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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/8859-8.txt b/8859-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1145f73 --- /dev/null +++ b/8859-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11686 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of True to the Old Flag, by G. A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: True to the Old Flag + A Tale of the American War of Independence + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Posting Date: June 2, 2012 [EBook #8859] +Release Date: September, 2005 +First Posted: August 15, 2003 +[Last updated: December 15, 2013] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG *** + + + + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + + + + + +TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG + +A TALE OF THE AMERICAN WAR +OF INDEPENDENCE + + + + +By +G. A. HENTY + +Author Of "With Clive In India," "The Dragon And The Raven," +"With Lee In Virginia," "By England's Aid," "In The Reign Of Terror," +"With Wolfe In Canada," "Captain Bayley's Heir," Etc. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + +I. A FRONTIER FARM + +II. AN INDIAN RAID + +III. THE REDSKIN ATTACK + +IV. THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON + +V. BUNKER'S HILL + +VI. SCOUTING + +VII. IN THE FOREST + +VIII. QUEBEC + +IX. THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON + +X. A TREACHEROUS PLANTER + +XI. THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA + +XII. THE SETTLER'S HUT + +XIII. SARATOGA + +XIV. RESCUED! + +XV. THE ISLAND REFUGE + +XVI. THE GREAT STORM + +XVII. THE SCOUT'S STORY + +XVIII. THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH + +XIX. IN AN AMERICAN PRISON + +XX. THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA + +XXI. THE END OF THE STRUGGLE + + + + +PREFACE. + + +MY DEAR LADS: + +You have probably been accustomed to regard the war between England +and her colonies in America as one in which we were not only beaten +but, to some extent, humiliated. Owing to the war having been an +unsuccessful one for our arms, British writers have avoided the +subject, and it has been left for American historians to describe. +These, writing for their own countrymen, and drawing for their facts +upon gazettes, letters, and other documents emanating from one side +only, have, naturally, and no doubt insensibly, given a very strong +color to their own views of the events, and English writers have been +too much inclined to accept their account implicitly. There is, +however, another and very different side to the story, and this I +have endeavored to show you. The whole of the facts and details +connected with the war can be relied upon as accurate. They are drawn +from the valuable account of the struggle written by Major Steadman, +who served under Howe, Clinton, and Cornwallis, and from other +authentic contemporary sources. You will see that, although +unsuccessful,--and success was, under the circumstances, a sheer +impossibility,--the British troops fought with a bravery which was +never exceeded, and that their victories in actual conflict vastly +outnumbered their defeats. Indeed, it may be doubted whether in any +war in which this country has been engaged have our soldiers +exhibited the qualities of endurance and courage to a higher degree. + +Yours very sincerely, + +G. A. HENTY. + + + + + + +TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +A FRONTIER FARM. + + +"Concord, March 1, 1774. + +"MY DEAR COUSIN: I am leaving next week with my husband for England, +where we intend to pass some time visiting his friends. John and I +have determined to accept the invitation you gave us last summer for +Harold to come and spend a few months with you. His father thinks +that a great future will, ere many years, open in the West, and that +it is therefore well the boy should learn something of frontier life. +For myself, I would rather that he stayed quietly at home, for he is +at present over-fond of adventure; but as my husband is meditating +selling his estate here and moving West, it is perhaps better for him. + +"Massachusetts is in a ferment, as indeed are all the Eastern States, +and the people talk openly of armed resistance against the +Government. My husband, being of English birth and having served in +the king's army, cannot brook what he calls the rebellious talk which +is common among his neighbors, and is already on bad terms with many +around us. I myself am, as it were, a neutral. As an American woman, +it seems to me that the colonists have been dealt with somewhat +hardly by the English Parliament, and that the measures of the latter +have been high-handed and arbitrary. Upon the other hand, I naturally +incline toward my husband's views. He maintains that, as the king's +army has driven out the French, and gives protection to the colony, +it is only fair that the colonists should contribute to its expenses. +The English ask for no contributions toward the expense of their own +country, but demand that, at least, the expenses of the protection of +the colony shall not be charged upon the heavily taxed people at +home. As to the law that the colony shall trade only with the mother +country, my husband says that this is the rule in the colonies of +Spain, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands, and that the people +here, who can obtain what land they choose and till it without rent, +should not grumble at paying this small tax to the mother country. +However it be, I fear that troubles will come, and, this place being +the head and focus of the party hostile to England, my husband, +feeling himself out of accord with all his neighbors, saving a few +loyal gentlemen like himself, is thinking much and seriously of +selling our estate here and of moving away into the new countries of +the West, where he will be free from all the disputation and +contentious talk which occupies men's time here. + +"Indeed, cousin, times have sadly changed since you were staying here +with us five years ago. Then our life was a peaceful and quiet one; +now there is nothing but wrangling and strife. The dissenting clergy +are, as my husband says was the case in England before the great +civil war, the fomenters of this discontent. There are many +busybodies who pass their time in stirring up the people by violent +harangues and seditious writings; therefore everyone takes one side +or the other, and there is neither peace nor comfort in life. + +"Accustomed as I have always been to living in ease and affluence, I +dread, somewhat, the thought of a life on the Indian frontier. One +has heard so many dreadful stories of Indian fights and massacres +that I tremble a little at the prospect; but I do not mention this to +John, for as other women are, like yourself, brave enough to support +these dangers, I would not appear a coward in his eyes. You will see, +cousin, that, as this prospect is before us, it is well that Harold +should learn the ways of a frontier life. Moreover, John does not +like the thought of leaving him here while we are in England; for, as +he says, the boy might learn to become a rebel in his absence; +therefore, my dear cousin, we have resolved to send him to you. An +opportunity offers, in the fact that a gentleman of our acquaintance +is, with his family, going this week West, with the intention of +settling there, and he will, he tells us, go first to Detroit, whence +he will be able to send Harold forward to your farm. The boy himself +is delighted at the thought, and promises to return an accomplished +backwoodsman. John joins me in kind love to yourself and your +husband, and believe me to remain, + +"Your Affectionate Cousin, + +"MARY WILSON." + + +Four months after the date of the above letter a lad some fifteen +years old was walking with a man of middle age on the shores of Lake +Huron. Behind them was a large clearing of about a hundred acres in +extent; a comfortable house, with buildings for cattle, stood at a +distance of some three hundred yards from the lake; broad fields of +yellow corn waved brightly in the sun; and from the edge of the +clearing came the sound of a woodsman's ax, showing that the +proprietor was still enlarging the limits of his farm. Surrounding +the house, at a distance of twenty yards, was a strong stockade some +seven feet in height, formed of young trees, pointed at the upper +end, squared, and fixed firmly in the ground. The house itself, +although far more spacious and comfortable than the majority of +backwood farmhouses, was built in the usual fashion, of solid logs, +and was evidently designed to resist attack. + +William Welch had settled ten years before on this spot, which was +then far removed from the nearest habitation. It would have been a +very imprudent act, under ordinary circumstances, to have established +himself in so lonely a position, so far removed from the possibility +of assistance in case of attack. He settled there, however, just +after Pontiac, who was at the head of an alliance of all the Indian +tribes of those parts, had, after the long and desperate siege of +Fort Pitt, made peace with us upon finding that his friends, the +French, had given up all thought of further resistance to the +English, and had entirely abandoned the country. Mr. Welch thought, +therefore, that a permanent peace was likely to reign on the +frontier, and that he might safely establish himself in the charming +location he had pitched upon, far removed from the confines of +civilization. + +The spot was a natural clearing of some forty acres in extent, +sloping down to the water's edge, and a more charming site could +hardly have been chosen. Mr. Welch had brought with him three farm +laborers from the East, and, as time went on, he extended the +clearing by cutting down the forest giants which bordered it. + +But in spite of the beauty of the position, the fertility of the +soil, the abundance of his crops, and the advantages afforded by the +lake, both from its plentiful supply of fish and as a highway by +which he could convey his produce to market, he had more than once +regretted his choice of location. It was true that there had been no +Indian wars on a large scale, but the Indians had several times +broken out in sudden incursions. Three times he had been attacked, +but, fortunately, only by small parties, which he had been enabled to +beat off. Once, when a more serious danger threatened him, he had +been obliged to embark, with his wife and child and his more valuable +chattels, in the great scow in which he carried his produce to +market, and had to take refuge in the settlements, to find, on his +return, his buildings destroyed and his farm wasted. At that time he +had serious thoughts of abandoning his location altogether, but the +settlements were extending rapidly toward him, and, with the prospect +of having neighbors before long and the natural reluctance to give up +a place upon which he had expended so much toil, he decided to hold +on; hoping that more quiet times would prevail, until other settlers +would take up land around him. + +The house had been rebuilt more strongly than before. He now employed +four men, and had been unmolested since his return to his farm, three +years before the date of this story. Already two or three locations +had been taken up on the shores of the lake beyond him, a village had +grown up thirty-five miles away, and several settlers had established +themselves between that place and his home. + +"So you are going out fishing this morning, Harold?" Mr. Welch said. +"I hope you will bring back a good supply, for the larder is low. I +was looking at you yesterday, and I see that you are becoming a +first-rate hand at the management of a canoe." + +"So I ought to be," the boy said, "considering that for nearly three +months I have done nothing but shoot and fish." + +"You have a sharp eye, Harold, and will make a good backwoodsman one +of these days. You can shoot nearly as well as I can now. It is lucky +that I had a good stock of powder and lead on hand; firing away by +the hour together, as you do, consumes a large amount of ammunition. +See, there is a canoe on the lake; it is coming this way, too. There +is but one man in it; he is a white, by his clothes." + +For a minute or two they stood watching the boat, and then, seeing +that its course was directed toward the shore, they walked down to +the edge of the lake to meet it. + +"Ah, Pearson! is that you?" Mr. Welch asked. "I thought I knew your +long, sweeping stroke at a distance. You have been hunting, I see; +that is a fine stag you have got there. What is the news?" + +"About as bad as can be, Master Welch," the hunter said. "The +Iroquois have dug up the tomahawk again and are out on the war-path. +They have massacred John Brent and his family. I heard a talk of it +among some hunters I met ten days since in the woods. They said that +the Iroquois were restless and that their chief, War Eagle, one of +the most troublesome varmints on the whole frontier, had been +stirring 'em up to war. He told 'em, I heard, that the pale-faces +were pushing further and further into the Injun woods, and that, +unless they drove 'em back, the redskin hunting grounds would be +gone. I hoped that nothing would come of it, but I might have known +better. When the redskins begin to stir there's sure to be mischief +before they're quiet again." + +The color had somewhat left Mr. Welch's cheeks as the hunter spoke. + +"This is bad news, indeed, Pearson," he said gravely. "Are you sure +about the attack on the Brents?" + +"Sartin sure," the hunter said. "I met their herder; he had been down +to Johnson's to fetch a barrel of pork. Just when he got back he +heard the Injun yells and saw smoke rising in the clearing, so he +dropped the barrel and made tracks. I met him at Johnson's, where he +had just arrived. Johnson was packing up with all haste and was going +to leave, and so I said I would take my canoe and come down the lake, +giving you all warning on the way. I stopped at Burns' and Hooper's. +Burns said he should clear out at once, but Hooper talked about +seeing it through. He's got no wife to be skeary about, and reckoned +that, with his two hands, he could defend his log hut. I told him I +reckoned he would get his har raised if the Injuns came that way; +but, in course, that's his business." + +"What do you advise, Pearson? I do not like abandoning this farm to +the mercy of the redskins." + +"It would be a pity, Master Welch, that's as true as Gospel. It's the +likeliest clearing within fifty miles round, and you've fixed the +place up as snug and comfortable as if it were a farm in the old +provinces. In course the question is what this War Eagle intends to +do. His section of the tribe is pretty considerable strong, and +although at present I aint heard that any others have joined, these +Injuns are like barrels of gunpowder: when the spark is once struck +there's no saying how far the explosion may spread. When one band of +'em sees as how another is taking scalps and getting plunder and +honor, they all want to be at the same work. I reckon War Eagle has +got some two hundred braves who will follow him; but when the news +spreads that he has begun his work, all the Iroquois, to say nothing +of the Shawnees, Delawares, and other varmint, may dig up the +hatchet. The question is what War Eagle's intentions are. He may make +a clean sweep down, attacking all the outlying farms and waiting till +he is joined by a lot more of the red reptiles before attacking the +settlements. Then, on the other hand, he may think himself strong +enough to strike a blow at Gloucester and some other border villages +at once. In that case he might leave the outlying farms alone, as the +news of the burning of these would reach the settlements and put 'em +on their guard, and he knows, in course, that if he succeeds there he +can eat you all up at his leisure." + +"The attack upon Brent's place looks as if he meant to make a clean +sweep down," Mr. Welch said. + +"Well," the hunter continued thoughtfully, "I don't know as I sees it +in that light. Brent's place was a long way from any other. He might +have wished to give his band a taste of blood, and so raise their +spirits, and he might reasonably conclude that naught would be known +about it for days, perhaps weeks to come. Then, again, the attack +might have been made by some straggling party without orders. It's a +dubious question. You've got four hands here, I think, and yourself. +I have seen your wife shoot pretty straight with a rifle, so she can +count as one, and as this young un, here, has a good idea, too, with +his shooting-iron, that makes six guns. Your place is a strong one, +and you could beat off any straggling party. My idea is that War +Eagle, who knows pretty well that the place would make a stout fight, +won't waste his time by making a regular attack upon it. You might +hold out for twenty-four hours; the clearing is open and there aint +no shelter to be had. He would be safe to lose a sight of men, and +this would be a bad beginning, and would discourage his warriors +greatly. No, I reckon War Eagle will leave you alone for the present. +Maybe he will send a scout to see whether you are prepared; it's as +likely as not that one is spying at us somewhere among the trees now. +I should lose no time in driving in the animals and getting well in +shelter. When they see you are prepared they will leave you alone; at +least, for the present. Afterward there's no saying--that will depend +on how they get on at the settlements. If they succeed there and get +lots of booty and plenty of scalps, they may march back without +touching you; they will be in a hurry to get to their villages and +have their feasts and dancing. If they are beaten off at the +settlements I reckon they will pay you a visit for sure; they won't +go back without scalps. They will be savage like, and won't mind +losing some men for the sake of having something to brag about when +they get back. And now, Master Welch, I must be going on, for I want +to take the news down to the settlements before War Eagle gets there, +and he may be ahead of me now, for aught I know. I don't give you no +advice as to what you had best do; you can judge the circumstances as +well as I can. When I have been to the settlements and put them on +their guard, maybe I shall be coming back again, and, in that case, +you know Jack Pearson's rifle is at your disposal. You may as well +tote this stag up to the house. You won't be doing much hunting just +for the present, and the meat may come in handy." + +The stag was landed, and a minute later the canoe shot away from +shore under the steady stroke of the hunter's powerful arms. Mr. +Welch at once threw the stag over his shoulders and, accompanied by +Harold, strode away toward the house. On reaching it he threw down +the stag at the door, seized a rope which hung against the wall, and +the sounds of a large bell, rung in quick, sharp strokes, summoned +the hands from the fields. The sound of the woodman's ax ceased at +once, and the shouts of the men, as they drove the cattle toward the +house, rose on the still air. + +"What is the matter, William?" Mrs. Welch asked as she ran from the +house. + +"I have bad news, my dear. The Indians are out again, and I fear we +may have trouble before us. We must hope that they will not come in +this direction, but must be prepared for the worst. Wait till I see +all the hands and beasts in the stockade, and then we can talk the +matter over quietly." + +In a few minutes the hands arrived, driving before them the horses +and cattle. + +"What is it, boss?" they asked. "Was that the alarm bell sure +enough?" + +"The Indians are out again," Mr. Welch said, "and in force. They have +massacred the Brents and are making toward the settlements. They may +come this way or they may not; at any rate, we must be prepared for +them. Get the beasts into the sheds, and then do you all take scythes +and set to work to cut down that patch of corn, which is high enough +to give them shelter; there's nothing else which will cover them +within a hundred yards of the house. Of course you will take your +rifles with you and keep a sharp lookout; but they will have heard +the bell, if they are in the neighborhood, and will guess that we +are on the alert, so they are not likely to attempt a surprise. Shut +one of the gates and leave the other ajar, with the bar handy to put +up in case you have to make a run for it. Harold will go up to the +lookout while you are at work." + +Having seen that all was attended to, Mr. Welch went into the house, +where his wife was going about her work as usual, pale, but quiet and +resolute. + +"Now, Jane," he said, "sit down, and I will tell you exactly how +matters stand, as far as Pearson, who brought the news, has told me. +Then you shall decide as to the course we had better take." + +After he had told her all that Pearson had said, and the reasons for +and against expecting an early attack, he went on: + +"Now, it remains for you, my dear, to decide whether we shall stay +and defend the place till the last against any attack that may be +made, or whether we shall at once embark in the scow and make our way +down to the settlements." + +"What do you think, William?" his wife asked. + +"I scarcely know, myself," he answered; "but, if I had quite my own +way, I should send you and Nelly down to the settlements in the scow +and fight it out here with the hands." + +"You certainly will not have your own way in that," his wife said. +"If you go of course I go; if you stay I stay. I would a thousand +times rather go through a siege here, and risk the worst, than go +down to Gloucester and have the frightful anxiety of not knowing what +was happening here. Besides, it is very possible, as you say, that +the Indians may attack the settlement itself. Many of the people +there have had no experience in Indian war, and the redskins are +likely to be far more successful in their surprise there than they +would be here. If we go we should have to leave our house, our barns, +our stacks, and our animals to the mercy of the savages. Your capital +is pretty nearly all embarked here now, and the loss of all this +would be ruin to us. At any rate, William, I am ready to stay here +and to risk what may come if you are. A life on the frontier is +necessarily a life of danger, and if we are to abandon everything and +to have to commence life afresh every time the Indians go on the +war-path, we had better give it up at once and return to +Massachusetts." + +"Very well, my dear," her husband said gravely. "You are a true +frontiersman's wife; you have chosen as I should have done. It is a +choice of evils; but God has blessed and protected us since we came +out into the wilderness--we will trust and confide in him now. At any +rate," he went on more cheerfully, "there is no fear of the enemy +starving us out. We got in our store of provisions only a fortnight +since, and have enough of everything for a three-months' siege. There +is no fear of our well failing us; and as for ammunition, we have +abundance. Seeing how Harold was using powder and ball, I had an +extra supply when the stores came in the other day. There is plenty +of corn in the barn for the animals for months, and I will have the +corn which the men are cutting brought in as a supply of food for the +cows. It will be useful for another purpose, too; we will keep a heap +of it soaked with water and will cover the shingles with it in case +of attack. It will effectually quench their fire arrows." + +The day passed off without the slightest alarm, and by nightfall the +patch of corn was cleared away and an uninterrupted view of the +ground for the distance of a hundred yards from the house was +afforded. When night fell two out of the four dogs belonging to the +farm were fastened out in the open, at a distance of from seventy to +eighty yards of the house, the others being retained within the +stockade. The garrison was divided into three watches, two men being +on the alert at a time, relieving each other every three hours. Mr. +Welch took Harold as his companion on the watch. The boy was greatly +excited at the prospect of a struggle. He had often read of the +desperate fights between the frontier settlers and the Indians, and +had longed to take a share in the adventurous work. He could scarcely +believe that the time had come and that he was really a sharer in +what might be a desperate struggle. + +The first watch was set at nine, and at twelve Mr. Welch and Harold +came on duty. The men they relieved reported that all was silent in +the woods, and that they had heard no suspicious cries of any kind. +When the men had returned to their room Mr. Welch told Harold that he +should take a turn round the stockade and visit the dogs. Harold was +to keep watch at the gate, to close it after he went out, to put up +the bar, and to stand beside it ready to open it instantly if called +upon. + +Then the farmer stepped out into the darkness and, treading +noiselessly, at once disappeared from Harold's sight. The latter +closed the gate, replaced the heavy bar, and stood with one hand on +this and the other holding his rifle, listening intently. Once he +thought he heard a low growling from one of the dogs, but this +presently ceased, and all was quiet again. The gate was a solid one, +formed of strong timbers placed at a few inches apart and bolted to +horizontal bars. + +Presently he felt the gate upon which his hand rested quiver, as if +pressure was applied from without. His first impulse was to say, "Is +that you?" but Mr. Welch had told him that he would give a low +whistle as he approached the gate; he therefore stood quiet, with his +whole attention absorbed in listening. Without making the least stir +he peered through the bars and made out two dark figures behind them. +After once or twice shaking the gate, one took his place against it +and the other sprang upon his shoulders. + +Harold looked up and saw a man's head appear against the sky. Dim as +was the light, he could see that it was no European head-gear, a long +feather or two projecting from it. In an instant he leveled his rifle +and fired. There was a heavy fall and then all was silent. Harold +again peered through the bars. The second figure had disappeared, and +a black mass lay at the foot of the gate. + +In an instant the men came running from the house, rifles in hand. + +"What is it?" they exclaimed. "Where is Mr. Welch?" + +"He went out to scout round the house, leaving me at the gate," +Harold said. "Two men, I think Indians, came up; one was getting over +the gate when I shot him. I think he is lying outside--the other has +disappeared." + +"We must get the master in," one of the men said. "He is probably +keeping away, not knowing what has happened. Mr. Welch," he shouted, +"it is all safe here, so far as we know; we are all on the lookout to +cover you as you come up." + +Immediately a whistle was heard close to the gate. This was +cautiously opened a few inches, and was closed and barred directly +Mr. Welch entered. + +Harold told him what had happened. + +"I thought it was something of the sort. I heard Wolf growl and felt +sure that it was not at me. I threw myself down and crept up to him +and found him shot through the heart with an Indian arrow. I was +crawling back to the house when I heard Harold's shot. Then I waited +to see if it was followed by the war-whoop, which the redskins would +have raised at once, on finding that they were discovered, had they +been about to attack in force. Seeing that all was quiet, I +conjectured that it was probably an attempt on the part of a spy to +discover if we were upon the alert. Then I heard your call and at +once came on. I do not expect any attack to-night now, as these +fellows must have been alone; but we will all keep watch till the +morning. You have done very well, Harold, and have shown yourself a +keen watchman. It is fortunate that you had the presence of mind +neither to stir nor to call out when you first heard them; for, had +you done so, you would probably have got an arrow between your ribs, +as poor Wolf has done." + +When it was daylight, and the gate was opened, the body of an Indian +was seen lying without; a small mark on his forehead showed where +Harold's bullet had entered; death being instantaneous. His war-paint +and the embroidery of his leggings showed him at once to be an +Iroquois. Beside him lay his bow, with an arrow which had evidently +been fitted to the string for instant work. Harold shuddered when he +saw it and congratulated himself on having stood perfectly quiet. A +grave was dug a short distance away, the Indian was buried, and the +household proceeded about their work. + +The day, as was usual in households in America, was begun with +prayer, and the supplications of Mr. Welch for the protection of God +over the household were warm and earnest. The men proceeded to feed +the animals; these were then turned out of the inclosure, one of the +party being always on watch in the little tower which they had +erected for that purpose some ten or twelve feet above the roof of +the house. From this spot a view was obtainable right over the +clearing to the forest which surrounded it on three sides. The other +hands proceeded to cut down more of the corn, so as to extend the +level space around the house. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +AN INDIAN RAID. + +That day and the next passed quietly. The first night the man who was +on watch up to midnight remarked to Mr. Welch, when he relieved him, +that it seemed to him that there were noises in the air. + +"What sort of noises, Jackson--calls of night-birds or animals? If +so, the Indians are probably around us." + +"No," the man said; "all is still round here, but I seem to feel the +noise rather than hear it. I should say that it was firing, very many +miles off." + +"The night is perfectly still, and the sound of a gun would be heard +a long way." + +"I cannot say that I have heard a gun; it is rather a tremble in the +air than a sound." + +When the man they had relieved had gone down and all was still again, +Mr. Welch and Harold stood listening intently. + +"Jackson was right," the farmer said; "there is something in the air. +I can feel it rather than hear it. It is a sort of murmur no louder +than a whisper. Do you hear it, Harold?" + +"I seem to hear something," Harold said. "It might be the sound of +the sea a very long way off, just as one can hear it many miles from +the coast, on a still night at home. What do you think it is?" + +"If it is not fancy," Mr. Welch replied, "and I do not think that we +should all be deceived, it is an attack upon Gloucester." + +"But Gloucester is thirty-five miles away," Harold answered. + +"It is," Mr. Welch replied; "but on so still a night as this sounds +can be heard from an immense distance. If it is not this, I cannot +say what it is." + +Upon the following night, just as Mr. Welch's watch was at an end, a +low whistle was heard near the gate. + +"Who is there?" Mr. Welch at once challenged. + +"Jack Pearson, and the sooner you open the gate the better. There's +no saying where these red devils may be lying round." + +Harold and the farmer instantly ran down and opened the gate. + +"I should advise you to stop down here," the hunter said as they +replaced the bars. "If you did not hear me you certainly would not +hear the redskins, and they'd all be over the palisade before you had +time to fire a shot. I'm glad to see you safe, for I was badly +skeared lest I should find nothing but a heap of ashes here." + +The next two men now turned out, and Mr. Welch led his visitor into +the house and struck a light. + +"Halloo, Pearson! you must have been in a skirmish," he said, seeing +that the hunter's head was bound up with a bloodstained bandage. + +"It was all that," Pearson said, "and wuss. I went down to Gloucester +and told 'em what I had heard, but the darned fools tuk it as quiet +as if all King George's troops with fixed bayonets had been camped +round 'em. The council got together and palavered for an hour, and +concluded that there was no chance whatever of the Iroquois venturing +to attack such a powerful place as Gloucester. I told 'em that the +redskins would go over their stockade at a squirrel's jump, and that +as War Eagle alone had at least 150 braves, while there warn't more +than 50 able-bodied men in Gloucester and all the farms around it, +things would go bad with 'em if they didn't mind. But bless yer, they +knew more than I did about it. Most of 'em had moved from the East +and had never seen an Injun in his war-paint. Gloucester had never +been attacked since it was founded nigh ten years ago, and they +didn't see no reason why it should be attacked now. There was a few +old frontiersmen like myself among 'em who did their best to stir 'em +up, but it was no manner of good. When the council was over we put +our heads together, and just went through the township a-talking to +the women, and we hadn't much difficulty in getting up such a skear +among 'em that before nightfall every one of 'em in the farms around +made their husbands move into the stockade of the village. + +"When the night passed off quietly most of the men were just as +savage with us as if it had been a false alarm altogether. I p'inted +out that it was not because War Eagle had left 'em alone that night +that he was bound to do so the next night or any night after. But in +spite of the women they would have started out to their farms the +fust thing in the morning, if a man hadn't come in with the news that +Carter's farm had been burned and the whole of the people killed and +scalped. As Carter's farm lay only about fifteen miles off this gave +'em a skear, and they were as ready now to believe in the Injuns as I +had tried to make 'em the night before. Then they asked us old hands +to take the lead and promised to do what we told 'em, but when it +came to it their promises were not worth the breath they had spent +upon 'em. There were eight or ten houses outside the stockade, and in +course we wanted these pulled down; but they wouldn't hear of it. +Howsomever, we got 'em to work to strengthen the stockades, to make +loop-holes in the houses near 'em, to put up barricades from house to +house, and to prepare generally for a fight. We divided into three +watches. + +"Well, just as I expected, about eleven o'clock at night the Injuns +attacked. Our watch might just as well have been asleep for any good +they did, for it was not till the redskins had crept up to the +stockade all round and opened fire between the timbers on 'em that +they knew that they were near. I'll do 'em justice to say that they +fought stiff enough then, and for four hours they held the line of +houses; every redskin who climbed the stockade fell dead inside it. +Four fires had been lighted directly they attacked to enable us to +keep 'em from scaling the stockade, but they showed us to the enemy, +of course. + + "The redskins took possession of the houses which we had wanted to +pull down, and precious hot they made it for us. Then they shot such +showers of burning arrows into the village that half of the houses +were soon alight. We tried to get our men to sally out and to hold +the line of stockade, when we might have beaten 'em off if all the +village had been burned down; but it were no manner of good; each man +wanted to stick to his wife and family till the last. As the flames +went up every man who showed himself was shot down, and when at last +more than half our number had gone under the redskins brought up +fagots, piled 'em against the stockade outside, and then the hull +tribe came bounding over. Our rifles were emptied, for we couldn't +get the men to hold their fire, but some of us chaps as knew what was +coming gave the redskins a volley as they poured in. + +"I don't know much as happened after that. Jack Robins and Bill +Shuter, who were old pals of mine, and me made up our minds what to +do, and we made a rush for a small gate that there was in the +stockade, just opposite where the Injuns came in. We got through safe +enough, but they had left men all round. Jack Robins he was shot +dead. Bill and I kept straight on. We had a grapple with some of the +redskins; two or three on 'em went down, and Bill and I got through +and had a race for it till we got fairly into the forest. Bill had a +ball in the shoulder, and I had a clip across the head with a +tomahawk. We had a council, and Bill went off to warn some of the +other settlements and I concluded to take to the water and paddle +back to you, not knowing whether I should find that the redskins had +been before me. I thought anyway that I might stop your going down to +Gloucester, and that if there was a fight you would be none the worse +for an extra rifle." + +Mr. Welch told the hunter of the visit of the two Indian spies two +nights before. + +"Waal," the hunter said, "I reckon for the present you are not likely +to be disturbed. The Injuns have taken a pile of booty and something +like two hundred scalps, counting the women and children, and they +moved off at daybreak this morning in the direction of Tottenham, +which I reckon they'll attack tonight. Howsomever, Bill has gone on +there to warn 'em, and after the sack of Gloucester the people of +Tottenham won't be caught napping, and there are two or three old +frontiersmen who have settled down there, and War Eagle will get a +hot reception if he tries it. As far as his band is concerned, you're +safe for some days. The only fear is that some others of the tribe, +hurrying up at hearing of his success, may take this place as they go +past. And now I guess I'll take a few hours' sleep. I haven't closed +an eye for the last two nights." + +A week passed quietly. Pearson, after remaining two days, again went +down the lake to gather news, and returned a day later with the +intelligence that almost all the settlements had been deserted by +their inhabitants. The Indians were out in great strength and had +attacked the settlers at many points along the frontier, committing +frightful devastations. + +Still another week passed, and Mr. Welch began to hope that his +little clearing had been overlooked and forgotten by the Indians. The +hands now went about their work as usual, but always carried arms +with them, while one was constantly stationed on the watch-tower. +Harold resumed his fishing; never, however, going out of sight of the +house. Sometimes he took with him little Nelly Welch; it being +considered that she was as safe in the canoe as she was in the house, +especially as the boat was always in sight, and the way up from the +landing to the house was under cover of the rifles of the defenders; +so that, even in case of an attack, they would probably be able to +make their way back. + +One afternoon they had been out together for two or three hours; +everything looked as quiet and peaceable as usual; the hands were in +the fields near the house, a few of the cows grazing close to the +gate. Harold had been successful in his fishing and had obtained as +many fish as he could carry. He stepped out from the canoe, helped +Nelly to land, slung his rifle across his back, and picked up the +fish, which were strung on a withe passed through their gills. + +He had made but a few steps when a yell arose, so loud and terrible +that for a moment his heart seemed to stop beating. Then from the +cornfields leaped up a hundred dark figures; then came the sharp +crack of rifles, and two of the hands dashed down at full speed +toward the house. One had fallen. The fourth man was in the +watch-tower. The surprise had been complete. The Indians had made +their way like snakes through the long corn, whose waving had been +unperceived by the sentinel, who was dozing at his post, half-asleep +in the heat of the sun. Harold saw in a moment that it was too late +for him to regain the house; the redskins were already nearer to it +than he was. + +"Now, Nelly! into the boat again--quick!" he said. "We must keep out +of the way till it's all over." + +Nelly was about twelve years old, and her life in the woods had given +her a courage and quickness beyond her years. Without wasting a +moment on cries or lamentations, she sprang back into the canoe. +Harold took his place beside her, and the light craft darted rapidly +out into the lake. Not until he was some three or four hundred yards +from the shore did Harold pause to look round. Then, when he felt he +was out of gunshot distance, he ceased paddling. The fight was raging +now around the house; from loop-holes and turret the white puffs of +smoke darted angrily out. The fire had not been ineffectual, for +several dark forms could be seen lying round the stockade, and the +bulk of the Indians, foiled in their attempt to carry the place at a +rush, had taken shelter in the corn and kept up a scattering fire +round the house, broken only on the side facing the lake, where there +was no growing crop to afford them shelter. + +"They are all right now," Harold said cheerfully. + +"Do not be anxious, Nelly; they will beat them off, Pearson is a host +in himself. I expect he must have been lying down when the attack was +made. I know he was scouting round the house all night. If he had +been on the watch, those fellows would never have succeeded in +creeping up so close unobserved." + +"I wish we were inside," Nelly said, speaking for the first time. "If +I were only with them, I should not mind." + +"I am sure I wish we were," Harold agreed. "It is too hard being +useless out here when such a splendid fight is going on. Ah! they +have their eyes on us!" he exclaimed as a puff of smoke burst out +from some bushes near the shore and a ball came skipping along on the +surface of the water, sinking, however, before it reached it. + +"Those Indian muskets are no good," Harold said contemptuously, "and +the trade powder the Indians get is very poor stuff; but I think that +they are well within range of my rifle." + +The weapon which Harold carried was an English rifle of very perfect +make and finish, which his father had given him on parting. + +"Now," he said, "do you paddle the canoe a few strokes nearer the +shore, Nelly. We shall still be beyond the range of that fellow. He +will fire again and I shall see exactly where he is lying." + +Nelly, who was efficient in the management of a canoe, took the +paddle, and dipping it in the water the boat moved slowly toward the +shore. Harold sat with his rifle across his knees, looking intently +over the bows of the boat toward the bush from which the shot had +come. + +"That's near enough, Nelly," he said. + +The girl stopped paddling, and the hidden foe, seeing that they did +not mean to come nearer the shore, again fired. Harold's rifle was in +an instant against his shoulder; he sat immovable for a moment and +then fired. + +Instantly a dark figure sprang from the bush, staggered +a few steps up the slope, and then fell headlong. + +"That was a pretty good shot," Harold said. "Your father told me, +when I saw a stag's horns above a bush, to fire about two feet behind +them and eighteen inches lower. I fired a foot below the flash, and I +expect I hit him through the body. I had the sight at three hundred +yards and fired a little above it. Now, Nelly, paddle out again. +See!" he said, "there is a shawl waving from the top of the tower. +Put your hat on the paddle and wave it." + +"What are you thinking of doing, Harold?" the girl asked presently. + + "That is just what I have been asking myself for the last ten +minutes," Harold replied. "It is quite clear that as long as the +siege is kept up we cannot get back again, and there is no saying how +long it may last. The first thing is, what chance is there of their +pursuing us? Are there any other canoes on the lake within a short +distance?" + +"They have one at Braithwaite's," the girl said, "four miles off; but +look, there is Pearson's canoe lying by the shore." + +"So there is!" Harold exclaimed. "I never thought of that. I expect +the Indians have not noticed it. The bank is rather high where it is +lying. They are sure to find it, sooner or later. I think, Nelly, the +best plan would be to paddle back again so as to be within the range +of my rifle while still beyond the reach of theirs. I think I can +keep them from using the boat until it is dark." + +"But after it is dark, Harold?" + +"Well, then, we must paddle out into the lake so as to be well out of +sight. When it gets quite dark we can paddle in again and sleep +safely anywhere a mile or two from the house." + +An hour passed without change. Then Nelly said: "There is a movement +in the bushes near the canoe." Presently an arm was extended and +proceeded to haul the canoe toward the shore by its head-rope. As it +touched the bank an Indian rose from the bushes and was about to step +in, while a number of puffs of smoke burst out along the shore and +the bullets skipped over the water toward the canoe, one of them +striking it with sufficient force to penetrate the thin bark a few +inches above the water's edge. Harold had not moved, but as the +savage stepped into the canoe he fired, and the Indian fell heavily +into the water, upsetting the canoe as he did so. + +A yell of rage broke from his comrades. + +"I don't think they will try that game again as long as it is +daylight," Harold said. "Paddle a little further out again, Nelly. If +that bullet had hit you it would have given you a nasty blow, though +I don't think it would have penetrated; still we may as well avoid +accidents." + +After another hour passed the fire round the house ceased. + +"Do you think the Indians have gone away?" Nelly asked. + +"I am afraid there is no chance of that," Harold said. "I expect they +are going to wait till night and then try again. They are not fond of +losing men, and Pearson and your father are not likely to miss +anything that comes within their range as long as daylight lasts." + +"But after dark, Harold?" + +"Oh, they will try all sorts of tricks; but Pearson is up to them +all. Don't you worry about them, dear." + +The hours passed slowly away until at last the sun sank and the +darkness came on rapidly. So long as he could see the canoe, which +just floated above the water's edge, Harold maintained his position; +then taking one paddle, while Nelly handled the other, he sent the +boat flying away from the shore out into the lake. For a quarter of +an hour they paddled straight out. By this time the outline of the +shore could be but dimly perceived. Harold doubted whether it would +be possible to see the boat from shore, but in order to throw the +Indians off the scent, should this be the case, he turned the boat's +head to the south and paddled swiftly until it was perfectly dark. + +"I expect they saw us turn south," he said to Nelly. "The redskins +have wonderful eyes; so, if they pursue at all, they will do it in +that direction. No human being, unless he borrowed the eyes of an +owl, could see us now, so we will turn and paddle the other way." + +For two hours they rowed in this direction. + +"We can go in to shore now," Harold said at last. "We must be seven +or eight miles beyond the house." + +The distance to the shore was longer than they expected, for they had +only the light of the stars to guide them and neither had any +experience in night traveling. They had made much further out into +the lake than they had intended. At length the dark line of trees +rose in front of them, and in a few minutes the canoe lay alongside +the bank and its late occupants were stretched on a soft layer of +moss and fallen leaves. + +"What are we going to do to-morrow about eating?" Nelly asked. + +"There are four or five good-sized fish in the bottom of the canoe," +Harold replied. "Fortunately we caught more than I could carry, and I +intended to make a second trip from the house for these. I am afraid +we shall not be able to cook them, for the Indians can see smoke any +distance. If the worst comes to the worst we must eat them raw, but +we are sure to find some berries in the wood to-morrow. Now, dear, +you had better go to sleep as fast as you can; but first let us kneel +down and pray God to protect us and your father and mother." + + The boy and girl knelt in the darkness and said their simple +prayers. Then they lay down, and Harold was pleased to hear in a few +minutes the steady breathing which told him that his cousin was +asleep. It was a long time before he followed her example. During the +day he had kept up a brave front and had endeavored to make the best +of their position, but now that he was alone he felt the full weight +of the responsibility of guiding his companion through the extreme +danger which threatened them both. He felt sure that the Indians +would prolong the siege for some time, as they would be sure that no +re-enforcements could possibly arrive in aid of the garrison. +Moreover, he by no means felt so sure as he had pretended to his +companion of the power of the defenders of the house to maintain a +successful resistance to so large a number of their savage foes. In +the daylight he felt certain they could beat them off, but darkness +neutralizes the effect both of superior arms and better marksmanship. +It was nearly midnight before he lay down with the determination to +sleep, but scarcely had he done so when he was aroused by an outburst +of distant firing. Although six or seven miles from the scene of the +encounter, the sound of each discharge came distinct to the ear along +the smooth surface of the lake, and he could even hear, mingled with +the musketry fire, the faint yells of the Indians. For hours, as it +seemed to him, he sat listening to the distant contest, and then he, +unconsciously to himself, dozed off to sleep, and awoke with a start, +to find Nelly sitting up beside him and the sun streaming down +through the boughs. He started to his feet. + +"Bless me!" he exclaimed, "I did not know that I had been asleep. It +seems but an instant ago that I was listening"--and here he checked +himself--"that is, that I was wide awake, and here we are in broad +daylight." + +Harold's first care was to examine the position of the canoe, and he +found that fortunately it had touched the shore at a spot where the +boughs of the trees overhead drooped into the water beyond it, so +that it could not be seen by anyone passing along the lake. This was +the more fortunate as he saw, some three miles away, a canoe with +three figures on board. For a long distance on either side the boughs +of the trees drooped into the water, with only an opening here and +there such as that through which the boat had passed the night +before. + +"We must be moving, Nelly. Here are the marks where we scrambled up +the bank last night. If the Indians take it into their heads to +search the shore both ways, as likely enough they may do, they will +be sure to see them. In the first place let us gather a stock of +berries, and then we will get into the boat again and paddle along +under this arcade of boughs till we get to some place where we can +land without leaving marks of our feet. If the Indians find the place +where we landed here, they will suppose that we went off again before +daylight." + +For some time they rambled in the woods and succeeded in gathering a +store of berries and wild fruit. Upon these Nelly made her breakfast, +but Harold's appetite was sufficiently ravenous to enable him to fall +to upon the fish, which, he declared, were not so bad, after all. +Then they took their places in the canoe again and paddled on for +nearly a mile. + + "See, Harold!" Nelly exclaimed as she got a glimpse through the +boughs into the lake, "there is another canoe. They must have got the +Braithwaite boat. We passed their place coming here, you know. I +wonder what has happened there." + +"What do you think is best to do, Nelly?" Harold asked. "Your opinion +is just as good as mine about it. Shall we leave our canoe behind, +land, and take to the woods, or shall we stop quietly in the canoe in +shelter here, or shall we take to the lake and trust to our speed to +get away? in which case, you know, if they should come up I could +pick them off with my gun before they got within reach. + +"I don't think that would do," the girl said, shaking her head. "You +shoot very well, but it is not an easy thing to hit a moving object +if you are not accustomed to it, and they paddle so fast that if you +miss them once they would be close alongside--at any rate we should +be within reach of their guns--before you could load again. They +would be sure to catch us, for although we might paddle nearly as +fast for a time, they would certainly tire us out. Then, as to +waiting here in the canoe, if they came along on foot looking for us +we should be in their power. It is dreadful to think of taking to the +woods with Indians all about, but I really think that would be our +safest plan." + +"I think so too, Nelly, if we can manage to do it without leaving a +track. We must not go much further, for the trees are getting thinner +ahead and we should be seen by the canoes." + +Fifty yards further Harold stopped paddling. + +"Here is just the place, Nelly." + +At this point a little stream of three or four feet wide emerged into +the lake; Harold directed the boat's head toward it. The water in the +stream was but a few inches deep. + +"Now, Nelly," he said, "we must step out into the water and walk up +it as far as we can go--it will puzzle even the sharpest redskin to +find our track then." + +They stepped into the water, Harold taking the head-rope of the canoe +and towing the light boat--which, when empty, did not draw more than +two inches of water--behind him. He directed Nelly to be most careful +as she walked not to touch any of the bushes, which at times nearly +met across the stream. + +"A broken twig or withered leaf would be quite enough to tell the +Indians that we came along this way," he said. "Where the bushes are +thick you must manage to crawl under them. Never mind about getting +wet--you will soon dry again." + +Slowly and cautiously they made their way up the stream for nearly a +mile. It had for some distance been narrowing rapidly, being only fed +by little rills from the surrounding swamp land. Harold had so far +looked in vain for some spot where they could land without leaving +marks of their feet. Presently they came to a place where a great +tree had fallen across the stream. + +"This will do, Nelly," Harold said. "Now, above all things you must +be careful not to break off any of the moss or bark. You had better +take your shoes off; then I will lift you on to the trunk and you can +walk along it without leaving a mark." + +It was hard work for Nelly to take off her drenched boots, but she +managed at last. Harold lifted her on to the trunk and said: + +"Walk along as far as you can and get down as lightly as possible on +to a firm piece of ground. It rises rapidly here and is, I expect, a +dry soil where the upper end of the tree lies." + +"How are you going to get out, Harold?" + +"I can swing myself up by that projecting root." + +Before proceeding to do so Harold raised one end of the canoe and +placed it on the trunk of the tree; then, having previously taken off +his shoes, he swung himself on to the trunk; hauling up the light +bark canoe and taking especial pains that it did not grate upon the +trunk, he placed it on his head and followed Nelly along the tree. He +found, as he had expected, that the ground upon which the upper end +lay was firm and dry. He stepped down with great care, and was +pleased to see, as he walked forward, that no trace of a footmark was +left. + +"Be careful, Nelly," he exclaimed when he joined her, "not to tread +on a stick or disturb a fallen leaf with your feet, and above all to +avoid breaking the smallest twig as you pass. Choose the most open +ground, as that is the hardest." + +In about a hundred yards they came upon a large clump of bushes. + +"Now, Nelly, raise those lower boughs as gently and as carefully as +you can. I will push the canoe under. I don't think the sharpest +Indian will be able to take up our track now." + +Very carefully the canoe was stowed away, and when the boughs were +allowed to fall in their natural position it was completely hidden +from sight to every passer-by. Harold took up the fish, Nelly had +filled her apron with the berries, and carrying their shoes--for they +agreed that it would be safer not to put them on--they started on +their journey through the deep forest. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +THE REDSKIN ATTACK. + +Mr. Welch was with the men, two or three hundred yards away from the +house, when the Indians suddenly sprang out and opened fire. One of +the men fell beside him; the farmer stooped to lift him, but saw that +he was shot through the head. Then he ran with full speed toward the +house, shouting to the hands to make straight for the gate, +disregarding the cattle. Several of these, however, alarmed at the +sudden outburst of fire and the yells of the Indians, made of their +own accord for the stables as their master rushed up at full speed. +The Indians were but fifty or sixty yards behind when Mr. Welch +reached his gate. They had all emptied their pieces, and after the +first volley no shots had been fired save one by the watchman on the +lookout. Then came the crack of Pearson's rifle just as Mr. Welch +shut the gate and laid the bar in its place. Several spare guns had +been placed in the upper chambers, and three reports rang out +together, for Mrs. Welch had run upstairs at the first alarm to take +her part in the defense. + +In another minute the whole party, now six in all, were gathered in +the upper room. + +"Where are Nelly and Harold?" Mr. Welch exclaimed. "I saw the canoe +close to the shore just before the Indians opened fire," the watchman +answered. + +"You must have been asleep," Pearson said savagely. "Where were your +eyes to let them redskins crawl up through the corn without seeing +'em? With such a crowd of 'em the corn must have been a-waving as if +it was blowing a gale. You ought to have a bullet in yer ugly +carkidge, instead of its being in yer mate's out there." + +While this conversation was going on no one had been idle. Each took +up his station at a loop-hole, and several shots were fired whenever +the movement of a blade of corn showed the lurking place of an +Indian. + +The instant the gate had been closed War Eagle had called his men +back to shelter, for he saw that all chance of a surprise was now +over, and it was contrary to all redskin strategy to remain for one +moment unnecessarily exposed to the rifles of the whites. The farmer +and his wife had rushed at once up into the lookout as the Indians +drew off and, to their joy, saw the canoe darting away from shore. + +"They are safe for the present, thank God!" Mr. Welch said. "It is +providential indeed that they had not come a little further from the +shore when the redskins broke out. Nothing could have saved them, had +they fairly started for the house." + +"What will they do, William?" asked his wife anxiously. + +"I cannot tell you, my dear. I do not know what I should do myself +under the circumstances. However, the boy has got a cool head on his +shoulders, and you need not be anxious for the present. Now let us +join the others. Our first duty is to take our share in the defense +of the house. The young ones are in the hands of God. We can do +nothing for them." + +"Well?" Pearson asked, looking round from his +loop-hole as the farmer and his wife descended into the room, which +was a low garret extending over the whole of the house. "Do you see +the canoe?" + +"Yes, it has got safely away," William Welch said; "but what the lad +will do now is more than I can say." + +Pearson placed his rifle against the wall. "Now keep your eyes +skinned," he said to the three farm hands. + +"One of yer's done mischief enough this morning already, and you'll +get your har raised, as sure as you're born, unless you look out +sharp. Now," he went on, turning to the Welches, "let us go down and +talk this matter over. The Injuns may keep on firing, but I don't +think they'll show in the open again as long as it's light enough for +us to draw bead on 'em. Yes," he went on, as he looked through a +loop-hole in the lower story over the lake, "there they are, just out +of range." + +"What do you think they will do?