He wished to

tear the knife from it, but he, too, was afraid to let go with the other hand, and so the two remained locked

fast. Neither uttered a cry after the first contact, and the only sounds in the dark were their hard breathing,

which turned to a gasp now and then, and the shuffle of their feet over the earth.

Henry felt that it must end soon. One or the other must give way. Their sinews were already strained to the

cracking point, and making a supreme effort he bore all his weight upon the warrior, who, unable to sustain

himself, went down with the youth upon him. The Indian uttered a groan, and Henry, leaping instantly to his

feet, looked down upon his fallen antagonist, who did not stir. He knew the cause. As they fell the point of

Although he had been in peril at his hands, Henry looked at the slain man in a sort of pity. He had not wished

to take anyone's life, and, in reality, he had not been the direct cause of it. But it was a stern time and the

feeling soon passed. The Wyandot, for such he was by his paint, would never have felt a particle of remorse

The moon was now coming out, and Henry looked down thoughtfully at the still face. Then the idea came to

him, in fact leaped up in his brain, with such an impulse that it carried conviction. He would take this

warrior's place and go to the Indian camp. So eager was he, and so full of his plan, that he did not feel any

repulsion as he opened the warrior's deerskin shirt and took his totem from a place near his heart. It was a

little deerskin bag containing a bunch of red feathers. This was his charm, his magic spell, his bringer of good

luck, which had failed him so woefully this time. Henry, not without a touch of the forest belief, put it inside

his own hunting shirt, wishing, although he laughed at himself, that if the red man's medicine had any

Then he found also the little bag in which the Indian carried his war paint and the feather brush with which he

put it on. The next hour witnessed a singular transformation. A white youth was turned into a red warrior. He

cut his own hair closely, all except a tuft in the center, with his sharp hunting knife. The tuft and the close

crop he stained black with the Indian's paint. It was a poor black, but he hoped that it would pass in the night.

He drew the tuft into a scalplock, and intertwined it with a feather from the Indian's own tuft. Then he stained

his face, neck, hands, and arms with the red paint, and stood forth a powerful young warrior of a western

He hid the Indian's weapons and his own raccoonskin cap in the brush. Then he took the body of the fallen

warrior to the edge of the swamp and dropped it in. His object was not alone concealment, but burial as well.

He still felt sorry for the unfortunate Wyandot, and he watched him until he sank completely from sight in the

mire. Then he turned away and traveled a straight course toward the great Indian camp.

He stopped once on the way at a clear pool irradiated by the bright moonlight, and looked attentively at his

reflection. By night, at least, it was certainly that of an Indian, and, summoning all his confidence, he

Henry knew that the chances were against him, even with his disguise, but he was bound to enter the Indian

camp, and he was prepared to incur all risks and to endure all penalties. He even felt a certain lightness of

heart as he hurried on his way, and at length saw through the forest the flare of light from the Indian camp.

He approached cautiously at first in order that he might take a good look into the camp, and he was surprised

at what he saw. In a single day the village had been enlarged much more. It seemed to him that it contained at

least twice as many warriors. Women and children, too, had come, and he heard a stray dog barking here and

there. Many more fires than usual were burning, and there was a great murmur of voices.

Henry was much taken aback at first. It seemed that he was about to plunge into the midst of the whole

Iroquois nation, and at a time, too, when something of extreme importance was going on, but a little

reflection showed that he was fortunate. Amid so many people, and so much ferment it was not at all likely

that he would be noticed closely. It was his intention, if the necessity came, to pass himself off as a warrior of

the Shawnee tribe who had wandered far eastward, but he meant to avoid sedulously the eye of

As Henry lingered at the edge of the camp, in indecision whether to wait a little or plunge boldly into the

light of the fires, he became aware that all sounds in the villagefor such it was instead of a camphad ceased

suddenly, except the light tread of feet and the sound of many people talking low. He saw through the bushes

that all the Iroquois, and with them the detachment of Wyandots under White Lightning, were going toward a

large structure in the center, which he surmised to be the Council House. He knew from his experience with

He could no longer doubt that some ceremony of the greatest importance was about to begin, and, dismissing

indecision, he left the bushes and entered the village, going with the crowd toward the great pole building,

But little attention was paid to Henry. He would have drawn none at all, had it not been for his height, and

when a warrior or two glanced at him he uttered some words in Shawnee, saying that he had wandered far,

and was glad to come to the hospitable Iroquois. One who could speak a little Shawnee bade him welcome,

and they went on, satisfied, their minds more intent upon the ceremony than upon a visitor.

The Council House, built of light poles and covered with poles and thatch, was at least sixty feet long and

about thirty feet wide, with a large door on the eastern side, and one or two smaller ones on the other sides.

As Henry arrived, the great chiefs and subchiefs of the Iroquois were entering the building, and about it

were grouped many warriors and women, and even children. But all preserved a decorous solemnity, and,

knowing the customs of the forest people so well, he was sure that the ceremony, whatever it might be, must

be of a highly sacred nature. He himself drew to one side, keeping as much as possible in the shadow, but he

was using to its utmost power every faculty of observation that Nature had given him.

Many of the fires were still burning, but the moon had come out with great brightness, throwing a silver light

over the whole village, and investing with attributes that savored of the mystic and impressive this ceremony,

held by a savage but great race here in the depths of the primeval forest. Henry was about to witness a

Condoling Council, which was at once a mourning for chiefs who had fallen in battle farther east with his

The chiefs presently came forth from the Council House or, as it was more generally called, the Long House,

and, despite the greatness of Thayendanegea, those of the Onondaga tribe, in virtue of their ancient and

undisputed place as the political leaders and high priests of the Six Nations, led the way. Among the stately

Onondaga chiefs were: Atotarho (The Entangled), Skanawati (Beyond the River), Tehatkahtons (Looking

Both Ways), Tehayatkwarayen (Red Wings), and Hahiron (The Scattered). They were men of stature and fine

countenance, proud of the titular primacy that belonged to them because it was the Onondaga, Hiawatha, who

had formed the great confederacy more than four hundred years before our day, or just about the time

Next to the Onondagas came the fierce and warlike Mohawks, who lived nearest to Albany, who were called

Keepers of the Eastern Gate, and who were fully worthy of their trust. They were content that the Onondagas

should lead in council, so long as they were first in battle, and there was no jealousy between them. Among

their chiefs were Koswensiroutha (Broad Shoulders) and Satekariwate (Two Things Equal).

Third in rank were the Senecas, and among their chiefs were Kanokarih (The Threatened) and Kanyadariyo

These three, the Onondagas, Mohawks, and Senecas, were esteemed the three senior nations. After them, in

order of precedence, came the chiefs of the three junior nations, the Oneidas, Cayugas, and Tuscaroras. All of

the great chiefs had assistant chiefs, usually relatives, who, in case of death, often succeeded to their places.

But these assistants now remained in the crowd with other minor chiefs and the mass of the warriors. A little

apart stood Timmendiquas and his Wyandots. He, too, was absorbed in the ceremony so sacred to him, an

Indian, and he did not notice the tall figure of the strange Shawnee lingering in the deepest of the shadows.

The head chiefs, walking solemnly and never speaking, marched across the clearing, and then through the

woods to a glen, where two young warriors had kindled a little fire of sticks as a signal of welcome. The

chiefs gathered around the fire and spoke together in low tones. This was Deyuhnyon Kwarakda, which

Henry and some others followed, as it was not forbidden to see, and his interest increased. He shared the

spiritual feeling which was impressed upon the red faces about him. The bright moonlight, too, added to the

The chiefs relapsed into silence and sat thus about ten minutes. Then rose the sound of a chant, distant and

measured, and a procession of young and inferior chiefs, led by Oneidas, appeared, slowly approaching the

fire. Behind them were warriors, and behind the warriors were many women and children. All the women

were in their brightest attire, gay with feather headdresses and red, blue, or green blankets from the British

The procession stopped at a distance of about a dozen yards from the chiefs about the council fire, and the

Oneida, Kathlahon, formed the men in a line facing the head chiefs, with the women and children grouped in

an irregular mass behind them. The singing meanwhile had stopped. The two groups stood facing each other,

Then Hahiron, the oldest of the Onondagas, walked back and forth in the space between the two groups,

chanting a welcome. Like all Indian songs it was monotonous. Every line he uttered with emphasis and a

rising inflection, the phrase "Haihhaih" which may be translated "Hail to thee!" or better, "All hail!"

Nevertheless, under the moonlight in the wilderness and with rapt faces about him, it was deeply impressive.

Hahiron finished his round and went back to his place by the fire. Atotarho, head chief of the Onondagas,

holding in his hands beautifully beaded strings of Iroquois wampum, came forward and made a speech of

condolence, to which Kathlahon responded. Then the head chiefs and the minor chiefs smoked pipes

together, after which the head chiefs, followed by the minor chiefs, and these in turn by the crowd, led the

Many hundreds of persons were in this procession, which was still very grave and solemn, every one in it

impressed by tile sacred nature of this ancient rite. The chief entered the great door of the Long House, and

all who could find places not reserved followed. Henry went in with the others, and sat in a corner, making

himself as small as possible. Many women, the place of whom was high among the Iroquois, were also in the

The head chiefs sat on raised seats at the north end of the great room. In front of them, on lower seats, were

the minor chiefs of the three older nations on the left, and of the three younger nations on the right. In front of

these, but sitting on the bark floor, was a group of warriors. At the east end, on both high and low seats, were

warriors, and facing them on the western side were women, also on both high and low seats. The southern

side facing the chiefs was divided into sections, each with high and low seats. The one on the left was

occupied by men, and the one on the right by women. Two small fires burned in the center of the Long House

It was the most singular and one of the most impressive scenes that Henry had ever beheld. When all had

found their seats there was a deep silence. Henry could hear the slight crackling made by the two fires as they

burned, and the light fell faintly across the multitude of dark, eager faces. Not less than five hundred people

were in the Long House, and here was the red man at his best, the first of the wild, not the second or third of

the civilized, a drop of whose blood in his veins brings to the white man now a sense of pride, and not of

The effect upon Henry was singular. He almost forgot that he was a foe among them on a mission. For the

moment he shared in their feelings, and he waited with eagerness for whatever might come.

Thayendanegea, the Mohawk, stood up in his place among the great chiefs. The role he was about to assume

belonged to Atotarho, the Onondaga, but the old Onondaga assigned it for the occasion to Thayendanegea,

and there was no objection. Thayendanegea was an educated man, be had been in England, he was a member

of a Christian church, and be had translated a part of the Bible from English into his own tongue, but now he

He spoke to the listening crowd of the glories of the Six Nations, how Hahgwehdiyu (The Spirit of Good)

had inspired Hiawatha to form the Great Confederacy of the Five Nations, afterwards the Six; how they had

held their hunting grounds for nearly two centuries against both English and French; and how they would

hold them against the Americans. He stopped at moments, and deep murmurs of approval went through the

Long House. The eyes of both men and women flashed as the orator spoke of their glory and greatness.

Timmendiquas, in a place of honor, nodded approval. If he could he would form such another league in the

The air in the Long House, breathed by so many, became heated. It seemed to have in it a touch of fire. The

orator's words burned. Swift and deep impressions were left upon the excited brain. The tall figure of the

Mohawk towered, gigantic, in the half light, and the spell that he threw over all was complete.

He spoke about half an hour, but when he stopped he did not sit down. Henry knew by the deep breath that

ran through the Long House that something more was coming from Thayendanegea. Suddenly the red chief

There was the same incessant repetition of "Haih haih!" that Henry had noticed in the chant at the edge of the

woods, but it seemed to give a cumulative effect, like the roll of thunder, and at every slight pause that deep

breath of approval ran through the crowd in the Long House. The effect of the song was indescribable. Fire

ran in the veins of all, men, women, and children. The great pulses in their throats leaped up. They were the

mighty nation, the evervictorious, the League of the Hodenosaunee, that had held at bay both the

French and the English since first a white man was seen in the land, and that would keep back the Americans

Henry glanced at Timmendiquas. The nostrils of the great White Lightning were twitching. The song reached

to the very roots of his being, and aroused all his powers. Like Thayendanegea, he was a statesman, and he

saw that the Americans were far more formidable to his race than English or French had ever been. The

Americans were upon the ground, and incessantly pressed upon the red man, eye to eye. Only powerful

Thayendanegea sat down, and then there was another silence, a period lasting about two minutes. These

silences seemed to be a necessary part of all Iroquois rites. When it closed two young warriors stretched an

elm bark rope across the room from east to west and near the ceiling, but between the high chiefs and the

minor chiefs. Then they hung dressed skins all along it, until the two grades of chiefs were hidden from the

view of each other. This was the sign of mourning, and was followed by a silence. The fires in the Long

House had died down somewhat, and little was to be seen but the eyes and general outline of the people.

Then a slender man of middle years, the best singer in all the Iroquois nation, arose and sang:

The singing voice was sweet, penetrating, and thrilling, and the song was sad. At the pauses deep murmurs of

sorrow ran through the crowd in the Long House. Grief for the dead held them all. When he finished,

Satekariwate, the Mohawk, holding in his hands three belts of wampum, uttered a long historical chant telling

of their glorious deeds, to which they listened patiently. The chant over, he handed the belts to an attendant,

who took them to Thayendanegea, who held them for a few moments and looked at them gravely.

One of the wampum belts was black, the sign of mourning; another was purple, the sign of war; and the third

was white, the sign of peace. They were beautiful pieces of workmanship, very old.

When Hiawatha left the Onondagas and fled to the Mohawks he crossed a lake supposed to be the Oneida.

While paddling along he noticed that man tiny black, purple, and white shells clung to his paddle. Reaching

the shore he found such shells in long rows upon the beach, and it occurred to him to use them for the

depiction of thought according to color. He strung them on threads of elm bark, and afterward, when the great

league was formed, the shells were made to represent five clasped hands. For four hundred years the

Now Thayendanegea gave the wampum belts back to the attendant, who returned them to Satekariwate, the

Mohawk. There was a silence once more, and then the chosen singer began the Consoling Song again, but

now he did not sing it alone. Two hundred male voices joined him, and the time became faster. Its tone

changed from mourning and sorrow to exultation and menace. Everyone thought of war, the tomahawk, and

victory. The song sung as it was now became a genuine battle song, rousing and thrilling. The Long House

trembled with the mighty chorus, and its volume poured forth into the encircling dark woods.

All the time the song was going on, Satekariwate, the Mohawk, stood holding the belts in his hand, but when

it was over he gave them to an attendant, who carried them to another head chief. Thayendanegea now went

to the center of the room and, standing between the two fires, asked who were the candidates for the places of

The dead chiefs were three, and three tall men, already chosen among their own tribes, came forward to

succeed them. Then a fourth came, and Henry was startled. It was Timmendiquas, who, as the bravest chief

of the brave Wyandots, was about to become, as a signal tribute, and as a great sign of friendship, an adopted

son and honorary chief of the Mohawks, Keepers of the Western Gate, and most warlike of all the Iroquois

As Timmendiquas stood before Thayendanegea, a murmur of approval deeper than any that had gone before

ran through all the crowd in the Long House, and it was deepest on the women's benches, where sat many

matrons of the Iroquois, some of whom were chiefsa woman could be a chief among the Iroquois.

The candidates were adjudged acceptable by the other chiefs, and Thayendanegea addressed them on their

duties, while they listened in grave silence. With his address the sacred part of the rite was concluded.

Nothing remained now but the great banquet outside although that was much and they poured forth to it

joyously, Thayendanegea, the Mohawk, and Timmendiquas, the Wyandot, walking side by side, the finest

Henry slipped forth with the crowd from the Long House, stooping somewhat and shrinking into the smallest

possible dimensions. But there was little danger now that any one would notice him, as long as he behaved

with prudence, because all grief and solemnity were thrown aside, and a thousand red souls intended to

rejoice. A vast banquet was arranged. Great fires leaped up all through the village. At every fire the Indian

women, both young and old, were already far forward with the cooking. Deer, bear, squirrel, rabbit, fish, and

every other variety of game with which the woods and rivers of western New York and Pennsylvania

swarmed were frying or roasting over the coals, and the air was permeated with savory odors. There was a

great hum of voices and an incessant chattering. Here in the forest, among themselves, and in complete

security, the Indian stoicism was relaxed. According to their customs everybody fell to eating at a prodigious

rate, as if they had not tasted anything for a month, and as if they intended to eat enough now to last another

It was far into the night, because the ceremonies had lasted a long time, but a brilliant moon shone down

upon the feasting crowd, and the flames of the great fires, yellow and blue, leaped and danced. This was an

oasis of light and life. Timmendiquas and Thayendanegea sat together before the largest fire, and they ate

with more restraint than the others. Even at the banquet they would not relax their dignity as great chiefs. Old

Skanawati, the Onondaga, old Atotarho, Onondaga, too, Satekariwate, the Mohawk, Kanokarih, the Seneca,

and others, head chiefs though they were of the three senior tribes, did not hesitate to eat as the rich Romans

of the Empire ate, swallowing immense quantities of all kinds of meat, and drinking a sort of cider that the

women made. Several warriors ate and drank until they fell down in a stupor by the fires. The same warriors

on the hunt or the war path would go for days without food, enduring every manner of hardship. Now and

then a warrior would leap up and begin a chant telling of some glorious deed of his. Those at his own fire

In the largest open space a middleaged Onondaga with a fine face suddenly uttered a sharp cry: " Hehmio!"

which he rapidly repeated twice. Two score voices instantly replied, "Heh!" and a rush was made for him. At

least a hundred gathered around him, but they stood in a respectful circle, no one nearer than ten feet. He

waved his hand, and all sat down on the ground. Then, he, too, sat down, all gazing at him intently and with

He was a professional storyteller, an institution great and honored among the tribes of the Iroquois farther

back even than Hiawatha. He began at once the story of the warrior who learned to talk with the deer and the

bear, carrying it on through many chapters. Now and then a delighted listener would cry " Hah!" but if

anyone became bored and fell asleep it was considered an omen of misfortune to the sleeper, and he was

chased ignominiously to his tepee. The Iroquois romancer was better protected than the white one is. He

could finish some of his stories in one evening, but others were serials. When he arrived at the end of the

night's installment he would cry, "Siga!" which was equivalent to our "To be continued in our next." Then

all would rise, and if tired would seek sleep, but if not they would catch the closing part of some other

At three fires Senecas were playing a peculiar little wooden flute of their own invention, that emitted wailing

sounds not without a certain sweetness. In a corner a half dozen warriors hurt in battle were bathing their

Henry lingered a while in the darkest corners, witnessing the feasting, hearing the flutes and the chants,

listening for a space to the storytellers and the enthusiastic "Hahs!" They were so full of feasting and

merrymaking now that one could almost do as he pleased, and he stole toward the southern end of the village,

where he had noticed several huts, much more strongly built than the others. Despite all his natural skill and

experience his heart beat very fast when he came to the first. He was about to achieve the great exploration

upon which he had ventured so much. Whether he would find anything at the end of the risk he ran, he was

The hut, about seven feet square and as many feet in height, was built strongly of poles, with a small entrance

closed by a clapboard door fastened stoutly on the outside with withes. The hut was well in the shadow of

tepees, and all were still at the feasting and merrymaking. He cut the withes with two sweeps of his sharp

hunting knife, opened the door, bent his head, stepped in and then closed the door behind him, in order that

It was not wholly dark in the hut, as there were cracks between the poles, and bars of moonlight entered,

falling upon a floor of bark. They revealed also a figure lying full length on one side of the but. A great pulse

of joy leaped up in Henry's throat, and with it was a deep pity, also. The figure was that of Shif'less Sol, but

be was pale and thin, and his arms and legs were securely bound with thongs of deerskin.

Leaning over, Henry cut the thongs of the shiftless one, but he did not stir. Great forester that Shif'less Sol

was, and usually so sensitive to the lightest movement, be perceived nothing now, and, had he not found him

bound, Henry would have been afraid that he was looking upon his dead comrade. The hands of the shiftless

one, when the hands were cut, had fallen limply by his side, and his face looked all the more pallid by

contrast with the yellow hair which fell in length about it. But it was his oldtime friend, the dauntless

Henry bent down and pulled him by the shoulder. The captive yawned, stretched himself a little, and lay still

again with closed eyes. Henry shook him a second time and more violently. Shif'less Sol sat up quickly, and

Henry knew that indignation prompted the movement. Sol held his arms and legs stiffly and seemed to be

totally unconscious that they were unbound. He cast one glance upward, and in the dim light saw the tall

"I'll never do it, Timmendiquas or White Lightning, whichever name you like better!" he exclaimed. "I won't

show you how to surprise the white settlements. You can burn me at the stake or tear me in pieces first. Now

He sank back on the bark, and started to close his eyes again. It was then that he noticed for the first time that

his hands were unbound. He held them up before his face, as if they were strange objects wholly unattached

to himself, and gazed at them in amazement. He moved his legs and saw that they, too, were unbound. Then

he turned his startled gaze upward at the face of the tall warrior who was looking down at him. Shif'less Sol

was wholly awake now. Every faculty in him was alive, and he pierced through the Shawnee disguise. He

knew who it was. He knew who had come to save him, and he sprang to his feet, exclaiming the one word:

The hands of the comrades met in the clasp of friendship which only many dangers endured together can

"I see," said he, "but how did you get through the camp? It's a big one, and the Iroquois are watchful.

"They are having a great feast," replied Henry, "and I could go about almost unnoticed. Where are the others,

"Then we'll get out of this place. Quick! Tie up your hair! In the darkness you can easily pass for an Indian."

The shiftless one drew his hair into a scalp lock, and the two slipped from the cabin, closing the door behind

them and deftly retying the thongs, in order that the discovery of the escape might occur as late as possible.

Then they stood a few moments in the shadow of the hut and listened to the sounds of revelry, the monotone

"Braxton Wyatt," said Sol. "I'd like to get my hands on that scoundrel. I've had to stand a lot from him."

"The score must wait. But first we'll provide you with weapons. See, the Iroquois have stacked some of their

A dozen good rifles had been left leaning against a hut near by, and Henry, still watching lest he be observed,

chose the best, with its ammunition, for his comrade, who, owing to his semicivilized attire, still remained

"Why not take four?" whispered the shiftless one. "We'll need them for the other boys."

Henry took four, giving two to his comrade, and then they hastily slipped back to the other side of the hut. A

Wyandot and a Mohawk were passing, and they had eyes of hawks. Henry and Sol waited until the

formidable pair were gone, and then began to examine the huts, trying to surmise in which their comrades

"I haven't seen 'em atall, atall," said Sol, "but I reckon from the talk that they are here. I was s'prised in the

woods, Henry. A half dozen reds jumped on me so quick I didn't have time to draw a weepin. Timmendiquas

was at the head uv 'em an' he just grinned. Well, he is a great chief, if he did truss me up like a fowl. I reckon

"Come closer, Sol! Come closer!" whispered Henry. More warriors are walking this way. The feast is

A terrible problem was presented to the two. They could no longer search among the strong huts, for their

comrades. The opportunity to save had lasted long enough for one only. But border training is stern, and these

Darting between the huts, they gained the southern edge of the forest before the satiated banqueters could

suspect the presence of an enemy. Here they felt themselves safe, but they did not pause. Henry led the way,

"You'll have to be patient with me for a little while, Henry," said Sol in a tone of humility. "When I wuz

layin' thar in the lodge with my hands an' feet tied I wuz about eighty years old, jest ez stiff ez could be from

the long tyin'. When I reached the edge o' the woods the blood wuz flowin' lively enough to make me 'bout

sixty. Now I reckon I'm fifty, an' ef things go well I'll be back to my own nateral age in two or three hours."

"You shall have rest before morning," said Henry, "and it will be in a good place, too. I can promise that."

Shif'less Sol looked at him inquiringly, but he did not say anything. Like the rest of the five, Sol had acquired

the most implicit confidence in their bold young leader. He had every reason to feel good. That painful

soreness was disappearing from his ankles. As they advanced through the woods, weeks dropped from him

one by one. Then the months began to roll away, and at last time fell year by year. As they approached the

deeps of the forest where the swamp lay, Solomon Hyde, the so called shiftless one, and wholly undeserving

"I've got a fine little home for us, Sol," said Henry. "Best we've had since that time we spent a winter on the

island in the lake. This is littler, but it's harder to find. It'll be a fine thing to know you're sleeping safe and

"Then it'll suit me mighty well," said Shif'less Sol, grinning broadly. "That's jest the place fur a lazy man like

"I'm feelin' so good I could fly ef I had to," he replied. "Jest you jump on, Henry, an' fur every jump you take

Henry, without further ado, sprang from one stone to another, and behind him, stone for stone, came the

shiftless one. It was now past midnight, and the moon was obscured. The keenest eyes twenty yards away

could not have seen the two dusky figures as they went by leaps into the very heart of the great, black swamp.

"Here, Sol," said Henry, "is my house, and yours, also, and soon, I hope, to be that of Paul, Tom, and Jim,

They went inside, stacked their captured rifles against the wall, and soon were sound asleep.

Meanwhile sleep was laying hold of the Iroquois village, also. They had eaten mightily and they had drunk

mightily. Many times had they told the glories of Hodenosaunee, the Great League, and many times had

they gladly acknowledged the valor and worth of Timmendiquas and the brave little Wyandot nation.

Timmendiquas and Thayendanegea had sat side by side throughout the feast, but often other great chiefs were

with themSkanawati, Atotarho, and Hahiron, the Onondagas; Satekariwate, the Mohawk; Kanokarih and

Toward midnight the women and the children left for the lodges, and soon the warriors began to go also, or

fell asleep on tile ground, wrapped in their blankets. The fires were allowed to sink low, and at last the older

"You have seen the power and spirit of the Iroquois," said Thayendanegea. "We can bring many more

warriors than are here into the field, and we will strike the white settlements with you."

"The Wyandots are not so many as the warriors of the Great League," said Timmendiquas proudly, "but no

"You speak truth, as I have often heard it," said Thayendanegea thoughtfully. Then be showed Timmendiquas

The great feast was over, but the chiefs had come to a momentous decision. Still chafing over their defeat at

Oriskany, they would make a new and formidable attack upon the white settlements, and Timmendiquas and

his fierce Wyandots would help them. All of them, from the oldest to the youngest, rejoiced in the decision,

and, not least, the famous Thayendanegea. He hated the Americans most because they were upon the soil, and

were always pressing forward against the Indian. The Englishmen were far away, and if they prevailed in the

great war, the march of the American would be less rapid. He would strike once more with the Englishmen,

and the Iroquois could deliver mighty blows on the American rearguard. He and his Mohawks, proud

Keepers of the Western Gate, would lead in the onset. Thayendanegea considered it a good night's work, and

The great camp relapsed into silence. The warriors on the ground breathed perhaps a little heavily after so

much feasting, and the fires were permitted to smolder down to coals. Wolves and panthers drawn by the

scent of food crept through the thickets toward the faint firelight, but they were afraid to draw near. Morning

came, and food and drink were taken to the lodges in which four prisoners were held, prisoners of great

value, taken by Timmendiquas and the Wyandots, and held at his urgent insistence as hostages.

Three were found as they had been left, and when their bonds were loosened they ate and drank, but the

fourth hut was empty. The one who spoke in a slow, drawling way, and the one who seemed to be the most

dangerous of them all, was gone. Henry and Sol had taken the severed thongs with them, and there was

nothing to show how the prisoner had disappeared, except that the withes fastening the door had been cut.

The news spread through the village, and there was much excitement. Thayendanegea and Timmendiquas

came and looked at the empty hut. Timmendiquas may have suspected how Shif'less Sol had gone, but he

said nothing. Others believed that it was the work of Hahgwehdaetgah (The Spirit of Evil), or perhaps

"It is well to keep a good watch on the others," said Timmendiquas, and Thayendanegea nodded.

That day the chiefs entered the Long House again, and held a great war council. A string of white wampum

about a foot in length was passed to every chief, who held it a moment or two before handing it to his

neighbors. It was then laid on a table in the center of the room, the ends touching. This signified harmony

among the Six Nations. All the chiefs had been summoned to this place by belts of wampum sent to the

different tribes by runners appointed by the Onondagas, to whom this honor belonged. All treaties had to be

ratified by the exchange of belts, and now this was done by the assembled chiefs.

Timmendiquas, as an honorary chief of the Mohawks, and as the real head of a brave and allied nation, was

present throughout the council. His advice was asked often, and when he gave it the others listened with

gravity and deference. The next day the village played a great game of lacrosse, which was invented by the

Indians, and which had been played by them for centuries before the arrival of the white man. In this case the

The game began about nine o'clock in the morning in a great natural meadow surrounded by forest. The rival

sides assembled opposite each other and bet heavily. All the stakes, under the law of the game, were laid

upon the ground in heaps here, and they consisted of the articles most precious to the Iroquois. In these heaps

were rifles, tomahawks, scalping knives, wampum, strips of colored beads, blankets, swords, belts,

moccasins, leggins, and a great many things taken as spoil in forays on the white settlements, such is small

mirrors, brushes of various kinds, boots, shoes, and other things, the whole making a vast assortment.

These heaps represented great wealth to the Iroquois, and the older chiefs sat beside them in the capacity of

The combatants, ranged in two long rows, numbered at least five hundred on each side, and already they

began to show an excitement approaching that which animated them when they would go into battle. Their

eyes glowed, and the muscles on their naked backs and chests were tense for the spring. In order to leave

their limbs perfectly free for effort they wore no clothing at all, except a little apron reaching from the waist

The extent of the playground was marked off by two pair of "byes" like those used in cricket, planted about

thirty rods apart. But the goals of each side were only about thirty feet apart.

At a signal from the oldest of the chiefs the contestants arranged themselves in two parallel lines facing each

other, inside the area and about ten rods apart. Every man was armed with a strong stick three and a half to

four feet in length, and curving toward the end. Upon this curved end was tightly fastened a network of

thongs of untanned deerskin, drawn until they were rigid and taut. The ball with which they were to play was

made of closely wrapped elastic skins, and was about the size of an ordinary apple.

At the end of the lines, but about midway between them, sat the chiefs, who, besides being judges and

stakeholders, were also score keepers. They kept tally of the game by cutting notches upon sticks. Every time

one side put the ball through the other's goal it counted one, but there was an unusual power exercised by the

chiefs, practically unknown to the games of white men. If one side got too far ahead, its score was cut down

at the discretion of the chiefs in order to keep the game more even, and also to protract it sometimes over

three or four days. The warriors of the leading side might grumble among one another at the amount of

cutting the chiefs did, but they would not dare to make any protest. However, the chiefs would never cut the

leading side down to an absolute parity with the other. It was always allowed to retain a margin of the

The game was now about to begin, and the excitement became intense. Even the old judges leaned forward in

their eagerness, while the brown bodies of the warriors shone in the sun, and the taut muscles leaped up under

the skin. Fifty players on each side, sticks in hand, advanced to the center of the ground, and arranged

themselves somewhat after the fashion of football players, to intercept the passage of the ball toward their

There were several young girls, the daughters of chiefs. The most beautiful of these appeared. She was not

more than sixteen or seventeen years of age, as slender and graceful as a young deer, and she was dressed in

the finest and most richly embroidered deerskin. Her head was crowned with a red coronet, crested with

plumes, made of the feathers of the eagle and heron. She wore silver bracelets and a silver necklace.

The girl, bearing in her hand the ball, sprang into the very center of the arena, where, amid shouts from all the

warriors, she placed it upon the ground. Then she sprang back and joined the throng of spectators. Two of the

players, one from each side, chosen for strength and dexterity, advanced. They hooked the ball together in

their united bats and thus raised it aloft, until the bats were absolutely perpendicular. Then with a quick,

jerking motion they shot it upward. Much might be gained by this first shot or stroke, but on this occasion the

two players were equal, and it shot almost absolutely straight into the air. The nearest groups made a rush for

Not all played at once, as the crowd was so great, but usually twenty or thirty on each side struck for tile ball,

and when they became exhausted or disabled were relieved by similar groups. All eventually came into

The game was played with the greatest fire and intensity, assuming sometimes the aspect of a battle. Blows

with the formidable sticks were given and received. Brown skins were streaked with blood, heads were

cracked, and a Cayuga was killed. Such killings were not unusual in these games, and it was always

considered the fault of the man who fell, due to his own awkwardness or unwariness. The body of the dead

All day long the contest was waged with undiminished courage and zeal, party relieving party. The meadow

and the surrounding forest resounded with the shouts and yells of combatants and spectators. The old squaws

were in a perfect frenzy of excitement, and their shrill screams of applause or condemnation rose above every

On this occasion, as the contest did not last longer than one day, the chiefs never cut down the score of the

leading side. The game closed at sunset, with the Senecas and Onondagas triumphant, and richer by far than

they were in the morning. The Mohawks and Cayugas retired, stripped of their goods and crestfallen.

Timmendiquas and Thayendanegea, acting as umpires watched the game closely to its finish, but not so the

renegades Braxton Wyatt and Blackstaffe. They and Quarles had wandered eastward with some Delawares,

and had afterward joined the band of Wyandots, though Timmendiquas gave them no very warm welcome.

Quarles had left on some errand a few days before. They had rejoiced greatly at the trapping of the four, one

by one, in the deep bush. But they had felt anger and disappointment when the fifth was not taken, also. Now

both were concerned and alarmed over the escape of Shif'less Sol in the night, and they drew apart from the

"I think," said Wyatt, "that Hyde did not manage it himself, all alone. How could he? He was bound both

hand and foot; and I've learned, too, Blackstaffe, that four of the best Iroquois rifles have been taken. That

"It must have been the boy Ware who helped Hyde to get away," said Blackstaffe, "and their taking of the

rifles means that he and Hyde expect to rescue the other three in the same way. You think so, too?"

"Of course," replied Wyatt. "What makes the Indians, who are so wonderfully alert and watchful most of the

"It is their way," he replied. "You cannot change it. Ware must have noticed what they were about, and he

"The boy Cotter is in here," said Braxton Wyatt, tapping the side of a small hut. "Let's go in and see him."

"Good enough," said Blackstaffe. "But we mustn't let him know that Hyde has escaped."

Paul, also bound hand and foot, was lying on an old wolfskin. He, too, was pale and thinthe strict

confinement had told upon him heavilybut Paul's spirit could never be daunted. He looked at the two

"Well, you're in a fine fix," said Wyatt sneeringly. "We just came in to tell you that we took Henry Ware last

Paul looked him straight and long in the eye, and he knew that the renegade was lying.

"Then we will get him," said Wyatt, abandoning the lie, "and all of you will die at the stake."

"You, will not get him," said Paul defiantly, "and as for the rest of us dying at the stake, that's to be seen. I

know this: Timmendiquas considers us of value, to be traded or exchanged, and he's too smart a man to

destroy what be regards as his own property. Besides, we may escape. I don't want to boast, Braxton Wyatt,

Then Paul managed to turn over with his face to the wall, as if he were through with them. They went out,

"No," said Blackstaffe, "but we must urge that the strictest kind of guard be kept over the others."

The Iroquois were to remain some time at the village, because all their forces were not yet gathered for the

great foray they had in mind. The Onondaga runners were still carrying the wampum belts of purple shells,

sign of war, to distant villages of the tribes, and parties of warriors were still coming in. A band of Cayugas

arrived that night, and with them they brought a half starved and sick, LenniLenape, whom they had picked

up near the camp. The LenniLenape, who looked as if he might have been when in health a strong and agile

warrior, said that news had reached him through the Wyandots of the great war to be waged by the Iroquois

on the white settlements, and the spirits would not let him rest unless he bore his part in it. He prayed

Much food was given to the brave LenniLenape, and he was sent to a lodge to rest. Tomorrow he would be

well, and he would be welcomed to the ranks of the Cayugas, a Younger nation. But when the morning came,

the lodge was empty. The sick LenniLenape was gone, and with him the boy, Paul, the youngest of the

prisoners. Guards bad been posted all around the camp, but evidently the two had slipped between. Brave and

advanced as were the Iroquois, superstition seized upon them. Hahgwelidaetgah was at work among

them, coming in the form of the famished LenniLenape. He had steeped them in a deep sleep, and then he

had vanished with the prisoner in Seoh (The Night). Perhaps lie had taken away the boy, who was one of a

hated race, for some sacrifice or mystery of his own. The fears of the Iroquois rose. If the Spirit of Evil was

But the two renegades, Blackstaffe and Wyatt, raged. They did not believe in the interference of either good

spirits or bad spirits, and just now their special hatred was a famished LenniLenape warrior.

"Why on earth didn't I think of it?" exclaimed Wyatt. "I'm sure now by his size that it was the fellow Hyde.

Of Course he slipped to the lodge, let Cotter out, and they dodged about in the darkness until they escaped in

He was as good as his word, speaking of the laxness of both Iroquois and Wyandots. The great White

Since when," continued Timmendiquas, "have you, a deserter front your own people, had the right to hold to

account the head chief of the Wyandots?" Braxton Wyatt, brave though he undoubtedly was, trembled yet

more. He knew that Timmendiquas did not like him, and that the Wyandot chieftain could make his position

"I did not mean to say that it was the fault of anybody in particular," he exclaimed hastily, "but I've been

hearing so much talk about the Spirit of Evil having a hand in this that I couldn't keep front saying something.

"It may be," said Timmendiquas icily, "but neither the Manitou of the Wyandots, nor the Aieroski of the

Wyatt withdrew still in a rage, but afraid to say more. He and Blackstaffe held many conferences through the

That night an Onondaga runner arrived from one of the farthest villages of the Mohawks, far east toward

Albany. He had been sent from a farther village, and was not known personally to the warriors in the great

camp, but he bore a wampum belt of purple shells, the sign of war, and he reported directly to

Thayendanegea, to whom he brought stirring and satisfactory words. After ample feasting, as became one

who had come so far, he lay upon soft deerskins in one of the bark huts and sought sleep.

But Braxton Wyatt, the renegade, could not sleep. His evil spirit warned him to rise and go to the huts, where

the two remaining prisoners were kept. It was then about one o'clock in the morning, and as he passed he saw

the Onondaga runner at the door of one of the prison lodges. He was about to cry out, but the Onondaga

turned and struck him such a violent blow with the butt of a pistol, snatched from under his deerskin tunic,

that he fell senseless. When a Mohawk sentinel found and revived him an hour later, the door of the hut was

Now, indeed, were the Iroquois certain that the Spirit of Evil was among them. When great chiefs like

Timmendiquas and Thayendanegea were deceived, how could a common warrior hope to escape its wicked

But Braxton Wyatt, with a sore and aching head, lay all day on a bed of skins, and his friend, Moses

The following night the camp was swept by a sudden and tremendous storm of thunder and lightning, wind

and rain. Many of the lodges were thrown down, and when the storm finally whirled itself away, it was found

that the last of the prisoners, he of the long arms and long legs, had gone on the edge of the blast.

The five lay deep in the swamp, reunited once more, and full of content. The great storm in which Long Jim,

with the aid of his comrades, had disappeared, was whirling off to the eastward. The lightning was flaring its

It was a small hut, but the five could squeeze in it. They were dry, warm, and well armed, and they had no

fear of the storm and the wilderness. The four after their imprisonment and privations were recovering their

weight and color. Paul, who had suffered the most, had, on the other hand, made the quickest recovery, and

their present situation, so fortunate in contrast with their threatened fate a few days before, made a great

appeal to his imagination. The door was allowed to stand open six inches , and through the crevice he

watched the rain pattering on the dark earth. He felt an immense sense of security and comfort. Paul was

hopeful by nature and full of courage, but when he lay bound and alone in a hut in the Iroquois camp it

seemed to him that no chance was left. The comrades had been kept separate, and he had supposed the others

to be dead. But here he was snatched from the very pit of death, and all the others had been saved from a like

"If I'd known that you were alive and uncaptured, Henry," he said, " I'd never have given up hope. It was a

"We might have tried it," said Long Jim Hart, "but I ain't sure that we'd have done it. Likely ez not, ef it had

been left to me my scalp would be dryin' somewhat in the breeze that fans a Mohawk village. Say, Sol, how

wuz it that you talked Onondaga when you played the part uv that Onondaga runner. Didn't know you

Shif'less Sol drew himself up proudly, and then passed a thoughtful hand once or twice across his forehead.

"Jim," he said, "I've told you often that Paul an' me hez the instincts uv the eddicated. Learnin' always takes a

mighty strong hold on me. Ef I'd had the chance, I might be a purfessor, or mebbe I'd be writin' poetry. I ain't

told you about it, but when I wuz a young boy, afore I moved with the settlers, I wuz up in these parts an' I

learned to talk Iroquois a heap. I never thought it would be the use to me it hez been now. Ain't it funny that

sometimes when you put a thing away an' it gits all covered with rust and mold, the time comes when that

"Weren't you scared, Sol," persisted Paul, "to face a man like Brant, an' pass yourself off as an Onondaga?"

"No, I wuzn't," replied the shiftless one thoughtfully, "I've been wuss scared over little things. I guess that

when your life depends on jest a motion o' your hand or the turnin' o' a word, Natur' somehow comes to your

help an' holds you up. I didn't get good an' skeered till it wuz all over, an' then I had one fit right after

"I've been skeered fur a week without stoppin'," said Tom Ross; "jest beginnin' to git over it. I tell you,

Henry, it wuz pow'ful lucky fur us you found them steppin' stones, an' this solid little place in the middle uv

"Makes me think uv the time we spent the winter on that island in the lake," said Long Jim. "That waz

shorely a nice place an' pow'ful comf'table we wuz thar. But we're a long way from it now. That island uv

ours must be seven or eight hundred miles from here, an' I reckon it's nigh to fifteen hundred to New Orleans,

"Shet up," said Tom Ross suddenly. "Time fur all uv you to go to sleep, an' I'm goin' to watch."

"Needn't quarrel with me about it," said Shif'less Sol. "A lazy man like me is always willin' to go to sleep.

He ranged himself against the wall, and in three minutes was sound asleep. Henry and Paul found room in the

line, and they, too, soon slept. Tom sat at the door, one of the captured rifles across his knees, and watched

the forest and the swamp. He saw the last flare of the distant lightning, and he listened to the falling of the

rain drops until they vanished with the vanishing wind, leaving the forest still and without noise.

Tom was several years older than any of the others, and, although powerful in action, be was singularly chary

of speech. Henry was the leader, but somehow Tom looked upon himself as a watcher over the other four, a

sort of elder brother. As the moon came out a little in the wake of the retreating clouds, he regarded them

"One, two, three, four, five," he murmured to himself. "We're all here, an' Henry come fur us. That is shorely

the greatest boy the world hez ever seed. Them fellers Alexander an' Hannibal that Paul talks about couldn't

hev been knee high to Henry. Besides, ef them old Greeks an' Romans hed hed to fight Wyandots an'

Tom Ross uttered a contemptuous little sniff, and on the edge of that sniff Alexander and Hannibal were

wafted into oblivion. Then he went outside and walked about the islet, appreciating for the tenth time what a

wonderful little refuge it was. He was about to return to the hut when he saw a dozen dark blots along the

high bough of a tree. He knew them. They were welcome blots. They were wild turkeys that had found what

Tom knew that the meat of the little bear was nearly exhausted, and here was more food come to their hand.

"We're five pow'ful feeders, an' we'll need you," he murmured, looking up at the turkeys, " but you kin rest

He knew that the turkeys would not stir, and he went back to the hut to resume his watch. just before the first

"Henry," he said, "a lot uv foolish wild turkeys hev gone to rest on the limb of a tree not twenty yards from

this grand manshun uv ourn. 'Pears to me that wild turkeys wuz made fur hungry fellers like us to eat. Kin we

"I think we can risk the shots," said Henry, rising and taking his rifle. " We're bound to risk something, and

They slipped from the cabin, leaving the other three still sound asleep, and stepped noiselessly among the

trees. The first pale gray bar that heralded the dawn was just showing in the cast.

"Thar they are," said Tom Ross, pointing at the dozen dark blots on the high bough.

"We'll take good aim, and when I say 'fire!' we'll both pull trigger," said Henry.

He picked out a huge bird near the end of the line, but be noticed when be drew the bead that a second turkey

just behind the first was directly in his line of fire. The fact aroused his ambition to kill both with one bullet.

It was not a mere desire to slaughter or to display marksmanship, but they needed the extra turkey for food.