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +The hunter was silent for a minute. + +"It aint a easy thing to say what they ought to do, much less what +they will do; it aint a good outlook anyway, and I don't know what I +should do myself. The whole of the woods on this side of the lake are +full of the darned red critters. There's a hundred eyes on that canoe +now, and, go where they will, they'll be watched." + +"But why should they not cross the lake and land on the other side?" +Mr. Welch said. + +"If you and I were in that canoe," the hunter answered, "that's about +what we should do; but, not to say that it's a long row for 'em, they +two young uns would never get across; the Injuns would have 'em +before they had been gone an hour. There's my canoe lying under the +bushes; she'd carry four, and would go three feet to their two." + +"I had forgotten about that," William Welch said, and then added, +after a pause: "The Indians may not find it." + +"You needn't hope that," the hunter answered; "they have found it +long before this. I don't want to put you out of heart; but I tell ye +ye'll see them on the water before many minutes have passed." + +"Then they are lost," Mrs. Welch said, sinking down in her chair and +bursting into tears. + +"They air in God's hands, ma'am," the hunter said, "and it's no use +trying to deceive you." + +"Would it be of any use," William Welch asked, after a pause, "for me +to offer the redskins that my wife and I will go out and put +ourselves in their hands if they will let the canoe go off without +pursuit?" + +"Not it," the hunter replied decidedly. "You would be throwing away +your own lives without saving theirs, not to mention, although that +doesn't matter a straw, the lives of the rest of us here. It will be +as much as we can do, when they attack us in earnest, to hold this +place with six guns, and with only four the chance would be worth +nothing. But that's neither here nor there. You wouldn't save the +young ones if you gave yourselves up. You can't trust the word of an +Injun on the war-path, and if they went so far as not to kill 'em +they would carry 'em off; and, after all, I aint sure as death aint +better for 'em than to be brought up as Injuns. There," he said, +stopping suddenly as a report of a musket sounded at some little +distance off, "the Injuns are trying their range against 'em. Let's +go up to the lookout." + +The little tower had a thick parapet of logs some three feet high, +and, crouching behind this, they watched the canoe. "He's coming +nearer in shore, and the girl has got the paddle," Pearson muttered. +"What's he doing now?" A puff of smoke was seen to rise near the +border of the lake; then came the sharp crack of Harold's rifle. They +saw an Indian spring from the bushes and fall dead. + +"Well done, young un!" Pearson exclaimed. "I told yer he'd got his +head screwed on the right way. He's keeping just out of range of +their guns, and that piece of his can carry twice as far as theirs. I +reckon he's thought of the canoe, and means to keep 'em from using +it. I begins to think, Mr. Welch, that there's a chance for 'em yet. +Now let's talk a little to these red devils in the corn." + +For some little time Pearson and William Welch turned their attention +to the Indians, while the mother sat with her eyes fixed upon the +canoe. + +"He is coming closer again," she exclaimed presently. + +"He's watching the canoe, sure enough," Pearson said. Then came the +volley along the bushes on the shore, and they saw an Indian rise to +his feet. + +"That's just where she lies!" Pearson exclaimed; "he's getting into +it. There! well done, young un." + +The sudden disappearance of the Indian and the vengeful yell of the +hidden foe told of the failure of the attempt. + +"I think they're safe, now, till nightfall. The Injuns won't care +about putting themselves within range of that 'ere rifle again." + +Gradually the fire of the Indians ceased, and the defenders were able +to leave the loop-holes. Two of the men went down and fastened up the +cattle, which were still standing loose in the yard inside the +stockade; the other set to to prepare a meal, for Mrs. Welch could +not take her eyes off the canoe. + +The afternoon seemed of interminable length. Not a shot was fired. +The men, after taking their dinner, were occupied in bringing some +great tubs on to the upper story and filling them to the brim with +water from the well. This story projected two feet beyond the one +below it, having been so built in order that, in case of attack, the +defenders might be able to fire down upon any foe who might cross the +stockade and attack the house itself; the floor boards over the +projecting portion were all removable. The men also brought a +quantity of the newly cut corn to the top of the house, first +drenching it with water. + +The sun sank, and as dusk was coming on the anxious watchers saw the +canoe paddle out far into the lake. + +"An old frontiersman couldn't do better," Pearson exclaimed. "He's +kept them out of the canoe as long as daylight lasted; now he has +determined to paddle away and is making down the lake," he went on +presently. "It's a pity he turned so soon, as they can see the course +he's taking." + +They watched until it was completely dark; but, before the light +quite faded, they saw another canoe put out from shore and start in +the direction taken by the fugitives. + +"Will they catch them, do you think?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +"No, ma'am," Pearson said confidently. "The boy's got sense enough to +have changed his course after it gets dark, though whether he'll make +for shore or go out toward the other side is more than I can say. You +see, they'll know that the Injuns are all along this side of the +lake; but then, on the other hand, they'll be anxious about us and +'ll want to keep close at hand. Besides, the lad knows nothing of the +other side; there may be Injuns there, for aught he knows, and it's a +skeary thing for a young un to take to the forest, especially with a +gal in his charge. There aint no saying what he'll do. And now we've +got to look after ourselves; don't let us think about 'em at present. +The best thing as we can do for them, as well as for ourselves, is to +hold this here place. If they live they'll come back to it sooner or +later, and it 'll be better for 'em to find it standing, and you here +to welcome 'em, than to get back to a heap of ruins and some dead +bodies." + +"When will the redskins attack, do you think?" the farmer asked. + +"We may expect 'em any time, now," the hunter answered. "The Injuns' +time of attack is generally just before dawn, but they know well +enough they aint likely to ketch us asleep any time, and, as they +know exactly what they have got to do they'll gain nothing by +waiting. I wish we had a moon; if we had, we might keep 'em out of +the stockade. But there--it's just as well it's dark, after all; for, +if the moon was up, the young ones would have no chance of getting +away." + +The garrison now all took their places at the loop-holes, having +first carried the wet fodder to the roof and spread it over the +shingles. There was nothing to do now but to wait. The night was so +dark that they could not see the outline of the stockade. Presently a +little spark shot through the air, followed by a score of others. Mr. +Welch had taken his post on the tower, and he saw the arrows whizzing +through the air, many of them falling on the roof. The dry grass +dipped in resin, which was tied round the arrow-heads, was instantly +extinguished as the arrows fell upon the wet corn, and a yell arose +from the Indians. + +The farmer descended and told the others of the failure of the +Indians' first attempt. + +"That 'ere dodge is a first-rate un," Pearson said. "We're safe from +fire, and that's the only thing we've got to be afeared on. You'll +see 'em up here in a few minutes." + +Everything was perfectly quiet. Once or twice the watchers thought +that they could hear faint sounds, but could not distinguish their +direction. After half an hour's anxious waiting a terrible yell was +heard from below, and at the doors and windows of the lower rooms +came the crashing blows of tomahawks. + +The boards had already been removed from the flooring above, and the +defenders opened a steady fire into the dark mass that they could +faintly make out clustered round the windows and doors. At Pearson's +suggestion the bullets had been removed from the guns and heavy +charges of buckshot had been substituted for them, and yells of pain +and surprise rose as they fired. A few shots were fired up from +below, but a second discharge from the spare guns completed the +effect from the first volley. The dark mass broke up and, in a few +seconds, all was as quiet as before. + +Two hours passed, and then slight sounds were heard. "They've got the +gate opened, I expect," Pearson said. "Fire occasionally at that; if +we don't hit 'em the flashes may show us what they're doing." + +It was as he had expected. The first discharge was followed by a cry, +and by the momentary light they saw a number of dark figures pouring +in through the gate. Seeing that concealment was no longer possible, +the Indians opened a heavy fire round the house; then came a crashing +sound near the door. + +"Just as I thought," Pearson said. "They're going to try to burn us +out." + +For some time the noise continued, as bundle after bundle of dried +wood was thrown down by the door. The garrison were silent; for, as +Pearson said, they could see nothing, and a stray bullet might enter +at the loop-holes if they placed themselves there, and the flashes of +the guns would serve as marks for the Indians. + +Presently two or three faint lights were seen approaching. + +"Now," Pearson said, "pick 'em off as they come up. You and I'll take +the first man, Welch. You fire just to the right of the light, I will +fire to the left; he may be carrying the brand in either hand." + +They fired together, and the brand was seen to drop to the ground. +The same thing happened as the other two sparks of light approached; +then it was again quiet. Now a score of little lights flashed through +the air. + +"They're going to light the pile with their flaming arrows," Pearson +said. "War Eagle is a good leader." + +Three or four of the arrows fell on the pile of dry wood. A moment +later the flames crept up and the smoke of burning wood rolled up +into the room above. A yell of triumph burst from the Indians, but +this changed into one of wrath as those above emptied the contents of +one of the great tubs of water on to the pile of wood below them. The +flames were instantly extinguished. + +"What will they do next?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +"It's like enough," Pearson replied, "that they'll give the job up +altogether. They've got plenty of plunder and scalps at the +settlements, and their attacking us here in such force looks as if +the hull of 'em were on their way back to their villages. If they +could have tuk our scalps easy they would have done it; but War Eagle +aint likely to risk losing a lot of men when he aint sartin of +winning, after all. He has done good work as it is, and has quite +enough to boast about when he gets back. If he were to lose a heap of +his braves here it would spoil the success of his expedition. No, I +think as he will give it up now." + +"He will be all the more anxious to catch the children," Mrs. Welch +said despondently. + +"It can't be denied, ma'am, as he will do his best that way," Pearson +answered. "It all depends, though, on the boy. I wish I was with him +in that canoe. Howsomever, I can't help thinking as he will +sarcumvent 'em somehow." + +The night passed without any further attack. By turns half the +garrison watched while the other lay down, but there was little sleep +taken by any. With the first gleam of daylight Mrs. Welch and her +husband were on the lookout. + +"There's two canoes out on the lake," Pearson said. "They're paddling +quietly; which is which I can't say." + +As the light became brighter Pearson pronounced, positively, that +there were three men in one canoe and four in the other. + +"I think they're all Injuns," he said. "They must have got another +canoe somewhere along the lake. Waal, they've not caught the young +uns yet." + +"The boats are closing up to each other," Mrs. Welch said. "They're +going to have a talk, I reckon. Yes, one of 'em's turning and going +down the lake, while the other's going up. I'd give a heap to know +where the young uns have got to." + +The day passed quietly. An occasional shot toward the house showed +that the Indians remained in the vicinity and, indeed, dark forms +could be seen moving about in the distant parts of the clearing. + +"Will it be possible," the farmer asked Pearson, when night again +fell, "to go out and see if we can discover any traces of them?" + +"Worse than no use," Pearson said positively. "We should just lose +our har without doing no good whatever. If the Injuns in these +woods--and I reckon altogether there's a good many hundred of +'em--can't find 'em, ye may swear that we can't. That's just what +they're hoping, that we'll be fools enough to put ourselves outside +the stockade. They'll lie close round all night, and a weasel +wouldn't creep through 'em. Ef I thought there was jest a shadow of +chance of finding them young uns I'd risk it; but there's no +chance--not a bit of it." + +A vigilant watch was again kept up all night, but all was still and +quiet. The next morning the Indians were still round them. + +"Don't ye fret, ma'am!" Pearson said, as he saw how pale and wan Mrs. +Welch looked in the morning light. "You may bet your last shilling +that they're not caught 'em." + +"Why are you so sure?" Mrs. Welch asked. "They may be dead by this +time." + +"Not they, ma'am! I'm as sartin as they're living and free as I am +that I'm standing here. I know these Injuns' ways. Ef they had caught +'em they'd jest have brought 'em here and would have fixed up two +posts, jest out of rifle range, and would have tied them there and +offered you the choice of giving up this place and your scalps or of +seeing them tortured and burned under your eyes. That's their way. +No, they aint caught 'em alive, nor they aint caught 'em dead +neither; for, ef they had they'd have brought their scalps to have +shown yer. No, they've got away, though it beats me to say how. I've +only got one fear, and that is that they might come back before the +Injuns have gone. Now I tell ye what we had better do--we better keep +up a dropping fire all night and all day to-morrow, and so on, until +the redskins have gone. Ef the young uns come back across the lake at +night, and all is quiet, they'll think the Injuns have taken +themselves off; but, if they hear firing still going on, they'll know +well enough that they're still around the house." + +William Welch at once agreed to this plan, and every quarter of an +hour or so all through the night a few shots were fired. The next +morning no Indians could be seen, and there was a cessation of the +dropping shots which had before been kept up at the house. + +"They may be in hiding," Pearson said in the afternoon, "trying to +tempt us out; but I'm more inclined to think as how they've gone. I +don't see a blade of that corn move; I've had my eyes fixed on it for +the last two hours. It are possible, of course, that they're there, +but I reckon not. I expect they've been waiting, ever since they gave +up the attack, in hopes that the young uns would come back; but now, +as they see that we're keeping up a fire to tell them as how they're +still round us, they've given it up and gone. When it gets dark +to-night I'll go out and scout round." + +At ten o'clock at night Pearson dropped lightly from the stockade on +the side opposite to the gate, as he knew that, if the Indians were +there, this would be the point that they would be watching; then, +crawling upon his stomach, he made his way slowly down to the lake. +Entering the water and stooping low, he waded along the edge of the +bushes for a distance of a mile; then he left the water and struck +into the forest. Every few minutes he could hear the discharge of the +rifles at the house; but, as before, no answering shots were heard. +Treading very cautiously, he made a wide _détour_ and then came down +again on the clearing at the end furthest from the lake, where the +Indians had been last seen moving about. All was still. Keeping among +the trees and moving with great caution, he made his way, for a +considerable distance, along the edge of the clearing; then he +dropped on his hands and knees and entered the cornfield, and for two +hours he crawled about, quartering the ground like a dog in search of +game. Everywhere he found lines where the Indians had crawled along +to the edge nearest to the house, but nowhere did he discover a sign +of life. Then, still taking great care, he moved down toward the +house and made a circuit of it a short distance outside the stockade; +then he rose to his feet. + +"Yer may stop shooting," he shouted. "The pesky rascals are gone." +Then he walked openly up to the gate; it was opened at once by +William Welch. + +"Are you sure they have gone?" he asked. + +"Sure as gospel," he answered, "and they've been gone twenty-four +hours at least." + +"How do you know that?" + +"Easy enough. I found several of their cooking places in the woods; +the brands were out, and even under the ashes the ground was cold, so +they must have been out for a long time. I could have walked straight +on to the house, then, but I thought it safer to make quite sure by +searching everywhere, for they might have moved deeper into the +forest, and left a few men on guard here, in case the young uns +should come back. But it aint so; they've gone, and there aint a +living soul anywhere nigh the clearing. The young uns can come back +now, if they will, safely enough." + +Before doing anything else the farmer assembled the party together in +the living room, and there solemnly offered up thanks to God for +their deliverance from danger, and implored his protection for the +absent ones. When this was over he said to his wife: + +"Now, Jane; you had better lie down and get a few hours' sleep. It is +already two o'clock, and there is no chance whatever of their +returning tonight, but I shall go down to the lake and wait till +morning. Place candles in two of the upper windows. Should they be +out on the lake they will see them and know that the Indians have not +taken the house." + +Morning came, without any signs of the absent ones. At daybreak +Pearson went out to scout in the woods, and returned late in the +afternoon with the news that the Indians had all departed, and that, +for a distance of ten miles at least, the woods were entirely free. + +When it became dark the farmer again went down to the lake and +watched until two, when Pearson took his place. Mr. Welch was turning +to go back to the house when Pearson placed his hand on his shoulder. + +"Listen!" he said; and for a minute the men stood immovable. + +"What was it?" the farmer asked. + +"I thought I heard the stroke of a paddle," Pearson said; "it might +have been the jump of a fish. There! there it is again!" He lay down +and put his ear close to the water. "There's a canoe in the lake to +the north'ard. I can hear the strokes of the paddle plainly." + +Mr. Welch could hear nothing. Some minutes passed, then Pearson +exclaimed: + +"There! I saw a break in the water over there! There it is!" he said, +straining his eyes in the darkness. "That's a canoe, sure enough, +although they have ceased paddling. It's not a mile away." + +Then he rose to his feet and shouted "Halloo!" at the top of his +voice. An answering shout faintly came back across the water. He +again hailed loudly, and this time the answer came in a female voice. + +"It's them, sure enough. I can swear to Nelly's voice." + +William Welch uncovered his head and, putting his hand before his +face, returned fervent thanks to God for the recovery of his child. +Then he dashed off at full speed toward the house. Before he reached +it however, he met his wife running down to meet him, the shouts +having informed her that something was seen. Hand in hand they ran +down to the water's edge. The canoe was now swiftly approaching. The +mother screamed: + +"Nelly! is that you?" + +"Mamma! mamma!" came back in the girl's clear tones. + +With a low cry of gladness Mrs. Welch fell senseless to the ground. +The strain which she had for four days endured had been terrible, and +even the assurances of Pearson had failed to awaken any strong +feeling of hope in her heart. She had kept up bravely and had gone +about her work in the house with a pale, set face, but the unexpected +relief was too much for her. Two minutes later the bow of the canoe +grated on the shore, and Nelly leaped into her father's arms. + +"Where is mamma?" she exclaimed. "She is here, my dear, but she has +fainted. The joy of your return has been too much for her." + +Nelly knelt beside her mother and raised her head, and the farmer +grasped Harold's hand. + +"My brave boy," he said, "I have to thank you for saving my child's +life. God bless you!" + +He dipped his hat in the lake and sprinkled water in his wife's face. +She soon recovered and, a few minutes afterward, the happy party +walked up to the house, Mrs. Welch being assisted by her husband and +Pearson. The two young ones were soon seated at a table, ravenously +devouring food, and, when their hunger was satisfied, they related +the story of their adventures, the whole of the garrison being +gathered round to listen. After relating what had taken place up to +the time of their hiding the canoe, Harold went on: + +"We walked about a quarter of a mile until we came to a large clump +of underwood. We crept in there, taking great pains not to break a +twig or disturb a leaf. The ground was, fortunately, very dry, and I +could see that our footprints had not left the smallest marks. There +we have lain hid ever since. We had the fish and the berries, and, +fortunately, the fruit was ripe and juicy and quenched our thirst +well enough, and we could, sometimes, hear the firing by day, and +always at night. On the day we took refuge we heard the voices of the +Indians down toward the lake quite plainly, but we have heard nothing +of them since. Last night we heard the firing up to the middle of the +night, and then it suddenly stopped. To-day I crept out and went down +to the lake to listen; but it seemed that everything was still. Nelly +was in a terrible way, and was afraid that the house had been taken +by the Indians, but I told her that could not be, for that there +would certainly have been a tremendous lot of firing at last, whereas +it stopped, after a few shots, just as it had been going on so long. +Our provisions were all gone and Nelly was getting very bad for want +of water. I, of course, got a drink at the lake this morning. So we +agreed that, if everything was still again to-night, we would go back +to the place where we had hidden the canoe, launch it, and paddle +here. Everything was quiet, so we came along as we had arranged. When +I saw the lights in the windows I made sure all was right: still it +was a great relief when I heard the shout from the shore. I knew, of +course, that it wasn't a redskin's shout. Besides, Indians would have +kept quiet till we came alongside." + +Very hearty were the commendations bestowed on the boy for his +courage and thoughtfulness. + +"You behaved like an old frontiersman," Pearson said. "I couldn't +have done better myself. You only made one blunder from the time you +set out from shore." + +"What was that?" Harold asked. + +"You were wrong to pick the berries. The redskins, of course, would +find where you had landed, they'd see the marks where you lay down, +and would know that you had paddled away again. Had it not been for +their seeing the tracks you made in picking the berries they might +have, supposed you had started before daybreak, and had gone out of +sight across the lake; but them marks would have shown 'em that you +did not take to your canoe until long after the sun was up, and +therefore that you couldn't have made across the lake without their +seeing you, but must either have landed or be in your canoe under +shelter of the trees somewhere along the shore. It's a marvel to me +that they didn't find your traces, however careful you were to +conceal 'em. But that's the only error you made, and I tell you, +young un, you have a right to be proud of having outwitted a hull +tribe of redskins." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON. + +Harold remained for four months longer with his cousin. The Indians +had made several attacks upon settlements at other points of the +frontier, but they had not repeated their incursion in the +neighborhood of the lake. The farming operations had gone on +regularly, but the men always worked with their rifles ready to their +hand. Pearson had predicted that the Indians were not likely to +return to that neighborhood. Mr. Welch's farm was the only one along +the lake that had escaped, and the loss the Indians had sustained in +attacking it had been so heavy that they were not likely to make an +expedition in that quarter, where the chances of booty were so small +and the certainty of a desperate resistance so great. + +Other matters occurred which rendered the renewal of the attack +improbable. The news was brought by a wandering hunter that a quarrel +had arisen between the Shawnees and the Iroquois, and that the latter +had recalled their braves from the frontier to defend their own +villages in case of hostilities breaking out between them and the +rival tribe. + +There was no occasion for Harold to wait for news from home, for his +father had, before starting, definitely fixed the day for his return, +and when that time approached Harold started on his eastward journey, +in order to be at home about the date of their arrival. Pearson took +him in his canoe to the end of the lake and accompanied him to the +settlement, whence he was able to obtain a conveyance to Detroit. +Here he took a passage in a trading boat and made his way by water to +Montreal, thence down through Lake Champlain and the Hudson River to +New York, and thence to Boston. + +The journey had occupied him longer than he expected, and Mr. and +Mrs. Wilson were already in their home at Concord when he arrived. +The meeting was a joyful one. His parents had upon their return home +found letters from Mr. Welch and his wife describing the events which +had happened at the farm, speaking in the highest terms of the +courage and coolness in danger which Harold had displayed, and giving +him full credit for the saving of their daughter's life. + +Upon the day after Harold's return two gentlemen called upon Captain +Wilson and asked him to sign the agreement which a number of +colonists had entered into to resist the mother country to the last. +This Captain Wilson positively refused to do. + +"I am an Englishman," he said, "and my sympathies are wholly with my +country. I do not say that the whole of the demands of England are +justifiable. I think that Parliament has been deceived as to the +spirit existing here. But I consider that it has done nothing +whatever to justify the attitude of the colonists. The soldiers of +England have fought for you against French and Indians and are still +stationed here to protect you. The colonists pay nothing for their +land; they pay nothing toward the expenses of the government of the +mother country; and it appears to me to be perfectly just that people +here, free as they are from all the burdens that bear so heavily on +those at home, should at least bear the expense of the army stationed +here. I grant that it would have been far better had the colonists +taxed themselves to pay the extra amount, instead of the mother +country taxing them; but this they would not do. Some of the +colonists paid their quota, others refused to do so, and this being +the case, it appears to me that England is perfectly justified in +laying on a tax. Nothing could have been fairer than the tax that she +proposed. The stamp-tax would in no way have affected the poorer +classes in the colonies. It would have been borne only by the rich +and by those engaged in such business transactions as required +stamped documents. I regard the present rebellion as the work of a +clique of ambitious men who have stirred up the people by incendiary +addresses and writings. There are, of course, among them a large +number of men--among them, gentlemen, I place you--who +conscientiously believe that they are justified in doing nothing +whatever for the land which gave them or their ancestors birth; who +would enjoy all the great natural wealth of this vast country without +contributing toward the expense of the troops to whom it is due that +they enjoy peace and tranquility. Such, gentlemen, are not my +sentiments. You consider it a gross hardship that the colonists are +compelled to trade only with the mother country. I grant that it +would be more profitable and better for us had we an open trade with +the whole world; but in this England only acts as do all other +countries toward their colonies. France, Spain, Portugal, and the +Netherlands all monopolize the trade of their colonies; all, far more +than does England, regard their colonies as sources of revenue. I +repeat, I do not think that the course that England has pursued +toward us has been always wise, but I am sure that nothing that she +has done justifies the spirit of disaffection and rebellion which is +ripe throughout these colonies." + +"The time will come, sir," one of the gentlemen said, "when you will +have reason to regret the line which you have now taken." + +"No, sir," Captain Wilson said haughtily. "The time may come when the +line that I have taken may cost me my fortune, and even my life, but +it will never cause me one moment's regret that I have chosen the +part of a loyal English gentleman." + +When the deputation had departed Harold, who had been a wondering +listener to the conversation, asked his father to explain to him the +exact position in which matters stood. + +It was indeed a serious one. The success of England, in her struggle +with France for the supremacy of North America had cost her a great +deal of money. At home the burdens of the people were extremely +heavy. The expense of the army and navy was great, and the ministry, +in striving to lighten the burdens of the people, turned their eyes +to the colonies. They saw in America a population of over two million +people, subjects of the king, like themselves, living free from rent +and taxes on their own land and paying nothing whatever to the +expenses of the country. They were, it is true, forced to trade with +England, but this obligation was set wholly at naught. A gigantic +system of smuggling was carried on. The custom-house officials had no +force at their disposal which would have enabled them to check these +operations, and the law enforcing a trade with England was virtually +a dead letter. + +Their first step was to strengthen the naval force on the American +coast and by additional vigilance to put some sort of check on the +wholesale smuggling which prevailed. This step caused extreme +discontent among the trading classes of America, and these set to +work vigorously to stir up a strong feeling of disaffection against +England. The revenue officers were prevented, sometimes by force, +from carrying out their duties. + +After great consideration the English government came to the +conclusion that a revenue sufficient to pay a considerable proportion +of the cost of the army in America might be raised by means of a +stamp-tax imposed upon all legal documents, receipts, agreements, and +licenses--a tax, in fact, resembling that on stamps now in use in +England. The colonists were furious at the imposition of this tax. A +Congress, composed of deputies from each State, met, and it was +unanimously resolved that the stamp-tax should not be paid. Meetings +were everywhere held, at which the strongest and most treasonable +language was uttered, and such violent threats were used against the +persons employed as stamp-collectors that these, in fear of their +lives, resigned their posts. + +The stamp-tax remained uncollected and was treated by the colonists +as if it were not in existence. + +The whole of the States now began to prepare for war. The Congress +was made permanent, the militia drilled and prepared for fighting, +and everywhere the position grew more and more strained. +Massachusetts was the headquarters of disaffection, and here a total +break with the mother country was openly spoken of. At times the more +moderate spirits attempted to bring about a reconciliation between +the two parties. Petitions were sent to the Houses of Parliament, and +even at this time had any spirit of wisdom prevailed in England the +final consequences might have been prevented. Unfortunately the +majority in Parliament were unable to recognize that the colonists +had any rights upon their side. Taxation was so heavy at home that +men felt indignant that they should be called upon to pay for the +keeping up of the army in America, to which the untaxed colonists, +with their free farms and houses, would contribute nothing. The plea +of the colonists that they were taxed by a chamber in which they were +unrepresented was answered by the statement that such was also the +case with Manchester, Leeds, and many other large towns which were +unrepresented in Parliament. + +In England neither the spirit nor the strength of the colonists was +understood. Men could not bring themselves to believe that these +would fight rather than submit, still less that if they did fight it +would be successfully. They ignored the fact that the population of +the States was one-fourth as large as that of England; that by far +the greater proportion of that population were men trained, either in +border warfare or in the chase, to the use of the rifle; that the +enormous extent of country offered almost insuperable obstacles to +the most able army composed of regular troops, and that the vast +forests and thinly populated country were all in favor of a +population fighting as guerrillas against trained troops. Had they +perceived these things the English people would have hesitated before +embarking upon such a struggle, even if convinced, as assuredly the +great majority were convinced, of the fairness of their demands. It +is true that even had England at this point abandoned altogether her +determination to raise taxes in America the result would probably +have been the same. The spirit of disaffection in the colony had gone +so far that a retreat would have been considered as a confession of +weakness, and separation of the colonists from the mother country +would have happened ere many years had elapsed. As it was, Parliament +agreed to let the stamp-tax drop, and in its place established some +import duties on goods entering the American ports. + +The colonists, however, were determined that they would submit to no +taxation whatever. The English government, in its desire for peace, +abandoned all the duties with the exception of that on tea; but even +this concession was not sufficient to satisfy the colonists. These +entered into a bond to use no English goods. A riot took place at +Boston, and the revenue officers were forced to withdraw from their +posts. Troops were dispatched from England and the House of Commons +declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion. + +It must not be supposed that the colonists were by any means +unanimous in their resistance to England. There were throughout the +country a large number of gentlemen, like Captain Wilson, wholly +opposed to the general feeling. New York refused to send members to +the Congress, and in many other provinces the adhesion given to the +disaffected movement was but lukewarm. It was in the New England +provinces that the spirit of rebellion was hottest. These States had +been peopled for the most part by Puritans--men who had left England +voluntarily, exiling themselves rather than submit to the laws and +religion of the country, and among them, as among a portion of the +Irish population of America at the present time, the feeling of +hatred against the government of England was, in a way, hereditary. + +So far but few acts of violence had taken place. Nothing could be +more virulent than the language of the newspapers of both parties +against their opponents, but beyond a few isolated tumults the peace +had not been broken. It was the lull before the storm. The great +majority of the New England colonists were bent upon obtaining +nothing short of absolute independence; the loyalists and the English +were as determined to put down any revolt by force. + +The Congress drilled, armed, and organized; the English brought over +fresh troops and prepared for the struggle. It was December when +Harold returned home to his parents, and for the next three months +the lull before the storm continued. + +The disaffected of Massachusetts had collected a large quantity of +military stores at Concord. These General Gage, who commanded the +troops at Boston, determined to seize and destroy, seeing that they +could be collected only for use against the Government, and on the +night of April 19 the grenadier and light infantry companies of the +various regiments, 800 strong, under command of Lieutenant Colonel +Smith of the Tenth Regiment, and Major Pitcairne of the Marines, +embarked in boats and were conveyed up Charles River as far as a +place called Phipps' Farm. There they landed at midnight, having a +day's provisions in their haversacks, and started on their march to +Concord, twenty miles distant from Boston. + +The design had been discovered by some of the revolutionary party in +the town, and two of their number were dispatched on horseback to +rouse the whole country on the way to Concord, where the news arrived +at two o'clock in the morning. + +Captain Wilson and his household were startled from sleep by the +sudden ringing of the alarm-bells, and a negro servant, Pompey, who +had been for many years in their service, was sent down into the +town, which lay a quarter of a mile from the house, to find out what +was the news. He returned in half an hour. + +"Me tink all de people gone mad, massa. Dey swarming out of deir +houses and filling de streets, all wid guns on deir shoulders, all de +while shouting and halloing 'Down wid de English! Down wid de +redcoats! dey shan't have our guns; dey shan't take de cannon and de +powder.' Dere were ole Massa Bill Emerson, the preacher, wid his gun +in his hands, shouting to de people to stand firm and to fight till +de last; dey all shout, 'We will!' Dey bery desperate; me fear great +fight come on." + +"What are you going to do, father?" Harold asked. + +"Nothing, my boy. If, as it is only too likely, this is the beginning +of a civil war, I have determined to offer my services to the +government. Great numbers of loyalists have sent in their names +offering to serve if necessary, and from my knowledge of drill I +shall, of course, be useful. To-day I can take no active part in the +fight, but I shall take my horse and ride forward to meet the troops +and warn the commanding officer that resistance will be attempted +here." + +"May I go with you, father?" + +"Yes, if you like, my boy. Pompey, saddle two horses at once. You are +not afraid of being left alone, Mary?" he said, turning to his wife. +"There is no chance of any disturbance here. Our house lies beyond +the town, and whatever takes place will be in Concord. When the +troops have captured the guns and stores they will return." + +Mrs. Wilson said she was not frightened and had no fear whatever of +being left alone. The horses were soon brought round, and Captain +Wilson and his son mounted and rode off at full speed. They made a +_détour_ to avoid the town, and then, gaining the highroad, went +forward at full speed. The alarm had evidently been given all along +the line. At every village the bells were ringing, the people were +assembling in the streets, all carrying arms, while numbers were +flocking in from the farmhouses around. Once or twice Captain Wilson +was stopped and asked where he was going. + +"I am going to tell the commander of the British force, now marching +hither, that if he advances there will be bloodshed--that it will be +the beginning of civil war. If he has orders to come at all hazards, +my words will not stop him; if it is left to his discretion, possibly +he may pause before he brings on so dire a calamity." + +It was just dawn when Captain Wilson and Harold rode into Lexington, +where the militia, 130 strong, had assembled. Their guns were loaded +and they were ready to defend the place, which numbered about 700 +inhabitants. + +Just as Captain Wilson rode in a messenger ran up with the news that +the head of the British column was close at hand. Some of the militia +had dispersed to lie down until the English arrived. John Parker, who +commanded them, ordered the drums to beat and the alarm-guns to be +fired, and his men drew up in two ranks across the road. + +"It is too late now, Harold," Captain Wilson said. "Let us get out of +the line of fire." + +The British, hearing the drums and the alarm-guns, loaded, and the +advance company came on at the double. Major Pitcairne was at their +head and shouted to the militia to lay down their arms. + +It is a matter of dispute, and will always remain one, as to who +fired the first shot. The Americans assert that it was the English; +the English say that as they advanced several shots were fired at +them from behind a stone wall and from some of the adjoining houses, +which wounded one man and hit Major Pitcairne's horse in two places. + +The militia disregarded Major Pitcairne's orders to lay down their +arms. The English fired; several of the militia were killed, nine +wounded, and the rest dispersed. There was no further fighting and +the English marched on, unopposed, to Concord. + +As they approached the town the militia retreated from it. The +English took possession of a bridge behind the place and held this +while the troops were engaged in destroying the ammunition and +gun-carriages. Most of the guns had been removed and only two +twenty-four pounders were taken. In destroying the stores by fire the +court-house took flames. At the sight of this fire the militia and +armed countrymen advanced down the hill toward the bridge. The +English tried to pull up the planks, but the Americans ran forward +rapidly. The English guard fired; the colonists returned the fire. +Some of the English were killed and wounded and the party fell back +into the town. Half an hour later Colonel Smith, having performed the +duty that he was sent to do, resumed the homeward march with the +whole of his troops. + +Then the militiamen of Concord, with those from many villages around +and every man in the district capable of bearing arms, fell upon the +retiring English. + +The road led through several defiles, and every tree, every rock, +every depression of ground was taken advantage of by the Americans. +Scarcely a man was to be seen, but their deadly fire rained thick +upon the tired troops. This they vainly attempted to return, but they +could do nothing against an invisible foe, every man of whom +possessed a skill with his rifle far beyond that of the British +soldier. Very many fell and the retreat was fast becoming a rout, +when, near Lexington, the column met a strong re-enforcement which +had been sent out from Boston. This was commanded by Lord Percy, who +formed his detachment into square, in which Colonel Smith's party, +now so utterly exhausted that they were obliged to lie down for some +time, took refuge. When they were rested the whole force moved +forward again toward Boston, harassed the whole way by the Americans, +who from behind stone walls and other places of shelter kept up an +incessant fire upon both flanks, as well as in the front and rear, +against which the troops could do nothing. At last the retreating +column safely arrived at Boston, spent and worn out with fatigue. +Their loss was 65 men killed, 136 wounded, 49 missing. + +Such was the beginning of the war of independence. Many American +writers have declared that previous to that battle there was no +desire for independence on the part of the colonists, but this is +emphatically contradicted by the language used at the meetings and in +the newspapers which have come down to us. The leaders may not have +wished to go so far--may not have intended to gain more than an +entire immunity from taxation and an absolute power for the colonists +to manage their own affairs. But experience has shown that when the +spark of revolution is once lighted, when resistance to the law has +once commenced, things are carried to a point far beyond that dreamed +of by the first leaders. + +Those who commenced the French Revolution were moderate men who +desired only that some slight check should be placed on the arbitrary +power of the king--that the people should be relieved in some slight +degree from the horrible tyranny of the nobles, from the misery and +wretchedness in which they lived. These just demands increased step +by step until they culminated in the Reign of Terror and the most +horrible scenes of bloodshed and massacre of modern times. + +Men like Washington and Franklin and Adams may have desired only that +the colonists should be free from imperial taxation, but the popular +voice went far beyond this. Three years earlier wise counsels in the +British Parliament might have averted a catastrophe and delayed for +many years the separation of the colonies from their mother country. +At the time the march began from Boston to Concord the American +colonists stood virtually in armed rebellion. The militia throughout +New England were ready to fight. Arms, ammunition, and military +stores were collected in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. The cannon +and military stores belonging to the Crown had been carried off by +the people, forty cannon being seized in Rhode Island alone. Such +being the case, it is nonsense to speak of the fray at Lexington as +the cause of the Revolutionary War. It was but the spark in the +powder. The magazine was ready and primed, the explosion was +inevitable, and the fight at Lexington was the accidental incident +which set fire to it. + +The efforts of American writers to conceal the real facts of the +case, to minimize the rebellious language, the violent acts of the +colonists, and to make England responsible for the war because a body +of troops were sent to seize cannon and military stores intended to +be used against them are so absurd, as well as so untrue, that it is +astonishing how wide a credence such statements have received. + +From an eminence at some distance from the line of retreat Captain +Wilson and his son watched sorrowfully the attack upon the British +troops. When at last the combatants disappeared from sight through +one of the defiles Captain Wilson turned his horse's head homeward. + +"The die is cast," he said to his wife as she met him at the door. +"The war has begun, and I fear it can have but one termination. The +colonists can place forces in the field twenty times as numerous as +any army that England can spare. They are inferior in drill and in +discipline, but these things, which are of such vast consequence in a +European battlefield, matter but little in such a country as this. +Skill with the rifle and knowledge of forest warfare are far more +important. In these points the colonists are as superior to the +English soldiers as they are in point of numbers. Nevertheless, my +dear, my duty is plain. I am an Englishman and have borne his +Majesty's commission, and I must fight for the king. Harold has +spoken to me as we rode home together, and he wishes to fight by my +side. I have pointed out to him that as he was born here he can +without dishonor remain neutral in the struggle. He, however, insists +that as a royal subject of the king he is entitled to fight for him. +He saw to-day many lads not older than himself in the rebel ranks, +and he has pleaded strongly for permission to go with me. To this I +have agreed. Which would you prefer, Mary--to stay quietly here, +where I imagine you would not be molested on account of the part I +take, or will you move into Boston and stop with your relations there +until the struggle has ended one way or the other?" + +As Mrs. Wilson had frequently talked over with her husband the course +that he would take in the event of civil war actually breaking out, +the news that he would at once offer his services to the British +authorities did not come as a shock upon her. Even the question of +Harold accompanying his father had been talked over; and although her +heart bled at the thought of husband and son being both engaged in +such a struggle, she agreed to acquiesce in any decision that Harold +might arrive at. He was now nearly sixteen, and in the colonies a lad +of this age is, in point of independence and self-reliance, older +than an English boy. Harold, too, had already shown that he possessed +discretion and coolness as well as courage, and although now that the +moment had come Mrs. Wilson wept passionately at the thought of their +leaving her, she abstained from saying any word to dissuade them from +the course they had determined upon. When she recovered from her fit +of crying she said that she would accompany them at once to Boston, +as in the first place their duties might for some time lie in that +city, and that in any case she would obtain far more speedy news +there of what was going on throughout the country than she would at +Concord. She would, too, be living among her friends and would meet +with many of the same convictions and opinions as her husband's, +whereas in Concord the whole population would be hostile. + +Captain Wilson said that there was no time to be lost, as the whole +town was in a tumult. He therefore advised her to pack up such +necessary articles as could be carried in the valises, on the horses' +backs. + +Pompey and the other servants were to pack up the most valuable +effects and to forward them to a relation of Mrs. Wilson's who lived +about three miles from Boston. There they would be in safety and +could be brought into the town, if necessary. Pompey and two other +old servants were to remain in charge of the house and its contents. +Jake, an active young negro some twenty-three or twenty-four years +old, who was much attached to Harold, whose personal attendant and +companion he had always been, was to accompany them on horseback, as +was Judy, Mrs. Wilson's negro maid. + +As evening fell the five horses were brought round, and the party +started by a long and circuitous route, by which, after riding for +nearly forty miles, they reached Boston at two o'clock next morning. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +BUNKER'S HILL. + +The excitement caused by the news of the fight at Concord was intense +and, as it spread through the colonies, the men everywhere rushed to +arms. The fray at Lexington was represented as a wanton outrage, and +the fact wholly ignored that the colonists concerned in it were drawn +up in arms to oppose the passage of the king's troops, who were +marching on their legitimate duty of seizing arms and ammunition +collected for the purpose of warring against the king. The colonial +orators and newspaper writers affirmed then, as they have affirmed +since, that, up to the day of Lexington, no one had a thought of +firing a shot against the Government. A more barefaced misstatement +was never made. Men do not carry off cannon by scores, and accumulate +everywhere great stores of warlike ammunition, without a thought of +fighting. The colonists commenced the war by assembling in arms to +oppose the progress of British troops obeying the orders of the +Government. It matters not a whit on which side the first shot was +fired. American troops have, many times since that event, fired upon +rioters in the streets, under circumstances no stronger than those +which brought on the fight at Lexington. + +From all parts of New England the militia and volunteers poured in, +and in three days after the fight, twenty thousand armed men were +encamped between the rivers Mystic and Roxburgh, thus besieging +Boston. They at once set to work throwing up formidable earthworks, +the English troops remaining within their intrenchments across the +neck of land joining Boston with the mainland. + +The streets of Boston were crowded with an excited populace when +Captain Wilson and his party rode into it at two in the morning. No +one thought of going to bed, and all were excited to the last degree +at the news of the battle. All sorts of reports prevailed. On the +colonial side it was affirmed that the British, in their retreat, had +shot down women and children; while the soldiers affirmed that the +colonists had scalped many of their number who fell in the fight. The +latter statement was officially made by Lord Percy in his report of +the engagement. + +Captain Wilson rode direct to the house of his wife's friends. They +were still up, and were delighted to see Mary Wilson, for such +exaggerated reports had been received of the fight that they were +alarmed for her safety. They belonged to the moderate party, who saw +that there were faults on both sides and regretted bitterly both the +obstinacy of the English Parliament in attempting to coerce the +colonists and the determination of the latter to oppose, by force of +arms, the legitimate rights of the mother country. + +Until the morning the events of the preceding day were talked over; a +few hours' repose was then taken, after which Captain Wilson went to +the headquarters of General Gage and offered his services. Although +Boston was the headquarters of the disaffected party, no less than +two hundred men came forward as volunteers in the king's service, and +Captain Wilson was at once appointed to the command of a company of +fifty men. Before leaving the army he had taken part in several +expeditions against the Indians, and his knowledge of forest warfare +rendered him a valuable acquisition. Boston was but poorly +provisioned, and, as upon the day when the news of Lexington reached +New York two vessels laden with flour for the use of the troops at +Boston were seized by the colonists and many other supplies cut off, +the danger of the place being starved out was considerable. General +Gage, therefore, offered no opposition to the exit from the city of +those who wished to avoid the horror of a siege, and a considerable +portion of the population made their way through to the rebel lines. +Every day brought news of fresh risings throughout the country; the +governors of the various provinces were powerless; small garrisons of +English troops were disarmed and made prisoners; and the fortress of +Ticonderoga, held only by fifty men, was captured by the Americans +without resistance. In one month after the first shot was fired the +whole of the American colonies were in rebellion. + +The news was received in England with astonishment and sorrow. Great +concessions had been made by Parliament, but the news had reached +America too late to avoid hostilities. Public opinion was divided; +many were in favor of granting at once all that the colonists +demanded, and many officers of rank and position resigned their +commissions rather than fight against the Americans. The division, +indeed, was almost as general and complete as it had been in the time +of our own civil war. In London the feeling in favor of the colonists +was strong, but in the country generally the determination to repress +the rising was in the ascendant. The colonists had, with great +shrewdness, dispatched a fast-sailing ship to Europe upon the day +following the battle of Lexington, giving their account of the +affair, and representing it as a massacre of defenseless colonists by +British troops; and the story thus told excited a sympathy which +would not, perhaps, have been extended to them had the real facts of +the case been known. Representatives from all the colonies met at +Philadelphia to organize the national resistance; but as yet, +although many of the bolder spirits spoke of altogether throwing off +allegiance to England, no resolution was proposed to that effect. + +For the first six weeks after his arrival at Boston, Captain Wilson +was engaged in drilling his company. Harold was, of course, attached +to it, and entered with ardor upon his duties. Captain Wilson did not +attempt to form his men into a band of regular soldiers; accuracy of +movement and regularity of drill would be of little avail in the +warfare in which they were likely to be engaged. Accuracy in +shooting, quickness in taking cover, and steadiness in carrying out +any general orders were the principal objects to be attained. Most of +the men had already taken part in frontier warfare. The majority of +them were gentlemen--Englishmen who, like their captain, had come out +from home and purchased small estates in the country. The discipline, +therefore, was not strict, and, off duty, all were on terms of +equality. + +Toward the end of May and beginning of June considerable +re-enforcements arrived from England, and, as a step preparatory to +offensive measures, General Gage, on June 12, issued a proclamation +offering, in his Majesty's name, a free pardon to all who should +forthwith lay down their arms, John Hancock and General Adams only +excepted, and threatening with punishment all who should delay to +avail themselves of the offer. This proclamation had no effect +whatever. + +Near the peninsula of Boston, on the north, and separated from it by +the Charles River, which is navigable and about the breadth of the +Thames at London Bridge, is another neck of land called the Peninsula +of Charlestown. On the north bank, opposite Boston, lies the town of +Charlestown, behind which, in the center of the peninsula, rises an +eminence called Bunker's Hill. Bunker's Hill is sufficiently high to +overlook any part of Boston and near enough to be within cannon-shot. +This hill was unoccupied by either party, and about this time the +Americans, hearing that General Gage had come to a determination to +fortify it, resolved to defeat his resolution by being the first to +occupy it. + +About nine in the evening of June 16 a detachment from the colonial +army, one thousand strong, under the command of Colonel Prescott, +moved along the Charlestown road and took up a position on a shoulder +of Bunker's Hill, which was known as Breed's Hill, just above the +town of Charlestown. They reached this position at midnight. Each man +carried a pick and shovel, and all night they worked vigorously in +intrenching the position. Not a word was spoken, and the watch on +board the men-of-war in the harbor were ignorant of what was going on +so near at hand. At daybreak the alarm was given, and the _Lively_ +opened a cannonade upon the redoubt. A battery of guns was placed on +Copp's Hill, behind Boston, distant twelve hundred yards from the +works, and this, also, opened fire. The Americans continued their +work, throwing up fresh intrenchments; and, singularly, only one man +was killed by the fire from the ships and redoubt. A breastwork was +carried down the hill to the flat ground which, intersected by +fences, stretched away to the Mystic. By nine o'clock they had +completed their intrenchments. + +Prescott sent off for re-enforcements, but there was little harmony +among the colonial troops. Disputes between the contingents of the +various provinces were common; there was no head of sufficient +authority to enforce his orders upon the whole; and a long delay took +place before the re-enforcements were sent forward. + +In the meantime the English had been preparing to attack the +position. The Fifth, Thirty-eighth, Forty-third, and Fifty-second +regiments, with ten companies of the grenadiers and ten of the light +infantry, with a proportion of field artillery, embarked in boats, +and, crossing the harbor, landed on the outward side of the +peninsula, near the Mystic, with a view of outflanking the American +position and surrounding them. The force was under the command of +Major General Howe, under whom was Brigadier General Piggott. + +Upon seeing the strength of the American position, General Howe +halted, and sent back for further re-enforcements. The Americans +improved the time thus given them by forming a breastwork in front of +an old ditch. Here there was a post-and-rail fence. They ran up +another by the side of this and filled the space between the two with +the new-mown hay, which, cut only the day before, lay thickly over +the meadows. + +[Illustration: Plan of the Action at Bunkers Hill, on the 17th of +June 1775.] + +Two battalions were sent across to re-enforce Howe, while large +re-enforcements, with six guns, arrived to the assistance of +Prescott. The English had now a force consisting, according to +different authorities, of between 2000 and 2500 men. The colonial +force is also variously estimated, and had the advantage both in +position and in the protection of their intrenchments, while the +British had to march across open ground. As individual shots the +colonists were immensely superior, but the British had the advantages +given by drill and discipline. + +The English lines advanced in good order, steadily and slowly, the +artillery covering them by their fire. Presently the troops opened +fire, but the distance was too great and they did but little +execution. Encumbered with their knapsacks they ascended the steep +hill toward the redoubt with difficulty, covered, as it was, by grass +reaching to the knees. The colonists did not fire a shot until the +English line had reached a point about one hundred and fifty yards +from the intrenchments. Then Prescott gave the order, and from the +redoubt and the long line of intrenchments flanking it flashed a line +of fire. Each man had taken a steady aim with his rifle resting on +the earthwork before him, and so deadly was the fire that nearly the +whole front line of the British fell. For ten minutes the rest stood +with dogged courage, firing at the hidden foe, but these, sheltered +while they loaded and only exposing themselves momentarily while they +raised their heads above the parapets to fire, did such deadly +execution that the remnant of the British fell back to the foot of +the hill. + +While this force, which was under the command of General Pigott, had +been engaged, another division under Howe himself moved against the +rail fence. The combat was a repetition of that which had taken place +on the hill. Here the Americans reserved their fire until the enemy +were close; then, with their muskets resting on the rails, they +poured in a deadly fire, and, after in vain trying to stand their +ground, the troops fell back to the shore. + +Captain Wilson was standing with Harold on Copp's Hill watching the +engagement. + +"What beautiful order they go in!" Harold said, looking admiringly at +the long lines of red-coated soldiers. + +"It is very pretty," Captain Wilson said sadly, "and may do in +regular warfare; but I tell you, Harold, that sort of thing won't do +here. There is scarce a man carrying a gun behind those intrenchments +who cannot with certainty hit a bull's-eye at one hundred and fifty +yards. It is simply murder, taking the men up in regular order +against such a foe sheltered by earthworks." + +At this moment the long line of fire darted out from the American +intrenchments. + +"Look there!" Captain Wilson cried in a pained voice. "The front line +is nearly swept away! Do you see them lying almost in an unbroken +line on the hillside? I tell you, Harold, it is hopeless to look for +success if we fight in this way. The bravest men in the world could +not stand such a fire as that." + +"What will be done now?" Harold asked as the men stood huddled upon +the shore. + +"They will try again," Captain Wilson said. "Look at the officers +running about among them and getting them into order." + +In a quarter of an hour the British again advanced both toward the +redoubt and the grass fence. As before the Americans withheld their +fire, and this time until the troops were far closer than before, and +the result was even more disastrous. Some of the grenadier and light +infantry companies who led lost three-fourths, others nine-tenths of +their men. Again the British troops recoiled from that terrible fire. +General Howe and his officers exerted themselves to the utmost to +restore order when the troops again reached the shore, and the men +gallantly replied to their exhortations. Almost impossible as the +task appeared, they prepared to undertake it for the third time. This +time a small force only was directed to move against the grass fence, +while the main body, under Howe, were to attack the redoubt on the +hill. + +Knapsacks were taken off and thrown down, and each man nerved himself +to conquer or die. The ships in the harbor prepared the way by +opening a heavy cannonade. General Clinton, who was watching the +battle from Copp's Hill, ran down to the shore, rowed across the +harbor, and put himself at the head of two battalions. Then, with +loud cheers, the troops again sprang up the ascent. The American +ammunition was running short, many of the men not having more than +three or four rounds left, and this time they held their fire until +the British troops were within twenty yards. These had not fired a +shot, the order being that there was to be no pause, but that the +redoubt was to be carried with the bayonet. For a moment they wavered +when the deadly volley was poured in upon them. Then, with a cheer, +they rushed at the intrenchments. All those who first mounted were +shot down by the defenders, but the troops would not be denied, and, +pouring over the earthworks leaped down upon the enemy. + +For a few minutes there was a hand-to-hand fight, the Americans using +the butt-ends of their muskets, the English their bayonets. The +soldiers were exhausted with the climb up the hill and their exertions +under a blazing sun, and the great majority of the defenders of the +redoubt were, therefore, enabled to retreat unharmed, as, fresh and +active, they were able to outrun their tired opponents, and as the +balls served out to the English field-pieces were too large, the +artillery were unable to come into action. + +The colonists at the rail fence maintained their position against the +small force sent against them till the main body at the redoubt had +made their escape. The British were unable to continue the pursuit +beyond the isthmus. + +In the whole history of the British army there is no record of a more +gallant feat than the capture of Bunker's Hill, and few troops in the +world would, after two bloody repulses, have moved up the third time +to assail such a position, defended by men so trained to the use of +the rifle. Ten hundred and fifty-four men, or nearly half their +number, were killed and wounded, among whom were 83 officers. In few +battles ever fought was the proportion of casualties to the number +engaged so great. The Americans fought bravely, but the extraordinary +praise bestowed upon them for their valor appears misplaced. Their +position was one of great strength, and the absence of drill was of +no consequence whatever in such an engagement. They were perfectly +sheltered from the enemy's fire while engaged in calmly shooting him +down, and their loss, up to the moment when the British rushed among +them, was altogether insignificant. Their casualties took place after +the position was stormed and on their retreat along the peninsula, +and amounted in all to 145 killed and captured and 304 wounded. It +may be said that both sides fought well; but, from the circumstances +under which they fought, the highest credit is due to the victors. + +The battle, however, though won by the English, was a moral triumph +for the Americans, and the British Parliament should at once have +given up the contest. It was, from the first, absolutely certain that +the Americans, with their immense superiority in numbers, could, if +they were only willing to fight, hold their vast country against the +British troops, fighting with a base thousands of miles away. The +battle of Bunker's Hill showed that they were so willing--that they +could fight sternly and bravely: and this point once established, it +was little short of madness for the English government to continue +the contest. They had not even the excuse of desiring to wipe out the +dishonor of a defeat. Their soldiers had won a brilliant victory and +had fought with a determination and valor never exceeded, and England +could have afforded to say, "We will fight no more. If you, the +inhabitants of a vast continent, are determined to go alone, are +ready to give your lives rather than remain in connection with us, go +and prosper. We acknowledge we cannot subdue a nation in arms." + +From the height of Copp's Hill it could be seen that the British had +suffered terribly. Captain Wilson was full of enthusiasm when he saw +the success of the last gallant charge of the English soldiers, but +he said to Harold: + +"It is a disastrous victory. A few such battles as these and the +English army in America would cease to exist." + +But although they were aware that the losses were heavy they were not +prepared for the truth. The long grass had hidden from view many of +those who fell, and when it was known that nearly half of those +engaged were killed or wounded the feeling among the English was akin +to consternation. + +The generalship of the British was wholly unworthy of the valor of +the troops. There would have been no difficulty in placing some of +the vessels of light draught so far up the Mystic as to outflank the +intrenchments held by the colonists. Indeed, the British troops might +have been landed further up the Mystic, in which case the Americans +must have retreated instantly to avoid capture. Lastly, the troops, +although fighting within a mile of their quarters, were encumbered +with three days' provisions and their knapsacks, constituting, with +their muskets and ammunition, a load of 125 pounds. This was, indeed, +heavily handicapping men who had, under a blazing sun, to climb a +steep hill, with grass reaching to their knees, and intersected by +walls and fences. + +American writers describe the defenders of the position as inferior +in numbers to the assailants, but it is due to the English to say +that their estimate of the number of the defenders of the +intrenchments differs very widely from this. General Gage estimated +them as being fully three times as numerous as the British troops. It +is probable that the truth lies between the two accounts. + +Captain Wilson returned with Harold, greatly dispirited, to his +house. + +"The lookout is dreadfully bad," he said to his wife, after +describing the events of the day. "So far as I can see there are but +two alternatives--either peace or a long and destructive war with +failure at its end. It is even more hopeless trying to conquer a vast +country like this, defended by irregulars, than if we had a trained +and disciplined army to deal with. In that case two or three signal +victories might bring the war to a conclusion; but fighting with +irregulars, a victory means nothing beyond so many of the enemy +killed. There are scarcely any cannon to take, no stores or magazines +to capture. When the enemy is beaten he disperses, moves off, and in +a couple of days gathers again in a fresh position. The work has no +end. There are no fortresses to take, no strategical positions to +occupy, no great roads to cut. The enemy can march anywhere, attack +and disperse as he chooses, scatter, and re-form when you have passed +by. It is like fighting the wind." + +"Well, John, since it seems so hopeless, cannot you give it up? Is it +too late?" + +"Altogether too late, Mary, and if I were free tomorrow I would +volunteer my services again next day. It is not any the less my duty +to fight in my country's cause because I believe the cause to be a +losing one. You must see that yourself, dear. If England had been +sure to win without my aid, I might have stood aloof. It is because +everyone's help is needed that such services as I can render are due +to her. A country would be in a bad way whose sons were only ready to +fight when their success was a certainty." + +The Congress determined now to detach Canada from the English side +and prepared a force for the invasion of that colony, where the +British had but few regular troops. + +Captain Wilson was one morning summoned to headquarters. On his +return he called together four or five of the men best acquainted +with the country. These had been in their early days hunters or +border scouts, and knew every foot of the forest and lakes. + +"I have just seen the general," Captain Wilson said. "A royalist +brought in news last night that the rebels are raising a force +intended to act against Montreal. They reckon upon being joined by a +considerable portion of the Canadians, among whom there is, +unfortunately, a good deal of discontent. We have but two regiments +in the whole colony. One of these is at Quebec. The rebels, +therefore, will get the advantage of surprise, and may raise the +colony before we are in a condition to resist. General Howe asked me +to take my company through the woods straight to Montreal. We should +be landed a few miles up the coast at night. I suppose some of you +know the country well enough to be able to guide us." + +Several of the men expressed their ability to act as guides. + +"I've fought the Injuns through them woods over and over again," said +one of them, a sinewy, weather-beaten man of some sixty years old, +who was known as Peter Lambton. He had for many years been a scout +attached to the army and was one of the most experienced hunters on +the frontier. He was a tall, angular man, except that he stooped +slightly, the result of a habit of walking with the head bent forward +in the attitude of listening. The years which had passed over him had +had no effect upon his figure. He walked with a long, noiseless +tread, like that of an Indian, and was one of the men attached to his +company in whom, wisely, Captain Wilson had made no attempt to +instill the very rudiments of drill. It was, the captain thought, +well that the younger men should have such a knowledge of drill as +would enable them to perform simple maneuvers, but the old hunters +would fight in their own way--a way infinitely better adapted for +forest warfare than any that he could teach them. Peter and some of +his companions were in receipt of small pensions, which had been +bestowed upon them for their services with the troops. Men of this +kind were not likely to take any lively interest in the squabbles as +to questions of taxation, but when they found that it was coming to +fighting they again offered their services to the government as a +matter of course. Some were attached to the regular troops as scouts, +while others were divided among the newly raised companies of +loyalists. + +Peter Lambton had for the last four years been settled at Concord. +During the war with the French he had served as a scout with the +regiment to which Captain Wilson belonged, and had saved that +officer's life when with a portion of his company, he was surrounded +and cut off by hostile Indians. A strong feeling of friendship had +sprung up between them, and when, four years before, there had been a +lull in the English fighting on the frontier, Peter had retired on +his pension and the savings which he had made during his many years' +work as a hunter, and had located himself in a cottage on Captain +Wilson's estate. It was the many tales told him by the hunter of his +experiences in Indian warfare that had fired Harold with a desire for +the life of a frontier hunter, and had given him such a knowledge of +forest life as had enabled him to throw off the Indians from his +trail. On Harold's return the old hunter had listened with extreme +interest to the story of his adventures and had taken great pride in +the manner in which he had utilized his teachings. Peter made his +appearance in the city three days after the arrival of Captain Wilson +there. + +"I look upon this here affair as a favorable occurrence for Harold," +he said to Captain Wilson. "The boy has lots of spirits, but if it +had not been for this he might have grown up a regular town +greenhorn, fit for nothing but to walk about in a long coat and to +talk pleasant to women; but this 'll jest be the making of him. With +your permission, cap, I'll take him under my charge and teach him to +use his eyes and his ears, and I reckon he'll turn out as good an +Injun fighter as you'll see on the frontier." + +"But it is not Indians that we are going to fight Peter," Captain +Wilson said. "I heartily wish it was." + +"It 'll be the same thing," Peter said; "not here, in course; there +'ll be battles between the regulars and the colonists, regular +battles like that at Quebec, where both parties was fools enough to +march about in the open and get shot down by hundreds. I don't call +that fighting; that's jest killing, and there aint no more sense in +it than in two herd of buffalo charging each other on the prairie. +But there 'll be plenty of real fighting--expeditions in the woods +and Injun skirmishes, for you'll be sure that the Injuns'll join in, +some on one side and some on the other; it aint in their nature to +sit still in their villages while powder's being burned. A few months +of this work will make a man of him, and he might have a worse +teacher than Peter Lambton. You jest hand him over to my care, cap, +and I'll teach him all I know of the ways of the woods, and I tell +yer there aint no better kind of edication for a young fellow. He +larns to use the senses God has given him, to keep his head when +another man would lose his presence of mind, to have the eye of a +hawk and the ear of a hound, to get so that he scarcely knows what it +is to be tired or hungry, to be able to live while other men would +starve, to read the signs of the woods like a printed book, and to be +in every way a man and not a tailor's figure." + +"There is a great deal in what you say, old friend," Captain Wilson +answered, "and such a training cannot but do a man good. I wish with +all my heart that it had been entirely with red foes that the +fighting was to be done. However, that cannot be helped, and as he is +to fight he could not be in better hands than yours. So long as we +remain here I shall teach him what drill I can with the rest of the +company, but when we leave this town and the work really begins, I +shall put him in your charge to learn the duties of a scout." + +The young negro Jake had also enlisted, for throughout the war the +negroes fought on both sides, according to the politics of their +masters. There were only two other negroes in the company, and +Captain Wilson had some hesitation in enlisting them, but they made +good soldiers. In the case of Jake, Captain Wilson knew that he was +influenced in his wish to join solely by his affection for Harold, +and the lad's father felt that in the moment of danger the negro +would be ready to lay down his life for him. + +There was great satisfaction in the band when they received news that +they were at last about to take the field. The long inaction had been +most wearisome to them, and they knew that any fighting that would +take place round Boston would be done by the regular troops. Food, +too, was very scarce in town, and they were heartily weary of the +regular drill and discipline. They were, then, in high spirits as +they embarked on board the _Thetis_ sloop-of-war and sailed from +Boston harbor. + +It was a pitiful parting between Mrs. Wilson and her husband and son. +It had been arranged that she should sail for England in a ship that +was leaving in the following week and should there stay with her +husband's family, from whom she had a warm invitation to make their +home her own until the war was over. + +The _Thetis_ ran out to sea. As soon as night fell her bow was turned +to land again, and about midnight the anchor was let fall near the +shore some twenty miles north of Boston. The landing was quickly +effected, and with three days' provisions in their knapsacks the +little party started on their march. + +One of the scouts who had come from that neighborhood led them by +paths which avoided all villages and farms. At daybreak they +bivouacked in a wood and at nightfall resumed the march. By the next +morning they had left the settlements behind, and entered a belt of +swamp and forest extending west to the St. Lawrence. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +SCOUTING. + +A party of six men were seated around a fire in the forest which +covered the slopes of the northern shore of Lake Champlain. The spot +had been chosen because a great tree had fallen, bringing down +several others in its course, and opening a vista through which a +view could be obtained of the surface of the lake. The party +consisted of Peter Lambton, Harold, Jake, Ephraim Potter, another old +frontiersman, and two Indians. + +The company under Captain Wilson had made its way safely to the St. +Lawrence after undergoing considerable hardships in the forest. They +had been obliged to depend entirely on what game they could shoot and +such fish as they could catch in the rivers whose course they +followed. They had, however, reached Montreal without loss, and there +they found that General Carleton had in all about 500 regulars and +about 200 volunteers who had recently been engaged. + +It was clear that if the people of Canada were as hostile to the +connection with England as were those of the other colonies, the +little force at the disposal of the English general could do nothing +to defend the colony against the strong force which the Americans +were collecting for its invasion. Fortunately this was not the case. +Although the Canadians were of French descent and the province had +been wrested by arms from France, they for the most part preferred +being under English rule to joining the insurgent colonies. They had +been in no way oppressed by England, their property had been +respected, and above all things no attempt had ever been made to +interfere with their religion. In the New England provinces the hard +Puritan spirit of the early fathers had never ceased to prevail. +Those who had fled from England to obtain freedom of worship had been +intolerant persecutors of all religion different from their own. The +consequence was that the priests of Canada were wholly opposed to any +idea of union with the insurgent colonists. Their influence over the +people was great, and although these still objected to the English +rule and would have readily taken up arms against it under other +circumstances, they had too little sympathy with the New Englanders +to join in their movement, which, if successful, would have placed +Canada under the rule of the United States instead of that of +England. + +The upper classes of Canadians were almost to a man loyal to the +English connection. They had been well treated and enjoyed a greater +state of independence than had been the case under French rule. +Moreover, they were for the most part descended from old French +families, and their sympathies were entirely opposed to popular +insurrection. Thus, when Captain Wilson and his party reached +Montreal, they found that, in spite of the paucity of English troops +under the command of General Carleton, the position was not so bad as +had been feared by General Gage. It was possible, and indeed +probable, that Upper Canada might fall into the hands of the +Americans, and that even Quebec itself might be captured; but unless +the people joined the Americans the success of the latter would be +but temporary. With the spring the navigation of the river would be +open and re-enforcements would arrive from England. The invaders +would then be at a disadvantage. Separated from home by a wide tract +of forest-covered country, they would have the greatest difficulty in +transporting artillery, ammunition, and stores, and, fighting as an +army in invasion, they would be placed in a very different position +to that occupied by the colonists fighting on their own ground. It +was probable that for a time the tide of invasion would succeed. + +The Indians of the Five Nations, as those dwelling near the British +frontier at this point were called, had volunteered their services to +the general to cross the frontier to recapture Ticonderoga and Crown +Point, which had been seized by the Americans, and to carry the war +into the colonies. But General Carleton, an exceedingly humane and +kind-hearted man, shrank from the horrors that such a warfare would +entail upon the colonists. He accepted the services of the Indians as +far as the absolute defense of Canada from invasion, but refused to +allow them to cross the frontier. + +On the arrival of Captain Wilson with his little force he was ordered +to march at once to the fort of St. John's, which was held by a party +of regular troops. + +On arriving at that place the two scouts had been sent down toward +Lake Champlain to watch the proceedings of the enemy. Harold had +obtained leave from his father to accompany the scouts, and Jake had +been permitted to form one of the party. Peter Lambton had grumbled a +little at this last addition to the number. He knew Jake's affection +for his young master, and the great strength of the negro would have +rendered him useful in a hand-to-hand fight, but he was altogether +unaccustomed to forest work, and his habit of bursting into fits of +laughter on the smallest provocation, as is the manner of his race, +enraged the scout to the last degree. Indeed, he had not left the +fort above an hour when he turned savagely on the negro. + +"Look-ee here," he said, "if that's the way ye're a-going on, the +sooner ye turns yer face and tramps back to the fort the better. When +you were at Concord it done no harm to make as much noise as a +jackass braying whenever you opened that mouth of yours, but it won't +do in the forests. It would cost us our har and your wool ef yer were +to make that noise with the enemy anywhere within fifteen miles of +yer. I aint a-going, if I knows it, to risk my sculp on such a +venture as this; still less I aint a-going to see this young chap's +life thrown away. His father hez put him in my charge, and I aint +a-going to see him sacrificed in no such way. So ye've got to make up +yer mind; yer have got to keep that mouth of yours shut tight or +yer've got to tramp back to the fort." + +Jake gave many promises of silence, and although at first he often +raised his voice to a point far exceeding that considered by the +hunters safe in the woods, he was each time checked by such a savage +growl on the part of Peter, or by a punch in the ribs from Harold, +that he quickly fell into the ways of the others and never spoke +above a loud whisper. + +At a short distance from the fort they were joined by the two +Indians, who were also out on a scouting expedition on their own +account. They had previously been well known both to Peter and +Ephraim. They were warriors of the Seneca tribe, one of the Five +Nations. They had now been for two days on the north shore of Lake +Champlain. They were sitting round a fire eating a portion of a deer +which had been shot by Harold that morning. So far they had seen +nothing of the enemy. They knew that 3000 men, under Schuyler and +Montgomery, had marched to the other end of the lake. The colonists +had been sending proclamations across the frontier to the +inhabitants, saying that they were coming as friends to free them +from the yoke of England and calling upon them to arise and strike +for freedom. They were also in negotiation with some of the chiefs of +the Five Nations and with other Indian tribes to induce them to join +with them. + +"I propose," Peter said when the meal was finished and he had lighted +his pipe, "to go down the lake and see what they're doing. Deer Tail +here tells me that he knows where there's a canoe. He, Harold, and me +will go and reconnoiter a bit; the other three had best wait here +till we comes back with news. In course, chief," he continued to the +other Indian, after explaining to him in his own language what he +intended to do, "you'll be guided by circumstances--you can see a +long way down the lake, and ef anything should lead you to think that +we're in trouble, you can take such steps as may seem best to you. +It's mighty little I should think of the crowd of colonists; but ef, +as you say, a number of the warriors of the Five Nations, indignant +at the rejection, of their offers by the English general, have gone +down and joined the colonists, it'll be a different affair +altogether." + +The Elk, as the second Seneca chief was called, nodded his assent. In +a few words Peter told Harold what had been arranged. Jake looked +downcast when he heard that he was not to accompany his master, but +as he saw the latter had, since leaving the fort, obeyed without +questioning every suggestion of the scout, he offered no +remonstrance. + +A quarter of an hour later Peter rose, Deer Tail followed his +example, and Harold at once took up his rifle and fell in in their +steps. There was but little talk in the woods, and the matter having +been settled, it did not enter the mind either of Peter or of the +Indian to say a word of adieu to their comrades. Harold imitated +their example, but gave a nod and a smile to Jake as he started. + +Half an hour's tramp took them to the shore of the lake. Here they +halted for a minute while the Indian closely examined the locality. +With the wonderful power of making their way straight through the +forest to the required spot, which seems to be almost an instinct +among Indians, Deer Tail had struck the lake within two hundred yards +of the point which he aimed at. He led the way along the shore until +he came to a spot where a great maple had fallen into the lake; here +he turned into the forest again, and in fifty yards came to a clump +of bushes; these he pushed aside and pointed to a canoe which was +lying hidden among them. Peter joined him, the two lifted the boat +out, placed it on their shoulders, and carried it to the lake. There +were three paddles in it. Peter motioned Harold to take his place in +the stern and steer, while he and the Indian knelt forward and put +their paddles in the water. + +"Keep her along on the right shore of the lake, about fifty yards +from the trees. There's no fear of anyone lurking about near this +end." + +The canoe was light and well made, and darted quickly over the water +under the strokes of the two paddlers. It was late in the afternoon +when they started, and before they had gone many miles darkness had +fallen. The canoe was run in close to shore, where she lay in the +shadow of the trees until morning. Just as the sun rose the redskin +and Peter simultaneously dipped their paddles in the water and sent +the canoe under the arches of the trees. They had at the same instant +caught sight of four canoes making their way along the lake. + +"Them's Injuns," Peter whispered. "They're scouting to see if the +lake's free. If the general could have got a couple of gunboats up +the Sorrel the enemy could never have crossed the lake, and it would +have given them a month's work to take their guns round it. It's +lucky we were well under the trees or we should have been seen. What +had we best do, Deer Tail?" + +For two or three minutes the scouts conversed together in the Indian +tongue. + +"The Seneca agrees with me," Peter said. "It's like enough there are +Injuns scouting along both shores. We must lay up here till +nightfall. Ef we're seen they'd signal by smoke, and we should have +them canoes back again in no time. By their coming I expect the +expedition is starting, but it won't do to go back without being sure +of it." + +The canoe was paddled to a spot where the bushes grew thickly by the +bank. It was pushed among these, and the three, after eating some +cooked deer's flesh which they had brought with them, prepared to +pass the day. + +"The Seneca and I'll keep watch by turns," the scout said. "We'll +wake you if we want ye." + +Harold was by this time sufficiently accustomed to the ways of the +woods to obey orders at once without offering to take his turn at +watching, as his inclination led him to do, and he was soon sound +asleep. It was late in the afternoon when he was awoke by the scout +touching him. + +"There's some critters coming along the bank," he said in a whisper. +"They aint likely to see us, but it's best to be ready." + +Harold sat up in the canoe, rifle in hand, and, listening intently, +heard a slight sound such as would be produced by the snapping of a +twig. Presently he heard upon the other side of the bushes, a few +yards distant, a few low words in the Indian tongue. He looked at his +companions. They were sitting immovable, each with his rifle directed +toward the sound, and Harold thought it would fare badly with any of +the passers if they happened to take a fancy to peer through the +bushes. The Indians had, however, no reason for supposing that there +were any enemies upon the lake, and they consequently passed on +without examining more closely the thicket by the shore. Not until it +was perfectly dark did Peter give the sign for the continuance of the +journey. This time, instead of skirting the lake, the canoe was +steered out toward its center. For some time they paddled, and then +several lights were seen from ahead. + +"I thought so," the scout said. "They've crossed to the Isle La Motte +and they're making as many fires as if they war having a sort of +picnic at home. We must wait till they burns out, for we daren't go +near the place with the water lit up for two or three hundred yards +round. It won't be long, for I reckon it must be past eleven o'clock +now." + +The fires were soon seen to burn down. The paddles were dipped in the +water and the canoe approached the island. + +"I'd give something," Peter said, "to know whether there's any +redskins there. Ef there are, our chance of landing without being +seen aint worth talking of; ef there aint we might land a hull fleet; +at any rate we must risk it. Now, Harold, the chief and me'll land +and find out how many men there are here, and, ef we can, how long +they're likely to stop. You keep the canoe about ten yards from +shore, in the shadow of the trees, and be ready to move close the +instant you hear my call. I'll jest give the croak of a frog. The +instant we get in you paddle off without a word. Ef ye hears any +shouts and judges as how we've been seen, ye must jest act upon the +best of yer judgment." + +The boat glided noiselessly up to the shore. All was still there, the +encampment being at the other side of the island. The two scouts, red +and white, stepped noiselessly on to the land. Harold backed the +canoe a few paces with a quick stroke upon the paddle, and seeing +close to him a spot where a long branch of a tree dipped into the +water, he guided the canoe among the foliage and there sat without +movement, listening almost breathlessly. + +Ere many minutes had elapsed he heard footsteps coming along the +shore. They stopped when near him. Three or four minutes passed +without the slightest sound, and then a voice said, in tones which +the speaker had evidently tried to lower, but which were distinctly +audible in the canoe: + +"I tell yer, redskin, it seems to me as how you've brought us here on +a fool's errand. I don't see no signs of a canoe, and it aint likely +that the British would be along the lake here, seeing as how there's +a score of canoes with your people in them scouting ahead." + +"I heard canoe," another voice said, "first at other end of the +island and then coming along here." + +"And ef yer did," the first speaker said, "likely enough it was one +of the canoes of your people." + +"No," the Indian answered. "If canoe come back with news, would have +come straight to fires." + +"Well, it aint here, anyway," the first speaker said, "and I don't +believe yer ever heard a canoe at all. It's enough to make a man +swear to be called up jest as we were making ourselves comfortable +for the night on account of an Injun's fancies. I wonder at the +general's listening to them. However, we've got our orders to go +round the island and see ef there's any canoe on either shore; so +we'd better be moving, else we shall not get to sleep before +morning." + +Harold held his breath as the group passed opposite to him. +Fortunately the trunk of the tree grew from the very edge of the +water, and there were several bushes growing round it, so that at +this point the men had to make a slight _détour_ inland. Harold felt +thankful indeed that he had taken the precaution of laying his canoe +among the thick foliage, for although the night was dark it would +have been instantly seen had it been lying on the surface of the +lake. Even as it was, a close inspection might have detected it, but +the eyes of the party were fixed on the shore, as it was there, if at +all, that they expected to find an empty canoe lying. + +Harold was uneasy at the discovery that there were still some +redskins on the island. It was possible, of course, that the one he +had heard might be alone as a scout, but it was more likely that +others of the tribe were also there. + +After landing, Peter and the Seneca made their way across the island +to the side facing the American shore. Creeping cautiously along, +they found a large number of flat-bottomed boats, in which the +Americans had crossed from the mainland, and which were, Peter +thought, capable of carrying 2000 men. They now made their way toward +the spot where the forces were encamped. The fires had burned low, +but round a few of them men were still sitting and talking. Motioning +to the Seneca to remain quiet, Peter sauntered cautiously out on to +the clearing where the camp was formed. He had little fear of +detection, for he wore no uniform, and his hunter's dress afforded no +index to the party to which he was attached. + +A great portion of the Americans were still in their ordinary attire, +it having been impossible to furnish uniforms for so great a number +of men as had been suddenly called to arms throughout the colonies. + +From the arbors of boughs which had been erected in all directions, +he judged that the force had been already some days upon the island. +But large numbers of men were sleeping in the open air, and picking +his way cautiously among them, he threw himself down at a short +distance from one of the fires by which three or four men were +sitting. + +For some time they talked of camp matters, the shortness of food, and +want of provisions. + +"It is bad here," one said presently; "it will be worse when we move +forward. Schuyler will be here tomorrow with the rest of the army, +and we are to move down to Isle-aux-Noix, at the end of the lake, and +I suppose we shall land at once and march against St. John's. There +are only a couple of hundred Britishers there, and we shall make +short work of them." + +"The sooner the better, I say," another speaker remarked. "I am ready +enough to fight, but I hate all this waiting about. I want to get +back to my farm again." + +"You are in a hurry, you are," the other said. "You don't suppose we +are going to take Canada in a week's time, do you. Even if the +Canadians join us, and by what I hear that aint so sartin after all, +we shall have to march down to Quebec, and that's no child's play. I +know the country there. It is now September 4. Another month and the +winter will be upon us, and a Canadian winter is no joke, I can tell +you." + +"The more reason for not wasting any more time," the other one +grumbled. "If Montgomery had his way we should go at them quickly +enough, but Schuyler is always delaying. He has kept us waiting now +since the 17th of last month. We might have been halfway to Quebec by +this time." + +"Yes," the other said, "if the Britishers had run away as we came; +but we have got St. John's and Fort Chamblée to deal with, and they +may hold out some time. However, the sooner we begin the job the +sooner it will be over, and I am heartily glad that we move tomorrow." + +Peter had now obtained the information he required, and rising to +his feet again, with a grumbling remark as to the hardness of the +ground, he sauntered away toward the spot where he had left the +Indian. Just as he did so a tall figure came out from an arbor close +by. A fire was burning just in front, and Peter saw that he was a +tall and handsome man of about forty years of age. He guessed at once +that he was in the presence of the colonial leader. + +"You are, like myself," the newcomer said, "unable to sleep, I +suppose?" + +"Yes, general," Peter answered. "I found I could not get off, and so +I thought I'd stretch my legs in the wood a bit. They're lying so +tarnal thick down there by the fires, one can't move without treading +on 'em." + +"Which regiment do you belong to?" + +"The Connecticut," Peter replied, for he knew by report that a +regiment from this province formed part of the expedition. + +"As good men as any I have," the general said cordially. "Their only +fault is that they are in too great a hurry to attack the enemy." + +"I agree with the rest, general," Peter said. "It's dull work wasting +our time here when we're wanted at home. I enlisted for six months, +and the sooner the time's up the better, say I." + +"You have heard nothing moving?" the general asked. "One of the +Chippewas told me that he heard a canoe out in the lake. Ah! here he +is." + +At that moment five or six men, headed by an Indian, issued from the +wood close by. It was too late for Peter to try to withdraw, but he +stepped aside a pace or two as the party approached. + +"Well, have you found anything?" the general asked. + +"No find," the Chippewa said shortly. + +"I don't believe as there ever was a canoe there," the man who +followed him said. "It was jest a fancy of the Injun's." + +"No fancy," the Indian asserted angrily. "Canoe there. No find." + +"It might have been one of our own canoes," Montgomery said in a +conciliatory tone. "The Indians are seldom mistaken. Still, if no one +has landed it matters not either way." + +"Only as we have had a tramp for nothing," the colonist said. +"However, there's time for a sleep yet. Hullo!" he exclaimed as his +eye fell on Peter Lambton. "What, Peter! Why, how did you get here? +Why, I thought as how----General," he exclaimed, sharply turning to +Montgomery, "this man lives close to me at Concord. He's a royalist, +he is, and went into Boston and joined the corps they got up there!" + +"Seize him!" Montgomery shouted, but it was too late. + +As the man had turned to speak to the general, Peter darted into the +wood. The Chippewa, without waiting to hear the statement of the +colonist, at once divined the state of things, and uttering his +war-whoop dashed after the fugitive. Two or three of the colonists +instantly followed, and a moment later three or four Indians who had +been lying on the ground leaped up and darted like phantoms into the +wood. + +The general no sooner grasped the facts than he shouted an order for +pursuit, and a number of the men most accustomed to frontier work at +once followed the first party of pursuers. Others would have done the +same, but Montgomery shouted that no more should go, as they would +only be in the others' way, and there could not be more than two or +three spies on the island. + +After the Chippewa's first war-cry there was silence for the space of +a minute in the forest. Then came a wild scream, mingled with another +Indian yell; a moment later the leading pursuers came upon the body +of the Chippewa. His skull had been cleft with a tomahawk and the +scalp was gone. + +As they were clustered round the body two or three of the Indians ran +up. They raised the Indian wail as they saw their comrade and with +the rest took up the pursuit. + +Peter and the Seneca were now far among the trees, and as their +pursuers had nothing to guide them, they reached the spot where they +had left the canoe unmolested. + +On the signal being given, Harold instantly paddled to the shore. Not +a word was spoken until the canoe was well out in the lake. +Occasional shots were heard on shore as the pursuers fired at objects +which they thought were men. Presently a loud Indian cry rose from +the shore. + +"They see us," Peter said. "We're out of shot and can take it easy." +The redskin said a few words. "You're right, chief. The chief says," +he explained to Harold, "that as there are redskins on the island +they have probably some canoes. The moon's jest getting up beyond +that hill, and it'll be light enough to see us half across the lake. +It would not matter if the water was free; but what with Injuns +prowling along the shores and out on the lake, we shall have to use +our wits to save our har. Look!" he exclaimed two or three minutes +later as two columns of bright flame at a short distance from them +shot up at the end of the island. "They're Injun signals. As far as +they can be seen Injuns will know that there are enemies on the lake. +Now, paddle your hardest, Harold, and do you, chief, keep your eyes +and your ears open for sights and sounds." + +Under the steady strokes of the three paddles the bark canoe sped +rapidly over the water. When the moon was fairly above the edge of +the hill they halted for a moment and looked back. The two columns of +fire still blazed brightly on the island, which was now three miles +astern, and two dark spots could be seen on the water about halfway +between them and it. + +"You can paddle, my lads," Peter Lambton said to the distant foes, +"but you'll never ketch us. I wouldn't heed you if it weren't for the +other varmint ahead." + +He stood up in the canoe and looked anxiously over the lake. + +"It's all clear as far as I can see at present," he said. + +"Can't we land, Peter, and make our way back on foot?" + +"Bless you," Peter said, "there aint a native along the shore there +but has got his eye on this canoe. We might as well take her straight +back to the island as try to land. Better; for we should get a few +hours before they tried and shot us there, while the Injuns would not +give us a minute. No, we must just keep to the water; and now paddle +on again, but take it quietly. It's no odds to let them varmints +behind gain on us a little. You needn't think about them. When the +danger comes we shall want every ounce of our strength." + + For half an hour they paddled steadily on. The pursuing canoes were +now less than a mile behind them. + +"I'd give a good deal," muttered the scout, "for a few black clouds +over the moon; we'd make for shore then and risk it. It will be +getting daylight before long. Ah!" he exclaimed, pausing suddenly as +the chief stopped rowing, "a canoe on each side is rowing out to cut +us off." + +Harold was now paddling forward, while the scout had the place at the +stern. The former was surprised to feel the canoe shooting off from +its former course at right angles toward the shore; then, curving +still more round, they began to paddle back along the lake. The +canoes which had been pursuing them were nearly abreast of each +other. They had embarked from opposite sides of the island, but they +had been gradually drawing together, although still some distance +apart, when Peter turned his canoe. Seeing his maneuver, both turned +to head him off, but by so doing they occupied an entirely different +position in relation to each other, one canoe being nearly half a +mile nearer to them than the other. + +"Take it easy," Peter said. "These varmints will cut us off and we've +got to fight, but we can cripple the one nearest to us before the +other comes up." + +The boats were now darting over the water in a line which promised to +bring the leading canoe almost in collision with that of Peter. When +within two hundred yards of each other Peter ceased rowing. + +"Now," he said, "Harold, see if you can pick one of them fellows off. +It's no easy matter, traveling at the pace they are. You fire first." + +Harold took a steady aim and fired. A yell of derision told that he +had missed. The Indians stopped paddling. There was a flash and a +ball struck the canoe. At the same moment Peter fired. + +"There's one down!" he exclaimed. + +The Seneca fired, but without result; and the three unwounded Indians +in the canoe--for it had contained four men--replied with a volley. + +Harold felt a burning sensation, as if a hot iron passed across his +arm. + +"Hit, boy?" Peter asked anxiously as he gave a short exclamation. + +"Nothing to speak of," Harold replied. + +"The varmints are lying by, waiting for' the other canoe. Paddle +straight at 'em." + +The Indians at once turned the boat and paddled to meet their +companions, who were fast approaching. + +"Now," Peter exclaimed, "we've got 'em in a line--a steady aim this +time." + +The three rifles spoke out; one of the Indians fell into the boat and +the paddle of another was struck from his grasp. + +"Now," the scout shouted, "paddle away! We've got 'em all fairly +behind us." + +Day broke just as they were again abreast of the island. One canoe +was following closely, two others were a mile and a half behind, +while the one with which they had been engaged had made for the +shore. + +"What do you mean to do?" Harold asked Peter. + +"I mean to run as close as I can round the end of the island, and +then make for the place where they must have embarked on the +mainland. They may have seen the signal fires there, but will not +know what has been going on. So now row your best. We must leave the +others as far behind as possible." + +For the first time since they started the three paddlers exerted +themselves to the utmost. They had little fear that there were any +more canoes on the island, for, had there been, they would have +joined in the chase. It was only necessary to keep so far from the +end of the island as would take them out of reach of the fire. +Several shots were discharged as they passed, but these fell short as +the canoe shot along at its highest rate of speed, every stroke +taking it further from its nearest pursuer. + +At the end of an hour's paddling this canoe was a mile and a half +behind. Its rowers had apparently somewhat abated their speed in +order to allow the other two boats to draw up to them, for the result +of the encounter between their comrades and the fugitives had not +been of a nature to encourage them to undertake a single-handed +contest with them. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +IN THE FOREST. + +"See, Peter!" Harold exclaimed; "there is a whole fleet of boats +ahead." + +"I sees 'em," Peter said, "and have seed 'em for the last quarter of +an hour. It's Schuyler, with the rest of what they calls their army. +Steer a little out of the course; we must pass close by 'em. They +won't suspect nothing wrong and will suppose we are merely carrying a +message." + +In half an hour they were abreast of the flotilla, consisting of +flatboats laden with troops. With them were two or three Indian +canoes. Peter steered so as to pass at a distance of a hundred and +fifty yards. They rowed less strongly now, but still vigorously. +There was a shout from the boat. + +"All well on the island?" + +"All well," Peter shouted back, waving his hand, and without further +word the canoe passed on. "There! do you hear that?" Peter exclaimed. +"They're firing shots from the canoes to call their attention. The +chances are they won't hear them, for the rattle of their oars and +the talking and the row they're making are enough to drown the sound +of a cannon. Now put it on again as hard as you can. Another hour +will take us to the landing place." + +They could see, when the flotilla came up to the pursuing boats, that +the canoes which accompanied it turned their heads and joined in the +pursuit, but they were now near three miles ahead and there was no +chance whatever of their being overtaken. They slackened their speed +slightly as they approached the land, and rowed up to the landing +place without any signs of extraordinary haste. A few men were +loitering about. + +"What's the news from the island?" one asked as they landed. + +"All well there," Peter said. + +"Did you see anything of Schuyler?" + +"Yes, we met him about halfway across." + +"What have you come for?" + +"General Montgomery says that no spare flints have been sent over for +the firelocks." + +"I'll swear that some went," one of the men exclaimed, "for I packed +a sack of them myself in one of the boats." + +"I s'pose they have been mislaid," Peter said. "Perhaps some of the +stores have got heaped over 'em. Ef you are quite sartin, we have had +our journey for nothing." + +"As sartin as life," the man replied. "I'll swear to the sackful of +flints; and tarnation heavy they was, too." + +"Well, then, I need not trouble about it further," Peter said. "We'll +take a rest and paddle back in an hour or two. Was there any marks on +the sack, so as I may tell the general how to look for it?" + +"Marks!" the man repeated. "Why, it had 'Flints' written on it in big +black letters six inches long. It must turn up, anyhow. They'll find +it when they come to shift the stores." + +Then, accompanied by his two companions, Peter strolled quietly +through the little village. Stopping at a small store, he purchased +some flour and tea; then he followed the road inland and was soon out +of sight of the village; he stopped for a moment and then shook his +head. + +"It's no use trying to hide our trail here," he said. "The road's an +inch thick in dust, and do what we will they'll be able to see where +we turn off. It's our legs as we have got to trust to for a bit. +We've got a good half hour's start of the canoes; they were a long +three miles behind when we struck the shore." + +Leaving the road, he led the way with a long, swinging stride across +the cultivated land. Twenty minutes' walk took them into the forest, +which extended from the shore of the lake many miles inland. + +"Take off your boots, Harold," he said as he entered the wood. "Them +heels will leave marks that a redskin could pick up at a run. Now +tread, as near as you can, in the exact spot where the Seneca has +trodden before you. He'll follow in my track, and you may be sure +that I'll choose the hardest bits of ground I can come across. There, +the varmints are on shore!" + +As he spoke an angry yell rose from the distant village. At a long, +steady pace, which taxed to the utmost Harold's powers as a walker, +they kept their way through the woods, not pursuing a straight +course, but turning, winding, and zigzagging every few minutes. +Harold could not but feel impatient at what seemed to him such a loss +of time, especially when a yell from the edge of the wood told that +the Indians had traced them thus far--showed, too, that they were far +nearer than before. But, as Peter, afterward explained to him, all +this turning and winding made it necessary for the Indians to follow +every step, as they would an animal, to guess the direction they had +taken. The weather had been dry and the ground was hard; therefore +the most experienced trapper would be obliged to proceed very slowly +on the trail and would frequently be for a time at fault; whereas, +had they continued in a straight line, the Indians could have +followed at a run, contenting themselves with seeing the trail here +and there. They came across two or three little streams running down +toward the lake. These they followed, in some cases up, in others +down, for a considerable distance, leaving the bed where the bushes +grew thick and hid the marks of their feet as they stepped out from +the water. Harold would gladly have gone at a run, but Peter never +quickened his pace. He knew that the Indians could not pick up the +trail at a rate faster than that at which they were going, and that +great delay would be caused at each of the little streams, as it +would be uncertain whether they had passed up or down. + +As the time passed the Indian yells, which had, when they first +entered the wood, sounded so alarmingly near, died away, and a +perfect stillness reigned in the forest. It was late in the afternoon +before Peter halted. + +"We can rest now," he said. "It'll be hours before the critters can +be here. Now let us have some tea." + +He began to look for some dried sticks. Harold offered to assist. + +"You sit down," the scout said. "A nice sort of fire we should get +with sticks of your picking up! Why, we should have a smoke that +would bring all the Injuns in the woods on to us. No, the sticks as +the Seneca and me'll pick up won't give as much smoke as you can put +in a teacup; but I wouldn't risk even that if we was nigh the lake, +for it might be seen by any redskins out in a canoe. But we are miles +back from the lake, and there aint no other open space where they +could get a view over the tree-tops." + +Harold watched the Indian and the scout collecting dry leaves and +sticks, and took particular notice, for future use, of the kinds +which they selected. A light was struck with a flint and steel, and +soon a bright blaze sprang up, without, so far as Harold could see, +the slightest smoke being given off. Then the hunter produced some +food from his wallet, and a tin pot. He had at the last spring they +passed filled a skin which hung on his shoulder with water, and this +was soon boiling over the fire. A handful of tea was thrown in and +the pot removed. Some flour, mixed with water, was placed on a small +iron plate, which was put on the red-hot ashes. A few cakes were +baked, and with these, the cold venison, and the tea an ample meal +was made. + +After nearly an hour's halt they again proceeded on their way. A +consultation had taken place between Peter and the Seneca as to the +best course to be pursued. They could, without much difficulty or +risk, have continued the way through the woods beyond the lake, but +it was important that they should reach the other side by the evening +of the following day, to give warning of the intended attack by the +Americans. There were, they knew, other redskins in the woods besides +those on their trail, and the nearer they approached the shore the +greater the danger. They had determined that they would at all +hazards endeavor to obtain another canoe and cross the lake. Until +nightfall they continued their course, and then, knowing that their +trail could no longer be followed, they made down to the lake. They +were many miles distant from it, and Harold was completely worn out +when at last he saw a gleam of water through the trees. He was not +yet to rest. Entering the lake, they began wading through it at a few +feet from the edge. + +After an hour's walking thus they entered the bushes, which thickly +covered the shore, and made their way through these until they came +to a spot sufficiently open for them to lie down; and Harold, +wrapping himself in the blanket which he carried over his shoulder, +was sound asleep in less than a minute. When he woke the sun was +shining brightly. + +"Get up, youngster! We're in luck," the scout said. "Here's a canoe +with two of the varmints making toward the shore. By the way they're +going they'll land not far off." + +The scout led the way, crawling on his hands and knees, to the +water's edge, to where the Seneca was sitting watching the canoe +through a cover of green leaves. The course that the boat was taking +would lead it to a point some three hundred yards from where they +were sitting. + +"We shall have no difficulty in managing them," Harold said, and +grasped his rifle eagerly. + +"Not too fast," Peter said. "The chances are that the varmints have +friends on shore. Like enough they have been out fishing." + +The shore formed a slight sweep at this point, and the bushes in +which they were hidden occupied the point at one extremity. In the +center of the little bay there was a spot clear from bushes; to this +the canoe was directed. As it approached the shore two other Indians +appeared at the water's edge. One of them asked a question, and in +reply a paddler held up a large bunch of fish. + +"Just as I thought. Like enough there are a dozen of them there," +said Peter. + +On reaching the shore the men sprang out, taking their fish with +them. The canoe was fastened by its head-rope to the bushes, and the +Indians moved a short distance inland. + +"There is their smoke," Peter said, indicating a point some thirty +feet from the lake, but so slight was it that, even when it was +pointed out to him, Harold could hardly make out the light mist +rising from among the bushes. Presently he looked round for the +Seneca, but the Indian had disappeared. + +"He's gone scouting," Peter said in answer to Harold's question. "Ef +there are only four of them it would be an easy job, but I expect +there's more of the red varmints there." + +In ten minutes the Seneca returned as noiselessly as he had gone. He +opened his hand and all the fingers twice; the third time he showed +only three fingers. + +"Thirteen," Peter said. "Too many of them even for a sudden +onslaught." + +The Indian said a few words to Peter; the latter nodded, and Deer +Tail again quietly stole away. + +"He's going to steal the boat," Peter said. "It's a risky job, for +where it lies it can be seen by 'em as they sit. Now, you and me must +be ready with our shooting irons to cover him, if need be. Ef he's +found out before he gets the boat he'll take to the woods and lead +them away from us; but ef he's fairly in the boat, then we must do +our best for him. Ef the wust comes to the wust, I reckon we can hold +these bushes agin 'em for some time; but in the end I don't disguise +from ye, youngster, they'll beat us." + +Harold now sat intently watching the canoe. It seemed an age to him +before he saw a hand emerge from the bushes and take hold of the +head-rope. The motion given to the canoe was so slight as to be +almost imperceptible; it seemed as if it was only drifting gently +before the slight breeze which was creeping over the surface of the +lake. Half its length had disappeared from the open space, when an +Indian appeared by the edge of the water. He looked at the canoe, +looked over the lake, and withdrew again. The hand had disappeared in +the bushes on his approach. The movement of the canoe, slight as it +was, had caught his eye, but, satisfied that it was caused only by +the wind, he had returned to his fire again. The hand appeared again +through the bushes, and the canoe was drawn along until hidden from +the sight of those sitting by the fire. Again the watchful Indian +appeared, but the boat was lying quietly by the bushes at the full +length of its head-rope. He stooped down to see that this was +securely fastened and again retired. Harold held his breath, +expecting that every moment the presence of the Seneca would be +discovered. Scarcely had the Indian disappeared than the Seneca +crawled out from the bushes. With a sweep of his knife he cut the +rope of the canoe and noiselessly entered it, and as he did so gave a +shove with his foot, which sent it dancing along the shore toward the +spot where Harold and his companion were hidden. Then he seized the +paddle, and in half a dozen strokes brought it within reach of them. +Harold and Peter stepped into it; as they did so there was a sudden +shout. The Indian had again strolled down to look at the canoe, whose +movements, slight as they had been, had appeared suspicious to him. +He now, to his astonishment, saw it at the point with two white men +and an Indian on board. He had left his gun behind him and, uttering +his war-cry, bounded back for it. + +"Round the p'int, quick!" Peter exclaimed. "They'll riddle us in the +open." + +Two strokes took the canoe round the projecting point of bushes, and +she then darted along the shore, driven by the greatest efforts of +which the three paddlers were capable. Had the shore been open the +Indians would have gained upon them, but they were unable to force +their way through the thick bushes at anything like the rate at which +the canoe was flying over the water. The first start was upward of a +hundred yards, and this was increased by fifty before the Indians, +arriving at the point, opened fire. The distance was beyond anything +like an accurate range with Indian guns. Several bullets struck the +water round the canoe. + +"Now steer out," Peter said as the firing suddenly ceased. "They're +making a _détour_ among the bushes, and 'll come down ahead of us if +we keep near the shore." + +Two or three more shots were fired, but without effect, and the canoe +soon left the shore far behind. + +"Now," Peter said, "I think we're safe. It's not likely they've +another canoe anywhere near on this side, as most of 'em would have +gone with the expedition. Ef the firing has been heard it will not +attract much attention, being on this side, and I see nothing in the +way of a boat out in the lake. Still, these redskins' eyes can see +'most any distance. Now, chief," he went on to the Indian in his +native language, "the young un and I'll lie down at the bottom of the +boat; do you paddle quietly and easily, as ef you were fishing. The +canoe with a single Indian in it will excite no suspicion, and even +ef you see other canoes, you had better keep on in that way unless +you see that any of 'em are intending to overhaul you." + +The chief nodded assent. Peter and Harold stretched themselves at +full length in the canoe, and the Indian paddled quietly and steadily +on. For an hour not a word was spoken in the canoe. Harold several +times dozed off to sleep. At last the Seneca spoke: + +"Many boats out on water--American army." + +Harold was about to raise his head to look out when Peter exclaimed: +"Lie close, Harold! Ef a head were shown now it would be wuss than ef +we had sat up all the time. We know there are Injun canoes with the +flats, and they may be watching us now. We may be a long way off, but +there's no saying how far a redskin's eyes can carry. Can you see +where they are going to, chief?" he asked the Seneca. "Are they +heading for Isle-aux-Noix, as we heard 'em say they were going to +do?