They pulled triggers, there were two sharp reports terribly loud to both under the circumstances, and three of

the biggest and fattest of the turkeys fell heavily to the ground, while the rest flapped their wings, and with

"Don't you see that three turkeys fell, and we are only two to shoot? An Injun is layin' 'roun' here some whar,

"There's no Indian about," he said. "I killed two turkeys with one shot, and I'm mighty proud of it, too. I saw

"I'm tremenjeously glad uv that, Henry," he said. "Now when I saw that third turkey come tumblin' down

I wuz shore that one Injun or mebbe more had got on this snug little place uv ourn in the swamp, an' that we'd

hev to go to fightin' ag'in. Thar come times, Henry, when my mind just natchally rises up an' rebels ag'in

fightin', 'specially when I want to eat or sleep. Ain't thar anythin' else but fight, fight, fight, 'though I 'low a

They picked up the three turkeys, two gobblers and a hen, and found them large and fat as butter. More than

once the wild turkey had come to their relief, and, in fact, this bird played a great part in the life of the

frontier, wherever that frontier might be, as it shifted steadily westward. As they walked back toward the hut

"All right, boys," sang out Henry. "It's nobody but Tom and myself, bringing in our breakfast."

"That's good," said Shif'less Sol. "When them shots roused us out o' our beauty sleep we thought the whole

Iroquois nation, horse, foot, artillery an' baggage wagons, wuz comin' down upon us. So we reckoned we'd

"But it's you, an' you've got turkeys, nothin' but turkeys. Sho' I reckoned from the peart way Long Jim spoke

up that you wuz loaded down with hummin' birds' tongues, ortylans, an' all them other Roman and Rooshian

delicacies Paul talks about in a way to make your mouth water. But turkeys! jest turkeys! Nothin' but

"You jest wait till you see me cookin' 'em, Sol Hyde," said Long Jim. "Then your mouth'll water, an' it'll take

But Shif'less Sol's mouth was watering already, and his eyes were glued on the turkeys.

"I'm a pow'ful lazy man, ez you know, Saplin'," he said, "but I'm goin' to help you pick them turkeys an' get

While they were cooking the turkeys, Henry, a little anxious lest the sound of the shots had been heard,

crossed on the stepping stones and scouted a bit in the woods. But there was no sign of Indian presence, and,

Long Jim had exerted all his surpassing skill, and it was a contented five that worked on one of the turkeys

"What's goin' to be the next thing in the line of our duty, Henry?" asked Long Jim as they ate.

"We'll have plenty to do, from all that Sol tells us," replied the boy. "It seems that they felt so sure of you,

while you were prisoners, that they often talked about their plans where you could hear them. Sol has told me

of two or three talks between Timmendiquas and Thayendanegea, and from the last one he gathered that

they're intending a raid with a big army against a place called Wyoming, in the valley of a river named the

Susquehanna. It's a big settlement, scattered all along the river, and they expect to take a lot of scalps. They're

going to be helped by British from Canada and Tories. Boys, we're a long way from home, but shall we go

"Our bein' a long way from home don't make any difference " said Shif'less Sol. "We're generally a long way

from home, an' you know we sent word back from Pittsburgh to Wareville that we wuz stayin' a while here in

"Then we go to the Wyoming Valley as straight and as fast as we can," said Henry. "That's settled. What else

"They're to break up the village here soon and then they'll march to a place called Tioga. The white men an' I

hear that's to be a lot uv 'emwill join 'em thar or sooner. They've sent chiefs all the way to our Congress at

Philydelphy, pretendin' peace, an' then, when they git our people to thinkin' peace, they'll jump on our

settlements, the whole ragin' army uv 'em, with tomahawk an' knife. A white man named John Butler is to

"I've heard of him," he said. "They called him 'Indian' Butler at Pittsburgh. He helped lead the Indians in that

terrible battle of the Oriskany last year. And they say he's got a son, Walter Butler, who is as bad as he is, and

"I don't think we ought to hurry," said Henry. The more we know about the Indian plans the better it will be

for the Wyoming people. We've a safe and comfortable hiding place here, and we can stay and watch the

"Suits me," drawled Shif'less Sol. "My legs an' arms are still stiff from them deerskin thongs an' ez Long Jim

"You'll do all your own waitin' on yourself," rejoined Long Jim; 'an I'm afraid you won't be waited on so

They lay on the islet several days, meanwhile keeping a close watch on the Indian camp. They really had

little to fear except from hunting parties, as the region was far from any settled portion of the country, and the

Indians were not likely to suspect their continued presence. But the hunters were numerous, and all the

squaws in the camp were busy jerking meat. It was obvious that the Indians were preparing for a great

campaign, but that they would take their own time. Most of the scouting was done by Henry and Sol, and

several times they lay in the thick brushwood and watched, by the light of the fires, what was passing in the

On the fifth night after the rescue of Long Jim, Henry and Shif'less Sol lay in the covert. It was nearly

midnight, but the fires still burned in the Indian camp, warriors were polishing their weapons, and the women

were cutting up or jerking meat. While they were watching they heard from a point to the north the sound of a

"Another war party comin'," whispered Shif'less Sol, "an' singin' about the victories that they're goin' to win."

"But did you notice that voice?" Henry whispered back. " It's not a man's, it's a woman's."

"Now that you speak of it, you're right," said Shif'less Sol. "It's funny to hear an Injun woman chantin' about

"They'll pass along that trail there within twenty yards of us, Sol, and we want to see her."

They flattened themselves against the earth until the keenest eye could not see them in the darkness. All the

time the singing was growing louder, and both remained, quite sure that it was the voice of a woman. The

trail was but a short distance away, and the moon was bright. The fierce Indian chant swelled, and presently

The figure was that of an Indian woman, but lighter in color than most of her kind. She was middleaged,

tall, heavily built, and arrayed in a strange mixture of civilized and barbaric finery, deerskin leggins and

moccasins gorgeously ornamented with heads, a red dress of European cloth with a red shawl over it, and her

head bare except for bright feathers, thrust in her long black hair, which hung loosely down her back. She

held in one hand a large sharp tomahawk, which she swung fiercely in time to her song. Her face had the rapt,

terrible expression of one who had taken some fiery and powerful drug, and she looked neither to right nor to

Henry and Shif'less Sol shuddered. They had looked upon terrible human figures, but nothing so frightful as

this, a woman with the strength of a man and twice his rage and cruelty. There was something weird and

awful in the look of that set, savage face, and the tone of that Indian chant. Brave as they were, Henry and the

shiftless one felt fear, as perhaps they had never felt it before in their lives. Well they might! They were

destined to behold this woman again, under conditions the most awful of which the human mind can

conceive, and to witness savagery almost unbelievable in either man or woman. The two did not yet know it,

but they were looking upon Catharine Montour, daughter of a French Governor General of Canada and an

Indian woman, a chieftainess of the Iroquois, and of a memory infamous forever on the border, where she

A dozen warriors followed Queen Esther, stepping in single file, and their manner showed that they

acknowledged her their leader in every sense. She was truly an extraordinary woman. Not even the great

Thayendanegea himself wielded a stronger influence among the Iroquois. In her youth she had been treated as

a white woman, educated and dressed as a white woman, and she had played a part in colonial society at

Albany, New York, and Philadelphia. But of her own accord she had turned toward the savage half of herself,

had become wholly a savage, had married a savage chief, bad been the mother of savage children, and here

she was, at midnight, striding into an Iroquois camp in the wilderness, her head aflame with visions of blood,

The procession passed with the terrifying female figure still leading, still singing her chant, and the curiosity

of Henry and Shif'less Sol was so intense that, taking all risks, they slipped along in the rear to see her entry.

Queen Esther strode into the lighted area of the camp, ceased her chant, and looked around, as if a queen had

truly come and was waiting to be welcomed by her subjects. Thayendanegea, who evidently expected her,

stepped forward and gave her the Indian salute. It may be that he received her with mild enthusiasm.

Timmendiquas, a Wyandot and a guest, though an ally, would not dispute with him his place as real head of

the Six Nations, but this terrible woman was his match ' and could inflame the Iroquois to almost anything

After the arrival of Queen Esther the lights in the Iroquois village died down. It was evident to both Henry

and the shiftless one that they had been kept burning solely in the expectation of the coming of this

formidable woman and her escort. It was obvious that nothing more was to be seen that night, and they

withdrew swiftly through the forest toward their islet. They stopped once in an oak opening, and Shif'less Sol

"Henry," he said, "I feel all through me that somethin' terrible is comin'. That woman back thar has clean give

me the shivers. I'm more afraid of her than I am of Timmendiquas or Thayendanegea. Do you think she is a

"There are no such things as witches, but she was uncanny. I'm afraid, Sol, that your feeling about something

It was about two o'clock in the morning when they reached the islet. Tom Ross was awake, but the other two

slumbered peacefully on. They told Tom what they had seen, and he told them the identity of the terrible

"I heard about her at Pittsburgh, an' I've heard tell, too, about her afore I went to Kentucky to live. She's got a

tremenjeous power over the Iroquois. They think she ken throw spells, an' all that sort of thingan' mebbe

Two nights later it was Henry and Tom who lay in the thickets, and then they saw other formidable arrivals in

the Indian camp. Now they were white men, an entire company in green uniforms, Sir John Johnson's Royal

Greens, as Henry afterward learned; and with them was the infamous John Butler, or " Indian" Butler, as he

was generally known on the New York and Pennsylvania frontier, middleaged, short and fat, and

insignificant of appearance, but energetic, savage and cruel in nature. He was a descendant of the Duke of

Ormond, and had commanded the Indians at the terrible battle of the Oriskany, preceding Burgoyne's capture

Henry and Tom were distant spectators at an extraordinary council around one of the fires. In this group were

Timmendiquas, Thayendanegea, Queen Esther, high chiefs of the distant nations, and the white men, John

Butler, Moses Blackstaffe, and the boy, Braxton Wyatt. It seemed to Henry that Timmendiquas, King of the

Wyandots, was superior to all the other chiefs present, even to Thayendanegea. His expression was nobler

Henry and Tom could not hear 'anything that was said, but they felt sure the Iroquois were about to break up

their village and march on the great campaign they had planned. The two and their comrades could render no

greater service than to watch their march, and then warn those upon whom the blow was to fall.

The five left their hut on the islet early the next morning, well equipped with provisions, and that day they

saw the Iroquois dismantle their village, all except the Long House and two or three other of the more solid

structures, and begin the march. Henry and his comrades went parallel with them, watching their movements

The five were engaged upon one of their most dangerous tasks, to keep with the Indian army, and yet to keep

out of its hands, to observe what was going on, and to divine what was intended from what they observed.

Fortunately it, was early summer, and the weather being very beautiful they could sleep without shelter.

Hence they found it convenient to sleep sometimes by daylight, posting a watch always, and to spy upon the

Indian camp at night. They saw other reinforcements come for the Indian army, particularly a strong division

of Senecas, under two great war chiefs of theirs, Sangerachte and Hiokatoo, and also a body of Tories.

Then they saw them go into their last great camp at Tioga, preparatory to their swift descent upon the

Wyoming Valley. About four hundred white men, English Canadians and Tories, were present, and eight

hundred picked warriors of the Six Nations under Thayendanegea, besides the little band of Wyandots led by

the resolute Timmendiquas. "Indian" Butler was in general command of the whole, and Queen Esther was the

high priestess of the Indians, continually making fiery speeches and chanting songs that made the warriors

see red. Upon the rear of this extraordinary army hung a band of fierce old squaws, from whom every

From a high rock overlooking a valley the five saw "Indian" Butler's force start for its final march upon

Wyoming. It was composed of many diverse elements, and perhaps none more bloodthirsty ever trod the soil

of America. In some preliminary skirmish a son of Queen Esther had been slain, and now her fury knew no

limits. She took her place at the very head of the army, whirling her great tomahawk about her head, and

neither "Indian" Butler nor Thayendanegea dared to interfere with her in anything great or small.

Henry and his comrades, as they left their rock and hastened toward the valley of Wyoming, felt that now

they were coming into contact with the great war itself. They had looked upon a uniformed enemy for the

first time, and they might soon see the colonial buff and blue of the eastern army. Their hearts thrilled high at

They had gathered at Pittsburgh, and, through the captivity of the four in the Iroquois camp, they had some

general idea of the Wyoming Valley and the direction in which it lay, and, taking one last look at the savage

army, they sped toward it. The time was the close, of June, and the foliage was still dark green. It was a land

of low mountain, hill, rich valley, and clear stream, and it was beautiful to every one of the five. Much of

their course lay along the Susquehanna, and soon they saw signs of a more extended cultivation than any that

was yet to be witnessed in Kentucky. From the brow of a little hill they beheld a field of green, and in another

"But we can't leave the man to plow," said Henry, "or he'll never harvest that wheat. We'll warn him."

The man uttered a cry of alarm as five wild figures burst into his field. He stopped abruptly, and snatched up

a rifle that lay across the plow handles. Neither Henry nor his companions realized that their forest garb and

long life in the wilderness made them look more like Indians than white men. But Henry threw up a hand as a

"We're white like yourselves," he cried, "and we've come to warn you! The Iroquois and the Tories are

The man's face blanched, and he cast a hasty look toward a little wood, where stood a cabin from which

smoke was rising. He could not doubt on a near view that these were white like himself, and the words rang

"My house is strong," he said, "and I can beat them off. Maybe you will help me."

"We'd help you willingly enough," said Henry, "if this were any ordinary raiding band, but 'Indian' Butler,

Brant, and Queen Esther are coming at the head of twelve or fifteen hundred men. How could we hold a

house, no matter how thick its walls, against such an army as that? Don't hesitate a moment! Get up what you

The man, a Connecticut settlerJennings was his nameleft his plow in the furrow, galloped on his horse to

his house, mounted his wife and children on other horses, and, taking only food and clothing, fled to

Stroudsburg, where there was a strong fort. At a later day he gave Henry heartfelt thanks for his warning, as

six hours afterward the vanguard of the horde burned his home and raged because its owner and his family

The five were now well into the Wyoming Valley, where the LenniLenape, until they were pushed

westward by other tribes, had had their village Wywamieh, which means in their language Wyoming. It

was a beautiful valley running twenty miles or more along the Susquehanna, and about three miles broad. On

either side rose mountain walls a thousand feet in height, and further away were peaks with mists and vapors

around their crests. The valley itself blazed in the summer sunshine, and the river sparkled, now in gold, now

More cultivated fields, more houses, generally of stout logs, appeared, and to all that they saw the five bore

the fiery beacon. Simon Jennings was not the only man who lived to thank them for the warning. Others were

The five hastened on, and as they went they looked about them with wondering eyesthere were so many

houses, so many cultivated fields, and so many signs of a numerous population. They had emerged almost for

the first time from the wilderness, excepting their memorable visit to New Orleans, although this was a very

"I think I like it better here than at New Orleeyuns," he said. "We found some nice Frenchmen an' Spaniards

"The ground feels firmer," said Paul, who had some of the prescience of the seer, "but the skies are no

Tom Ross glanced at Paul and shook his head ominously. A woodsman, he had his superstitions, and Paul's

words weighed upon his mind. He began to fear a great disaster, and his experienced eye perceived at once

the defenseless state of the valley. He remembered the council of the great Indian force in the deep woods,

"These people ought to be in blockhouses, every one uv 'em," he said. "It ain't no time to be plowin' land."

Yet peace seemed to brood still over the valley. It was a fine river, beautiful with changing colors. The soil on

either side was as deep and fertile as that of Kentucky, and the line of the mountains cut the sky sharp and

The alarm that the five gave spread fast, and other hunters and scouts came in, confirming it. Panic seized the

settlers, and they began to crowd toward Forty Fort on the west side of the river. Henry and his comrades

themselves arrived there toward the close of evening, just as the sun had set, blood red, behind the mountains.

Some report of them had preceded their coming, and as soon as they had eaten they were summoned to the

presence of Colonel Zebulon Butler, who commanded the military force in the valley. Singularly enough, he

The five, dressed in deerskin hunting shirts, leggins, and moccasins, and everyone carrying a rifle, hatchet,

and knife, entered a large low room, dimly lighted by some wicks burning in tallow. A man of middle years,

with a keen New England face, sat at a little table, and several others of varying ages stood near.

The five knew instinctively that the man at the table was Colonel Butler, and they bowed, but they did not

show the faintest trace of subservience. They had caught suspicious glances from some of the officers who

stood about the commander, and they stiffened at once. Colonel Butler looked involuntarily at

"We have had report of you," he said in cool noncommittal tones," and you have been telling of great Indian

councils that you have seen in the woods. May I ask your name and where you belong?"

"My name," replied Henry with dignity, "is Henry Ware, and I come from Kentucky. My friends here are

Paul Cotter, Solomon Hyde, Tom Ross, and Jim Hart. They, too, come from Kentucky."

Several of the men gave the five suspicious glances. Certainly they were wild enough in appearance, and

Kentucky was far away. It would seem strange that new settlers in that far land should be here in

"Kentucky, you tell me?" said Colonel Butler. "Do you mean to say you have come all that tremendous

Several of the others murmured approval, and Henry flushed a little, but he saw that the commander was not

unreasonable. It was a time when men might well question the words of strangers. Remembering this, he

"No, we did not come from Kentucky just to warn you. In fact, we came from a point much farther than that.

We came from New Orleans to Pittsburgh with a fleet loaded with supplies for the Continental armies, and

"What!" he exclaimed, "you were on that expedition? It seems to me that I recall hearing of great services

"When we reached Pittsburgh," continued Henry, ""it was our first intention to go back to Kentucky, but we

heard that a great war movement was in progress to the eastward, and we thought that we would see what was

going on. Four of us have been captives among the Iroquois. We know much of their plans, and we know,

too, that Timmendiquas, the great chief of the Wyandots, whom we fought along the Ohio, has joined them

with a hand of his best warriors. We have also seen Thayendanegea, every one of us."

"You have seen Brant?" exclaimed Colonel Butler, calling the great Mohawk by his white name.

"Yes," replied Henry. "We have seen him, and we have also seen the woman they call Queen Esther. She is

Colonel Butler seemed convinced, and invited them to sit down. He also introduced the officers who were

with him, Colonel John Durkee, Colonel Nathan Dennison, Lieutenant Colonel George Dorrance, Major John

"Now, gentlemen, tell us all that you saw," continued Colonel Butler courteously." You will pardon so many

questions, but we must be careful. You will see that yourselves. But I am a New England man myself, from

Connecticut, and I have met Adam Colfax. I recall now that we have heard of you, also, and we are grateful

for your coming. Will you and your comrades tell us all that you have seen and heard?"

The five felt a decided change in the atmosphere. They were no longer possible Tories or renegades, bringing

an alarm at one point when it should be dreaded at another. The men drew closely around them, and listened

as the tallow wicks sputtered in the dim room. Henry spoke first, and the others in their turn. Every one of

them spoke tersely but vividly in the language of the forest. They felt deeply what they had seen, and they

drew the same picture for their listeners. Gradually the faces of the Wyoming men became shadowed. This

was a formidable tale that they were hearing, and they could not doubt its truth.

"It is worse than I thought it could be," said Colonel Butler at last." How many men do you say they have,

"All trained warriors and soldiers. And at the best we cannot raise more than three hundreds including old

"But we can beat them. Only give us a chance, Colonel!" exclaimed Captain Ransom.

"I'm afraid the chance will come too soon," said Colonel Butler, and then turning to the five: "Help us all you

can. We need scouts and riflemen. Come to the fort for any food and ammunition you may need."

The five gave their most earnest assurances that they would stay, and do all in their power. In fact, they had

come for that very purpose. Satisfied now that Colonel Butler and his officers had implicit faith in them they

went forth to find that, despite the night and the darkness, fugitives were already crossing the river to seek

refuge in Forty Fort, bringing with them tales of death and devastation, some of which were exaggerated, but

too many true in all their hideous details. Men had been shot and scalped in the fields, houses were burning,

women and children were captives for a fate that no one could foretell. Red ruin was already stalking down

The farmers were bringing their wives and children in canoes and dugouts across the river. Here and there a

torch light flickered on the surface of the stream, showing the pale faces of the women and children, too

frightened to cry. They had fled in haste, bringing with them only the clothes they wore and maybe a blanket

or two. The borderers knew too well what Indian war was, with all its accompaniments of fire and the stake.

Henry and his comrades helped nearly all that night. They secured a large boat and crossed the river again

and again, guarding the fugitives with their rifles, and bringing comfort to many a timid heart. Indian bands

had penetrated far into the Wyoming Valley, but they felt sure that none were yet in the neighborhood of

It was about three o'clock in the morning when the last of the fugitives who had yet come was inside Forty

Fort, and the labors of the five, had they so chosen, were over for the time. But their nerves were tuned to so

high a pitch, and they felt so powerfully the presence of danger, that they could not rest, nor did they have

The boat in which they sat was a good one, with two pairs of oars. It had been detailed for their service, and

they decided to pull up the river. They thought it possible that they might see the advance of the enemy and

bring news worth the telling. Long Jim and Tom Ross took the oars, and their powerful arms sent the boat

swiftly along in the shadow of the western bank. Henry and Paul looked back and saw dim lights at the fort

and a few on either shore. The valley, the high mountain wall, and everything else were merged in obscurity.

Both the youths were oppressed heavily by the sense of danger, not for themselves, but for others. In that

Kentucky of theirs, yet so new, few people lived beyond the palisades, but here were rich and scattered

settlements; and men, even in the face of great peril, are always loth to abandon the homes that they have

Tom Ross and Long Jim continued to pull steadily with the long strokes that did not tire them, and the lights

of the fort and houses sank out of sight. Before them lay the somber surface of the rippling river, the shadowy

hills, and silence. The world seemed given over to the night save for themselves, but they knew too well to

trust to such apparent desertion. At such hours the Indian scouts come, and Henry did not doubt that they

were already near, gathering news of their victims for the Indian and Tory horde. Therefore, it was the part of

They bugged the western shore, where they were shadowed by banks and bushes, and now they went slowly,

Long Jim and Tom Ross drawing their oars so carefully through the water that there was never a plash to tell

of their passing. Henry was in the prow of the boat, bent forward a little, eyes searching the surface of the

river, and ears intent upon any sound that might pass on the bank. Suddenly he gave a little signal to the

"Bring the boat in closer to the bank," he whispered. Push it gently among those bushes where we cannot be

Tom and Jim obeyed. The boat slid softly among tall bushes that shadowed the water, and was hidden

completely. Then Henry stepped out, crept cautiously nearly up the bank, which was here very low, and lay

pressed closely against the earth, but supported by the exposed root of a tree. He had heard voices, those of

Indians, he believed, and he wished to see. Peering through a fringe of bushes that lined the bank he saw

seven warriors and one white face sitting under the boughs of a great oak. The face was that of Braxton

Wyatt, who was now in his element, with a better prospect of success than any that he had ever known

before. Henry shuddered, and for a moment he regretted that he had spared Wyatt's life when he might have

But Henry was lying against the bank to hear what these men might be saying, not to slay. Two of the

warriors, as he saw by their paint, were Wyandots, and he understood the Wyandot tongue. Moreover, his

slight knowledge of Iroquois came into service, and gradually he gathered the drift of their talk. Two miles

nearer Forty Fort was a farmhouse one of the Wyandots had seen itnot yet abandoned by its owner, who

believed that his proximity to Forty Fort assured his safety. He lived there with his wife and five children,

and Wyatt and the Indians planned to raid the place before daylight and kill them all. Henry had heard

"Pull back down the river as gently as you can," he whispered, "and then I'll tell you."

The skilled oarsmen carried the boat without a splash several hundred yards down the stream, and then Henry

"I know that man," said Shif'less Sol. "His name is Standish. I was there nine or ten hours ago, an' I told him

it wuz time to take his family an' run. But he knowed more'n I did. Said he'd stay, he wuzn't afraid, an' now

"No, he mustn't do that," said Henry. "It's too much to pay for just being foolish, when everybody is foolish

sometimes. Boys, we can yet save that man an' his wife and children. Aren't you willing to do it?"

"Why, course," said Long Jim. "Like ez not Standish will shoot at us when we knock on his door, but let's try

"Then if we pull with all our might, we won't be too late. Tom, you and Jim give Sol and me the oars now."

Henry and the shiftless one were fresh, and they sent the boat shooting down stream, until they stopped at a

point indicated by Sol. They leaped ashore, drew the boat down the bank, and hastened toward a log house

that they saw standing in a clump of trees. The enemy had not yet come, but as they swiftly approached the

house a dog ran barking at them. The shiftless one swung his rifle butt, and the dog fell unconscious.

"I hated to do it, but I had to," he murmured. The next moment Henry was knocking at the door.

The sound of a man's voice, startled and angry, came to their ears, and then they heard him at the door.

"We are friends, Mr. Standish," cried Henry, "and if you would save your wife and children you must go at

The man inside was in a terrible quandary. It was thus that renegades or Indians, speaking the white man's

tongue, sometimes bade a door to be opened, in order that they might find an easy path to slaughter. But the

voice outside was powerfully insistent, it had the note of truth; his wife and children, roused, too, were crying

out, in alarm. Henry knocked again on the door and shouted to him in a voice, always increasing in

earnestness, to open and flee. Standish could resist no longer. He took down the bar and flung open the door,

springing back, startled at the five figures that stood before him. In the dusk he did not remember Shif'less

"Mr. Standish," Henry said, speaking rapidly, "we are, as you can see, white. You will be attacked here by

Indians and renegades within half an hour. We know that, because we heard them talking from the bushes.

We have a boat in the river; you can reach it in five minutes. Take your wife and children, and pull for Forty

It was a grim reply, but it was unanswerable, and Standish recognized the fact. His wife had felt the truth in

the tones of the strangers, and was begging him to go. Their children were crying at visions of the tomahawk

"We'll go," said Standish. "At any rate, it can't do any harm. We'll get a few things together."

"Do not wait for anything! "exclaimed Henry. "You haven't a minute to spare! Here are more blankets! Take

Carried away by such fire and earnestness, Standish and his family ran for the boat. Jim and the shiftless one

almost threw them on board, thrust a pair of oars into the bands of Standish, another into the hands of his

"Don't you trouble about us," said the shiftless one. "We will come later. Now pull! pull!"

Standish and his wife swung on the oars, and in two minutes the boat and its occupants were lost in the

darkness. Tom Ross and Sol did not pause to watch them, but ran swiftly back to the house. Henry was at the

"Come in," he said briefly, and they entered. Then he closed the door and dropped the bar into place. Shif'less

Sol and Paul were already inside, one sitting on the chair and the other on the edge of the bed. Some coals,

almost hidden under ashes, smoldered and cast a faint light in the room, the only one that the house had,

although it was divided into two parts by a rough homespun curtain. Henry opened one of the window

shutters a little and looked out. The dawn had not yet come, but it was not a dark night, and he looked over

across the little clearing to the trees beyond. On that side was a tiny garden, and near the wall of the house

some roses were blooming. He could see the glow of pink and red. But no enemy bad yet approached.

Searching the clearing carefully with those eyes of his, almost preternaturally keen, he was confident that the

Indians were still in the woods. He felt an intense thrill of satisfaction at the success of his plan so far.

He was not cruel, he never rejoiced in bloodshed, but the borderer alone knew what the border suffered, and

only those who never saw or felt the torture could turn the other cheek to be smitten. The Standish house had

"It will soon be day," said Henry, "and farmers are early risers. Kindle up that fire a little, will you, Sol? I

The shiftless one raked away the ashes, and put on two or three pieces of wood that lay on the hearth. Little

flames and smoke arose. Henry looked curiously about the house. It was the usual cabin of the frontier,

although somewhat larger. The bed on which Shif'less Sol sat was evidently that of the father and mother,

while two large ones behind the curtain were used by the children. On the shelf stood a pail half full of

drinking water, and by the side of it a tin cup. Dried herbs hung over the fireplace, and two or three chests

stood in the corners. The clothing of the children was scattered about. Unprepared food for breakfast stood on

a table. Everything told of a hasty flight and its terrible need. Henry was already resolved, but his heart

He took the hatchet from his belt and cut one of the hooks for the door bar nearly in two. The others said not

a word. They had no need to speak. They understood everything that he did. He opened the window again

and looked out. Nothing yet appeared. "The dawn will come in three quarters of an hour," he said, "and we

He sat down facing the door. All the others were sitting, and they, too, faced the door. Everyone had his rifle

across his knees, with one hand upon the hammer. The wood on the hearth sputtered as the fire spread, and

the flames grew. Beyond a doubt a thin spire of smoke was rising from the chimney, and a watching eye

"I hope Braxton Wyatt will be the first to knock at our door," said Shif'less Sol.

Paul was sitting in a chair near the fire, and he said nothing. He hoped the waiting would be very short. The

light was sufficient for him to see the faces of his comrades, and he noticed that they were all very tense. This

was no common watch that they kept. Shif'less Sol remained on the bed, Henry sat on another of the chairs,

Tom Ross was on one of the chests with his back to the wall. Long Jim was near the curtain. Close by Paul

was a homemade cradle. He put down his hand and touched it. He was glad that it was empty now, but the

Ten silent minutes passed, and Henry went to the window again. He did not open it, but there was a crack

through which he could see. The others said nothing, but watched his face. When he turned away they knew

"They've just come from the woods," he said, "and in a minute they'll be at the door. Now, boys, take one last

A minute later there was a sudden sharp knock at the door, but no answer came from within. The knock was

repeated, sharper and louder, and Henry, altering his voice as much as possible, exclaimed like one suddenly

"We've come from farther up the valley. We're scouts, we've been up to the Indian country. We're half

"I don't believe you," replied Henry. "Honest people don't come to my door at this time in the morning."

Then ensued a few moments of silence, although Paul, with his vivid fancy, thought he heard whispering on

"Open!" cried Wyatt, "or we'll break your door down!" Henry said nothing, nor did any of the others. They

did not stir. The fire crackled a little, but there was no other sound in the Standish house. Presently they heard

"They are going for a log with which to break the door in," whispered Henry. "They won't have to look far.

"An' then," said Shif'less Sol, "they won't have much left to do but to take the scalps of women an' little

Every figure in the Standish house stiffened at the shiftless one's significant words, and the light in the eyes

grew sterner. Henry went to the door, put his ear to the line where it joined the wall, and listened.

"They've got their log," he said, "and in half a minute they'll rush it against the door."

He came back to his old position. Paul's heart began to thump, and his thumb fitted itself over the trigger of

his cocked rifle. Then they heard rapid feet, a smash, a crash, and the door flew open. A half dozen Iroquois

and a log that they held between them were hurled into the middle of the room. The door had given away so

easily and unexpectedly that the warriors could not check themselves, and two or three fell with the log. But

they sprang like cats to their feet, and with their comrades uttered a cry that filled the whole cabin with its

The Iroquois, keen of eyes and quick of mind, saw the trap at once. The five grim figures, rifle in hand and

finger on trigger, all waiting silent and motionless were far different from what they expected. Here could be

There was a moment's pause, and then the Indians rushed at their foes. Five fingers pulled triggers, flame

leaped from five muzzles, and in an instant the cabin was filled with smoke and war shouts, but the warriors

never had a chance. They could only strike blindly with their tomahawks, and in a half minute three of them,

two wounded, rushed through the door and fled to the woods. They had been preceded already by Braxton

The five made no attempt to pursue. In fact, they did not leave the cabin, but stood there a while, looking

down at the fallen, hideous with war paint, but now at the end of their last trail. Their tomahawks lay upon

the floor, and glittered when the light from the fire fell upon them. Smoke, heavy with the odor of burned

Henry threw open the two shuttered windows, and fresh currents of air poured into the room. Over the

mountains in the east came the first shaft of day. The surface of the river was lightening.

"What shall we do with them?" asked Paul, pointing to the silent forms on the floor.

"Leave them," said Henry. "Butler's army is burning everything before it, and this house and all in it is bound

"Trust him to escape every time," said Shif'less Sol. "Of course he stood back while the Indians rushed the

house. But ez shore ez we live somebody will get him some day. People like that can't escape always."

They slipped from the house, turning toward the river bank, and not long after it was full daylight they were

at Forty Fort again, where they found Standish and his family. Henry replied briefly to the man's questions,

but two hours later a scout came in and reported the grim sight that he had seen in the Standish home. No one

could ask for further proof of the fealty of the five, who sought a little sleep, but before noon were off again.

They met more fugitives, and it was now too dangerous to go farther up the valley. But not willing to turn

back, they ascended the mountains that hem it in, and from the loftiest point that they could find sought a

It was an absolutely brilliant day in summer. The blue of the heavens showed no break but the shifting bits of

white cloud, and the hills and mountains rolled away, solid masses of rich, dark green. The river, a beautiful

river at any time, seemed from this height a great current of quicksilver. Henry pointed to a place far up the

stream where black dots appeared on its surface. These dots were moving, and they came on in four lines.

"Yes," replied Shif'less Sol, "it's Butler's army of Indians, Tories, Canadians, an' English. They've come from

The sunlight became dazzling, and showed the boats, despite the distance, with startling clearness. The five,

watching from their peak, saw them turn in toward the land, where they poured forth a motley stream of red

They sped back to the Wyoming fort, spreading the alarm as they passed, and once more they were in the

"Yes," replied Henry, the spokesman, "they came down from Tioga Point in boats, but have disembarked and

There was a little silence in the room. The older men understood the danger perhaps better than the younger,

"Why should we stay here and wait for them?" exclaimed one of the younger captains at lengthsome of

"They outnumber us about five to one," said Henry. "Brant, if he is still with them, though be may have gone

to some other place from Tioga Point, is a great captain. So is Timmendiquas, the Wyandot, and they say that

"It is all true!" exclaimed Colonel Butler. "We must stay in the fort! We must not go out to meet them! We

"And leave the valley to be ravaged! Women and children to be scalped, while we stay behind log walls!"

The men in the Wyoming fort were not regular troops, merely militia, farmers gathered hastily for their own

"We have induced as many as we could to seek refuge," he said. "It hurts me as much as you to have the

valley ravaged while we sit quiet here. But I know that we have no chance against so large a force, and if we

But the murmur of protest grew. All the younger men were indignant. They would not seek shelter for

themselves while others were suffering. A young lieutenant saw from a window two fires spring up and burn

like torch lights against the sky. They were houses blazing before the Indian brand.

"Look at that!," he cried, pointing with an accusing finger, "and we are here, under cover, doing nothing!"

A deep angry mutter went about the room, but Colonel Butler, although the flush remained on his face, still

"It's a hard thing to set here," he exclaimed, "but it will be harder to go out an' meet 'em on their own ground,

"A rumor has just arrived, saying that the entire Davidson family has been killed and scalped," he said.

A deep, angry cry went up. Colonel Butler and the few who stood with him were overborne. Such things as

these could not be endured, and reluctantly the commander gave his consent. They would go out and fight.

The fort and its enclosures were soon filled with the sounds of preparation, and the little army was formed

"We will fight by your side, of course," said Henry, "but we wish to serve on the flank as an independent

The five stood near one of the gates, while the little force formed in ranks. Almost for the first time they were

gloomy upon going into battle. They had seen the strength of that army of Indians, renegades, Tories,

Canadians, and English advancing under the banner of England, and they knew the power and fanaticism of

the Indian leaders. They believed that the terrible Queen Esther, tomahawk in hand, had continually chanted

to them her songs of blood as they came down the river. It was now the third of July, and valley and river

were beautiful in the golden sunlight. The foliage showed vivid and deep green on either line of high hills.

The time was now three o'clock. The gates of the fort were thrown open, and the little army marched out,

only three hundred, of whom seventy were old men, or boys so young that in our day they would be called

children. Yet they marched bravely against the picked warriors of the Iroquois, trained from infancy to the

forest and war, and a formidable body of white rovers who wished to destroy the little colony of "rebels," as

Small though it might be, it was a gallant army. Young and old held their heads high. A banner was flying,

and a boy beat a steady insistent roll upon a drum. Henry and his comrades were on the left flank, the river

was on the right. The great gates had closed behind them, shutting in the women and the children. The sun

blazed down, throwing everything into relief with its intense, vivid light playing upon the brown faces of the

borderers, their rifles and their homespun clothes. Colonel Butler and two or three of his officers were on

horseback, leading the van. Now that the decision was to fight, the older officers, who had opposed it, were in

the very front. Forward they went, and spread out a little, but with the right flank still resting on the river, and

The five were on the edge of the plain, a little detached from the others, searching the forest for a sign of the

enemy, who was already so near. Their gloom did not decrease. Neither the rolling of the drum nor the

flaunting of the banner had any effect. Brave though the men might be, this was not the way in which they

"Nor ' do I," said Henry, "but remember that whatever happens we all stand together."

Onthey went, and the five moving faster were now ahead of the main force some hundred yards. They

swung in a little toward the river. The banks here were highland off to the left was a large swamp. The five

now checked speed and moved with great wariness. They saw nothing, and they heard nothing, either, until

they went forty or fifty yards farther. Then a low droning sound came to their ears. It was the voice of one yet

far away, but they knew it. It was the terrible chant of Queen Esther, in this moment the most ruthless of all

The five threw themselves flat on their faces, and waited a little. The chant grew louder, and then through the

foliage they saw the ominous figure approaching. She was much as she had been on that night when they first

beheld her. She wore the same dress of barbaric colors, she swung the same great tomahawk about her head,

They saw behind her the figures of chiefs, naked to the breech cloth for battle, their bronze bodies glistening

with the war paint, and bright feathers gleaming in their hair. Henry recognized the tall form of

Timmendiquas, notable by his height, and around him his little band of Wyandots, ready to prove themselves

mighty warriors to their eastern friends the Iroquois. Back of these was a long line of Indians and their white

allies, Sir John Johnson's Royal Greens and Butler's Rangers in the center, bearing the flag of England. The

warriors, of whom the Senecas were most numerous, were gathered in greatest numbers on their right flank,

facing the left flank of the Americans. Sangerachte and Hiokatoo, who had taken two English prisoners at

Braddock's defeat, and who had afterwards burned them both alive with his own hand, were the principal

leaders of the Senecas. Henry caught a glimpse of "Indian" Butler in the center, with a great bloodred

handkerchief tied around his head, and, despite the forest, he noticed with a great sinking of the heart how far

the hostile line extended. It could wrap itself like a python around the defense.

They went back swiftly, and warned Colonel Butler that the enemy was at band. Even as they spoke they

heard the loud wailing chant of Queen Esther, and then came the war whoop, pouring from a thousand

throats, swelling defiant and fierce like the cry of a wounded beast. The farmers, the boys, and the old men,

most of whom had never been in battle, might well tremble at this ominous sound, so great in volume and

extending so far into the forest. But they stood firm, drawing themselves into a somewhat more compact

body, and still advancing with their banners flying, and the boy beating out that steady roll on the drum.

The enemy now came into full sight, and Colonel Butler deployed his force in line of battle, his right resting

on the high bank of the river and his left against the swamp. Forward pressed the motley army of the other

Butler, he of sanguinary and cruel fame, and the bulk of his force came into view, the sun shining down on

The American commander gave the order to fire. Eager fingers were already on the trigger, and a blaze of

light ran along the entire rank. The Royal Greens and Rangers, although replying with their own fire, gave

back before the storm of bullets, and the Wyoming men, with a shout of triumph, sprang forward. It was

always a characteristic of the border settler, despite many disasters and a knowledge of Indian craft and

cunning, to rush straight at his foe whenever he saw him. His, unless a trained forest warrior himself, was a

headlong bravery, and now this gallant little force asked for nothing but to come to close grips with the

The men in the center with "Indian" Butler gave back still more. With cries of victory the Wyoming men

pressed forward, firing rapidly, and continuing to drive the mongrel white force. The rifles were cracking

rapidly, and smoke arose over the two lines. The wind caught wisps of it and carried them off down the river.

"Not yet," said Henry, "we are fighting the white men only. Where are all the Indians, who alone outnumber

"Here they come," said Shif'less Sol, pointing to the depths of the swamp, which was supposed to protect the

The five saw in the spaces, amid the briars and vines, scores of dark figures leaping over the mud, naked to

the breech cloth, armed with rifle and tomahawk, and rushing down upon the unprotected side of their foe.

Henry and his comrades gave the alarm at once. As many as possible were called off immediately from the

main body, but they were not numerous enough to have any effect. The Indians came through the swamp in

hundreds and hundreds, and, as they uttered their triumphant yell, poured a terrible fire into the Wyoming left

flank. The defenders were forced to give ground, and the English and Tories came on again.

The fire was now deadly and of great volume. The air was filled with the flashing of the rifles. The cloud of

smoke grew heavier, and faces, either from heat or excitement, showed red through it. The air was filled with

bullets, and the Wyoming force was being cut down fast, as the fire of more than a thousand rifles converged

The five at the fringe of the swamp loaded and fired as fast as they could at the Indian horde, but they saw

that it was creeping closer and closer, and that the hail of bullets it sent in was cutting away the whole left

flank of the defenders. They saw the tall figure of Timmendiquas, a very god of war, leading on the Indians,

with his fearless Wyandots in a close cluster around him. Colonel John Durkee, gathering up a force of fifty

or sixty, charged straight at the warriors, but he was killed by a withering volley, which drove his men back.

Now occurred a fatal thing, one of those misconceptions which often decide the fate of a battle. The company

of Captain Whittlesey, on the extreme left, which was suffering most severely, was ordered to fall back. The

entire little army, which was being pressed hard now, seeing the movement of Whittlesey, began to retreat.

Even without the mistake it is likely they would have lost in the face of such numbers.

The entire horde of Indians, Tories, Canadians, English, and renegades, uttering a tremendous yell, rushed

forward. Colonel Zebulon Butler, seeing the crisis, rode up and down in front of his men, shouting: "Don't

leave me, my children! the victory is ours!" Bravely his officers strove to stop the retreat. Every captain who

led a company into action was killed. Some of these captains were but boys. The men were falling by dozens.

All the Indians, by far the most formidable part of the invading force, were through the swamp now, and,

dashing down their unloaded rifles, threw themselves, tomahawk in hand, upon the defense. Not more than

two hundred of the Wyoming men were left standing, and the impact of seven or eight hundred savage

warriors was so great that they were hurled back in confusion. A wail of grief and terror came from the other

side of the river, where a great body of women and children were watching the fighting.

"Beyond hope of saving it," said Henry, "but, boys, we five are alive yet, and we'll do our best to help the

They kept under cover, fighting as calmly as they could amid such a terrible scene, picking off warrior after

warrior, saving more than one soldier ere the tomahawk fell. Shif'less Sol took a shot at "Indian" Butler, but

"I'd give five years of my life if he were fifty yards nearer," exclaimed the shiftless one.

But the invading force came in between and he did not get another shot. There was now a terrible medley, a

continuous uproar, the crashing fire of hundreds of rifles, the shouts of the Indians, and the cries of the

wounded. Over them all hovered smoke and dust, and the air was heavy, too, with the odor of burnt

gunpowder. The division of old men and very young boys stood next, and the Indians were upon them,

tomahawk in hand, but in the face of terrible odds all bore themselves with a valor worthy of the best of

soldiers. Three fourths of them died that day, before they were driven back on the fort.

The Wyoming force was pushed away from the edge of the swamp, which had been some protection to the

left, and they were now assailed from all sides except that of the river. "Indian" Butler raged at the head of his

men, who had been driven back at first, and who had been saved by the Indians. Timmendiquas, in the

absence of Brant, who was not seen upon this field, became by valor and power of intellect the leader of all

the Indians for this moment. The Iroquois, although their own fierce chiefs, ITiokatoo, Sangerachte, and the

others fought with them, unconsciously obeyed him. Nor did the fierce woman, Queen Esther, shirk the

battle. Waving her great tomahawk, she was continually among the warriors, singing her song of war and

They were driven steadily back toward the fort, and the little band crumbled away beneath the deadly fire.