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"Going to island." + +"Then," Peter said, "the sooner we're across the lake the better." + +The Seneca again spoke, and after a consultation with Peter laid in +his paddle. + +"What is he doing now?" Harold asked. + +"Our course lies pretty near the same way as theirs," Peter said. +"The island is but a short distance from the shore, near the mouth of +the Sorrel, so where we're going would take us right across their +line. We fooled them yesterday, but are not likely to do it again +to-day. So the chief has stopped paddling and makes as if he were +fishing. I doubt whether it will succeed, for he would hardly be +fishing so far out. But we'll soon see. It's better so than to turn +and paddle in any other direction, as that would be sure to excite +their suspicions." + +The fleet of boats had already passed the spot where the canoe would +have crossed had she been going directly across the lake when she was +first seen, and was therefore now ahead of it. The great flotilla +kept on as if the canoe with its single occupant in its rear had not +excited suspicion. The Seneca, however, knew that sharp eyes must be +upon him. The manner in which the canoe had baffled pursuit the day +before must have inflicted a severe blow upon the pride of the +Indians, and although, having driven them off the lake, they could +have no reason for suspecting that their foes could have obtained a +fresh canoe, the Seneca knew that their vigilance would not sleep for +a moment. Therefore, although bending over the side of the canoe as +if watching his lines, his eyes were never off the boats. + +"There are canoes making for the shore both ways," he said at last. +"It is time that my white brother should take the paddle." + +Peter and Harold at once sat up in the boat and looked round the +lake, which at this point was about ten miles wide. The canoe was +four miles from the eastern side; the flotilla was a mile further up +the lake and the same distance nearer to the western shore. Four or +five canoes were detaching themselves from the flotilla, apparently +rowing direct for the shore. It would have been easy for the canoe to +have regained the eastern side long before she could have been cut +off, but here they might find the Chippewas. The Indians whose boat +they had taken would assuredly follow along the shores of the lake in +hopes that something might occur to drive them back. Besides, had +they landed there, they would be unable to carry in time the news of +the approaching attack upon St. John's. For the same reason it was +important to land up the lake near the Canadian end. + +Peter rapidly took in the situation. He saw that it was possible, and +only just possible, to reach the shore at a point opposite to that at +which they now were before the hostile canoes could cut them off from +it. If they headed them there they would be obliged to run down to +the other end of the lake before effecting a landing, while he could +not calculate on being able to beat all the canoes, most of which +carried four paddlers, who would strain every nerve to retrieve their +failure of the previous day. + +Not a word was spoken as the boat darted through the water. Harold, +unaccustomed to judge distances, could form no idea whether the +distant canoes would or would not intercept them. At present both +seemed to him to be running toward the shore on nearly parallel +courses, and the shorter distance that the Indians would have to row +seemed to place them far ahead. The courses, however, were not +parallel, as the Indians were gradually turning their canoes to +intercept the course of that which they were pursuing. As the minutes +went by and the boats converged more and more toward the same point, +Harold saw how close the race would be. After twenty minutes' hard +paddling the boats were within a quarter of a mile of each other, and +the courses which they were respectively taking seemed likely to +bring them together at about a quarter of a mile from the shore. +There were three Indian canoes, and these kept well together. So +close did the race appear that Harold expected every moment to see +Peter sweep the head of the canoe round and make a stern chase of it +by running down the lake. This Peter had no intention of doing. The +canoes, he saw, traveled as fast as his own and could each spare a +man to fire occasionally, while he and his companions would be +obliged to continue paddling. Better accustomed to judge distances +than Harold, he was sure, at the speed at which they were going, he +would be able to pass somewhat ahead of his foes. + +"Row all you know, Harold," he said. "Now, chief, send her along." + +Harold had been rowing to the utmost of his strength, but he felt by +the way the canoe quivered at every stroke that his companions were +only now putting out their extreme strength. The boat seemed to fly +through the water, and he began to think for the first time that the +canoe would pass ahead of their pursuers. The latter were clearly +also conscious of the fact, for they now turned their boats' heads +more toward the shore, so that the spot where the lines would meet +would be close to the shore itself. The canoes were now within two +hundred yards of each other. The Indians were nearer to the shore, +but the oblique line that they were following would give them about +an equal distance to row to the point for which both were making. +Harold could not see that there was the slightest difference in the +rate at which they were traveling. It seemed to him that the four +canoes would all arrive precisely at the same moment at the land, +which was now some five or six hundred yards distant. + +Another two minutes' paddling, and when the canoes were but seventy +or eighty yards apart, Peter, with a sweep with his paddle, turned +the boat's head nearly half round and made obliquely for the shore, +so throwing his pursuers almost astern of him. The shore was but +three hundred yards distant; they were but fifty ahead of their +pursuers. The latter gave a loud yell at seeing the change in the +position in the chase. They had, of course, foreseen the possibility +of such a movement, but had been powerless to prevent it. But they +were prepared, for on the instant one man in each canoe dropped his +paddle and, standing up, fired. It is a difficult thing to take aim +when standing in a canoe dancing under the vigorous strokes of three +paddlers. It was the more difficult since the canoes were at the +moment sweeping round to follow the movement of the chase. The three +balls whistled closely round the canoe, but no one was hit. + +The loss of three paddlers for even so short a time checked the pace +of the canoes. The Indians saw that they could not hope to overtake +their foes, whose canoe was now but a few lengths from shore. They +dropped their paddles, and each man seized his rifle. Another moment, +and the nine pieces would have poured their fire into the canoe about +fifty yards ahead of them, when from the bushes on the shore three +puffs of smoke shot out, and three of the Indians fell, one of them +upsetting his boat in his fall. A yell of surprise and dismay broke +from them, the guns were thrown down, the paddles grasped again, and +the heads of the canoes turned from the shore. The Indians in the +overturned boat did not wait to right it, but scrambled into the +other canoes, and both were soon paddling at the top of their speed +from the shore, not without further damage, for the guns in the +bushes again spoke out, and Peter and the Seneca added their fire the +instant they leaped from the boat to shore, and another of the +Indians was seen to fall. Harold was too breathless when he reached +the bank to be able to fire. He raised his gun, but his hands +trembled with the exertion that he had undergone, and the beating of +his heart and his short, panting breath rendered it impossible for +him to take a steady aim. A minute later Jake burst his way through +the bushes. + +"Ah, Massa Harold!" he exclaimed. "Bress de Lord dat we was here! +What a fright you hab giben me, to be sure! We hab been watching you +for a long time. Ephraim and de redskin dey say dey saw little spot +far out on lake, behind all dose boats; den dey say other boats set +off in chase. For a long time Jake see nothing about dat, but at last +he see dem. Den we hurry along de shore, so as to get near de place +to where de boats row; ebery moment me tink dat dey catch you up. +Ephraim say no, bery close thing, but he tink you come along first, +but dat we must shoot when dey come close. We stand watch for some +time, den Ephraim say dat you no able to get to dat point. You hab to +turn along de shore, so we change our place and run along, and sure +'nough de boat's head turns, and you come along in front of us. Den +we all shoot, and the redskins dey tumble over." + +"Well, Jake, it is fortunate indeed that you were on the spot, for +they could scarcely have missed all of us. Besides, even if we had +got to shore safely, they would have followed us, and the odds +against us would have been heavy." + +"That ar war a close shave, Peter," Ephraim said; "an all-fired close +shave I call it." + +"It war, Ephraim, and no mistake." + +"Why didn't yer head down along the lake?" + +"Because I got news that the colonists air going to attack St. John's +to-morrow, and I want to get to the fort in time to put 'em on their +guard. Besides, both sides of the lake are sure to be full of hostile +Injuns. Those canoes paddled as fast as we did, and in the long run +might have worn us out." + +"Did you have a fight on the lake two nights ago? Me and the redskin +thought we heard firing." + +"We had a skirmish with 'em," Peter said; "a pretty sharp shave it +war, too, but we managed to slip away from them. Altogether we've had +some mighty close work, I can tell yer, and I thought more than once +as we were going to be wiped out." + +While they were speaking the men had already started at a steady pace +through the woods, away from the lake, having first drawn up the +canoe and carefully concealed it. + +It was late at night when they reached Fort St. John. A message was +at once dispatched to a party of the Senecas who were at their +village, about sixteen miles away. They arrived in the morning and, +together with a portion of the garrison, moved out and took their +place in the wooded and marshy ground between the fort and the river. +Scouts were sent along the Sorrel, and these returned about one +o'clock, saying that a large number of boats were coming down the +lake from Isle-aux-Noix. It had been determined to allow the +colonists to land without resistance, as the commander of the fort +felt no doubt of his ability, with the assistance of his Indian +allies, to repulse their attack. Some twelve hundred men were landed, +and these at once began to advance toward the fort, lead by their two +generals, Schuyler and Montgomery. Scarcely had they entered the +swamp, when from every bush a fire was opened upon them. The invaders +were staggered, but pushed forward, in a weak and undecided way, as +far as a creek which intercepted their path. In vain General +Montgomery endeavored to encourage them to advance. They wavered and +soon began to fall back, and in an hour from the time of their +landing they were again gathered on the bank of the river. Here they +threw up a breastwork, and, as his numbers were greatly inferior, the +British officer in command thought it unadvisable to attack them. +After nightfall the colonists took to their boats and returned to +Isle-aux-Noix, their loss in this their first attempt at the invasion +of Canada being nine men. + +A day or two later the Indians again attempted to induce General +Carleton to permit them to cross the frontier and carry the war into +the American settlements, and upon the general's renewed refusal they +left the camp in anger and remained from that time altogether aloof +from the contest. + +St. John's was now left with only its own small garrison. Captain +Wilson was ordered to fall back with his company to Montreal, it +being considered that the garrison of St. John's was sufficient to +defend that place for a considerable time. As soon as the Indians had +marched away, having sent word to the colonists that they should take +no further part in the fight, Montgomery--who was now in command, +Schuyler having fallen sick--landed the whole of the force and +invested the fort. An American officer, Ethan Allen, had been sent +with a party to try to raise the colonists in rebellion in the +neighborhood of Chamblée. He had with him 30 Americans and was joined +by 80 Canadians. Dazzled by the success which had attended the +surprise of Ticonderoga, he thought to repeat the stroke by the +conquest of Montreal. He crossed the river in the night about three +miles below the city. Peter and some other scouts, who had been +watching his movements, crossed higher up and brought the news, and +36 men of the Twenty-sixth Regiment, Captain Wilson's company, and +200 or 300 loyal Canadians, the whole under the command of Major +Campbell, attacked Ethan Allen. He was speedily routed and, with 38 +of his men, taken prisoner. The siege of St. John's made but little +progress. The place was well provisioned, and the Americans encamped +in the low, swampy ground around it suffered much from ill health. +The men were mutinous and insolent, the officers incapable and +disobedient. So far the invasion of Canada, of which such great +things had been hoped by the Americans, appeared likely to turn out a +complete failure. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +QUEBEC. + +General Carleton, seeing that Montgomery's whole force was retained +idle before St. John's, began to hope that the winter would come to +his assistance before the invaders had made any serious progress. +Unfortunately he had not reckoned on the utter incapacity of the officer +in command of Fort Chamblée. Major Stopford of the Seventh Regiment had +160 men and a few artillerymen, and the fort was strong and well +provided with provisions. American spies had found the inhabitants +around the place favorable to the Americans. Major Brown was sent down +by Montgomery with a small detachment, and, being joined by the +inhabitants, sat down before the fort. They had only two six-pounders, +and could have effected nothing had the fort been commanded by a man of +bravery and resources. Such was not the character of its commander, who, +after a siege of only a day and a half, surrendered the place with all +its stores, which were of inestimable value to the invaders, who were +upon the edge of giving up the siege of the fort; their ammunition being +entirely exhausted; but the six tons of gunpowder, the seventeen cannon, +mortars, and muskets which fell into their hands enabled them to carry +on the siege of St. John's with renewed vigor. There was no excuse +whatever for the conduct of Major Stopford in allowing these stores to +fall into the hands of the Americans; as, even had he not possessed the +courage to defend the fort, he might, before surrendering, have thrown +the whole of the ammunition into the river, upon which there was a safe +sally-port, where he could have carried on the operation entirely +unmolested by the enemy. The colors of the Seventh Regiment were +captured and sent to Congress as the first trophy of the war. + +The siege of St. John's was now pushed on by Montgomery with vigor. +Colonel Maclean, with 800 Indians and Canadians, attempted to relieve +it, crossing the St. Lawrence in small boats. On nearing the other bank, +they were received by so heavy a fire by the Americans posted there that +they were obliged to retire without effecting a landing. Provisions and +ammunition were now running short in St. John's, there was no hope +whatever of relief from the outside, and the officer commanding was +therefore obliged to surrender on November 14, after a gallant defense. + +As there were only some fifty or sixty regulars in Montreal, General +Carleton was unable to defend that town, and, upon the news of the fall +of St. John's, he at once retired to Quebec, and Montreal was occupied +by the Americans. In the meantime another expedition had been dispatched +by the Americans under Arnold. This officer, with 1500 men, had started +for Quebec from a point 130 miles north of Boston. Suffering enormous +fatigue and hardship, the force made its way up the river; past rapids, +cataracts, and through swamps they dragged and carried their boats and +stores. They followed the bed of the river up to its source, and then, +crossing the watershed, descended the Chaudière and Duloup rivers on to +the St. Lawrence, within a few miles of Quebec. + +This was a wonderful march--one scarcely equaled in the annals of +military history. Crossing the St. Lawrence in canoes, Arnold encamped +with his little force upon the heights of Abraham. Such a daring +attempt could not have been undertaken had not the Americans been aware +of the extreme weakness of the garrison at Quebec, which consisted only +of 50 men of the Seventh Regiment, 240 of the Canadian militia, a +battalion of seamen from the ships-of-war, under the command of Captain +Hamilton of the _Lizard_, 250 strong, and the colonial volunteers, +under Colonel Maclean. + +The fortifications were in a ruinous condition. It was fortunate that +Colonel Maclean, who had come from the Sorrel, upon the surrender of St. +John's, by forced marches, arrived on the very day on which Arnold +appeared before the city. Directly he arrived Arnold attacked the city +at the gate of St. Louis, but was sharply repulsed. He then desisted +from active operations and awaited the arrival of Montgomery, who was +marching down from Montreal. The flotilla in which Carleton was +descending the river was attacked by the Americans, who came down the +Sorrel, and was captured, with all the troops and military stores which +it was bringing down. General Carleton himself escaped in a small boat +under cover of night, and reached Quebec. + +Captain Wilson's company had been attached to the command of Colonel +Maclean, and with it arrived in Quebec in safety. + +Upon the arrival of Montgomery with his army the city was summoned to +surrender. A strong party in the town were favorable to the invaders, +but General Carleton treated the summons with contempt, and turned +all the inhabitants who refused to join in the defense of the city +outside the town. + +The winter had now set in in earnest, and the difficulties of the +besiegers were great. Arnold's force had been much weakened by the +hardships that they had undergone, Montgomery's by desertions; the +batteries which they erected were overpowered by the fire of the +defenders, and the siege made no progress whatever. The men became +more and more disaffected and mutinous. Many of them had nearly served +the time for which they had enlisted, and Montgomery feared that they +would leave him when their engagement came to an end. He in vain +tempted the besieged to make a sally. Carleton was so certain that +success would come by waiting that he refused to allow himself to +hazard it by a sortie. + +The weather was fighting for him, and the besiegers had before them only +the alternatives of taking the place by storm or abandoning the siege +altogether. They resolved upon a storm. It was to take place at daybreak +on December 31. Montgomery determined to make four attacks--two false +and two real ones. Colonel James Livingstone, with 200 Canadians, was to +appear before St. John's gate, and a party under Colonel Brown were to +feign a movement against the upper town, and from high ground there were +to send up rockets as the signal for the real attacks to commence--that +led by Montgomery from the south and that under Arnold from the +northwest--both against the lower town. + +The false attacks were made too soon, the rockets being fired half an +hour before the main columns reached their place of attack. The British +were not deceived; but, judging these attacks to be feints, left but a +small party to oppose them and marched the bulk of their forces down +toward the lower town. Their assistance, however, came too late, for, +before they arrived, the fate of the attack was already decided. The +Americans advanced under circumstances of great difficulty. A furious +wind, with cutting hail, blew in their faces; the ground was slippery +and covered with snow. + +Half an hour before the English supports arrived on the spot Montgomery, +with his leading company, reached the first barricade, which was +undefended; passing through this, they pressed on toward the next. The +road leading to it was only wide enough for five or six persons abreast. +On one side was the river, on the other a steep cliff; in front was a +log hut with loop-holes for musketry, and a battery of two +three-pounders. It was held by a party of 30 Canadians and 8 militiamen +under John Coffin, with 9 sailors under Bairnsfeather, the captain of +the transport, to work the guns. Montgomery, with 60 men, pushed on at a +run to carry the battery; but, when within fifty yards Bairnsfeather +discharged his pieces, which were loaded with grape-shot, with deadly +aim. Montgomery, his aid-de-camp Macpherson, Lieutenant Cheeseman, and +10 others fell dead at the first discharge, and with them the soul of +the expedition fled. The remaining officers endeavored to get the men to +advance, but none would do so, and they fell back without losing another +man. So completely cowed were they that they would not even carry off +the bodies of their general and his companions. These were brought into +Quebec next day and buried with the honors of war by the garrison. + +The force under Arnold was far stronger than that under Montgomery. The +Canadian guard appointed to defend the first barrier fled at the +approach, but the small body of sailors fought bravely and were all +killed or wounded. Arnold was shot through the leg and disabled. Morgan, +who commanded the advanced companies, led his men on and carried the +second barrier after an obstinate resistance. They were attacking the +third when Maclean with his men from the upper town arrived. The British +then took the offensive, and drove the enemy back, and a party, going +round, fell upon their rear. Fifty were killed in Arnold's column, 400 +taken prisoners, and the rest retreated in extreme disorder. + +Thus ended the assault upon Quebec--an assault which was all but +hopeless from the first, but in which Americans showed but little valor +and determination. In fact, throughout the war, it may be said that the +Americans, when fighting on the defensive behind trees and +intrenchments, fought stubbornly; but that they were feeble in attack +and wholly incapable of standing against British troops in the open. + +It would now have been easy for Carleton to have sallied out and taken +the offensive, but he preferred holding Quebec quietly. He might have +easily driven the Americans from their position before the walls; but, +with the handful of troops under his orders, he could have done nothing +toward carrying on a serious campaign in the open. + +Until spring came, and the rivers were opened, no re-enforcements could +reach him from England, while the Americans could send any number of +troops into Canada. Carleton, therefore, preferred to wait quietly +within the walls of Quebec, allowing the winter, hardships, and disunion +to work their natural effects upon the invaders. + +Arnold sent to Washington to demand 10,000 more troops, with siege +artillery. Several regiments were sent forward, but artillery could not +be spared. Eight regiments entered Canada, but they found that, instead +of meeting, as they had expected, an enthusiastic reception from the +inhabitants, the population was now hostile to them. The exactions of +the invading army had been great, and the feeling in favor of the +English was now all but universal. + +On May 5 two frigates and a sloop-of-war made their way up the river +to Quebec. The Americans endeavored to embark their sick and +artillery above the town. Re-enforced by the marines, the garrison +sallied out and attacked the enemy, who fled with precipitation, +leaving their provisions, cannon, five hundred muskets, and two +hundred sick behind them. The British pursued them until they reached +the mouth of the Sorrel. + +The arrival of the fleet from England brought news of what had taken +place since Captain Wilson's company had marched from Boston, a short +time after the battle of Bunker's Hill. Immediately after the battle the +colonists had sent two deputies, Penn and Lee, with a petition to +Parliament for the restoration of peace. This petition was supported by +a strong body in Parliament. The majority, however, argued that, from +the conduct of the Americans, it was clear that they aimed at +unconditional, unqualified, and total independence. In all their +proceedings they had behaved as if entirely separated from Great +Britain. Their professions and petition breathed peace and moderation; +their actions and preparations denoted war and defiance; every attempt +that could be made to soften their hostility had been in vain; their +obstinacy was inflexible; and the more England had given in to their +wishes, the more insolent and overbearing had their demands become. The +stamp tax had been repealed, but their ill will had grown rather than +abated. The taxations on imports had been entirely taken off save on one +small item; but, rather than pay this, they had accumulated arms and +ammunition, seized cannon belonging to the king, and everywhere prepared +for armed resistance. Only two alternatives remained for the British +nation to adopt--either to coerce the colonists to submission or to +grant them their entire independence. + +These arguments were well founded. The concessions which had been made +had but encouraged the colonists to demand more. No good whatever would +have come from entering into negotiation; there remained but the two +alternatives. It would have been far better had Parliament, instead of +deciding on coercion, withdrawn altogether from the colonies, for +although hitherto the Americans had shown no great fighting qualities, +it was clear that so small an army as England could spare could not +permanently keep down so vast a country if the people were determined +upon independence. They might win every battle,--might overpower every +considerable force gathered against them,--but they could only enforce +the king's authority over a mere fractional portion of so great an area. +England, however, was unaccustomed to defeat; her spirit in those days +was proud and high; and by a large majority Parliament voted for the +continuance of the war. The next step taken was one unworthy of the +country. It tended still further to embitter the war, and it added to +the strength of the party in favor of the colonists at home. Attempts +were made by the government to obtain the services of large numbers of +foreign troops. Negotiations were entered into with Russia, Holland, +Hesse, and other countries. Most of these proved ineffectual, but a +considerable number of troops was obtained from Hesse. + +The news of these proceedings excited the Americans to renewed efforts. +The force under Washington was strengthened, and he took possession of +Dorchester Heights, commanding the town of Boston. A heavy cannonade +was opened on the city. The British guns answered it, but the American +position gave them an immense advantage. General Howe, who was in +command, at first thought of attempting to storm the heights, but the +tremendous loss sustained at the battle of Bunker's Hill deterred him +from the undertaking. His supineness during the past four months had +virtually lost the American colonies to England. He had under his +command 8000 troops, who could have routed, with ease, the +undisciplined levies of Washington. Instead of leading his men out +against the enemy, he had suffered them to be cooped up for months in +the city, and had failed to take possession of the various heights +commanding the town. Had he done this Boston might have resisted a +force many times as strong as that which advanced against it, and there +was now nothing left for the English but to storm the heights with +enormous loss or to evacuate the city. + +The first was the alternative which had been chosen when the Americans +seized Bunker's Hill; the second was that which was now adopted. + +Having adopted this resolution, Howe carried it out in a manner which +would in itself be sufficient to condemn him as a military leader. +Nothing was done to destroy the vast stores of arms and ammunition, and +two hundred and fifty pieces of cannon were left for the colonists to +use against England. No steps were taken to warn ships arriving from +England of the surrender of the town. The consequence was that, in +addition to the vast amount of stores captured in the town, numbers of +the British storeships fell into the hands of the Americans--among them +a vessel which, in addition to carbines, bayonets, gun-carriages, and +other stores, had on board more than seventy tons of powder, while +Washington's whole stock was all but exhausted. + +But worse even than this hurried and unnecessary abandonment of vast +munitions of war was the desertion of the loyalist population. Boston +was full of loyalists, among whom were many of the wealthier and +better-born persons in the colony, who, from the commencement of the +troubles had left their homes, their fortunes, and their families to +rally round the standard of their sovereign. The very least that Howe +could have done for these loyal men would have been to have entered into +some terms of capitulation with Washington, whereby they might have been +permitted to depart to their homes and to the enjoyment of their +property. Nothing of the sort was attempted, and the only choice offered +to a loyalist was to remain in the town, exposed to certain insult and +ill treatment, perhaps to death, at the hands of the rebels, or to leave +in the transports for England or Halifax and to be landed here penniless +and starving. + +Howe's conduct in this was on a piece with his behavior throughout the +campaign; but he was little, if at all, inferior to the other generals, +who vied with each other in incapacity and folly. Never in the whole +history of England were her troops led by men so inefficient, so +sluggish, and so incapable as those who commanded her armies in the +American Revolutionary War. + +The first ships from England which arrived at Quebec were followed, a +few days later, by the _Niger_ and _Triton_, convoy transports, with +troops. The British now took the offensive in earnest. From the west +Captain Forster marched from Detroit, with 40 men of the Eighth +Regiment, 100 Canadians, and some Indians, against a pass called the +Cedars, situated fifteen leagues above Montreal. This was held by 400 +men with two cannon. As soon as the British force opened fire the +Americans surrendered. The following day Forster's force, advancing, +came upon 140 men under Major Sherbourne, who were marching to +re-enforce the garrison at the Cedars. These were forced to retreat and +100 of them taken prisoners. + +Arnold, with 700 men, advanced against the British force. The British +officer, fearing that in case of an attack the Indians with him might +massacre the prisoners, released the whole of them, 474 in number, under +the promise that an equal number of British prisoners should be +returned. This engagement was shamefully broken by the Americans, who +raised a number of frivolous excuses, among others that prisoners taken +by the British were ill treated--an accusation which excited the +indignation of the prisoners themselves, some of whom wrote to members +of Congress, stating that nothing could be kinder or more courteous than +the treatment which they received. + +While Forster was advancing toward Montreal from the west, Carleton +was moving up against the Americans at Sorrel from Quebec. At the +death of Montgomery, Wooster had taken the command of the main +American force. He had been succeeded by Thompson, but the latter +dying of smallpox, Sullivan took his place. The new commander +determined to take the offensive against the English, and dispatched a +force of about 2000 men to attack General Fraser, who held a post at a +place called Three Rivers. + +A Canadian peasant brought news to General Fraser of the approach of the +Americans, and as he had received re-enforcements from below he +determined to anticipate their attack. His movements were completely +successful. Some of the Americans fought well, but the rest dispersed +with but little resistance. Two hundred were killed and 150 taken +prisoners. The rest succeeded in returning to Sorrel. + +The main body of the British army now came up the river in their ships, +and, as they approached Sorrel, Sullivan broke up his camp and +retreated. At the same time Arnold, who commanded at Montreal, evacuated +the town and joined Sullivan's army at St. John's. + +Had the English pushed forward with any energy the whole of the American +army of invasion would have fallen into their hands. They were +completely broken in spirits, suffering terribly from sickness, and were +wholly incapable of making any defense. Burgoyne, who commanded the +advance of the English army, moved forward very slowly, and the +Americans were enabled to take to their boats and cross, first to +Isle-aux-Noix and then to Crown Point. An American historian, who saw +them after they landed, says: "At the sight of so much privation and +distress I wept until I had no more power to weep. I did not look into a +tent or hut in which I did not find either a dead or dying man. Of about +5000 men full half were invalids. In little more than two months they +had lost by desertion and death more than 5000 men." + +Captain Wilson and his company were not present with the advance of the +British troops. General Howe, after evacuating Boston, had sailed with +his army to Halifax, there to wait until a large body of re-enforcements +should be sent in the spring from England. General Carleton had, in his +dispatches, mentioned favorably the services which the little company of +loyalists from Boston had performed, and Lord Howe wrote requesting that +the company should be sent down by ship to Halifax, as he was about to +sail from New York to undertake operations on a large scale, and should +be glad to have with him a body of men accustomed to scouting and +acquainted with the country. Accordingly, the company was embarked in a +transport and reached Halifax early in June. On the 11th they sailed +with the army and arrived at Sandy Hook on the 29th. On July 3 the army +landed on Staten Island, opposite Long Island, and soon afterward Lord +Howe, brother of General Howe, arrived with the main army from England, +raising the total force to nearly 30,000 men. It consisted of two +battalions of light infantry, two of grenadiers, the Fourth, Fifth, +Tenth, Seventeenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-third, Twenty-seventh, +Thirty-fifth, Thirty-eighth, Fortieth, Forty-second, Forty-third, +Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty-ninth, Fifty-second, Fifty-fifth, +Sixty-third, and Sixty-fourth regiments of foot, part of the Forty-sixth +and Seventy-first regiments, and the Seventeenth Regiment of light +dragoons. There were, besides, two battalions of volunteers from New +York, each 1000 strong. Had this force arrived, as it should have done, +three months earlier, it might have achieved great things; but the delay +had enabled the Americans to make extensive preparations to meet the +coming storm. + +Lord Howe brought with him a communication from Parliament, giving him +and his brother full power to treat with the Americans on any terms +which they might think fit. Upon his arrival Lord Howe addressed a +letter to Dr. Franklin, informing him of the nature of his +communication, expressing hopes that he would find in America the same +disposition for peace that he brought with him, and requesting his aid +to accomplish the desired end. Dr. Franklin, in answer, informed Lord +Howe that, "prior to the consideration of any proposition for friendship +or peace, it would be required that Great Britain should acknowledge the +independence of America, should defray the expense of the war, and +indemnify, the colonists for all damages committed." + +After such a reply as this Lord Howe had no alternative but to commence +hostilities, which he did by landing the army in Gravesend Bay, Long +Island. The enemy offered no opposition to the landing, but retreated at +once, setting fire to all the houses and granaries, and taking up a +position on the wooded heights which commanded the line by which the +English must advance. + +The American main force, 15,000 strong, was posted on a peninsula +between Mill Creek and Wallabout Bay, and had constructed a strong line +of intrenchments across the end of the peninsula. The intrenchments were +strengthened by abattis and flanked by strong redoubts. Five thousand +remained to guard this post, and 10,000, under General Puttenham, +advanced to hold the line of wooded hills which run across the island. + +In the center of the plain, at the foot of these hills, stood the +village of Flatbush. + +The Hessian division of the British army, under General De Heister, +advanced against this, while General Clinton, with the right wing of the +English army, moved forward to attack the enemy's left. + +This force marched at nine o'clock at night on August 26; General Sir +William Howe himself accompanied it. The line of hills trended away +greatly to the left, and the enemy had neglected to secure the passes +over the hills on this flank; consequently, at nine o'clock in the +morning, the British passed the range of hills without resistance, and +occupied Bedford in its rear. Had Sir William Howe now pushed on +vigorously, the whole of Puttenham's force must have been captured. + +In the meantime the Hessians from Flatbush attacked the center of the +Americans, and after a warm engagement, routed them and drove them into +the woods with a loss of three pieces of cannon. + +On the British left General Grant also advanced, and at midnight carried +a strong pass on the enemy's left. Retiring, they held a still stronger +position further back and offered a fierce resistance until the fires at +Bedford showed that the English had obtained a position almost in their +rear, when they retreated precipitately. + +[Illustration: Sketch of the British Position on Long Island.] + +The victory was a complete one, but it had none of the consequences +which would have attended it had the English pushed forward with +energy after turning the American left. Six pieces of cannon were +captured and 2000 men killed or taken prisoners. The English lost 70 +killed and 230 wounded. + +So impetuously did the English attack that even Sir William Howe +admitted that they could have carried the intrenchments. He alleges he +did not permit them to do so, because he intended to take the position +by regular approaches and wished therefore to avoid the loss of life +which an immediate assault would have occasioned. On the 27th and 28th +regular approaches were commenced, but on the 29th, under cover of a +fog, the Americans embarked in boats and succeeded in carrying the whole +of their force, without the loss of a man, across to the mainland. + +The escape of this body of men was disgraceful in the extreme to the +English commanders. They had a great fleet at their disposal, and had +they placed a couple of frigates in the East River, between Long Island +and New York, the escape would have been impossible, and General +Washington and his army of 15,000 men must have been taken prisoners. +Whether this misfortune would have proved conclusive of the war it is +now too late to speculate; but so splendid an opportunity was never +before let slip by an English general, and the negligence was the more +inexcusable inasmuch as the fleet of boats could be seen lying alongside +of the American position. Their purpose must have been known, and they +could at any moment have been destroyed by the guns of a ship-of-war +taking up its position outside them. + +Lord Howe dispatched the American General Sullivan, who had been taken +prisoner on Long Island, to Congress, repeating his desire to treat. A +committee of three members accordingly waited on Lord Howe, who informed +them that it was the most ardent wish of the king and the government of +Great Britain to put an end to the dissatisfaction between the mother +country and the colonists. To accomplish this desire every act of +Parliament which was considered obnoxious to the colonists should +undergo a revisal, and every just cause of complaint should be removed, +if the colonists would declare their willingness to submit to the +authority of the British government. The committee replied that it was +not America which had separated herself from Great Britain, but Great +Britain had separated herself from America. The latter had never +declared herself independent until the former had made war upon her, and +even if Congress were willing to place America in her former situation, +it could not do so, as the Declaration of Independence had been made in +consequence of the congregated voice of the whole people, by whom alone +it could be abolished. The country was determined not to return under +the domination of England. + +The negotiations were therefore broken off. Lord Howe published a +declaration to the people of America, giving the answer of the committee +to his offer of reconciliation. He acquainted them with the fact that +the parent country was willing to receive into its bosom and protection +all who might be willing to return to their former obedience. In taking +this step, Lord Howe was convinced that a majority of the inhabitants of +America were still willing to enter into an accommodation of the +differences between the two powers, and the conviction was not ill +founded. The declaration, however, produced but little effect, for the +dominant section, that resolved to break off all connection with +England, had acquired the sole management of affairs, and no offers +which could possibly have been made would have been accepted by them. + +Convinced that all further negotiations would be ineffectual, Lord Howe +prepared to carry his army across from Long Island to New York, where +the American army had taken up their post after the retreat from Long +Island. The armies were separated by the East River, with a breadth of +about thirteen hundred yards. A cannonade was kept up for several days. +On September 13 some ships-of-war were brought up to cover the passage. +Washington, seeing the preparations, began to evacuate the city and to +abandon the strong intrenchments which he had thrown up. At eleven +o'clock on the morning of the 15th the men-of-war opened a heavy fire, +and Clinton's division, consisting of 4000 men in eighty-four boats, +sailed up the river, landed on Manhattan Island at a place called Kipp's +Bay, and occupied the heights of Inclenberg, the enemy abandoning their +intrenchments at their approach. General Washington rode toward Kipp's +Bay to take command of the troops stationed there, but found the men who +had been posted at the lines running away, and the brigades which should +have supported them flying in every direction, heedless of the exertions +of their generals. + +Puttenham's division of 4000 men was still in the lower city, and would +be cut off unless the British advance should be checked. Washington +therefore made the greatest efforts to rally the fugitives and to get +them to make a stand to check the advancing enemy, but in vain; for, as +soon as even small bodies of redcoats were seen advancing, they broke +and fled in panic. + +Howe, as usual, delayed giving orders for an advance, and thus permitted +the whole of Puttenham's brigade, who were cut off and must have been +taken prisoners, to escape unharmed. And thus, with comparatively little +loss, the Americans drew off, leaving behind them only a few heavy +cannon and some bayonets and stores. + +So rapid had been their flight at the approach of the English that only +fifteen were killed, two men falling on the English side. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON. + +The Americans, finding that they were not pursued, rallied from their +panic and took up a position at Harlem and Kingsbridge. So great was the +disorganization among them that had the British advanced at once they +would have taken the place with scarcely any loss, strong as it was by +nature and by the intrenchments which Washington had prepared. Great +numbers deserted, disputes broke out between the troops of the various +States, insubordination prevailed, and the whole army was utterly +disheartened by the easy victories which the British had obtained over +them. Washington reported the cowardice of his troops to Congress, who +passed a law inflicting the punishment of death for cowardice. + +Before leaving New York the Americans had made preparations for burning +the whole town, but the speediness of their retreat prevented the +preparations being carried into effect. Fire was set to it in several +places and a third of the town was destroyed. + +The position taken up by the enemy was so strong that it was determined +to operate in the rear. Some redoubts were thrown up to cover New York +during the absence of the main part of the British force. + +A portion of the British army was landed at a point threatening the +retreat of the Americans, and a series of skirmishes of no great +importance took place. The enemy fell back from their most advanced +works, but no general move was undertaken, although, as the numbers on +both sides were about even and the superior fighting powers of the +English had been amply demonstrated, there could have been no doubt as +to the result of a general battle. Lord Howe, however, wasted the time +in a series of petty movements, which, although generally successful, +had no influence upon the result and served only to enable the Americans +to recover from the utter depression which had fallen upon them after +the evacuation of Long Island and the loss of New York. + +Gradually the Americans fell back across a country so swampy and +difficult that it was now no longer possible to bring on a general +action. Their retreat had the effect of isolating the important +positions of Kingsbridge and Fort Washington. The latter post was of the +utmost importance, inasmuch as it secured the American intercourse with +the Jersey shore. The fortifications were very strong and stood upon +rising and open ground. It was garrisoned by 3000 of the best American +troops under the command of Colonel Magaw. Washington was gradually +withdrawing his army, and had already given orders that Fort Washington +should be evacuated; but General Lee, who was second in command, so +strongly urged that it should be retained that, greatly against his own +judgment, he was obliged to consent to its being defended, especially as +Colonel Magaw insisted that the fort could stand a siege. On the night +of November 14 the British passed some troops across the creek, and Lord +Howe summoned the place to surrender on pain of the garrison being put +to the sword. Magaw had upon the previous day received large numbers of +re-enforcements, and replied that he should defend the fort. Soon after +daybreak on the 16th the artillery opened on both sides. Five thousand +Hessians, under the command of General Knyphausen, moved up the hill, +penetrated some of the advanced works of the enemy, and took post within +a hundred yards of the fort. The second division, consisting of the +guards and light infantry, with two battalions of Hessians and the +Thirty-third Regiment, landed at Island Creek, and after some stiff +fighting forced the enemy from the rocks and trees up the steep and +rugged mountain. The third and fourth divisions fought their way up +through similar defenses. So steep was the hill that the assailants +could only climb it by grasping the trees and bushes, and so obstinate +was the defense that the troops were sometimes mixed up together. + +The bravery and superior numbers of the British troops bore down all +resistance, and the whole of the four divisions reached their places +round the fort. They then summoned it to surrender, and its commander, +after half an hour's consideration, seeing the impossibility of +resisting the assault which was threatened, opened the gates. + +Upon the English side about 800 men were killed and wounded, of whom the +majority were Hessians. These troops fought with extreme bravery. The +American loss, owing to their superior position, was about 150 killed +and wounded, but the prisoners taken amounted to over 3000. + +On the 18th Lord Howe landed a strong body on the Jersey shore under +Lord Cornwallis, who marched to Fort Lee and surprised it. A deserter +had informed the enemy of his approach and the garrison had fled in +disorder, leaving their tents, provisions, and military stores behind +them. Lord Cornwallis, pushing forward with great energy, drove the +Americans out of New Jersey. Another expedition occupied Rhode Island. + +Cold weather now set in and the English went into winter quarters. Their +success had been complete, without a single check, and had they been led +vigorously the army of Washington might on two occasions have been +wholly destroyed. In such a case the moderate portion of the population +of the colonies would have obtained a hearing, and a peace honorable to +both parties might have been arrived at. + +The advantage gained by the gallantry of the British troops was, +however, entirely neutralized by the lethargy and inactivity of their +general, and the colonists had time given them to recover from the alarm +which the defeat of their troops had given them, to put another army in +the field, and to prepare on a great scale for the following campaign. + +The conduct of General Howe in allowing Washington's army to retire +almost unmolested was to the officers who served under him +unaccountable. His arrangements for the winter were even more singularly +defective. Instead of concentrating his troops he scattered them over a +wide extent of country at a distance too great to support each other, +and thus left it open to the enemy to crush them in detail. + +General Howe now issued a proclamation offering a free pardon to all who +surrendered, and great numbers of colonists came in and made their +submission. Even in Philadelphia the longing for peace was so strong +that General Washington was obliged to send a force there to prevent the +town from declaring for England. + +During the operations which had taken place since the landing of the +British troops on Long Island Captain Wilson's company had taken but +little part in the operations. All had been straightforward work and +conducted on the principles of European warfare. The services of the +volunteers as scouts had not, therefore, been called into requisition. +The success which at first attended the expedition had encouraged +Captain Wilson to hope, for the first time since the outbreak of the +Revolution, that the English might obtain such decisive successes that +the colonists would be willing to accept some propositions of peace such +as those indicated by Lord Howe--a repeal of all obnoxious laws, freedom +from any taxation except that imposed by themselves, and a recognition +of the British authority. When he saw that Lord Howe, instead of +actively utilizing the splendid force at his disposal, frittered it away +in minor movements and allowed Washington to withdraw with his beaten +army unmolested, his hopes again faded, and he felt that the colonists +would in the long run succeed in gaining all that they contended for. + +When the army went into winter quarters the company was ordered to take +post on the Delaware. There were four frontier posts, at Trenton, +Bordentown, White Horse, and Burlington. Trenton, opposite to which lay +Washington with the main body of his army, was held by only 1200 +Hessians, and Bordentown, which was also on the Delaware, was, like +Trenton, garrisoned by these troops. No worse choice could have been +made. The Hessians were brave soldiers, but their ignorance of the +language and of the country made them peculiarly unsuitable troops for +outpost work, as they were unable to obtain any information. As +foreigners, too, they were greatly disliked by the country people. + +Nothing was done to strengthen these frontier posts, which were left +wholly without redoubts or intrenchments into which the garrison could +withdraw in case of attack. + +Captain Wilson's little company were to act as scouts along the line of +frontier. Their headquarters were fixed at Bordentown, where Captain +Wilson obtained a large house for their use. Most of the men were at +home at work of this kind, and Peter Lambton, Ephraim, and the other +frontiersmen were dispatched from time to time in different directions +to ascertain the movements and intentions of the enemy. Harold asked +his father to allow him, as before, to accompany Peter. The inactivity +of a life at a quiet little station was wearisome, and with Peter he +was sure of plenty of work, with a chance of adventure. The life of +exercise and activity which he had led for more than a year had +strengthened his muscles and widened his frame, and he was now able to +keep up with Peter, however long and tiresome the day's work might be. +Jake, too, was of the party. He had developed into an active soldier, +and although he was but of little use for scouting purposes, even Peter +did not object to his accompanying him, for the negro's unfailing good +temper and willingness to make himself useful had made him a favorite +with the scout. + +The weather was now setting in exceedingly cold. The three men had more +than once crossed the Delaware in a canoe and scouted in the very heart +of the enemy's country. They were now sitting by the bank, watching some +drifting ice upon the river. + +"There won't be many more passages of the river by water," Peter +remarked. "Another ten days, and it'll be frozen across." + +"Then we can cross on foot, Peter." + +"Yes, we can do that," the scout said, "and so can the enemy. Ef their +general has got any interprise with him, and ef he can get them chaps as +he calls soldiers to fight, he'll be crossing over one of these nights +and capturing the hull of them Hessians at Trenton. What General Howe +means by leaving 'em there is more nor I can think; he might as well +have