Soon none would be left unless they ran for their lives. The five drew away toward the forest. They saw that

the fort itself could not hold out against such a numerous and victorious foe, and they had no mind to be

trapped. But their retreat was slow, and as they went they sent bullet after bullet into the Indian flank. Only a

small percentage of the Wyoming force was left, and it now broke. Colonel Butler and Colonel Dennison,

who were mounted, reached the fort. Some of the men jumped into the river, swam to the other shore and

escaped. Some swam to a little island called Monocacy, and hid, but the Tories and Indians hunted them out

and slew them. One Tory found his brother there, and killed him with his own hand, a deed of unspeakable

horror that is yet mentioned by the people of that region. A few fled into the forest and entered the fort at

Seeing that all was lost, the five drew farther away into the woods. They were not wounded, yet their faces

were white despite the tan. They had never before looked upon so terrible a scene. The Indians, wild with the

excitement of a great triumph and thirsting for blood, were running over the field scalping the dead, killing

some of the wounded, and saving others for the worst of tortures. Nor were their white allies one whit behind

them. They bore a full part in the merciless war upon the conquered. Timmendiquas, the great Wyandot, was

the only one to show nobility. Several of the wounded he saved from immediate death, and he tried to hold

back the frenzied swarm of old squaws who rushed forward and began to practice cruelties at which even the

most veteran warrior might shudder. But Queen Esther urged them on, and "Indian" Butler himself and the

Henry, despite himself, despite all his experience and powers of selfcontrol, shuddered from head to foot at

the cries that came from the lost field, and he was sure that the others were doing the same. The sun was

setting, but its dying light, brilliant and intense, tinged the field as if with blood, showing all the yelling horde

as the warriors rushed about for scalps, or danced in triumph, whirling their hideous trophies about their

heads. Others were firing at men who were escaping to the far bank of the Susquehanna, and others were

The five moved farther into the forest, retreating slowly, and sending in a shot now and then to protect the

retreat of some fugitive who was seeking the shelter of the woods. The retreat had become a rout and then a

massacre. The savages raged up and down in the greatest killing they had known since Braddock's defeat.

All the five felt the full horror of the scene, but it made its deepest impress, perhaps, upon Paul. He had taken

part in border battles before, but this was the first great defeat. He was not blind to the valor and good

qualities of the Indian and his claim upon the wilderness, but he saw the incredible cruelties that he could

commit, and he felt a horror of those who used him as an ally, a horror that he could never dismiss from his

A man of seventy and a boy of fourteen were running for the forest. They might have been grandfather and

grandson. Undoubtedly they had fought in the Battalion of the Very Old and the Very Young, and now, when

everything else was lost, they were seeking to save their lives in the friendly shelter of the woods. But they

were pursued by two groups of Iroquois, four warriors in one, and three in the other, and the Indians were

"No doubt of it," said Henry. "Paul, you and Sol move off to the right a little, and take the three, while the

The little band separated according to the directions, Paul and Sol having the lighter task, as the others were

to meet the group of four Indians at closer range. Paul and Sol were behind some

trees, and, turning at an angle, they ran forward to intercept the three Indians. It would have seemed to

anyone who was not aware of the presence of friends in the forest that the old man and the boy would surely

be overtaken and be tomahawked, but three rifles suddenly flashed among the foliage. Two of the warriors in

the group of four fell, and a third uttered a yell of pain. Paul and Shif'less Sol fired at the same time at the

group of three. One fell before the deadly rifle of Shif'less Sol, but Paul only grazed his man. Nevertheless,

the whole pursuit stopped, and the boy and the old man escaped to the forest, and subsequently to safety at

Paul, watching the happy effect of the shots, was about to say something to Shif'less Sol, when an immense

force was hurled upon him, and he was thrown to the ground. His comrade was served in the same way, but

the shiftless one was uncommonly strong and agile. He managed to writhe half way to his knees, and he

Braxton Wyatt struck him fiercely across the mouth. The blood came, but the shiftless one merely spat it out,

"I've often wondered about you, Braxton," he said calmly. " I used to think that anybody, no matter how bad,

Wyatt did not answer, but rushed forward in search of the others. But Henry, Silent Tom, and Long Jim had

vanished. A powerful party of warriors had stolen upon Shif'less Sol and Paul, while they were absorbed in

the chase of the old man and the boy, and now they were prisoners, bound securely. Braxton Wyatt came

back from the fruitless search for the three, but his face was full of savage joy as he looked down at the

"We could have killed you just as easily," he said, "but we didn't want to do that. Our friends here are going

Paul's cheeks whitened a little at the horrible suggestion, but Shif'less Sol faced them boldly. Several white

men in uniform had come up, and among them was an elderly one, short and squat, and with a great flame

"You may burn us alive, or you may do other things jest ez bad to us, all under the English flag," said

Shif'less Sol, " but I'm thinkin' that a lot o' people in England will be ashamed uv it when they hear the news."

"Indian" Butler and his uniformed soldiers turned away, leaving Shif'less Sol and Paul in the hands of the

renegade and the Iroquois. The two prisoners were jerked to their feet and told to march.

"Come on, Paul," said Shif'less Sol. "'Tain't wuth while fur us to resist. But don't you quit hopin', Paul. We've

"Shut up!" said Braxton Wyatt savagely. "If you say another word I'll gag you in a way that will make you

Shif'less Sol looked him squarely in the eye. Solomon Hyde, who was not shiftless at all, had a dauntless

"I had a dog once, Braxton Wyatt," he said, "an' I reckon he wuz the meanest, ornierest cur that ever lived. He

liked to live on dirt, the dirtier the place he could find the better; he'd rather steal his food than get it honestly;

he wuz sech a coward that he wuz afeard o' a rabbit, but ef your back wuz turned to him he'd nip you in the

Some of the Indians understood English, and Wyatt knew it. He snatched a pistol from his belt, and was

about to strike Sol with the butt of it, but a tall figure suddenly appeared before him, and made a commanding

gesture. The gesture said plainly: "Do not strike; put that pistol back!" Braxton Wyatt, whose soul was afraid

It was Timmendiquas, the great White Lightning of the Wyandots, who with his little detachment had proved

that day how mighty the Wyandot warriors were, full equals of Thayendanegea's Mohawks, the Keepers of

the Western Gate. He was bare to the waist. One shoulder was streaked with blood from a slight wound, but

his countenance was not on fire with passion for torture and slaughter like those of the others.

"There is no need to strike prisoners," he said in English. "Their fate will be decided later."

Paul thought that he caught a look of pity from the eyes of the great Wyandot, and Shif'less Sol said:

"I'm sorry, Timmendiquas, since I had to be captured, that you didn't capture me yourself. I'm glad to say that

Wyatt growled under his breath, but he was still afraid to speak out, although he knew that Timmendiquas

was merely a distant and casual ally, and had little authority in that army. Yet he was overawed, and so were

"We were merely taking the prisoners to Colonel Butler," he said. "That is all."

Timmendiquas stared at him, and the renegade's face fell. But he and the Indians went on with the prisoners,

"I believe White Lightning was sorry that we'd been captured," whispered Shif'less Sol.

They had no chance for further conversation, as they were driven rapidly now to that point of the battlefield

which lay nearest to the fort, and here they were thrust into the midst of a gloomy company, fellow captives,

all bound tightly, and many wounded. No help, no treatment of any kind was offered for hurts. The Indians

and renegades stood about and yelled with delight when the agony of some man's wound wrung from him a

groan. The scene was hideous in every respect. The setting sun shone blood red over forest, field, and river.

Far off burning houses still smoked like torches. But the mountain wall in the east, was growing dusky with

the coming twilight. From the island, where they were massacring the fugitives in their vain hiding places,

came the sound of shots and cries, but elsewhere the firing had ceased. All who could escape had done so

The sun sank like a red ball behind the mountains, and darkness swept down over the earth. Fires began to

blaze up here and there, some for terrible purpose. The victorious Iroquois; stripped to the waist and painted

in glaring colors, joined in a savage dance that would remain forever photographed on the eye of Paul Cotter.

As they jumped to and fro, hundreds of them, waving aloft tomahawks and scalping knives, both of which

dripped red, they sang their wild chant of war and triumph. White men, too, as savage as they, joined them.

Paul shuddered again and again from head to foot at this sight of an orgy such as the mass of mankind

The darkness thickened, the dance grew wilder. It was like a carnival of demons, but it was to be incited to a

yet wilder pitch. A singular figure, one of extraordinary ferocity, was suddenly projected into the midst of the

whirling crowd, and a chant, shriller and fiercer, rose above all the others. The figure was that of Queen

Esther, like some monstrous creature out of a dim past, her great tomahawk stained with blood, her eyes

bloodshot, and stains upon her shoulders. Paul would have covered his eyes had his hands not been tied

instead, he turned his head away. He could not bear to see more. But the horrible chant came to his ears,

nevertheless, and it was reinforced presently by other sounds still more terrible. Fires sprang up in the forest,

and cries came from these fires. The victorious army of "Indian" Butler was beginning to burn the prisoners

alive. But at this point we must stop. The details of what happened around those fires that night are not for

the ordinary reader. It suffices to say that the darkest deed ever done on the soil of what is now the United

Shif'less Sol himself, iron of body and soul, was shaken. He could not close his ears, if he would, to the cries

that came from the fires, but he shut his eyes to keep out the demon dance. Nevertheless, he opened them

again in a moment. The horrible fascination was too great. He saw Queen Esther still shaking her tomahawk,

but as he looked she suddenly darted through the circle, warriors willingly giving way before her, and

disappeared in the darkness. The scalp dance went on, but it had lost some of its fire and vigor.

"She's gone," he whispered to Paul, and the boy, too, then opened his eyes. The rest of it, the mad whirlings

and jumpings of the warriors, was becoming a blur before him, confused and without meaning.

Neither he nor Shif'less Sol knew how long they had been sitting there on the ground, although it had grown

yet darker, when Braxton Wyatt thrust a violent foot against the shiftless one and cried:

A half dozen Seneca warriors were with him, and there was no chance of resistance. The two rose slowly to

their feet, and walked where Braxton Wyatt led. The Senecas came on either side, and close behind them,

tomahawks in their hands. Paul, the sensitive, who so often felt the impression of coming events from the

conditions around him, was sure that they were marching to their fate. Death he did not fear so greatly,

although he did not want to die, but when a shriek came to him from one of the fires that convulsive shudder

shook him again from head to foot. Unconsciously he strained at his bound arms, not for freedom, but that he

might thrust his fingers in his ears and shut out the awful sounds. Shif'less Sol, because he could not use his

"Paul," he whispered, "I ain't sure that we're goin' to die, leastways, I still have hope; but ef we do, remember

"Silence, there!" exclaimed Braxton Wyatt. But the two had said all they wanted to say, and fortunately their

senses were somewhat dulled. They had passed through so much that they were like those who are under the

influence of opiates. The path was now dark, although both torches and fires burned in the distance. Presently

they heard that chant with which they had become familiar, the dreadful notes of the hyena woman, and they

knew that they were being taken into her presence, for what purpose they could not tell, although they were

sure that it was a bitter one. As they approached, the woman's chant rose to an uncommon pitch of frenzy,

"Get up there!" exclaimed Braxton Wyatt, and the Senecas gave them both a push. Other warriors who were

standing at the edge of an open space seized them and threw them forward with much violence. When they

struggled into a sitting position, they saw Queen Esther standing upon a broad flat rock and whirling in a

ghastly dance that had in it something Oriental. She still swung the great war hatchet that seemed always to

be in her hand. Her long black hair flew wildly about her head, and her red dress gleamed in the dusk. Surely

no more terrible image ever appeared in the American wilderness! In front of her, lying upon the ground,

were twenty bound Americans, and back of them were Iroquois in dozens, with a sprinkling of their white

What it all meant, what was about to come to pass, nether Paul nor Shif'less Sol could guess, but Queen

There will be feasting in the lodges of the Iroquois, And scalps will hang on the high ridge pole, But wolves

will roam where the Yengees dwelt And will gnaw the bones of them all, Of the man, the woman, and the

child. Victory and glory Aieroski gives to his children, The Mighty Six Nations, greatest of men.

Such it sounded to Shif'less Sol, who knew the tongue of the Iroquois, and so it went on, verse after verse,

"Victory and glory Aieroski gives to his children. The mighty Six Nations, greatest of men."

Suddenly the woman, without stopping her chant, made a gesture to the warriors. Two powerful Senecas

seized one of the bound prisoners, dragged him to his feet, and held him up before her. She uttered a shout,

whirled the great tomahawk about her head, its blade glittering in the moonlight, and struck with all her

might. The skull of the prisoner was cleft to the chin, and without a cry he fell at the feet of the woman who

had killed him. Paul uttered a shout of horror, but it was lost in the joyful yells of the Iroquois, who, at the

command of the woman, offered a second victim. Again the tomahawk descended, and again a man fell dead

Shif'less Sol and Paul wrenched at their thongs, but they could not move them. Braxton Wyatt laughed aloud.

It was strange to see how fast one with a bad nature could fall when the opportunities were spread before him.

Now he was as cruel as the Indians themselves. Wilder and shriller grew the chant of the savage queen. She

was intoxicated with blood. She saw it everywhere. Her tomahawk clove a third skull, a fourth, a fifth, a

sixth, a seventh, and eighth. As fast as they fell the warriors at her command brought up new victims for her

weapon. Paul shut his eyes, but he knew by the sounds what was passing. Suddenly a stern voice cried:

Paul understood it , the meaning, but not the words. He opened his eyes and saw the great figure of

The woman turned her fierce gaze upon the young chief. "Timmendiquas," she said, "we are the Iroquois, and

we are the masters. You are far from your own land, a guest in our lodges, and you cannot tell those who

A loud laugh came from the Iroquois. The fierce old chiefs, Hiokatoo and Sangerachte, and a dozen warriors

thrust themselves before Timmendiquas. The woman resumed her chant, and a hundred throats pealed out

Victory and glory Aieroski gives to his children The mighty Six Nations, greatest of men.

She gave the signal anew. The ninth victim stood before her, and then fell, cloven to the chin; then the tenth,

and the eleventh, and the twelfth, and the thirteenth, and the fourteenth, and the fifteenth, and the

sixteenthsixteen bound men killed by one woman in less than fifteen minutes. The four in that group who

were left had all the while been straining fearfully at their bonds. Now they bad slipped or broken them, and,

springing to their feet, driven on by the mightiest of human impulses, they dashed through the ring of

Iroquois and into the forest. Two were hunted down by the warriors and killed, but the other two, Joseph

Elliott and Lebbeus Hammond, escaped and lived to be old men, feeling that life could never again hold for

A great turmoil and confusion arose as the prisoners fled and the Indians pursued. Paul and Shif'less Sol; full

of sympathy and pity for the fugitives and having felt all the time that their turn, too, would come under that

dreadful tomahawk, struggled to their feet. They did not see a form slip noiselessly behind them, but a sharp

"Run! run!" exclaimed the voice of Timmendiquas, low but penetrating. "I would save you from this!"

Amid the darkness and confusion the act of the great Wyandot was not seen by the other Indians and the

renegades. Paul flashed him one look of gratitude, and then he and Shif'less Sol darted away, choosing a

At such a time they might have secured a long lead without being noticed, had it not been for the fierce

swarm of old squaws who were first in cruelty that night. A shrill wild howl arose, and the pointing fingers of

the old women showed to the warriors the two in flight. At the same time several of the squaws darted

"I hate to hit a woman," breathed Shif'less Sol to Paul, "but I'm goin' to do it now."

A hideous figure sprang before them. Sol struck her face with his open hand, and with a shriek she went

down. He leaped over her, although she clawed at his feet as he passed, and ran on, with Paul at his side.

Shots were now fired at him, but they went wild, but Paul, casting a look backward out of the corner of his

eye, saw that a real pursuit, silent and deadly, had begun. Five Mohawk warriors, running swiftly, were only

a few hundred yards away. They carried rifle, tomahawk, and knife, and Paul and Shif'less Sol were unarmed.

Moreover, they were coming fast, spreading out slightly, and the shiftless one, able even at such a time to

weigh the case coolly, saw that the odds were against them. Yet he would not despair. Anything might

happen. It was night. There was little organization in the army of the Indians and of their white allies, which

was giving itself up to the enjoyment of scalps and torture. Moreover, he and Paul were, animated by the love

Their flight led them in a diagonal line toward the mountains. Only once did the pursuers give tongue. Paul

tripped over a root, and a triumphant yell came from the Mohawks. But it merely gave him new life. He

recovered himself in an instant and ran faster. But it was terribly hard work. He could hear Shif'less Sol's

sobbing breath by his side, and he was sure that his own must have the same sound for his comrade.

"At any rate one uv 'em is beat," gasped Shif'less Sol. "Only four are banin' on now."

The ground rose a little and became rougher. The lights from the Indian fires had sunk almost out of sight

behind them, and a dense thicket lay before them. Something stirred in the thicket, and the eyes of Shif'less

Sol caught a glimpse of a human shoulder. His heart sank like a plummet in a pool. The Indians were ahead

of them. They would be caught, and would be carried back to become the victims of the terrible tomahawk.

The figure in the bushes rose a little higher, the muzzle of a rifle was projected, and flame leaped from the

But it was neither Shif'less Sol nor Paul who fell. They heard a cry behind them, and when Shif'less Sol took

a hasty glance backward he saw one of the Mohawks fall. The three who were left hesitated and stopped.

When a second shot was fired from the bushes and another Mohawk went down, the remaining two fled.

Shif'less Sol understood now, and he rushed into the bushes, dragging Paul after him. Henry, Tom, and Long

"So you wuz watchin' over us! "exclaimed the shiftless one joyously. "It wuz you that clipped off the first

"Thank God, you were here!" exclaimed Paul. "You don't know what Sol and I have seen!"

Paul revived in a few minutes. They were still lying in the bushes, and when he was able to stand up again,

they moved at an angle several hundred yards before they stopped. One pistol was thrust into Paul's hand and

Keep those until we can get rifles for you," said Henry. "You may need 'em tonight."

They crouched down in the thicket and looked back toward the Indian camp. The warriors whom they had

repulsed were not returning with help, and, for the moment, they seemed to have no enemy to fear, yet they

could still see through the woods the faint lights of the Indian camps, and to Paul, at least, came the echoes of

"We saw you captured, and we heard Sol's warning cry," said Henry. " There was nothing to do but run. Then

"Yes, Timmendiquas," said Paul, and then be told the story of "The Bloody Rock," and how, in the turmoil

and excitement attending the flight of the last four, Timmendiquas had cut the bonds of Shif'less Sol and

"I think the mind o' White Lightnin', Injun ez he is," said Shif'less Sol, "jest naterally turned aginst so much

"'Pears strange to me," said Long Jim Hart, "that Timmendiquas was made an Injun. He's jest the kind uv

man who ought to be white, an' he'd be pow'ful useful, too. I don't jest eggzactly understan' it."

"He has certainly saved the lives of at least three of us," said Henry. "I hope we will get a chance to pay him

"But he's the only one," said Shif'less Sol, thinking of all that he had seen that night. "The Iroquois an' the

white men that's allied with 'em won't ever get any mercy from me, ef any uv 'em happen to come under my

thumb. I don't think the like o' this day an' night wuz ever done on this continent afore. I'm for revenge, I am,

like that place where the Bible says, 'an eye for an eye, an' a tooth for a tooth,' an' I'm goin' to stay in this part

"We're all going to stay with you, Sol," said Henry. We're needed here. I think we ought to circle about the

"Yes, we'll do that," said Shif'less Sol, "but the Wyoming fort can't ever hold out. Thar ain't a hundred men

left in it fit to fight, an' thar are more than than a thousand howlin' devils outside ready to attack it. Thar may

"Still, we'll go in an' help," said Henry. "Sol, when you an' Paul have rested a little longer we'll make a big

They were in full accord, and after an hour in the bushes, where they lay completely hidden, recovering their

vitality and energy, they undertook to reach the fort and cabins inclosed by the palisades. Paul was still weak

from shock, but Shif'less Sol had fully recovered. Neither bad weapons, but they were sure that the want

could be supplied soon. They curved around toward the west, intending to approach the fort from the other

side, but they did not wholly lose sight of the fires, and they heard now and then the triumphant war whoop.

The victors were still engaged in the pleasant task of burning the prisoners to death. Little did the five, seeing

and feeling only their part of it there in the dark woods, dream that the deeds of this day and night would soon

shock the whole civilized world, and remain, for generations, a crowning act of infamy. But they certainly

felt it deeply enough, and in each heart burned a fierce desire for revenge upon the Iroquois.

It was almost midnight when they secured entrance into the fort, which was filled with grief and wailing.

That afternoon more than one hundred and fifty women within those walls had been made widows, and six

hundred children had been made orphans. But few men fit to bear arms were left for its defense, and it was

certain that the allied British and Indian army would easily take it on the morrow. A demand for its surrender

in the name of King George III of England had already been made, and, sitting at a little rough table in the

cabin of Thomas Bennett, the room lighted only by a single tallow wick, Colonel Butler and Colonel

Dennison were writing an agreement that the fort be surrendered the next day, with what it should contain.

But Colonel Butler put his wife on a horse and escaped with her over the mountains.

Stragglers, evading the tomahawk in the darkness, were coming in, only to be surrendered the next day;

others were pouring forth in a stream, seeking the shelter of the mountains and the forest, preferring any

"It looks ez ef we had escaped from the Iroquois jest in time to beg 'em to take us back."

"I reckon I ain't goin' to stay 'roun' here while things are bein' surrendered," said Long Jim Hart.

"I'll do my surrenderin' to Iroquois when they've got my hands an' feet tied, an' six or seven uv 'em are settin'

"We'll leave as soon as we can get arms for Sol and Paul," said Henry. "Of course it would be foolish of us to

stay here and be captured again. Besides, we'll be needed badly enough by the women and children that are

Good weapons were easily obtained in the fort. It was far better to let Sol and Paul have them than to leave

them for the Indians. They were able to select two fine rifles of the Kentucky pattern, long and slender

barreled, a tomahawk and knife for each, and also excellent doublebarreled pistols. The other three now had

doublebarreled pistols, too. In addition they resupplied themselves with as much ammunition as scouts and

Sunrise found them some distance from the palisades, and upon the flank of a frightened crowd of fugitives.

It was composed of one hundred women and children and a single man, James Carpenter, who was doing his

best to guide and protect them. They were intending to flee through the wilderness to the Delaware and

Lehigh settlements, chiefly Fort Penn, built by Jacob Stroud, where Stroudsburg now is.

When the five, darkened by weather and looking almost like Indians themselves, approached, Carpenter

stepped forward and raised his rifle. A cry of dismay rose from the melancholy line, a cry so intensely bitter

that it cut Henry to the very heart. He threw up his hand, and exclaimed in a loud voice:

"We are friends, not Indians or Tories! We fought with you yesterday, and we are ready to fight for you

Carpenter dropped the muzzle of the rifle. He had fought in the battle, too, and he recognized the great youth

"You don't belong here in Wyoming," he said, "and there's nothing to make you stick to us. What are you

"We will go with you wherever you intend to go," replied Henry; "do fighting for you if you need it, and hunt

"I thought God had clean deserted us," he said, "but I'm ready to take it back. I reckon that he has sent you

It occurred to Henry that perhaps God, indeed, had sent them for this very purpose, but he replied simply:

"You lead on, and we'll stay in the rear and on the sides to watch for the Indians. Draw into the woods, where

Carpenter, obscure hero, shouldered his rifle again, and led on toward the woods. The long line of women

and children followed. Some of the women carried in their arms children too small to walk. Yet they were

more hopeful now when they saw that the five were friends. These lithe, active frontiersmen, so quick, so

skillful, and so helpful, raised their courage. Yet it was a most doleful flight. Most of these women had been

made widows the day before, some of them had been made widows and childless at the same time, and

wondered why they should seek to live longer. But the very mental stupor of many of them was an aid. They

Henry, Shif'less Sol, and Tom dropped to the rear. Paul and Long Jim were on either flank, while Carpenter

"'Pears to me," said Tom, "that the thing fur us to do is to hurry 'em up ez much ez possible."

"So the Indians won't see 'em crossing the plain," said Henry. "We couldn't defend them against a large force,

Shif'less Sol was invaluable in this crisis. He could talk forever in hisplacid way, and, with his gentle

encouragement, mild sarcasm, and anecdotes of great feminine walkers that he had known, he soon had them

Henry and Tom dropped farther to the rear. They could see ahead of them the long dark line, coiling farther

into the woods, but they could also see to right and left towers of smoke rising in the clear morning sunlight.

These, they knew, came from burning houses, and they knew, also, that the valley would be ravaged from end

to end and from side to side. After the surrender of the fort the Indians would divide into small bands, going

The sun rose higher, gilding the earth with glowing light, as if the black tragedy had never happened, but the

frontiersmen recognized their greatest danger in this brilliant morning. Objects could be seen at a great

Keen of sight and trained to know what it was they saw, Henry, Sol, and Tom searched the country with their

eyes, on all sides. They caught a distant glimpse of the Susquehanna, a silver spot among some trees, and

they saw the sunlight glancing off the opposite mountains, but for the present they saw nothing that seemed

They allowed the distance between them and the retreating file to grow until it was five or six hundred yards,

and they might have let it grow farther, but Henry made a signal, and the three lay down in the grass.

"Yes, down thar at the foot o' that hillock," replied Shif'less Sol; " two o' em, an' Senecas, I take it."

It was obvious that the flying column was discovered. The two Indians stepped upon the hillock and gazed

under their hands. It was too far away for the three to see their faces, but they knew the joy that would be

"They must never get back to the other Indians with their news," whispered Henry. "I hate to shoot men from

"S'pose you fire at the one on the right, Henry," said Tom, " an' me an' Sol will take the one to the left." " All

They wasted no time, but pulled trigger. The one at whom Henry had aimed fell, but the other, uttering a cry,

But Shif'less Sol and Tom Ross were already in pursuit, covering the ground with long strides, and reloading

as they ran. Under ordinary circumstances no one of the three would have fired at a man running for his life,

but here the necessity was vital. If he lived, carrying the tale that he had to tell, a hundred innocent ones

might perish. Henry followed his comrades, reloading his own rifle, also, but he stayed behind. The Indian

had a good lead, and he was gaining, as the others were compelled to check speed somewhat as they put the

powder and bullets in their rifles. But Henry was near enough to Shif'less Sol and Silent Tom to hear them

Henry saw the two rifle barrels go up and two flashes of flame leap from the muzzles. The Indian fell forward

and lay still. They went up to him, and found that he was shot through the head and also through the body.

The human mind can be influenced so powerfully by events that the three felt no compunction at all at the

shooting of this fleeing Indian. It was but a trifle compared with what they had seen the day and night before.

"We'd better take the weapons an' ammunition o' both uv 'em," said Sol. "They may be needed, an' some o '

They gathered up the arms, powder, and ball, and waited a little to see whether the shots had been heard by

any other Indians, but there was no indication of the presence of more warriors, and the rejoined the fugitives.

Long Jim had dropped back to the end of the line, and when he saw that his comrades carried two extra rifles,

"They didn't give no alarm, did they?" he asked in a tone so low that none of the fugitives could hear.

"They didn't have any chance," replied Henry. "We've brought away all their weapons and ammunition, but

The rifles and the other arms were given to the boldest and most stalwart of the women, and they promised to

use them if the need came. Meanwhile the flight went on, and the farther it went the sadder it became.

Children became exhausted, and had to be carried by people so tired that they could scarcely walk

themselves. There was nobody in the line who had not lost some beloved one on that fatal river bank, killed

in battle, or tortured to death. As they slowly ascended the green slope of the mountain that inclosed a side of

the valley, they looked back upon ruin and desolation. The whole black tragedy was being consummated.

They could see the houses in flames, and they knew that the Indian war parties were killing and scalping

everywhere. They knew, too, that other bodies of fugitives, as stricken as their own, were fleeing into the

As they paused a few moments and looked back, a great cry burst from the weakest of the women and

children. Then it became a sad and terrible wail, and it was a long time before it ceased. It was an awful

sound, so compounded of despair and woe and of longing for what they had lost that Henry choked, and the

tears stood in Paul's eyes. But neither the five nor Carpenter made any attempt to check the wailing. They

thought it best for them to weep it out, but they hurried the column as much as they could, often carrying

some of the smaller children themselves. Paul and Long Jim were the best as comforters. The two knew how,

each in his own way, to soothe and encourage. Carpenter, who knew the way to Fort Penn, led doggedly on,

scarcely saying a word. Henry, Shif'less Sol, and Tom were the rear guard, which was, in this case, the one of

Henry was thankful that it was only early summer the Fourth of July, the second anniversary of the

Declaration of Independenceand that the foliage was heavy and green on the slopes of the mountain. In this

mass of greenery the desolate column was now completely hidden from any observer in the valley, and he

believed that other crowds of fugitives would be hidden in the same manner. He felt sure that no living

human being would be left in the valley, that it would be ravaged from end to end and then left to desolation,

until new people, protected by American bayonets, should come in and settle it again.

At last they passed the crest of the ridge, and the fires in the valley, those emblems of destruction, were

hidden. Between them and Fort Penn, sixty miles away, stretched a wilderness of mountain, forest, and

swamp. But the five welcomed the forest. A foe might lie there in ambush, but they could not see the

fugitives at a distance. What the latter needed now was obscurity, the green blanket of the forest to hide them.

Carpenter led on over a narrow trail; the others followed almost in single file now, while the five scouted in

the woods on either flank and at the rear. Henry and Shif'less Sol generally kept together, and they fully

realized the overwhelming danger should an Indian band, even as small as ten or a dozen warriors, appear.

Should the latter scatter, it would be impossible to protect all the women and children from their tomahawks.

The day was warm, but the forest gave them coolness as well as shelter. Henry and Sol were seldom so far

back that they could not see the end of the melancholy line, now moving slowly, overborne by weariness. The

His words came true all too soon. Before the afternoon closed, two women, ill before the flight, died of terror

and exhaustion, and were buried in shallow graves under the trees. Before dark a halt was made at the

suggestion of Henry, and all except Carpenter and the scouts sat in a close, drooping group. Many of the

children cried, though the women had all ceased to weep. They had some food with them, taken in the hurried

flight, and now the men asked them to eat. Few could do it, and others insisted on saving what little they had

The six men decided that, although night had not yet come, it would be best to remain there until the

morning. Evidently the fugitives were in no condition, either mental or physical, to go farther that day, and

When this decision was announced to them, most of the women took it apathetically. Soon they lay down

upon a blanket, if one was to be had; otherwise, on leaves and branches. Again Henry thanked God that it was

summer, and that these were people of the frontier, who could sleep in the open. No fire was needed, and,

And yet this band, desperate though its case, was more fortunate than some of the others that fled from the

Wyoming Valley. It had now to protect it six men Henry and Paul, though boys in years, were men in

strength and ability five of whom were the equals of any frontiersmen on the whole border. Another crowd

Henry and his comrades distributed themselves in a circle about the group. At times they helped gather

whortleberries as food for the others, but they looked for Indians or game, intending to shoot in either case.

When Paul and Henry were together they once heard a light sound in a thicket, which at first they were afraid

was made by an Indian scout, but it was a deer, and it bounded away too soon for either to get a shot. They

could not find other game of any kind, and they came back toward the campif a mere stop in the woods,

The sun was now setting, blood red. It tinged the forest with a fiery mist, reminding the unhappy group of all

that they had seen. But the mist was gone in a few moments, and then the blackness of night came with a

weird moaning wind that told of desolation. Most of the children, having passed through every phase of

exhaustion and terror, had fallen asleep. Some of the women slept, also, and others wept. But the terrible

"Men," he said simply, "don't know much about you, though I know you fought well in the battle that we lost,

but for what you're doin' now nobody can ever repay you. I knew that I never could get across the mountains

The five merely said that any man who was a man would help at such a time. Then they resumed their march

Some women did not sleep at all that night. It is not easy to conceive what the frontier women of America

endured so many thousands of times. They had seen their husbands, brothers, and sons killed in the battle,

and they knew that the worst of torture had been practiced in the Indian camp. Many of them really did not

want to live any longer. They merely struggled automatically for life. The darkness settled down thicker and

thicker; the blackness in the forest was intense, and they could see the faces of one another only at a little

distance. The desolate moan of the wind came through the leaves, and, although it was July, the night grew

cold. The women crept closer together, trying to cover up and protect the children. The wind, with its

inexpressibly mournful note, was exactly fitted to their feelings. Many of them wondered why a Supreme

Being had permitted such things. But they ceased to talk. No sound at all came from the group, and any one

Henry and Paul met again about midnight, and sat a long time on a little hillock. Theirs had been the most

dangerous of lives on the most dangerous of frontiers, but they had never been stirred as they were tonight.

Even Paul, the mildest of the five, felt something burning within him, a fire that only one thing could quench.

"Henry," said he, "we're trying to get these people to Fort Penn, and we may get some of them there, but I

don't think our work will be ended them. I don't think I could ever be happy again if we went straight from

"No, Paul," he said, "I don't want to go, either, and I know the others don't. Maybe you are not willing to tell

why we want to stay, but it is vengeance. I know it's Christian to forgive your enemies, but I can't see what I

"When the news of these things spreads," said Paul, "they'll send an army from the east. Sooner or later they'll

just have to do it to punish the Iroquois and their white allies, and we've got to be here to join that army."

They were joined later by the other three, who stayed a little while, and they were in accord with Henry and

Then they began their circles about the camp again, always looking and always listening. About two o'clock

in the morning they heard a scream, but it was only the cry of a panther. Before day there were clouds, a low

rumble of distant thunder, and faint far flashes of lightning. Henry was in dread of rain, but the lightning and

thunder ceased, and the clouds went away. Then dawn came, rosy and bright, and all but three rose from the

earth. The threeone woman and two childrenhad died in silence in the night, and they were buried, like the

others, in shallow graves in the woods. But there was little weeping or external mourning over them. All were

Carpenter resumed his position at the head of the column, which now moved slowly over the mountain

through a thick forest matted with vines and bushes and without a path. The march was now so painful and

difficult that they did not make more than two miles an hour. The stronger of them helped the men to gather

more whortleberries, as it was easy to see that the food they had with them would never last until they

The condition of the country into which they had entered steadily grew worse. They were well into the

mountains, a region exceedingly wild and rough, but little known to the settlers, who had gone around it to

build homes in the fertile and beautiful valley of Wyoming. The heavy forest was made all the more difficult

by the presence everywhere of almost impassable undergrowth. Now and then a woman lay down under the

bushes, and in two cases they died there because the power to live was no longer in them. They grew weaker

and weaker. The food that they had brought from the Wyoming fort was almost exhausted, and the wild

whortleberries were far from sustaining. Fortunately there was plenty of water flowing tinder the dark woods

and along the mountainside. But they were compelled to stop at intervals of an hour or two to rest, and the

The five met shortly after noon and took another reckoning of the situation. They still realized to the full the

dangers of Indian pursuit, which in this case might be a mere matter of accident. Anybody could follow the

broad trail left by the fugitives, but the Iroquois, busy with destruction in the valley, might not follow, even if

they saw it. No one could tell. The danger of starvation or of death from exhaustion was more imminent,

more pressing, and the five resolved to let scouting alone for the rest of the day and seek game.

"There's bound to be a lot of it in these woods," said Shif'less Sol, "though it's frightened out of the path by

Henry and Shif'less Sol went in one direction, and Paul, Tom, and Long Jim in another. But with all their

hunting they succeeded in finding only one little deer, which fell to the rifle of Silent Tom. It made small

enough portions for the supper and breakfast of nearly a hundred people, but it helped wonderfully, and so

did the fires which Henry and his comrades would now have built, even had they not been needed for the

cooking. They saw that light and warmth, the light and warmth of glowing coals, would alone rouse life in

They slept the second night on the ground among the trees, and the next morning they entered that gloomy

region of terrible memory, the Great Dismal Swamp of the North, known sometimes, to this day, as "The

"The Shades of Death" is a marsh on a mountain top, the great, wet, and soggy plain of the Pocono and Broad

mountains. When the fugitives from Wyoming entered it, it was covered with a dense growth of pines,

growing mostly out of dark, murky water, which in its turn was thick with a growth of moss and aquatic

plants. Snakes and all kinds of creeping things swarmed in the ooze. Bear and panther were numerous.

Carpenter did not know any way around this terrible region, and they were compelled to enter it. Henry was

again devoutly thankful that it was summer. In such a situation with winter on top of it only the hardiest of

But they entered the swamp, Carpenter silent and dogged, still leading. Henry and his comrades kept close to

the crowd. One could not scout in such a morass, and it proved to be worse than they bad feared. The day

turned gray, and it was dark among the trees. The whole place was filled with gloomy shadows. It was often

impossible to judge whether fairly solid soil or oozy murk lay before them. Often they went down to their

waists. Sometimes the children fell and were dragged up again by the stronger. Now and then rattle snakes

coiled and hissed, and the women killed them with sticks. Other serpents slipped away in the slime.

In the afternoon they reached a sort of oasis in the terrible swamp, and there they buried two more of their

number who had perished from exhaustion. The rest, save a few, lay upon the ground as if dead. On all sides

of them stretched the pines and the soft black earth. It looked to the fugitives like a region into which no

human beings had ever come, or ever would come again, and, alas! to most of them like a region from which

Henry sat upon a piece of fallen brushwood near the edge of the morass, and looked at the fugitives, and his

heart sank within him. They were hardly in the likeness of his own kind, and they seemed practically lifeless

now. Everything was dull, heavy, and dead. The note of the wind among the leaves was somber. A long black

snake slipped from the marshy grass near his feet and disappeared soundlessly in the water. He was sick, sick

to death at the sight of so much suffering, and the desire for vengeance, slow, cold, and far more lasting than

any hot outburst, grew within him. A slight noise, and Shif'less Sol stood beside him.

"The wolf howl, just a very little cry, very far away an' under the horizon, but thar all the same. Listen, thar

Henry bent his ear and distinctly heard the faint, whining note, and then it came a third time.

"Yes," said Shif'less Sol. He understood the look. We are pursued. Them wolves howlin' are the Iroquois.

"You'll stand here, where the earth gives a footing," he said, "you, Solomon Hyde, as brave a man as I ever

saw, and with you will be Paul Cotter, Tom Ross, Jim Hart, and Henry Ware, old friends of yours. Carpenter

will at once lead the women and children on ahead, and perhaps they will not hear the battle that is going to

A smile of approval, slow, but deep and comprehensive, stole over the face of Solomon Hyde, surnamed,

wholly without fitness, the shiftless one. "It seems to me," he said, "that I've heard o' them four fellers you're

talkin' about, an' ef I wuz to hunt all over this planet an' them other planets that Paul tells of, I couldn't find

The other three were called and were told of the plan, which met with their full approval. Then the news was

carried to Carpenter, who quickly agreed that their course was the wisest. He urged all the fugitives to their

feet, telling them that they must reach another dry place before night, but they were past asking questions

Paul watched the last of them disappear among the black bushes and weeds, and turned back to his friends on

the oasis. The five lay down behind a big fallen pine, and gave their weapons a last look. They had never

been armed better. Their rifles were good, and the fine doublebarreled pistols, formidable weapons, would

"I take it," said Tom Ross, "that the Iroquois can't get through at all unless they come along this way, an' it's

the same ez ef we wuz settin' on solid earth, poppin' em over, while they come sloshin' up to us."

"That's exactly it," said Henry. "We've a natural defense which we can hold against much greater numbers,

It was a grim utterance, true of them all, although not one among them was bloodthirsty.

"Can any of you hear anything?" asked Henry. "Nothin'," replied Shif'less Sol, after a little wait, "nothin'

"We'll just lie close," said Henry. "This hard spot of ground isn't more than thirty or forty feet each way, and

The others did not reply. All lay motionless upon their sides, with their shoulders raised a little, in order that

they might take instant aim when the time came. Some rays of the sun penetrated the canopy of pines, and

fell across the brown, determined faces and the lean brown hands that grasped the long, slenderbarreled

Kentucky rifles. Another snake slipped from the ground into the black water and swam away. Some water

animal made a light splash as he, too, swam from the presence of these strange intruders. Then they beard a

sighing sound, as of a foot drawn from mud, and they knew that the Iroquois were approaching, savages in

war, whatever they might be otherwise, and expecting an easy prey. Five brown thumbs cocked their rifles,

and five brown forefingers rested upon the triggers. The eyes of woodsmen who seldom missed looked down

The sound of feet in the mud came many times. The enemy was evidently drawing near.

"Twenty, at least, it seems to me by the sounds." "I s'pose the best thing for us to do is to shoot at the first

It was suggested that Henry call off the turns of the marksmen, and he agreed to do so. Shif'less Sol was to

fire first. The sounds now ceased. The Iroquois evidently had some feeling or instinct that they were

approaching an enemy who was to be feared, not weak and unarmed women and children.

The five were absolutely motionless, finger on trigger. The American wilderness had heroes without number.

It was Horatius Cocles five times over, ready to defend the bridge with life. Over the marsh rose the weird

Henry judged that the fugitives were now three quarters of a mile away, out of the sound of rifle shot. He had

urged Carpenter to marshal them on as far as be could. But the silence endured yet a while longer. In the dull

gray light of the somber day and the waning afternoon the marsh was increasingly dreary and mournful. It

The wet grass, forty yards away, moved a little, and between the boughs appeared the segment of a hideous

dark face, the painted brow, the savage black eyes, and the hooked nose of the Mohawk. Only Henry saw it,

but with fierce joythe tortures at Wyoming leaped up before himhe fired at the painted brow. The Mohawk

uttered his death cry and fell back with a splash into the mud and water of the swamp. A half dozen bullets

were instantly fired at the base of the smoke that came from Henry's rifle, but the youth and his comrades lay

close and were unharmed. Shif'less Sol and Tom were quick enough to catch glimpses of brown forms, at

"That's something," said Henry. "One or two Iroquois at least will not wear the scalp of white woman or child

"Wish they'd try to rush us," said Shif'less Sol. "I never felt so full of fight in my life before."

"They may try it," said Henry. "I understand that at the big battle of the Oriskany, farther up in the North, the

Iroquois would wait until a white man behind a tree would fire, then they would rush up and tomahawk him

"They don't know how fast we kin reload," said Long Jim, "an' they don't know that we've got these

"No, they don't," said Henry, "and it's a great thing for us to have them. Suppose we spread out a little. So

long as we keep them from getting a lodging on the solid earth we hold them at a great disadvantage."

Henry and Paul moved off a little toward the right, and the others toward the left. They still had good cover,

as fallen timber was scattered all over the oasis, and they were quite sure that another attack would be made

soon. It came in about fifteen minutes. The Iroquois suddenly fired a volley at the logs and brush, and when

the five returned the fire, but with more deadly effect, they leaped forward in the mud and attempted to rush

But the five reloaded so quickly that they were able to send in a second volley before the foremost of the

Iroquois could touch foot on solid earth. Then the double barreled pistols came into play. The bullets sent

from short range drove back the savages, who were amazed at such a deadly and continued fire. Henry caught

sight of a white face among these assailants, and he knew it to be that of Braxton Wyatt. Singularly enough

he was not amazed to see it there. Wyatt, sinking deeper and deeper into savagery and cruelty, was just the

one to lead the Iroquois in such a pursuit. He was a fit match for Walter Butler, the infamous son of the

Indian leader, who was soon to prove himself worse than the worst of the savages, as Thayendanegea himself

Henry drew a bead once on Braxton Wyatthe had no scruples now about shooting himbut just as he was

about to pull the trigger Wyatt darted behind a bush, and a Seneca instead received the bullet. He also saw the

renegade, Blackstaffe, but he was not able to secure a shot at him, either. Nevertheless, the Iroquois attack

was beaten back. It was a foregone conclusion that the result would be so, unless the force was in great

numbers. It is likely, also, that the Iroquois at first had thought only a single man was with the fugitives, not

Two of the Iroquois were slain at the very edge of the solid ground, but their bodies fell back in the slime,

and the others, retreating fast for their lives, could not carry them off. Paul, with a kind of fascinated horror,

watched the dead painted bodies sink deeper. Then one was entirely gone. The hand of the other alone was

left, and then it, too, was gone. But the five had held the island, and Carpenter was leading the fugitives on

toward Fort Penn. They had not only held it, but they believed that they could continue to hold it against

anything, and their hearts became exultant. Something, too, to balance against the long score, lay out there in

the swamp, and all the five, bitter over Wyoming, were sorry that Braxton Wyatt was not among them.

The stillness came again. The sun did not break through the heavy gray sky, and the somber shadows brooded

over "The Shades of Death." They heard again the splash of water animals, and a swimming snake passed on

the murky surface. Then they heard the wolf's long cry, and the long cry of wolf replying.

"More Iroquois coming," said Shif'less Sol." Well, we gave them a pretty warm how d'ye do, an' with our

"We can, except in one case," said Henry, " if the new party brings their numbers up to fifty or sixty, and they

wait for night, they can surround us in the darkness. Perhaps it would be better for us to slip away when

"A white flag," said Paul. A piece of cloth that had once been white had been hoisted on the barrel of a rifle at

"If it's Braxton Wyatt," said Long Jim, "I'd like to take a shot at him, talk or no talk, an' ef I missed, then take

"We'll see what they have to say," said Henry, and he called aloud: "What do you want with us?"

A tall figure was upraised upon a grassy hummock, and the hands were held aloft in sign of peace. It was a

splendid figure, at least six feet four inches in height. At that moment some rays of the setting sun broke

through the gray clouds and shone full upon it, lighting up the defiant scalp lock interwoven with the brilliant

red feather, the eagle face with the curved Roman beak, and the mighty shoulders and chest of red bronze. It

was a genuine king of the wilderness, none other than the mighty Timmendiquas himself, the great White

The five were amazed. Timmendiquas there! They were quite sure that he had come up with the second force,

and he was certain to prove a far more formidable leader than either Braxton Wyatt or Moses Blackstaffe. But

Henry stood up, raising himself to his full height. The same ruddy sunlight piercing the somber gray of the

clouds fell upon another splendid figure, a boy only in years, but far beyond the average height of man, his

hair yellow, his eyes a deep, clear blue, his body clothed in buckskin, and his whole attitude that of one

without fear. The two, the white and the red, kings of their kind, confronted each other across the marsh.

"What do you wish with me, Timmendiquas?" asked Henry. In the presence of the great Wyandot chief the

feeling of hate and revenge that had held his heart vanished. He knew that Paul and Shif'less Sol would have

sunk under the ruthless tomahawk of Queen Esther, if it had not been for White Lightning. He himself had

owed him his life on another and more distant occasion, and he was not ungrateful. So there was warmth in

"Let us meet at the edge of the solid ground," said Timmendiquas, "I have things to say that are important and

Henry walked without hesitation to the edge of the swamp, and the young chief, coming forward, met him.

Henry held out his hand in white fashion, and the young chief took it. There was no sound either from the

swamp or from those who lay behind the logs on the island, but some of the eyes of those hidden in the

"I wish to tell you, Ware," said Timmendiquas, speaking with the dignity becoming a great chief, "that it was

not I who led the pursuit of the white men's women and children. I, and the Wyandots who came with me,

fought as best we could in the great battle, and I will slay my enemies when I can. We are warriors, and we

are ready to face each other in battle, but we do not seek to kill the squaw in the tepee or the papoose in its

The face of the great chief seemed stirred by some deep emotion, which impressed Henry all the more

"I and my Wyandots," continued the chief, "followed a trail through the woods. We found that others,

Senecas and Mohawks, led by Wyatt and Blackstaffe, who are of your race, had gone before, and when we

came up there had just been a battle. The Mohawks and Senecas had been driven back. It was then we learned

that the trail was made by women and little children, save you and your comrades who stayed to fight and

"The Wyandots have remained in the East to fight men, not to kill squaws and papooses," continued

Timmendiquas. "So I say to you, go on with those who flee across the mountains. Our warriors shall not

pursue you any longer. We will turn back to the valley from which we come, and those of your race,

The great chief spoke quietly, but there was an edge to his tone that told that every word was meant. Henry

"They will. They have killed too much. Today all the white people in the valley are killed or driven away.

Many scalps have been taken, those of women and children, too, and men have died at the stake. I have felt

shame for their deeds, Ware, and it will bring punishment upon my brethren, the Iroquois. It will make so

great a noise in the world that many soldiers will come, and the villages of the Iroquois will cease to be."

"I think it is so, Timmendiquas," said Henry. "But you will be far away then in your own land."

"I shall remain with the Iroquois," he said. "I have promised to help them, and I must do so."

"I can't blame you for that," said Henry, "but I am glad that you do not seek the scalps of women and

White Lightning bowed gravely. He and Henry touched hands again, and each withdrew, the chief into the

morass, while Henry walked back toward his comrades, holding himself erect, as if no enemy were near.

The four rose up to greet him. They had heard part of what was said, and Henry quickly told them the rest.

"He's shorely a great chief," said Shif'less Sol. He'll keep his word, too. Them people on ahead ain't got

He's a statesman, too," said Henry. "He sees what damage the deeds of Wyoming Valley will do to those who

have done them. He thinks our people will now send a great army against the Iroquois, and I think so, too."

"No nation can stand a thing like that," said Paul, and I didn't dream it could happen."

They now left the oasis, and went swiftly along the trail left by the fugitives. All of them had confidence in

the word of Timmendiquas. There was a remote chance that some other band had entered the swamp at a

Night was now over the great swamp. The sun no longer came through the gray clouds, but here and there

were little flashes of flame made by fireflies. Had not the trail been so broad and deep it could easily have

been lost, but, being what it was, the skilled eyes of the frontiersmen followed it without trouble.

"Some uv 'em are gittin' pow'ful tired," said Tom Ross, looking at the tracks in the mud. Then he suddenly

A shallow grave, not an hour old, had been made under some bushes, and its length indicated that a woman

lay there. They passed it by in silence. Henry now appreciated more fully than ever the mercy of

Timmendiquas. The five and Carpenter could not possibly have protected the miserable fugitives against the

great chief, with fifty Wyandots and Iroquois at his back. Timmendiquas knew this, and he had done what

In another hour they saw a man standing among some vines, but watchful, and with his rifle in the hollow of

his arm. It was Carpenter, a man whose task was not less than that of the five. They were in the thick of it and

could see what was done, but he had to lead on and wait. He counted the dusk figures as they approached

him, one, two, three, four, five, and perhaps no man ever felt greater relief. He advanced toward them and

"There was a fight," said Henry, "and we beat them back; then a second and a larger force came up, but it was

composed chiefly of Wyandots, led by their great chief, Timmendiquas. He came forward and said that they

"It is more than Brant would have done," said Carpenter, "and it saves us, with your help."

"You were first, and the first credit is yours, Mr. Carpenter," said Henry sincerely.

They did not tell the women and children of the fight at the oasis, but they spread the news that there would

be no more pursuit, and many drooping spirits revived. They spent another day in the Great Dismal Swamp,

where more lives were lost. On the day after their emergence from the marsh, Henry and his comrades killed

two deer, which furnished greatly needed food, and on the day after that, excepting those who had died by the

The night before the fugitives reached Fort Penn, the Iroquois began the celebration of the Thanksgiving

Dance for their great victory and the many scalps taken at Wyoming. They could not recall another time

when they had secured so many of these hideous trophies, and they were drunk with the joy of victory. Many

of the Tories, some in their own clothes, and some painted and dressed like Indians, took part in it.

According to their ancient and honored custom they held a grand council to prepare for it. All the leading

chiefs were present, Sangerachte, Hiokatoo, and the others. Braxton Wyatt, Blackstaffe, and other white men

were admitted. After their deliberations a great fire was built in the center of the camp, the squaws who had

followed the army feeding it with brushwood until it leaped and roared and formed a great red pyramid. Then

Presently the sound of a loud chant was heard, and from the farthest point of the camp emerged a long line of

warriors, hundreds and hundreds of them, all painted in red and black with horrible designs. They were naked

except the breechcloth and moccasins, and everyone waved aloft a tomahawk as he sang.

Still singing and brandishing the tomahawks, which gleamed in the red light, the long procession entered the

open space, and danced and wheeled about the great fire, the flames casting a lurid light upon faces hideous

with paint or the intoxication of triumph. The glare of their black eyes was like those of Eastern eaters of

hasheesh or opium, and they bounded to and fro as if their muscles were springs of steel. They sang: We

have met the Bostonians* in battle, We slew them with our rifles and tomahawks. Few there are

[*Note: All the Americans were often called Bostonians by the Indians as late as the Revolutionary War.]

Mighty has been our taking of scalps, They will fill all the lodges of the Iroquois. We have burned the houses

The wolf will prowl in their cornfields, The grass will grow where their blood has soaked; Their bones will

We came upon them by river and forest; As we smote Wyoming we will smite the others, We will drive the

The monotonous chant with the refrain, "Evervictorious is the League of the Hodenosaunee," went on

for many verses. Meanwhile the old squaws never ceased to feed the bonfire, and the flames roared, casting a

deeper and more vivid light over the distorted faces of the dancers and those of the chiefs, who sat gravely

Higher and higher leaped the warriors. They seemed unconscious of fatigue, and the glare in their eyes

became that of maniacs. Their whole souls were possessed by the orgy. Beads of sweat, not of exhaustion,

but of emotional excitement, appeared upon their faces and naked bodies, and the red and black paint

For a long time this went on, and then the warriors ceased suddenly to sing, although they continued their

dance. A moment later a cry which thrilled every nerve came from a far point in the dark background. It was

the scalp yell, the most terrible of all Indian cries, long, highpitched, and quavering, having in it something

of the barking howl of the wolf and the fiendish shriek of a murderous maniac. The warriors instantly took it

A ghastly figure bounded into the circle of the firelight. It was that of a woman, middleaged, tall and

powerful, naked to the waist, her body covered with red and black paint, her long black hair hanging in a

loose cloud down her back. She held a fresh scalp, taken from a white head, aloft in either band. It was

Catharine Montour, and it was she who had first emitted the scalp yell. After her came more warriors, all

bearing scalps. The scalp yell was supposed to be uttered for every scalp taken, and, as they had taken more

than three hundred, it did not cease for hours, penetrating every part of the forest. All the time Catharine

Montour led the dance. None bounded higher than she. None grimaced more horribly.

While they danced, six men, with their hands tied behind them and black caps on their heads, were brought

forth and paraded around amid hoots and yells and brandishing of tomahawks in their faces. They were the

surviving prisoners, and the black caps meant that they were to be killed and scalped on the morrow.

Midnight came. The Iroquois still danced and sang, and the calm stars looked down upon the savage and

awful scene. Now the dancers began to weary. Many dropped unconscious, and the others danced about them

where they lay. After a while all ceased. Then the chiefs brought forth a white dog, which Hiokatoo killed

and threw on the embers of the fire. When it was thoroughly roasted, the chiefs cut it in pieces and ate it.

When the survivors of the band of Wyoming fugitives that the five had helped were behind the walls of Fort

Penn, securing the food and rest they needed so greatly, Henry Ware and his comrades felt themselves

relieved of a great responsibility. They were also aware how much they owed to Timmendiquas, because few

of the Indians and renegades would have been so forbearing. Thayendanegea seemed to them inferior to the

great Wyandot. Often when Brant could prevent the torture of the prisoners and the slaughter of women and

children, he did not do it. The five could never forget these things in after life, when Brant was glorified as a

great warrior and leader. Their minds always turned to Timmendiquas as the highest and finest of Indian

While they were at Fort Penn two other parties came, in a fearful state of exhaustion, and also having paid the

usual toll of death on the way. Other groups reached the Moravian towns, where they were received with all

kindness by the German settlers. The five were able to give some help to several of these parties, but the

beautiful Wyoming Valley lay utterly in ruins. The ruthless fury of the savages and of many of the Tories,

Canadians, and Englishmen, can scarcely be told. Everything was slaughtered or burned. As a habitation of

human beings or of anything pertaining to human beings, the valley for a time ceased to be. An entire

population was either annihilated or driven out, and finally Butler's army, finding that nothing more was left

to be destroyed, gathered in its war parties and marched northward with a vast store of spoils, in which scalps

were conspicuous. When they repassed Tioga Point, Timmendiquas and his Wyandots were still with them.

Thayendanegea was also with them here, and so was Walter Butler, who was destined shortly to make a

reputation equaling that of his father, "Indian" Butler. Nor had the terrible Queen Esther ever left them. She

marched at the head of the army, singing, horrid chants of victory, and swinging the great war tomahawk,

The whole force was reembarked upon the Susquehanna, and it was still full of the impulse of savage

triumph. Wild Indian songs floated along the stream or through the meadows, which were quiet now. They

advanced at their ease, knowing that there was nobody to attack them, but they were watched by five

woodsmen, two of whom were boys. Meanwhile the story of Wyoming, to an extent that neither Indians nor

woodsmen themselves suspected, was spreading from town to town in the East, to invade thence the whole

civilized world, and to stir up an indignation and horror that would make the name Wyoming long

memorable. Wyoming had been a victory for the flag under which the invaders fought, but it sadly tarnished

Henry Ware, Paul Cotter, Sol Hyde, Tom Ross, and Jim Hart were thinking little of distant consequences, but

they were eager for the present punishment of these men who had committed so much cruelty. From the

bushes they could easily follow the canoes, and could recognize some of their occupants. In one of the rear

boats sat Braxton Wyatt and a young man whom they knew to be Walter Butler, a pallid young man,

animated by the most savage ferocity against the patriots. He and Wyatt seemed to be on the best of terms,

and faint echoes of their laughter came to the five who were watching among the bushes on the river bank.

"Henry," said Shif'less Sol longingly, "I think I could jest about reach Braxton Wyatt with a bullet from here.

I ain't over fond o' shootin' from ambush, but I done got over all scruples so fur ez he's concerned. Jest one

bullet, one little bullet, Henry, an' ef I miss I won't ask fur a second chance."

"No, Sol, it won't do," said Henry. "They'd get off to hunt us. The whole fleet would be stopped, and we want

"I s'pose you're right, Henry," said the shiftless one sadly, "but I'd jest like to try it once. I'd give a month's

After watching the BritishIndian fleet passing up the river, they turned back to the site of the Wyoming fort

and the houses near it. Here everything had been destroyed. It was about dusk when they approached the

I think we'd better turn away," said Henry. " We couldn't do anything with so many."

They agreed with him, and, going back, followed the Indians up the Susquehanna. A light rain fell that night,

but they slept under a little shed, once attached to a house which had been destroyed by fire. In some way the

shed had escaped the flames, and it now came into timely use. The five, cunning in forest practice, drew up

brush on the sides, and halfburned timber also, and, spreading their blankets on ashes which had not long

been cold, lay well sheltered from the drizzling rain, although they did not sleep for a long time.

It was the hottest period of the year in America, but the night had come on cool, and the rain made it cooler.

The five, profiting by experience, often carried with them two light blankets instead of one heavy one. With

one blanket beneath the body they could keep warmer in case the weather was cold.

Now they lay in a row against the standing wall of the old outhouse, protected by a six or sevenfoot slant

of board roof. They had eaten of a deer that they had shot in the morning, and they had a sense of comfort and

rest that none of them had known before in many days. Henry's feelings were much like those that he had

experienced when he lay in the bushes in the little canoe, wrapped up from the storm and hidden from the

Iroquois. But here there was an important increase of pleasure, the pattering of the rain on the board roof, a

pleasant, soothing sound to which millions of boys, many of them afterwards great men, have listened in

It grew very dark about them, and the pleasant patter, almost musical in its rhythm, kept up. Not much wind

was blowing, and it, too, was melodious. Henry lay with his head on a little heap of ashes, which was covered

by his under blanket, and, for the first time since he had brought the warning to Wyoming, he was free from

all feeling of danger. The picture itself of the battle, the defeat, the massacre, the torture, and of the savage

Queen Esther cleaving the heads of the captives, was at times as vivid as ever, and perhaps would always

return now and then in its original true colors, but the periods between, when youth, hope, and strength had

Now Henry's eyelids sank lower and lower. Physical comfort and the presence of his comrades caused a deep

satisfaction that permeated his whole being. The light wind mingled pleasantly with the soft summer rain.

The sound of the two grew strangely melodious, almost piercingly sweet, and then it seemed to be human.

They sang together, the wind and rain, among the leaves, and the note that reached his heart, rather than his

ear, thrilled him with courage and hope. Once more the invisible voice that had upborne him in the great

valley of the Ohio told him, even here in the ruined valley of Wyoming, that what was lost would be

regained. The chords ended, and the echoes, amazingly clear, floated far away in the darkness and rain.

Henry roused himself, and came from the imaginative borderland. He stirred a little, and said in a quiet voice

"I guess you didn't hear anything either, Henry," continued the shiftless one, "'cause it looked to me that you

He was beginning to realize that he had a great power, or rather gift. Paul was the sensitive, imaginative boy,

seeing everything in brilliant colors, a great builder of castles, not all of air, but Henry's gift went deeper. It

was the power to evoke the actual living picture of the event that bad not yet occurred, something akin in its

nature to prophecy, based perhaps upon the wonderful power of observation, inherited doubtless, from

countless primitive ancestors. The finest product of the wilderness, he saw in that wilderness many things that

others did not see, and unconsciously he drew his conclusions from superior knowledge.

The song had ceased a full ten minutes, and then came another note, a howl almost plaintive, but,

nevertheless, weird and full of ferocity. All knew it at once. They had heard the cry of wolves too often in

their lives, but this had an uncommon note like the yell of the Indian in victory. Again the cry arose, nearer,

haunting, and powerful. The five, used to the darkness, could see one another's faces, and the look that all

"It has been a great day for the wolf in this valley," whispered Paul, "and striking our trail they think they are

"Yes," nodded Henry, "but do you remember that time when in the house we took the place of the man, his

The five rose up to sitting positions against the board wall, and everyone held across his knees a long, slender

barreled rifle, with the muzzle pointing toward the forest. All accomplished marksmen, it would only be a

matter of a moment for the stock to leap to the shoulder, the eye to glance down the barrel, the finger to pull

Presently in the darkness they heard the pattering of light feet, and they saw many gleaming eyes draw near.

There must have been at least thirty of the wolves, and the five figures that they saw reclining, silent and

motionless, against the unburned portion of the house might well have been those of the dead and scalped,

whom they had found in such numbers everywhere. They drew near in a semicircular group, its concave front

extended toward the fire, the greatest wolves at the center. Despite many feastings, the wolves were hungry

again. Nothing had opposed them before, but caution was instinctive. The big gray leaders did not mind the

night or the wind or the rain, which they had known all their lives, and which they counted as nothing, but

they always had involuntary suspicion of human figures, whether living or not, and they approached slowly,

wrinkling back their noses and sniffing the wind which blew from them instead of the five figures. But their

confidence increased as they advanced. They had found many such burned houses as this, but they had found

The big leaders advanced more boldly, glaring straight at the human figures, a slight froth on their lips, the

lips themselves curling back farther from the strong white teeth. The outer ends of the concave semicircle

also drew in. The whole pack was about to spring upon its unresisting prey, and it is, no doubt, true that many

a wolfish pulse beat a little higher in anticipation. With a suddenness as startling as it was terrifying the five

figures raised themselves, five long, dark tubes leaped to their shoulders, and with a suddenness that was yet

more terrifying, a gush of flame shot from five muzzles. Five of the wolvesand they were the biggest and

the boldest, the leadersfell dead upon the ashes of the charred timbers, and the others, howling their terror to

"I suppose we only gratified a kind of sentiment in shooting those wolves," he said, " but I for one am glad

They went back to their positions near the wall, and one by one fell asleep. No more wolves howled that

When the five awakened the next morning the rain had ceased, and a splendid sun was tinting a blue sky with

gold. Jim Hart built a fire among the blackened logs, and cooked venison. They had also brought from Fort

Penn a little coffee, which Long Jim carried with a small coffee pot in his camp kit, and everyone had a small

tin cup. He made coffee for them, an uncommon wilderness luxury, in which they could rarely indulge, and

Then they went again up the valley, as beautiful as ever, with its silver river in the center, and its green

mountain walls on either side. But the beauty was for the eye only. It did not reach the hearts of those who

had seen it before. All of the five loved the wilderness, but they felt now how tragic silence and desolation

It was midsummer, but the wilderness was already reclaiming its own. The game knew that man was gone,

and it had come back into the valley. Deer ate what had grown in the fields and gardens, and the wolves were

everywhere. The whole black tragedy was written for miles. They were never out of sight of some trace of it,

and their anger grew again as they advanced in the blackened path of the victorious Indians.

It was their purpose now to hang on the Indian flank as scouts and skirmishers, until an American army was

formed for a campaign against the Iroquois, which they were sure must be conducted sooner or later.

Meanwhile they could be of great aid, gathering news of the Indian plans, and, when that army of which they

dreamed should finally march, they could help it most of all by warning it of ambush, the Indian's deadliest

Everyone of the five had already perceived a fact which was manifest in all wars with the Indians along the

whole border from North to South, as it steadily shifted farther West. The practical hunter and scout was

always more than a match for the Indian, man for man, but, when the raw levies of settlers were hastily

gathered to stem invasion, they were invariably at a great disadvantage. They were likely to be caught in

ambush by overwhelming numbers, and to be cut down, as had just happened at Wyoming. The same fate

might attend an invasion of the Iroquois country, even by a large army of regular troops, and Henry and his

comrades resolved upon doing their utmost to prevent it. An army needed eyes, and it could have none better

than those five pairs. So they went swiftly up the valley and northward and eastward, into the country of the

Iroquois. They had a plan of approaching the upper Mohawk village of Canajoharie, where one account says

that Thayendanegea was born, although another credits his birthplace to the upper banks of the Ohio.

They turned now from the valley to the deep woods. The trail showed that the great Indian force, after

disembarking again, split into large parties, everyone loaded with spoil and bound for its home village. The

five noted several of the trails, but one of them consumed the whole attention of Silent Tom Ross.

He saw in the soft soil near a creek bank the footsteps of about eight Indians, and, mingled with them, other

footsteps, which he took to be those of a white woman and of several children, captives, as even a tyro would

infer. The soul of Tom, the good, honest, and inarticulate frontiersman, stirred within him. A white woman

and her children being carried off to savagery, to be lost forevermore to their kind! Tom, still inarticulate, felt

his heart pierced with sadness at the tale that the tracks in the soft mud told so plainly. But despair was not

The young leader read the forest page, and it told him exactly the same tale that it had told Tom Ross.

"I think I do," said Henry, " and we ought to overtake them by tomorrow night. You tell the others, Tom."

Tom informed Shif'less Sol, Paul, and Long Jim in a few words, receiving from everyone a glad assent, and

then the five followed fast on the trail. They knew that the Indians could not go very fast, as their speed must

be that of the slowest, namely, that of the children, and it seemed likely that Henry's prediction of overtaking

It was an easy trail. Here and there were tiny fragments of cloth, caught by a bush from the dress of a captive.

In one place they saw a fragment of a child's shoe that had been dropped off and abandoned. Paul picked up

"I think it was worn by a girl," he said, "and, judging from its size, she could not have been more than eight

years old. Think of a child like that being made to walk five or six hundred miles through these woods!"

"Younger ones still have had to do it," said Shif'less Sol gravely, "an' them that couldn'twell, the

The trail was leading them toward the Seneca country, and they had no doubt that the Indians were Senecas,

who had been more numerous than any others of the Six Nations at the Wyoming battle. They came that

afternoon to a camp fire beside which the warriors and captives had slept the night before.

"They ate bar meat an' wild turkey," said Long Jim, looking at some bones on the ground.

"An' here," said Tom Ross, "on this pile uv bushes is whar the women an' children slept, an' on the other side

uv the fire is whar the warriors lay anywhars. You can still see how the bodies uv some uv 'cm crushed down

"An' I'm thinkin'," said Shif'less Sol, as he looked at the trail that led away from the camp fire, "that some o'

them little ones wuz gittin' pow'ful tired. Look how these here little trails are wobblin' about."

"Hope we kin come up afore the Injuns begin to draw thar tomahawks," said Tom Ross.

The others were silent, but they knew the dreadful significance of Tom's remark, and Henry glanced at them

"It's the greatest danger to be feared," he said, "and we must overtake them in the night when they are not

suspecting. If we attack by day they will tomahawk the captives the very first thing."

"Then," said Henry, " we don't need to hurry. "We'll go on until about midnight, and then sleep until sunrise."

They continued at a fair pace along a trail that frontiersmen far less skillful than they could have followed.

But a silent dread was in the heart of every one of them. As they saw the path of the small feet staggering

"Yes," said Henry, "but the mother has picked it up and is carrying it. See how her trail has suddenly grown

At the appointed time they sank down among the thickest bushes that they could find, and slept until the first

upshot of dawn. Then they resumed the trail, haunted always by that fear of finding something terrible beside

it. But it was a trail that continually grew slower. The Indians themselves were tired, or, feeling safe from

pursuit, saw no need of hurry. By and by the trail of the smallest child reappeared.

They came to another camp fire, at which the ashes were not yet cold. Feathers were scattered about,

indicating that the Indians had taken time for a little side hunt, and had shot some birds.

"They can't be more than two or three hours ahead," said Henry, "and we'll have to go on now very

They were in a country of high hills, well covered with forests, a region suited to an ambush, which they

feared but little on their own account; but, for the sake of extreme caution, they now advanced slowly. The

afternoon was long and warm, but an hour before sunset they looked over a hill into a glade, and saw the

The sight they beheld made the pulses of the five throb heavily. The Indians had already built their fire, and

two of them were cooking venison upon it. Others were lying on the grass, apparently resting, but a little to

one side sat a woman, still young and of large, strong figure, though now apparently in the last stages of

exhaustion, with her feet showing through the fragments of shoes that she wore. Her head was bare, and her

dress was in strips. Four children lay beside her' the youngest two with their heads in her lap. The other two,

who might be eleven and thirteen each, had pillowed their heads on their arms, and lay in the dull apathy that

comes from the finish of both strength and hope. The woman's face was pitiful. She had more to fear than the

children, and she knew it. She was so worn that the skin hung loosely on her face, and her eyes showed

"I don't like to shoot from ambush," he said, "but we could cut down half of those warriors at our firs fire and

"And those we didn't cut down at our first volley would tomahawk the woman and children in an instant,"

replied Henry. " We agreed, you know, that it would be sure to happen. We can't do anything until night

Paul could not dispute the truth of his words, and they withdrew carefully to the crest of a hill, where they lay

in the undergrowth, watching the Indians complete their fire and their preparations for the night. It was

evident to Henry that they considered themselves perfectly safe. Certainly they had every reason for thinking

so. It was not likely that white enemies were within a hundred miles of them, and, if so, it could only be a

wandering hunter or two, who would flee from this fierce band of Senecas who bad taken revenge for the

They kept very little watch and built only a small fire, just enough for broiling deer meat which they carried.

They drank at a little spring which ran from under a ledge near them, and gave portions of the meat to the

woman and children. After the woman had eaten, they bound her hands, and she lay back on the grass, about

twenty feet from the camp fire. Two children lay on either side of her, and they were soon sound asleep. The

warriors, as Indians will do when they are free from danger and care, talked a good deal, and showed all the

signs of having what was to them a luxurious time. They ate plentifully, lolled on the grass, and looked at

some hideous trophies, the scalps that they carried at their belts. The woman could not keep from seeing

these, too, but her face did not change from its stony aspect of despair. Then the light of the fire went out, the

sun sank behind the mountains, and the five could no longer see the little group of captives and captors.

They still waited, although eagerness and impatience were tugging at the hearts of every one of them. But

they must give the Indians time to fall asleep if they would secure rescue, and not merely revenge. They

remained in the bushes, saying but little and eating of venison that they carried in their knapsacks.

They let a full three hours pass, and the night remained dark, but with a faint moon showing. Then they

descended slowly into the valley, approaching by cautious degrees the spot where they knew the Indian camp

lay. This work required at least three quarters of an hour, and they reached a point where they could see the

embers of the fire and the dark figures lying about it. The Indians, their suspicions lulled, had put out no

sentinels, and all were asleep. But the five knew that, at the first shot, they would be as wide awake as if they

had never slept, and as formidable as tigers. Their problem seemed as great as ever. So they lay in the bushes

"It's this," said Henry. " We want to save the woman and the children from the tomahawks, and to do so we

must get them out of range of the blade before the battle begins." "How?" said Tom Ross.

"I've got to slip up, release the woman, arm her, tell her to run for the woods with the children, and then you

I can, as I will soon show you. I'm going to steal forward to the woman, but the moment you four hear an

alarm open with your rifles and pistols. You can come a little nearer without being heard."

All of them moved up close to the Indian camp, and lay hidden in the last fringe of bushes except Henry. He

lay almost flat upon the ground, carrying his rifle parallel with his side, and in his right hand. He was

undertaking one of the severest and most dangerous tests known to a frontiersman. He meant to crawl into the

very midst of a camp of the Iroquois, composed of the most alert woodsmen in the world, men who would

spring up at the slightest crackle in the brush. Woodmen who, warned by some sixth sense, would awaken at

The four who remained behind in the bushes could not keep their hearts from beating louder and faster. They

knew the tremendous risk undertaken by their comrade, but there was not one of them who would have

shirked it, had not all yielded it to the one whom they knew to be the best fitted for the task.

Henry crept forward silently, bringing to his aid all the years of skill that he had acquired in his life in the

wilds. His body was like that of a serpent, going forward, coil by coil. He was near enough now to see the

embers of the fire not yet quite dead, the dark figures scattered about it, sleeping upon the grass with the long

ease of custom, and then the outline of the woman apart from the others with the children about her. Henry

now lay entirely flat, and his motions were genuinely those of a serpent. It was by a sort of contraction and

relaxation of the body that he moved himself, and his progress was absolutely soundless.

The object of his advance was the woman. He saw by the faint light of the moon that she was not yet asleep.

Her face, worn and weather beaten, was upturned to the skies, and the stony look of despair seemed to have

settled there forever. She lay upon some pine boughs, and her hands were tied behind her for the night with

Henry contorted himself on, inch by inch, for all the world like a great snake. Now he passed the sleeping

Senecas, hideous with war paint, and came closer to the woman. She was not paying attention to anything

about her, but was merely looking up at the pale, cold stars, as if everything in the world had ceased for her.

Henry crept a little nearer. He made a slight noise, as of a lizard running through the grass, but the woman

took no notice. He crept closer, and. there he lay flat upon the grass within six feet of her, his figure merely a

slightly darker blur against the dark blur of the earth. Then, trusting to the woman's courage and strength of

mind, he emitted a hiss very soft and low, like the warning of a serpent, half in fear and half in anger.

The woman moved a little, and looked toward the point from which the sound had come. It might have been

the formidable hiss of a coiling rattlesnake that she heard, but she felt no fear. She was too much stunned, too

near exhaustion to be alarmed by anything, and she did not look a second time. She merely settled back on

the pine boughs, and again looked dully up at the pale, cold stars that cared so little for her or hers.

Henry crept another yard nearer, and then he uttered that low noise, sibilant and warning, which the woman,

the product of the border, knew to be made by a human being. She raised herself a little, although it was

difficult with her bound hands to sit upright, and saw a dark shadow approaching her. That dark shadow she

knew to he the figure of a man. An Indian would not be approaching in such a manner, and she looked again,

startled into a sudden acute attention, and into a belief that the incredible, the impossible, was about to

happen. A voice came from the figure, and its quality was that of the white voice, not the red.

"Do not move," said that incredible voice out of the unknown. "I have come for your rescue, and others who

have come for the same purpose are near. Turn on one side, and I will cut the bonds that hold your arms."

The voice, the white voice, was like the touch of fire to Mary Newton. A sudden fierce desire for life and for

the lives of her four children awoke within her just when hope had gone the call to life came. She had never

heard before a voice so full of cheer and encouragement. It penetrated her whole being. Exhaustion and

She turned obediently, and then felt the sharp edge of cold steel as it swept between her wrists and cut the

thongs that held them together. Her arms fell apart, and strength permeated every vein of her being.

"We shall attack in a few moments," said the voice, "but at the first shots the Senecas will try to tomahawk

She held out both hands obediently. The handle of a tomahawk was pressed into one, and the muzzle of a

doublebarreled pistol into the other. Strength flowed down each hand into her body.

"If the time comes, use them; you are strong, and you know how," said the voice. Then she saw the dark

The story of the frontier is filled with heroines, from the far days of Hannah Dustin down to the present, and

Mary Newton, whom the unknown figure in the dark had just aroused, is one of them. It had seemed to her

that God himself had deserted her, but at the last moment he had sent some one. She did not doubt, she could

not doubt, because the bonds had been severed, and there she lay with a deadly weapon in either hand. The

friendly stranger who had come so silently was gone as he had come, but she was not helpless now. Like

many another frontier woman, she was naturally lithe and powerful, and, stirred by a great hope, all her

Nobody who lives in the wilderness can wholly escape superstition, and Mary Newton began to believe that

some supernatural creature had intervened in her behalf. She raised herself just a little on one elbow and

surveyed the surrounding thicket. She saw only the dead embers of the fire, and the dark forms of the Indians

lying upon the bare ground. Had it not been for the knife and pistol in her hand, she could have believed that

There was a slight rustling in the thicket, and a Seneca rose quickly to his knees, grasping his rifle in both

hands. The woman's fingers clutched the knife and pistol more tightly, and her whole gaunt figure trembled.

The Seneca listened only a moment. Then he gave a sharp cry, and all the other warriors sprang up. But three

of them rose only to fall again, as the rifles cracked in the bushes, while two others staggered from wounds.

The triumphant shout of the frontiersmen came from the thicket, and then they rushed upon the camp. Quick

as a flash two of the Senecas started toward the woman and children with their tomahawks, but Mary Newton

was ready. Her heart had leaped at the shots when the Senecas fell, and she kept her courage. Now she sprang

to her full height, and, with the children screaming at her feet, fired one barrel of the pistol directly into the

face of the first warrior, and served the second in the same way with the other barrel when he was less than

four feet away. Then, tomahawk in hand, she rushed forward. In judging Mary Newton, one must consider

But happily there was no need for her to use her tomahawk. As the five rushed in, four of them emptied their

doublebarreled pistols, while Henry swung his clubbed rifle with terrible effect. It was too much for the

Senecas. The apparition of the armed woman, whom they had left bound, and the deadly fire from the five

figures that sprang upon them, was like a blow from the hand of Aieroski. The unhurt and wounded fled deep

into the forest, leaving their dead behind. Mary Newton, her great deed done, collapsed from emotion and

weakness. The screams of the children sank in a few moments to frightened whimpers. But the oldest, when

Paul brought water from the brook in his cap, and Mary Newton was revived; Jim was reassuring the

children, and the other three were in the thickets, watching lest the surviving Senecas return for attack.

"I don't know who you are, but I think the good God himself must have sent you to our rescue," said Mary

"We don't know," said Paul, "but we are doing the best we can. Do you think you can walk now?"

"Away from the savages? Yes!" she said passionately. She looked down at the dead figures of the Senecas,

and she did not feel a single trace of pity for them. Again it is necessary to consider time and place.

"Some of my strength came back while I was lying here," she said, "and much more of it when you drove

"Very well," said Henry, who had returned to the dead camp fire with his comrades, "we must start on the

back trail at once. The surviving Senecas, joined by other Iroquois, will certainly pursue, and we need all the

Long Jim picked up one of the two younger children and flung him over his shoulder; Tom Ross did as much

for the other, but the older two scorned help. They were full of admiration for the great woodsmen, mighty

heroes who had suddenly appeared out of the air, as it were, and who had swept like a tornado over the

But Mary Newton, with her strength and courage, had also recovered her forethought.

"Maybe it will not be better to go on the back trail," she said. "One of the Senecas told me today that six or

seven miles farther on was a river flowing into the Susquehanna, and that they would cross this river on a

boat now concealed among bushes on the bank. The crossing was at a sudden drop between high banks.

Might not we go on, find the boat, and come back in it down the river and into the Susquehanna?"

"That sounds mighty close to wisdom to me," said Shif'less Sol. "Besides, it's likely to have the advantage o'

throwin' the Iroquois off our track. They'll think, o' course, that we've gone straight back, an' we'll pass 'em ez

"It's certainly the best plan," said Henry, "and it's worth our while to try for that hidden boat of the Iroquois.

"Then we'll make a curve to the right, in order to avoid any Iroquois who may be returning to this camp, and

Henry led the way over hilly, rough ground, and the others followed in a silent file, Long Jim and Tom still

carrying the two smallest children, who soon fell asleep on their shoulders. Henry did not believe that the

returning Iroquois could follow their trail on such a dark night, and the others agreed with him.

After a while they saw the gleam of water. Henry knew that it must be very near, or it would have been

"I think, Mrs. Newton," he said, "that this is the river of which you spoke, and the cliffs seem to drop down

"Yes," she said, "you've done well with my poor guess, and the boat must be hidden somewhere near here."

Then she sank down with exhaustion, and the two older children, unable to walk farther, sank down beside

her. But the two who slept soundly on the shoulders of Long Jim and Tom Ross did not awaken. Henry

motioned to Jim and Tom to remain there, and Shif'less Sol bent upon them a quizzical and approving look.

"Didn't think it was in you, Jim Hart, you old hornyhanded galoot," he said, "carryin' a baby that tender.

Knew Jim could sling a little black bar 'roun' by the tail, but I didn't think you'd take to nussin' so easy."

"I'd luv you to know, Sol Hyde," said Jim Hart in a tone of high condescension, "that Tom Ross an' me are

civilized human bein's. In face uv danger we are ez brave ez forty thousand lions, but with the little an' the

"Well," said the shiftless one, "I can't argify with you now, ez the general hez called on his colonel, which is

me, an' his major, which is Paul, to find him a nice new boat like one o' them barges o' Clepatry that Paul tells

about, all solid silver, with red silk sails an' gold oars, an' we're meanin' to do it."

Fortune was with them, and in a quarter of an hour they discovered, deep among bushes growing in the

shallow water, a large, wellmade boat with two pairs of oars and with small supplies of parched corn and

"Good luck an' bad luck come mixed," said the shiftless one, "an' this is shorely one o' our pieces o' good

luck. The woman an' the children are clean tuckered out, an' without this boat we could never hev got them

"Paul and I will pull her out to the edge of the clear water," said Henry, "while you can go back and tell the

"That just suits a lazy man," said Sol, and he walked away jauntily. Under his apparent frivolity he concealed

his joy at the find, which he knew to be of such vast importance. He approached the dusky group, and his

really tender heart was stirred with pity for the rescued captives. Long Jim and Silent Tom held the smaller

two on their shoulders, but the older ones and the woman, also, had fallen asleep. Sol, in order to conceal his

"Find anything?" repeated Shif'less Sol. "Well, Long Jim an' Tom here might never hev found anything, but

Henry an' Paul an' me, three eddicated men, scholars, I might say, wuz jest natcherally bound to find it

whether it wuz thar or not. Yes, we've unearthed what Paul would call an argosy, the grandest craft that ever

floated on this here creek, that I never saw before, an' that I don't know the name uv. She's bein' floated out

now, an' I, the Gran' Hidalgo an' Majordomo, hev come to tell the princes and princesses, an' the dukes and

dukesses, an' all the other gran' an' mighty passengers, that the barge o' the Dog o' Venice is in the stream, an'

"Sol," said Long Jim, "you do talk a power uv foolishness, with your Dogs an' Pups."

"It ain't foolishness," rejoined the shiftless one. "I heard Paul read it out o' a book oncet, plain ez day. They've

been ruled by Dogs at Venice for more than a thousand years, an' on big 'casions the Dog comes down a canal

in a golden barge, settin' on the Pup. I'll admit it 'pears strange to me, too, but who are you an' me, Jim Hart,

to question the ways of foreign countries, thousands o' miles on the other side o' the sea?"

"It is," replied Shif'less Sol, "an' Henry an' Paul are in it, waitin' fur us. We're thinkin', Mrs. Newton, that the

In another five minutes all were in the boat, which was a really fine one, and they were delighted. Mary

Newton for the first time broke down and wept, and no one disturbed her. The five spread the blankets on the

bottom of the boat, where the children soon went to sleep once more, and Tom Ross and Shif'less Sol took

"Back in a boat ag'in," said the shiftless one exultantly. "Makes me feel like old times. My fav'rite mode o'

It was indeed a wonderful change to these people worn by the wilderness. They lay at ease now, while two

pairs of powerful arms, with scarcely an effort, propelled the boat along the stream. The woman herself lay

down on the blankets and fell asleep with the children. Henry at the prow, Tom Ross at the stern, and Paul

amidships watched in silence, but with their rifles across their knees. They knew that the danger was far

from over. Other Indians were likely to use this stream, unknown to them, as a highway, and those who

survived of their original captors could pick up their trail by daylight. And the Senecas, being mad for

revenge, would surely get help and follow. Henry believed that the theory of returning toward the Wyoming

Valley was sound. That region had been so thoroughly ravaged now that all the Indians would be going

northward. If they could float down a day or so without molestation, they would probably be safe. The creek,

or, rather, little river, broadened, flowing with a smooth, fairly swift current. The forest on either side was

dense with oak, hickory, maple, and other splendid trees, often with a growth of underbrush. The three

riflemen never ceased to watch intently. Henry always looked ahead. It would have been difficult for any

ambushed marksman to have escaped his notice. But nothing occurred to disturb them. Once a deer came

down to drink, and fled away at sight of the phantom boat gliding almost without noise on the still waters.

Once the far scream of a panther came from the woods, but Mary Newton and her children, sleeping soundly,

did not hear it. The five themselves knew the nature of the sound, and paid no attention. The boat went

steadily on, the three riflemen never changing their position, and soon the day began to come. Little arrows of

golden light pierced through the foliage of the trees, and sparkled on the surface of the water. In the cast the

red sun was coming from his nightly trip. Henry looked down at the sleepers. They were overpowered by

Then he and Jim Hart took the oars, and the shiftless one and Tom Ross resumed their rifles. The day was

No one of the five had slept during the night. They did not feel the need of sleep, and they were upborne, too,

by a great exaltation. They had saved the prisoners thus far from a horrible fate, and they were firmly

resolved to reach, with them, some strong settlement and safety. They felt, too, a sense of exultation over

Brant, Sangerachte, Hiokatoo, the Butlers, the Johnsons, Wyatt, and all the crew that had committed such

The full day clothed the earth in a light that turned from silver to gold, and the woman and the children still

slept. The five chewed some strips of venison, and looked rather lugubriously at the pieces they were saving

"We ought to hev more'n that," said Shif'less Sol. Ef the worst comes to the worst, we've got to land

"But not yet," said Henry in a whisper, lest he wake the sleepers. "I think we'll come into the Susquehanna

pretty soon, and its width will be a good thing for us. I wish we were there now. I don't like this narrow

"Anyway, the creek is broadenin' out fast," said the shiftless one, "an' that is a good sign., What's that you see

"It surely is," replied Henry, who caught sight of a broad expanse of water, "and it's the Susquehanna. Pull

It was less than five when they turned into the current of the Susquehanna, and less than five more when they

heard a shout behind them, and saw at least a dozen canoes following. The canoes were filled with Indians

All knew that Henry and Shif'less Sol were the best shots, and, without a word, Long Jim and Tom, both

powerful and skilled watermen, swung heavily on the oars, while Henry and Shif'less Sol sat in the rear with

their rifles ready. Mary Newton awoke with a cry at the sound of the shots, and started to rise, but Paul

"We're on the Susquehanna now, Mrs. Newton," he said, " and we are pursued. The Indians and Tories have

just seen us, but don't be afraid. The two who are watching there are the best shots in the world."

He looked significantly at Henry and Shif'less Sol, crouching in the stern of the boat like great warriors from

some mighty past, kings of the forest whom no one could overcome, and her courage came back. The

children, too, had awakened with frightened cries, but she and Paul quickly soothed them, and, obedient to

commands, the four, and Mary Newton with them, lay flat upon the bottom of the boat, which was now being

sent forward rapidly by Jim Hart and Tom. Paul took up his rifle and sat in a waiting attitude, either to relieve

The clear sun made forest and river vivid in its light. The Indians, after their first cry, made no sound, but so

powerful were Long Jim and Tom that they were gaining but little, although some of the boats contained six

As the light grew more intense Henry made out the two white faces in the first boat. One was that of Braxton

Wyatt, and the other, he was quite sure, belonged to the infamous Walter Butler. Hot anger swept through all

his veins, and the little pulses in his temples began to beat like trip hammers. Now the picture of Wyoming,

the battle, the massacre, the torture, and Queen Esther wielding her great tomahawk on the bound captives,

grew astonishingly vivid, and it was printed blood red on his brain. The spirit of anger and defiance, of a

"Are you there, Braxton Wyatt?" he called clearly across the intervening water. "Yes, I see that it is you,

murderer of women and children, champion of the fire and stake, as savage as any of the savages. And it is

you, too, Walter Butler, wickeder son of a wicked father. Come a little closer, won't you? We've messengers

He tapped lightly the barrel of his own rifle and that of Shif'less Sol, and repeated his request that they come

They understood his words, and they understood, also, the significant gesture when he patted the barrel of the

rifles. The hearts of both Butler and Wyatt were for the moment afraid, and their boat dropped back to third

place. Henry laughed aloud when he saw. The Viking rage was still upon him. This was the primeval

"I see that you don't want to receive our little messengers," he cried. "Why have you dropped back to third

place in the line, Braxton Wyatt and Walter Butler, when you were first only a moment ago? Are you

"That's pow'ful good talk," said Shif'less Sol admiringly. "Henry, you're a real orator. Give it to 'em, an'

It seemed that Henry's words had an effect, because the boat of the renegades pulled up somewhat, although

The Indian fleet was gaining a little, and Shif'less Sol called Henry's attention to it.