sent so many babies. The critters can fight, and fight well, too, +and they're good soldiers; but what's the good of 'em in a frontier +post? They know nothing of the country; they can't speak to the people, +nor ask no questions, nor find out nothing about what's doing the other +side of the river. They air no more than mere machines. What was wanted +was two or three battalions of light troops, who would make friends with +the country people and larn all that's doing opposite. If the Americans +are sharp they'll give us lots of trouble this winter, and you'll find +there won't be much sitting quiet for us at Bordentown. Fortunately +Bordentown and Trenton aint far apart, and one garrison ought to be able +to arrive to the assistance of the other before it's overpowered. We +shall see. Now, I propose that we cross again to-night and try and find +out what the enemy's doing. Then we can come back and manage for you to +eat your Christmas dinner with yer father, as you seem to have bent yer +mind upon that, though why it matters about dinner one day more than +another is more nor I can see." + +That night the three scouts crossed the river in the canoe. Avoiding all +houses, they kept many miles straight on beyond the river and lay down +for a few hours before morning dawned; then they turned their faces the +other way and walked up to the first farmhouse they saw. + +"Can we have a drink of milk?" the hunter asked. + +"You can," the farmer replied, "and some breakfast if you like to pay +for it. At first I was glad to give the best I had to those who came +along, but there have been such numbers going one way and the other, +either marching to join the army or running away to return to their +homes, that I should be ruined if I gave to all comers." + +"We're ready to pay," Peter said, drawing some money from his pocket. + +"Then come in and sit down." + +In a few minutes an excellent breakfast was put before them. + +"You are on your way to join the army, of course?" the farmer asked. + +"Jest that," Peter replied. "We think it's about our time to do a little +shooting, though I don't suppose there'll be much done till the spring." + +"I don't know," the farmer said. "I should not be surprised if the +general wakes up them Germans when the Delaware gets frozen. I heard +some talk about it from some men who came past yesterday. Their time was +expired, they said, and they were going home. I hear, too, that they are +gathering a force down near Mount Holly, and I reckon that they are +going to attack Bordentown." + +"Is that so?" Peter asked. "In that case we might as well tramp in that +direction. It don't matter a corn-shuck to us where we fight, so as it's +soon. We've come to help lick these British, and we means to do it." + +"Ah!" the farmer said, "I have heard that sentiment a good many times, +but I have not seen much come of it yet. So far, it seems to me as the +licking has been all the other way." + +"That's so," Peter agreed. "But everyone knows that the Americans are +just the bravest people on the face of the habitable arth. I reckon +their dander's not fairly up yet; but when they begin in arnest you'll +see what they'll do." + +The farmer gave a grunt which might mean anything. He had no strong +sympathies either way, and the conduct of the numerous deserters and +disbanded men who had passed through his neighborhood had been far from +impressing him favorably. + +"I don't pretend to be strong either for the Congress or the king. I +don't want to be taxed, but I don't see why the colonists should not pay +something toward the expenses of the government; and now that Parliament +seems willing to give all we ask for, I don't see what we want to go on +fighting for." + +"Waal!" Peter exclaimed in a tone of disgust, "you're one of the +half-hearted ones." + +"I am like the great majority of the people of this country. We are of +English stock and we don't want to break with the Old Country; but the +affairs have got into the hands of the preachers, and the newspaper men, +and the chaps that want to push themselves forward and make their pile +out of the war. As I read it, it's just the civil war in England over +again. We were all united at the first against what we considered as +tyranny on the part of the Parliament, and now we have gone setting up +demands which no one dreamed of at first and which most of us object to +now, only we have no longer the control of our own affairs." + +"The great heart of this country beats for freedom," Peter Lambton said. + +"Pooh!" said the farmer contemptuously. "The great heart of the country +wants to work its farms and do its business quietly. The English general +has made fair offers, which might well be accepted; and as for freedom, +there was no tyranny greater than that of the New England States. As +long as they managed their own affairs there was neither freedom of +speech nor religion. No, sir; what they call freedom was simply the +freedom to make everyone else do and think like the majority." + +"Waal, we won't argue it out," Peter said, "for I'm not good at +argument, and I came here to fight and not to talk. Besides, I want +to get to Mount Holly in time to jine in this battle, so I guess +we'll be moving." + +Paying for the breakfast, they started at once in the direction of Mount +Holly, which lay some twenty-five miles away. As they approached the +place early in the afternoon they overtook several men going in the same +direction. They entered into conversation with them, but could only +learn that some 450 of the militia from Philadelphia and the counties of +Gloucester and Salem had arrived on the spot. The men whom they had +overtaken were armed countrymen who were going to take a share in the +fight on their own account. + +Entering the place with the others, Peter found that the information +given him was correct. + +"We better be out of this at once," he said to Harold, "and make for +Bordentown." + +"You don't think that there is much importance in the movement," Harold +said as they tramped along. + +"There aint no importance whatever," Peter said, "and that's what I want +to tell 'em. They're never thinking of attacking the two thousand +Hessians at Bordentown with that ragged lot." + +"But what can they have assembled them for within twelve miles of the +place?" Harold asked. + +"It seems to me," the hunter replied, "that it's jest a trick to draw +the Germans out from Bordentown and so away from Trenton. At any rate, +it's well that the true account of the force here should be known. +These things gets magnified, and they may think that there's a hull +army here." + +It was getting dusk when they entered Bordentown, and Harold was glad +when he saw the little town, for since sunset on the evening before they +had tramped nearly sixty miles. The place seemed singularly quiet. They +asked the first person they met what had become of the troops, and they +were told that Colonel Donop, who commanded, had marched an hour before +with his whole force of 2000 men toward Mount Holly, leaving only 80 men +in garrison at Bordentown. + +"We are too late," Harold said. "They have gone by the road and we kept +straight through the woods and so missed them." + +"Waal, I hope no harm 'ill come of it. I suppose they mean to attack at +daylight, and in course that rabble will run without fighting. I hope, +when the colonel sees as how thar's no enemy ther worth speaking of, +he'll march straight back again." + +Unfortunately this was not the case. The militia, according to their +orders, at once dispersed when their outposts told them of the approach +of the British, but the German officer, instead of returning instantly, +remained for two days near Mount Holly, and so gave time to Washington +to carry out his plans. + +Captain Wilson's company had gone out with the force, and Peter and his +companions had the house to themselves that night. Harold slept late, +being thoroughly fatigued by his long march the day before, carrying his +rifle, blanket, and provisions. Peter woke him at last. + +"Now, young un, you've had a good sleep; it's eleven o'clock. I'm off to +Trenton to see what's doing there. Will you go with me, or will you stop +here on the chance of eating your dinner with your father?" + +"Oh, it's Christmas Day," Harold said, stretching. "Well, what do you +think, Peter--are they likely to come back or not?" + +"They ought to be back, there's no doubt about that, but whether they +will or not is a different affair altogether. I've never seed them hurry +themselves yet, not since the war began; things would have gone a good +deal better if they had; but time never seems of no consequence to them. +They marched twelve miles last night, and I reckon it's likely they'll +halt to-day and won't be back till to-morrow. I feel oneasy in my mind +about the whole affair, for I can't see a single reason for the enemy +sending that weak force to Mount Holly, unless it was to draw away the +troops from here, and the only motive there could be for that would be +because they intended to attack Trenton." + +"Very well, Peter, I will go with you." + +Accompanied by Jake they set out at once for Trenton. On arriving there +they found no particular signs of vigilance. Since the Hessians had +reached Trenton their discipline had much relaxed. A broad river +separated them from the enemy, who were known to be extremely +discontented and disorganized. They had received instruction on no +account to cross the river to attack the colonials, and the natural +consequence of this forced inactivity had manifested itself. Discipline +was lax, and but a slight watch was kept on the movements of the enemy +across the stream. Ignorant of the language of the people, they were +incapable of distinguishing between those who were friendly and those +who were hostile to the Crown, and they behaved as if in a conquered +country; taking such necessaries as they required without payment, and +even sending parties to a considerable distance on plundering +expeditions. + +Peter, on his arrival, proceeded to the headquarters of Colonel Rhalle, +who was in command--an officer of great bravery and energy. One of his +officers was able to speak English, and to him Peter reported the +departure of the force from Bordentown, of which Colonel Rhalle was +already aware, and the weakness of the American force at Mount Holly. +He stated, also, his own belief that it was merely a feint to draw off +Colonel Donop, and that preparatory to an attack on Trenton. The +officer treated the information lightly, and pointing to the mass of +ice floating down the river asked whether it would be possible for +boats to cross. + +"When the river freezes," he said, "there may be some chance of attack. +Till then we are absolutely safe." + +Peter, shaking his head, rejoined his companions and told them of the +manner in which his advice had been received. + +"But it would be difficult to cross the river," Harold said. "Look at +the masses of ice on the water." + +"It would be difficult," the hunter admitted, "but not by no manner of +means impossible. Determined men could do it. Waal, I've done my duty +and can do no more. Ef the night passes off quietly we'll cross again +before daybreak and go right into the Yankee camp and see what they're +up to. Now, Harold, you can take it easy till nightfall; there's naught +to be learned till then, and as we shall be on foot all night ye may as +well sleep to-day." + +Returning to a spot on the banks of the river at a short distance from +the town, they made a fire, on which Jake cooked some steaks of +venison they had procured. After smoking a pipe, the hunter set the +example by stretching himself on the ground near the fire and going to +sleep. Used as he was to night marches, he had acquired the faculty of +going to sleep at any hour at will. Jake and Harold were some time +before they followed his example, but they too were at last asleep. At +sunset they were on their feet again, and after taking supper +proceeded along the river. + +The night passed off quietly, and Harold became convinced that his +companion's fears were unfounded. Toward morning he suggested that it +was time to be crossing the river. + +"I'm not going yet," the hunter said. "Before I start we'll go down to +Trenton Ferry, a mile below the town. Ef they come over at all, it's +likely enough to be there. There'll be time then to get back and cross +before it's light; It's six o'clock now." + +They kept along the road by the river until they were within a quarter +of a mile of the ferry. Presently they saw a dark mass ahead. + +"Jerusalem!" Peter exclaimed. "There they are." + +They immediately discharged their rifles and ran back at full speed to +the outposts, which were but a quarter of a mile from the town. The +Americans had also pressed forward at full speed, and the outposts, who +had been alarmed by the discharge of the rifles, were forced at once to +abandon the post and to run into the town, whither they had, on hearing +the rifles, already sent in one of their number with the news. Here all +was in confusion. The Hessian leader was trying to collect his troops, +who were hurrying in from their quarters, but many of them thought more +of storing their plunder away in the wagons than of taking their places +in the ranks. + +Washington had crossed with 2500 men and a few field-pieces, and upon +gaining the Jersey side had divided his troops into two detachments, one +of which marched by the river side, the other by an upper road. Hurrying +forward they surrounded the town, and placing their field-pieces in the +road, opened fire on the astonished Hessians. Rhalle had by this time +succeeded in assembling the greater part of his force and charged the +Americans with his usual courage. He received, however, a mortal wound +as he advanced. His troops immediately lost heart, and finding their +retreat cut off at once surrendered. A body of Hessian light horse +succeeded in making their escape. The casualties were few on either +side, but 1000 prisoners were taken. Two other divisions of the +Americans had attempted to cross, the one at Bordentown, the other at +Mackenzie's Ferry, but both had failed, owing to the quantity of +floating ice. Washington retired across the Delaware the same afternoon. + +The consequences of this success were great. The spirits of the +Americans, which had fallen to the lowest ebb in consequence of the +uninterrupted series of defeats, rose greatly. They found that the +British were not invincible, and that, if unable to oppose them in great +battles, they might at least inflict heavy losses on them and weary them +out with skirmishes and surprises. The greatest joy reigned throughout +the various States; fresh levies were ordered; the voices of the +moderate party, which had been gaining strength, were silenced, and the +determination to continue the war vigorously was in the ascendency. + +The lesson given at Trenton was wholly lost upon the English +commander-in-chief. Instead of at once ordering General Leslie to +advance from Princeton and to hold the enemy in check by reoccupying and +fortifying Trenton, he allowed Colonel Donop to abandon Bordentown and +to fall back to Princeton--thus laying it open to Washington to cross +the Delaware again and carry the war into New Jersey. Washington, after +waiting eight days, seeing the indecision and ineptitude of the British +general, again crossed with 4000 men and occupied Trenton. + +Peter Lambton and his two companions were not among the prisoners +taken at Trenton. On entering the town Harold was about to join the +Hessians assembling under Colonel Rhalle, but Peter gave a violent tug +to his coat. + +"Come along, young un!" he said. "The darned fools have let themselves +be caught in a trap and they'll find there's no way out of it. In ten +minutes the Americans will be all round the place, and as I don't wish +to spend a year or two in a Yankee prison at present, I'm going to make +tracks at once. Fighting aren't no good now. Men who'll let 'emselves +be caught in a trap like this'll never be able to cut their way out of +it. Come on!" + +Much against his will Harold yielded to Peter's wishes, and the three +kept straight on through the town by the river side and issued into the +country beyond before the Americans had surrounded it. A minute or two +after leaving the town the light horse galloped past. + +"There are some more out of the hole, and I reckon that's about all. +There, do you hear the guns? The Yanks have brought their artillery +over--I reckon the fight won't last long." + +For two or three minutes there was a roar of musketry; then this +suddenly ceased. + +"I thought as much," Peter said. "They've surrendered. If they had only +kept together and fought well, they should have cut their way through +the enemy. Lord! what poor things regular soldiers are in the dark! A +frontiersman would just as soon fight in the dark as in the light; but +here are the men who climbed up the hill to Fort Washington--and that +was no child's play--no better nor a pack of women when they're attacked +half-asleep and half-awake, just as day is breaking." + +The three comrades walked to Bordentown, which, they were relieved to +find, had not been attacked. A few miles beyond this place they met +Colonel Donop marching back at full speed with his corps, having +received the news of the disaster at Trenton from the horsemen who had +fled. They joined their company and marched to Princeton. + +A fortnight later Lord Cornwallis, with the forces at Brunswick, under +General Grant, advanced to Princeton and then moved forward to attack +the army at Trenton. General Washington on his approach retired from the +town and, crossing a rivulet at the back of it, took post on some high +ground there, with the apparent intention of defending himself against +an attack. It was late in the afternoon, and a heavy cannonade was kept +up till night-time. Lord Cornwallis determined to attack next morning. +At two in the morning Washington retired suddenly, leaving his fires +burning. Quitting the main road he made a long circuit through Allentown +and marched with all speed toward Princeton, which place he intended to +surprise. When Lord Cornwallis advanced he had left the Seventeenth, +Fortieth, and Fifty-fifth regiments there. + +On arriving at Trenton he had sent word back for the Seventeenth and +Fifty-fifth to advance to Maidenhead, a village halfway between +Princeton and Trenton. Colonel Mawhood, who commanded, marched at +daylight, but scarcely had he started when he met Washington advancing +with his army. The morning was foggy, and it was at first supposed that +the enemy were a body of British troops marching back to Princeton, but +it was soon found that the force was a hostile one. Its strength could +not be seen on account of the fog, and he determined to engage it. +Possessing himself of some high ground, he sent his wagons back to +Princeton and ordered the Fortieth Regiment to come out to his +assistance. + +As the Americans advanced, the artillery on both sides opened fire. The +leading columns of the colonists soon showed signs of disorder. The +Seventeenth Regiment fixed bayonets and with great gallantry charged the +enemy in front of them, driving them back with considerable slaughter; +and so far did they advance that they were separated from the other +battalions, and cutting their way through the American force the +regiment pursued its march to Maidenhead. The Fortieth and Fifty-fifth +fought stoutly, but were unable to make their way through the American +force, and fell back to Brunswick, while the Americans occupied +Princeton. At daybreak Lord Cornwallis discovered the retreat of the +American army, and being apprehensive for the safety of Brunswick, where +great stores of the army were accumulated, marched with all haste toward +that town. + +Brigadier Matthew, the officer commanding there, on hearing of the +approach of the enemy, at once dispatched the store wagons toward the +rear and drew up his small command to defend the place to the last. The +gallant resistance before Princeton had delayed the Americans so long +that the van of the army of Cornwallis was already close to their rear +as they approached Brunswick. Seeing this, Washington abandoned his +design on that town and crossed the Millstone River, breaking down the +bridge at Kingston to stop pursuit. + +Washington now overran East and West Jersey, penetrated into Essex +County, and making himself master of the country opposite to Staten +Island, thus regained almost all the district which the English had +taken from him in the autumn. + +All this greatly heightened the spirit and courage of the Americans, +while the loyalists and the English troops were disheartened and +disgusted at seeing an army of 30,000 fine troops kept inactive, while +the enemy, with but 4000 men, who were wholly incapable of opposing an +equal number of English troops, were allowed to wander unchecked, to +attack and harass the English pickets, and to utilize the whole of the +resources of their country. Had General Howe entertained a fixed desire +to see English authority overthrown in America he could not have acted +in a manner more calculated to carry those wishes into effect. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +A TREACHEROUS PLANTER. + +It must not be supposed that the whole of the time was spent in scouting +and fighting. Between the armies lay a band of no man's land. Here, as +elsewhere, the people of the country were divided in their opinions, but +generally made very little display of these, whatever they might be. It +is true that, as a rule, non-combatants were but little interfered with; +still, a warm and open display of sympathy with one side or the other +was likely to be attended by the loss of cattle and damage to crops when +the other party got the upper hand. In some other States feeling ran +much higher. In the Carolinas the royalists were most cruelly +persecuted. Their property was destroyed and they were, in many cases, +shot down without mercy; but generally, throughout the colonies, a +considerable latitude of opinion was allowed. This was especially so in +the zone between the armies in the Jerseys. None could tell what the +positions of the armies a week hence might be, and any persecution +inflicted by the one party might lead to retaliation upon a shift of +positions a few weeks later. A general toleration therefore reigned. + +Next to Peter Lambton, Harold's greatest friend in the corps was a young +man named Harvey. He was of good family and belonged to New York. Being +a strong loyalist, he had, like many other gentlemen, enlisted for +service under the old flag. He had, naturally, many acquaintances among +the county families, and Harold often accompanied him in his visits to +one or other of them. + +During the winter, when things were quiet, the duties of the scouts were +light, and it was the habit among them that one-third should be on +outpost duty at a time, the rest being free to move about as they liked. +The scouts had no fixed order of position. They went out alone or in +twos or threes, as it pleased them, their duty simply being to watch +everything that was going on along the enemy's line of outposts, to +bring the earliest news of any intended movements, and to prevent +dashing parties of the enemy's horsemen from making raids into or behind +the British lines. They were not, of course, expected to check bodies of +cavalry starting on a raid, but simply to obtain information of their +having left their lines and of the direction taken, and then to hurry +back to the British posts, whence a force of cavalry would be sent out +to intercept or check the invaders. Many dashing exploits were performed +by the cavalry on both sides in the way of getting behind their +opponents' quarters, cutting off provision trains, attacking small +posts, and carrying off straggling parties. + +One of the houses to which Harold used most frequently to accompany his +friend Harvey was situated nearly halfway between the rival armies, and +was about eight miles from either. The owner--Mr. Jackson--was a man of +considerable wealth, and the house was large and well appointed. He had, +before the troubles began, a fine business as a lawyer in New York; but, +as the outbreak of hostilities put a stop to all business of a legal +kind in that city, he had retired to his country house. Although himself +born in England, he professed to be entirely neutral, but his family +were undisguisedly loyal. It consisted of his wife and two daughters, +girls of seventeen and eighteen years old. + +When the English army advanced to the neighborhood of his property Mr. +Jackson was always ready to offer his hospitality to the officers of the +corps which might be stationed near him, and he similarly opened his +house to the Americans when they, in turn, advanced as the British +turned back. Being, as he always made a point of saying, perfectly +neutral in the struggle, he was glad to meet gentlemen, irrespective of +the opinions they held. The line taken by Mr. Jackson was the one which +was very largely pursued among the inhabitants of the country houses and +farms scattered over what was, throughout the war, a debatable land. So +frequent were the changes of the position of the armies that none could +say who might be in possession in a week's time, and it was, therefore, +an absolute necessity for those who wished to live unmolested to abstain +from any stronger show of partisanship. + +As is always the case in struggles of this kind, the female population +were more enthusiastic in their partisanship and more pronounced in +their opinions than the men; and although, upon the arrival of a troop +of cavalry or a detachment of foot belonging to the other side, the +master of the house would impartially offer what hospitality he was +capable of, it was not difficult to perceive, by the warmth or coldness +of the female welcome, what were the private sentiments of the family. + +Harold was not long in discovering, from the frequency with which Harvey +proposed an excursion to the Jacksons' and from his conduct there, that +Isabelle, the eldest daughter, was the object which mainly attracted +him. The families had long been friends, and Harvey, although now +serving as a simple scout, was of a position equal to her own. The +friends were always cordially received by Mr. Jackson, and Harold was +soon as intimate there as his comrade. They usually left their quarters +a little before dusk and started back late at night. Often as Mr. +Jackson pressed them to stay, they never accepted his invitation. + +The scouts, from their activity and ubiquitousness, were the +_bêtes-noirs_ of the Americans, whose most secret plans were constantly +detected and foiled by the sagacity and watchfulness of these men, whose +unerring rifles made frequent gaps in the ranks of the officers. They +therefore spared no pains, whenever there was a chance, of killing or +capturing any of these most troublesome foes, and Harvey and Harold knew +that a report of their presence at the Jacksons' would suffice to bring +a party of horsemen from the American lines. Their visits, therefore, +were always made after dark, and at irregular intervals, and, in spite +of their inclination to the contrary they made a point of returning at +night to their quarters. + +Other visitors were often present at the Jacksons', the sons and +daughters of neighbors, and there was generally music and singing, and +sometimes the young people stood up for a dance. + +The scouts wore no regular uniform, although there was a general +similarity in their attire, which was that of an ordinary backwoods +hunter. When off duty they were allowed to dress as they pleased, and at +Mr. Jackson's the two friends were attired in the ordinary dress of +colonists of position. At these little gatherings political subjects +were never discussed, and a stranger spending an evening there would not +have dreamed that the house stood between two hostile armies; that at +any moment a party of horsemen belonging to one side or other might dash +into the courtyard, and that even those laughing and talking pleasantly +together might be of opinions diametrically opposed. + +Harvey and Harold were introduced to visitors simply as friends from New +York, and, although the suspicions as to their character and position +might be strong, no one thought of asking questions. + +"I do not like that fellow Chermside," Harvey said one night, as he and +his friend were returning to their quarters. + +They were mounted; for, although when on duty the scouts worked on foot, +many of them, who were men of property, kept horses which they used when +not engaged. Harvey had two horses, and one of these was always at +Harold's service. + +"I am not surprised you don't like him," Harold replied with a laugh, +"and I imagine the dislike is mutual. When two gentlemen are paying +attentions to one young lady they seldom appreciate each other's merits +very cordially." + +"I don't think it is entirely that," Harvey laughed. "Isabella and I +understand each other, and I have no fear of his rivalry; but I do not +like him." + +"I do not think I like him myself," Harold said more seriously; "and yet +I do not know why I should not. When he has been there alone with us and +the family, he has frequently used expressions showing his strong +leaning toward the loyalists' side." + +"I don't put much faith in that," Harvey said. "He knows how strongly +Mr. Jackson and the girls lean toward the Crown, and would say anything +that he thought would please Isabelle. I have spoken to her and she +thinks that he is sincere; in fact, she has rather a good opinion of +him. However, we shall see. It was rather curious that that party of +Morgan's cavalry should have ridden up the other night and searched the +house two hours after we left. You see, we had agreed to sleep there +that night, and only changed our minds after the others had all left, +when we remembered that we were both for duty early next morning. It +might have been a coincidence, of course, but it had an ugly look. I +think Mr. Jackson thought so, too, for he did not ask us to stop +to-night; anyhow, I wish Chermside's plantation was not so near this and +that he did not drop in so often." + +A week later they paid another visit. When dinner was over Harold +was chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Harvey was sitting at the +piano, where the eldest girl was playing, and the younger was +looking out of window. + +"We are going to have another fall of snow," she said. "There is not a +star to be seen. Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. + +"What is it, my dear?" Mr. Jackson asked. + +"There is a rocket gone up from the woods." + +"A rocket!" Mr. Jackson repeated. + +"Yes, papa; there are the stars falling now." + +"That is a curious thing," Mr. Jackson said, while the others went +to the window. They stood watching for some minutes, but nothing +was to be seen. + +"I do not like that rocket," Mr. Jackson said as they left the window. +"It means something. It can only be a signal. People don't let off +rockets for amusement nowadays. Did you meet anyone on the road?" + +"No, sir," Harvey said, "not a soul." + +"I do not like it," their host repeated. "It means mischief of some sort +or other. I do not wish to seem inhospitable, but my advice to you is, +get on your horses at once and ride to your quarters. You are on duty +to-morrow, and you told me you would pass near here on your way toward +the enemy's lines. You might look in as you go past and hear whether +anything came of it. If I mistake not, we shall have another visit from +Morgan's horse this evening." + +Much against their inclination the young men followed Mr. +Jackson's advice. + +The next day they, with Peter and Jake, stopped at the house as +they passed. + +"I was right," their host said, as the two young men entered. "An hour +after you left twenty of Morgan's horse rode up here. They would not +take my word that we were alone, but searched the house from top to +bottom, and were evidently greatly disappointed at finding no one. I +have been making inquiries this morning and find that all the servants +were in the house at the time my daughter saw the rocket, so I hope that +I have no traitor here. Still, it is clear that someone must be keeping +watch over your movements." + +"Have you asked, sir," Harvey said, after a pause, "whether anyone came +after we had arrived?" + +"I do not see how anyone could come, but I will ask." + +He rang the bell and a negro servant appeared. + +"Did anyone come to the house yesterday, Caesar, after these gentleman +came--any beggar or peddler, or anyone of that sort?" + +"No, sir; no one came except Massa Chermside. He get off his horse and +ask if you, hab any visitors. I said that Massa Harvey and Massa Wilson +were here. He say he call again another night when the family alone, and +rode off." + +"Just what I expected, sir," Harvey said, when the servant left the +room. "I have always doubted that fellow's honesty." + +"Oh, nonsense!" Mr. Jackson replied. "You must be mad, Harvey. +Chermside's father was an old friend of mine, and I have known the young +fellow since he was a child. I should as soon suspect one of my own +daughters of being capable of such an act of gross treachery as laying a +plot to bring the American cavalry down upon guests of mine. The idea is +preposterous. Bless me, how amused the girls will be at your suspecting +their old playfellow!" + +"I hope I may be mistaken, sir," Harvey said, "but Harold's opinion of +him agrees with mine; and, in talking it over last night, we both put +our finger on him as the man who fired the rocket. Well, now, we must be +pushing on. We are bound for the ford where Morgan's horse must have +come over, and shall hear from our fellows there whether they rode +straight here after crossing, as, if so, there can be no doubt whatever +that the rocket was a signal." + +Upon arriving at the ford they found that Morgan's horse had only +crossed an hour before the time at which they arrived at Mr. Jackson's. +One of the scouts had instantly taken word to the nearest cavalry +outpost, but the enemy had recrossed the river before these had arrived +on the spot. + +After three days on duty at the front, the party returned to their +lines, and the next time that the young men rode out to their friends +they took with them Jake and Peter, to whom they related the +circumstances. + +The scouts proceeded on foot and separated from the others a mile before +reaching the house, having arranged that Peter should scout round it, +while Jake should proceed to the plantation of Mr. Chermside and keep a +sharp lookout there. + +They had arranged with Mr. Jackson that no mention of the rocket should +be made to anyone, however intimate with the family. + +"I am glad to see you again," the host said, as they entered the room +where the family were assembled, "although I own that these two raids of +Morgan's horse have made me uneasy. The girls have been immensely amused +at your suspicions of young Chermside." + +"How could you think such a thing?" Isabelle said. "He was here on the +following evening, and was as indignant as we were at the thought of +treachery being at work. He quite agreed with us that the coming of the +Yankees could hardly have been accidental." + +"You said nothing about the rocket, I hope?" Harvey asked. + +"No, we kept quite silent about that, as you made such a point of it; +but it seemed ridiculous with him. But I shall be in a fright, now, +every time you come." + +"We have brought two of our men with us," Harvey said, "and they are +scouting round, so we shall hear if another rocket goes up; and, even if +the person who let it up suspects that the last was seen,--as he might +do from our having left so suddenly,--and tries some other plan to warn +the enemy, we can trust our men to fire a shot and so give us warning in +time. We have told the groom not to take the saddles off the horses, as +we may stop but a short time." + +At eight o'clock a disturbance was heard outside, and Jake entered the +room, dragging with him by main force the young planter. + +"What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Jackson asked, as they rose from +their seats in surprise. + +"Me tell you, sar," Jake answered. "Me had orders from Massa Harold to +watch outside ob de house ob dis feller and see what going on dere. +About half an hour after me got dere a nigger come along running from +dis direction. Dat no business of Jake's, so he stood in de trees and +let him pass. He go into de house; five minutes afterward dis feller he +come out and he walk away. Jake follow him bery quiet to see what him +after. He walk more dan a mile, den he get on to de oder side of dat big +hill; den me see him stop, and Jake tink it time to interfere, so he ran +up and catch him. He had put dis ting against a stump of a tree, and had +him pistol in him hand, and was on de point of firing it close to dis +ting, so as to light him." + +As Jake spoke he held out a rocket. Several times while Jake had been +speaking the planter had tried to interrupt him, but each time Jake, who +had not released his hold of him, gave him so violent a shake that he +was fain to be silent. + +"This is a scandalous indignity," he exclaimed furiously when Jake +finished. "What do you mean, sir," he demanded of Harvey, "by setting +this nigger to watch my abode? I will have satisfaction for this +treatment." + +"It seems, sir," Mr. Jackson said, signing to Harvey to be silent, +"that you have been detected in a gross act of treachery. My friends +have suspected you of it, but I indignantly denied it. Could we +believe, I and my family, that you, whom we have known as a child, +would betray our guests to the Americans? Loyalists and republicans are +alike welcome here. I do not ask my friends their opinions. My house is +neutral ground, and I did not think that anyone who used it would have +had the treachery to turn it into a trap; still less did I imagine you +would do so. These gentlemen would be perfectly within their right did +they take you out and hang you from the nearest tree; but, for my sake, +I trust that they will not do so; but should the American cavalry ever +again visit this house under circumstances which may lead it to be +supposed that they have been brought here to capture my guests, I shall +let them punish you as you deserve. No word of mine will be raised in +your favor. Now, sir, go, and never again enter this house, where the +loathing and contempt that I feel for you will, I know, be shared by +the ladies of my family." + +At a nod from Harold Jake released his hold of the captive, who, without +a word, turned and left the room. + +Not a word was spoken for a minute or two after he had left. The +youngest girl was the first to speak. + +"The wretch!" she exclaimed. "To think that Herbert Chermside should +turn out such a mean traitor! Papa, I would have let them hang him at +once. It would have served him right. Now he may do us all harm." + +"I do not know that you are not right, Ada," Mr. Jackson replied +gravely. "I am far from saying that I acted wisely. Young Chermside has +many friends among the Americans, and it is possible that he may work us +harm. However, my position as a neutral is well established. Officers on +both sides have at times been welcomed here, and his report, therefore, +that our friends here are often with us can do us no harm. Henceforth he +must be regarded as an enemy, and there will always be danger in these +visits. So long as the American outposts are within an hour's ride he +can have the road watched; and, although he is not likely to venture +upon signaling with rockets, he may send or take word on horseback. A +bonfire, too, might be lit at the other side of the hill to call them +over. Altogether you will never be safe from home except when you have a +strong body of your own troops between this and the river." + +"I am glad to say," Harvey said, "that in consequence of the news of +Morgan's raids on this side a body of 200 infantry and a troop of +cavalry are to move to-morrow and take up their position by the ford, so +we shall be safe from any surprise from that direction." + +"I am very glad to hear it," Mr. Jackson said. "It will relieve me of a +great anxiety. But pray be watchful when you are in this neighborhood. +You have made a bitter enemy, and, after what he has proved himself +capable of, we cannot doubt that he would hesitate at nothing. I +understand," he went on with a smile toward his eldest daughter, "what +is at the bottom of his conduct, and, as I have long suspected his hopes +in that quarter, I am not surprised that he is somewhat hostile to you. +Still, I never for a moment deemed him capable of this." + +The next day Mr. Jackson learned that his neighbor had left his +plantation, and had told his servants that he was not likely to return +for some time. + +Shortly after this a series of bad luck attended the doings of the +British scouts. Several parties were killed or captured by the enemy, +and they were constantly baffled by false reports, while the Americans +appeared to forestall all their movements. It was only when enterprises +were set on foot and carried out by small bodies that they were ever +successful, anything like combined action by the orders of the officers +constantly turning out ill. + +"There must be a traitor somewhere," Peter said upon the return of a +party from an attempt which, although it promised well, had been +frustrated, to carry off a number of cattle from one of the American +depots. "It aint possible that this can be all sheer bad luck. It aint +no one in our company, I'll be bound. We aint had any new recruits +lately, and there aint a man among us whom I could not answer for. There +must be a black sheep in Gregory's or Vincent's corps. The enemy seem up +to every move, and, between us, we have lost more than thirty men in the +last few weeks. There aint no doubt about it--there's a traitor +somewhere and he must be a clever one, and he must have pals with him, +or he couldn't send news of what we are doing so quickly. It beats me +altogether, and the men are all furious." + +"I've been talking with some of our men," Peter said a few days +afterward, "and we agree that we are bound to get to the bottom of this +matter. We're sartin sure that the traitor don't belong to us. What we +propose is this, that the hull of us shall go up together, without +saying a word to a soul, and scatter ourselves along the river at all +the points where a chap going with a message to the enemy would be +likely to cross. The night we go out we'll get the three captains all to +give orders to their men for an expedition, so that whoever it is that +sends messages from here would be sure to send over word to the Yankees; +and it'll be hard if we don't ketch him. What do you say?" + +"I think the plan is a very good one," Harold answered. "If you like, I +will go with my father and ask Gregory and Vincent to send their men." + +Captain Wilson at once went to these officers. They were as much +irritated and puzzled as were their men by the failures which had taken +place, and agreed that, next evening, an order should be issued for the +men of the three corps to act in combination, and to allow it to leak +out that they intended to surprise an American post situated near the +river, twenty-one miles distant. Captain Wilson's scouts, instead of +going with the others, were to act on their own account. + +On the day arranged, as soon as it became dark, the forty scouts quietly +left their quarters in small parties and made their way toward the +river, striking it at the point where a messenger would be likely to +cross upon his way to give warning to the American post of the attack +intended to be made upon it. They took post along the river, at a +distance of fifty or sixty yards apart, and silently awaited the result. +Several hours passed and no sound broke the stillness of the woods. An +hour before dawn Peter Lambton heard a slight crack, as that of a +breaking twig. It was some distance back in the woods, but it seemed to +him, by the direction, that the man who caused it would strike the river +between himself and Jake, who was stationed next to him. He noiselessly +stole along toward the point. Another slight sound afforded him a sure +indication of the direction in which the man, whoever he might be, was +approaching. He hastened his steps, and a minute later a negro issued +from the wood close to him. He stood for an instant on the river bank +and was about to plunge in, when Peter threw his arms around him. + +Although taken by surprise, the negro struggled desperately and would +have freed himself from the grip of the old scout had not Jake run up +instantly to his comrade's assistance. In a minute the negro was bound +and two shots were then fired, the concerted signal by which it would be +known along the line that a capture had been effected. In a few minutes +the whole body was assembled. The negro, who refused to answer any +questions, was carried far back into the woods and a fire was lighted. + +"Now, nigger," Peter said, taking, as captor, the lead in the matter, +"jest tell us right away where you was going and who sent you." + +The negro was silent. + +"Now, look ye here, darky, you're in the hands of men who are no +jokers. Ef you tell us at once who put ye on to this trick no harm will +happen to you; but ef ye don't we'll jest burn the skin off your body, +bit by bit." + +Still the negro was silent. + +"Half a dozen of yez," Peter said, "as have got iron ramrods shove them +into the fire. We'll soon find this nigger's tongue." + +Not a word was spoken until the ramrods were heated red-hot. + +"Now," Peter said, "two of yez clap your ramrods against this +darky's flanks." + +The negro struggled as the men approached him, and gave a terrific yell +as the hot iron was applied to his sides. + +"I will tell you, sars--oh! have mercy upon me and I will tell you +eberything!" + +"I thought," Peter said grimly, "that you'd find a tongue soon enough. +Now, then, who sent you?" + +"My massa," the negro answered. + +"And who is your master?" + +The negro was again silent, but as, at a nod from Peter, the men again +raised the ramrods, he blurted out: + +"Massa Chermside." + +The name was known to many of the scouts, and a cry of anger broke +from them. + +"I thought as much," Harvey said. "I suspected that scoundrel was at the +bottom of it all along. Where is he?" he asked the negro. + +"Me not know, sar." + +"You mean you won't say," Peter said. "Try the vartue of them +ramrods again." + +"No, no!" the negro screamed. "Me swear me do not know where him be. You +may burn me to death if you will, but I could not tell you." + +"I think he is speaking the truth," Harvey said. "Wait a minute. Have +you done this before?" he asked the negro. + +"Yes, sar. Eight or ten times me swim de river at night." + +"With messages to the Americans?" + +"Yes, sar; messages to American officers." + +"Have you any written message--any letter?" + +"No, sar, me never take no letter. Me only carry dis." And he took out +from his hair a tiny ball of paper smaller than a pea. + +It was smoothed out, and upon it, were the words, "General Washington." + +"Where I go, sar, I show dem dis, and dey know den dat de message can be +believed." + +"But how do you get the message? How do you see your master?" + +"Master's orders were dat me and two oders were to meet him ebery night, +after it got dark, at a tree a mile from de place where de soldiers are. +Sometimes he no come. When he come he gibs each of us a piece of money +and tell us to carry a message across the river. We start by different +ways, swim across de water in different places, take de message, and +come back to de plantation." + +"A pretty business!" Peter said. "Now you must come back with us to the +post and tell your story to the commanding officer. Then we must see if +we can't lay hands on this rascally master of yours." + +Upon the news being told, the general in command sent a party out, who, +after searching the house and out-buildings of the plantation in vain, +set fire to them and burned them to the ground. The negroes were all +carried away and employed to labor for the army. The town and all the +surrounding villages were searched, but no trace could be obtained of +the missing man. One of the men of Gregory's corps of scouts +disappeared. He had recently joined, but his appearance, as a man with +beard and whiskers, in no way agreed with that of the planter. He might, +however, have been disguised, and his disappearance was in itself no +proof against him, for the scouts were under no great discipline, and +when tired of the service often left without giving notice of their +intention of doing so. It was, moreover, possible that he might have +fallen by an enemy's bullet. + +The strongest proof in favor of the deserter being Chermside was that, +henceforth, the scouts were again as successful as before, often +surprising the enemy successfully. + +Now that the ford nearest Mr. Jackson's was strongly guarded, the young +men had no apprehension of any surprise, although such an event was just +possible, as the cavalry on both sides often made great circuits in +their raids upon each other's country. That Chermside was somewhere in +the neighborhood they believed; having, indeed, strong reason for doing +so, as a rifle was one evening fired at them from the wood as they rode +over, the ball passing between their heads. Pursuit, at the time, was +impossible. But the next day a number of scouts searched the woods +without success. Soon after they heard that Chermside had joined the +Americans and obtained a commission in a body of their irregular horse. + +Harvey was now formally engaged to Isabelle Jackson, and it was settled +that the wedding should take place in the early spring at New York. When +not on duty he naturally spent a good deal of his time there, and Harold +was frequently with him. Since he had been fired at in the woods +Isabelle had been in the highest state of nervous anxiety lest her +lover's enemy should again try to assassinate him, and she begged Harold +always to come over with him, if possible, as the thought of his riding +alone through the wood filled her with anxiety. + +Although he had no order to do so, Jake, whenever he saw Harold and his +friend canter off toward the Jacksons, shouldered his rifle and went out +after them to the house, where, so long as they stayed, he scouted round +and round with the utmost vigilance. Very often Harold was ignorant of +his presence there; but when, after his return, he found, by questioning +him, how he had been employed, he remonstrated with him on such +excessive precaution. + +"Can't be too cautious, massa," Jake said. "You see dat fellow come one +of dese days." + +Jake's presentiment turned out correct. One evening when, with several +friends, the young men were at Mr. Jackson's the sound of the report of +a rifle was heard at a short distance. + +"That must be Jake's rifle!" Harold exclaimed. + +"Quick, Harvey, to your horse!" + +It was too late. As they reached the door a strong party of American +cavalry dashed up to it. + +"Surround the house!" an officer shouted. "Do not let a soul escape!" + +The young men ran upstairs again. + +"We are caught," Harvey said. "Escape is cut off. The Yankee cavalry are +all round the house. Good-by, Isabelle. We shall meet one of these days +again, dear." The girl threw herself into his arms. + +"Be calm, love!" he said. "Do not let this scoundrel have the +satisfaction of triumphing over you." + +A moment later Chermside, accompanied by several soldiers, +entered the room. + +"I am sorry to disturb so pleasant a party," he said in a sneering +voice, "but if Americans choose to entertain the enemies of their +country they must expect these little disagreeables." + +Mr. Jackson abruptly turned his back upon him, and no one else spoke, +although he was personally well known to all. + +"These are the two men," he said to the soldiers--"two of the most +notorious scouts and spies on the frontier. We will take them to +headquarters, where a short shrift and two strong ropes will be +their lot." + +"The less the word spy is in the mouth of such a pitiful traitor as +yourself the better, I should say," Harvey said quietly; and, walking +forward with Harold, he placed himself in the hands of the soldiers. + +No one else spoke. Isabelle had fainted when she heard the threat of +execution against her lover. Ada stood before her with a look of +such anger and contempt on her young face that Chermside fairly +winced under it. + +"To horse!" he said sullenly, and, turning, followed his men and +prisoners downstairs. + +The troop, Harold saw, numbered some 200 sabers. They had with them a +number of riderless horses, whose accouterments showed that they +belonged to an English regiment; most of the men, too, had sacks of +plunder upon their horses. They had evidently made a successful raid, +and had probably attacked a post and surprised and driven off the +horses of a squadron of cavalry, and were now on their return toward +their lines. + +"This is an awkward business, Harold," Harvey said as, in the midst +of their captors, they galloped off from the Jacksons'. "Of course +it's all nonsense about our being hung. Still, I have no wish to see +the inside of a prison, where we may pass years before we are +exchanged. Once handed over to the authorities we shall be safe; but +I shall not feel that we are out of danger so long as we are in this +scoundrel's hands. Fortunately there are officers of superior rank to +himself with the squadron, otherwise I have no doubt at all that he +would hang us at once." + +Such was indeed the case, and Chermside was, at that moment, fuming +intensely at the chance which had thrown his rival in his hands at a +time when he was powerless to carry out his vengeance. He had, indeed, +ventured to suggest that it would be less trouble to hang the prisoners +at once, but the major in command had so strongly rebuked him for the +suggestion that he had at once been silenced. + +"I blush that I should have heard such words from the mouth of an +American officer. It is by such deeds, sir, that our cause is too often +disgraced. We are soldiers fighting for the independence of our +country--not lawless marauders. Had these men been taken in their +civilian dress over on our side of the river they would have been tried +and hung as spies; but they were on neutral ground, and, in fact, in the +rear of their own posts. There is no shadow of defense for such an +accusation. Should I ever hear a similar suggestion I shall at once +report your conduct to General Washington, who will know how to deal +with you." + +"I wonder what has become of Jake," Harold said to his comrade. "I trust +he was not shot down." + +"Not he," Harvey said. "He made off after firing his rifle, you may be +sure, when he saw that there was nothing to be done. The fellow can run +like a hare, and I have no doubt that, by this time, he has either got +back to the village and given the alarm there or has made for the ford. +There are 100 cavalry there now as well as the infantry. Jake will be +there in an hour from the time he started. The dragoons will be in the +saddle five minutes later, and it is just possible they may cut off our +retreat before we have crossed the river. Peter is on duty there, and, +if he happens to be at the post when Jake arrives, he will hurry up with +all the scouts he can collect." + +Jake had taken flight as Harvey supposed. He had, after firing his +rifle, taken to the wood, and had remained near the house long enough to +see which way the cavalry rode when they started. Then he made for the +post at the ford at the top of his speed. It was less than an hour from +starting when he arrived there, and three minutes later the cavalry +trumpets were blowing "To horse!" After giving his message to the +officer in command Jake went into the village, where the sounds of the +trumpet brought all the soldiers into the street. + +"Hullo, Jake! is that you?" a familiar voice asked. "What the tarnal +is up now?" + +Jake hastily related what had taken place. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "This is a bad job. They're making, no +doubt, for Finchley's Ford, fifteen mile down the river. With an hour's +start they're sure to be there before us." + +"What are you going to do, Peter? Are you thinking of running wid +de cavalry?" + +"Thinking of running to the moon!" the scout said contemptuously. "You +can run well, I don't deny, Jake, but you couldn't run fifteen mile with +the dragoons; and, if you could, you'd get there too late. Yer bellows +are going pretty fast already. Now don't stand staring there, but hurry +through the camp and get all our boys together. Tell them to meet by the +water side. Get Gregory and Vincent's men as well as our own. There's +twenty or thirty altogether in the place." + +Without asking a question Jake ran off to carry out the orders, and, in +a few minutes, twenty-four men were collected together on the bank. + +"Now, you fellows," Peter said, "we've got to rescue these two chaps out +of the hands of the Yankees. Them who don't want to jine--and mind you +the venture is a risky one--had better say so at once and stop behind." + +No one moved. + +"What I propose is this: we'll take the ferryboat, which aint no good +to no one, seeing as how the Yankees are on one side of the river and +we the other, and we'll drop down the stream about ten mile. Then we'll +land on their side of the river and strike inland, hiding the boat +under the bushes somewhere. They'll halt for the night when they're +safe across the river. There's five or six hundred of their infantry +camped on the ford. There's two hundred on our side, but the Yankees'll +ride through in the dark and get across before the redcoats are awake. +Now, I propose that, after we've landed, we make a sweep round until we +get near the Yanks' camp. Then the rest'll wait and two or three of +us'll go in and see if we can't get the young fellows out of wherever +they've put 'em. Then we'll jine you and make a running fight of it +back to the boat." + +The others assented. The boat was amply large enough for all, and, +pulling her out into the stream, they dropped down, keeping under +shelter of the trees on the British side. Half an hour after they had +started they heard the faint sound of distant musketry. + +"There," Peter said, "the Yanks are riding through the British camp, +close to the ford." + +A few more shots were heard, and then all was silent. The stream was +swift, for it was swollen by recent rains, and at three in the morning +the boat touched the bank about a mile above the ford. The party +disembarked noiselessly and, fastening the boat to a tree, moved along +toward the camp. + +When they were within four or five hundred yards of the village Peter +chose Jake and two others of his band, and, telling the rest to remain +where they were, ready for action, he struck inland. He made a _détour_ +and came in at the back of the camp. + +Here there were no sentries, as the only danger to be apprehended was +upon the side of the river. Peter therefore entered boldly. In front of +the principal house a sentry was walking up and down, and he, in the +free-and-easy manner usual in the American army, gladly entered into +conversation with the newcomers. + +"All pretty quiet about here?" Peter asked. "We're from the West, and +have jest come down to do a little fighting with the Britishers. I +reckon they aint far off now?" + +"They are just across the river," the sentry said. "Have you come far?" + +"We've made something like two hundred mile this week, and mean to have +a day or two's rest before we begin. We've done some Injun fighting, my +mates and me, in our time, and we says to ourselves it was about time we +burned a little powder against the redcoats. Things seem quiet enough +about here. Nothing doing, eh?" + +"Not much," the sentry said; "just skirmishes. Some of our cavalry came +across through the redcoats late to-night. I hear they have got a +quantity of plunder and some fine horses, and they have brought in a +couple of the British scouts." + +"And what have they done with 'em?" Peter asked. "Strung 'em up, +I suppose." + +"No, no; we aint fighting Indians now; we don't hang our prisoners. No, +they are safe under guard over there in the cavalry camp, and will be +taken to headquarters to-morrow." + +"Waal," Peter said, stretching himself, "I feel mighty tired and shall +jest look for a soft place for an hour's sleep before morning." + +So saying he sauntered away, and the sentry resumed his walk. + +Peter and his three companions now moved off toward the spot where, as +the sentry had indicated, the cavalry were encamped. They were not in +tents, but were sleeping wrapped up in their blankets. Two tents had +been erected, lent probably by the infantry on the spot. One was much +larger than the other, and sentries were placed before each. They had +some difficulty in making their way, for the night was dark, and the +cavalry had picketed their horses without order or regularity. In their +search they had to use great caution to avoid stumbling over the +sleeping men, but at last they saw the tents faintly against the sky. +They crawled cautiously up. There were two sentries on the smaller tent. + +"Now, Jake," Peter whispered, "you're the blackest and so had better do +the trick. Don't cut a hole in the tent, for they'd be safe to hear the +canvas tear. Crawl under. It's been put up in haste and aint likely to +be pinned down very tight. They're safe to be bound, and when you've cut +the cords and given them time to get the use of their feet, then crawl +along and jine us." + +Jake did as he was instructed. One of the sentries was pacing up and +down before the entrance, the other making a circuit round the tent. The +circle was a somewhat large one to avoid stumbling over the tent ropes. +Jake, watching his opportunity, had no difficulty in crawling up and +squeezing himself under the canvas before the sentry returned. + +"Hush!" he whispered, as he let the canvas fall behind him. "It's Jake." + +Both the captives were fast asleep. Jake, feeling about in the darkness, +found them, one after the other, and, putting his hands on their mouths +to prevent them making an exclamation, he woke them, and soon cut the +cords with which they were bound hand and foot. Then in whispers he told +them what had happened. They chafed their limbs to produce circulation, +for they had been tightly tied, and then, one by one, they crawled out +of the tent. + +Harvey went first and was safely across before the sentry returned. +Harold followed; but, as he went, in his hurry he struck a tent rope. + +"What's that?" the sentry in front asked sharply. "Bill, was that you?" + +"No," his comrade replied. "Something's up. Look into the tent." + +And, so saying, he ran round behind, while the sentry in front rushed +into the tent and, kicking about with his feet, soon found that it +was empty. + +Jake, on hearing the exclamation, at once crawled from the tent; but, as +he did so, the sentry, running round, saw him and leveled his rifle. +Before he could fire a shot was heard and the man fell dead. + +Jake started to his feet and joined his friends. The other sentry also +discharged his rifle, and the whole camp awoke and sprang to their feet. +The horses, alarmed at the sudden tumult, plunged and kicked; men +shouted and swore, everyone asking what was the matter. Then loud cries +were heard that the sentry was shot and the prisoners had escaped. + +Running closely together and knocking down all who stood in their way, +the fugitives hurried in the darkness until at the edge of the camp, and +then started at full speed. + +The trumpets were now sounding to horse, and several shots were fired +after them. Many of the horses had not been unsaddled, and mounted men +at once dashed off. Several had seen the little party rush away, and the +horsemen were speedily on their track. The six men ran at the top of +their speed and were soon close to their hidden friends. + +"This way! this way! I see them!" shouted a voice, which Harold and +Harvey recognized as that of their enemy, who, a minute later, galloped +up with half a dozen troopers. It was not until he was within a few +yards that his figure was clearly discernible; then Peter Lambton's +rifle flashed out, and the planter fell from his horse with a bullet in +his brain. + +Jake and the other two men also fired, and the horsemen, astonished at +their number, reined in their horses to await the coming up of more of +their comrades. + +In another minute the fugitives were with their friends, and, at a rapid +trot, the whole ran up the river bank toward the spot where they had +hidden their boat. + +The country was covered with brushwood and forest and, as the cavalry, +now swollen to a considerable force, advanced, they were greeted by so +heavy a fire that, astonished at this strong force of foes upon their +side of the river, and not knowing how numerous they might be, they +halted and waited for the infantry to come up. Long before the enemy +were prepared to advance against the unknown foe the scouts reached +their boat and crossed safely to the other side. + +Shortly after this adventure Mr. Jackson and his family moved for the +winter to New York, where, soon after their arrival, the wedding +between Harvey and Isabella took place, the former retiring from the +corps of scouts. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA. + +During the course of the spring of 1777 a large number of loyal +colonists had volunteered their services. They had been embodied into +battalions, and when the army prepared to take the field they were +placed in garrisons in New York and other places, thus permitting the +employment of the whole of the British force in the field. The Americans +had occupied themselves in strongly fortifying the more defensible +positions, especially those in a mountain tract of country called the +Manor of Courland. This was converted into a sort of citadel, where +large quantities of provisions, forage, and stores of all kinds were +collected. About fifty miles from New York, up the North River, was a +place called Peekskill, which served as a port to the Manor of Courland. +The country was so difficult and mountainous that General Howe shrank +from engaging his army in it. He determined, however, to attack and +destroy Peekskill, and a party of 500 men, under the command of Colonel +Bird of the Fifteenth Regiment, were sent up the river in two transports +to destroy it. The garrison, consisting of 800 men, set fire to the +place and withdrew without firing a shot. The British completed the +destruction of the stores and returned to New York. + +A little later 2000 men were sent on a similar expedition against the +town of Danbury, another place on the confines of Courland Manor, where +great stores had also been collected. They proceeded up the East River +and landed at Camp's Point. They started on foot at ten o'clock at +night, and after a ten hours' march arrived at eight o'clock at Danbury. +The enemy evacuated the place on their approach, and the English set +fire to the great magazines filled with stores of all kinds. + +The news of the march of the English had spread rapidly, and the enemy +assembled from all quarters and posted themselves under the command of +General Arnold at a town called Ridgefield, through which the English +would have to pass on their return. Here they threw up intrenchments. It +was late in the afternoon when the English, fatigued with the long +march, arrived at this spot. They did not hesitate, but when the +Americans opened fire they boldly assailed the intrenchments and carried +them with the bayonet. They were unable to march further, and lying down +so as to form an oblong square, slept till morning. All night the +Americans continued to come up in great force, and in the morning as the +troops advanced a terrible fire was opened upon them from the houses and +stone walls in which the country abounded. The British had to fight +every foot of their way. General Wooster had brought up some +field-artillery on the side of the Americans. Gradually the column +fought its way forward until it arrived within half a mile of Camp's +Point. Here two strong bodies of the enemy barred their way. The column +was by this time greatly exhausted; the men had had no real rest for +three days and two nights, and several dropped on the road with fatigue. +Brigadier General Erskine picked out 400 of those who were in the best +condition and attacked the two bodies of the enemy with such vigor that +he put them utterly to flight, and the column, again advancing, reached +their destination without further molestation. Nearly 200 men, including +10 officers, were killed and wounded on the part of the British; the +loss of the Americans was still greater, and General Wooster and some +field officers were among the slain. + +Many other skirmishes took place with varied success. The Americans at +Bondwick, seven miles from Brunswick, 1200 in number, were surprised and +routed by Cornwallis, while on the other hand the American Colonel Meigs +carried out a most dashing expedition by crossing to Long Island and +destroying a quantity of stores at a place called Sag Harbor, burning a +dozen brigs and sloops which lay there, taking 90 prisoners, and +returning safely across the Sound. + +In June Washington with 8000 men was encamped in a strong position at +Middlebrook. General Howe, although he had 30,000 men, hesitated to +attack him here. By a feigned retreat he succeeded in drawing General +Washington from his stronghold and inflicted a decisive defeat on 3000 +of his men. Washington fell back to his position in the mountains, and +General Howe retired altogether from Jersey and withdrew his troops to +Staten Island. A dashing feat was executed at this time by Colonel +Barton of the American army. Learning that General Prescott, who +commanded at Rhode Island, had his headquarters at a distance of a mile +from his troops, he crossed from the mainland in two boats, seized the +general in his bed, and carried him off through the British fleet. The +object of this dashing enterprise was to obtain a general to exchange +for the American General Lee, who had been captured by the British. + +General Howe, in June, again marched against Washington and again fell +back without doing anything. Had he, instead of thus frittering away his +strength, marched to the Delaware, crossed that river, and advanced +against Philadelphia, Washington would have been forced to leave his +stronghold and either fight in the open or allow that important city to +fall into the hands of the English. + +General Howe now embarked his army in transports. Had he sailed up the +North River to Albany he would have effected a junction with General +Burgoyne's army, which was advancing from Canada, and with the united +force could have marched through America from end to end as he chose. +Instead of doing so he sailed down to Chesapeake Bay and there +disembarked the whole army, which had been pent up in transports from +July 3 to August 24. Not till September 11 did they advance in earnest +toward Philadelphia. The Americans thus had ample time to take up a +strong position and fortify it. This they did on the other side of +Brandywine Creek. Under cover of a cannonade the British advanced, +mastered the fort, and carried the intrenchments. General Sullivan, with +a considerable force, had now arrived, accompanied by General Washington +himself. He took up his position a short distance from the Brandywine, +his artillery well placed and his flanks covered with woods. + +The following afternoon the British attacked. The Americans fought well, +but the British were not to be denied, and rushing forward drove the +enemy from their position into the woods in their rear. Here they made a +stand and were only dislodged after a desperate resistance. The greater +portion of them fled in all directions. Washington himself, with his +guns and a small force, retreated eight miles from Chester and then +marched by Derby to Philadelphia. Here he waited three days rallying his +troops, and then, having recruited his stores from the magazines, +marched away. + +All this time the British remained inactive on the ground they had won. +In the battle the Americans lost 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +prisoners. Several guns were also taken. The British lost 100 killed and +400 wounded. + +On September 20 they advanced toward Philadelphia. The American General +Wayne had concealed himself in the woods with 1500 men, with the +intention of harassing the rear of the British army. News of this having +been obtained, Major General Grey was dispatched at once to surprise +him; he ordered his men not to load, but to rely wholly on the bayonet. +The success of the expedition was complete. General Wayne's outpost was +surprised and the British troops rushed into his encampment. Three +hundred of the Americans were killed or wounded and 100 taken prisoners. +The rest escaped through the woods. On the English side 1 officer was +killed and 7 privates killed and wounded. + +The capture of Philadelphia was an important advantage to the British, +but it could not be thoroughly utilized until the fleet could come up +the river to the town. The American Congress, which had sat at +Philadelphia until General Howe approached the town, had taken extensive +measures for rendering the passage impracticable. Three rows of +chevaux-de-frise, composed of immense beams of timber bolted and +fastened together and stuck with iron spikes, were sunk across the +channel, and these lines were protected by batteries. At these forts +were fourteen large rowboats, each carrying a heavy cannon, two floating +batteries carrying nine guns each, and a number of fireships and rafts. + +The forts commanding the chevaux-de-frise were abandoned on the +approach of the British, and Captain Hammond of the _Roebuck_ +succeeded, in spite of the opposition of the enemy's boats and +batteries, in making an opening through the chevaux-de-frise +sufficiently wide for the fleet to pass. + +Large numbers of troops having been sent away from Germantown, a place +seven miles from Philadelphia, where the main body of the British army +were posted, General Washington determined to attempt the surprise of +that position. For this purpose he re-enforced his army by drawing 1500 +troops from Peekskill and 1000 from Virginia, and at daybreak on October +4, under cover of a thick fog, he made an attack on the troops posted at +the head of the village. + +Half of the British force lay on one side of the village, and half on +the other, and had the attack upon the place succeeded the British army +would have been cut in two. The village was held by the Fortieth +Regiment, who, fighting obstinately, were driven back among the houses. +The Americans were pushing forward in five heavy columns, when +Lieutenant Colonel Musgrave, who commanded the Fortieth, threw himself +into a large stone house. Here he offered a desperate resistance, and so +impeded the advance of the enemy that time was given for the rest of the +British troops to get under arms. + +General Washington ordered a whole brigade of infantry to attack the +house and turned four guns against it. Colonel Musgrave and his men +resisted desperately and held the post until Major General Grey, with +the Third Brigade, and Brigadier General Agnew, with the Fourth Brigade, +came up and attacked the enemy with great spirit. The engagement was for +some time very hot. At length a part of the right wing fell upon the +enemy's flank, and the Americans retired with great precipitation. The +fog was so dense that no pursuit could be attempted. + +On the part of the English 600 were killed and wounded. The loss of the +Americans amounted to between 200 and 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +taken prisoners. General Howe had on the previous night been acquainted +with the intention of General Washington to attack the place, and had he +taken the proper measures to have received them the American army would +have been destroyed. He took no measures whatever, gave no warning to +the army, and suffered the camp to be taken by surprise. + +After this battle the fleet and army united, cleared away the +chevaux-de-frise across the Delaware, and took the forts commanding them +after some hard fighting. + +The passage of the Delaware being thus opened and the water +communication secured, the army went to their winter quarters at +Philadelphia. + +Captain Wilson, and his son had taken no part in any of these +operations, as a short time after the capture of Harold and Harvey by +the American cavalry the company had been disbanded. The men, when they +entered the service, had volunteered for a year. This time already had +been greatly exceeded--twenty months had passed since the battle of +Bunker's Hill--and although the men were willing to continue to give +their services so long as it appeared to them that there was a prospect +of a favorable termination of the war, no such hope any longer remained +in their minds. The great army which England had sent over had done +nothing toward restoring the king's authority in the colonies, and if, +after a year's fighting, its outposts were still within a few miles of +New York, how could it be expected or even hoped that it could ever +subdue a country containing hundreds of thousands of square miles? The +retreat from the Delaware and the virtual handing over of New Jersey +again to Washington was the finishing stroke which decided the +volunteers to demand their discharge, according to the terms of their +engagement. Except during the Canadian campaign they had had but little +fighting, nor in such a warfare as that which General Howe was carrying +on was there much scope for their services. Many of the gentlemen who +formed the majority of the company, and who for the most part had +friends and connections in England, sailed for that country; some had +left wives and families on their estates when they took up arms; and +most of them, despairing of the final success of the war, had instructed +their agents to sell these estates for any sum that they would fetch; +others--among them Captain Wilson--now followed their example. It was +but a mere tithe of the value of the property that was obtained, for +money was scarce in the colonies, and so many had sold out and gone to +England, rather than take part on one side or the other of the +fratricidal strife, that land and houses fetched but nominal prices. + +Mrs. Wilson had long since gone to England, and her husband, having made +arrangements for the disposal of his property, now determined to join +her. Fortunately he possessed means, irrespective of his estate in +America. This had come to him through his wife, and his own fortune and +the money obtained by the sale of his commission had remained invested +in English securities. While determined on this course for himself, he +left it to his son to choose his own career. Harold was now nearly +eighteen, and his life of adventure and responsibility had made a man of +him. His father would have preferred that he should have returned with +him to England, but Harold finally decided upon remaining. In war men's +passions become heated, the original cause of quarrel sinks into +comparative insignificance, and the desire for victory, the +determination to resist, and a feeling of something like individual +hatred for the enemy become predominant motives of the strife. + +This was especially the case in the American war. On both sides there +were many circumstances which heightened the passions of the combatants. +The loyalists in the English ranks had been ruined by the action of +their opponents--many had been reduced from wealth to poverty, and each +man felt a deep passion of resentment at what he regarded his personal +grievance. Then, too, the persistent misrepresentations both of facts +and motives on the part of the American writers and speakers added to +the irritation. The loyalists felt that there were vast numbers +throughout the colonies who agreed with them and regarded Congress as a +tyrannical faction rather than the expression of the general will. In +this, no doubt, they were to some extent mistaken, for by this time the +vast majority of the people had joined heart and soul in the conflict. +Men's passions had become so stirred up that it was difficult for any to +remain neutral; and although there were still large numbers of loyalists +throughout the States, the vast bulk of the people had resolved that the +only issue of the contest was complete and entire separation from the +mother country. + +Harold had now entered passionately into the struggle. He was in +constant contact with men who had been ruined by the war. He heard only +one side of the question, and he was determined, so long as England +continued the struggle, to fight on for a cause which he considered +sacred. He was unable to regard the prospects of success as hopeless; he +saw the fine army which England had collected; he had been a witness of +the defeat of the Americans whenever they ventured to stand the shock of +the British battalions; and in spite of the unsatisfactory nature of the +first campaign, he could not bring himself to believe that such an army +could fail. + +When the company was disbanded he decided to continue to serve as a +scout, but, sharing in the general disgust in the army at the incapacity +of General Howe, he determined to take ship again for Canada and take +service under General Burgoyne, who was preparing with a well-appointed +army to invade the States from that side. + +When he communicated his determination to Peter Lambton the latter at +once agreed to accompany him. + +"I've gone into this business," the hunter said, "and I mean to see it +through. Settling down don't suit me. I aint got any friends at New +York, and I'd be miserable just loafing about all day doing nothing. No, +I'll see this business out to the end, and I'd much rather go with you +than anyone else." + +Jake was of the same opinion. Accustomed all his life to obey orders and +to the life on his master's plantation, he would not have known what to +do if left to his own devices. Captain Wilson pointed out to him that he +could easily obtain work on the wharves of New York or as a laborer on a +farm, but Jake would not listen to the proposal and was hurt at the +thought that he could leave his young master's side as long as Harold +continued in the war. + +Accordingly, the day after Captain Wilson sailed for England the three +comrades embarked in a ship for Halifax, whence another vessel took them +to Quebec. They then sailed up the river to Montreal and took service as +scouts in General Burgoyne's army. + +For political reasons General Burgoyne had been appointed to the command +of the expedition which had been, prepared, and General Carleton, +naturally offended at being passed over, at once resigned the +governorship. His long residence in Canada, his knowledge of the +country, of the manners of its inhabitants and the extent of its +resources, and his acquaintance with the character of the Indians, +rendered him far more fit for command than was General Burgoyne. In +military knowledge and experience, too, he was his superior, and had he +retained a command the fate of the expedition would probably have been +very different. + +The army under General Burgoyne consisted of 7173 men, exclusive of +artillerymen. Of these about half were Germans. The Canadians were +called upon to furnish men sufficient to occupy the woods on the +frontier and to provide men for the completion of the fortifications at +Sorrel, St. John's, Chamblée, and Isle-aux-Noix, to furnish horses and +carts for carriage, and to make roads when necessary. A naval force was +to go forward with him on the lake. The Indian question had again to be +decided. Several tribes volunteered to join the British. General +Burgoyne hesitated, as General Carleton had done before, to accept their +services, and only did so finally on the certainty that if he refused +their offers they would join the Americans. He resolved to use them as +little as possible. He knew that their object in all wars was murder and +destruction, and although he wished to conquer the Americans, he did not +desire to exterminate them. + +On June 16, 1777, General Burgoyne advanced from St. John's. The naval +force had preceded the army and opened a way for its advance. The troops +were carried in a flotilla of boats, and under the protection of the +fleet passed Lake Champlain and landed at Crown Point. + +Harold and his companions had joined the army a fortnight previously, +and as they crossed the lake with the fleet they could not but +remember their last expedition there. At Crown Point they were joined +by 1000 Indians, who marched round the lake, and at this place General +Burgoyne gave them a great feast and afterward made a speech to them, +exhorting them to abstain from all cruelty, to avoid any ill-treatment +of unarmed combatants, and to take as prisoners all combatants who +fell into their hands. + +But while thus exhorting the Indians to behave with humanity and +moderation, the general took a most ill-judged step, which not only +did the English cause great harm, but was used by the Americans with +much effect as a proof of the cruel way in which England warred +against the colonists. He issued a proclamation threatening to punish +with the utmost severity all who refused to attach themselves to the +British cause, and at the same time he magnified the ferocity of the +Indians; pointing out with great emphasis their eagerness to butcher +those who continued hostile to the mother country, whose interests +they had espoused. + +This proclamation was naturally construed by the Americans as a threat +to deliver over to the tender mercies of the Indians to slay, scalp, and +destroy all who ventured to resist the authority of the king. + +The Americans had fallen back on the approach of the British, and upon +the landing being effected, the scouts were instantly sent forward. + +Among the Indians who had joined at Crown Point were the Senecas--among +them their old friend Deer Tail. + +The scouts received no particular orders and were free to regulate their +own movements. Their duty was to reconnoiter the country ahead and to +bring in any information they might gather as to numbers and positions +of the enemy. + +Finding that Peter and his companions were about to start, Deer Tail +said that, instead of waiting for the feast, he would take five of his +warriors and accompany them. + +It was at Ticonderoga that the Americans had prepared to make their +first stand. The place lies on the western shore of the lake a few miles +to the northward of the narrow inlet uniting Lake Champlain to Lake +George. It was to reconnoiter the fort that the party now set out. News +had been brought that the Americans had been executing great additional +works, and the British general was anxious to learn the nature of these +before he advanced. + +It was certain that the enemy would on their side have sent out scouts +to ascertain the movements of the royal army, and the party proceeded +with the greatest care. They marched in the usual fashion--in Indian +file; the Seneca chief led the way, followed by one of his braves; then +came Peter, Harold, and Jake; the other Senecas marched in the rear. + +When they came within a few miles of the fort their progress was marked +with profound caution. Not a word was spoken, their tread was noiseless, +and the greatest pains were taken to avoid stepping on a twig or dried +stick. The three scouts when they left St. John's had abandoned their +boots and had taken to Indian moccasins. Several times slight murmurs +were heard in the forest, and once a party of four American frontiersmen +were seen in the wood. The party halted and crouched in the bushes. The +Senecas turned toward Peter as if asking if an attack should be made, +but the latter shook his head. A single shot would have been heard far +away in the woods and their further progress would have been arrested. +Their object now was not to fight, but to penetrate close to the +American intrenchments. + +When the enemy had passed on the party continued its way. As they neared +the fort the caution observed increased. Several times they halted, +while the Seneca, with one of his braves, crawled forward to see that +all was clear. At last they stood on the edge of a great clearing. +Before them, just within gunshot range, stood the fort of Ticonderoga. +Peter Lambton was well acquainted with it, and beyond the fact that the +space around had been cleared of all trees and the stockades and +earthworks repaired, little change could be seen. + +As he was gazing the Indian touched his shoulder and pointed to a high +hill on the opposite side of the narrow straits. This had been cleared +of trees and on the top a strong fort had been erected. Many cannon were +to be seen along its crest, the roofs of huts, and a large number of +men. Halfway up the hill was another battery and a third, still lower +down, to sweep the landing. + +"They've been working hard," the hunter said, "and the army'll have a +mighty tough job before it. What do you think of that, Harold?" + +"It is a very strong position," Harold said, "and will cost us a +tremendous number of men to take it. The fort cannot be attacked till +that hill has been carried, for its guns completely command all this +clearing." + +For some time they stood gazing at the works, standing well back +among the trees, so as to be screened from all observation. At last +Harold said: + +"Look at that other hill behind. It is a good bit higher than that which +they have fortified and must be within easy range both of it and the +fort. I don't see any works there--do you?" + +Peter and the Seneca chief both gazed long and earnestly at the hill and +agreed that they could see no fortification there. + +"It won't do to have any doubt about it," Peter said. "We must go round +and have a look at it." + +"We shall have to cross the river," Harold remarked. + +"Ay, cross it we must," Peter said. "That hill's got to be inspected." + +They withdrew into the wood again and made a circuitous deviation till +they came down upon the river, two miles above Ticonderoga. They could +not reach the water itself, as a road ran along parallel with it and the +forest was cleared away for some distance. A number of men could be seen +going backward and forward on the road. + +Having made their observations, the scouts retired again into a thick +part of the forest and waited till nightfall. + +"How are we to get across?" Harold asked Peter. "It's a good long swim, +and we could not carry our muskets and ammunition across." + +"Easy enough," the scout said. "Didn't you notice down by the road a +pile of planks? I suppose a wagon has broke down there, and the planks +have been turned out and nobody has thought anything more about 'em. +We'll each take a plank, fasten our rifle and ammunition on it, and swim +across; there won't be any difficulty about that. Then, when we've seen +what's on the top of that 'ere hill, we'll tramp round to the other end +of the lake. I heard that the army was to advance half on each side, so +we'll meet 'em coming." + +When it was perfectly dark they left their hiding place and crossed the +clearing to the spot where Peter had seen the planks. Each took one of +them and proceeded to the river side. Peter, Harold, and Jake divested +themselves of some of their clothes and fastened these with their rifles +and ammunition to the planks. To the Indians the question of getting wet +was one of entire indifference, and they did not even take off their +hunting shirts. Entering the water the party swam noiselessly across to +the other side, pushing their planks before them. On getting out they +carried the planks for some distance, as their appearance by the water's +edge might excite a suspicion on the part of the Americans that the +works had been reconnoitered. + +After hiding the planks in the bushes they made their way to Sugar Hill, +as the eminence was called. The ascent was made with great +circumspection, the Indians going on first. No signs of the enemy were +met with, and at last the party stood on the summit of the hill. It was +entirely unoccupied by the Americans. + +"Well, my fine fellows," laughed the scout, "I reckon ye've been doing a +grist of work, and ye might jest as well have been sitting down quietly +smoking yer pipes. What on arth possessed ye to leave this hill +unguarded?" + +In point of fact General St. Clair, who commanded the Americans, had +perceived that his position was commanded from this spot. He had only +3000 men under him, and he considered this number too small to hold +Ticonderoga, Mount Independence, and Sugar Hill. The two former posts +could afford no assistance to the garrison of a fort placed on Sugar +Hill, and that place must therefore fall if attacked by the British. On +the other hand, he hoped that, should the attention of the English not +be called to the importance of the position by the erection of works +upon it, it might be overlooked, and that General Burgoyne on his +arrival might at once attack the position which he had prepared with so +much care. + +Having ascertained that the hill was unoccupied, Peter proposed at once +to continue the march. Harold suggested to him that it would be better +to wait until morning, as from their lofty position they would be able +to overlook the whole of the enemy's lines of defense and might obtain +information of vital importance to the general. Peter saw the advantage +of the suggestion. Two of the Indians were placed on watch, and the rest +of the party lay down to sleep. At daybreak they saw that the delay had +been fully justified, for they had now a view of the water which +separated Ticonderoga from Mount Independence, and perceived that the +Americans had made a strong bridge of communication between these posts. +Twenty-two piers had been sunk at equal distances, and between them +boats were placed, fastened with chains to the piers. A strong bridge of +planks connected the whole. On the Lake Champlain side of the bridge a +boom, composed of great trees fastened together with double chains, had +been placed. Thus, not only had communication been established across +the stream, but an effectual barrier erected to the passage of the +fleet. Fully satisfied with the result of their investigations, the +party set out on their return. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +THE SETTLER'S HUT. + +Before starting they stood for a minute or two looking over the forest +which they were to traverse. To Harold's eyes all appeared quiet and +still. Here and there were clearings where settlers had established +themselves; but, with these exceptions, the forest stretched away like a +green sea. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "We'll have all our work to get through +safely; eh, chief?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"What makes you say so?" Harold asked in surprise. "I see nothing." + +Peter looked at him reproachfully. + +"I'm downright ashamed of ye, lad. You should have been long enough in +the woods by this time to know smoke when you see it. Why, there it is +curling up from the trees in a dozen--ay, in a score of places. There +must be hundreds of men out scouting or camping in them woods." + +Harold looked fixedly again at the forests, but even now he could not +detect the signs which were so plain to the scout. + +"You may call me as blind as a bat, Peter," he said with a laugh, "but I +can see nothing. Looking hard I imagine I can see a light mist here and +there, but I believe it is nothing but fancy." + +"It's clear enough to me, lad, and to the redskins. What do you +say, chief?" + +"Too much men," the Seneca replied sententiously. + +For another minute or two he and Peter stood watching the forest, and +then in a few words consulted together as to the best line to follow to +avoid meeting the foe who, to their eyes, swarmed in the forest. + +"It's mighty lucky," the hunter said as they turned to descend the hill, +which was covered with trees to its very summit, "that they're white men +and not redskins out in the woods, there. I don't say that there's not +many frontiersmen who know the way of the woods as well as the redskins. +I do myself, and when it comes to fighting we can lick 'em on their own +ground; but in scouting we aint nowhere--not the best of us. The redskin +seems to have an instinct more like that of an animal than a man. I +don't say as he can smell a man a mile off as a dog can do, but he seems +to know when the enemy's about; his ears can hear noises which we can't; +his eyes see marks on the ground when the keenest-sighted white man sees +nothing. If that wood was as full of redskins as it is of whites to-day, +our sculps wouldn't be worth a charge of powder." + +"You are not going to follow the shores of the lake, I suppose?" +Harold asked. + +"No," Peter said. "They'll be as thick as peas down there, watching for +the first sight of our fleet. No, we must just keep through the woods +and be as still and as silent as if the trees had ears. You'd best look +to the priming of yer piece before we goes further, for it's likely +enough you'll have to use it before the day's done, and a miss-fire +might cost you yer life. Tell that nigger of yourn that he's not to open +his mouth again till I gives him leave." + +With a long stealthy tread the party descended the mountain and took +their way through the woods. Every hundred yards or so they stopped and +listened intently. When any noise, even of the slightest kind, was +heard, all dropped to the ground until the chief had scouted round and +discovered the way was clear. Once or twice they heard the sound of +men's voices and a distant laugh, but they passed on without seeing +those who uttered them. + +Presently they again heard voices, this time raised as if in angry +dispute. The Seneca would, as before, have made a long _détour_ to avoid +them, but Peter said. + +"Let's have a squint at what's going on, chief." + +With redoubled caution they again advanced until they stood at the edge +of the clearing. It was a patch of land some hundred yards wide, and +extending from the shore of the lake nearly a quarter of a mile inland. +In the center stood a log hut, neatly and carefully built. A few flowers +grew around the house, and the whole bore signs of greater neatness and +comfort than was usual in the cabins of the backwood settlers. + +The point where the party had reached the edge of the wood was +immediately opposite the house. Near it stood a group of some twenty +men, one of whom, apparently their leader, was gesticulating angrily as +he addressed a man who stood facing him. + +"I tell ye, ye're a darned royalist--ye're a traitor to the country, and +I've a mind to hang ye and all belonging to ye to the nearest bough." + +"I tell you," the man answered calmly, but in the still air every word +he said could be heard by those at the edge of the forest, "I hae +naething to do with the trouble ane way or the ither. I am a quiet +settler, whose business only is to mak a hame for my wife and bairn; +but, if you ask me to drink success to the Congress and confusion to the +king's troops, I tell you I willna do it; not even if you are brutal +enough, but this I canna believe possible, to carry your threats into +execution. I hae served my time in a king's regiment. With the bounty I +received instead o' pension on my discharge I settled here wi' my wife +and bairn, and no one shall say that Duncan Cameron was a traitor to his +king. We do no harm to anyone; we tak no part for or against you; we +only ask to be allowed to live in peace." + +"That ye shall not," the man said. "The king's troops have got Injuns +with 'em, and they're going to burn and kill all those who won't take +part with 'em. It's time we should show 'em as we can play at that game, +too. Now ye've either got to swear to be faithful to the States of +America or up you go." + +"I canna swear," the settler said firmly. "You may kill me if you will, +but, if you are men, you will nae harm my wife and girl." + +"We'll just do to you as the redskins'll do to our people," the man +said. "We'll make a sweep of the hull lot of you. Here, you fellows, +fetch the woman and girl out of the house and then set a light to it." + +Four or five men entered the house. A minute later screams were heard +and a woman and child were dragged out. The settler sprang toward them, +but three or four men seized him. + +"Now," the man said, stepping toward the house, "we'll show 'em a +bonfire." + +As he neared the door a crack of a rifle was heard and the ruffian fell +dead in his tracks. A yell of astonishment and rage broke from his +followers. + +"Jerusalem, youngster! you've got us into a nice fix. Howsomever, since +you've begun it, here goes." + +And the rifle of the hunter brought down another of the Americans. +These, following the first impulse of a frontiersman when attacked, fled +for shelter to the house, leaving the settler, with his wife and +daughter, standing alone. + +"Ye'd best get out of the way," Peter shouted, "or ye may get a bit of +lead that wasn't intended for ye." + +Catching up his child, Cameron ran toward the forest, making for the +side on which his unknown friends were placed, but keeping down toward +the lake, so as to be out of their line of fire. + +"Make down to 'em, Harold," Peter said. "Tell 'em they'd best go to some +neighbor's and stop there for a day or two. The army'll be here +to-morrow or next day. Be quick about it, and come back as fast as ye +can. I tell ye we're in a hornets' nest, and it'll be as much as we can +do to get out of it." + +A scattering fire was now being exchanged between the redskins behind +the shelter of the trees and the Americans firing from the windows of +the log house. Harold was but two or three minutes absent. + +"All right, Peter!" he exclaimed, as he rejoined them. + +"Come along, then," the hunter said. "Now, chief, let's make up round +the top of this clearing and then foot it." + +The chief at once put himself at the head of the party, and the nine men +strode away again through the forest. It was no longer silent. Behind +them the occupants of the hut were still keeping up a brisk fire toward +the trees, while from several quarters shouts could be heard, and more +than once the Indian war-whoop rose in the forest. + +"That's just what I was afeared of," Peter muttered. "There's some of +those darned varmint with 'em. We might have found our way through the +whites, but the redskins'll pick up our trail as sartin as if we were +driving a wagon through the woods." + +Going along at a swinging, noiseless trot the party made their way +through the forest. Presently a prolonged Indian whoop was heard in the +direction from which they had come. Then there were loud shouts and the +firing ceased. + +"One of the red reptiles has found our trail," Peter said. "He's with a +party of whites, and they've shouted the news to the gang in the +clearing. Waal, we may, calculate we've got thirty on our trail, and, as +we can hear them all round, it'll be a sarcumstance if we git out with +our sculps." + +As they ran they heard shouts from those behind, answered by others on +both flanks. Shots, too, were fired as signals to call the attention of +other parties. Several times the Seneca chief stopped and listened +attentively, and then changed his course as he heard suspicious noises +ahead. Those behind them were coming up, although still at some distance +in the rear. They could hear the sound of breaking trees and bushes as +their pursuers followed them in a body. + +"Ef it was only the fellows behind," Peter said, "we could leave them +easy enough, but the wood seems alive with the varmint." + +It was evident the alarm had spread through the forest, and that the +bands scattered here and there were aware that an enemy was in their +midst. The dropping fire, which the pursuers kept up, afforded an +indication as to the direction in which they were making, and the +ringing war-whoop of the hostile Indians conveyed the intelligence still +more surely. + +Presently there was a shout a short distance ahead, followed by the +sound of a rifle ball as it whizzed close to Harold's head and buried +itself in a tree that he was passing. In a moment each of the party had +sheltered behind a tree. + +"It's of no use, chief," Peter said. "We'll have the hull pack from +behind upon us in five minutes. We must run for it and take our chances +of being hit." + +Swerving somewhat from their former line, they again ran on; bullets +whisked round them, but they did not pause to fire a shot in return. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed, as the trees in front of them opened and +they found themselves on the edge of another clearing. It was +considerably larger than that which they had lately left, being three +hundred yards across, and extending back from the lake fully half a +mile. As in the previous case, a log hut stood in the center, some two +hundred yards back from the lake. + +"There's nothing for it, chief," Peter said. "We must take to the house +and fight it out there. There's a hull gang of fellows in the forest +ahead, and they'll shoot us down if we cross the clearing." + +Without a moment's hesitation the party rushed across the clearing to +the hut. Several shots were fired as they dashed across the open, but +they gained the place of refuge in safety. The hut was deserted. It had +probably belonged to royalists, for its rough furniture lay broken on +the ground; boxes and cupboards had been forced open, and the floor was +strewn with broken crockery and portions of wearing apparel. + +Harold looked round. Several of the party were bleeding from +slight wounds. + +"Now to the windows," Peter said as he barred the door. "Pile up bedding +and anything else that ye can find against the shutters, and keep +yerselves well under cover. Don't throw away a shot; we'll want all our +powder, I can tell ye. Quickly, now--there aint no time to be lost." + +While some began carrying out his instructions below, others bounded +upstairs and scattered themselves through the upper rooms. There were +two windows on each side of the house--one at each end. Disregarding the +latter, Peter and Harold took post at the windows looking toward the +forest from which they had just come. The chief and another Indian +posted themselves to watch the other side. At first no one was to be +seen. The party who had fired at them as they ran across the open had +waited for the coming up of the strong band who were following, before +venturing to show themselves. The arrival of the pursuers was heralded +by the opening of a heavy fire toward the house. As the assailants kept +themselves behind trees, no reply was made, and the defenders occupied +themselves by piling the bedding against the shutters, which they had +hastily closed. Loop-holes had been left in the walls when the hut was +first built; the moss with which they were filled up was torn out, and +each man took his post at one of these. As no answering shot came from +the house the assailants became bolder, and one or two ventured to show +themselves from, behind shelter. In a moment Harold and Peter, whose +rifles would carry more truly and much further than those of the +Indians, fired. + +"Two wiped out!" Peter said, as the men fell, and shouts of anger arose +from the woods. "That'll make them careful." + +This proof of the accuracy of the aim of the besieged checked their +assailants, and for some time they were very careful not to expose +themselves. From both sides of the forest a steady fire was maintained. +Occasionally an answering shot flashed out from the house when one of +the enemy incautiously showed an arm or a part of his body from behind +the trees, and it was seldom the rifles were fired in vain. Four or five +of the Americans were shot through the head as they leaned forward to +fire, and after an hour's exchange of bullets the attack ceased. + +"What are they going to do now?" Harold asked. + +"I expect they're going to wait till nightfall," Peter said. "There's no +moon, and they'll be able to work up all round the house. Then they'll +make a rush at the door and lower windows. We'll shoot down a good many +on 'em, and then they'll burst their way in or set fire to the hut, and +there'll be an end of it. That's what'll happen." + +"And you think there is no way of making our way out?" Harold asked. + +"It's a mighty poor chance, if there's one at all," the hunter replied. +"I should say by the fire there must be nigh a hundred of 'em now, and +it's likely that, by nightfall, there'll be three times as many. As soon +as it gets dusk they'll creep out from the woods and form a circle round +the house and gradually work up to it. Now let's cook some vittles; +we've had nothing to eat this morning yet, and it must be nigh eleven +o'clock. I don't see why we should be starved, even if we have got to be +killed to-night." + +One of the party was left on watch on each side of the house, and the +others gathered in the room below, where a fire was lit and the strips +of dried deer flesh which they carried were soon frying over it. Harold +admired the air of indifference with which his companions set about +preparing the meat. Everyone was aware of the desperate nature of the +position, but no allusion was made to it. The negro had caught the +spirit of his companions, but his natural loquacity prevented his +imitating their habitual silence. + +"Dis bad affair, Massa Harold," he said. "We jess like so many coons up +in tree, wid a whole pack ob dogs round us, and de hunters in de +distance coming up wid de guns. Dis chile reckon dat some ob dem hunters +will get hit hard before dey get us. Jake don't care one bit for +himself, massa, but he bery sorry to see you in such a fix." + +"It can't be helped, Jake," Harold said as cheerfully as he could. "It +was my firing that shot which got us into it, and yet I cannot blame +myself. We could not stand by and see those ruffians murder a woman +and child." + +"Dat's so, Massa Harold; dere was no possinbility of seeing dat. I +reckon dat when dose rascals come to climb de stairs dey'll find it are +bery hard work." + +"I don't think they will try, Jake. They are more likely to heap +brushwood against the door and windows and set it alight, and then shoot +us down as we rush out. This hut is not like the one I had to defend +against the Iroquois. That was built to repel Indians' attacks; this is +a mere squatter's hut." + +After the meal was over Peter and the Seneca chief went upstairs, looked +through the loop-holes, and talked long and earnestly together; then +they rejoined the party below. + +"The chief and I are of opinion," Peter said to Harold, "that it are of +no manner of use our waiting to be attacked here. They'd burn us out to +a sartinty; we should have no show of a fight at all. Anything's better +than that. Now, what we propose is that, directly it gets fairly dark, +we'll all creep out and make for the lake. Even if they have formed +their circle round us, they aint likely to be as thick there as they are +on the other side. What they'll try to do, in course, is to prevent our +taking to the forest; and there'll be such a grist of 'em that I don't +believe one of us would get through alive if we tried it. Now they'll +not be so strong toward the lake, and we might break through to the +water. I don't say as there's much chance of our getting away, for I +tell you fairly that I don't believe that there's any chance at all; but +the chief, here, and his braves don't want their sculps to hang in the +wigwams of the Chippewas, and I myself, ef I had the choice, would +rather be drownded than shot down. It don't make much difference; but, +of the two, I had rather. Ef we can reach the lake, we can swim out of +gunshot range. I know you can swim like a fish, and so can Jake, and the +Indians swim as a matter of course. Ef we dive at first we may get off; +it'll be so dark they won't see us with any sartainty beyond fifty +yards. When we're once fairly out in the lake we can take our chance." + +"And is there a chance, Peter? Although, if there is none, I quite agree +with you that I would rather be drowned than shot down. If one were sure +of being killed by the first shot that would be the easiest death; but +if we were only wounded they would probably hang us in the morning." + +"That's so," the hunter said. "Waal, I can hardly say that there's a +chance, and yet I can't say as how there aint. In the first place, they +may have some canoes and come out after us; there's pretty safe to be +some along the shore here. The settlers would have had 'em for fishing." + +"But what chance will that give us?" Harold asked. + +"Waal," the hunter replied, "I reckon in that case as our chance is a +fair one. Ef we dive and come up close alongside we may manage to upset +one of 'em, and, in that case, we might get off. That's one chance. Then +ef they don't come out in canoes, we might swim three or four miles down +the lake and take to land. They couldn't tell which way to go and would +have to scatter over a long line. It's just possible as we might land +without being seen. Once in the woods and we'd be safe. So you see, we +have two chances. In course we must throw away our rifles and ammunition +before we come to the water." + +"At any rate," Harold said, "the plan is a hopeful one, and I agree with +you that it is a thousand times better to try it than it is to stop here +with the certainty of being shot down before morning." + +The afternoon passed quietly. A few shots were fired occasionally from +the wood, and taunting shouts were heard of the fate which awaited them +when night approached. + +A vigilant watch was kept from the upper windows, but Peter thought that +it was certain the enemy would make no move until it became perfectly +dark, although they would establish a strong cordon all round the +clearing in case the besieged should try and break out. Harold trembled +with impatience to be off as the night grew darker and darker. It seemed +to him that at any moment the assailants might be narrowing the circle +round the house, and, had he been a leader, he would have given the word +long before the scout made a move. + +At last Peter signaled that the time had come. It was perfectly dark +when the bars were noiselessly removed from the door and the party stole +out. Everything seemed silent, but the very stillness made the danger +appear more terrible. Peter had impressed upon Harold and Jake the +necessity for moving without making the slightest noise. As soon as they +left the house the whole party dropped on their hands and knees. Peter +and the Seneca chief led the way; two of the braves came next; Harold +and Jake followed; the remaining Indians crawled in the rear. Peter had +told his comrades to keep as close as possible to the Indians in front +of them, and, grasping their rifles, they crept along the ground. As +they led the way Peter and the Seneca carefully removed from before them +every dried twig and threw it on one side. + +The distance to be traversed from the hut to the water was about two +hundred yards, and half of this was passed over before they encountered +any obstacle. Then suddenly there was an exclamation, and Peter and the +Seneca sprang to their feet, as they came in contact with two men +crawling in the opposite direction. They were too close to use their +rifles, but a crushing blow from the Seneca's tomahawk cleft down the +man in front of him, while Peter drew his long knife from its sheath and +buried it in the body of his opponent. + +The others had also leaped to their feet, and each, as he did so, fired +at the dark figures which rose around them. They had the advantage of +the surprise; several scattered shots answered their volley, then, with +their rifles clubbed, they rushed forward. For a moment there was a +hand-to-hand fight. Harold had just struck down a man opposite to him +when another sprang upon him; so sudden was the attack that he fell from +the shock. But in an instant Jake buried his knife between his +opponent's shoulders and dragged Harold to his feet. + +"Run for your life, Massa Harold. De whole gang's upon us!" + +And indeed the instant the first shot broke the silence of the woods a +babel of sounds arose from the whole circuit of the clearing; shouts and +yells burst out from hundreds of throats. There was no further use for +concealment, and from all sides the men who had been advancing to the +attack rushed in the direction where the conflict was taking place. This +lasted but a few seconds. As Peter had expected, the line was thinner +toward the lake than upon the other sides, and the rush of nine men had +broken through it. Shouts were heard from the woods on either side +extending down to the water, showing that the precaution had been taken +by the assailants of leaving a portion of their force to guard the line +of forest should the defenders break through the circle. + +At headlong speed the little band rushed down to the water's side, +dropped their ammunition pouches by its edge, threw their rifles a few +yards into the water, to be recovered, perhaps, on some future occasion, +and then dived in. The nearest of the pursuers were some thirty yards +behind when they neared the water's edge. Swimming as far under water as +they could hold their breath, each came to the surface for an instant, +and then again dived. Momentarily as they showed themselves they heard +the rattle of musketry behind, and the bullets splashed thickly on the +water. The night, however, was so dark that the fire could only be a +random one. Until far out from the shore they continued diving and then +gathered together. + +"We're pretty well out of range, now," Peter said, "and quite out of +sight of the varmints. Now we can wait a bit and see what they do next." + +The enemy were still keeping up a heavy fire from the shore, hallooing +and shouting to each other as they fancied they caught a glimpse of +their enemies. + +"There must be two or three hundred of 'em," Peter said. "We've fooled +'em nicely, so far." + +By the crashing of the bushes the fugitives could hear strong parties +making their way along the shore in either direction. An hour passed, +during which the fugitives floated nearly opposite the clearing. + +"Hullo!" Peter exclaimed presently. "There's a canoe coming along the +lake. I expect they got it from Cameron's." + +As he spoke a canoe appeared round the point. Two men were standing up +holding blazing torches; two others paddled; while two, rifle in hand, +sat by them. Almost at the same moment another canoe, similarly manned, +pushed out from the shore immediately opposite. + +"I wish we had known of that canoe," Peter said; "it would have saved us +a lot of trouble; but we had no time for looking about. I suspected them +settlers must have had one laid up somewheres. Now," he went on, "let's +make our plans. The canoes are sure to keep pretty nigh each other. +They'll most likely think as we've gone down the lake and'll not be +looking very sharply after us at present. It'll never do to let 'em pass +us. Now Jake and I and two of the Injuns will take one canoe, and the +chief and three of his braves the other. We must move round so as to get +between 'em and the shore, and then dive and come up close to 'em. Now, +Harold, do you swim out a bit further and then make a splash so as to +call their attention. Do it once or twice till you see that they've got +their eyes turned that way. Then be very quiet, so as to keep 'em +watching for another sound. That'll be our moment for attacking 'em." + +They waited till the two canoes joined each other and paddled slowly out +from the shore. Then the eight swimmers started off to make their +_détour_, while Harold swam quietly further out into the lake. The +canoes were about three hundred yards from shore and were paddling very +slowly, the occupants keeping a fixed look along the lake. There was +perfect quiet on the shore now, and when Harold made a slight splash +with his hand upon the water he saw that it was heard. Both canoes +stopped rowing, the steerers in each case giving them a steer so that +they lay broadside to the land, giving each man a view over the lake. +They sat as quiet as if carved in stone. Again Harold made a splash, but +this time a very slight one, so slight that it could hardly reach the +ears of the listeners. + +A few words were exchanged by the occupants of the boats. + +"They are further out on the lake, Bill," one said. + +"I am not sure," another answered. "I rather think the sound was further +down. Listen again." + +Again they sat motionless. Harold swam with his eyes fixed upon them. +Every face was turned his way and none was looking shoreward. Then, +almost at the same instant there was a shout from both boats. The men +with torches seemed to lose their balance. The lights described a half +circle through the air and were extinguished. A shout of astonishment +broke from the occupants, mingled with the wild Seneca war-yell, and he +knew that both canoes were upset. + +There was a sound of a desperate struggle going on. Oaths and wild cries +rose from the water. Heavy blows were struck, while from the shore arose +loud shouts of dismay and rage. In two minutes all was quiet on the +water. Then came Peter's shout: + +"This way, Harold! We'll have the canoes righted and bailed in a minute. +The varmin's all wiped out." + +With a lightened heart Harold swam toward the spot. The surprise had +been a complete success. The occupants of the canoes, intent only upon +the pursuit and having no fear of attack--for they knew that the +fugitives must have thrown away their rifles--were all gazing intently +out on the lake, when, close to each canoe on the shore side, four heads +rose from out of the water. In an instant eight hands had seized the +gunwales, and, before the occupants were aware of their danger, the +canoes were upset. + +Taken wholly by surprise, the Americans were no match for their +assailants. The knives of the latter did their work before the +frontiersmen had thoroughly grasped what had happened. Two or three, +indeed, had made a desperate fight, but they were no match for their +opponents, and the struggle was quickly over. + +On Harold reaching the canoes he found them already righted and half +emptied of water. The paddles were picked up, and, in a few minutes, +with a derisive shout of adieu to their furious enemy on the shore, the +two canoes paddled out into the lake. When they had attained a distance +of about half a mile from the shore they turned the boats heads and +paddled north. In three hours they saw lights in the wood. + +"There's the troops," Peter said. "Soldiers are never content unless +they're making fires big enough to warn every redskin within fifty miles +that they're coming." + +As they approached the shore the challenge from the English sentinel +came over the water: + +"Who comes there?" + +"Friends," Peter replied. + +"Give the password." + +"How on arth am I to give the password," Peter shouted back, "when we've +been three days away from the camp?" + +"If you approach without the password I fire," the sentinel said. + +"I tell ye," Peter shouted, "we're scouts with news for the general." + +"I can't help who you are," the sentinel said. "I have got my orders." + +"Pass the word along for an officer," Harold shouted. "We have +important news." + +The sentry called to the one next him, and so the word was passed along +the line. In a few minutes an officer appeared on the shore, and, after +a short parley, the party were allowed to land, and Peter and Harold +were at once conducted to the headquarters of General Burgoyne. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +SARATOGA. + +"What is your report?" asked General Burgoyne, as the scouts were +conducted into his tent. + +"We have discovered, sir, that the Americans have strongly fortified +Mount Independence, which faces Ticonderoga, and have connected the two +places by a bridge across the river, which is protected by a strong +boom. Both positions are, however, overlooked by Sugar Hill, and this +they have entirely neglected to fortify. If you were to seize this they +would have to retire at once." + +The general expressed his satisfaction at the news and gave orders that +steps should be taken to seize Sugar Hill immediately. He then +questioned the scouts as to their adventures and praised them highly for +their conduct. + +The next day the army advanced, and at nightfall both divisions were in +their places, having arrived within an hour or two of each other from +the opposite sides of the lake. Sugar Hill was seized the same night, +and a strong party were set to work cutting a road through the trees. +The next morning the enemy discovered the British at work erecting a +battery on the hill, and their general decided to evacuate both +Ticonderoga and Mount Independence instantly. Their baggage, provisions, +and stores were embarked in two hundred boats and sent up the river. The +army started to march by the road. + +The next morning the English discovered that the Americans had +disappeared. Captain Lutwych immediately set to work to destroy the +bridge and boom, whose construction had taken the Americans nearly +twelve months' labor. By nine in the morning a passage was effected, and +some gunboats passed through in pursuit of the enemy's convoy. They +overtook them near Skenesborough, engaged and captured many of their +largest craft, and obliged them to set several others on fire, together +with a large number of their boats and barges. + +A few hours afterward a detachment of British troops in gunboats came up +the river to Skenesborough. The cannon on the works which the Americans +had erected there opened fire, but the troops were landed, and the enemy +at once evacuated their works, setting fire to their store-houses and +mills. While these operations had been going on by water Brigadier +General Fraser, at the head of the advance corps of grenadiers and light +infantry, pressed hard upon the division of the enemy which had retired +by the Hubberton Road, and overtook them at five o'clock in the morning. + +The division consisted of fifteen hundred of the best colonial troops +under the command of Colonel Francis. They were posted on strong ground +and sheltered by breastworks composed of logs and old trees. General +Fraser's detachment was inferior in point of numbers to that of the +defenders of the position, but as he expected a body of the German +troops under General Reidesel to arrive immediately, he at once attacked +the breastworks. The Americans defended their post with great resolution +and bravery. The re-enforcements did not arrive so soon as was expected, +and for some time the British made no way. + +General Reidesel, hearing the fire in front, pushed forward at full +speed with a small body of troops. Among these was the band, which he +ordered to play. + +The enemy, hearing the music and supposing that the whole of the +German troops had come up, evacuated the position and fell back +with precipitation. Colonel Francis and many others were killed and +two hundred taken prisoners. On the English side 120 men were +killed and wounded. + +The enemy from Skenesborough were pursued by Colonel Hill, with the +Ninth Regiment, and were overtaken near Fort Anne. Finding how small was +the force that pursued them in comparison to their own, they took the +offensive. A hot engagement took place, and after three hours' fighting +the Americans were repulsed with great slaughter and forced to retreat +after setting fire to Fort Anne and Fort Edward. + +In these operations the British captured 148 guns, with large quantities +of stores. At Fort Edward General Schuyler was joined by General St. +Clair, but even with this addition the total American strength did not +exceed forty-four hundred. + +Instead of returning from Skenesborough to Ticonderoga, whence he might +have sailed with his army up to Lake George, General Burgoyne proceeded +to cut his way through the woods to the lake. The difficulties of the +passage were immense: swamps and morasses had to be passed, bridges had +to be constructed over creeks, ravines, and gulleys. The troops worked +with great vigor and spirit. Major General Phillips had returned to Lake +George and transported the artillery, provisions, and baggage to Fort +George and thence by land to a point on the Hudson River, together with +a large number of boats for the use of the army in their intended +descent to Albany. + +So great was the labor entailed by this work that it was not until July +30 that the army arrived on the Hudson River. The delay of three weeks +had afforded the enemy time to recover their spirits and recruit their +strength. General Arnold arrived with a strong re-enforcement, and a +force was detached to check the progress of Colonel St. Leger, who was +coming down from Montreal by way of Lake Ontario and the Mohawk River to +effect a junction with General Burgoyne. + +General Burgoyne determined to advance at once. The army was already +suffering from want of transportation, and he decided to send a body of +troops to Bennington, twenty-four miles to the eastward of the Hudson +River, where the Americans had large supplies collected. Instead of +sending light infantry he dispatched six hundred Germans--the worst +troops he could have selected for this purpose, as they were very +heavily armed and marched exceedingly slowly. Several of the officers +remonstrated with him, but with his usual infatuated obstinacy he +maintained his disposition. + +On approaching Bennington Colonel Baum, who commanded the Germans, found +that a very strong force was gathered there. He sent back for +re-enforcements, and five hundred more Germans, under Lieutenant Colonel +Breyman, were dispatched to his assistance. Long, however, before these +slowly moving troops could arrive Colonel Baum was attacked by the enemy +in vastly superior numbers. The Germans fought with great bravery and +several times charged the Americans and drove them back. Fresh troops +continued to come up on the enemy's side, and the Germans, having lost a +large number of men, including their colonel, were forced to retreat +into the woods. The enemy then advanced against Colonel Breyman, who was +ignorant of the disaster that had befallen Baum, and with his detachment +had occupied twenty-four hours in marching sixteen miles. The Germans +again fought well, but after a gallant resistance were obliged to fall +back. In these two affairs they lost six hundred men. + +In the meantime Colonel St. Leger had commenced his attack upon Fort +Stanwix, which was defended by seven hundred men. The American General +Herkimer advanced with one thousand men to its relief. Colonel St. +Leger detached Sir John Johnson with a party of regulars and a number +of Indians, who had accompanied him, to meet them. The enemy advanced +incautiously and fell into an ambush. A terrible fire was poured into +them, and the Indians then rushed down and attacked them hand to hand. +The Americans, although taken by surprise, fought bravely and +succeeded in making their retreat, leaving four hundred killed and +wounded behind them. + +Colonel St. Leger had no artillery which was capable of making any +impression on the defenses of the fort. Its commander sent out a man +who, pretending to be a deserter, entered the British camp and informed +Colonel St. Leger that General Burgoyne had been defeated and his army +cut to pieces, and that General Arnold, with two thousand men, was +advancing to raise the siege. Colonel St. Leger did not credit the news, +but it created a panic among the Indians, the greater portion of whom at +once retired without orders, and St. Leger, having but a small British +force with him, was compelled to follow their example, leaving his +artillery and stores behind him. + +On September 13 General Burgoyne, having with immense labor collected +thirty days' provisions on the Hudson, crossed the river by a bridge of +boats and encamped on the heights of Saratoga. His movements had been +immensely hampered by the vast train of artillery which he took with +him. In an open country a powerful force of artillery is of the greatest +service to an army, but in a campaign in a wooded and roadless country +it is of little utility and enormously hampers the operations of an +army. Had General Burgoyne, after the capture of Ticonderoga, pressed +forward in light order without artillery, he could unquestionably have +marched to New York without meeting with any serious opposition, but the +six weeks' delay had enabled the Americans to collect a great force to +oppose them. + +On the 19th, as the army were advancing to Stillwater, five thousand of +the enemy attacked the British right. They were led by General Arnold +and fought with great bravery and determination. The brunt of the battle +fell on the Twentieth, Twenty-fourth, and Sixty-second regiments. For +four hours the fight continued without any advantage on either side, and +at nightfall the Americans drew off, each side having lost about six +hundred men. After the battle of Stillwater the whole of the Indians +with General Burgoyne left him and returned to Canada. + +Hampered with his great train of artillery, unprovided with +transportation, in the face of a powerful enemy posted in an exceedingly +strong position, General Burgoyne could neither advance nor retreat. The +forage was exhausted and the artillery horses were dying in great +numbers. He had hoped that Sir William Howe would have sailed up the +Hudson and joined him, but the English commander-in-chief had taken his +army down to Philadelphia. Sir Henry Clinton, who commanded at New York, +endeavored with a small force at his command to make a diversion by +operating against the American posts on the Hudson River, but this was +of no utility. + +Burgoyne's army was now reduced to little more than five thousand men, +and he determined to fall back upon the lakes. Before doing this, +however, it would be necessary to dislodge the Americans from their +posts on his left. Leaving the camp under the command of General +Hamilton, Burgoyne advanced with fifteen hundred men against them. But +scarcely had the detachment started when the enemy made a furious attack +on the British left. Major Ackland, with the grenadiers, was posted +here, and for a time defended himself with great bravery. The light +infantry and Twenty-fourth were sent to their assistance, but, +overpowered by numbers, the left wing was forced to retreat into their +intrenchments. These the enemy, led by General Arnold, at once attacked +with great impetuosity. For a long time the result was doubtful, and it +was not until the American leader was wounded that the attack ceased. In +the meantime the intrenchments defended by the German troops under +Colonel Breyman had also been attacked. Here the fight was obstinate, +but the German intrenchments were carried, Colonel Breyman killed, and +his troops retreated with the loss of all their baggage and artillery. +Two hundred prisoners fell into the hands of the Americans. + +That night the British army was concentrated on the heights above the +hospital. General Gates, who commanded the Americans, moved his army so +as to entirely inclose the British, and the latter, on the night of +October 8, retired to Saratoga, being obliged to leave all their sick +and wounded in the hospital. These were treated with the greatest +kindness by the Americans. An attempt was now made to retreat to Fort +George or Fort Edward, but the Americans had taken up positions on each +road and fortified them with cannon. + +Only about thirty-five hundred fighting men now remained, of whom but +one-half were British, and scarcely eight days' provisions were left. +The enemy, four times superior in point of numbers, held every line of +retreat and eluded every attempt of the British to force them to a +general engagement. + +The position was hopeless, and on October 13 a council of war was held +and it was determined to open negotiations for a surrender. Two days +were spent in negotiations, and it was finally agreed that the army +should lay down its arms and that it should be marched to Boston, and +there allowed to sail for England on condition of not serving again in +North America during the contest. The Canadians were to be allowed to +return at once to their own country. On the 16th the army laid down its +arms. It consisted of thirty-five hundred fighting men and six hundred +sick and nearly two thousand boatmen, teamsters, and other +non-effectives. + +Never did a general behave with greater incompetence than that +manifested by General Burgoyne from the day of his leaving Ticonderoga, +and the disaster which befell his army was entirely the result of +mismanagement, procrastination, and faulty generalship. + +Had Harold remained with the army until its surrender his share in the +war would have been at an end, for the Canadians, as well as all others +who laid down their arms, gave their word of honor not to serve again +during the war. He had, however, with Peter Lambton and Jake, +accompanied Colonel Baum's detachment on its march to Bennington. +Scouting in front of the column, they had ascertained the presence of +large numbers of the enemy, and had, by hastening back with the news, +enabled the German colonel to make some preparations for resistance +before the attack was made upon him. During the fight that ensued the +scouts, posted behind trees on the German left, had assisted them to +repel the attack from that quarter, and when the Germans gave way they +effected their escape into the woods and managed to rejoin the army. + +They had continued with it until it moved to the hospital heights after +the disastrous attack by the Americans on their camp. General Burgoyne +then sent for Peter Lambton, who was, he knew, one of his most active +and intelligent scouts. + +"Could you make your way through the enemy's lines down to +Ticonderoga?" he asked. + +"I could try, general," Peter said. "Me and the party who work with me +could get through if anyone could, but more nor that I can't say. The +Yanks are swarming around pretty thick, I reckon; but if we have luck we +might make a shift to get through." + +"I have hopes," the general said, "that another regiment, for which I +asked General Carleton, has arrived there. Here is a letter to General +Powell, who is in command, to beg him to march with all his available +force and fall upon the enemy posted on our line of communication. +Unless the new regiment has reached him he will not have a sufficient +force to attempt this, but, if this has come up, he may be able to do +so. He is to march in the lightest order and at full speed, so as to +take the enemy by surprise. Twelve hours before he starts you will bring +me back news of his coming, and I will move out to meet him. His +operations in their rear will confuse the enemy and enable me to operate +with a greater chance of success. I tell you this because, if you are +surrounded and in difficulties, you may have to destroy my dispatch. You +can then convey my instructions by word of mouth to General Powell if +you succeed in getting through." + +Upon leaving headquarters Peter joined his friends. + +"It's a risksome business," he went on, after informing them of the +instructions he had received, "but I don't know as it's much more +risksome than stopping here. It don't seem to me that this army is like +to get out of the trap into which their general has led 'em. Whatever he +wanted to leave the lakes for is more nor I can tell. However, +generaling aint my business, and I wouldn't change places with the old +man to-day, not for a big sum of money. Now, chief, what do you say? +How's this 'ere business to be carried out?" + +The Seneca, with the five braves who had from the first accompanied +them, were now the only Indians with the British army. The rest of the +redskins, disgusted with the dilatory progress of the army and +foreseeing inevitable disaster, had all betaken themselves to their +homes. They were, moreover, angered at the severity with which the +English general had endeavored to suppress their tendency to acts of +cruelty on the defenseless settlers. The redskin has no idea of +civilized warfare. His sole notion of fighting is to kill, burn, and +destroy, and the prohibition of all irregular operations and of the +infliction of unnecessary suffering was, in his eyes, an act of +incomprehensible weakness. The Seneca chief remained with the army +simply because his old comrade did so. He saw that there was little +chance of plunder, but he and his braves had succeeded in fair fight in +obtaining many scalps, and would, at least, be received with high honor +on their return to their tribe. + +A long discussion took place between the chief and Peter before they +finally decided upon the best course to be pursued. They were ignorant +of the country and of the disposition of the enemy's force, and could +only decide to act upon general principles. They thought it probable +that the Americans would be most thickly posted upon the line between +the British army and the lakes, and their best chance of success would +therefore be to make their way straight ahead for some distance, and +then, when they had penetrated the American lines, to make a long +_détour_ round to the lakes. + +Taking four days' provisions with them they started when nightfall had +fairly set in. It was intensely dark, and in the shadows of the woods +Harold was unable to see his hand before him. The Indians appeared to +have a faculty of seeing in the dark, for they advanced without the +slightest pause or hesitation and were soon in the open country. The +greatest vigilance was now necessary. Everywhere they could hear the low +hum which betokens the presence of many men gathered together. Sometimes +a faint shout came to their ears, and for a long distance around the +glow in the sky told of many fires. The party now advanced with the +greatest caution, frequently halting while the Indians went on ahead to +scout; and more than once they were obliged to alter their direction as +they came upon bodies of men posted across their front. At last they +passed through the line of sentinels, and, avoiding all the camps, +gained the country in the Americans' rear. + +They now struck off to the right, and by daybreak were far round beyond +the American army, on their way to Ticonderoga. They had walked for +fifteen hours when they halted, and it was not until late in the +afternoon that they continued their journey. They presently struck the +road which the army had cut in its advance, and keeping parallel with +this through the forest they arrived the next morning at Fort Edward. A +few hours' rest here and they continued their march to Ticonderoga. This +place had been attacked by the Americans a few days previously, but the +garrison had beaten off the assailants. + +On the march they had seen many bodies of the enemy moving along the +road, but their approach had in every case been detected in time to take +refuge in the forest. On entering the fort Peter at once proceeded to +General Powell's quarters and delivered the dispatch with which he had +been intrusted. The general read it. + +"No re-enforcements have arrived," the general said, "and the force here +is barely sufficient to defend the place. It would be madness for me to +set out on such a march with the handful of troops at my disposal." + +He then questioned Peter concerning the exact position of the army, and +the latter had no hesitation in saying that he thought the whole force +would be compelled to lay down their arms unless some re-enforcements +reached them from below. + +This, however, was not to be. General Clinton captured Forts Montgomery +and Clinton, the latter a very strong position, defended with great +resolution by four hundred Americans. The Seventh and Twenty-sixth +regiments and a company of grenadiers attacked on one side, the +Sixty-third Regiment on the other. They had no cannon to cover their +advance and had to cross ground swept by ten pieces of artillery. In no +event during the war did the British fight with more resolution. +Without firing a shot they pressed forward to the foot of the works, +climbed over each other's shoulders on to the walls, and drove the +enemy back. The latter discharged one last volley into the troops and +then laid down their arms. Notwithstanding the slaughter effected by +this wanton fire after all possibility of continuing a resistance was +over, quarter was given and not one of the enemy was killed after the +fort was taken. The British loss was 140 killed and wounded; 300 +Americans were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. The fleet attacked +the American squadron on the river and entirely destroyed it. Beyond +sending a flying squadron up the river to destroy the enemy's boats and +stores of provisions, nothing further could be done to effect a +diversion in favor of General Burgoyne. + +Four days after Harold's arrival at Ticonderoga the news of the +surrender of General Burgoyne reached the place. Upon the following day +he suggested to Peter Lambton that they should visit the clearing of the +ex-soldier Cameron and see whether their interference had saved him and +his family. Upon arriving at the spot whence Harold had fired the shot +which had brought discovery upon them, they saw a few charred stumps +alone remaining of the snug house which had stood there. In front of it, +upon the stump of a tree, Cameron himself was sitting in an attitude of +utter depression. + +They walked across the clearing to the spot, but although the sound of +their footsteps must have reached his ear, the man did not look up until +Harold touched him on the shoulder. + +"What has happened?" he asked. "Who has done this ruin?" + +The man still remained with his head bent down, as if he had not heard +the question. + +"We had hoped that you had escaped," Harold went on. "We were hidden in +the wood when we saw those ruffians drive your wife and daughter out, +and it was the shot from my rifle that killed their leader and brought +them down on us; and a narrow escape we had of it; but we hoped that we +had diverted them from their determination to kill you and your family." + +Cameron looked up now. + +"I thank ye, sir," he said. "I thank ye wi' a' my hairt for your +interference on our behalf. I heerd how closely ye were beset that +night and how ye escaped. They thought nae mair o' us, and when the +royal army arrived the next day we were safe; but ye might as weel ha' +let the matter gang on--better, indeed, for then I should be deed +instead o' suffering. This wark," and he pointed toward the remains of +the house, "is redskin deviltry. A fortnight sin' a band o' Indians +fell upon us. I was awa'. They killed my wife and burned my house and +ha' carried off my bairn." + +"Who were they?" Harold asked. + +"I dinna ken," Cameron replied; "but a neebor o' mine whose place they +attacked, and whom they had scalped and left for deed, told me that they +were a band o' the Iroquois who had come down from Lake Michigan and +advanced wi' the British. He said that they, with the other redskins, +desairted when their hopes o' plunder were disappointed, and that on +their way back to their tribes they burned and ravaged every settlement +they cam' across. My neebor was an old frontiersman; he had fought +against the tribe and knew their war-cry. He deed the next day. He was +mair lucky than I am." + +"The tarnal ruffians!" Peter exclaimed; "the murdering varmints! And to +think of 'em carrying off that purty little gal of yours! I suppose by +this time they're at their old game of plundering and slaying on the +frontier. It's naught to them which side they fight on; scalps and +plunder is all they care for." + +The unfortunate settler had sat down again on the log, the picture of a +broken-hearted man. Harold drew Peter a short distance away. + +"Look here. Peter," he said. "Now Burgoyne's army has surrendered and +winter is close at hand, it is certain that there will be no further +operations here, except perhaps that the Americans will recapture the +place. What do you say to our undertaking an expedition on our own +account to try and get back this poor fellow's daughter? I do not know +whether the Seneca would join us, but we three--of course I count +Jake--and the settler might do something. I have an old grudge against +these Iroquois myself, as you have heard; and for aught I know they may +long ere this have murdered my cousins." + +"The Seneca will jine," Peter said, "willing enough. There's an old feud +between his tribe and the Iroquois. He'll jine fast enough. But mind, +youngster, this aint no child's play; it aint like fighting them +American clodhoppers. We'll have to deal with men as sharp as ourselves, +who can shoot as well, hear as well, see as well, who are in their own +country, and who are a hundred to one against us. We've got hundreds and +hundreds of miles to travel afore we gets near 'em. It's a big job; but +if, when ye thinks it all over, you're ready to go, Peter Lambton aint +the man to hold back. As you say, there's naught to do this winter, and +we might as well be doing this as anything else." + +The two men then went back to the settler. + +"Cameron," Harold said, "it is of no use sitting here grieving. Why not +be up in pursuit of those who carried off your daughter?" + +The man sprang to his feet. + +"In pursuit!" he cried fiercely; "in pursuit! Do ye think Donald Cameron +wad be sitting here quietly if he kenned where to look for his +daughter--where to find the murderers o' his wife? But what can I do? +For three days after I cam' back and found what had happened I was just +mad. I couldna think nor rest, nor do aught but throw mysel' on the +ground and pray to God to tak' me. When at last I could think, it was +too late. It wad hae mattered naething to me that they were a hundred to +one. If I could ha' killed but one o' them I wad ha' died happy; but +they were gone, and how could I follow them--how could I find them? Tell +me where to look, mon--show me the way; and if it be to the ends o' the +airth I will go after them." + +"We will do more, than that," Harold said. "My friend and myself have +still with us the seven men who were with us when we were here before. +Five are Senecas, the other a faithful negro who would go through fire +and water for me. There is little chance of our services being required +during the winter with the British army. We, are interested in you and +in the pretty child we saw here, and, if you will, we will accompany you +in the search for her. Peter Lambton knows the country well, and if +anyone could lead you to your child and rescue her from those who +carried her off, he is the man." + +"Truly!" gasped the Scotchman. "And will ye truly gang wi' me to find +my bairn? May the guid God o' heaven bless you!" and the tears ran down +his cheeks. + +"Git your traps together at once, man," Peter said. "Let's go straight +back to the fort; then I'll set the matter before the chief, who will, I +warrant me, be glad enough to jine the expedition. It's too late to +follow the track of the red varmints; our best plan will be to make +straight for the St. Lawrence; to take a boat if we can git one; if not, +two canoes; and to make up the river and along the Ontario. Then we must +sell our boat, cross to Erie, and git fresh canoes and go on by Detroit +into Lake Huron, and so up in the country of these reptiles. We shall +have no difficulty, I reckon, in discovering the whereabout of the tribe +which has been away on this expedition." + +The Scotchman took up the rifle. + +"I am ready," he said, and without another word the party started +for the fort. + +Upon their arrival there a consultation was held with the Seneca. The +prospect of an expedition against his hereditary foes filled him with +delight, and three of his braves also agreed to accompany them. Jake +received the news with the remark: + +"All right, Massa Harold. It make no odds to dis chile whar he goes. You +say de word--Jake ready." + +Half an hour sufficed for making the preparations, and they at once +proceeded to the point where they had hidden the two canoes on the night +when they joined General Burgoyne before his advance upon Ticonderoga. +These were soon floating on the lake, and they started to paddle to the +mouth of the Sorrel, down this river into the St. Lawrence, and thence +to Montreal. Their rifles they had recovered from the lake upon the day +following that on which Ticonderoga was first captured; Deer Tail having +dispatched to the spot two of his braves, who recovered them without +difficulty, by diving, and brought them back to the fort. + +At Montreal they stayed but a few hours. An ample supply of ammunition +was purchased and provisions sufficient for the voyage; and then, +embarking in the two canoes, they started up the St. Lawrence. It was +three weeks later when they arrived at Detroit, which was garrisoned by +a British force. Here they heard that there had been continuous troubles +with the Indians on the frontier; that a great many farms and +settlements had been destroyed, and numbers of persons murdered. + +Their stay at Detroit was a short one. Harold obtained no news of his +cousins, but there were so many tales told of Indian massacres that he +was filled with apprehension on their account. His worst apprehensions +were justified when the canoes at length came within sight of the +well-remembered clearing. Harold gave a cry as he saw that the farmhouse +no longer existed. The two canoes were headed toward shore, and their +occupants disembarked and walked toward the spot where the house had +stood. The site was marked by a heap of charred embers. The outhouses +had been destroyed, and a few fowls were the only living things to be +seen in the fields. + +"This here business must have taken place some time ago," Peter said, +breaking the silence. "A month, I should say, or p'r'aps more." + +For a time Harold was too moved to speak. The thought of his kind +cousins and their brave girl all murdered by the Indians filled him with +deep grief. At last he said: + +"What makes you think so, Peter?" + +"It's easy enough to see as it was after the harvest, for ye see the +fields is all clear. And then there's long grass shooting up through the +ashes. It would take a full month, p'r'aps six weeks, afore it would do +that. Don't you think so, chief?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"A moon," he said. + +"Yes, about a month," replied Peter. "The grass grows quick after +the rains." + +"Do you think that it was a surprise, Peter?" + +"No man can tell," the hunter answered. "If we had seen the place soon +afterward we might have told. There would have been marks of blood. Or +if the house had stood we could have told by the bullet-holes and the +color of the splintered wood how it happened and how long back. As it +is, not even the chief can give ye an idea." + +"Not an attack," the Seneca said; "a surprise." + +"How on arth do you know that, chief?" the hunter exclaimed in +surprise, and he looked round in search of some sign which would have +enabled the Seneca to have given so confident an opinion. "You must be +a witch, surely." + +"A chief's eyes are not blind," the redskin answered, with a +slight smile of satisfaction at having for once succeeded when his +white comrade was at fault. "Let my friend look up the hill--two +dead men there." + +Harold looked in the direction in which the chief pointed, but could see +nothing. The hunter exclaimed: + +"There's something there, chief, but even my eyes couldn't tell they +were bodies." + +The party proceeded to the spot and found two skeletons. A few remnants +of clothes lay around, but the birds had stripped every particle of +flesh from the bones. There was a bullet in the forehead of one skull; +the other was cleft with a sharp instrument. + +"It's clear enough," the hunter said, "there's been a surprise. Likely +enough the hull lot was killed without a shot being fired in defense." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +RESCUED! + +Harold was deeply touched at the evidences of the fate which had +befallen the occupants of his cousin's plantation. + +"If there are any more of these to be found," pointing to their remains, +"we might learn for a certainty whether the same fate befell them all." + +The Seneca spoke a word to his followers and the four Indians spread +themselves over the clearing. One more body was found--it was lying down +near the water as if killed in the act of making for the canoe. + +"The others are probably there," Peter said, pointing to the ruins. "The +three hands was killed in the fields, and most likely the attack was +made at the same moment on the house. I'm pretty sure it was so, for the +body by the water lies face downward, with his head toward the lake. He +was no doubt shot from behind as he was running. There must have been +Injuns round the house then, or he would have made for that instead of +the water." + +The Seneca touched Peter on the shoulder and pointed toward the farm. A +figure was seen approaching. As it came nearer they could see that he +was a tall man, dressed in the deerskin shirt and leggings usually worn +by hunters. As he came near Harold gave an exclamation: + +"It is Jack Pearson!" + +"It are Jack Pearson," the hunter said, "but for the moment I can't +recollect ye, though yer face seems known. Why!" he exclaimed in changed +tones, "it's that boy Harold growed into a man." + +"It is," Harold replied, grasping the frontiersman's hand. + +"And ye may know me, too," Peter Lambton said, "though it's twenty year +since we fought side by side against the Mohawks." + +"Why, old hoss, are you above ground still?" the hunter exclaimed +heartily. "I'm glad to see you again, old friend. And what are you doing +here, you and Harold and these Senecas? For they is Senecas, sure +enough. I've been in the woods for the last hour, and have been puzzling +myself nigh to death. I seed them Injuns going about over the clearing +sarching, and for the life of me I couldn't think what they were +a-doing. Then I seed 'em gathered down here, with two white men among +'em, so I guessed it was right to show myself." + +"They were searching to see how many had fallen in this terrible +business," Harold said, pointing to the ruins. The hunter shook his +head. + +"I'm afeared they've all gone under. I were here a week afterward; it +were just as it is now. I found the three hands lying killed and sculped +in the fields; the others, I reckon, is there. I has no doubt at all +about Bill Welch and his wife, but it may be that the gal has been +carried off." + +"Do you think so?" Harold exclaimed eagerly. "If so, we may find her, +too, with the other." + +"What other?" Pearson, asked. + +Harold gave briefly an account of the reason which had brought them to +the spot and of the object they had in view. + +"You can count me in," Pearson said. "There's just a chance that Nelly +Welch may be in their hands still; and in any case I'm longing to draw a +bead on some of the varmints to pay 'em for this," and he looked round +him, "and a hundred other massacres round this frontier." + +"I'm glad to hear ye say so," Peter replied. "I expected as much of ye, +Jack. I don't know much of this country, having only hunted here for a +few weeks with a party of Delawares twenty year afore the Iroquois moved +so far west." + +"I know pretty nigh every foot of it," Jack Pearson said. "When the +Iroquois were quiet I used to do a deal of hunting in their country. It +are good country for game." + +"Well! shall we set out at once?" Harold asked, impatient to be off. + +"We can't move to-night," Pearson answered; and Harold saw that Peter +and the Indians agreed with him. + +"Why not?" he asked. "Every hour is of importance." + +"That's so," Peter said, "but there's no going out on the lake to-night. +In half an hour we'll have our first snowstorm, and by morning it will +be two foot deep." + +Harold turned his eyes toward the lake and saw what his companions had +noticed long before. The sky was overcast and a thick bank of hidden +clouds was rolling up across the lake, and the thick mist seemed to hang +between the clouds and the water. + +"That's snow," Peter said. "It's late this year, and I'd give my pension +if it was a month later." + +"That's so," Pearson said. "Snow aint never pleasant in the woods, but +when you're scouting round among Injuns it are a caution. We'd best make +a shelter afore it comes on." + +The two canoes were lifted from the water, unloaded, and turned bottom +upward; a few charred planks, which had formed part of the roof of the +outhouses, were brought and put up to form a sort of shelter. A fire was +lit and a meal prepared. By this time the snow had begun to fall. After +the meal was over pipes were lit and the two hunters earnestly talked +over their plans, the Seneca chief throwing in a few words occasionally; +the others listened quietly. The Indians left the matter in the hands of +their chief, while Harold and Cameron knew that the two frontiersmen did +not need any suggestion from them. As to Jake, the thought of asking +questions never entered his mind. He was just at present less happy than +usual, for the negro, like most of his race, hated cold, and the +prospect of wandering through the woods in deep snow made him shudder +as he crouched close to the great fire they had built. + +Peter and Jack Pearson were of opinion that it was exceedingly +probable that the Welches had been destroyed by the very band which +had carried off little Janet Cameron. The bodies of Indians who had +been on the war-path with the army had retired some six weeks before, +and it was about that time, Pearson said, that the attack on the +settlements had been made. + +"I heard some parties of redskins who had been with the British +troops had passed through the neighborhood, and there was reports +that they were greatly onsatisfied with the results of the campaign. +As likely as not some of that band may have been consarned in the +attack on this place three year ago, and, passing nigh it, may have +determined to wipe out that defeat. An Injun never forgives. Many of +their braves fell here, and they could scarcely bring a more welcome +trophy back to their villages than the scalps of Welch and his men." + +"Now, the first thing to do," Peter said, "is to find out what +particular chief took his braves with him to the war; then we've got +to find his village; and there likely enough we'll find Cameron's +daughter and maybe the girl from here. How old was she?" + +"About fifteen," Pearson said, "and a fine girl, and a pretty girl, +too. I dun know," he went on after a pause, "which of the chiefs took +part in the war across the lakes, but I suspect it were War Eagle. +There's three great chiefs, and the other two were trading on the +frontier. It was War Eagle who attacked the place afore, and would be +the more likely to attack it again if he came anywheres near it. He +made a mess of it afore and 'd be burning to wipe out his failure if +he had a chance." + +"Where is his place?" + +"His village is the furthest of them all from here. He lives up near +the falls of Sault Ste. Marie, betwixt Lakes Superior and Huron. It's +a village with nigh three hundred wigwams." + +"It aint easy to see how it's to be done. We must make to the north +shore of the lake. There'll be no working down here through the +woods; but it's a pesky difficult job--about as hard a one as ever I +took part in." + +"It is that," Pearson said; "it can't be denied. To steal two white +girls out of a big Injun village aint a easy job at no time; but with +the snow on the ground it comes as nigh to an impossibility as +anything can do." + +For another hour or two they talked over the route they should take +and their best mode of proceeding. Duncan Cameron sat and listened +with an intent face to every word. Since he had joined them he had +spoken but seldom; his whole soul was taken up with the thought of +his little daughter. He was ever ready to do his share and more than +his share of the work of paddling and at the portages, but he never +joined in the conversation; and of an evening, when the others sat +round the fire, he would move away and pace backward and forward in +anxious thought until the fire burned low and the party wrapped +themselves in their blankets and went off to sleep. + +All the time the conversation had been going on the snow had fallen +heavily, and before it was concluded the clearing was covered deep +with the white mantle. There was little wind, and the snow fell +quietly and noiselessly. At night the Indians lay down round the +fire, while the white men crept under the canoes and were soon fast +asleep. In the morning it was still snowing, but about noon it +cleared up. It was freezing hard, and the snow glistened as the sun +burst through the clouds. The stillness of the forest was broken now +by sharp cracking sounds as boughs of trees gave way under the weight +of the snow; in the open it lay more than two feet deep. + +"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we're off the better." + +"I'll come in my own canoe," Pearson said. "One of the Injuns can +come with me and we'll keep up with the rest." + +"There is room for you in the other canoes," Harold said. + +"Plenty of room," the hunter answered. "But you see, Harold, the more +canoes the better. There aint no saying how close we may be chased, +and by hiding up the canoes at different places we give ourselves so +much more chance of being able to get to one or the other. They're +all large canoes, and at a pinch any one of them might hold the hull +party, with the two gals throwed in. But," he added to Harold in a +low voice, "don't you build too much on these gals, Harold. I +wouldn't say so while that poor fellow's listening, but the chance is +a desperate poor one, and I think we'll be mighty lucky ef we don't +leave all our scalps in that 'ere redskin village." The traps were +soon placed in the canoes, and just as the sun burst out the three +boats started. It was a long and toilsome journey. Stormy weather set +in, and they were obliged to wait for days by the lake till its +surface calmed. On these occasions they devoted themselves to hunting +and killed several deer. They knew that there were no Indian villages +near, and in such weather it would be improbable that any redskins +would be in the woods. They were enabled, therefore, to fire without +fear of the reports betraying their presence. The Senecas took the +opportunity of fabricating snowshoes for the whole party, as these +would be absolutely necessary for walking in the woods. Harold, Jake, +and Duncan Cameron at once began to practice their use. The negro was +comical in the extreme in his first attempts, and shouted so loudly +with laughter each time that he fell head foremost into the snow that +Peter said to him angrily: + +"Look-a-here, Jake; it's dangerous enough letting off a rifle at a +deer in these woods, but it has to be done because we must lay in a +supply of food; but a musket-shot is a mere whisper to yer shouting. +Thunder aint much louder than you laughing--it shakes the hull place +and might be heard from here well-nigh to Montreal. Ef you can't keep +that mouth of your'n shut, ye must stop up the idée of learning to use +them shoes and must stop in the canoe while we're scouting on shore." + +Jake promised to amend, and from this time when he fell in the soft +snow-wreaths he gave no audible vent to his amusement; but a pair of +great feet, with the snow-shoes attached, could be seen waving above +the surface until he was picked up and righted again. + +Harold soon learned, and Cameron went at the work with grim +earnestness. No smile ever crossed his face at his own accidents or +at the wild vagaries of Jake, which excited silent amusement even +among the Indians. In a short time the falls were less frequent, and +by the time they reached the spot where they were determined to cross +the lake at the point where Lakes Huron and Michigan join, the three +novices were able to make fair progress in the snow-shoes. + +The spot fixed upon was about twelve miles from the village of War +Eagle, and the canoes were hidden at distances of three miles apart. +First Pearson, Harold, and Cameron disembarked; Jake, Peter, and one +of the Indians alighted at the next point; and the Seneca chief and +two of his followers proceeded to the spot nearer to the Indian +village. Each party as they landed struck straight into the woods, to +unite at a point eight miles from the lake and as many from the +village. The hunters had agreed that, should any Indians come across +the tracks, less suspicion would be excited than would have been the +case were they found skirting the river, as it might be thought that +they were made by Indians out hunting. + +Harold wondered how the other parties would find the spot to which +Pearson had directed them, but in due time all arrived at the +rendezvous. After some search a spot was found where the underwood +grew thickly, and there was an open place in the center of the clump. +In this the camp was established. It was composed solely of a low +tent of about two feet high, made of deer's hides sewed together, and +large enough to shelter them all. The snow was cleared away, sticks +were driven into the frozen ground, and strong poles laid across +them; the deerskin was then laid flat upon these. The top was little +higher than the general level of the snow, an inch or two of snow was +scattered over it, and to anyone passing outside the bushes the tent +was completely invisible. + +The Indians now went outside the thicket and with great care +obliterated, as far as possible, the marks upon the snow. This could +not be wholly done, but it was so far complete that the slightest +wind which would send a drift over the surface would wholly conceal +all traces of passage. + +They had, before crossing the lake, cooked a supply of food +sufficient for some days. Intense as was the cold outside, it was +perfectly warm in the tent. The entrance as they crept into it was +closed with a blanket, and in the center a lamp composed of deer's +fat in a calabash with a cotton wick gave a sufficient light. + +"What is the next move?" Harold asked. + +"The chief 'll start, when it comes dusk, with Pearson," Peter said. +"When they git close to the village he'll go in alone. He'll paint +Iroquois before he goes." + +"Cannot we be near at hand to help them in case of a necessity," +Harold asked. + +"No," Peter said. "It wouldn't be no good at all. Ef it comes to +fighting they're fifty to one, and the lot of us would have no more +chance than two. If they're found out, which aint likely, they must +run for it, and they can get over the snow a deal faster than you +could, to say nothing of Cameron and Jake. They must shift for +themselves and 'll make straight for the nearest canoe. In the forest +they must be run down sooner or later, for their tracks would be +plain. No, they must go alone." + +When night came on the Seneca produced his paints, and one of his +followers marked his face and arms with the lines and flourishes in +use by the Iroquois; then without a word of adieu he took his rifle +and glided out from the tent, followed by Pearson. Peter also put on +his snow-shoes and prepared to follow. + +"I thought you were going to stay here, Peter." + +"No, I'm going halfway with 'em. I'll be able to hear the sound of a +gun. Then, ef they're trapped, we must make tracks for the canoes at +once, for after following 'em to the lake they're safe to take up +their back track to see where they've come from; so, ef I hear a gun, +I'll make back here as quick as I can come." + +When the three men had started silence fell on the tent. The redskins +at once lay down to sleep, and Jake followed their example. Harold +lay quiet thinking over the events which had happened to him in the +last three years, while Cameron lay with his face turned toward the +lamp with a set, anxious look on his face. Several times he crawled +to the entrance and listened when the crack made by some breaking +bough came to his ear. Hours passed and at last Harold dozed off, but +Cameron's eyes never closed until about midnight the blanket at the +entrance moved and Peter entered. + +"Hae ye seen the ithers?" Cameron exclaimed. + +"No, and were not likely to," Peter answered. "It was all still to +the time I came away, and afore I moved I was sure they must have +left the village. They won't come straight back, bless ye; they'll go +'way in the opposite direction and make a sweep miles round. They may +not be here for hours yet; not that there's much chance of their +tracks being traced. It has not snowed for over a week, and the snow +round the village must be trampled thick for a mile and more, with +the squaws coming and going for wood and the hunters going out on the +chase. I've crossed a dozen tracks or more on my way back. Ef it +wasn't for that we daren't have gone at all, for ef the snow was new +fallen the sight of fresh tracks would have set the first Injun that +come along a-wondering; and when a redskin begins to wonder he sets +to to ease his mind at once by finding out all about it, ef it takes +him a couple of days' sarch to do so. No, you can lie down now for +some hours. They won't be here till morning." + +So saying, the scout set the example by wrapping himself up and going +to sleep, but Cameron's eyes never closed until the blanket was drawn +on one side again and in the gray light of the winter morning the +Seneca and Pearson crawled into the tent. + +"What news?" Harold asked, for Cameron was too agitated to speak. + +"Both gals are there," Pearson answered. + +An exclamation of thankfulness broke from Harold. A sob of joy issued +from the heart of the Scotchman, and for a few minutes his lips moved +as he poured forth his silent thankfulness to God. + +"Waal, tell us all about it," Peter said. "I can ask the chief any +questions afterward." + +"We went on straight enough to the village," the hunter began. "It +are larger than when I saw it last, and War Eagle's influence in the +tribe must have increased. I didn't expect to find no watch, the +redskins having, so far as they knew, no enemies within five hundred +mile of 'em. There was a lot of fires burning and plenty of redskins +moving about among 'em. We kept on till we got quite close, and then +we lay up for a time below a tree at the edge of the clearing. There +were a sight too many of 'em about for the Seneca to go in yet +awhile. About half an hour arter we got there we saw two white gals +come outen one of the wigwams and stand for a while to warm +theirselves by one of the fires. The tallest of the two, well-nigh a +woman, was Nelly Welch. I knew her, in course. The other was three or +four years younger, with yaller hair over her shoulders. Nelly seemed +quiet and sad-like, but the other 'peared more at home--she laughed +with some of the redskin gals and even jined in their play. You see," +he said, turning to Cameron, "she'd been captured longer and +children's spirits soon rise again. Arter a while they went back to +the wigwam. When the fires burned down and the crowd thinned, and +there was only a few left sitting in groups round the embers, the +Seneca started. For a long time I saw nothing of him, but once or +twice I thought I saw a figure moving among the wigwams. Presently +the fires burned quite down and the last Injun went off. I had begun +to wonder what the chief was doing, when he stood beside me. We made +tracks at once and have been tramping in a long circle all night. The +chief can tell ye his part of the business hisself." + +"Well, chief, what have you found out?" Peter asked. + +The Indian answered in his native tongue, which Peter interpreted +from time to time for the benefit of his white companions: + +"When Deer Tail left the white hunter he went into the village. It +was no use going among the men, and he went round by the wigwams and +listened to the chattering of the squaws. The tribe were all well +contented, for the band brought back a great deal of plunder which +they had picked up on their way back from the army. They had lost no +braves and everyone was pleased. The destruction of the settlement of +the white man who had repulsed them before was a special matter for +rejoicing. The scalps of the white man and his wife are in the +village. War Eagle's son, Young Elk, is going to marry the white +girl. There are several of the braves whose heads have been turned by +the white skin and her bright eyes, but Young Elk is going to have +her. There have been great feastings and rejoicings since the return +of the warriors, but they are to be joined tomorrow by Beaver's band, +and then they will feast again. When all was quiet I went to the +wigwam where the white girls are confined. An old squaw and two of +War Eagle's daughters are with them. Deer Tail had listened while +they prepared for rest and knew on which side of the wigwam the tall +white maiden slept. He thought that she would be awake. Her heart +would be sad and sleep would not come to her soon, so he crept round +there and cut a slit in the skin close to where she lay. He put his +head in at the hole and whispered, 'Do not let the white girl be +afraid; it is a friend. Does she hear him?' She whispered, 'Yes.' +'Friends are near,' he said. 