"Don't you think I'd better take a shot at one o' them rowers in the first boat?" he said to Henry. "Wyatt an'

"I think it would give them a good hint, Sol!" said Henry. "Take that fellow on the right who is pulling so

The shiftless one raised his rifle, lingered but a little over his aim, and pulled the trigger. The rower whom

Henry had pointed out fell back in the boat, his hands slipping from the handles of his oars. The boat was

thrown into confusion, and dropped back in the race. Scattering shots were fired in return, but all fell short,

Henry, who had caught something of the Indian nature in his long stay among them in the northwest, laughed

"That was one of our little messengers, and it found a listener!" he shouted. "And I see that you are afraid,

Braxton Wyatt and Walter Butler, murderers of women and children! Why don't you keep your proper places

"That's the way to talk to 'em," whispered Shif'less Sol, as he reloaded. "Keep it up, an' mebbe we kin git a

chance at Braxton Wyatt hisself. Since Wyoming I'd never think o' missin' sech a chance."

"Nor I, either," said Henry, and he resumed in his powerful tones: "The place of a leader is in front, isn't it?

Braxton Wyatt and Walter Butler did not come up. They were not lacking in courage, but Wyatt knew what

deadly marksmen the fugitive boat contained, and he had also told Butler. So they still hung back, although

they raged at Henry Ware's taunts, and permitted the Mohawks and Senecas to take the lead in the chase.

"They're not going to give us a chance," said Henry. "I'm satisfied of that. They'll let redskins receive our

bullets, though just now I'd rather it were the two white ones. What do you think, Sol, of that leading boat?

"I agree with you, Henry," said the shiftless one. They're comin' much too close fur people that ain't properly

interduced to us. This promiskus way o' meetin' up with strangers an' lettin' 'em talk to you jest ez ef they'd

knowed you all their lives hez got to be stopped. It's your time, Henry, to give 'em a polite hint, an' I jest

suggest that you take the big fellow in the front o' the boat who looks like a Mohawk."

Henry raised his rifle, fired, and the Mohawk would row no more. Again confusion prevailed in the pursuing

fleet, and there was a decline of enthusiasm. Braxton Wyatt and Walter Butler raged and swore, but, as they

showed no great zeal for the lead themselves, the Iroquois did not gain on the fugitive boat. They, too, were

fast learning that the two who crouched there with their rifles ready were among the deadliest marksmen in

existence. They fired a dozen shots, perhaps, but their rifles did not have the long range of the Kentucky

weapons, and again the bullets fell short, causing little jets of water to spring up.

"They won't come any nearer, at least not for the present," said Henry, "but will hang back just out of rifle

Shif'less Sol looked the other way, down the Susquehanna, and announced that he could see no danger. There

was probably no Indian fleet farther down the river than the one now pursuing them, and the danger was

Throughout the firing, Silent Tom Ross and Long Jim Hart had not said a word, but they rowed with a

steadiness and power that would have carried oarsmen of our day to many a victory. Moreover, they had the

inducement not merely of a prize, but of life itself, to row and to row hard. They had rolled up their sleeves,

and the mighty muscles on those arms of woven steel rose and fell as they sent the boat swiftly with the silver

Mary Newton still lay on the bottom of the boat. The children had cried out in fright once or twice at the

sound of the firing, but she and Paul bad soothed them and kept them down. Somehow Mary Newton had

become possessed of a great faith. She noticed the skill, speed, and success with which the five always

worked, and, so long given up to despair, she now went to the other extreme. With such friends as these

coming suddenly out of the void, everything must succeed. She had no doubt of it, but lay peacefully on the

Paul and Sol after a while relieved Long Jim and Tom at the oars. The Iroquois thought it a chance to creep

up again, but they were driven back by a third bullet, and once more kept their distance. Shif'less Sol, while

he pulled as powerfully as Tom Ross, whose place he had taken, nevertheless was not silent.

"I'd like to know the feelin's o' Braxton Wyatt an' that feller Butler," he said. " Must be powerful tantalizin' to

them to see us here, almost where they could stretch out their hands an' put 'em on us. Like reachn' fur ripe,

"They are certainly not pleased," said Henry," but this must end some way or other, you know."

"I say so, too, now that I'm arowin'," rejoined the shiftless one, "but when my turn at the oars is finished I

wouldn't care. Ez I've said more'n once before, floatin' down a river with somebody else pullin' at the oars is

Henry looked up. "A summer thunderstorm is coming," he said, " and from the look of things it's going to be

He was a good weather prophet. In a half hour the sky began to darken rapidly. There was a great deal of

thunder and lightning, but when the rain came the air was almost as dark as night. Mary Newton and her

children were covered as much as possible with the blankets, and then they swung the boat rapidly toward the

eastern shore. They had already lost sight of their pursuers in the darkness, and as they coasted along the

They ran up the creek, and were a full mile from its mouth when the rain ceased. Then the sun came out

They pulled about ten miles farther, until the creek grew too shallow for them, when they hid the boat among

bushes and took to the land. Two days later they arrived at a strong fort and settlement, where Mary Newton

and her four children, safe and well, were welcomed by relatives who had mourned them as dead.

They arrived at the fort as evening was coming on, and as soon as food was served to them the five sought

sleep. The frontiersmen usually slept soundly and for a long time after prodigious exertions, and Henry and

his comrades were too wise to make an exception. They secured a single room inside the fort, one given to

them gladly, because Mary Newton had already spread the fame of their exploits, and, laying aside their

"Jim," said Shif'less Sol, pointing to a low piece of furniture, flat and broad, in one corner of the room, "that's

"Mebbe you're right, Sol," he said. "I hev seen sech things ez that, an' mebbe I've slep' on 'em, but in all them

gran' old tales Paul tells us about I never heard uv no big heroes sleepin' in beds. I guess the ground wuz good

'nough for Akillus, Hector, RichardKurdeLeong, an' all the rest uv that fightin' crowd, an' ez I'm that

sort uv a man myself I'll jest roll down here on the floor. Bein' as you're tender, Sol Hyde, an' not used to hard

life in the woods, you kin take that bed yourself, an' in the mornin' your wally will be here with hot water in a

silver mug an' a razor to shave you, an' he'll dress you in a ruffled red silk shirt an' a blue satin waistcoat, an'

green satin breeches jest comin' to the knee, where they meet yellow silk stockin's risin' out uv purple satin

slippers, an' then he'll clap on your head a big wig uv snowwhite hair, fallin' all about your shoulders an'

he'll buckle a silver sword to your side, an' he'll say: "Gentlemen, him that hez long been known ez Shif'less

Sol, an' desarvin' the name, but who in reality is the King o' France, is now before you. Down on your knees

"You say a wally will do all that fur me, Jim? Now, what under the sun is a wally ?"

"I heard all about 'em from Paul," replied Long Jim in a tone of intense satisfaction. "A wally is a man what

"Then I want one," said Shif'less Sol emphatically. "He'd jest suit a lazy man like me. An' ez fur your makin'

me the King o' France, mebbe you're more'n half right about that without knowin' it. I hev all the instincts uv

a king. I like to be waited on, I like to eat when I'm hungry, I like to drink when I'm thirsty, I like to rest when

I'm tired, an' I like to sleep when I'm sleepy. You've heard o' children changed at birth by fairies an' sech like.

Mebbe I'm the real King o' France, after all, an' my instincts are handed down to me from a thousand royal

"Mebbe it's so," rejoined Long Jim. "I've heard that thar hev been a pow'ful lot uv foolish kings."

With that he put his two blankets upon the floor, lay down upon them, and was sound asleep in five minutes.

But Shif'less Sol beat him to slumberland by at least a minute, and the others were not more than two minutes

Henry was the first up the next morning. A strong voice shouted in his ear: "Henry Ware, by all that's

glorious," and a hand pressed his fingers together in an iron grasp. Henry beheld the tall, thin figure and

smiling brown face of Adam Colfax, with whom he had made that adventurous journey up the Mississippi

"They're all here asleep inside. We've been through a lot of things, but we're as sound as ever."

"That's always a safe prediction to make," said Adam Colfax, smiling. "I never saw five other human beings

"Wyoming!" he exclaimed. "I cannot hear of it without every vein growing hot within me."

"We saw things done there," said Henry gravely, the telling of which few men can bear to hear."

"I know! I know!" exclaimed Adam Colfax. "The news of it has spread everywhere!"

"What we want," said Henry, "is revenge. It is a case in which we must strike back, and strike hard. If this

thing goes on, not a white life will be safe on the whole border from the St. Lawrence to the Mississippi."

"It is true," said Adam Colfax, "and we would send an army now against the Iroquois and their allies, but,

Henry, my lad, our fortunes are at their lowest there in the East, where the big armies are fighting. That is the

reason why nobody has been sent to protect our rear guard, which has suffered so terribly. You may be sure,

too, that the Iroquois will strike in this region again as often and as hard as they can. I make more than half a

"Yes," said Henry, "that is so. Somehow we were drawn into it, but being here we are glad to stay.

Timmendiquas, the great chief who fought us so fiercely on the Ohio, is with the Iroquois, with a detachment

of his Wyandots, and while he, as I know, frowns on the Wyoming massacre, he means to help

"That is bad," he said. "Timmendiquas is a mighty warrior and leader, but there is also another way of

looking at it. His presence here will relieve somewhat the pressure on Kentucky. I ought to tell you, Henry,

that we got through safely with our supplies to the Continental army, and they could not possibly have been

The others came forth presently and were greeted with the same warmth by Adam Colfax.

"It is shore mighty good for the eyes to see you, Mr. Colfax," said Shif'less Sol, "an' it's a good sign. Our

people won when you were on the Mississippi an' the Ohio' an' now that you're here, they're goin' to win

"I think we are going to win here and everywhere," said Adam Colfax, "but it is not because there is any

omen in my presence. It is because our people will not give up, and because our quarrel is just."

The stanch New Englander left on the following day for points farther east, planning and carrying out some

new scheme to aid the patriot cause, and the five, on the day after that, received a message written on a piece

of paper which was found fastened to a tree on the outskirts of the settlement. It was addressed to "Henry

"I find my own position perfect. It is true that Timmendiquas does not like me, but he is not king here. I am

the friend of the great Brant; and Hiokatoo, Sangerachte, Hahiron, and the other chiefs esteem me. I am thick

with Colonel John Butler, the victor of Wyoming; his son, the valiant and worthy Walter Butler; Sir John

Johnson, Colonel Guy Johnson, Colonel Daniel Claus, and many other eminent men and brave soldiers.

"I write these words, Henry Ware, both to you and your comrades, to tell you that our cause will prevail over

yours. I do not doubt that when you read this you will try to escape to Kentucky, but when we have destroyed

everything along the eastern border, as we have at Wyoming, we shall come to Kentucky, and not a rebel face

"I am sending this to tell you that there is no hole in which you can hide where we cannot reach you. With my

"A renegade catches something of the Indian nature," he said, "and always likes to threaten and boast."

"Sometimes I think," he said, "that the invention o' writin' wuz a mistake. You kin send a man a letter an' call

him names an' talk mighty big when he's a hundred miles away, but when you've got to stan' up to him face to

face an' say it, wa'al, you change your tune an' sing a pow'ful sight milder. You ain't gen'ally any roarin' lion

"I think I'll keep this letter," said Henry, "an' we five will give an answer to it later on."

He tapped the muzzle of his rifle, and every one of the four gravely tapped the muzzle of his own rifle after

The next morning they bade farewell to the grateful Mary Newton and her children, and with fresh supplies

of food and ammunition, chiefly ammunition, left the fort, plunging once more into the deep forest. It was

their intention to do as much damage as they could to the Iroquois, until some great force, capable of dealing

with the whole Six Nations, was assembled. Meanwhile, five redoubtable and determined borderers could

It was about the first of August, and they were in the midst of the great heats. But it was a period favoring

Indian activity, which was now at its highest pitch. Since Wyoming, loaded with scalps, flushed with victory,

and aided by the king's men, they felt equal to anything. Only the strongest of the border settlements could

hold them back. The colonists here were so much reduced, and so little help could be sent them from the East,

that the Iroquois were able to divide into innumerable small parties and rake the country as with a fine tooth

comb. They never missed a lone farmhouse, and rarely was any fugitive in the woods able to evade them.

And they were constantly fed from the North with arms, ammunition, rewards for scalps, bounties, and great

But toward the close of August the Iroquois began to hear of a silent and invisible foe, an evil spirit that

struck them, and that struck hard. There were battles of small forces in which sometimes not a single Iroquois

escaped. Captives were retaken in a halfdozen instances, and the warriors who escaped reported that their

assailants were of uncommon size and power. They had all the cunning of the Indian and more, and they

carried rifles that slew at a range double that of those served to them at the British posts. It was a certainty

that they were guided by the evil spirit, because every attempt to capture them failed miserably. No one could

The Iroquois raged, and so did the Butlers and the Johnsons and Braxton Wyatt. This was a flaw in their

triumph, and the British and Tories saw, also, that it was beginning to affect the superstitions of their red

allies. Braxton Wyatt made a shrewd guess as to the identity of the raiders, but he kept quiet. It is likely, also,

that Timmendiquas knew, but be, too, said nothing. So the influence of the raiders grew. While their acts

were great, superstition exaggerated them and their powers manifold. And it is true that their deeds were

extraordinary. They were heard of on the Susquehanna, then on the Delaware and its branches, on the

Chemung and the Chenango, as far south as Lackawaxen Creek, and as far north as Oneida Lake. It is likely

that nobody ever accomplished more for a defense than did those five in the waning months of the summer.

Late in September the most significant of all these events occurred. A party of eight Tories, who had borne a

terrible part in the Wyoming affair, was attacked on the shores of Otsego Lake with such deadly fierceness

that only two escaped alive to the camp of Sir John Johnson. Brant sent out six war parties, composed of not

Henry and his comrades had found a remarkable camp at the edge of one of the beautiful small lakes in which

the region abounds. The cliff at that point was high, but a creek entered into it through a ravine. At the

entrance of the creek into the river they found a deep alcove, or, rather, cave in the rock. It ran so far back

that it afforded ample shelter from the rain, and that was all they wanted. It was about halfway between the

top and bottom of the cliff, and was difficult of approach both from below and above. Unless completely

surpriseda very unlikely thing with themthe five could hold it against any force as long as their provisions

lasted. They also built a boat large enough for five, which they hid among the bushes at the lake's edge. They

were thus provided with a possible means of escape across the water in case of the last emergency.

Jim and Paul, who, as usual, filled the role of housekeepers, took great delight in fitting up this forest home,

which the fittingly called " The Alcove." The floor of solid stone was almost smooth, and with the aid of

other heavy stones they broke off all projections, until one could walk over it in the dark in perfect comfort.

They hung the walls with skins of deer which they killed in the adjacent woods, and these walls furnished

many nooks and crannies for the storing of necessities. They also, with much hard effort, brought many loads

of firewood, which Long Jim was to use for his cooking. He built his little fireplace of stones so near the

mouth of "The Alcove" that the smoke would pass out and be lost in the thick forest all about. If the wind

happened to be blowing toward the inside of the cave, the smoke, of course, would come in on them all, but

Nor did their operations cease until they had supplied "The Alcove" plentifully with food, chiefly jerked deer

meat, although there was no way in which they could store water, and for that they had to take their chances.

But their success, the product of skill and everlasting caution, was really remarkable. Three times they were

trapped within a few miles of "The Alcove," but the pursuers invariably went astray on the hard, rocky

ground, and the pursued would also take the precaution to swim down the creek before climbing up to "The

It was Henry and Shif'less Sol who were followed the second time, but they easily shook off their pursuers as

the twilight was coming, half waded, half swam down the creek, and climbed up to "The Alcove," where the

others were waiting for them with cooked food and clear cold water. When they had eaten and were

refreshed, Shif'less Sol sat at the mouth of "The Alcove," where a pleasant breeze entered, despite the foliage

"It's a pow'ful comf'table feelin',"he said,"to set up in a nice safe place like this, an' feel that the woods is full

o' ragin' heathen, seekin' to devour you, and wonderin' whar you've gone to. Thar's a heap in knowin' how to

pick your home. I've thought more than once 'bout that old town, Troy, that Paul tells us 'bout, an' I've 'bout

made up my mind that it wuzn't destroyed 'cause Helen eat too many golden apples. but 'cause old King

Prime, or whoever built the place, put it down in a plain. That wuz shore a pow'ful foolish thing. Now, ef he'd

built it on a mountain, with a steep falloff on every side, thar wouldn't hev been enough Greeks in all the

earth to take it, considerin' the miserable weepins they used in them times. Why, Hector could hev set tight on

the walls, laughin' at 'em, 'stead o' goin' out in the plain an' gittin' killed by Akillus, fur which I've always

"It's 'cause people nowadays have more sense than they did in them ancient times that Paul tells about," said

Long Jim. "Now, thar wuz 'Lyssus, ten or twelve years gittin' home from Troy. Allus runnin' his ship on the

rocks, hoppin' into trouble with fourlegged giants, oneeyed women, an' sech like. Why didn't he walk

home through the woods, killin' game on the way, an' hevin' the best time he ever knowed? Then thar wuz the

keerlessness of Akillus' ma, dippin' him in that river so no arrow could enter him, but holdin' him by the

heel an' keepin' it out o' the water, which caused his death the very first time Paris shot it off with his little

bow an' arrer. Why didn't she hev sense enough to let the heel go under, too. She could hev dragged it out in

two seconds an' no harm done 'ceptin', perhaps, a little more yellin' on the part of Akillus."

"I've always thought Paul hez got mixed 'bout that Paris story," said Tom Ross. "I used to think Paris was the

name uv a town, not a man, an' I'm beginnin' to think so ag'in, sence I've been in the East, 'cause I know now

"But Paris was the name of a man," persisted Paul. "Maybe the French named their capital after the Paris of

"Then they showed mighty poor jedgment," said Shif'less Sol. "Ef I'd named my capital after any them old

"You can have danger enough ,when you're on the tops of hills," said Henry, who was sitting near the mouth

They looked out, and in the moonlight saw six large war canoes being rowed slowly down the lake, which,

though narrow, was quite long. Each canoe held about a dozen warriors, and Henry believed that one of them

"Quite likely," said Henry, "and at the same time they may be engaged in some general movement. See, they

The five lay on the cave floor, looking through the vines and foliage, and they felt quite sure that they were in

absolute security. The six long war canoes moved slowly. The moonlight came out more brightly, and

flooded all the bronze faces of the Iroquois. Henry now saw that he was not mistaken, and that Braxton Wyatt

and Walter Butler were really in the first boat. From the cover of the cliff he could have picked off either with

a rifle bullet, and the temptation was powerful. But he knew that it would lead to an immediate siege, from

which they might not escape, and which at least would check their activities and plans for a long time.

Similar impulses flitted through the minds of the other four, but all kept still, although fingers flitted

The Iroquois war fleet moved slowly on, the two renegades never dreaming of the danger that had threatened

them. An unusually bright ray of moonshine fell full upon Braxton Wyatt's face as he paused, and Henry's

finger played with the trigger of his rifle. It was hard, very hard, to let such an opportunity go by, but it must

The fleet moved steadily down the lake, the canoes keeping close together. They turned into mere dots upon

the water, became smaller and smaller still, until they vanished in the darkness.

"I'm thinkin'," said Shif'less Sol, "that thar's some kind uv a movement on foot. While they may hev been

lookin' fur us, it ain't likely that they'd send sixty warriors or so fur sech a purpose. I heard something three or

"It's most likely true," said Henry, "and it seems to me that it's our business to join that expedition. What do

Summer was now waning, the foliage was taking on its autumn hues, and Indian war parties still surged over

the hills and mountains, but the five avoided them all. On one or two occasions they would have been willing

to stop and fight, but they had bigger work on hand. They had received from others confirmation of the report

that Long Jim had heard from the hunters, and they were quite sure that a strong force was advancing to strike

the first blow in revenge for Wyoming. Curiously enough, this body was commanded by a fourth Butler,

Colonel William Butler, and according to report it was large and its leaders capable.

When the avenging force lay at the Johnstown settlement on the Delaware, it was joined by the five. They

were introduced to the colonel by the celebrated scout and hunter, Tini Murphy, whom they had met several

"I've heard of you," said Colonel Butler with much warmth," both from hunters and scouts, and also from

Adam Colfax. Two of you were to have been tomahawked by Queen Esther at Wyoming."

"What you saw at Wyoming is not likely to decrease your zeal against the Indians and their white allies,"

"Anyone who was there," said Henry, " would feel all his life, the desire to punish those who did it."

"I think so, too, from all that I have heard," continued Colonel Butler. "It is the business of you young men to

keep ahead of our column and warn us of what lies before us. I believe you have volunteered for that duty."

The five looked over Colonel Butler's little army, which numbered only two hundred and fifty men, but they

were all strong and brave, and it was the best force that could yet be sent to the harassed border. It might,

after all, strike a blow for Wyoming if it marched into no ambush, and Henry and his comrades were resolved

When the little column moved from the Johnstown settlement, the five were far ahead, passing through the

woods, up the Susquehanna, toward the Indian villages that lay on its banks, though a great distance above

Wyoming. The chief of these was Oghwaga, and, knowing that it was the destination of the little army, they

were resolved to visit it, or at least come so near it that they could see what manner of place it was.

"If it's a big village," said Colonel Butler, "it will be too strong to attack, but it may be that most of the

They had obtained before starting very careful descriptions of the approaches to the village, and toward the

close of an October evening they knew that they were near Oghwaga, the great base of the Iroquois supplies.

They considered it very risky and unwise to approach in the daytime, and accordingly they lay in the woods

The appearance of the wilderness had changed greatly. in the three months since Wyoming. All the green was

now gone, and it was tinted red and yellow and brown. The skies were a mellow blue, and there was a slight

haze over the forest, but the air had the wonderful crispness and freshness of the American autumn. It

inspired every one of the five with fresh zeal and energy, because they believed the first blow was about to be

About ten o'clock at night they approached Oghwaga, and the reports of its importance were confirmed. They

had not before seen an Indian village with so many signs of permanence. They passed two or three orchards

of apple and peach trees, and they saw other indications of cultivation like that of the white farmer.

"It ain't a badlookin' town," said Long Jim Hart. "But it'll look wuss," said Shif'less Sol, "onless they've laid

an ambush somewhar. I don't like to see houses an' sech like go up in fire an' smoke, but after what wuz done

"We're bound to strike back with all our might," said Paul, who had the softest heart of them all.

"Now, I wonder who's in this here town," said Tom Ross. "Mebbe Timmendiquas an' Brant an' all them

"It may be so," said Henry. "This is their base and store of supplies. Oh, if Colonel Butler were only here

So great was their eagerness that they crept closer to the village, passing among some thick clusters of

grapevines. Henry was in the lead, and he heard a sudden snarl. A large cur of the kind that infest Indian

The very suddenness of the attack saved Henry and his comrades from the consequences of an alarm. He

dropped his rifle instinctively, and seized the dog by the throat with both hands. A bark following the snarl

had risen to the animal's throat, but it was cut short there. The hands of the great youth pressed tighter and

tighter, and the dog was lifted from the earth. The four stood quietly beside their comrade, knowing that no

The dog kicked convulsively, then hung without motion or noise. Henry cast the dead body aside, picked up

his rifle, and then all five of them sank softly down in the shelter of the grapevines. About fifteen yards away

an Indian warrior was walking cautiously along and looking among the vines. Evidently he had heard the

snarl of the dog, and was seeking the cause. But it had been only a single sound, and he would not look far.

Yet the hearts of the five beat a little faster as he prowled among the vines, and their nerves were tense for

The Indian, a Mohawk, came within ten yards of them, but he did not see the five figures among the vines,

blending darkly with the dark growth, and presently, satisfied that the sound he had heard was of no

The five, not daunted at all by this living proof of risk, crept to the very edge of the clusters of grapevines,

and looked upon an open space, beyond which stood some houses made of wood; but their attention was

Although the distance was too great and the light too poor to disclose the features, every one of the scouts

recognized the figure. It could be none other than that of Timmendiquas, the great White Lightning of the

Wyandots. He was pacing back and forth, somewhat in the fashion of the white man, and his manner implied

"I could bring him down from here with a bullet," said Shif'less Sol, "but I ain't ever goin' to shoot at the

A second figure came out of the dark and joined the first. It was also that of a chief, powerful and tall, though

not as tall as Timmendiquas. It was Thayendanegea. Then three white figures appeared. One was that of

Braxton Wyatt, and the others they took to be those of "Indian" Butler and his son, Walter Butler. After a talk

"It's to be a conference of some kind," whispered Henry. "I wish I could look in on it."

"Well, we know this much," continued Henry. "No great force of the Iroquois is present, and if Colonel

They crept slowly away from the village, not stopping until they reached the crest of a hill, from which they

"I've a feeling in me," said Paul, "that the place is doomed. We'll strike the first blow for Wyoming."

They neither slept nor rested that night, but retraced their trail with the utmost speed toward the marching

American force, going in Indian file through the wilderness. Henry, as usual, led; Shif'less Sol followed, then

came Paul, and then Long Jim, while Silent Tom was the rear guard. They traveled at great speed, and, some

time after daylight, met the advance of the colonial force under Captain William Gray.

William Gray was a gallant young officer, but he was startled a little when five figures as silent as phantoms

appeared. But he uttered an exclamation of delight when he recognized the leader, Henry.

"We've been to Oghwaga," replied the youth, "and we went all about the town. They do not suspect our

coming. At least, they did not know when we left. We saw Brant, Timmendiquas, the Butlers, and Wyatt

"And now is our chance," said eager young William Gray. "What if we should take the town, and with it

"We can scarcely hope for as much as that," said Henry, who knew that men like Timmendiquas and

Thayendanegea were not likely to allow themselves to be seized by so small a force, "but we can hope for a

The young captain rode quickly back to his comrades with the news, and, led by the five, the whole force

pushed forward with all possible haste. William Gray was still sanguine of a surprise, but the young riflemen

did not expect it. Indian sentinels were sure to be in the forest between them and Oghwaga. Yet they said

nothing to dash this hope. Henry had already seen enough to know the immense value of enthusiasm, and the

little army full of zeal would accomplish much if the chance came. Besides the young captain, William Gray,

there was a lieutenant named Taylor, who had been in the battle at Wyoming, but who had escaped the

massacre. The five had not met him there, but the common share in so great a tragedy proved a tie between

them. Taylor's name was Robert, but all the other officers, and some of the men for that matter, who had

known him in childhood called him Bob. He was but little older than Henry, and his earlier youth, before

removal to Wyoming, had been passed in Connecticut, a country that was to the colonials thickly populated

A third close friend whom they soon found was a man unlike any other that they had ever seen. His name was

Cornelius Heemskerk. Holland was his birthplace, but America was his nation. He was short and extremely

fat, but he had an agility that amazed the five when they first saw it displayed. He talked much, and his words

sounded like grumbles, but the unctuous tone and the smile that accompanied them indicated to the contrary.

He formed for Shif'less Sol an inexhaustible and entertaining study in character.

"I ain't quite seen his like afore," said the shiftless one to Paul. "First time I run acrost him I thought he would

tumble down among the first bushes he met. 'Stead o' that, he sailed right through 'em, makin' never a trip an'

"I've heard tell," said Long Jim, who also contemplated the prodigy," that big, chunky, awkwardlookin'

things are sometimes ez spry ez you. They say that the Hipperpotamus kin outrun the giraffe across the sands

uv Afriky, an' I know from pussonal experience that the bigger an' clumsier a b'ar is the faster he kin make

you scoot fur your life. But he's the real Dutch, ain't he, Paul, one uv them fellers that licked the Spanish

"Undoubtedly," replied Paul, who did not consider it necessary to correct Long Jim's history, "and I'm willing

to predict to you, Jim Hart, that Heemskerk will be a mighty good man in any fight that we may have."

Heemskerk rolled up to them. He seemed to have a sort of circular motion like that of a revolving tube, but he

"Don't you think it a funny thing that I, Cornelius Heemskerk, am here?" he said to Paul.

"Why so, Mr. Heemskerk?" replied Paul politely. "Because I am a Dutchman. I have the soul of an artist and

the gentleness of a baby. I, Cornelius Heemskerk, should be in the goot leetle country of Holland in a goot

leetle house, by the side of a goot leetle canal, painting beautiful blue china, dishes, plates, cups, saucers, all

most beautiful, and here I am running through the woods of this vast America, carrying on my shoulder a rifle

that is longer than I am, hunting the red Indian and hunted by him. Is it not most rediculous, Mynheer Paul?"

"I think you are here because you are a brave man, Mr. Heemskerk," replied Paul, "and wish to see

"Not so! Not so! replied the Dutchman with energy. "It is because I am one big fool. I am not really a big

enough man to be as big a fool as I am, but so it is! so it is!" Shif'less Sol regarded him critically, and then

spoke gravely and with deliberation: " It ain't that, Mr. Heemskerk, an' Paul ain't told quite all the truth,

either. I've heard that the Dutch was the most powerfullest fightin' leetle nation on the globe; that all you had

to do wuz to step on the toe uv a Dutchman's wooden shoe, an' all the men, women, an' children in Holland

would jump right on top o' you all at once. Lookin' you up an' lookin' you down, an' sizin' you up, an' sizin

you down, all purty careful, an' examinin' the corners O' your eyes oncommon close, an' also lookin' at the

way you set your feet when you walk, I'm concludin' that you just natcherally love a fight, an' that you are

"It is flattery that you give me, and you are trying to make me brave when I am not," he said. "I only say once

more that I ought to be in Holland painting blue plates, and not here in the great woods holding on to my

Colonel Butler's force stopped about three o'clock for food and a little rest, and the five, who had not slept

since the night before, caught a few winks. But in less than an hour they were up and away again. The five

riflemen were once more well in advance, and with them were Taylor and Heemskerk, the Dutchman,

grumbling over their speed, but revolving along, nevertheless, with astonishing ease and without any sign of

fatigue. They discovered no indications of Indian scouts or trails, and as the village now was not many miles

away, it confirmed Henry in his belief that the Iroquois, with their friends, the Wyandots, would not stay to

give battle. If Thayendanegea and Timmendiquas were prepared for a strong resistance, the bullets of the

The waning evening grew colder, twilight came, and the autumn leaves fell fast before the rising wind. The

promise of the night was dark, which was not bad for their design, and once more the fivenow the seven

approached Oghwaga. From the crest of the very same hill they looked down once more upon the Indian

"It is a great base for the Iroquois," said Henry to Heemskerk," and whether the Indians have laid an ambush

"Ah," said Heemskerk, silently moving his round body to a little higher point for a better view, "now I feel in

all its fullness the truth that I should be back in Holland, painting blue plates."

Nevertheless, Cornelius Heemskerk made a very accurate survey of the Iroquois village, considering the

distance and the brevity of the time, and when the party went back to Colonel Butler to tell him the way was

open, he revolved along as swiftly as any of them. There were also many serious thoughts in the back of his

At nine o'clock the little colonial force was within half a mile of Oghwaga, and nothing had yet occurred to

disclose whether the Iroquois knew of their advance. Henry and his comrades, well in front, looked down

upon the town, but saw nothing. No light came from an Indian chimney, nor did any dog howl. just behind

them were the troops in loose order, Colonel Butler impatiently striking his booted leg with a switch, and

William Gray seeking to restrain his ardor, that he might set a good example to the men.

William Gray took the trumpet from one of the men and blew a long, thrilling note. Before its last echo was

ended, the little army rushed upon the town. Three or four shots came from the houses, and the soldiers fired

a few at random in return, but that was all. Indian scouts had brought warning of the white advance, and the

great chiefs, gathering up all the people who were in the village, had fled. A retreating warrior or two had

fired the shots, but when the white men entered this important Iroquois stronghold they did not find a single

human being. Timmendiquas, the White Lightning of the Wyandots, was gone; Thayendanegea, the real head

of the Six Nations, had slipped away; and with them had vanished the renegades. But they had gone in haste.

All around them were the evidences. The houses, built of wood, were scores in number, and many of them

contained furniture such as a prosperous white man of the border would buy for himself. There were gardens

and shade trees about these, and back of them, barns, many of them filled with Indian corn. Farther on were

clusters of bark lodges, which had been inhabited by the less progressive of the Iroquois.

Henry stood in the center of the town and looked at the houses misty in the moonlight. The army had not yet

made much noise, but he was beginning to hear behind him the ominous word,"Wyoming," repeated more

than once. Cornelius Heemskerk had stopped revolving, and, standing beside Henry, wiped his perspiring, red

"Now that I am here, I think again of the blue plates of Holland, Mr. Ware," he said. "It is a dark and

sanguinary time. The men whose brethren were scalped or burned alive at Wyoming will not now spare the

town of those who did it. In this wilderness they give blow for blow, or perish."

Henry knew that it was true, but he felt a certain sadness. His heart had been inflamed against the Iroquois, he

could never forget Wyoming or its horrors; but in the destruction of an ancient town the long labor of man

perished, and it seemed waste. Doubtless a dozen generations of Iroquois children had played here on the

grass. He walked toward the northern end of the village, and saw fields there from which recent corn had

been taken, but behind him the cry, "Wyoming!" was repeated louder and oftener now. Then he saw men

running here and there with torches, and presently smoke and flame burst from the houses. He examined the

fields and forest for a little distance to see if any ambushed foe might still lie among them, but all the while

Henry turned back and joined his comrades. Oghwaga was perishing. The flames leaped from house to house,

and then from lodge to lodge. There was no need to use torches any more. The whole village was wrapped in

a mass of fire that grew and swelled until the flames rose above the forest, and were visible in the clear night

So great was the heat that Colonel Butler and the soldiers and scouts were compelled to withdraw to the edge

of the forest. The wind rose and the flames soared. Sparks flew in myriads, and ashes fell dustily on the dry

leaves of the trees. Bob Taylor, with his hands clenched tightly, muttered under his breath, "Wyoming!

"It is the Iroquois who suffer now," said Heemskerk, as he revolved slowly away from a heated point.

Crashes came presently as the houses fell in, and then the sparks would leap higher and the flames roar

louder. The barns, too, were falling down, and the grain was destroyed. The grapevines were trampled under

foot, and the gardens were ruined. Oghwaga, a great central base of the Six Nations, was vanishing forever.

For four hundred years, ever since the days of Hiawatha, the Iroquois had waxed in power. They had ruled

over lands larger than great empires. They had built up political and social systems that are the wonder of

students. They were invincible in war, because every man had been trained from birth to be a warrior, and

From a point far in the forest, miles away, Thayendanegea, Timmendiquas, Hiokatoo, Sangerachte, "Indian"

Butler, Walter Butler, Braxton Wyatt, a low, heavybrowed Tory named Coleman, with whom Wyatt had

become very friendly, and about sixty Iroquois and twenty Tories were watching a tower of light to the south

that had just appeared above the trees. It was of an intense, fiery color, and every Indian in that gloomy band

knew that it was Oghwaga, the great, the inviolate, the sacred, that was burning, and that the men who were

doing it were the white frontiersmen, who, his redcoated allies had told him, would soon be swept forever

from these woods. And they were forced to stand and see it, not daring to attack so strong and alert a force.

They sat there in the darkness among the trees, and watched the column of fire grow and grow until it seemed

to pierce the skies. Timmendiquas never said a word. In his heart, Indian though he was, he felt that the

Iroquois had gone too far. In him was the spirit of the farseeing Hiawatha. He could perceive that great

cruelty always brought retaliation; but it was not for him, almost an alien, to say these things to

Thayendanegea, the mighty war chief of the Mohawks and the living spirit of the Iroquois nation.

Thayendanegea sat on the stump of a tree blown down by winter storms. His arms were folded across his

breast, and he looked steadily toward that red threatening light off there in the south. Some such idea as that

in the mind of Timmendiquas may have been passing in his own. He was an uncommon Indian, and he had

had uncommon advantages. He had not believed that the colonists could make head against so great a

kingdom as England, aided by the allied tribes, the Canadians, and the large body of Tories among their own

people. But he saw with his own eyes the famous Oghwaga of the Iroquois going down under their torch.

"Tell me, Colonel John Butler," he said bitterly, where is your great king now? Is his arm long enough to

reach from London to save our town of Oghwaga, which is perhaps as much to us as his great city of London

The thickset figure of "Indian" Butler moved, and his swart face flushed as much as it could.

"You know as much about the king as I do, Joe Brant," he replied. "We are fighting here for your country as

well as his, and you cannot say that Johnson's Greens and Butler's Rangers and the British and Canadians

"It is true," said Thayendanegea, "but it is true, also, that one must fight with wisdom. Perhaps there was too

much burning of living men at Wyoming. The pain of the wounded bear makes him fight the harder, and it, is

because of Wyoming that Oghwaga yonder burns. Say, is it not so, Colonel John Butler ?"

"Indian" Butler made no reply, but sat, sullen and lowering. The Tory, Coleman, whispered to Braxton

"Thayendanegea," he said, "I, and the Wyandots who are with me, have come far. We expected to return long

ago to the lands on the Ohio, but we were with you in your village, and now, when Manitou has turned his

face from you for the time, we will not leave you. We stay and fight by your side."

"You are a great chief, White Lightning of the Wyandots " he said, " and you and I are brothers. I shall be

proud and happy to have such a mighty leader fighting with me. We will have vengeance for this. The power

He raised himself to his full height, pointing to the fire, and the flames of hate and resolve burned in his eyes.

Old Hiokatoo, the most savage of all the chiefs, shook his tomahawk, and a murmur passed through the group

Braxton Wyatt still talked in whispers to his new friend, Coleman, the Tory, who was more to his liking than

the morose and savage Walter Butler, whom he somewhat feared. Wyatt was perhaps the least troubled of all

those present. Caring for himself only, the burning of Oghwaga caused him no grief. He suffered neither from

the misfortune of friend nor foe. He was able to contemplate the glowing tower of light with curiosity only.

Braxton Wyatt knew that the Iroquois and their allies would attempt revenge for the burning of Oghwaga,

and he saw profit for himself in such adventures. His horizon had broadened somewhat of late. The renegade,

Blackstaffe, had returned to rejoin Simon Girty, but be had found a new friend in Coleman. He was coming

now more into touch with the larger forces in the East, nearer to the seat of the great war, and he hoped to

"This is a terrible blow to Brant," Coleman whispered to him. "The Iroquois have been able to ravage the

whole frontier, while the rebels, occupied with the king's troops, have not been able to send help to their own.

"I do see," said Wyatt, "and on the whole, Coleman, I'm not sorry. Perhaps these chiefs won't be so haughty

now, and they'll soon realize that they need likely chaps such as you and me, eh, Coleman."

"You're not far from the truth," said Coleman, laughing a little, and pleased at the penetration of his new

friend. They did not talk further, although the agreement between them was well established. Neither did the

Indian chiefs or the Tory leaders say any more. They watched the tower of fire a long time, past midnight,

until it reached its zenith and then began to sink. They saw its crest go down behind the trees, and they saw

the luminous cloud in the south fade and go out entirely, leaving there only the darkness that reined

Then the Indian and Tory leaders rose and silently marched northward. It was nearly dawn when Henry and

his comrades lay down for the rest that they needed badly. They spread their blankets at the edge of the open,

but well back from the burned area, which was now one great mass of coals and charred timbers, sending up

little flame but much smoke. Many of the troops were already asleep, but Henry, before lying down, begged

William Gray to keep a strict watch lest the Iroquois attack from ambush. He knew that the rashness and

confidence of the borderers, especially when drawn together in masses, had often caused them great losses,

and he was resolved to prevent a recurrence at the present time if he could. He had made these urgent

requests of Gray, instead of Colonel Butler, because of the latter's youth and willingness to take advice.

"I'll have the forest beat up continually all about the town," he said. "We must not have our triumph spoiled

Henry and his comrades, wrapped in their blankets, lay in a row almost at the edge of the forest. The heat

from the fire was still great, but it would die down after a while, and the October air was nipping. Henry

usually fell asleep in a very few minutes, but this time, despite his long exertions and lack of rest, he

remained awake when his comrades were sound asleep. Then he fell into a drowsy state, in which be saw the

fire rising in great black coils that united far above. It seemed to Henry, half dreaming and forecasting the

When he fell asleep it was nearly daylight, and in three or four hours be was up again, as the little army

intended to march at once upon another Indian town. The hours while he slept had passed in silence, and no

Indians had come near. William Gray had seen to that, and his best scout had been one Cornelius Heemskerk,

"It was one long, long tramp for me, Mynheer Henry," said Heemskerk, as he revolved slowly up to the camp

fire where Henry was eating his breakfast," and I am now very tired. It was like walking four or five times

around Holland, which is such a fine little country, with the canals and the flowers along them, and no great,

"Still, I've a notion, Mynheer Heemskerk, that you'd rather be here, and perhaps before the day is over you

Mynheer Heemskerk threw up his hands in dismay, but a half hour later he was eagerly discussing with

Urged on by all the scouts and by those who had suffered at Wyoming, Colonel Butler gathered his forces

and marched swiftly that very morning up the river against another Indian town, Cunahunta. Fortunately for

him, a band of riflemen and scouts unsurpassed in skill led the way, and saw to it that the road was safe. In

this band were the five, of course, and after them Heemskerk, young Taylor, and several others.

"If the Iroquois do not get in our way, we'll strike Cunahunta before night," said Heemskerk, who knew the

"It seems to me that they will certainly try to save their towns," said Henry. "Surely Brant and the Tories will

"Most of their warriors are elsewhere, Mynheer Henry," said Heemskerk, " or they would certainly give us a

big battle. We've been lucky in the time of our advance. As it is, I think we'll have something to do."

It was now about noon, the noon of a beautiful October day of the North, the air like life itself, the foliage

burning red on the hills, the leaves falling softly from the trees as the wind blew, but bringing with them no

hint of decay. None of the vanguard felt fatigue, but when they crossed a low range of hills and saw before

them a creek flowing down to the Susquehanna, Henry, who was in the lead, stopped suddenly and dropped

down in the grass. The others, knowing without question the significance of the action, also sank down.

"You see how thick the trees are on the other side of that bank. Look a little to the left of a big oak, and you

will see the feathers in the headdress of an Iroquois. Farther on I think I can catch a glimpse of a green coat,

and if I am right that coat is worn by one of Johnson's Royal Greens. It's an ambush, Sol, an ambush meant

"But it's not an ambush intended for our main force, Mynheer Henry," said Heemskerk, whose red face began

to grow redder with the desire for action. "I, too, see the feather of the Iroquois."

"As good scouts and skirmishers it's our duty, then, to clear this force out of the way, and not wait for the

main body to come up, is it not?" asked Henry, with a suggestive look at the Dutchman.

"What a goot head you have, Mynheer Henry!" exclaimed Heemskerk. "Of course we will fight, and fight

"How about them blue plates?" said Shif'less Sol softly. But Heemskerk did not hear him.

They swiftly developed their plan of action. There could be no earthly doubt of the fact that the Iroquois and

some Tories were ambushed on the far side of the creek. Possibly Thayendanegea himself, stung by the

burning of Oghwaga and the advance on Cunahunta, was there. But they were sure that it was not a large

The party of Henry and Heemskerk numbered fourteen, but every one was a veteran, full of courage, tenacity,

and all the skill of the woods. They had supreme confidence in their ability to beat the best of the Iroquois,

It was decided that four of the men should remain on the hill. The others, including the five, Heemskerk, and

Taylor, would make a circuit, cross the creek a full mile above, and come down on the flank of the

ambushing party. Theirs would be the main attack, but it would be preceded by sharpshooting from the four,

intended to absorb the attention of the Iroquois. The chosen ten slipped back down the hill, and as soon as

they were sheltered from any possible glimpse by the warriors, they rose and ran rapidly westward. Before

they had gone far they heard the crack of a rifle shot, then another, then several from another point, as if in

"It's our sharpshooters," said Henry. " They've begun to disturb the Iroquois, and they'll keep them busy."

"Until we break in on their sport and keep them still busier," exclaimed Heemskerk, revolving swiftly

It did not take long for such as they to go the mile or so that they intended, and then they crossed the creek,

wading in the water breast high, but careful to keep their ammunition dry. Then they turned and rapidly

descended the stream on its northern bank. In a few minutes they heard the sound of a rifle shot, and then of

"The Iroquois have been fooled," exclaimed Heemskerk. "Our four good riflemen have made them think that

a great force is there, and they have not dared to cross the creek themselves and make an attack."

In a few minutes more, as they ran noiselessly through the forest, they saw a little drifting smoke, and now

and then the faint flash of rifles. They were coming somewhere near to the Iroquois band, and they practiced

exceeding caution. Presently they caught sight of Indian faces, and now and then one of Johnson's Greens or

Butler's Rangers. They stopped and held a council that lasted scarcely more than half a minute. They all

agreed there was but one thing to do, and that was to attack in the Indian's own waythat is, by ambush and

Henry fired the first shot, and an Iroquois, aiming at a foe on the other side of the creek, fell. Heemskerk

quickly followed with a shot as good, and the surprised Iroquois turned to face this new foe. But they and the

Tories were a strong band, and they retreated only a little. Then they stood firm, and the forest battle began.

The Indians numbered not less than thirty, and both Braxton Wyatt and Coleman were with them, but the

value of skill was here shown by the smaller party, the one that attacked. The frontiersmen, trained to every

trick and wile of the forest, and marksmen such as the Indians were never able to become, continually pressed

in and drove the Iroquois from tree to tree. Once or twice the warriors started a rush, but they were quickly

driven back by sharpshooting such as they had never faced before. They soon realized that this was no band

of border farmers, armed hastily for an emergency, but a foe who knew everything that they knew, and more.

Braxton Wyatt and his friend Coleman fought with the Iroquois, and Wyatt in particular was hot with rage.

He suspected that the five who had defeated him so often were among these marksmen, and there might be a

chance now to destroy them all. He crept to the side of the fierce old Seneca chief, Hiokatoo, and suggested

Old Hiokatoo, in the thick of battle now, presented his most terrifying aspect. He was naked save the waist

cloth, his great body was covered with scars, and, as he bent a little forward, he held cocked and ready in his

hands a fine rifle that had been presented to him by his good friend, the king. The Senecas, it may be

repeated, had suffered terribly at the Battle of the Oriskany in the preceding year, and throughout these years

of border were the most cruel of all the Iroquois. In this respect Hiokatoo led all the Senecas, and now

Braxton Wyatt used as he was to savage scenes, was compelled to admit to himself that this was the most

terrifying human being whom he had ever beheld. He was old, but age in him seemed merely to add to his

strength and ferocity. The path of a deep cut, healed long since, but which the paint even did not hide, lay

across his forehead. Others almost as deep adorned his right cheek, his chin, and his neck. He was crouched

much like a panther, with his rifle in his hands and the ready tomahawk at his belt. But it was the

extraordinary expression of his eyes that made Braxton Wyatt shudder. He read there no mercy for anything,

not even for himself, Braxton Wyatt, if he should stand in the way, and it was this last fact that brought the

Hiokatoo thought it a good plan. Twenty warriors, mostly Senecas and Cayugas, were detailed to execute it at

once, and they stole off toward the right. Henry had suspected some such diversion, and, as he had been

joined now by the four men from the other side of the creek, he disposed his little force to meet it. Both

Shif'less Sol and Heemskerk had caught sight of figures slipping away among the trees, and Henry craftily

drew back a little. While two or three men maintained the sharpshooting in the front, he waited for the attack.

It came in half an hour, the flanking force making a savage and open rush, but the fire of the white riflemen

was so swift and deadly that they were driven back again. But they had come very near, and a Tory rushed

directly at young Taylor. The Tory, like Taylor, had come from Wyoming, and he had been one of the most

ruthless on that terrible day. When they were less than a dozen feet apart they recognized each other. Henry

saw the look that passed between them, and, although he held a loaded rifle in his hand, for some reason he

did not use it. The Tory fired a pistol at Taylor, but the bullet missed, and the Wyoming youth, leaping forth,

swung his unloaded rifle and brought the stock down with all his force upon the head of his enemy. The man,

uttering a single sound, a sort of gasp, fell dead, and Taylor stood over him, still trembling with rage. In an

instant Henry seized him and dragged him down, and then a Seneca bullet whistled where he had been.

"He was one of the worst at WyomingI saw him!" exclaimed young Taylor, still trembling all over with

"He'll never massacre anybody else. You've seen to that," said Henry, and in a minute or two Taylor was

quiet. The sharpshooting continued, but here as elsewhere, the Iroquois had the worst of it. Despite their

numbers, they could not pass nor flank that line of deadly marksmen who lay behind trees almost in security,

and who never missed. Another Tory and a chief, also, were killed, and Braxton Wyatt was daunted. Nor did

"We have failed here," he said. "They shoot too well for us to rush them. We have lost good men." Hiokatoo

"It is so," he said. " These who fight us now are of their best, and while we fight, the army that destroyed

The little white band soon saw that the Indians were gone from their front. They scouted some distance, and,

finding no enemy, hurried back to Colonel Butler. The troops were pushed forward, and before night they

reached Cunahunta, which they burned also. Some farther advance was made into the Indian country, and

more destruction was done, but now the winter was approaching, and many of the men insisted upon

returning home to protect their families. Others were to rejoin the main Revolutionary army, and the Iroquois

campaign was to stop for the time. The first blow had been struck, and it was a hard one, but the second blow

and third and fourth and more, which the five knew were so badly needed, must wait.

Henry and his comrades were deeply disappointed. They had hoped to go far into the Iroquois country, to

break the power of the Six Nations, to hunt down the Butlers and the Johnsons and Brant himself, but they

could not wholly blame their commander. The rear guard, or, rather, the forest guard of the Revolution, was a

Henry and his comrades said farewell to Colonel Butler with much personal regret, and also to the gallant

troops, some of whom were Morgan's riflemen from Virginia. The farewells to William Gray, Bob Taylor,

"We'll be on the battle line, side by side, once more," said Taylor, "and we'll strike another blow for

"I foresee," said Cornelius Heemskerk, "that I, a peaceful man, who ought to be painting blue plates in

Holland, will be drawn into danger in the great, dark wilderness again, and that you will be there with me,

Mynheer Henry, Mynheer Paul, Mynheer the Wise Solomon, Mynheer the Silent Tom, and Mynheer the

Very Long James. I see it clearly. I, a man of peace, am always being pushed in to war."

"No," replied Henry, speaking for them all, " we have entered upon this task here, and we are going to stay in

"It is dangerous, the most dangerous thing in the world," said Heemskerk. "I still have my foreknowledge that

I shall stand by your side in some great battle to come, but the first thing I shall do when I see you again, my

friends, is to look around at you, one, two, three, four, five, and see if you have upon your heads the hair

"Never fear, my friend," said Henry, "we have fought with the warriors all the way from the Susquehanna to

"It is one Dutchman's hope that it will always be so," said Heemskerk, and then he revolved rapidly away lest

The five received great supplies of powder and bullets from Colonel Butler, and then they parted in the forest.

Many of the soldiers looked back and saw the five tall figures in a line, leaning upon the muzzles of their

longbarreled Kentucky rifles, and regarding them in silence. It seemed to the soldiers that they had left

behind them the true sons of the wilderness, who, in spite of all dangers, would be there to welcome them

When the last soldier had disappeared among the trees, Henry turned to the others. "Well, boys," he asked,

"I?" asked Paul. "I'm thinking about a certain place I know, a sort of alcove or hole in a cliff above a lake."

"An' me?" said Shif'less Sol. "I'm thinkin' how fur that alcove runs back, an' how it could be fitted up with

"Me?" said Tom Ross. "I'm thinkin' what a snug place that alcove would be when the snow an' hail were

"An' ez fur me," said Long Jim Hart, "I wuz thinkin' I could run a sort uv flue from the back part uv that

alcove out through the front an' let the smoke pass out. I could cook all right. It wouldn't be ez good a place

fur cookin' ez the one we hed that time we spent the winter on the island in the lake, but 'twould serve."

"It's strange," said Henry, " but I've been thinking of all the things that all four of you have been thinking

about, and, since we are agreed, we are bound to go straight to 'The Alcove' and pass the winter there."

Without another word he led the way, and the others followed. It was apparent to everyone that they must

soon find a winter base, because the cold had increased greatly in the last few days. The last leaves had fallen

from the trees, and a searching wind howled among the bare branches. Better shelter than blankets would

On their way they passed Oghwaga, a mass of blackened ruins, among which wolves howled, the same

spectacle that Wyoming now afforded, although Oghwaga had not been stained by blood.

It was a long journey to "The Alcove," but they did not hurry, seeing no need of it, although they were

warned of the wisdom of their decision by the fact that the cold was increasing. The country in which the lake

was situated lay high, and, as all of them were quite sure that the cold was going to be great there, they

thought it wise to make preparations against it, which they discussed as they walked in, leisurely fashion

through the woods. They spoke, also, of greater things. All felt that they had been drawn into a mightier

current than any in which they had swam before. They fully appreciated the importance to the Revolution of

this great rearguard struggle, and at present they did not have the remotest idea of returning to Kentucky

"We've got to fight it out with Braxton Wyatt and the Iroquois," said Henry. "I've heard that Braxton is

organizing a band of Tories of his own, and that he is likely to be as dangerous as either of the Butlers."

It was four or five days before they reached their alcove, and now all the forest was bare and apparently

lifeless. They came down the creek, and found their boat unharmed and untouched still among the foliage at

"That's one thing safe," said Long Jim, "an' I guess we'll find 'The Alcove' all right, too."

"'Tain't likely," replied Long Jim. "We've left the human smell thar, an' even after all this time it's likely to

Long Jim was quite right. Their snug nest, like that of a squirrel in the side of a tree, had not been disturbed.

The skins which they had rolled up tightly and placed on the higher shelves of stone were untouched, and

several days' hunting increased the supply. The hunting was singularly easy, and, although the five did not

know it, the quantity of game was much greater in that region than it had been for years. It had been swept of

human beings by the Iroquois and Tory hordes, and deer, bear, and panther seemed to know instinctively that

In their hunting they came upon the ruins of charred houses, and more than once they saw something among

the coals that caused them to turn away with a shudder. At every place where man had made a little opening

the wilderness was quickly reclaiming its own again. Next year the grass and the foliage would cover up the

They jerked great quantities of venison on the trees on the cliff side, and stored it in "The Alcove." They also

cured some bear meat, and, having added a further lining of skins, they felt prepared for winter. They had

also added to the comfort of the place. They had taken the precaution of bringing with them two axes, and

with the heads of these they smoothed out more of the rough places on the floor and sides of "The Alcove."

They thought it likely, too, that they would need the axes in other ways later on.

Only once during these arrangements did they pass the trail of Indians, and that was made by a party of about

twenty, at least ten miles from "The Alcove." They seemed to be traveling north, and the five made no

investigations. Somewhat later they met a white runner in the forest, and he told them of the terrible massacre

of Cherry Valley. Walter Butler, emulating his father's exploit at Wyoming, had come down with a mixed

horde of Iroquois, Tories, British, and Canadians. He had not been wholly successful, but he had slaughtered

half a hundred women and children, and was now returning northward with prisoners. Some said, according

to the runner, that Thayendanegea had led the Indians on this occasion, but, as the five learned later, he had

not come up until the massacre was over. The runner added another piece of information that interested them

deeply. Butler had been accompanied to Cherry Valley by a young Tory or renegade named Wyatt, who had

distinguished himself by cunning and cruelty. It was said that Wyatt had built up for himself a

"That's our Braxton," said Henry. "He is rising to his opportunities. He is likely to become fully the equal of

But they could do nothing at present to find Wyatt, and they went somewhat sadly back to "The Alcove."

They had learned also from the runner that Wyatt had a lieutenant, a Tory named Coleman, and this fact

"We may get a chance at him anyhow," said Henry. "He and his band may go too far away from the main

body of the Indians and Tories, and in that case we can strike a blow if we are watchful."

Every one of the five, although none of them knew it, received an additional impulse from this news about

Braxton Wyatt. He had grown up with them. Loyalty to the king had nothing to do with his becoming a

renegade or a Tory; he could not plead lost lands or exile for taking part in such massacres as Wyoming or

Cherry Valley, but, long since an ally of the Indians, he was now at the head of a Tory band that murdered

"Some day we'll get him, as shore as the sun rises an' sets," said Shif'less Sol, repeating Henry's prediction.

But for the present they "holed up," and now their foresight was justified. To such as they, used to the

hardships of forest life, "The Alcove" was a cheery nest. From its door they watched the wild fowl streaming

south, pigeons, ducks, and others outlined against the dark, wintry skies. So numerous were these flocks that

there was scarcely a time when they did not see one passing toward the warm South.

Shif'less Sol and Paul sat together watching a great flock of wild geese, arrow shaped, and flying at almost

incredible speed. A few faint honks came to them, and then the geese grew misty on the horizon. Shif'less Sol

"Do you ever think, Paul," he said, "that we human bein's ain't so mighty pow'ful ez we think we are. We kin

walk on the groun', an' by hard learnin' an' hard work we kin paddle through the water a little. But jest look at

them geese flyin' a mile high, right over everything, rivers, forests any mountains, makin' a hundred miles an

hour, almost without flappin' a wing. Then they kin come down on the water an' float fur hours without bein'

tired, an' they kin waddle along on the groun', too. Did you ever hear of any men who had so many

'complishments? Why, Paul, s'pose you an' me could grow wings all at once, an' go through the air a mile a

"We'd certainly see some great sights," said Paul, "but do you know, Sol, what would be the first thing I'd do

"No, I'd swoop along over the forests up here until I picked out all the camps of the Indians and Tories. I'd

pick out the Butlers and Braxton Wyatt and Coleman, and see what mischief they were planning. Then I'd fly

away to the East and look down at all the armies, ours in buff and blue, and the British redcoats. I'd look into

the face of our great commanderinchief. Then I'd fly away back into the West and South, and I'd hover

over Wareville. I'd see our own people, every last little one of them. They might take a shot at me, not

knowing who I was, but I'd be so high up in the air no bullet could reach me. Then I'd come soaring back here

"That would shorely be a grand trip, Paul," said Shif'less Sol, " an' I wouldn't mind takin' it in myself. But fur

the present we'd better busy our minds with the warnin's the wild fowl are givin' us, though we're well fixed

fur a house already. It's cu'rus what good homes a handy man kin find in the wilderness."

The predictions of the wild fowl were true. A few days later heavy clouds rolled up in the southwest, and the

five watched them, knowing what they would bring them. They spread to the zenith and then to the other

horizon, clothing the whole circle of the earth. The great flakes began to drop down, slowly at first, then

faster. Soon all the trees were covered with white, and everything else, too, except the dark surface of the

It snowed all that day and most of the next, until it lay about two feet on the ground. After that it turned

intensely cold, the surface of the snow froze, and ice, nearly a foot thick, covered the lake. It was not possible

to travel under such circumstances without artificial help, and now Tom Ross, who had once hunted in the far

North, came to their help. He showed them how to make snowshoes, and, although all learned to use them,

Henry, with his great strength and peculiar skill, became by far the most expert.

As the snow with its frozen surface lay on the ground for weeks, Henry took many long journeys on the

snowshoes. Sometimes be hunted, but oftener his role was that of scout. He cautioned his friends that he

might be outthree or four days at a time, and that they need take no alarm about him unless his absence

became extremely long. The winter deepened, the snow melted, and another and greater storm came, freezing

the surface, again making the snowshoes necessary. Henry decided now to take a scout alone to the

northward, and, as the others bad long since grown into the habit of accepting his decisions almost without

question, be started at once. He was well equipped with his rifle, double barreled pistol, hatchet, and knife,

and he carried in addition a heavy blanket and some jerked venison. He put on his snowshoes at the foot of

the cliff, waved a farewell to the four heads thrust from "The Alcove" above, and struck out on the smooth,

icy surface of the creek. From this he presently passed into the woods, and for a long time pursued a course

It was no vague theory that had drawn Henry forth. In one of his journeyings be had met a hunter who told

him of a band of Tories and Indians encamped toward the north, and he had an idea that it was the party led

His information was very indefinite, and he began to discover signs much earlier than he had expected.

Before the end of the first day he saw the traces of other snowshoe runners on the icy snow, and once he

came to a place where a deer had been slain and dressed. Then he came to another where the snow had been

hollowed out under some pines to make a sleeping place for several men. Clearly he was in the land of the

Henry felt a thrill of joy when he saw these indications. All the primitive instincts leaped up within him. A

child of the forest and of elemental conditions, the warlike instinct was strong within him. He was tired of

hunting wild animals, and now there was promise of a' more dangerous foe. For the purposes that he had in

view he was glad that be was alone. The wintry forest, with its two feet of snow covered with ice, contained

no terrors for him. He moved on his snowshoes almost like a skater, and with all the dexterity of an Indian of

As he stood upon the brow of a little hill, elevated upon his snowshoes, he was, indeed, a wonderful figure.

The added height and the white glare from the ice made him tower like a great giant. He was clad completely

in soft, warm deerskin, his hands were gloved in the same material, and the fur cap was drawn tightly about

his head and ears. The slenderbarreled rifle lay across his shoulder, and the blanket and deer meat made a

light package on his back. Only his face was uncovered, and that was rosy with the sharp but bracing cold.

But the resolute blue eyes seemed to have grown more resolute in the last six months, and the firm jaw was

It was a steely blue sky, clear, hard, and cold, fitted to the earth of snow and ice that it inclosed. His eyes

traveled the circle of the horizon three times, and at the end of the third circle he made out a dim, dark thread

against that sheet of blue steel. It was the light of a camp fire, and that camp fire must belong to an enemy. It

was not likely that anybody else would be sending forth such a signal in this wintry wilderness.

Henry judged that the fire was several miles away, and apparently in a small valley hemmed in by hills of

moderate height. He made up his mind that the band of Braxton Wyatt was there, and he intended to make a

thorough scout about it. He advanced until the smoke line became much thicker and broader, and then he

stopped in the densest clump of bushes that he could find. He meant to remain there until darkness came,

because, with all foliage gone from the forest, it would be impossible to examine the hostile camp by day.

The bushes, despite the lack of leaves, were so dense that they hid him well, and, breaking through the crust

of ice, he dug a hole. Then, having taken off his snowshoes and wrapped his blanket about his body, he thrust

himself into the hole exactly like a rabbit in its burrow. He laid his shoes on the crust of ice beside him. Of

course, if found there by a large party of warriors on snowshoes he would have no chance to flee, but he was

willing to take what seemed to him a small risk. The dark would not be long in coming, and it was snug and

warm in the hole. As he sat, his head rose just above the surrounding ice, but his rifle barrel rose much

higher. He ate a little venison for supper, and the weariness in the ankles that comes from long traveling on

He could not see outside the bushes, but he listened with those uncommonly keen ears of his. No sound at all

came. There was not even a wind to rustle the bare boughs. The sun hung a huge red globe in the west, and

all that side of the earth was tinged with a red glare, wintry and cold despite its redness. Then, as the earth

Henry found it so comfortable in his burrow that all his muscles were soothed, and he grew sleepy. It would

have been very pleasant to doze there, but he brought himself round with an effort of the will, and became as

wide awake as ever. He was eager to be off on his expedition, but he knew how much depended on waiting,

and he waited. One hour, two hours, three hours, four hours, still and dark, passed in the forest before he

roused himself from his covert. Then, warm, strong, and tempered like steel for his purpose, he put on his

snowshoes, and advanced toward the point from which the column of smoke had risen.

He had never been more cautious and wary than he was now. He was a formidable figure in the darkness,

crouched forward, and moving like some spirit of the wilderness, half walking, half gliding.

Although the night had come out rather clear, with many cold stars twinkling in the blue, the line of smoke

was no longer visible. But Henry did not expect it to be, nor did he need it. He had marked its base too clearly

in his mind to make any mistake, and he advanced with certainty. He came presently into an open space, and

he stopped with amazement. Around him were the stumps of a clearing made recently, and near him were

He crouched against the fence, and saw on the far side of the clearing the dim outlines of several buildings,

from the chimneys of two of which smoke was rising. It was his first thought that he had come upon a little

settlement still held by daring borderers, but second thought told him that it was impossible. Another and

more comprehensive look showed many signs of ruin. He saw remains of several burned houses, but clothing

all was the atmosphere of desolation and decay that tells when a place is abandoned. The two threads of

Henry divined it all. The builders of this tiny village in the wilderness bad been massacred or driven away. A

part of the houses had been destroyed, some were left standing, and now there were visitors. He advanced

without noise, keeping behind the rail fence, and approaching one of the houses from the chimneys of which

the smoke came. Here be crouched a long time, looking and listening attentively; but it seemed that the

visitors had no fears. Why should they, when there was nothing that they need fear in this frozen wilderness?

Henry stole a little nearer. It had been a snug, trim little settlement. Perhaps twentyfive or thirty people had

lived there, literally hewing a home out of the forest. His heart throbbed with a fierce hatred and, anger

against those who had spoiled all this, and his gloved finger crept to the hammer of his rifle.

The night was intensely cold. The mercury was far below zero, and a wind that had begun to rise cut like the

edge of a knife. Even the wariest of Indians in such desolate weather might fail to keep a watch. But Henry

did not suffer. The fur cap was drawn farther over chin and ears, and the buckskin gloves kept his fingers

His comprehensive eye told him that, while some of the buildings had not been destroyed, they were so

ravaged and damaged that they could never be used again, save as a passing shelter, just as they were being

used now. He slid cautiously about the desolate place. He crossed a brook, frozen almost solidly in its bed,

and he saw two or three large mounds that had been haystacks, now covered with snow.

Then he slid without noise back to the nearest of the houses from which the smoke came. It was rather more

pretentious than the others, built of planks instead of logs, and with shingles for a roof. The remains of a

small portico formed the approach to the front door. Henry supposed that the house had been set on fire and

A bar of light falling across the snow attracted his attention. He knew that it was the glow of a fire within

coming through a window. A faint sound of voices reached his ears, and he moved forward slowly to the

window. It was an oaken shutter originally fastened with a leather strap, but the strap was gone, and now

some one had tied it, though not tightly, with a deer tendon. The crack between shutter and wall was at least

He pressed his side tightly to the wall and put his eyes to the crevice. What he saw within did not still any of

A great fire had been built in the log fireplace, but it was burning somewhat low now, having reached that

mellow period of least crackling and greatest heat. The huge bed of coals threw a mass of varied and glowing

colors across the floor. Large holes had been burned in the side of the room by the original fire, but Indian

In front of the fire sat Braxton Wyatt in a Loyalist uniform, a threecornered hat cocked proudly on his head,

and a small sword by his side. He had grown heavier, and Henry saw that the face had increased much in

coarseness and cruelty. It had also increased in satisfaction. He was a great man now, as he saw great men,

and both face and figure radiated gratification and pride as he lolled before the fire. At the other corner,

sitting upon the floor and also in a Loyalist uniform, was his lieutenant, Levi Coleman, older, heavier, and

with a short, uncommonly muscular figure. His face was dark and cruel, with small eyes set close together. A

half dozen other white men and more than a dozen Indians were in the room. All these lay upon their blankets

on the floor, because all the furniture had been destroyed. Yet they had eaten, and they lay there content in

the soothing glow of the fire, like animals that had fed well. Henry was so near that he could hear every word

"I'm glad the fire spared a part of it," said Coleman. "Looks as if it was done just for us, to give us a shelter

some cold winter night when we come along. I guess the Iroquois Aieroski is watching over us."

"You're a man that I like, Levi," he said. "You can see to the inside of things. It would be a good idea to use

this place as a base and shelter, and make a raid on some of the settlements east of the hills, eh, Levi?"

"It could be done," said Coleman. "But just listen to that wind, will you! On a night like this it must cut like a

Henry still gazed in at the crack with eyes that were lighted up by an angry fire. So here was more talk of

destruction and slaughter! His gaze alighted upon an Indian who sat in a corner engaged upon a task. Henry

looked more closely, and saw that he was stretching a blondehaired scalp over a small hoop. A shudder

shook his whole frame. Only those who lived amid such scenes could understand the intensity of his feelings.

He felt, too, a bitter sense of injustice. The doers of these deeds were here in warmth and comfort, while the

innocent were dead or fugitives. He turned away from the window, stepping gently upon the snowshoes. He

inferred that the remainder of Wyatt's band were quartered in the other house from which he had seen the

smoke rising. It was about twenty rods away, but he did not examine it, because a great idea had been born

suddenly in his brain. The attempt to fulfill the idea would be accompanied by extreme danger, but he did not

hesitate a moment. He stole gently to one of the halffallen outhouses and went inside. Here he found what

he wanted, a large pine shelf that had been sheltered from rain and that was perfectly dry. He scraped off a

large quantity of the dry pine until it formed almost a dust, and he did not cease until he had filled his cap

with it. Then he cut off large splinters, until he had accumulated a great number, and after that he gathered

He was fully two hours doing this work, and the night advanced far, but he never faltered. His head was bare,

but he was protected from the wind by a fragment of the outhouse wall. Every two or three minutes he

stopped and listened for the sound of a creaking, sliding footstep on the snow, but, never hearing any, he

always resumed his work with the same concentration. All the while the wind rose and moaned through the

ruins of the little village. When Henry chanced to raise his head above the sheltering wall, it was like the

Finally he took half of the pine dust in his cap and a lot of the splinters under his arm, and stole back to the

house from which the light had shone. He looked again through the crevice at the window. The light had died

down much more, and both Wyatt and Coleman were asleep on the floor. But several of the Iroquois were

Henry moved from the window and selected a sheltered spot beside the plank wall. There he put the pine dust

in a little heap on the snow and covered it over with pine splinters, on top of which he put larger pieces of

pine. Then he went back for the remainder of the pine dust, and built a similar pyramid against a sheltered

The most delicate part of his task had now come, one that good fortune only could aid him in achieving, but

the brave youth, his heart aflame with righteous anger against those inside, still pursued the work. His heart

Now came the kindly stroke of fortune for which he had hoped. The wind rose much higher and roared harder

against the house. It would prevent the Iroquois within, keen of ear as they were, from hearing a light sound

without. Then he drew forth his flint and steel and struck them together with a hand so strong and swift that

sparks quickly leaped forth and set fire to the pine tinder. Henry paused only long enough to see the flame

spread to the splinters, and then he ran rapidly to the other house, where the task was repeatedhe intended

Pursuing this resolve to make his task complete, he came back to the first house and looked at his fire. It had

already spread to the larger pieces of pine, and it could not go out now. The sound made by the flames

blended exactly with the roaring of the wind, and another minute or two might pass before the Iroquois

Now his heart throbbed again, and exultation was mingled with his anger. By the time the Iroquois were

aroused to the danger the flames would be so high that the wind would reach them. Then no one could put

It might have been safer for him to flee deep into the forest at once, but that lingering desire to make his task

complete and, also, the wish to see the result kept him from doing it. He merely walked across the open space

Braxton Wyatt and his Tories and Iroquois were very warm, very snug, in the shelter of the old house with

the great bed of coals before them. They may even have been dreaming peaceful and beautiful dreams, when

suddenly an Iroquois sprang to his feet and uttered a cry that awoke all the rest.

"I smell smoke!" he exclaimed in his tongue, "and there is fire, too! I hear it crackle outside!"

Braxton Wyatt ran to the window and jerked it open. Flame and smoke blew in his face. He uttered an angry

"The whole side of the house is on fire!" he exclaimed. "Whose neglect has done this?"

"The fire was set on the outside," he said. "It was no carelessness of our men. Some enemy has done this!"

"It is true!" exclaimed Wyatt furiously. "Out, everybody! The house burns fast!"

There was a rush for the door. Already ashes and cinders were falling about their heads. Flames leaped high,

were caught by the roaring winds, and roared with them. The shell of the house would soon be gone, and

when Tories and Iroquois were outside they saw the remainder of their band pouring forth from the other

No means of theirs could stop so great a fire, and they stood in a sort of stupefaction, watching it as it was

All the remaining outbuildings caught, also, and in a few moments nothing whatever would be left of the tiny

village. Braxton Wyatt and his band must lie in the icy wilderness, and they could never use this place as a

"It didn't happen. It was done," said Coleman. "Somebody set these houses on fire while we slept within.

An Iroquois some distance from the houses was bending over the snow where it was not yet melted by the

heat. He saw there the track of snowshoes, and suddenly, looking toward the forest, whither they led, he saw

Henry Ware, lingering at the edge of the clearing, his body hidden behind one of the great tree trunks, had

been watching the scene with a fascinated interest that would not let him go. He knew that his work there was

done already. Everything would be utterly destroyed by the flames which, driven by the wind, leaped from

one halfruined building to another. Braxton Wyatt and his band would have enough to do sheltering

themselves from the fierce winter, and the settlements could rest for a while at least. Undeniably he felt

exultation as be witnessed the destructive work of his hand. The border, with its constant struggle forlife

In truth, although he did not know it himself, he stayed there to please his eye and heart. A new pulse beat

triumphantly every time a timber, burned through, fell in, or a crash came from a falling roof. He laughed

inwardly as the flames disclosed the dismay on the faces of the Iroquois and Tories, and it gave him deep

satisfaction to see Braxton Wyatt, his gaudy little sword at his thigh, stalking about helpless. It was while he

was looking, absorbed in such feelings, that the warrior of the alert eye saw him and gave the warning shout.

Henry turned in an instant, and darted away among the trees, half running, half sliding over the smooth, icy

covering of the snow. After him came warriors and some Tories who had put on their snowshoes preparatory

to the search through the forest for shelter. Several bullets were fired, but he was too far away for a good aim.

He heard one go zip against a tree, and another cut the surface of the ice near him, but none touched him, and

he sped easily on his snowshoes through the frozen forest. But Henry was fully aware of one thing that

constituted his greatest danger. Many of these Iroquois had been trained all their lives to snowshoes, while

he, however powerful and agile, was comparatively a beginner. He glanced back again and saw their dusky

figures running among the trees, but they did not seem to be gaining. If one should draw too near, there was

his rifle, and no man, white or red, in the northern or southern forests, could use it better. But for the present

it was not needed. He pressed it closely, almost lovingly, to his side, this best friend of the scout and

He had chosen his course at the first leap. It was southward, toward the lake, and he did not make the mistake

of diverging from his line, knowing that some part of the wide half circle of his pursuers would profit by it.

Henry felt a great upward surge. He had been the victor in what he meant to achieve, and he was sure that he

would escape. The cold wind, whistling by, whipped his blood and added new strength to his great muscles.

His ankles were not chafed or sore, and he sped forward on the snowshoes, straight and true. Whenever he

came to a hill the pursuers would gain as he went up it, but when he went down the other side it was he who

gained. He passed brooks, creeks, and once a small river, but they were frozen over, many inches deep, and

he did not notice them. Again it was a lake a mile wide, but the smooth surface there merely increased his

speed. Always he kept a wary look ahead for thickets through which he could not pass easily, and once he

sent back a shout of defiance, which the Iroquois answered with a yell of anger.

He was fully aware that any accident to his snowshoes would prove fatal, the slipping of the thongs on his

ankles or the breaking of a runner would end his flight, and in a long chase such an accident might happen. It

might happen, too, to one or more of the Iroquois, but plenty of them would be left. Yet Henry had supreme

confidence in his snowshoes. He had made them himself, he had seen that every part was good, and every

The wind which bad been roaring so loudly at the time of the fire sank to nothing. The leafless trees stood up,

the branches unmoving. The forest was bare and deserted. All the animals, big and little, had gone into their

lairs. Nobody witnessed the great pursuit save pursuers and pursued. Henry kept his direction clear in his

mind, and allowed the Iroquois to take no advantage of a curve save once. Then he came to a thicket so large

that he was compelled to make a considerable circle to pass it. He turned to the right, hence the Indians on the

right gained, and they sent up a yell of delight. He replied defiantly and increased his speed.

But one of the Indians, a flying Mohawk, had come dangerously nearnear enough, in fact, to fire a bullet

that did not miss the fugitive much. It aroused Henry's anger. He took it as an indignity rather than a danger,

and he resolved to avenge it. So far as firing was concerned, he was at a disadvantage. He must stop and turn

around for his shot, while the Iroquois, without even checking speed, could fire straight at the flying target,

Nevertheless, he took the chance. He turned deftly on the snowshoes, fired as quick as lightning at the swift

Mohawk, saw him fall, then Whirled and resumed his flight. He had lost ground, but he had inspired respect.

A single man could not afford to come too near to a marksman so deadly, and the three or four who led

Now Henry made his greatest effort. He wished to leave the foe far behind, to shake off his pursuit entirely.

He bounded over the ice and snow with great leaps, and began to gain. Yet he felt at last the effects of so

strenuous a flight. His breath became shorter; despite the intense cold, perspiration stood upon his face, and

the straps that fastened the snowshoes were chafing his ankles. An end must come even to such strength as

his. Another backward look, and he saw that the foe was sinking into the darkness. If he could only increase

his speed again, be might leave the Iroquois now. He made a new call upon the will, and the body responded.

For a few minutes his speed became greater. A disappointed shout arose behind him, and several shots were

fired. But the bullets fell a hundred yards short, and then, as he passed over a little hill and into a wood

Henry knew that the Iroquois could trail him over the snow, but they could not do it at full speed, and he

turned sharply off at an angle. Pausing a second or two for fresh breath, he continued on his new course,

although not so fast as before. He knew that the Iroquois would rush straight ahead, and would not discover

for two or three minutes that they were off the trail. It would take them another two or three minutes to

recover, and he would make a gain of at least five minutes. Five minutes had saved the life of many a man on

How precious those five minutes were! He would take them all. He ran forward some distance, stopped

where the trees grew thick, and then enjoyed the golden five, minute by minute. He had felt that he was

pumping the very lifeblood from his heart. His breath had come painfully, and the thongs of the snowshoes

were chafing his ankles terribly. But those minutes were worth a year. Fresh air poured into his lungs, and the

Resuming his flight, he went at a steady pace, resolved not to do his utmost unless the enemy came in sight.

About ten minutes later he heard a cry far behind him, and he believed it to be a signal from some Indian to

the others that the trail was found again. But with so much advantage he felt sure that he was now quite safe.

He ran, although at decreased speed, for about two hours more, and then he sat down on the upthrust root of a

great oak. Here he depended most upon his ears. The forest was so silent that he could hear any noise at a

great distance, but there was none. Trusting to his ears to warn him, he would remain there a long time for a

thorough rest. He even dared to take off his snowshoes that he might rub his sore ankles, but he wrapped his

heavy blanket about his body, lest he take deep cold in cooling off in such a temperature after so long a flight.

He sat enjoying a half hour, golden like the five minutes, and then he saw, outlined against the bright,

moonlit sky, something that told him he must be on the alert again. It was a single ring of smoke, like that

from a cigar, only far greater. It rose steadily, untroubled by wind until it was dissipated. It meant "attention!"

and presently it was followed by a column of such rings, one following another beautifully. The column said:

" The foe is near." Henry read the Indian signs perfectly. The rings were made by covering a little fire with a

blanket for a moment and then allowing the smoke to ascend. On clear days such signals could be seen a

distance of thirty miles or more, and he knew that they were full of significance.

Evidently the Iroquois party had divided into two or more bands. One had found his trail, and was signaling

to the other. The party sending up the smoke might be a half mile away, but the others, although his trail was

He swiftly put on the snowshoes, neglecting no thong or lace, folded the blanket on his back again, and,

leaving the friendly root, started once more. He ran forward at moderate speed for perhaps a mile, when he

suddenly heard triumphant yells on both right and left. A strong party of Iroquois were coming up on either

They were so near that they fired upon him, and one bullet nicked his glove, but he was hopeful that after his

long rest he might again stave them off. He sent back no defiant cry, but, settling into determined silence, ran

at his utmost speed. The forest here was of large trees, with no undergrowth, and he noticed that the two

parties did not join, but kept on as they had come, one on the right and the other on the left. This fact must

have some significance, but he could not fathom it. Neither could he guess whether the Indians were fresh or

Presently he made a fresh spurt of speed, the forest opened out, and then both bands uttered a yell full of

ferocity and joy, the kind that savages utter only when they see their triumph complete.

Before, and far below Henry, stretched a vast, white expanse. He had come to the lake, but at a point where

the cliff rose high like a mountain, and steep like a wall. The surface of the lake was so far down that it was

misty white like a cloud. Now he understood the policy of the Indian bands in not uniting. They knew that

they would soon reach the lofty cliffs of the lake, and if he turned to either right or left there was a band ready

Henry's heart leaped up and then sank lower than ever before in his life. It seemed that he could not escape

from so complete a trap, and Braxton Wyatt was not one who would spare a prisoner. That was perhaps the

bitterest thing of all, to be taken and tortured by Braxton Wyatt. He was there. He could hear his voice in one

The Iroquois were coming toward him, shutting him out from retreat to either right or left, but not yet closing

in because of his deadly rifle. He gave them a single look, put forth his voice in one great cry of defiance,

As Henry plunged downward he heard behind him a shout of amazement and chagrin poured forth from

many Iroquois throats, and, taking a single glance backward, he caught a glimpse of dusky faces stamped

with awe. But the bold youth had not made a leap to destruction. In the passage of a second he had calculated

rapidly and well. While the cliff at first glance seemed perpendicular, it could not be so. There was a slope

coated with two feet of snow, and swinging far back on the heels of his snowshoes, he shot downward like

one taking a tremendous slide on a toboggan. Faster and faster he went, but deeper and deeper he dug his

shoes into the snow, until he lay back almost flat against its surface. This checked his speed somewhat, but it

was still very great, and, preserving his selfcontrol perfectly, he prayed aloud to kindly Providence to save

The snow from his runners flew in a continuous shower behind him as he descended. Yet he drew himself

compactly together, and held his rifle parallel with his body. Once or twice, as he went over a little ridge, he

shot clear of the snow, but he held his body rigid, and the snow beyond saved him from a severe bruise. Then

his speed was increased again, and all the time the white surface of the lake below, seen dimly through the

He might never reach that surface alive, but of one thing lie was sure. None of the Iroquois or Tories had

dared to follow. Braxton Wyatt could have no triumph over him. He was alone in his great flight. Once a

projection caused him to turn a little to one side. He was in momentary danger of turning entirely, and then of

rolling head over heels like a huge snowball, but with a mighty effort he righted himself, and continued the

Now that white expanse which had seemed so far away came miles nearer. Presently he would be there. The

impossible had become possible, the unattainable was about to be attained. He gave another mighty dig with

his shoes, the last reach of the slope passed behind him, and he shot out on the frozen surface of the lake,

The lake was covered with ice a foot thick, and over this lay frozen snow, which stopped Henry forty or fifty

yards from the cliff. There he lost his balance at last, and fell on his side, where he lay for a few moments,

When he stood upright again he felt his body, but he had suffered nothing save some bruises, that would heal

in their own good time. His deerskin clothing was much torn, particularly on the back, where he had leaned

upon the ice and snow, but the folded blanket had saved him to a considerable extent. One of his shoes was

pulled loose, and presently he discovered that his left ankle was smarting and burning at a great rate. But he

did not mind these things at all, so complete was his sense of victory. He looked up at the mighty white wall

that stretched above him fifteen hundred feet, and he wondered at his own tremendous exploit. The wall ran

away for miles, and the Iroquois could not reach him by any easier path. He tried to make out figures on the

brink looking down at him, but it was too far away, and he saw only a black line.

He tightened the loose shoe and struck out across the lake. He was far away from "The Alcove," and he did

not intend to go there, lest the Iroquois, by chance, come upon his trail and follow it to the refuge. But as it

was no more than two miles across the lake at that point, and the Iroquois would have to make a great curve

to reach the other side, he felt perfectly safe. He walked slowly across, conscious all the time of an increasing

pain in his left ankle, which must now be badly swollen, and he did not stop until he penetrated some distance

among low bills. Here, under an overhanging cliff with thick bushes in front, he found a partial shelter, which

he cleared out yet further. Then with infinite patience he built a fire with splinters that he cut from dead

boughs, hung his blanket in front of it on two sticks that the flame might not be seen, took off his snowshoes,

leggins, and socks, and bared his ankles. Both were swollen, but the left much more badly than the other. He

doubted whether he would be able to walk on the following day, but he rubbed them a long time, both with

the palms of his hands and with snow, until they felt better. Then he replaced his clothing, leaned back

against the faithful snowshoes which had saved his life, however much they had hurt his ankles, and gave

It was very luxurious, this warmth and this rest, after so long and terrible a flight, and he was conscious of a

great relaxation, one which, if he yielded to it completely, would make his muscles so stiff and painful that he

could not use them. Hence he stretched his arms and legs many times, rubbed his ankles again, and then,

He knew that he had taken a little risk with the fire, but a fire he was bound to have, and he fed it again until

he had a great mass of glowing coals, although there was no blaze. Then he took down the blanket, wrapped

himself in it, and was soon asleep before the fire. He slept long and deeply, and although, when he awoke, the

day had fully come, the coals were not yet out entirely. He arose, but such a violent pain from his left ankle

shot through him that he abruptly sat down again. As he bad feared, it had swollen badly during the night,

In this emergency Henry displayed no petulance, no striving against unchangeable circumstance. He drew up

more wood, which he had stacked against the cliff, and put it on the coals. He hung up the blanket once more

in order that it might hide the fire, stretched out his lame leg, and calmly made a breakfast off the last of his

venison. He knew be was in a plight that might appall the bravest, but be kept himself in hand. It was likely

that the Iroquois thought him dead, crushed into a shapeless mass by his frightful slide of fifteen hundred

feet, and he had little fear of them, but to be unable to walk and alone in an icy wilderness without food was

sufficient in itself. He calculated that it was at least a dozen miles to "The Alcove," and the chances were a

hundred to one against any of his comrades wandering his way. He looked once more at his swollen left

ankle, and he made a close calculation. It would be three days, more likely four, before he could walk upon it.

Could he endure hunger that long? He could. He would! Crouched in his nest with his back to the cliff, he

had defense against any enemy in his rifle and pistol. By faithful watching he might catch sight of some

wandering animal, a target for his rifle and then food for his stomach. His wilderness wisdom warned him

He scarcely moved for hours. As long as he was still his ankle troubled him but little. The sun came out,

silver bright, but it had no warmth. The surface of the lake was shown only by the smoothness of its expanse;

the icy covering was the same everywhere over hills and valleys. Across the lake he saw the steep down

which he had slid, looming white and lofty. In the distance it looked perpendicular, and, whatever its terrors,

it had, beyond a doubt, saved his life. He glanced down at his swollen ankle, and, despite his helpless

About noon he moved enough to throw up the snowbanks higher all around himself in the fashion of an

Eskimos house. Then he let the fire die except some coals that gave forth no smoke, stretched the blanket

over his head in the manner of a roof, and once more resumed his quiet and stillness. He was now like a

crippled animal in its lair, but he was warm, and his wound did not hurt him. But hunger began to trouble

him. He was young and so powerful that his frame demanded much sustenance. Now it cried aloud its need!

He ate two or three handfuls of snow, and for a few moments it seemed to help him a little, but his hunger

soon came back as strong as ever. Then he tightened his belt and sat in grim silence, trying to forget that there

The effort of the will was almost a success throughout the afternoon, but before night it failed. He began to

have roseate visions of Long Jim trying venison, wild duck, bear, and buffalo steaks over the coals. He could

sniff the aroma, so powerful had his imagination become, and, in fancy, his month watered, while its roof was

really dry. They were daylight visions, and he knew it well, but they taunted him and made his pain fiercer.

He slid forward a little to the mouth of his shelter, and thrust out his rifle in the hope that be would see some

wild creature, no matter what; he felt that be could shoot it at any distance, and then he would feast!

He saw nothing living, either on earth or in the air, only motionless white, and beyond, showing but faintly

He drew back into his lair, and the darkness came down. Despite his hunger, he slept fairly well. In the night

a little snow fell at times, but his blanket roof protected him, and he remained dry and warm. The new snow

was, in a way, a satisfaction, as it completely hid his trail from the glance of any wandering Indian. He awoke

the next morning to a gray, somber day, with piercing winds from the northwest. He did not feel the pangs of

hunger until he had been awake about a half hour, and then they came with redoubled force. Moreover, he

bad become weaker in the night, and, added to the loss of muscular strength, was a decrease in the power of

the will. Hunger was eating away his mental as well as his physical fiber. He did not face the situation with

quite the same confidence that he felt the day before. The wilderness looked a little more threatening.

His lips felt as if he were suffering from fever, and his shoulders and back were stiff. But he drew his belt

tighter again, and then uncovered his left ankle. The swelling had gone down a little, and he could move it

with more freedom than on the day before, but he could not yet walk. Once more he made his grim

calculation. In two days he could certainly walk and hunt game or make a try for "The Alcove," so far as his

ankle was concerned, but would hunger overpower him before that time? Gaining strength in one direction,

Now he began to grow angry with himself. The light inroad that famine made upon his will was telling. It

seemed incredible that he, so powerful, so skillful, so self reliant, so long used to the wilderness and to every

manner of hardship, should be held there in a snowbank by a bruised ankle to die like a crippled rabbit. His

comrades could not be more than ten miles away. He could walk. He would walk! He stood upright and

stepped out into the snow, but pain, so agonizing that he could scarcely keep from crying out, shot through

his whole body, and he sank back into the shelter, sure not to make such an experiment again for another full

The day passed much like its predecessor, except that he took down the blanket cover of his snow hut and

kindled up his fire again, more for the sake of cheerfulness than for warmth, because he was not suffering

from cold. There was a certain life and light about the coals and the bright flame, but the relief did not last

long, and by and by he let it go out. Then be devoted himself to watching the heavens and the surface of the

snow. Some winter bird, duck or goose, might be flying by, or a wandering deer might be passing. He must

not lose any such chance. He was more than ever a fierce creature of prey, sitting at the mouth of his den, the

rifle across his knee, his tanned face so thin that the cheek bones showed high and sharp, his eyes bright with

fever and the fierce desire for prey, and the long, lean body drawn forward as if it were about to leap.

He thought often of dragging himself down to the lake, breaking a hole in the ice, and trying to fish, but the

idea invariably came only to be abandoned. He had neither hook nor bait. In the afternoon he chewed the

edge of his buckskin hunting shirt, but it was too thoroughly tanned and dry. It gave back no sustenance. He

That night he had a slight touch of frenzy, and began to laugh at himself. It was a huge joke! What would

Timmendiquas or Thayendanegea think of him if they knew how he came to his end? They would put him

with old squaws or little children. And how Braxton Wyatt and his lieutenant, the squat Tory, would laugh!

That was the bitterest thought of all. But the frenzy passed, and he fell into a sleep which was only a

succession of bad dreams. He was running the gauntlet again among the Shawnees. Again, kneeling to drink

at the clear pool, he saw in the water the shadow of the triumphant warrior holding the tomahawk above him.

One after another the most critical periods of his life were lived over again, and then he sank into a deep

Henry was conscious that he was very weak, but he seemed to have regained much of his lost will. He looked

once more at the fatal left ankle. It had improved greatly. He could even stand upon it, but when he rose to his

feet he felt a singular dizziness. Again, what he had gained in one way he had lost in another. The earth

wavered. The smooth surface of the lake seemed to rise swiftly, and then to sink as swiftly. The far slope

down which he had shot rose to the height of miles. There was a pale tinge, too, over the world. He sank

down, not because of his ankle, but because he was afraid his dizzy head would make him fall.

The power of will slipped away again for a minute or two. He was ashamed of such extraordinary weakness.

He looked at one of his hands. It was thin, like the band of a man wasted with fever, and the blue veins stood

out on the back of it. He could scarcely believe that the hand was his own. But after the first spasm of

weakness was over, the precious will returned. He could walk. Strength enough to permit him to hobble along

had returned to the ankle at last, and mind must control the rest of his nervous system, however weakened it

He withdrew into the farthest recess of his covert, wrapped the blanket tightly about his body, and lay still for

a long time. He was preparing both mind and body for the supreme effort. He knew that everything hung now

Weakened by shock and several days of fasting, he had no great reserve now except the mental, and he used

that to the utmost. It was proof of his youthful greatness that it stood the last test. As he lay there, the final

ounce of will and courage came. Strength which was of the mind rather than of the body flowed back into his

veins; he felt able to dare and to do; the pale aspect of the world went away, and once more he was Henry

Then he rose again, folded the blanket, and fastened it on his shoulders. He looked at the snowshoes, but

decided that his left ankle, despite its great improvement, would not stand the strain. He must break his way

through the snow, which was a full three feet in depth. Fortunately the crust had softened somewhat in the

He pushed his way for the first time from the lair under the cliff, his rifle held in his ready hands, in order that

he might miss no chance at game. To an ordinary observer there would have been no such chance at all. It

was merely a grim white wilderness that might have been without anything living from the beginning. But

Henry, the forest runner, knew better. Somewhere in the snow were lairs much like the one that he had left,

and in these lairs were wild animals. To any such wild animal, whether panther or bear, the hunter would now

have been a fearsome object, with his hollow cheeks, his sunken fiery eyes, and his thin lips opening now and

Henry advanced about a rod, and then he stopped, breathing hard, because it was desperate work for one in

his condition to break his way through snow so deep. But his ankle stood the strain well, and his courage

increased rather than diminished. He was no longer a cripple confined to one spot. While be stood resting, he

noticed a clump of bushes about half a rod to his left, and a hopeful idea came to him.

He broke his way slowly to the bushes, and then he searched carefully among them. The snow was not nearly

so thick there, and under the thickest clump, where the shelter was best, he saw a small round opening. In an

instant all his old vigorous life, all the abounding hope which was such a strong characteristic of his nature,

came back to him. Already he had triumphed over Indians, Tories, the mighty slope, snow, ice, crippling, and

He laid the rifle on the snow and took the ramrod in his right hand. He thrust his left hand into the hole, and

when the rabbit leaped for life from his warm nest a smart blow of the ramrod stretched him dead at the feet

of the hunter. Henry picked up the rabbit. It was large and yet fat. Here was food for two meals. In the race

He did not give way to any unseemly elation. He even felt a momentary sorrow that a life must perish to save

his own, because all these wild things were his kindred now. He returned by the path that he had broken,

kindled his fire anew, dexterously skinned and cleaned his rabbit, then cooked it and ate half, although he ate

slowly and with intervals between each piece. How delicious it tasted, and how his physical being longed to

leap upon it and devour it, but the power of the mind was still supreme. He knew what was good for himself,

and he did it. Everything was done in order and with sobriety. Then he put the rest of the rabbit carefully in

his food pouch, wrapped the blanket about his body, leaned back, and stretched his feet to the coals.

What an extraordinary change had come over the world in an hour! He had not noticed before the great

beauty of the lake, the lofty cliffs on the farther shore, and the forest clothed in white and hanging with

It was not will now, but actuality, that made him feel the strength returning to his frame. He knew that the

blood in his veins had begun to sparkle, and that his vitality was rising fast. He could have gone to sleep

peacefully, but instead he went forth and hunted again. He knew that where the rabbit had been, others were

likely to be near, and before he returned he had secured two more. Both of these he cleaned and cooked at

once. When this was done night had come, but he ate again, and then, securing all his treasures about him,

He felt very strong the next morning, and he might have started then, but he was prudent. There was still a

chance of meeting the Iroquois, and the ankle might not stand so severe a test. He would rest in his nest for

another day, and then he would be equal to anything. Few could lie a whole day in one place with but little to

do and with nothing passing before the eyes, but it was a part of Henry's wilderness training, and he showed

all the patience of the forester. He knew, too, as the hours went by, that his strength was rising all the while.

Tomorrow almost the last soreness would be gone from his ankle and then he could glide swiftly over the

snow, back to his comrades. He was content. He had, in fact, a sense of great triumph because he had

overcome so much, and here was new food in this example for future efforts of the mind, for future victories

of the will over the body. The wintry sun came to the zenith, then passed slowly down the curve, but all the

time the boy scarcely stirred. Once there was a flight of small birds across the heavens, and he watched them

vaguely, but apparently he took no interest. Toward night he stood up in his recess and flexed and tuned his

muscles for a long time, driving out any stiffness that might come through long lack of motion. Then he ate

The night was clear, and he looked away toward the point where he knew "The Alcove" lay. A good moon

was now shining, and stars by the score were springing out. Suddenly at a point on that far shore a spark of

red light appeared and twinkled. Most persons would have taken it for some low star, but Henry knew better.

It was fire put there by human hand for a purpose, doubtless a signal, and as he looked a second spark

appeared by the first, then a third, then a fourth. He uttered a great sigh of pleasure. It was his four friends

signaling to him somewhere in the vast unknown that they were alive and well, and beckoning him to come.

The lights burned for fifteen or twenty minutes, and then all went out together. Henry turned over on his side

The surface of the snow had frozen again in the night, and Henry found good footing for his shoes. For a

while he leaned most on the right ankle, but, as his left developed no signs of soreness, he used them equally,

and sped forward, his spirits rising at every step. The air was cold, and there was but little breeze, but his own

motion made a wind that whipped his face. The hollows were mostly gone from his cheeks, and his eyes no

longer had the fierce, questing look of the famishing wild animal in search of prey. A fine red color was

suffused through the brown of his face. He had chosen his course with due precaution. The broad surface,

smooth, white, and glittering, tempted, but he put the temptation away. He did not wish to run any chance

whatever of another Iroquois pursuit, and he kept in the forest that ran down close to the water's edge. It was

But all thought of weariness and trouble was lost in his glorious freedom. With his crippled ankle he had been

really like a prisoner in his cell, with a ball and chain to his foot. Now he flew along, while the cold wind

whipped his blood, and felt what a delight it was merely to live. He went on thus for hours, skirting down

toward the cliffs that contained "The Alcove." He rested a while in the afternoon and ate the last of his rabbit,

but before twilight he reached the creek, and stood at the hidden path that led up to their home.

Henry sat down behind thick bushes and took off his snowshoes. To one who had never come before, the

whole place would have seemed absolutely desolate, and even to one not a stranger no sign of life would

have been visible had he not possessed uncommonly keen eyes. But Henry had such eyes. He saw the faintest

wisp of smoke stealing away against the surface of the cliff, and he felt confident that all four were there. He

Laying the shoes aside, he crept so carefully up the path that he dislodged no snow and made no noise of any

kind. As be gradually approached "The Alcove" he beard the murmur of voices, and presently, as he turned

an angle in the path, he saw a beam of glorious mellow light falling on the snow.

But the murmur of the voices sent a great thrill of delight through him. Low and indistinct as they were, they

had a familiar sound. He knew all those tones. They were the voices of his faithful comrades, the four who

had gone with him through so many perils and hardships, the little band who with himself were ready to die

He crept a little closer, and then a little closer still. Lying almost flat on the steep path, and drawing himself

forward, he looked into "The Alcove." A fire of deep, red coals glowed in one corner, and disposed about it

were the four. Paul lay on his elbow on a deerskin, and was gazing into the coals. Tom Ross was working on

a pair of moccasins, Long Jim was making some kind of kitchen implement, and Shif'less Sol was talking.

"Henry will turn up all right," he was saying. "Hasn't he always done it afore? Then ef he's always done it

afore he's shorely not goin' to break his rule now. I tell you, boys, thar ain't enough Injuns an' Tories between

Canady an' New Orleans, an' the Mississippi an' the Atlantic, to ketch Henry. I bet I could guess what he's

"When I shet my eyes ez I'm doin' now I kin see him," said the shiftless one. "He's away off thar toward the

north, skirtin' around an Injun village, Mohawk most likely, lookin' an' listenin' an' gatherin' talk about their

"I've sleet my eyes, too, Sol Hyde, jest ez tight ez you've shet yours, an' I see him, too, but he ain't doin' any

"Henry's away off to the south, not to the north," replied the long one, "an' he's in the Iroquois village that we

burned. One house has been left standin', an' he's been occupyin' it while the big snow's on the groun'. A

whole deer is hangin' from the wall, an' he's been settin' thar fur days, eatin' so much an' hevin' such a good

time that the fat's hangin' down over his cheeks, an' his whole body is threatenin' to bust right out uv his

Paul moved a little on his elbow and turned the other side of his face to the fire. Then he glanced at the silent

"Sol and Jim don't seem to agree much in their second sight," he said. "Can you have any vision, too, Tom?"

"Yes," replied Tom Ross, "I kin. I shet my eyes, but I don't see like either Sol or Jim, 'cause both uv 'em see

wrong. I see Henry, an' I see him plain. He's had a pow'ful tough time. He ain't threatenin' to bust with fat out

uv no huntin' shirt, his cheeks ain't so full that they are fallin' down over his jaws. It's t'other way roun'; them

cheeks are sunk a mite, he don't fill out his clothes, an' when he crawls along he drags his left leg a leetle,

though he hides it from hisself. He ain't spyin' on no Injun village, an' he ain't in no snug camp with a dressed

deer hangin' by the side uv him. It's t'other way 'roan'. He's layin' almost flat on his face not twenty feet from

All the others sprang to their feet in astonishment, and Henry likewise sprang to his feet. Three leaps, and he

"And so you saw me, Tom," he exclaimed, as he joyously grasped one hand after another. "I might have

"I caught the glimpse uv you," said Silent Tom, while Sol an' Jim wuz talkin' the foolish talk that they most

always talk, an' when Paul called on me, I thought I would give 'em a dream that 'wuz true, an' worth tellin'."

"You're right," said Henry. "I've not been having any easy time, and for a while, boys, it looked as if I never

They gave him the warmest place by the fire, brought him the tenderest food, and he told the long and

"I don't believe anybody else but you would have tried it, Henry," said Paul, when they heard of the fearful

"I'm pow'ful glad that you done it for two reasons," said Shif'less Sol. "One, 'cause it helped you to git away,

an' the other, 'cause that scoundrel, Braxton Wyatt, didn't take you. 'Twould hurt my pride tremenjeous for

"Not much of anything," replied Shif'less Sol. We've been scoutin' several times, lookin' fur you, though we

knowed you'd come in some time or other, but mostly we've been workin' 'roun' the place here, fixin' it up

"We'll have to continue at that for some time, I'm afraid," said Henry, "unless this snow breaks up. Have any

"Tom ran across some scouts from the militia," replied Paul, "and they said nothing could be done until warm

But for the present the five could achieve little. The snow lasted a long time, but it was finally swept away by

big rains. It poured for two days and nights, and even when the rain ceased the snow continued to melt under

the warmer air. The water rushed in great torrents down the cliffs, and would have entered "The Alcove" had

not the five made provision to turn it away. As it was, they sat snug and dry, listening to the gush of the

water, the sign of falling snow, and the talk of one another. Yet the time dragged.

"Man wuz never made to be a caged animile," said Shif'less Sol. "The longer I stay shet up in one place, the

But when the earth came from beneath the snow, although it was still cold weather, they began again to range

the forest far in every direction, and they found that the Indians, and the Tories also, were becoming active.

There were more burnings, more slaughters, and more scalpings. The whole border was still appalled at the

massacres of Wyoming and Cherry Valley, and the savages were continually spreading over a wider area.

Braxton Wyatt at the head of his band, and with the aid of his Tory lieutenant, Levi Coleman, had made for

himself a name equal to that of Walter Butler. As for "Indian" Butler and his men, no men were hated more

The five continued to do the best they could, which was much, carrying many a warning, and saving some

who would otherwise have been victims. While they devoted themselves to their strenuous task, great events

in which they were to take a part were preparing. The rear guard of the Revolution was about to become for

the time the main guard. A great eye had been turned upon the ravaged and bleeding border, and a great

mind, which could bear misfortuneeven disasterwithout complaint, was preparing to send help to those

farther away. So mighty a cry of distress had risen, that the power of the Iroquois must be destroyed. As the

Rumors that a formidable foe was about to advance reached the Iroquois and their allies, the Tories, the

English, and the Canadians. There was a great stirring among the leaders, Thayendanegea, Hiokatoo,

Sangerachte, the Johnsons, the Butlers, Claus, and the rest. Haldimand, the king's representative in Canada,

sent forth an urgent call to all the Iroquois to meet the enemy. The Tories were' extremely active. Promises

were made to the tribes that they should have other victories even greater than those of Wyoming and Cherry

Valley, and again the terrible Queen Esther went among them, swinging her great war tomahawk over her

head and chanting her song of death. She, more than any other, inflamed the Iroquois, and they were eager for

Timmendiquas had gone back to the Ohio country in the winter, but, faithful to his promise to give

Thayendanegea help to the last, he returned in the spring with a hundred chosen warriors of the Wyandot

Henry and his comrades felt the stir as they roamed through the forest, and they thrilled at the thought that the

crisis was approaching. Then they set out for Lake Otsego, where the army was gathering for the great

campaign. They were equipped thoroughly, and they were now so well known in the region that they knew

They traveled several days, and were preparing to encamp for the last night within about fifteen miles of the

lake when Henry, scouting as usual to see if an enemy were near, heard a footstep in the forest. He wheeled

instantly to cover behind the body of a great beech tree, and the stranger sought to do likewise, only he had

no convenient tree that was so large. It was about the twelfth hour, but Henry could see a portion of a body

protruding beyond a slim oak, and he believed that he recognized it. As he held the advantage he would, at

"Ho, Cornelius Heemskerk, Dutchman, fat man, great scout and woodsman, what are you doing in my

wilderness? Stand forth at once and give an account of yourself, or I will shoot off the part of your body that

The answer was instantaneous. A round, plump body revolved from the partial shelter of the tree and stood

"Ho, Mynheer Henry Ware," replied Cornelius Heemskerk in a loud, clear tone, "I am in your woods on

perhaps the same errand that you are. Come from behind that beech and let us see which has the stronger

Henry stood forth, and the two clasped hands in a grip so powerful that both winced. Then they released

"And the other four mynheers? Am I wrong to say that they are near, somewhere ?"

"You are not wrong," replied Henry. "They are alive, well and hungry, not a mile from here. There is one

man whom they would be very glad to see, and his name is Cornelius Heemskerk, who is roaming in our

The round, ruddy face of the Dutchman glowed. It was obvious that he felt as much delight in seeing Henry

"My heart swells," he said. "I feared that you might have been killed or scalped, or, at the best, have gone

"We have wintered well," said Henry, "in a place of which I shall not tell you now, and we are here to see the

"I come, too, for the same purpose," said Heemskerk. "We shall be together. It is goot." "Meanwhile," said

Henry, "our camp fire is lighted. Jim Hart, whom you have known of old, is cooking strips of meat over the

coals, and, although it is a mile away, the odor of them is very pleasant in my nostrils. I wish to go back

there, and it will be all the more delightful to me, and to those who wait, if I can bring with me such a

He received an equally emphatic welcome from the others, and then they ate and talked. Heemskerk was

"Something will be done this time," he said. "Word has come from the great commander that the Iroquois

must be crushed. The thousands who have fallen must be avenged, and this great fire along our border must

be stopped. If it cannot be done, then we perish. We have old tales in my own country of the cruel deeds that

the Spaniards did long, long ago, but they were not worse than have been done here."

The five made no response, but the mind of every one of them traveled back to Wyoming and all that they

They reached the camp on Lake Otsego the next day, and Henry saw that all they had heard was true. The

most formidable force that they had ever seen was gathering. There were many companies in the Continental

buff and blue, epauletted officers, bayonets and cannon. The camp was full of life, energy, and hope, and the

five at once felt the influence of it. They found here old friends whom they had known in the march on

Oghwaga, William Gray, young Taylor, and others, and they were made very welcome. They were presented

to General James Clinton, then in charge, received roving commissions as scouts and hunters, and with

Heemskerk and the two celebrated borderers, Timothy Murphy and David Elerson, they roamed the forest in

a great circle about the lake, bringing much valuable information about the movements of the enemy, who in

their turn were gathering in force, while the royal authorities were dispatching both Indians and white men

These great scouting expeditions saved the five from much impatience. It takes a long time for an army to

gather and then to equip itself for the march, and they were so used to swift motion that it was now a part of

their nature. At last the army was ready, and it left the lake. Then it proceeded in boats down the Tioga

flooded to a sufficient depth by an artificial dam built with immense labor, to its confluence with the larger

river. Here were more men, and the five saw a new commander, General James Sullivan, take charge of the

The five were now in the van, miles ahead of the main guard. They knew that no important movement of so

large a force could escape the notice of the enemy, but they, with other scouts, made it their duty to see that

It was now the waning summer. The leaves were lightly touched with brown, and the grass had begun to

wither. Berries were ripening on the vines, and the quantity of game had increased, the wild animals returning

to the land from which civilized man had disappeared. The desolation seemed even more complete than in the

autumn before. In the winter and spring the Iroquois and Tories had destroyed the few remnants of houses

that were left. Braxton Wyatt and his band had been particularly active in this work, and many tales had come

of his cruelty and that of his swart Tory lieutenant, Coleman. Henry was sure, too, that Wyatt's band, which

He, his comrades, Heemskerk, Elerson, Murphy, and four others, twelve brave forest runners all told, went

into camp one night about ten miles ahead of the army. They lighted no fire, and, even had it been cold, they

would not have done so, as the region was far too dangerous for any light. Yet the little band felt no fear.

They were only twelve, it is true, but such a twelve! No chance would either Indians or Tories have to

They merely lay down in the thick brushwood, three intending to keep watch while the others slept. Henry,

Shif'less Sol, and Heemskerk were the sentinels. It was very late, nearly midnight; the sky was clear, and

presently they saw smoke rings ascending from high hills to their right, to be answered soon by other rings of

smoke to their left. The three watched them with but little comment, and read every signal in turn. They said:

"The enemy is still advancing," "He is too strong for us...... We must retreat and await our brethren."

"It means that there will be no battle tomorrow, at least," whispered Heemskerk. " Brant is probably ahead

of us in command, and he will avoid us until he receives the fresh forces from Canada."

"I take it that you're right," Henry whispered back. "Timmendiquas also is with him, and the two great chiefs

"Yes," said Henry very gravely, "we'll see what happens. The Iroquois are a powerful confederacy. They've

ruled in these woods for hundreds of years. They're led by great chiefs, and they're helped by our white

enemies. You can't tell what would happen even to an army like ours in an ambush."

Shif'less Sol nodded, and they said no more until an hour later, when they heard footsteps. They awakened

the others, and the twelve, crawling to the edge of the brushwood, lay almost flat upon their faces, with their

Braxton Wyatt and his band of nearly threescore, Indians and Tories in about equal numbers, were passing.

Wyatt walked at the head. Despite his youth, he had acquired an air of command, and he seemed a fit leader

for such a crew. He wore a faded royal uniform, and, while a small sword hung at his side, he also carried a

rifle on his shoulder. Close behind him was the swart and squat Tory, Coleman, and then came Indians and

The watchful eyes of Henry saw three fresh scalps hanging from as many belts, and the finger that lay upon

the trigger of his rifle fairly ached to press it. What an opportunity this would be if the twelve were only forty,

or even thirty! With the advantage of surprise they might hope to annihilate this band which had won such

hate for itself on the border. But twelve were not enough and twelve such lives could not be spared at a time

Henry pressed his teeth firmly together in order to keep down his disappointment by a mere physical act if

possible. He happened to look at Shif'less Sol, and saw that his teeth were pressed together in the same

manner. It is probable that like feelings swayed every one of the twelve, but they were so still in the

brushwood that no Iroquois heard grass or leaf rustle. Thus the twelve watched the sixty pass, and after they

were gone, Henry, Shif'less Sol, and Tim Murphy followed for several miles. They saw Wyatt proceed

toward the Chemung River, and as they approached the stream they beheld signs of fortifications. It was now

nearly daylight, and, as Indians were everywhere, they turned back. But they were convinced that the enemy

The next night after Henry Ware and his comrades lay in the brushwood and saw Braxton Wyatt and his band

pass, a number of men, famous or infamous in their day, were gathered around a low camp fire on the crest of

a small hill. The most distinguished of them all in looks was a young Indian chief of great height and

magnificent build, with a noble and impressive countenance. He wore nothing of civilized attire, the nearest

approach to it being the rich darkblue blanket that was flung gracefully over his right shoulder. It was none

other than the great Wyandot chief, Timmendiquas, saying little, and listening without expression to the

Near Timmendiquas sat Thayendanegea, dressed as usual in his mixture of savage and civilized costume, and

about him were other famous Indian chiefs, The Corn Planter, Red jacket, Hiokatoo, Sangerachte, Little

On the other side of the fire sat the white men: the young Sir John Johnson, who, a prisoner to the Colonials,

had broken his oath of neutrality, the condition of his release, and then, fleeing to Canada, had returned to

wage bloody war on the settlements; his brotherinlaw, Colonel Guy Johnson; the swart and squat John

Butler of Wyoming infamy; his son, Walter Butler, of the pallid face, thin lips, and cruel heart; the Canadian

Captain MacDonald; Braxton Wyatt; his lieutenant, the dark Tory, Coleman; and some others who had

Sir John Johnson, a tall man with blue eyes set close together, wore the handsome uniform of his Royal

Greens; he had committed many dark deeds or permitted them to be done by men under his command, and he

had secured the opportunity only through his broken oath, but he had lost greatly. The vast estates of his

father, Sir William Johnson, were being torn from him, and perhaps he saw, even then, that in return for what

he had done he would lose all and become an exile from the country in which he was born.

It was not a cheerful council. There was no exultation as after Wyoming and Cherry Valley and the Minisink

and other places. Sir John bit his lip uneasily, and his brotherinlaw, resting his hand on his knee, stared

gloomily at the fire. The two Butlers were silent, and the dark face of Thayendanegea was overcast.

A little distance before these men was a breastwork about half a mile long, connecting with a bend of the

river in such a manner that an enemy could attack only in front and on one flank, that flank itself being

approached only by the ascent of a steep ridge which ran parallel to the river. The ground about the camp was

covered with pine and scrub oaks. Many others had been cut down and added to the breastwork. A deep

brook ran at the foot of the hill on which the leaders sat. About the slopes of this hill and another, a little

distance away, sat hundreds of Indian warriors, all in their war paint, and other hundreds of their white allies,

conspicuous among them Johnson's Royal Greens and Butler's Rangers. These men made but little noise now.

Thayendanegea was the first to break the silence in the group at the fire. He turned his dark face to Sir John

Johnson and said in his excellent English: "The king promised us that if we would take up arms for him

against the Yankees, he would send a great army, many thousands, to help us. We believed him, and we took

up the hatchet for him. We fought in the dark and the storm with Herkimer at the Oriskany, and many of our

warriors fell. But we did not sulk in our lodges. We have ravaged and driven in the whole American border

along a line of hundreds of miles. Now the Congress sends an army to attack us, to avenge what we have

done, and the great forces of the king are not here. I have been across the sea; I have seen the mighty city of

London and its people as numerous as the blades of grass. Why has not the king kept his promise and sent

Sir John Johnson and Thayendanegea were good friends, but the soul of the great Mohawk chief was deeply

stirred. His penetrating mind saw the uplifted hand about to strikeand the target was his own people. His

tone became bitterly sarcastic as he spoke, and when he ceased he looked directly at the baronet in a manner

that showed a reply must be given. Sir John moved uneasily, but he spoke at last.

"Much that you say is true, Thayendanegea," he admitted, "but the king has many things to do. The war is

spread over a vast area, and he must keep his largest armies in the East. But the Royal Greens, the Rangers,

and all others whom we can raise, even in Canada, are here to help you. In the coming battle your fortunes

Thayendanegea nodded, but he was not yet appeased. His glance fell upon the two Butlers, father and son,

and who perhaps have kept us from receiving some of the help that we ought to have. They speak of

Wyoming and Cherry Valley, of the torture and of the slaughter of women and children, and they say that war

must not be carried on in such a way. But there are some among us who are more savage than the savages

themselves, as they call us. It was you, John Butler, who led at Wyoming, and it was you, Walter Butler, who

allowed the women and children to be killed at Cherry Valley, and more would have been slain there had I

The dark face of "Indian" Butler grew darker, and the pallid face of his son grew more pallid. Both were

"It is these two places that have so aroused the Bostonians against us," continued Thayendanegea. "It is

because of them that the commander of the Bostonians has sent a great army, and the Long House is

"My son and I have fought for our common cause," said "Indian" Butler, the blood flushing through his

"We have admitted, Joseph, the danger to the Iroquois," he said, calling the chieftain familiarly by his first

Christian name, "but I and my brotherinlaw and Colonel Butler and Captain Butler have already lost

though we may regain. And with this strong position and the aid of ambush it is likely that we can defeat the

The eyes of Thayendanegea brightened as he looked at the long embankment, the trees, and the dark forms of

"You may be right, Sir John," he said; "yes, I think you are right, and by all the gods, red and white, we shall

see. I wish to fight here, because this is the best place in which to meet the Bostonians. What say you,

Timmendiquas, sworn brother of mine, great warrior and great chief of the Wyandots, the bravest of all the

The eye of Timmendiquas expressed little, but his voice was sonorous, and his words were such as

"If we fightand we must fightthis is the place in which to meet the, white army," he said. "The Wyandots

are here to help the Iroquois, as the Iroquois would go to help them. The Manitou of the Wyandots, the

He spoke with the utmost gravity, and after his brief reply he said no more. All regarded him with respect and

admiration. Even Braxton Wyatt felt that it was a noble deed to remain and face destruction for the sake of

"You have examined the evening's advance, Wyatt," he said. "What further information can you give us?"

"We shall certainly be attacked tomorrow," replied Wyatt, "and the American army is advancing cautiously.

It has out strong flanking parties, and it is preceded by the scouts, those Kentuckians whom I know and have

"If we could only lead them into an ambush," said Sir John. "Any kind of troops, even the best of regulars,

will give way before an unseen foe pouring a deadly fire upon them from the deep woods. Then they magnify

"It is so," said the fierce old Seneca chief, Hiokatoo. "When we killed Braddock and all his men, they thought

Sir John frowned. He did not like this allusion to the time when the Iroquois fought against the English, and

inflicted on them a great defeat. But he feared to rebuke the old chief. Hiokatoo and the Senecas were too

"There ought to be a chance yet for an ambuscade," he said. "The foliage is still thick and heavy, and

Sullivan, their general, is not used to forest warfare. What say you to this, Wyatt?"

Wyatt shook his head. He knew the caliber of the five from Kentucky, and he had little hope of such good

"They have learned from many lessons," he replied, and their scouts are the best. Moreover, they will attempt

They relapsed into silence again, and the sharp eyes of the renegade roved about the dark circle of trees and

warriors that inclosed them. Presently he saw something that caused him to rise and walk a little distance

from the fire. Although his eye suspected and his mind confirmed, Braxton Wyatt could not believe that it

was true. It was incredible. No one, be he ever so daring, would dare such a thing. But the figure down there

among the trees, passing about among the warriors, many of whom did not know one another, certainly

looked familiar, despite the Indian paint and garb. Only that of Timmendiquas could rival it in height and

"What is it, Wyatt?" asked Sir John. "What do you see? Why do you look so startled?"

"There is a warrior among those trees over there whom I have not seen here before," he replied. "he is as tall

and as powerful as Timmendiquas, and there is only one such. There is a spy among us, and it is Henry

He snatched a pistol from his belt, ran forward, and fired at the flitting figure, which was gone in an instant

"What do you say?" exclaimed Thayendanegea, as he ran forward, "a spy, and you know him to be such!"

"Yes, he is the worst of them all," replied Wyatt. "I know him. I could not mistake him. But he has dared too

The great camp was now in an uproar. The tall figure was seen here and there, always to vanish quickly.

Twenty shots were fired at it. None hit. Many more would have been fired, but the camp was too much

crowded to take such a risk. Every moment the tumult and confusion increased, but Thayendanegea quickly

posted warriors on the embankment and the flanks, to prevent the escape of the fugitive in any of those

But the tall figure did not appear at either embankment or flank. It was next seen near the river, when a young

warrior, striving to strike with a tomahawk, was dashed to the earth with great force. The next instant the

figure leaped far out into the stream. The moonlight glimmered an instant on the bare head, while bullets the

next moment pattered on the water where it had been. Then, with a few powerful strokes, the stranger

reclaimed the land, sprang upon the shore, and darted into the woods with more vain bullets flying about him.

But he sent back a shout of irony and triumph that made the chiefs and Tories standing on the bank bite their

Paul had been sleeping heavily, and the sharp, pealing notes of a trumpet awoke him at the sunburst of a

brilliant morning. Henry was standing beside him, showing no fatigue from the night's excitement, danger,

"Up, Paul! Up!" he cried. "We know the enemy's position, and we will be in battle before another sun sets."

Paul was awake in an instant, and the second instant he was on his feet, rifle in hand, and heart thrilling for

the great attack. He, like all the others, had slept on such a night fully dressed. Shif'less Sol, Long Jim, Silent

Tom, Heemskerk, and the rest were by the side of him, and all about them rose the sounds of an army going

into battle, commands sharp and short, the rolling of cannon wheels, the metallic rattle of bayonets, the clink

of bullets poured into the pouches, and the hum of men talking in halffinished sentences.

It was to all the five a vast and stirring scene. It was the first time that they bad ever beheld a large and

regular army going into action, and they were a part of it, a part by no means unimportant. It was Henry, with

his consummate skill and daring, who had uncovered the position of the enemy, and now, without snatching a

The brief breakfast finished, the trumpet pealed forth again, and the army began to move through the thick

forest. A light wind, crisp with the air of early autumn, blew, and the leaves rustled. The sun, swinging

upward in the east, poured down a flood of brilliant rays that lighted up everything, the buff and blue

uniforms, the cannon, the rifles, the bayonets, and the forest, still heavy with foliage.

"Now! now!" thought every one of the five, "we begin the vengeance for Wyoming!"

The scouts were well in front, searching everywhere among the thickets for the Indian sharpshooters, who

could scorch so terribly. As Braxton Wyatt had truly said, these scouts were the best in the world. Nothing

could escape the trained eyes of Henry Ware and his comrades, and those of Murphy, Ellerson, and the

others, while off on either flank of the army heavy detachments guarded against any surprise or turning

movement. They saw no Indian sign in the woods. There was yet a deep silence in front of them, and the sun,

rising higher, poured its golden light down upon the army in such an intense, vivid flood that rifle barrels and

bayonets gave back a metallic gleam. All around them the deep woods swayed and rustled before the light

breeze, and now and then they caught glimpses of the river, its surface now gold, then silver, under the

Henry's heart swelled as he advanced. He was not revengeful, but he had seen so much of savage atrocity in

the last year that he could not keep down the desire to see punishment. It is only those in sheltered homes

who can forgive the tomahawk and the stake. Now he was the very first of the scouts, although his comrades

The scouts went so far forward that the army was hidden from them by the forest, although they could yet

Henry knew the ground thoroughly. He knew where the embankment ran, and he knew, too, that the Iroquois

had dug pits, marked by timber. They were not far ahead, and the scouts now proceeded very slowly,

examining every tree and clump of bushes to see whether a lurking enemy was hidden there. The silence

endured longer than he had thought. Nothing could be seen in front save the waving forest.

Henry stopped suddenly. He caught a glimpse of a brown shoulder's edge showing from behind a tree, and at

The savage fired, but the bullet, the first of the battle, whistled over their heads. The sharp crack, sounding

triply loud at such a time, came back from the forest in many echoes, and a light puff of smoke arose. Quick

as a flash, before the brown shoulder and body exposed to take aim could be withdrawn, Tom Ross fired, and

the Mohawk fell, uttering his death yell. The Iroquois in the woods took up the cry, pouring forth a war

whoop, fierce, long drawn, the most terrible of human sounds, and before it died, their brethren behind the

embankment repeated it in tremendous volume from hundreds of throats. It was a shout that had often

appalled the bravest, but the little band of scouts were not afraid. When its last echo died they sent forth a

fierce, defiant note of their own, and, crawling forward, began to send in their bullets.

The woods in front of them swarmed with the Indian skirmishers, who replied to the scouts, and the fire ran

along a long line through the undergrowth. Flashes of flames appeared, puffs of smoke arose and, uniting,

hung over the trees. Bullets hissed. Twigs and bark fell, and now and then a man, as they fought from tree to

tree. Henry caught one glimpse of a face that was white, that of Braxton Wyatt, and he sought a shot at the

renegade leader, but he could not get it. But the scouts pushed on, and the Indian and Tory skirmishers

dropped back. Then on the flanks they began to hear the rattle of rifle fire. The wings of the army were in

The scouts could now see through the trees the embankments and rifle pits, and they could also see the last of

the Iroquois and Tory skirmishers leaping over the earthworks and taking refuge with their army. Then they

turned back and saw the long line of their own army steadily advancing, while the sounds of heavy firing still

continued on both flanks. Henry looked proudly at the unbroken array, the front of steel, and the cannon. He

"You have done well, Mr. Ware; you have shown us exactly where the enemy lies, and that will save us many

The army stopped. The Indian position could be plainly seen. The crest of the earthwork was lined with

fierce, dark faces, and here and there among the brown Iroquois were the green uniforms of the Royalists.

Henry saw both Thayendanegea and Timmendiquas, the plumes in their hair waving aloft, and he felt sure

The Americans were now pushing forward their cannon, six threepounders and two howitzers, the

howitzers, firing fiveandahalfinch shells, new and terrifying missiles to the Indians. The guns were

wheeled into position, and the first howitzer was fired. It sent its great shell in a curving line at and over the

embankment, where it burst with a crash, followed by a shout of mingled pain and awe. Then the second

howitzer, aimed well like the first, sent a shell almost to the same point, and a like cry came back.

"That's the medicine!" he cried. "I wonder how you like that, you Butlers an' Johnsons an' Wyatts an'

Mohawks an' all the rest o' your scalptaking crew! Ah, thar goes another! This ain't any Wyomin'!"

The threepounders also opened fire, and sent their balls squarely into the rifle pits and the Indian camp. The

Iroquois replied with a shower of rifle bullets and a defiant war whoop, but the bullets fell short, and the

The artillery, eight pieces, was served with rapidity and precision, while the riflemen, except on their flanks,

where they were more closely engaged, were ordered to hold their fire. The spectacle was to Henry and his

comrades panoramic in its effect. They watched the flashes of fire from the mouths of the cannon, the flight

of the great shells, and the bank of smoke which soon began to lower like a cloud over the field. They could

picture to themselves what was going on beyond the earthwork, the dead falling, the wounded limping away,

earth and trees torn by shell and shot. They even fancied that they could hear the voices of the great chiefs,

Thayendanegea and Timmendiquas, encouraging their men, and striving to keep them in line against a fire

Presently a cloud of skirmishers issued once more from the Indian camp, creeping among the trees and

bushes, and seeking a chance to shoot down the men at the guns. But sharp eyes were watching them.

He led the scouts and the best of the riflemen against the skirmishers, who were soon driven in again. The

artillery fire had never ceased for a moment, the shells and balls passing over their heads. Their work done,

the sharpshooters fell back again, the gunners worked faster for a while, and then at a command they ceased

suddenly. Henry, Paul, and all the others knew instinctively what was going to happen. They felt it in every

"Now!" Henry found himself exclaiming. Even at that moment the order was given, and the whole army

rushed forward, the smoke floating away for the moment and the sun flashing off the bayonets. The five

sprang up and rushed on ahead. A sheet of flame burst from the embankment, and the rifle pits sprang into

fire. The five beard the bullets whizzing past them, and the sudden cries of the wounded behind them, but

It seemed to Henry that he ran forward through living fire. There was one continuous flash from the

earthwork, and a continuous flash replied. The rifles were at work now, thousands of them, and they kept up

an incessant crash, while above them rose the unbroken thunder of the cannon. The volume of smoke

deepened, and it was shot through with the sharp, pungent odor of burned gunpowder.

Henry fired his rifle and pistol, almost unconsciously reloaded, and fired again, as he ran, and then noticed

that the advance had never ceased. It had not been checked even for a moment, and the bayonets of one of the

Henry kept his gaze fixed upon a point where the earthwork was lowest. He saw there the plumed head of

Thayendanegea, and he intended to strike if he could. He saw the Mohawk gesticulating and shouting to his

men to stand fast and drive back the charge. He believed even then, and he knew later, that Thayendanegea

and Timmendiquas were showing courage superior to that of the Johnsons and Butters or any of their British

and Canadian allies. The two great chiefs still held their men in line, and the Iroquois did not cease to send a

Henry saw the brown faces and the embankment coming closer and closer. He saw the face of Braxton Wyatt

appear a moment, and he snapped his empty pistol at it. But it was hidden the next instant behind others, and

then they were at the embankment. He saw the glowing faces of his comrades at his side, the singular figure

of Heemskerk revolving swiftly, and behind them the line of bayonets closing in with the grimness of fate.

Henry leaped upon the earthwork. An Indian fired at him point blank, and he swung heavily with his clubbed

rifle. Then his comrades were by his side, and they leaped down into the Indian camp. After them came the

riflemen, and then the line of bayonets. Even then the great Mohawk and the great Wyandot shouted to their

men to stand fast, although the Royal Greens and the Rangers had begun to run, and the Johnsons, the

Henry, with the memory of Wyoming and all the other dreadful things that had come before his eyes, saw

red. He was conscious of a terrible melee, of striking again and again with his clubbed rifle, of fierce brown

faces before him, and of Timmendiquas and Thayedanegea rushing here and there, shouting to their warriors,

encouraging them, and exclaiming that the battle was not lost. Beyond he saw the vanishing forms of the

Royal Greens and the Rangers in full flight. But the Wyandots and the best of the Iroquois still stood fast

until the pressure upon them became overwhelming. When the line of bayonets approached their breasts they

fell back. Skilled in every detail of ambush, and a wonderful forest fighter, the Indian could never stand the

bayonet. Reluctantly Timmendiquas, Thayendanegea and the Mohawks, Senecas, and Wyandots, who were

most strenuous in the conflict, gave ground. Yet the battlefield, with its numerous trees, stumps, and

inequalities, still favored them. They retreated slowly, firing from every covert, sending a shower of bullets,

Henry heard a panting breath by his side. He looked around and saw the face of Heemskerk, glowing red with

A single glance showed him that none of his comrades had fallen. Long Jim and Tom Ross had suffered

slight wounds that they scarcely noticed, and they and the whole group of scouts were just behind Henry. But

they now took breath, reloaded their rifles, and, throwing themselves down in Indian fashion, opened a

deadly fire upon their antagonists. Their bullets searched all the thickets, drove out the Iroquois, and

The attack was now pressed with fresh vigor. In truth, with so much that the bravest of the Indians at last

yielded to panic. Thayendanegea and Timmendiquas were carried away in the rush, and the white leaders of

their allies were already out of sight. On all sides the allied red and white force was dissolving. Precipitate

flight was saving the fugitives from a greater loss in killed and woundedit was usually Indian tactics to flee

with great speed when the battle began to go against thembut the people of the Long House had suffered the

greatest overthrow in their history, and bitterness and despair were in the hearts of the Iroquois chiefs as they

The American army not only carried the center of the Indian camp, but the heavy flanking parties closed in

also, and the whole Indian army was driven in at every point. The retreat was becoming a rout. A great,

confused conflict was going on. The rapid crackle of rifles mingled with the shouts and war whoops of the

combatants. Smoke floated everywhere. The victorious army, animated by the memory of the countless

cruelties that had been practiced on the border, pushed harder and harder. The Iroquois were driven back

along the Chemung. It seemed that they might be hemmed in against the river, but in their flight they came to

a ford. Uttering their cry of despair, "Oonali! Oonali!" a wail for a battle lost, they sprang into the stream,

many of them throwing away their rifles, tomahawks, and blankets, and rushed for the other shore. But the

Braxton Wyatt and his band appeared in the woods on the far shore, and opened fire on the pursuers now in

the stream. He alone among the white men had the courage, or the desperation, to throw himself and his men

in the path of the pursuit. The riflemen in the water felt the bullets pattering around them, and some were

struck, but they did not stop. They kept on for the bank, and their own men behind them opened a covering

Henry felt a great pulse leap in his throat at the sight of Braxton Wyatt again. Nothing could have turned him

back now. Shouting to the riflemen, he led the charge through the water, and the bank's defenders were

driven back. Yet Wyatt, with his usual dexterity and prudence, escaped among the thickets.

The battle now became only a series of detached combats. Little groups seeking to make a stand here and

there were soon swept away. Thayendanegea and Timmendiquas raged and sought to gather together enough

men for an ambush, for anything that would sting the victors, but they were pushed too hard and fast. A rally

was always destroyed in the beginning, and the chiefs themselves at last ran for their lives. The pursuit was

continued for a long time, not only by the vanguard, but the army itself moved forward over the battlefield

The scouts continued the pursuit the longest, keeping a close watch, nevertheless, against an ambush. Now

and then they exchanged shots with a band, but the Indians always fled quickly, and at last they stopped

because they could no longer find any resistance. They had been in action or pursuit for many hours, and they

were black with smoke, dust, and sweat, but they were not yet conscious of any weariness. Heemskerk drew a

great red silk handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped his glowing face, which was as red as the

"It's the best job that's been done in these parts for many a year," he said. "The Iroquois have always thought

"That's sure to be done," said Henry. "I heard General Sullivan himself say that his orders were to root up the

They returned slowly toward the main force, retracing their steps over the path of battle. It was easy enough

to follow it. They beheld a dead warrior at every step, and at intervals were rifles, tomahawks, scalping

knives, blankets, and an occasional shot pouch or powder horn. Presently they reached the main army, which

was going into camp for the night. Many camp fires were built, and the soldiers, happy in their victory, were

getting ready for supper. But there was no disorder. They had been told already that they were to march again

Henry, Paul, Tom, Jim, and Shif'less Sol went back over the field of battle, where many of the dead still lay.

Twilight was now coming, and it was a somber sight. The earthwork, the thickets, and the trees were torn by

cannon balls. Some tents raised by the Tories lay in ruins, and the earth was stained with many dark

splotches. But the army had passed on, and it was silent and desolate where so many men had fought. The

twilight drew swiftly on to night, and out of the forest came grewsome sounds. The wolves, thick now in a

region which the Iroquois had done so much to turn into a wilderness, were learning welcome news, and they

were telling it to one another. By and by, as the night deepened, the five saw fiery eyes in the thickets, and

"It sounds like the dirge of the people of the Long House," said Paul, upon whose sensitive mind the scene

The others nodded. At that moment they did not feel the flush of victory in its full force. It was not in their

nature to rejoice over a fallen foe. Yet they knew the full value of the victory, and none of them could wish

any part of it undone. They returned slowly to the camp, and once more they heard behind them the howl of

They were glad when they saw the cheerful lights of the camp fires twinkling through the forest, and heard

"Come, lads," he said. "You must eatyou won't find out until you begin, how hungry you areand then you

The Dutchman's words were true. They had not tasted food since morning; they had never thought of it, but

"It's mighty good," said Shif'less Sol, as they sat by a fire and ate bread and meat and drank coffee, "but I'll

say this for you, you old ornery, longlegged Jim Hart, it ain't any better than the venison an' bulffaler steaks

"An' that I'm likely to cook fur you many a time more," said Long Jim complacently.

"But it will be months before you have any chance at buffalo again, Jim," said Henry. "We are going on a

"An' it's shore to be a dangerous one," said Shif'less Sol. "Men like warriors o' the Iroquois ain't goin' to give

"That's true," said Henry, "but in my opinion the Iroquois are overthrown forever. One defeat means more to

They said little more, but by and by lay down to sleep before the fires. They had toiled so long and so

faithfully that the work of watching and scouting that night could be intrusted to others. Yet Henry could not

sleep for a long time. The noises of the night interested him. He watched the men going about, and the

sentinels pacing back and forth around the camp. The sounds died gradually as the men lay down and sank to

sleep. The fires which had formed a great core of light also sank, and the shadows crept toward the camp. The

figures of the pacing sentinels, rifle on shoulder, gradually grew dusky. Henry's nerves, attuned so long to

great effort, slowly relaxed. Deep peace came over him, and his eyelids drooped, the sounds in the camp sank

to the lowest murmur, but just as he was falling asleep there came from the battlefield behind then the far,

The trumpets called early the next morning, and the five rose, refreshed, ready for new labors. The fires were

already lighted, and breakfast was cooking. Savory odors permeated the forest. But as soon as all had eaten,

the army marched, going northward and westward, intending to cut through the very center of the Iroquois

country. Orders had come from the great commander that the power of the Six Nations, which had been so

long such a terrible scourge on the American frontier, must be annihilated. They must be made strangers in

their own country. Women and children were not to be molested, but their towns must perish.

As Thayendanegea had said the night before the Battle of the Chemung, the power beyond the seas that had

urged the Iroquois to war on the border did not save them. It could not. British and Tories alike had promised

them certain victory, and for a while it had seemed that the promises would come true. But the tide had

The army continued its march through the wilderness, the scouts in front and heavy parties of riflemen on

either flank. There was no chance for a surprise. Henry and his comrades were aware that Indian bands still

lurked in the forest, and they had several narrow escapes from the bullets of ambushed foes, but the progress

of the army was irresistible. Nothing could check it for a moment, however much the Indian and Tory chiefs

They camped again that night in the forest, with a thorough ring of sentinels posted against surprise, although

there was little danger of the latter, as the enemy could not, for the present at least, bring a sufficient force

into the field. But after the moon had risen, the five, with Heemskerk, went ahead through the forest. The

Iroquois town of Kanawaholla lay just ahead, and the army would reach it on the morrow. It was the intention

It was near midnight when the little party drew near to Kanawaholla and watched it from the shelter of the

forest. Like most other Iroquois towns, it contained wooden houses, and cultivated fields were about it. No

smoke rose from any of the chimneys, but the sharp eyes of the scouts saw loaded figures departing through a

great field of ripe and waving corn. It was the last of the inhabitants, fleeing with what they could carry. Two

or three warriors might have been in that group of fugitives, but the scouts made no attempt to pursue. They

could not restrain a little feeling of sympathy and pity, although a just retribution was coming.

"If the Iroquois had only stood neutral at the beginning of the war, as we asked them," said Heemskerk, "how

much might have been spared to both sides! Look! Those people are stopping for a moment."

The burdened figures, perhaps a dozen, halted at the far edge of the corn field. Henry and Paul readily

imagined that they were taking a last look at their town, and the feeling of pity and sympathy deepened,

despite Wyoming, Cherry Valley, and all the rest. But that feeling never extended to the white allies of the

Iroquois, whom Thayendanegea characterized in word and in writing as "more savage than the savages

The scouts waited an hour, and then entered the town. Not a soul was in Kanawaholla. Some of the lighter

things had been taken away, but that was all. Most of the houses were in disorder, showing the signs of hasty

flight, but the town lay wholly at the mercy of the advancing army. Henry and his comrades withdrew with

the news, and the next day, when the troops advanced, Kanawaholla was put to the torch. In an hour it was

Leaving ruin behind, the army continued its march, treading the Iroquois power under foot and laying waste

the country. One after another the Indian towns were destroyed, Catherinetown, Kendaia, Kanadesaga,

Shenanwaga, Skoiyase, Kanandaigua, Honeyoye, Kanaghsawa, Gathtsewarohare, and others, forming a long

roll, bearing the sounding Iroquois names. Villages around Cayuga and other lakes were burned by

detachments. The smoke of perishing towns arose everywhere in the Iroquois country, while the Iroquois

themselves fled before the advancing army. They sent appeal after appeal for help from those to whom they

It was now deep autumn, and the nights grew cold. The forests blazed with brilliant colors. The winds blew,

leaves rustled and fell. The winter would soon be at hand, and the Iroquois, so proud of what they had

achieved, would have to find what shelter they could in the forests or at the British posts on the Canadian

frontier. Thayendanegea was destined to come again with bands of red men and white and inflict great loss,

but the power of the Six Nations was overthrown forever, after four centuries of victory and glory. Henry,

Paul, and the rest were all the time in the thick of it. The army, as the autumn advanced, marched into the

Genesee Valley, destroying everything. Henry and Paul, as they lay on their blankets one night, counted fires

in three different directions, and every one of the three marked a perishing Indian village. It was not a work in

which they took any delight; on the contrary, it often saddened them, but they felt that it had to be done, and

In October, Henry, despite his youth, took command of a body of scouts and riflemen which beat up the

ways, and skirmished in advance of the army. It was a democratic little band, everyone saying what he

pleased, but yielding in the end to the authority of the leader. They were now far up the Genesee toward the

Great Lakes, and Henry formed the plan of advancing ahead of the army on the great Seneca village known

variously as the Seneca Castle and Little Beard's Town, after its chief, a full match in cruelty for the older

Seneca chief, Hiokatoo. Several causes led to this decision. It was reported that Thayendanegea,

Timmendiquas, all the Butlers and Johnsons, and Braxton Wyatt were there. While not likely to be true about

all, it was probably true about some of them, and a bold stroke might effect much.

It is probable that Henry had Braxton Wyatt most in mind. The renegade was in his element among the

Indians and Tories, and he had developed great abilities as a partisan, being skillfully seconded by the squat

Tory, Coleman. His reputation now was equal at least to that of Walter Butler, and he had skirmished more

than once with the vanguard of the army. Growing in Henry's heart was a strong desire to match forces with

him, and it was quite probable that a swift advance might find him at the Seneca Castle.

The riflemen took up their march on a brisk morning in late autumn. The night had been clear and cold, with

a touch of winter in it, and the brilliant colors of the foliage had now turned to a solid brown. Whenever the

wind blew, the leaves fell in showers. The sky was a fleecy blue, but over hills, valley, and forest hung a fine

misty veil that is the mark of Indian summer. The land was nowhere inhabited. They saw the cabin of neither

white man nor Indian. A desolation and a silence, brought by the great struggle, hung over everything. Many

discerning eyes among the riflemen noted the beauty and fertility of the country, with its noble forests and

rich meadows. At times they caught glimpses of the river, a clear stream sparkling under the sun.

"Makes me think o' some o' the country 'way down thar in Kentucky," said Shif'less Sol, "an' it seems to me I

like one about ez well ez t'other. Say, Henry, do you think we'll ever go back home? 'Pears to me that we're

"It's because circumstances have taken us by the hand and led us away, Sol," he replied.

"Then," said the shiftless one with a resigned air, "I hope them same circumstances will take me by both

hands, an' lead me gently, but strongly, back to a place whar thar is peace an' rest fur a lazy an' tired man like

The shiftless one heaved a deep sigh, but his next words were wholly irrelevant.

"It seems to me that for a lazy and tired man you're extremely anxious for a fight," Henry replied.

"I try to be resigned," said Shif'less Sol. But his eyes were sparkling with the light of battle.

They went into camp that night in a dense forest, with the Seneca Castle about ten miles ahead. Henry was

quite sure that the Senecas to whom it belonged had not yet abandoned it, and with the aid of the other tribes

might make a stand there. It was more than likely, too, that the Senecas had sharpshooters and sentinels well

to the south of their town, and it behooved the riflemen to be extremely careful lest they run into a hornet's

nest. Hence they lighted no fires, despite a cold night wind that searched them through until they wrapped

The night settled down thick and dark, and the band lay close in the thickets. Shif'less Sol was within a yard

of Henry. He had observed his young leader's face closely that day, and he had a mind of uncommon

"Henry," he whispered, "you're hopin' that you'll find Braxton Wyatt an' his band at Little Beard's town?"

"I feel the same way you do," said Shif'less Sol. "You see, we've knowed Braxton Wyatt a long time, an' it

seems strange that one who started out a boy with you an' Paul could turn so black. An' think uv all the cruel

things that he's done an' helped to do. I ain't hidin' my feelin's. I'm jest itchin' to git at him."

Henry and Shif'less Sol, and in fact all of the five, slept that night, because Henry wished to be strong and

vigorous for the following night, in view of an enterprise that he had in mind. The rosy Dutchman,

Heemskerk, was in command of the guard, and he revolved continually about the camp with amazing ease,

and with a footstep so light that it made no sound whatever. Now and then he came back in the thicket and

looked down at the faces of the sleeping five from Kentucky. "Goot boys," he murmured to himself. "Brave

boys, to stay here and help. May they go through all our battles and take no harm. The goot and great God

Mynheer Cornelius Heemskerk, native of Holland, but devoted to the new nation of which he had made

himself a part, was a devout man, despite a life of danger and hardship. The people of the woods do not lose

faith, and he looked up at the dark skies as if he found encouragement there. Then he resumed his circle about

the camp. He heard various noisesthe hoot of an owl, the long whine of a wolf, and twice the footsteps of

deer going down to the river to drink. But the sounds were all natural, made by the animals to which they

belonged, and Heemskerk knew it. Once or twice he went farther into the forest, but he found nothing to

indicate the presence of a foe, and while he watched thus, and beat up the woods, the night passed, eventless,

They went the next day much nearer to the Seneca Castle, and saw sure indications that it was still inhabited,

as the Iroquois evidently were not aware of the swift advance of the riflemen. Henry had learned that this was

one of the largest and strongest of all the Iroquois towns, containing between a hundred and two hundred

wooden houses, and with a population likely to be swollen greatly by fugitives from the Iroquois towns

already destroyed. The need of cautiongreat cautionwas borne in upon him, and he paid good heed.

The riflemen sought another covert in the deep forest, now about three miles from Little Beard's Town, and

lay there, while Henry, according to his plan, went forth at night with Shif'less Sol and Tom Ross. He was

resolved to find out more about this important town, and his enterprise was in full accord with his duties,

When the complete darkness of night had come, the three left the covert, and, after traveling a short distance

through the forest, turned in toward the river. As the town lay on or near the river, Henry thought they might

see some signs of Indian life on the stream, and from this they could proceed to discoveries.

But when they first saw the river it was desolate. Not a canoe was moving on its surface, and the three,

keeping well in the undergrowth, followed the bank toward the town. But the forest soon ceased, and they

came upon a great field, where the Senecas had raised corn, and where stalks, stripped of their ears and

browned by the autumn cold, were still standing. But all the work of planting, tending, and reaping this great

field, like all the other work in all the Iroquois fields, had been done by the Iroquois women, not by the

Beyond the field they saw fruit trees, and beyond these, faint lines of smoke, indicating the position of the

great Seneca Castle. The dry cornstalks rustled mournfully as the wind blew across the field.

"The stalks will make a little shelter," said Henry, "and we must cross the field. We want to keep near the

They took a diagonal course, walking swiftly among the stalks and bearing back toward the river. They

crossed the field without being observed, and came into a thick fringe of trees and undergrowth along the

river. They moved cautiously in this shelter for a rod or two, and then the three, without word from any one

of them, stopped simultaneously. They heard in the water the unmistakable ripple made by a paddle, and then

the sound of several more. They crept to the edge of the bank and crouched down among the bushes. Then

A halfdozen Iroquois canoes were moving slowly up the stream. They were in single file, and the first canoe

was the largest. But the aspect of the little fleet was wholly different from that of an ordinary group of

Iroquois war canoes. It was dark, somber, and funereal, and in every canoe, between the feet of the paddlers,

lay a figure, stiff and impassive, the body of a chief slain in battle. It had all the appearance of a funeral

procession, but the eyes of the three, as they roved over it, fastened on a figure in the first canoe, and, used as

The figure was that of a woman, a wild and terrible creature, who half sat, half crouched in the canoe, looking

steadily downward. Her long black hair fell in disordered masses from her uncovered head. She wore a

brilliant red dress with savage adornments, but it was stained and torn. The woman's whole attitude expressed

So horrifying had been the impression made upon him by this woman at Wyoming that he could not feel any

pity for her now. The picture of the great war tomahawk cleaving the heads of bound prisoners was still too

vivid. She had several sons, one or two of whom were slain in battle with the colonists, and the body that lay

in the boat may have been one of them. Henry always believed that it wasbut he still felt no pity.

As the file came nearer they heard her chanting a low song, and now she raised her face and tore at her black

The head of the file was turned toward the shore, and, as it approached, a group of warriors, led by Little

Beard, the Seneca chief, appeared among the trees, coming forward to meet them. The three in their covert

crouched closer, interested so intensely that they were prepared to brave the danger in order to remain. But

the absorption of the Iroquois in what they were about to do favored the three scouts.

As the canoes touched the bank, Catharine Montour rose from her crouching position and uttered a long,

piercing wail, so full of grief, rage, and despair that the three in the bushes shuddered. It was fiercer than the

"It's not a woman, but a fiend," whispered Henry; and, as before, his comrades nodded in assent.

The woman stood erect, a tall and stalwart figure, but the beauty that had once caused her to be received in

colonial capitals was long since gone. Her white half of blood had been submerged years ago in her Indian

half, and there was nothing now about her to remind one of civilization or of the French Governor General of

The Iroquois stood respectfully before her. It was evident that she had lost none of her power among the Six

Nations, a power proceeding partly from her force and partly from superstition. As the bodies were brought

ashore, one by one, and laid upon the ground, she uttered the long wailing cry again and again, and the others

When the bodiesand Henry was sure that they must all be those of chiefswere laid out, she tore her hair,

sank down upon the ground, and began a chant, which Tom Ross was afterwards able to interpret roughly to

Our towns are burned and our fields uprooted, Our people flee through the forest for their lives, The king who

The great chiefs are slain and their bodies lie here. No longer will they lead the warriors in battle; No more

will they drive the foe from the thicket. Fallen is the League of the Hodenosaunee!

Scalps we have taken from all who hated us; None, but feared us in the days of our glory. But the cannon and

She chanted many verses, but these were all that Tom Ross could ever remember or translate. But every verse

ended with the melancholy refrain: "Fallen is the League of the Hodenosaunee!" which the others also

repeated in chorus. Then the warriors lifted up the bodies, and they moved in procession toward the town.

The three watched them, but they did not rise until the funeral train had reached the fruit trees. Then they

"I don't care ef I never see that woman ag'in," said Shif'less Sol. "She gives me the creeps. She must be a

"There are certainly Tories in the town," said Henry, and if we are seen we can probably pass for them. I'm

They followed in the path of the procession, which was now out of sight, and entered the orchard. From that

point they saw the houses and great numbers of Indians, including squaws and children, gathered in the open

spaces, where the funeral train was passing. Queen Esther still stalked at its head, but her chant was now

taken up by many scores of voices, and the volume of sound penetrated far in the night. Henry yet relied upon

the absorption of the Iroquois in this ceremonial to give him a chance for a good look through the town, and

They passed by many of the houses, all empty, as their occupants had gone to join in the funeral lament, but

they soon saw white mena few of the Royal Greens, and some of the Rangers, and other Tories, who were

dressed much like Henry and his comrades. One of them spoke to Shif'less Sol, who nodded carelessly and

"Takes us fur some o' the crowd that's come runnin' in here ahead o' the army," said the shiftless one.

Henry was noting with a careful eye the condition of the town. He saw that no preparations for defense had

been made, and there was no evidence that any would be made. All was confusion and despair. Already some

of the squaws were fleeing, carrying heavy burdens. The three coupled caution with boldness. If they met a

Tory they merely exchanged a word or two, and passed swiftly on. Henry, although he had seen enough to

know that the army could advance without hesitation, still pursued the quest. Shif'less Sol was right. At the

bottom of Henry's heart was a desire to know whether Braxton Wyatt was in Little Beard's Town, a desire

soon satisfied, as they reached the great Council House, turned a corner of it, and met the renegade face to

Wyatt was with his lieutenant, the squat Tory, Coleman, and he uttered a cry when he saw the tall figure of

the great youth. There was no light but that of the moon, but he knew his foe in an instant.

They were so close together that Henry did not have time to use a weapon. Instinctively he struck out with his

fist, catching Wyatt on the jaw, and sending him down as if he had been shot. Shif'less Sol and Tom Ross ran

bodily over Coleman, hurling him down, and leaping across his prostrate figure. Then they ran their utmost,

They quickly put the Council House between them and their pursuers, and darted away among the houses.

"It was the fellow Ware, spying among us again! be cried to his lieutenant, who, half dazed, was also

A dozen men came at his call, and, led by the renegade, they began a search among the houses. But it was

hard to find the fugitives. The light was not good, many flitting figures were about, and the frantic search

developed confusion. Other Tories were often mistaken for the three scouts, and were overhauled, much to

their disgust and that of the overhaulers. Iroquois, drawn from the funeral ceremony, began to join in the

hunt, but Wyatt could give them little information. He had merely seen an enemy, and then the enemy had

gone. It was quite certain that this enemy, or, rather, three of them, was still in the town.

Henry and his comrades were crafty. Trained by ambush and escape, flight and pursuit, they practiced many

wiles to deceive their pursuers. When Wyatt and Coleman were hurled down they ran around the Council

House, a large and solid structure, and, finding a door on the opposite side and no one there or in sight from

They stood in almost complete darkness, although at length they made out the log wall of the great, single

room which constituted the Council House. After that, with more accustomed eyes, they saw on the wall

arms, pipes, wampum, and hideous trophies, some with long hair and some with short. The hair was usually

blonde, and most of the scalps had been stretched tight over little hoops. Henry clenched his fist in the

"I don't think so," said Henry. "At any rate they'd find us if we were rushing about the village. Here we at

At the far end of the Council House hung mats, woven of rushes, and the three sat down behind them in the

very heart of the Iroquois sanctuary. Should anyone casually enter the Council House they would still be

hidden. They sat in Turkish fashion on the floor, close together and with their rifles lying across their knees.

A thin light filtered through a window and threw pallid streaks on the floor, which they could see when they

peeped around the edge of the mats. But outside they heard very clearly the clamor of the hunt as it swung to

and fro in the village. Shif'less Sol chuckled. It was very low, but it was a chuckle, nevertheless, and the

"It's sorter takin' an advantage uv 'em," said the shiftless one, "layin' here in thar own church, so to speak,

while they're ragin' an' tearin' up the earth everywhar else lookin' fur us. Gives me a mighty snug feelin',

though, like the one you have when you're safe in a big log house, an' the wind an' the hail an' the snow are

"Seems to me," continued the irrepressible Sol, "that you did git in a good lick at Braxton Wyatt, after all.

Ain't he unhappy now, bitin' his fingers an' pawin' the earth an' findin' nothin'? I feel real sorry, I do, fur

Braxton. It's hard fur a nice young feller to have to suffer sech disappointments."

Shif'less Sol chuckled again, and Henry was forced to smile in the darkness. Shif'less Sol was not wholly

wrong. It would be a bitter blow to Braxton Wyatt. Moreover, it was pleasant where they sat. A hard floor

was soft to them, and as they leaned against the wall they could relax and rest.

"They won't have to think," replied Henry. "They'll sit quiet as we're doing and wait."

The noise of the hunt went on for a long time outside. War whoops came from different points of the village.

There were shrill cries of women and children, and the sound of many running feet. After a while it began to

sink, and soon after that they heard no more noises than those of people preparing for flight. Henry felt sure

that the town would be abandoned on the morrow, but his desire to come to close quarters with Braxton

Wyatt was as strong as ever. It was certain that the army could not overtake Wyatt's band, but he might match

his own against it. He was thinking of making the attempt to steal from the place when, to their great

amazement, they heard the door of the Council House open and shut, and then footsteps inside.

Henry looked under the edge of the hanging mat and saw two dusky figures near the window.

Shif'less Sol and Tom Ross were also looking under the mats, and the three would have recognized those

figures anywhere. The taller was Timmendiquas, the other Thayendanegea. The thin light from the window

fell upon their faces, and Henry saw that both were sad. Haughty and proud they were still, but each bore the

look that comes only from continued defeat and great disappointment. It is truth to say that the concealed

three watched them with a curiosity so intense that all thought of their own risk was forgotten. To Henry, as

The White Lightning of the Wyandots and the Joseph Brant of the Mohawks stood for a space side by side,

gazing out of the window, taking a last look at the great Seneca Castle. It was Thayendanegea who spoke

"Farewell, my brother, great chief of the Wyandots," he said. "You have come far with your warriors, and

you have been by our side in battle. The Six Nations owe you much. You have helped us in victory, and you

have not deserted us in defeat. You are the greatest of warriors, the boldest in battle, and the most skillful."

"I speak but the truth, great chief of the Wyandots. We owe you much, and some day we may repay. Here the

Bostonians crowd us hard, and the Mohawks may yet fight by your side to save your own hunting grounds."

"Victory was long with us here," said Thayendanegea, "but the rebels have at last brought an army against us,

and the king who persuaded us to make war upon the Americans adds nothing to the help that he has given us

already. Our white allies were the first to run at the Chemung, and now the Iroquois country, so large and so

beautiful, is at the mercy of the invader. We perish. In all the valleys our towns lie in ashes. The American

army will come tomorrow, and this, the great Seneca Castle, the last of our strongholds, will also sink under

the flames. I know not how our people will live through the Winter that is yet to come. Aieroski has turned

"The Six Nations will regain their country," he said. "The great League of the Hodenosaunee, which has

been victorious for so many generations, cannot be destroyed. All the tribes from here to the Mississippi will

help, and will press down upon the settlements. I will return to stir them anew, and the British posts will give

"You raise my spirits again," he said. "We flee now, but we shall come back again. The Hodenosaunee

can never submit. We will ravage all their settlements, and burn and destroy. We will make a wilderness

Part of his words came true, and the name of the raiding Thayendanegea was long a terror, but the Iroquois,

who had refused the requested neutrality, had lost their Country forever, save such portions as the victor in

"And now, as you and your Wyandots depart within the half hour, I give you a last farewell," said

The hands of the two great chiefs met in a clasp like that of the white man, and then Timmendiquas abruptly

left the Council House, shutting the door behind him. Thayendanegea lingered a while at the window, and the

look of sadness returned to his face. Henry could read many of the thoughts that were passing through the

Thayendanegea was thinking of his great journey to London, of the power and magnificence that he had seen,

of the pride and glory of the Iroquois, of the strong and numerous Tory faction led by Sir John Johnson, the

half brother of the children of Molly Brant, Thayendanegea's own sister, of the Butlers and all the others who

had said that the rebels would be easy to conquer. He knew better now, he had long known better, ever since

that dreadful battle in the dark defile of the Oriskany, when the Palatine Germans, with old Herkimer at their

head, beat the Tories, the English, and the Iroquois, and made the taking of Burgoyne possible. The Indian

chieftain was a statesman, and it may be that from this moment he saw that the cause of both the Iroquois and

their white allies was doomed. Presently Thayendanegea left the window, walking slowly toward the door.

He paused there a moment or two, and then went out, closing it behind him, as Timmendiquas had done. The

"I don't believe," said Henry, "that either of them thinks, despite their brave words, that the Iroquois can ever

"Whether they kin do it or not," said the practical Sol, "it's time for us to git out o' here, an' go back to our

Examining first at the window and then through the door, opened slightly, they saw that the Iroquois village

bad become quiet. The preparations for departure had probably ceased until morning. Forth stole the three,

passing swiftly among the houses, going, with silent foot toward the orchard. An old squaw, carrying a

bundle from a house, saw them, looked sharply into their faces, and knew them to be white. She threw down

her bundle with a fierce, shrill scream, and ran, repeating the scream as she ran.

Indians rushed out, and with them Braxton Wyatt and his band. Wyatt caught a glimpse of a tall figure, with

two others, one on each side, running toward the orchard, and he knew it. Hate and the hope to capture or kill

swelled afresh. He put a whistle to his lip and blew shrilly. It was a signal to his band, and they came from

Henry heard the whistle, and he was quite sure that it was Wyatt who had made the sound. A single glance

backward confirmed him. He knew Wyatt's figure as well as Wyatt knew his, and the dark mass with him

was certainly composed of his own men. The other Indians and Tories, in all likelihood, would turn back

They were clear of the town now, running lightly through the orchard, and Shif'less Sol suggested that they

The shiftless one was surprised, but when he glanced at Henry's face he understood.

They crossed the very corn field through which they had come, Braxton Wyatt and his band in full cry after

them. Several shots were fired, but the three kept too far ahead for any sort of marksmanship, and they were

not touched. When they finally entered the woods they curved a little, and then, keeping just far enough

ahead to be within sight, but not close enough for the bullets, Henry led them straight toward the camp of the

riflemen. As he approached, he fired his own rifle, and uttered the long shout of the forest runner. He shouted

a second time, and now Shif'less Sol and Tom Ross joined in the chorus, their great cry penetrating far

Whether Braxton Wyatt or any of his mixed band of Indians and Tories suspected the meaning of those great

shouts Henry never knew, but the pursuit came on with undiminished speed. There was a good silver moon

now, shedding much light, and he saw Wyatt still in the van, with his Tory lieutenant close behind, and after

them red men and white, spreading out like a fan to inclose the fugitives in a trap. The blood leaped in his

veins. It was a tide of fierce joy. He had achieved both of the purposes for which he had come. He had

thoroughly scouted the Seneca Castle, and he was about to come to close quarters with Braxton Wyatt and the

Shif'less Sol saw the face of his young comrade, and he was startled. He had never before beheld it so stern,

so resolute, and so pitiless. He seemed to remember as one single, fearful picture all the ruthless and terrible

scenes of the last year. Henry uttered again that cry which was at once a defiance and a signal, and from the

forest ahead of him it was answered, signal for signal. The riflemen were coming, Paul, Long Jim, and

Heemskerk at their head. They uttered a mighty cheer as they saw the flying three, and their ranks opened to

receive them. From the Indians and Tories came the long whoop of challenge, and every one in either band

knew that the issue was now about to be settled by battle, and by battle alone. They used all the tactics of the

forest. Both sides instantly dropped down among the trees and undergrowth, three or four hundred yards

apart, and for a few moments there was no sound save heavy breathing, heard only by those who lay close by.

Not a single human being would have been visible to an ordinary eye there in the moonlight, which tipped

boughs and bushes with ghostly silver. Yet no area so small ever held a greater store of resolution and deadly

animosity. On one side were the riflemen, nearly every one of whom had slaughtered kin to mourn, often

wives and little children, and on the other the Tories and Iroquois, about to lose their country, and swayed by

"Spread out," whispered Henry. "Don't give them a chance to flank us. You, Sol, take ten men and go to the

Each promptly obeyed, but the larger number of the riflemen remained in the center, where Henry knelt, with

Paul and Long Jim on one side of him, and Silent Tom on the other. When he thought that the two flanking

parties had reached the right position, he uttered a low whistle, and back came two low whistles, signals that

all was ready. Then the line began its slow advance, creeping forward from tree to tree and from bush to

bush. Henry raised himself up a little, but he could not yet see anything where the hostile force lay hidden.

Tom Ross had not spoken a word, but none was more eager than he. He was almost flat upon the ground, and

he had been pulling himself along by a sort of muscular action of his whole body. Now he was so still that he

did not seem to breathe. Yet his eyes, uncommonly eager now, were searching the thickets ahead. They rested

at last on a spot of brown showing through some bushes, and, raising his rifle, he fired with sure aim. The

Iroquois uttered his death cry, sprang up convulsively, and then fell back prone. Shots were fired in return,

They heard Braxton Wyatt's whistle, the challenging war cry of the Iroquois, and then they fought in silence,

save for the crack of the rifles. The riflemen continued to advance in slow, creeping fashion, always pressing

the enemy. Every time they caught sight of a hostile face or body they sent a bullet at it, and Wyatt's men did

the same. The two lines came closer, and all along each there were many sharp little jets of fire and smoke.

Some of the riflemen were wounded, and two were slain, dying quietly and without interrupting their

comrades, who continued to press the combat, Henry always leading in the center, and Shif'less Sol and

This battle so strange, in which faces were seen only for a moment, and which was now without the sound of

voices, continued without a moment's cessation in the dark forest. The fury of the combatants increased as the

time went on, and neither side was yet victorious. Closer and closer came the lines. Meanwhile dark clouds

were piling in a bank in the southwest. Slow thunder rumbled far away, and the sky was cut at intervals by

lightning. But the combatants did not notice the heralds of storm. Their attention was only for each other.

It seemed to Henry that emotions and impulses in him had culminated. Before him were the worst of all their

foes, and his pitiless resolve was not relaxed a particle. The thunder and the lightning, although he did not

notice them, seemed to act upon him as an incitement, and with low words he continually urged those about

Drops of rain fell, showing in the moonshine like beads of silver on boughs and twigs, but by and by the

smoke from the rifle fire, pressed down by the heavy atmosphere, gathered among the trees, and the moon

was partly hidden. But file combat did not relax because of the obscurity. Wandering Indians, hearing the

firing, came to Wyatt's relief, but, despite their aid, he was compelled to give ground. His were the most

desperate and hardened men, red and white, in all the allied forces, but they were faced by sharpshooters

better than themselves. Many of them were already killed, others were wounded, and, although Wyatt and

Coleman raged and strove to hold them, they began to give back, and so hard pressed were they that the

Iroquois could not perform the sacred duty of carrying off their dead. No one sought to carry away the Tories,

So much had the riflemen advanced that they came to the point where bodies of their enemies lay. Again that

fierce joy surged up in Henry's heart. His friends and he were winning. But he wished to do more than win.

This band, if left alone, would merely flee from the Seneca Castle before the advance of the army, and would

"Keep on, Tom! Keep on!" he cried to Ross and the others. "Never let them rest!"

"We won't! We ain't dreamin' o' doin' sech a thing," replied the redoubtable one as he loaded and fired. "Thar,

The Iroquois, yielding slowly at first, began now to give way faster. Some sought to dart away to right or left,

and bury themselves in the forest, but they were caught by the flanking parties of Shif'less Sol and

Heemskerk, and driven back on the center. They could not retreat except straight on the town, and the

riflemen followed them step for step. The moan of the distant thunder went on, and the soft rain fell, but the

deadly crackle of the rifles formed a sharper, insistent note that claimed the whole attention of both

It was now the turn of the riflemen to receive help. Twenty or more scouts and others abroad in the forest

were called by the rifle fire, and went at once into the battle. Then Wyatt was helped a second time by a band

of Senecas and Mohawks, but, despite all the aid, they could not withstand the riflemen. Wyatt, black with

fury and despair, shouted to them and sometimes cursed or even struck at them, but the retreat could not be

stopped. Men fell fast. Every one of the riflemen was a sharpshooter, and few bullets missed.

Wyatt was driven out of the forest and into the very corn field through which Henry had passed. Here the

retreat became faster, and, with shouts of triumph, the riflemen followed after. Wyatt lost some men in the

flight through the field, but when he came to the orchard, having the advantage of cover, he made another

But Shif'less Sol and Heemskerk took the band on the flanks, pouring in a destructive fire, and Wyatt,

Coleman, and a fourth of his band, all that survived, broke into a run for the town.

The riflemen uttered shout after shout of triumph, and it was impossible to restrain their pursuit. Henry would

have stopped here, knowing the danger of following into the town, especially when the army was near at

band with an irresistible force, but he could not stay them. He decided then that if they would charge it must

Shif'less Sol and Heemskerk wheeled in with the flanking parties, and the riflemen, a solid mass now,

increased the speed of pursuit. Wyatt and his men had no chance to turn and fire, or even to reload. Bullets

beat upon them as they fled, and here perished nearly all of that savage band. Wyatt, Coleman, and only a

half dozen made good the town, where a portion of the Iroquois who had not yet fled received them. But the

exultant riflemen did not stop even there. They were hot on the heels of Wyatt and the fugitives, and attacked

at once the Iroquois who came to their relief. So fierce was their rush that these new forces were driven back

at once. Braxton Wyatt, Coleman, and a dozen more, seeing no other escape, fled to a large log house used as

a granary, threw themselves into it, barred the doors heavily, and began to fire from the upper windows, small

openings usually closed with boards. Other Indians from the covert of house, tepee, or tree, fired upon the

The riflemen, directed by their leaders, met the new situation promptly. Fired upon from all sides, at least

twenty rushed into a house some forty yards from that of Braxton Wyatt. Others seized another house, while

the rest remained outside, sheltered by little outhouses, trees, or inequalities of the earth, and maintained

rapid sharpshooting in reply to the Iroquois in the town or to Braxton Wyatt's men in the house. Now the

combat became fiercer than ever. The warriors uttered yells, and Wyatt's men in the house sent forth defiant

shouts. From another part of the town came shrill cries of old squaws, urging on their fighting men.

It was now about four o'clock in the morning. The thunder and lightning had ceased, but the soft rain was still

falling. The Indians had lighted fires some distance away. Several carried torches. Helped by these, and, used

so long to the night, the combatants saw distinctly. The five lay behind a low embankment, and they paid

their whole attention to the big house that sheltered Wyatt and his men. On the sides and behind they were

"Keep low, Paul," said Henry, restraining his eager comrade. "Those fellows in the house can shoot, and we

A bullet fired from the window passed through the top of Paul's cap, but clipped only his hair. Before the

flash from the window passed, Long Jim fired in return, and something fell back inside. Bullets came from

other windows. Shif'less Sol fired, and a Seneca fell forward banging half out of the window, his naked body

a glistening brown in the firelight. But he hung only a few seconds. Then he fell to the ground and lay still.

The five crouched low again, waiting a new opportunity. Behind them, and on either side, they heard the

Braxton Wyatt, Coleman, four more Tories, and six Indians were still alive in the strong log house. Two or

three were wounded, but they scarcely noticed it in the passion of conflict. The house was a veritable fortress,

and the renegade's hopes rose high as he heard the rifle fire from different parts of the town. His own band

had been annihilated by the riflemen, led by Henry Ware, but he had a sanguine hope now that his enemies

Wyatt and his comrades presented a repellent sight as they crouched in the room and fired from the two little

windows. His clothes and those of the white men had been torn by bushes and briars in their flight, and their

faces had been raked, too, until they bled, but they had paid no attention to such wounds, and the blood was

mingled with sweat and powder smoke. The Indians, naked to the waist, daubed with vermilion, and streaked,

too, with blood, crouched upon the floor, with the muz'zles of their rifles at the windows, seeking something

human to kill. One and all, red and white, they were now raging savages, There was not one among them who

Wyatt himself was mad for revenge. Every evil passion in him was up and leaping. His eyes, more like those

of a wild animal than a human being, blazed out of a face, a mottled red and black. By the side of him the

"To think of it!" exclaimed Wyatt. "He led us directly into a trap, that Ware! And here our band is destroyed!

"But we may pay them back," said Coleman. "We were in their trap, but now they are in ours! Listen to that

firing and the war whoop! There are enough Iroquois yet in the town to kill every one of those rebels!"

"I hope so! I believe so!" exclaimed Wyatt. "Look out, Coleman! Ah, he's pinked you! That's the one they

Coleman had leaned forward a little in his anxiety to secure a good aim at something. He had disclosed only a

little of his face, but in an instant a bullet had seared his forehead like the flaming stroke of a sword, passing

on and burying itself in the wall. Fresh blood dripped down over his face. He tore a strip from the inside of

A Mohawk, frightfully painted, fired from the other window. Like a flash came the return shot, and the Indian

"That was Ware himself," said Wyatt. "I told you he was the best shot of them all. I give him that credit. But

they're all good. Look out! There goes another of our men! It was Ross who did that! I tell you, be careful! Be

It was an Onondaga who fell this time, and he lay with his head on the window sill until another Indian pulled

him inside. A minute later a Tory, who peeped guardedly for a shot, received a bullet through his head, and

sank down on the floor. A sort of terror spread among the others. What could they do in the face of such

terrible sharpshooting? It was uncanny, almost superhuman, and they looked stupidly at one another. Smoke

from their own firing had gathered in the room, and it formed a ghastly veil about their faces. They heard the

"We're bound to do something!" exclaimed Wyatt. "Here you, Jones, stick up the edge of your cap, and when

Jones thrust up his cap, but they knew too much out there to be taken in by an old trick. The cap remained

unhurt, but when Jones in his eagerness thrust it higher until he exposed his arm, his wrist was smashed in an

instant by a bullet, and he fell back with a howl of pain. Wyatt swore and bit his lips savagely. He and all of

them began to fear that they were in another and tighter trap, one from which there was no escape unless the

Iroquois outside drove off the riflemen, and of that they could as yet see no sign. The sharpshooters held their

place behind the embankment and the little outhouse, and so little as a finger, even, at the windows became a

sure mark for their terrible bullets. A Seneca, seeking a new trial for a shot, received a bullet through the

The light hitherto had been from the fires, but now the dawn was coming. Pale gray beams fell over the town,

and then deepened into red and yellow. The beams reached the room where the beleaguered remains of

Wyatt's band fought, but, mingling with the smoke, they gave a new and more ghastly tint to the desperate

"We've got to fight!" exclaimed Wyatt. "We can't sit here and be taken like beasts in a trap! Suppose we

Coleman shook his head. "Every one of us would be killed within twenty yards," he said.

"Then the Iroquois must come back," cried Wyatt. "Where is Joe Brant? Where is Timmendiquas, and where

They lay still awhile, listening to the firing in the town, which swayed hither and thither. The smoke in the

room thinned somewhat, and the daylight broadened and deepened. As a desperate resort they resumed fire

from the windows, but three more of their number were slain, and, bitter with chagrin, they crouched once

more on the floor out of range. Wyatt looked at the figures of the living and the dead. Savage despair tore at

his heart again, and his hatred of those who bad done this increased. It was being served out to him and his

band as they had served it out to many a defenseless family in the beautiful valleys of the border. Despite the

sharpshooters, he took another look at the window, but kept so far back that there was no chance for a shot.

"Two of them are slipping away," he exclaimed. "They are Ross and the one they call Long Jim! I wish I

They lay again in silence for a time. There was still firing in the town, and now and then they heard shouts.

The two gazed once more at the hideous, streaked, and grimed faces of each other, and then laughed wildly.

A wounded Seneca sitting with his back against the wall began to chant a low, wailing death song.

The Seneca stared at him with fixed, glassy eyes and continued his chant. Wyatt turned away, but that song

was upon his nerves. He knew that everything was lost. The main force of the Iroquois would not come back

to his help, and Henry Ware would triumph. He sat down on the floor, and muttered fierce words under his

A low crackling sound came to their ears, and both recognized it instantly. It was the sound of flames eating

rapidly into wood, and of that wood was built the house they now held. Even as they listened they could hear

"This is, what those two, Ross and Hart, were up to!" exclaimed Wyatt. "We're not only trapped, but we're to

The scanty survivors gathered around him, all but the wounded Seneca, who sat unmoved against the wall

and continued to chant his death chant. Wyatt glanced at him, but said nothing. Then he and the others rushed

The lower room was filled with smoke, and outside the flames were roaring. They unbarred the door and

sprang into the open air. A shower of bullets met them. The Tory, Coleman, uttered a choking cry, threw up

his arms, and fell back in the doorway. Braxton Wyatt seized one of the smaller men, and, holding him a

moment or two before him to receive the fire of his foe, dashed for the corner of the blazing building. The

man whom he held was slain, and his own shoulder was grazed twice, but he made the corner. In an instant

he put the burning building between him and his pursuers, and ran as he had never run before in all his life,

deadly fear putting wings on his heels. As he ran he heard the dull boom of a cannon, and he knew that tile

American army was entering the Seneca Castle. Ahead of him he saw the last of the Indians fleeing for the

woods, and behind him the burning house crashed and fell in amid leaping flames and sparks in myriads. He

"That's so," said Shif'less Sol. "Thar's nothin' left o' his band but hisself, an' I ain't feelin' any sorrow 'cause I

helped to do it. I guess we've saved the lives of a good many innocent people with this morning's work."

"Never a doubt of it," said Henry, "and here's the army now finishing up the task."

The soldiers were setting fire to the town in many places, and in two hours the great Seneca Castle was

wholly destroyed. The five took no part in this, but rested after their battles and labors. One or two had been

grazed by bullets, but the wounds were too trifling to be noticed. As they rested, they watched the fire, which

was an immense one, fed by so much material. The blaze could be seen for many miles, and the ashes drifted

All the while the Iroquois were fleeing through the wilderness to the British posts and the country beyond the

lakes, whence their allies had already preceded them. The coals of Little Beard's Town smoldered for two or

three days, and then the army turned back, retracing its steps down the Genesee.

Henry and his comrades felt that their work in the East was finished. Kentucky was calling to them. They had

no doubt that Braxton Wyatt, now that his band was destroyed, would return there, and he would surely be

plotting more danger. It was their part to meet and defeat him. They wished, too, to see again the valley, the

river, and the village in which their people had made their home, and they ,wished yet more to look upon the

They left the army, went southward with Heemskerk and some others of the riflemen, but at the Susquehanna

"It is good to me to have known you, my brave friends," said Heemskerk, "and I say goodby with sorrow to

you, Mynheer Henry; to you, Mynheer Paul; to you, Mynheer Sol; to you, Mynheer Tom; and to you,

He wrung their hands one by one, and then revolved swiftly away to hide his emotion.

The five, rifles on their shoulders, started through the forest. When they looked back they saw Cornelius

Heemskerk waving his hand to them. They waved in return, and then disappeared in the forest. It was a long

journey to Pittsburgh, but they found it a pleasant one. It was yet deep autumn on the Pennsylvania hills, and

the forest was glowing with scarlet and gold. The air was the very wine of life, and when they needed game it

was there to be shot. As the cold weather hung off, they did not hurry, and they enjoyed the peace of the

forest. They realized now that after their vast labors, hardships, and dangers, they needed a great rest, and

they took it. It was singular, and perhaps not so singular, how their minds turned from battle, pursuit, and

escape, to gentle things. A little brook or fountain pleased them. They admired the magnificent colors of the

foliage, and lingered over the views from the low mountains. Doe and fawn fled from them, but without

cause. At night they built splendid fires, and sat before them, while everyone in his turn told tales according

They bought at Pittsburgh a strong boat partly covered, and at the point where the Allegheny and the

Monongahela unite they set sail down the Ohio. It was winter now, but in their stout caravel they did not care.

They had ample supplies of all kinds, including ammunition, and their hearts were light when they swung

"Now for a great voyage," said Paul, looking at the clear stream with sparkling eyes.