'The young warrior Harold, whom she +knows, and others, are at hand to take her away. The Iroquois will be +feasting to-morrow night. When she hears the cry of a night-owl let +her steal away with her little white sister and she will find her +friends waiting.' Then Deer Tail closed the slit and stole away to +his friend the white hunter. I have spoken." + +"Jest what I expected of you, chief," Peter said warmly. "I thought +as how you'd manage to git speech with 'em somehow. If there's a +feast to-night, it's hard ef we don't manage to get 'em off." + +"I suppose we must lie still all day, Peter." + +"You must so," the hunter said. "Not a soul must show his nose +outside the tent except that one of the redskins'll keep watch to be +sure that no straggler has come across our tracks and followed 'em +up. Ef he was to do that, he might bring the hull gang down on us. +Ye'd best get as much sleep as ye can, for ye don't know when ye may +get another chance." + +At nightfall the whole party issued from the tent and started toward +the Indian village. All arrangements had been made. It was agreed +that Pearson and the Seneca should go up to the village, the former +being chosen because he was known to Nelly. Peter and one of the +redskins were to take post a hundred yards further back, ready to +give assistance in case of alarm, while the rest were to remain about +half a mile distant. Cameron had asked that he might go with the +advance party, but upon Peter pointing out to him that his +comparatively slow rate of progression in snow-shoes would, in case +of discovery, lead to the recapture of the girls, he at once agreed +to the decision. If the flight of the girls was discovered soon after +leaving the camp, it was arranged that the Seneca and Peter should +hurry at once with them to the main body, while the other two Indians +should draw off their pursuers in another direction. In the event of +anything occurring to excite the suspicion of the Indians before +there was a chance of the girls being brought safely to the main +body, they were to be left to walk quietly back to camp, as they had +nothing to fear from the Indians. Peter and the Seneca were then to +work round by a circuitous route to the boat, where they were to be +joined by the main body, and to draw off until another opportunity +offered for repeating the attempt. + +It was eight o'clock in the evening when Pearson and the Seneca +approached the village. The fires were burning high, and seated round +them were all the warriors of the tribe. A party were engaged in a +dance representing the pursuit and defeat of an enemy. The women were +standing in an outer circle, clapping their hands and raising their +voices in loud cries of applause and excitement as the dance became +faster and faster. The warriors bounded high, brandishing their +tomahawks. A better time could not have been chosen for the evasion +of the fugitives. Nelly Welch stood close to a number of Indian +girls, but slightly behind them. She held the hand of little Janet +Cameron. + +Although she appeared to share in the interest of the Indians in the +dance, a close observer would have had no difficulty in perceiving +that Nelly was preoccupied. She was, indeed, intently listening for +the signal. She was afraid to move from among the others lest her +absence should be at once detected, but so long as the noise was +going on she despaired of being able to hear the signal agreed upon. +Presently an Indian brave passed close to her, and as he did so +whispered in her ear in English, "Behind your wigwam--friends there." +Then he passed on and moved round the circle as if intending to take +his seat at another point. + +The excitement of the dance was momentarily increasing, and the +attention of the spectators was riveted to the movements of the +performers. Holding Janet's hand, Nelly moved noiselessly away from +the place where she had been standing. The movement was unnoticed, as +she was no longer closely watched, a flight in the depth of winter +appearing impossible. She kept round the circle till no longer +visible from the spot she had left. Then, leaving the crowd, she made +her way toward the nearest wigwams. Once behind these the girls stole +rapidly along under their shelter until they stood behind that which +they usually inhabited. Two figures were standing there. They +hesitated for a moment, but one of them advanced. + +"Jack Pearson!" Nelly exclaimed, with a low cry of gladness. + +"Jest that same, Nelly, and right glad to see you. But we've no time +for greeting now; the hull tribe may be after us in another five +minutes. Come along, pretty," he said, turning to Janet. "You'll find +somebody ye know close at hand." + +Two minutes later the child was in her father's arms, and after a +moment's rapturous greeting between father and child and a very +delighted one between Nelly Welch and her Cousin Harold, the flight +was continued. + +"How long a start do you think we may have?" + +"Half an hour, maybe. The women may be some time afore they miss her, +and they'll sarch for her everywhere afore they give the alarm, as +they'll be greatly blamed for their carelessness." + +There had been a pause in the flight for a few seconds when the +Seneca and Pearson arrived with the girls at the point where Peter +and the other Indian were posted, two hundred yards from the camp. Up +to this point the snow was everywhere thickly trampled, but as the +camp was left further behind the footprints would naturally become +more scarce. Here Pearson fastened to the girls' feet two pairs of +large moccasins; inside these wooden soles had been placed. They +therefore acted to some extent like snowshoes and prevented the +girls' feet from sinking deeply, while the prints which they left +bore no resemblance to their own. They were strapped on the wrong +way, so that the marks would seem to point toward the village rather +than away from it. Both girls protested that they should not be able +to get along fast in these encumbrances, but one of the men posted +himself on either side of each and assisted them along, and as the +moccasins were very light, even with the wooden soles inside, they +were soon able to move with them at a considerable pace. + +Once united the whole party kept along at the top of their speed. +Peter Lambton assisted Cameron with Janet, and the girl, half-lifted +from the ground, skimmed over the surface like a bird, only touching +the snow here and there with the moccasins. Nelly Welch needed no +assistance from Harold or Pearson. During the long winters she had +often practiced on snow-shoes, and was consequently but little +encumbered with the huge moccasins, which to some extent served the +same purpose. + +They had been nearly half an hour on their way when they heard a +tremendous yell burst from the village. + +"They've missed you," Peter said. "Now it's a fair race. We've got a +good start and 'll git more, for they'll have to hunt up the traces +very carefully, and it may be an hour, perhaps more, before they +strike upon the right one. Ef the snow had been new fallen we should +have had 'em arter us in five minutes; but even a redskin's eye will +be puzzled to find out at night one track among such hundreds." + +"I have but one fear," Pearson said to Harold. + +"What is that?" + +"I'm afeared that without waiting to find the tracks they may send +off half a dozen parties to the lake. They'll be sure that friends +have taken the gals away, and will know that their only chance of +escape is by the water. On land we should be hunted down to a +certainty, and the redskins, knowing that the gals could not travel +fast, will not hurry in following up the trail. So I think they'll at +once send off parties to watch the lake, and 'll like enough make no +effort to take up the trail till to-morrow morning." + +This was said in a low whisper, for although they were more than two +miles from the village it was necessary to move as silently as +possible. + +"You had best tell the others what you think, Pearson. It may make a +difference in our movements." + +A short halt was called, and the Seneca and Peter quite agreed with +Pearson's idea. + +"We'd best make for the canoe that's furthest off. When the redskins +find the others, which they're pretty sure to do, for they'll hunt +every bush, they're likely to be satisfied and to make sure they'll +ketch us at one or the other." + +This much decided upon, they continued their flight, now less +rapidly, but in perfect silence. Speed was less an object than +concealment. The Indians might spread, and a party might come across +them by accident. If they could avoid this, they were sure to reach +their canoe before morning and unlikely to find the Indians there +before them. + +It was about twelve miles to the spot where they had hidden the +canoe, and although they heard distant shouts and whoops ringing +through the forest, no sound was heard near them. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +THE ISLAND REFUGE. + +The night was intensely cold and still and the stars shone brightly +through the bare boughs overhead. + +"Are you sure you are going all right?" Nelly asked Harold. "It is so +dark here that it seems impossible to know which way we are going." + +"You can trust the Indians," Harold said. "Even if there was not a star +to be seen they could find their way by some mysterious instinct. How +you are grown, Nelly! Your voice does not seem much changed, and I am +longing to see your face." + +"I expect you are more changed than I am, Harold," the girl answered. +"You have been going through so much since we last met, and you seem +to have grown so tall and big. Your voice has changed very much, too; +it is the voice of a man. How in the world did you find us here?" + +Pearson had gone on ahead to speak to the Seneca, but he now joined +them again. + +"You mustn't talk," he said. "I hope there's no redskins within five +miles of us now, but there's never any saying where they may be." + +There was, Harold thought, a certain sharpness in the hunter's voice, +which told of a greater anxiety than would be caused by the very +slight risk of the quietly spoken words being heard by passing +redskins, and he wondered what it could be. + +They were now, he calculated, within a mile of the hiding place where +they had left the boat, and they had every reason for believing that +none of the Indians would be likely to have followed the shore so +far. That they would be pursued and that, in so heavily laden a +canoe, they would have great difficulty in escaping, he was well +aware, but he relied on the craft of the hunters and Senecas for +throwing their pursuers off the trail. + +All at once the trees seemed to open in front, and in a few minutes +the party reached the river. A cry of astonishment and of something +akin to terror broke from Harold. As far as the eye could reach the +lake was frozen. Their escape was cut off. + +"That's jest what I've been expecting," Pearson said. "The ice had +begun to form at the edge when we landed, and three days and nights +of such frost as we've had since was enough to freeze Ontario. What +on arth's to be done?" + +No one answered. Peter and the redskins had shared Pearson's anxiety, +but to Harold and Cameron the disappointment was a terrible one; as +to Jake, he left all the thinking to be done by the others. Harold +stood gazing helplessly on the expanse of ice which covered the +water. It was not a smooth sheet, but was rough and broken, as if, +while it had been forming, the wind had broken the ice up into cakes +again and again, while the frost as often had bound them together. + +They had struck the river within a few hundred yards of the place +where the canoe was hidden, and, after a short consultation between +the Seneca chief, Peter Lambton, and Pearson, moved down toward that +spot. + +"What are you thinking of doing?" Harold asked when they gathered +round the canoe. + +"We're going to load ourselves with the ammunition and deer's flesh," +Peter said, "and make for a rocky island which lies about a mile off +here. I noticed it as we landed. There's nothing to do but to fight +it out to the last there. It are a good place for defense, for the +redskins won't like to come out across the open, and, even covered by +a dark night, they'd show on this white surface." + +"Perhaps they won't trace us." + +"Not trace us!" the trapper repeated scornfully. "Why, when daylight +comes, they'll pick up our track and follow it as easy as you could +that of a wagon across the snow." + +They were just starting when Harold gave a little exclamation. + +"What is it, lad?" + +"A flake of snow fell on my face." + +All looked up. The stars had disappeared. Another flake and another +fell on the upturned faces of the party. + +"Let's thank the great God," Peter said quietly. "There's a chance +for our lives yet. Half an hour's snow and the trail 'll be lost." + +Faster and faster the snowflakes came down. Again the leaders +consulted. + +"We must change our plans, now," Peter said, turning to the others. +"So long as they could easily follow our tracks it mattered nothing +that they'd find the canoe here; but now it's altogether different. +We must take it along with us." + +The weight of the canoe was very small. The greater part of its +contents had already been removed. There was a careful look round to +see that nothing remained on the bank; then four of the men lifted it +on their shoulders, and the whole party stepped out upon the ice. The +snow was now falling heavily, and to Harold's eyes there was nothing +to guide them in the direction they were following. Even the Indians +would have been at a loss had not the Seneca, the instant the snow +began to fall, sent on one of his followers at full speed toward the +island. Harold wondered at the time what his object could be as the +Indian darted off across the ice, but now he understood. Every minute +or two the low hoot of an owl was heard, and toward this sound the +party directed their way through the darkness and snow. + +So heavy was the fall that the island rose white before them as they +reached it. It was of no great extent--some twenty or thirty yards +across, and perhaps twice that length. It rose steeply from the water +to a height of from ten to fifteen feet. The ground was rough and +broken, and several trees and much brushwood grew in the crevices of +the rock. + +The Seneca and the hunters made a rapid examination of the island, +and soon fixed upon the spot for their camp. Toward one end the +island was split in two, and an indentation ran some distance up into +it. Here a clear spot was found some three or four feet above the +level of the water. It was completely hidden by thick bushes from the +sight of anyone approaching by water. There the canoe was turned +over, and the girls, who were both suffering from the intense cold, +were wrapped up in blankets and placed under its shelter. The camp +was at the lower end of the island and would, therefore, be entirely +hidden from view of Indians gathered upon the shore. In such a +snowstorm light would be invisible at a very short distance, and +Peter did not hesitate to light a fire in front of the canoe. + +For three hours the snow continued to fall. The fire had been +sheltered by blankets stretched at some distance above it. Long +before the snow ceased it had sunk down to a pile of red embers. A +small tent had now been formed of blankets for the use of the girls; +brushwood had been heaped over this, and upon the brushwood snow had +been thrown, the whole making a shelter which would be warm and +comfortable in the bitterest weather. A pile of hot embers was placed +in this little tent until it was thoroughly heated; blankets were +then spread, and the girls were asked to leave the shelter of the +canoe and take their place there. + +The canoe itself was now raised on four sticks three feet from the +ground; bushes were laid round it and snow piled on, thus forming the +walls of which the canoe was the roof. All this was finished long +before the snow had ceased falling, and this added a smooth white +surface all over, so that, to a casual eye, both tent and hut looked +like two natural ridges of the ground. They were a cheerful party +which assembled in the little hut. The remainder of the embers of the +fire had been brought in, and, intense as was the cold outside, it +was warm and comfortable within. Tea was made and pipes filled, and +they chatted some time before going to sleep. + +Duncan Cameron was like a man transfigured. His joy and thankfulness +for the recovery of his daughter were unbounded. Harold's pleasure, +too, at the rescue of his cousin was very great, and the others were +all gratified at the success of their expedition. It was true that +the Indians had as yet gained no scalps, but Harold had promised them +before starting that, should the expedition be successful, they +should be handsomely rewarded. + +"We mustn't reckon as we are safe yet," Peter said in answer to one +of Harold's remarks. "The redskins aint going to let us slip through +their fingers so easy as all that. They've lost our trail and have +nothing but their senses to guide 'em, but an Injun's senses aint +easily deceived in these woods. Ef this snow begins again and keeps +on for two or three days they may be puzzled; but ef it stops they'll +cast a circle round their camp at a distance beyond where we could +have got before the snow ceased, and ef they find no new trails +they'll know that we must be within that circle. Then, as to the +boats, when they find as we don't come down to the two as they've +discovered, and that we've not made off by land, they'll guess as +there was another canoe hidden somewhere, and they'll sarch high and +low for it. Waal, they won't find it; and then they'll suppose that +we may have taken to the ice, and they'll sarch that. Either they'll +git to open water or to the other side. Ef there's open water +anywhere within a few miles they may conclude that we've carried a +canoe, launched it there, and made off. In that case, when they've +sarched everywhere, they may give it up. Ef there aint no such open +water, they'll sarch till they find us. It aint likely that this +island will escape 'em. With nine good rifles here we can hold the +place against the hull tribe, and as they'd show up against the snow, +they can no more attack by night than by day." + +"I don't think our food will hold out beyond seven or eight days," +Harold said. + +"Jest about that," Peter answered; "but we can cut a hole in the ice +and fish, and can hold out that way, if need be, for weeks. The wust +of it is that the ice aint likely to break up now until the spring. I +reckon our only chance is to wait till we git another big snowstorm +and then to make off. The snow will cover our trail as fast as we +make it, and, once across to the other shore, we may git away from +the varmints. But I don't disguise from you, Harold, that we're in a +very awk'ard trouble, and that it 'll need all the craft of the +chief, here, and all the experience of Pearson and me to get us out +of it." + +"The guid God has been vera merciful to us sae far," Duncan Cameron +said; "he will surely protect us to the end. Had he na sent the snow +just when he did, the savages could hae followed our trail at once; +it was a miracle wrought in our favor. He has aided us to rescue the +twa bairns frae the hands of the Indians, and we may surely trust in +his protection to the end. My daughter and her friend hae, I am very +sure, before lying down to sleep, entreated his protection. Let us a' +do the same." + +And the old soldier, taking off his cap, prayed aloud to God to heed +and protect them. + +Harold and the frontiersmen also removed their caps and joined in the +prayer, and the Senecas looked on, silent and reverent, at an act of +worship which was rare among their white companions. + +As Peter was of opinion that there was no chance whatever of any +search on the part of the Indians that night, and therefore there was +no need to set a watch, the whole party wrapped themselves up in +their blankets and were soon asleep. + +When Harold woke next morning it was broad daylight. The Senecas had +already been out and had brought news that a strong party of Indians +could be seen moving along the edge of the forest, evidently +searching for a canoe. One of the Indians was placed on watch, and +two or three hours later he reported that the Indians were now +entirely out of sight and were, when last seen, scouting along the +edge of the forest. + +"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we git another snowstorm the better. +Ef we'd been alone we could have pushed on last night, but the gals +was exhausted and would soon have died of the cold. Now, with a fresh +start they'd do. Ef we can't cross the lake I calculate that we're +about thirty mile from a p'int on the north shore below the falls of +Ste. Marie, and we could land there and strike across through the +woods for the settlement. It'd be a terrible long journey round the +north of Huron, but we must try it ef we can't get across." + +"But we could go off by night, surely," Harold said, "even if there +is no fresh snow." + +"We could do that," Peter replied; "no doubt of it. But ef they were +to find our track the next day, ay, or within three days, they'd +follow us and overtake us afore we got to the settlements. Ef we was +alone, it'd be one thing; but with the gals it'd be another +altogether. No, we must stop here till a snowstorm comes, even if we +have to stop for a month. There's no saying how soon some of them +Injuns may be loafing round, and we daren't leave a trail for 'em to +take up." + +They had scarcely ceased speaking when a low call from the Indian +placed on watch summoned the chief to his side. A minute later the +latter rejoined the group below and said a few words to Peter. + +"Jest as I thought!" the latter grumbled, rising with his rifle +across his arm. "Here are some of the varmints coming out this 'ere +way. Likely enough it's a party of young braves jest scouting about +on their own account, to try and get honor by discovering us when +their elders have failed. It would have been better for them to have +stopped at home." + +The party now crept up to the top of the rock, keeping carefully +below its crest. + +"Ef you show as much as a hair above the top line," Peter said, +"they'll see you, sartin." + +"Would it not be well," Harold asked, "for one of us to show himself? +There is no possibility of further concealment, and if they go off +without any of them being killed the others might be less bitter +against us than they would if they had lost some of their tribe." + +Peter laughed scornfully. + +"Ye haven't had much to do with Injuns, lad, but I should have +thought you'd have had better sense nor that. Haven't these Injuns +been a-murdering and a-slaying along the frontier all the summer, +falling on defenseless women and children? Marcy and pity aint in +their natur, and, fight or no fight, our scalps will dry in their +wigwams if they get us into their power. They know that we can shoot +and mean to, and that 'll make 'em careful of attacking us, and every +hour is important. Now," he said to the others, "each of you cover a +man and fire straight through your sights when I gives the word. +There's others watching 'em, you may be sure, and ef the whole five +go down together, it'll make 'em think twice afore they attack us +again." + +Peering between some loose rocks, so that he could see without +exposing his head above the line, Harold watched the five Indians +approaching. They had evidently some doubts as to the wisdom of the +course they were pursuing, and were well aware that they ran a +terrible risk standing there in the open before the rifles of those +concealed, should the fugitives be really there. Nevertheless, the +hope of gaining distinction and the fear of ridicule from those +watching them on shore, should they turn back with their mission +unaccomplished, inspired them with resolution. When within three +hundred yards of the island they halted for a long time. They stood +gazing fixedly; but, although no signs of life could be perceived, +they were too well versed in Indian warfare to gain any confidence +from the apparent stillness. Throwing themselves flat on the snow and +following each other in single line, by which means their bodies were +nearly concealed from sight in the track which their leader made +through the light, yielding snow, they made a complete circuit of the +island. They paused for some time opposite the little forked entrance +in which the camp was situated, but apparently saw nothing, for they +kept round until they completed the circuit. + +When they reached the point from which they had started there was, +apparently, a short consultation among them. Then they continued +their course in the track that they had before made until they +reached a spot facing the camp. Then they changed order, and, still +prone in the snow, advanced abreast toward the island. + +"The varmints have guessed that, if we are here, this is the place +where we'd be hid," Peter whispered in Harold's ear. + +As the Indians made their circuit the party in the island had changed +their position so as always to keep out of sight. They were now on +the top of the island, which was a sort of rough plateau. The girls +had been warned, when they left them, to remain perfectly quiet in +their shelter whatever noise they might hear. Peter and the Seneca +watched the Indians through holes which they had made with their +ramrods through a bank of snow. The others remained flat in the +slight depression behind it. At the distance of one hundred and fifty +yards the Indians stopped. + +"The varmints see something!" Peter said. "Maybe they can make out +the two snow heaps through the bushes; maybe they can see some of our +footsteps in the snow. They're going to fire!" he exclaimed. "Up, +lads! They may send a bullet into the hut whar the gals is hid." + +In an instant the line of men sprang to their feet. The Indians, +taken by surprise at the sudden appearance of a larger number of +enemies than they expected, fired a hasty volley and then sprang to +their feet and dashed toward the shore. But they were deadly rifles +which covered them. Peter, Harold, and Pearson could be trusted not +to miss even a rapidly moving object at that distance, and the men +were all good shots. Not in regular order, but as each covered his +man, the rifles were discharged. Four out of the five Indians fell, +and an arm of the fifth dropped useless by his side; however, he +still kept on. The whites reloaded rapidly, and Harold was about to +fire again when Pearson put his hand on his shoulder. + +"Don't fire! We've shown them that we can shoot straight. It's jest +as well at present that they shouldn't know how far our rifles will +carry." + +The four Senecas dashed out across the snow and speedily returned, +each with a scalp hanging at his belt. + +A loud yell of anger and lamentation had risen from the woods +skirting the shore as the Indians fell, but after this died away deep +silence reigned. + +"What will be their next move?" Cameron asked Peter, as they gathered +again in their low hut, having placed one of the Indians on watch. + +"We'll hear nothing of 'em till nightfall," Peter said. "Their first +move, now they know as we're here, will be to send off to fetch up +all the tribe who're in search of us. When it comes on dark they'll +send scouts outside of us on the ice to see as we don't escape--not +that they'd much mind ef we did, for they could track us through the +snow and come up with us whenever they chose. No, they may be sure +we'll stay where we are. It may be they'll attack us to-night, maybe +not. It'd be a thing more risksome than redskins often undertake to +cross the snow under the fire of nine rifles. I aint no doubt they'd +try and starve us out, for they must know well enough that we can +have no great store of provisions. But they know as well as we do +that, if another snowstorm comes on, we might slip away from 'em +without leaving a foot-mark behind. It's jest that thought as may +make 'em attack." + +"Well, we can beat them off, if they do," Harold said confidently. + +"Waal, we may and we may not," the scout answered. "Anyhow we can +kill a grist of 'em afore they turn us out on this 'ere island." + +"That's sartin enough," Pearson put in; "but they're a strong tribe, +and ef they can harden their hearts and make a rush it's all up with +us. I allow that it's contrary to their custom, but when they see no +other way to do with, they may try." + +"I suppose if they do try a rush," Harold said, "they will do it +against this end of the island?" + +"Yes, you may bet your money on that," the scout answered. "In other +places the rock goes pretty nigh straight up from the water, but here +it's an easy landing. Being so close to 'em they're sure to know all +about it; but even if they didn't, the chap that got away would tell +'em. I don't much expect an attack to-night--the bands won't be back +yet. They'll have a grand palaver to-night, and there'll be a big +talk afore they decide what is best to be done; so I think we're safe +for to-night. To-morrow we'll set to work and build a shelter for the +pretty ones up above, where they'll be safe from stray shots. Then +we'll throw up a breastwork with loose rocks on the top of the slope +round this cove, so as to give it to 'em hot when they land." + +"You have plenty of powder?" Harold asked. + +"Dollops," Peter replied; "more'n we could fire away if we was +besieged here for a month." + +"Then you could spare me twenty pounds or so?" + +"We could spare you a whole keg if you like; we've got three full. +But what are you thinking of now, young un?" + +"I was thinking," Harold answered, "of forming a line of holes, say +three feet apart, in the ice across the mouth of the cove. If we were +to charge them with powder and lay a train between them, we could, +when the first dozen or so have passed the line, fire the train and +break up the ice. This would prevent the others following, and give +them such a bad scare that they would probably make off, and we could +easily deal with those who had passed the line before we fired it." + +"That's a good idea of yours, lad. A fust-rate idea. The ice must be +a foot thick by this time, and ef you put in your charges eight +inches and tamp 'em well down you'll shiver the ice for a long way +round. The idea is a fust-rate one." + +Pearson and Cameron assisted in the work, and the Indians, when Peter +had explained the plan to them, gave deep gutteral exclamations of +surprise and approval. The process of blasting was one wholly unknown +to them. + +"I will mak' the holes," Cameron said. "I hae seen a deal of blasting +when I was in the army. I can heat the end of a ramrod in a fire and +hammer it into the shape of a borer." + +"A better way than that, Cameron," Harold said, "will be to heat the +end of a ramrod white-hot. You will melt holes in the ice in half the +time it would take you to bore them. That was what I was thinking of +doing." + +"Right you are, lad!" Pearson said. "Let's set about it at once." + +A large fire was now lighted outside the hut, for there was no longer +any occasion for secrecy. The ends of three or four of the ramrods +were placed in the fire, and two lines of holes were bored in the ice +across the mouth of the little cove. These lines were twelve feet +apart, and they calculated that the ice between them would be +completely broken up, even if the fractures did not extend a good way +beyond the lines. The holes were of rather larger diameter than the +interior of a gun barrel. It was found that the ice was about fifteen +inches thick, and the holes were taken down ten inches. Three or four +charges of powder were placed in each; a stick of a quarter of an +inch in diameter was then placed in each hole, and pounded ice was +rammed tightly in around it until the holes were filled up, a few +drops of water being poured in on the top, so as to freeze the whole +into a solid mass. There was no fear of the powder being wetted, for +the frost was intense. Then the sticks were withdrawn and the holes +left filled with powder. With the heated ramrods little troughs were +sunk half an inch deep, connecting the tops of the holes; lines of +powder were placed in these trenches; narrow strips of skin were laid +over them, and the snow was then thrown on again. The two lines of +trenches were connected at the ends at the shore, so that they could +be fired simultaneously. + +While the men were occupied with this work the girls had cooked some +venison steaks and made some cakes. + +It was just nightfall when they had finished, and all sat down and +enjoyed a hearty meal. Peter and one of the Senecas undertook the +watch for half the night, when they were to be relieved by Pearson +and the chief. The early part of the night passed off quietly, but an +hour before morning the party were aroused by the sharp crack of two +rifles. Seizing their arms, all rushed out. + +"What is it, Pearson?" + +"Two of their scouts," Pearson answered, pointing to two dark bodies +on the snow at a distance of about one hundred yards. "I suppose they +wanted to see ef we was on the watch. We made 'em out almost as soon +as they left the shore, but we let 'em come on until we was sartin of +our aim. There aint no more about as we can see, so ye can all turn +in again for another hour or two." + +There was no fresh alarm before morning, and, when the sun rose, it +shone over a wide expanse of snow, unbroken save where lay the bodies +of the two Indians--whose scalps already hung at the belt of the +Seneca--and those of their four comrades who had fallen in the first +attack. + +The day passed quietly. Toward the afternoon two Indians were seen +approaching from the shore. They were unarmed and held their hands +aloft as a sign of amity. Peter and Pearson at once laid down their +guns, left the island, and advanced to meet them. They were Indian +chiefs of importance. + +"Why have my white brothers stolen in at night upon the village of +War Eagle and slain his young men?" + +"It is what you have been doing all last year, chief," Pearson, who +spoke the dialect better than Peter, replied. "But we injured no one. +We didn't kill women and children, as your warriors have done in the +white villages. We only came to take what you had stolen from us, and +ef your young men have been killed it's only because they tried to +attack us." + +"The white men must see," the chief said, "that they cannot get away. +The water is hard, and their canoe will not swim in it. The snow is +deep, and the tender feet cannot walk through it. My warriors are +very numerous, and the white men cannot fight their way through them. +The white settlements are very far away, and their friends cannot +reach them; and it will be many months before the water softens, and +long before that the white men will have eaten their moccasins." + +"Waal, chief," Pearson said, "we're in a tight hole, I grant you; but +I'm far from allowing that we aint no chances left to us yet. What do +you propose? I suppose you've some proposition to make." + +"Let the white men leave behind them their guns and their powder and +the maidens they have taken from War Eagle's camp; then let them go +in peace. They shall not be harmed." + +Pearson gave a short laugh. + +"War Eagle must think the white men are foolish. What's to prevent +the red warriors from taking all our scalps when our arms are in +their hands?" + +"The word of a great chief," War Eagle said. "War Eagle never lies." + +"You may not lie, chief," Pearson said bluntly, "but I've known many +a treaty broken afore now. You and your people may not touch us, but +there's other redskins about, and I wouldn't give a beaver's skin for +our sculps ef we were to take the back trail to the settlements +without arms in our hands. Besides that, we've among us the father of +the gal who was stole far away off from Lake Champlain, and a +relative of hers whose parents you've killed down on the lake. Ef we +were to agree to give up our arms, it stands to reason it aint likely +they'd agree to give up the gals. No, no, chief; your terms aren't +reasonable. But I tell ye what we will do; ef you'll give us your +word that neither you nor your tribe'll molest us in our retreat +we'll go back to the settlements, and 'll engage that, when we get +back there, we'll send you nine of the best rifles money can buy, +with plenty of powder and ball, and blankets and such like." + +The chief waved his hand in contemptuous refusal of the terms. + +"There are six of my young men's scalps at your girdles, and their +places are empty. War Eagle has spoken." + +"Very well, chief," Pearson said. "Ef nothing but sculps will content +you, to fighting it must come; but I warn you that your tribe'll lose +a good many more afore they get ours." + +So saying, without another word, they separated, each party making +their way back to their friends. + +"What on earth can he have proposed such terms as those for?" Harold +asked, when Pearson had related what had taken place between him and +the chief. "He must have known we should not accept them." + +"I expect," Pearson said, "he wanted to see who we were and to judge +what sort of spirit we had. It may be, too, that there was a party +among the tribe who had no stomachs for the job of attacking this +place, and so he was obliged to make a show of offering terms to +please 'em; but he never meant as they should be accepted. No, I take +it they'll wait a few days to see what hunger'll do. They must be +pretty sure that we've not a very large supply of food." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +THE GREAT STORM. + +"Let us overhaul our packages," Harold said, "and see what provisions +we have left. It would be as well to know how we stand." + +It was found that they had a sufficient supply of flour to last, with +care, for a fortnight. The meal was nearly exhausted; of tea they had +an abundance; the sugar was nearly out, and they had three bottles of +spirits. + +"Could we not make the flour last more than the fourteen days by +putting ourselves on half rations?" Harold asked. + +"We might do that," Peter said, "but I tell you the rations would be +small even for fourteen days. We've calkilated according to how much +we eat when we've plenty of meat, but without meat it'd be only a +starvation ration to each. Fortunately we've fish-hooks and lines, +and by making holes in the ice we can get as many fish as we like. +Waal, we can live on them alone, if need be, and an ounce or two of +flour, made into cakes, will be enough to go with 'em. That way the +flour would last us pretty nigh two months. I don't say that, if the +wust comes to the wust, we might not hold on right to the spring on +fish. The lake's full of 'em, and some of 'em have so much oil in 'em +that they're nigh as good as meat." + +"Do you think, Peter, that if the Indians make one great attack and +are beaten off they will try again?" + +"No one can say," Peter answered. "Injun natur' can't never be +calkilated on. I should say if they got a thundering beating they +aint likely to try again; but there's never no saying." + +"The sooner they attack and get it o'er the better," Cameron said. "I +hae na slept a wink the last twa nights. If I doze off for a moment I +wake up, thinking I hear their yells. I am as ready to fight as ony +o' you when the time comes, but the thought o' my daughter, here, +makes me nervous and anxious. What do you say, Jake?" + +"It all de same to Jake, Massa Cameron. Jake sleeps bery sound, but +he no like de tought ob eating nothing but fish for five or six +months. Jake neber bery fond ob fish." + +"You'll like it well enough when you get used to it, Jake," Pearson +said. "It's not bad eating on a pinch, only you want to eat a sight +of it to satisfy you. Well, let's see how the fish'll bite." + +Four holes were cut in the ice at a short distance apart. The hooks +were attached to strong lines and baited with deer's flesh, and soon +the fishing began. The girls took great interest in the proceeding. +Nelly was an adept at the sport, having generally caught the fish for +the consumption of the household at home. She took charge of one of +the lines, Harold of another, while Jake and one of the Senecas +squatted themselves by the other holes. There had been some +discussion as to whether the fishing should take place on the side of +the island facing the shore or behind the rocks, but the former was +decided upon. This was done because all were anxious that the +expected attack should take place as soon as possible, and the event +was likely to be hastened when the Indians saw that they were +provided with lines and were thus able to procure food for a +considerable time. + +It was soon manifest that, if they could live upon fish, they need +feel no uneasiness as to its supply. Scarcely had the lines been let +down than fish were fast to them. Harold and the other men soon had +trout, from three to six pounds, lying on the ice beside them, but +Nelly was obliged to call Pearson to her assistance, and the fish, +when brought to the surface, was found to be over twenty pounds in +weight. An hour's fishing procured them a sufficient supply for a +week's consumption. There was no fear as to the fish keeping, for in +a very short time after being drawn from the water they were frozen +stiff and hard. They were hung up to some boughs near the huts, and +the party were glad enough to get into shelter again, for the cold +was intense. + +As before, the early part of the night passed quietly; but toward +morning Peter, who was on watch, ran down and awakened the others. + +"Get your shooting-irons and hurry up," he said. "The varmints are +coming this time in arnest." + +In a minute everyone was at the post assigned to him. A number of +dark figures could be seen coming over the ice. + +"There's nigh two hundred of 'em," Peter said. "War Eagle has brought +the whole strength of his tribe." + +Contrary to their usual practice the Indians did not attempt to crawl +up to the place they were about to attack, but advanced at a run +across the ice. The defenders lost not a moment in opening fire, for +some of their rifles would carry as far as the shore. + +"Shoot steady," Peter said. "Don't throw away a shot." + +Each man loaded and fired as quickly as he could, taking a steady +aim, and the dark figures which dotted the ice behind the advancing +Indians showed that the fire was an effectual one. The Indians did +not return a shot. Their chief had, no doubt, impressed upon them the +uselessness of firing against men lying in shelter, and had urged +them to hurry at the top of their speed to the island and crush the +whites in a hand-to-hand fight. + +It was but three or four minutes from the time the first shot was +fired before they were close to the island. They made, as Peter had +expected, toward the little cove, which was indeed the only place at +which a landing could well be effected. Harold ran down and hid +himself in a bush at the spot where the train terminated, carrying +with him a glowing brand from the fire. + +"War Eagle means to have our sculps this time," Peter said to +Pearson. "I never seed an uglier rush. White men couldn't have done +better." + +The Indians had run in scattered order across the ice, but they +closed up as they neared the cove. As they rushed toward it four fell +beneath the shots of half the defenders, and another four a few +seconds later from a volley by the other section. + +In a wonderfully short time the first were ready again, and the +Indians wavered at the slaughter and opened fire upon the breastwork, +behind which the defenders were crouching. Those behind pressed on, +and, with terrific yells, the mass of Indians bounded forward. + +Harold had remained inactive, crouching behind the bush. He saw the +head of the dark mass rush past him and then applied the brand to the +train. + +There was a tremendous explosion. Yells and screams rent the air, and +in an instant a dark line of water, twenty feet wide, stretched +across the mouth of the cove. + +In this were pieces of floating ice and numbers of Indians struggling +and yelling. Some made only a faint struggle before they sank, while +others struck out for the side furthest from the island. + +The main body of the Indians, appalled by the explosion, checked +themselves in their course and at once took to flight; some, unable +to check their impetus, fell into the water upon the wounded wretches +who were struggling there. Those who had crossed stood irresolute, +and then, turning, leaped into the water. As they struggled to get +out on the opposite side the defenders maintained a deadly fire upon +them, but, in two or three minutes, the last survivor had scrambled +out, and all were in full flight toward the shore. + +"I think we've seen the last of the attacks," Peter said, as they +came down from their breastwork and joined Harold in the cove. "That +was a first-rate notion of yours, lad. Ef it hadn't been for that we +should have been rubbed out, sure enough; another minute and we'd +have gone down. They were in arnest and no mistake; they'd got steam +up and was determined to finish with us at once, whatever it cost +'em." + +The instant the attack had ceased Cameron had hastened to the hut +where the girls were lying, to assure them that all danger was over +and that the Indians were entirely defeated. In an hour a fresh skim +of ice had formed across the streak of water, but, as through its +clear surface many of the bodies of the Indians could be seen, the +men threw snow over it, to spare the girls the unpleasantness of such +a sight every time they went out from the cove. The bodies of all the +Indians who had fallen near the island were also covered with snow. +Those nearer the shore were carried off by the Iroquois in their +retreat. + +"I suppose, Peter," Harold said as they sat round the fire that +evening, "you have been in quite as awkward scrapes as this before +and have got out all right?" + +"Why, this business aint nothing to that affair we had by Lake +Champlain. That were as bad a business, when we was surrounded in +that log hut, as ever I went through--and I've been through a good +many. Pearson and me nigh got our har raised more nor once in that +business of Pontiac's. He were a great chief and managed to get up +the biggest confederation agin us that's ever been known. It were +well for us that that business didn't begin a few years earlier when +we was fighting the French; but you see, so long as we and they was +at war the Indians hoped as we might pretty well exterminate each +other, and then they intended to come in and finish off whoever got +the best of it. Waal, the English they drove the French back and +finally a treaty was made in Europe by which the French agreed to +clear out. + +"It was jest about this time as Pontiac worked upon the tribes to lay +aside their own quarrels and jine the French in fighting agin us. He +got the Senecas, and the Delawares, and the Shawnees, the Wyandots, +and a lot of other tribes from the lakes and the hull country between +the Niagara River and the Mississippi. + +"Jack Pearson and me, we happened to be with the Miamis when the +bloody belt which Pontiac were sending round as a signal for war +arrived at the fort there. Jack and me knew the redskins pretty well, +and saw by their manner as something unusual had happened. I went to +the commandant of the fort and told him as much. He didn't think much +of my news. The soldier chaps always despises the redskins till they +see 'em come yelling along with their tomahawks, and then as often as +not it's jest the other way. Howsumdever, he agreed at last to pay +any amount of trade goods I might promise to the Miamis if the news +turned out worth finding out. I discovered that a great palaver was +to be held that evening at the chief's village, which was a mile away +from the fort. + +"I'd seen a good deal of the Miamis and had fought with 'em against +the Shawnees, so I could do as much with 'em as most. Off Pearson and +I goes to the chief; and I says to him, 'Look ye here, chief, I've +good reasons to believe you've got a message from Pontiac and that it +means trouble. Now don't you go and let yourself be led away by him. +I've heard rumors that he's getting up a great confederation agin the +English. But I tell you, chief, if all the redskins on this continent +was to jine together, they couldn't do nothing agin the English. I +don't say as you mightn't wipe out a number of little border forts, +for no doubt you might; but what would come of it? England would send +out as many men as there are leaves in the forest, who would scorch +up the redskin nations as a fire on the prairie scorches up the +grass. I tell yer, chief, no good can come on it. Don't build yer +hopes on the French; they've acknowledged that they're beaten and are +all going out of the country. It'd be best for you and your people to +stick to the English. They can reward their friends handsomely, and +ef you jine with Pontiac, sooner or later trouble and ruin will come +upon you. Now I can promise you, in the name of the officer of the +fort, a good English rifle for yerself and fifty guns for your braves +and ten bales of blankets ef yer'll make a clean breast of it, and +first tell us what deviltry Pontiac is up to and next jine us +freely--or anyway hold aloof altogether from this conspiracy till yer +see how things is going.' + +"Waal, the chief he thought the matter over and said he'd do his best +at the palaver that night, but till that was over, and he knew what +the council decided on, he couldn't tell me what the message was. I +was pretty well satisfied, for Prairie Dog were a great chief in his +tribe, and I felt pretty sartin he'd git the council to go the way he +wanted. I told him I'd be at the fort and that the governor would +expect a message after the council was over. + +"It was past midnight when the chief came with four of his braves. He +told us that the tribe had received a bloody belt from Pontiac and a +message that the Mingoes and Delawares, the Wyandots and Shawnees +were going to dig up the hatchet against the whites, and calling upon +him and his people to massacre the garrison of the fort and then +march to jine Pontiac, who was about to fall upon Detroit and Fort +Pitt. They were directed to send the belt on to the tribes on the +Wabash, but they loved the English and were determined to take no +part against them; so they delivered the belt to their friend the +white commander, and hoped that he'd tell the great king in England +that the Miamis were faithful to him. The governor highly applauded +their conduct and said he'd send the news to the English governor at +New York, and at once ordered the presents which I promised to be +delivered to the chief for himself and his braves. When they'd gone +he said: + +"'You were right, Peter. This news is important indeed, and it's +clear that a terrible storm's about to bust upon the frontier. +Whether the Miamis will keep true is doubtful; but now I'm on my +guard they'll find it difficult to take the fort. But the great thing +is to carry the news of what's happened to Detroit, to put them on +their guard. Will you and Pearson start at once?' + +"In course we agreed, though it was clear that the job was a risksome +one, for it wouldn't be no easy matter to journey through the woods +with the hull redskin tribes on the war-path. + +"The commander wanted me to carry the belt with me, but I said, 'I +might jest as well carry my death warrant to the first redskins as I +come across.' Major Gladwin, who commanded at Detroit, knew me, and I +didn't need to carry any proof of my story. So, afore the Miamis had +been gone half an hour, Jack and me took the trail for Detroit. We +had got a canoe hid on the lake a few miles away, and we was soon on +board. The next morning we seed a hull fleet of canoes coming down +the lake. We might have made a race with 'em, but being fully manned +the chances was as they'd have cut us off, and seeing that at present +war had not been declared, we judged it best to seem as if we weren't +afeared. So we paddles up to 'em and found as they were a lot of +Wyandots whose hunting-grounds lay up by Lake Superior. In course I +didn't ask no questions as to whar they was going, but jest mentioned +as we was on our way down to Detroit. 'We're going that way, too,' +the chief said, 'and 'll be glad to have our white brothers with us.' +So we paddled along together until, about noon, they landed. Nothing +was said to us as how we were prisoners, but we could see as how we +was jest as much captives as ef we'd been tied with buckskin ropes. + +"Jack and me talked it over and agreed as it was no manner o' use +trying to make our escape, but that as long as they chose to treat us +as guests we'd best seem perfectly contented and make no show of +considering as they was on the war-path; although, seeing as they had +no women or children with 'em, a baby could have known as they were +up to no good. + +"The next morning they started again at daybreak, and after paddling +some hours landed and hid away their canoes and started on foot. +Nothing was said to us, but we saw as we was expected to do as they +did. We went on till we was within ten mile of Detroit and then we +halted. I thought it were best to find out exactly how we stood, so +Jack and I goes up to the chief and says that as we was near Detroit +we would jest say good-by to him and tramp in. + +"'Why should my white brothers hurry?' he said. 'It is not good for +them to go on alone, for the woods are very full of Indians.' 'But,' +I said, 'the hatchet's buried between the whites and the redskins, so +there's no danger in the woods.' The chief waved his hand. 'My white +brothers have joined the Wyandots, and they will tarry with them +until they go into Detroit. There are many redskins there, and there +will be a grand palaver. The Wyandots will be present.' + +"Jack and me made no signs of being dissatisfied, but the position +weren't a pleasant one, I can tell you. Here was the redskins +a-clustering like bees around Detroit, ready to fall upon the +garrison and massacre 'em, and we, who was the only men as knew of +the danger, was prisoners among the redskins. It was sartin, too, +that though they mightn't take our lives till they had attacked the +garrison, they was only keeping us for the pleasure of torturing us +quietly arterward. The situation was plain enough; the question was, +what were to be done? There was about sixty of the varmints around us +sitting by their fires and looking as ef they didn't even know as we +was there, but we knew as sharp eyes was watching us and that, afore +we'd gone five yards, the hull lot would be on our track. + +"Jack and me didn't say much to each other, for we knew how closely +we was watched and didn't want 'em to think as we was planning our +escape, so after a few words we sat down by one of the fires till it +got time to lie down for the night; but we had both been a-thinking. +We saw, when we lay down, that the Injuns lay pretty well around us, +while two on 'em, with their rifles ready to hand, sat down by a fire +close by and threw on some logs, as if they intended to watch all +night. + +"It was a goodish-size clearing as they'd chose for a camping-ground, +and we should have had to run some distance afore we got to the +shelter of the trees. The moon too was up, and it were well-nigh as +light as day, and anxious as we was to git away, we agreed that there +were no chance of sliding off, but that it'd be better to wait till +next day. + +"When we woke our guns was gone. We complained to the chief, who said +coldly that his young men would carry the guns and give 'em back to +us when we got to Detroit. It were no use saying more, for he might +at any moment have ordered us to be bound, and it were better to keep +the use of our legs as long as we could. + +"For two days we stayed there, not seeing the shadow of a chance of +gitting away. Several redskin runners come in and spoke to the chief, +and we got more and more anxious to be off. We was still allowed to +walk about, provided we didn't go near the edge of the clearing; +whenever we went that way two Injuns, who kept guard by turns over +us, shouted to us to go no furder. + +"The third morning, after a runner had come in, the chief gave the +word for a move and we set out. We saw they wasn't taking the direct +line to Detroit, although still going in that direction, and after +two hours' marching through the woods we got down on to the Detroit +River. Here was a big encampment, and some three or four hundred +Shawnees and Delawares was gathered here. A chief come up to us as we +entered the open. He gave an order to the Wyandots, and in a minute +we was bound hand and foot, carried to a small wigwam, and chucked +down inside like two logs of wood. + +"After a little talk Jack and I agreed as after all we had a better +chance of escaping now than when we was watched by a hull tribe, and +we concluded that there weren't no time to be lost. The Wyandots had +no doubt been brought up in readiness to strike the blow, and even if +we'd known nothing about the belt we'd have been, sure that mischief +was intended when these three bands of red varmints had gathered so +close to the fort. It was sartin we couldn't do nothing till night, +but we both strained our cords as much as possible to get 'em to +stretch a bit and give us a better chance of slipping out of 'em. No +one come near us for some time, and as we could hear the sound of +voices we guessed that a great council was taking place, and we +agreed at once to loosen the knots, so as to be in readiness for +work, as like enough they'd put a sentry over us at night. + +"It was a risky thing to try, for we might be disturbed at any +minute. Still we thought it were our only chance, so Jack set to work +with his teeth at my knots and in a quarter of an hour had loosened +them; then I undone his. We unbound our thongs and then fastened 'em +up again so that to the eye they looked jest the same as before but +really with a jerk they'd fall off. + +"I must teach you how to do that, Harold, some time; ye may find it +of use. The knots was tied up as tightly as before, and it would have +needed a close examination to see that we was not tied as tight as +ever. Not a word was spoken and, we was as quiet as mice, for we +could hear two redskins talking outside. You may guess we was pretty +slick about it; and I don't know as ever I felt so thankful as when +we laid ourselves down again, jest as we had been throwed, without +the slit in the tent having opened and a red face peered in. + +"A quarter of an hour later a redskin come in and looked at us. +Seeing, as it seemed to him, as we hadn't moved, he went out again. +Jest before nightfall two on 'em came in together, rolled us over, +and looked at the knots; they found as these was all right; then one +sat down jest in the door of the tent and the other took his place +outside. We waited some hours. + +"At last the fires burned low and the camp got quiet. We knew it was +well-nigh hopeless to wait for 'em all to be asleep, for redskin +natur' is a restless one, and especially when there's anything on +hand they'll turn out two or three times in the night to smoke their +pipes by the fires, and they'd be the more restless since, as we'd +seen, there was only four or five wigwams and all would be sleeping +on the ground. At last I thought the time were come and gave Jack a +nudge, and we both sat up. + +"It were a ticklish moment, young un, I can tell ye, for we knew that +it were scarce possible to get off without the alarm being raised. Ef +the wigwam had stood close to the edge of the forest it would have +been compar'tively easy, for once among the trees we might have hoped +to have outrun 'em, though the moon was so pesky bright; but +unfortunately it was built not far from the river, and we should have +to cross the hull clearing to gain the woods. The chances weren't +good, I can tell you, but it was clear as we had to try 'em. We had +purposely moved about pretty often, so that our movements would not +attract the attention of the Injun now. It didn't take a minute to +slip out of the cords, which, tight as they looked, really were not +fastened at all, there being two loose double ends between our arms +and our bodies. We could see the outside sentry through the open +door, and we waited till he turned his back and looked out on the +river. Then suddenly I gripped the redskin sitting at the entrance by +the neck with both my hands, pretty tight, as you may reckon, and +Jack ketched his knife from his belt and buried it in his body. + +"That was soon over, and not a sound made as would have startled a +mouse. Then, standing up, I made a spring on to the sentry, while +Jack used his knife as before. We let him drop softly down and +prepared to bolt, when of a sudden the war-whoop sounded not twenty +feet away. One of the redskins, finding the ground hard, I suppose, +was strolling up to speak to the sentry when he saw us tackle him. +For a moment he were too much surprised to holler, but when he did he +gave a yell as brought the hull tribe to their feet. Jack had taken +up the sentry's rifle. + +"'Ye'd better have held yer tongue,' he said as he leveled on the +redskin, and before the whoop was out of his lips the bullet hit him +and he went down like a log. It didn't need to look round to see as +there was no chance of getting to the trees, for two hundred redskins +was between us and them. 'We must take to the river, Jack,' I said. +It were but thirty yards away. I expected every moment, as we run, to +hear the rifle bullets whistle round us, but I guess Pontiac had +given orders that no gun was to be fired lest it might be heard at +the fort. Anyhow, not a shot was fired and we got down safe to the +bank." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +THE SCOUT'S STORY. + +"Luckily enough there was a canoe lying close at our feet. 'Shove it +out, Jack,' says I, 'and then keep along the bank.' We gave it a +shove with all our strength and sent it dancing out into the river. +Then we dived in and swum down close under the bank. There was bushes +growing all along, and we came up each time under 'em. The redskins +was some little distance behind us as we reached the river, and in +course thought we had throwed ourselves flat in the canoe. In a +minute or two they got another and paddled off to it, and we soon +heard the shout they raised when they found it was empty. By this +time we was a hundred yards below the spot where we had taken to the +water, and knowing as they would be off along the bank and would find +us in no time, we scrambled straight up and made for the trees. + +"We was within fifty yards of the edge of the forest, and none of the +redskins was near us, as the hull body had clustered down at the spot +where we had jumped in. We hadn't fairly set foot on the bank afore +they saw us and, with a whoop--which sometimes wakes me even now in +my sleep and makes me sit up with the sweat on my forehead--they +started. I could run faster then than I can now, and ye may guess I +went my best. We plunged into the trees and went as hard as we could +foot it, the redskins being fifty or sixty yards behind. + +"Our hope was to find a place with a thickish underwood. It was +darker a deal under the trees than in the clearing, still it was not +dark enough to hide us from redskin eyes. We run straight, for we +knew they could see us, and arter about four hundred yards we come +upon a place where the undergrowth grew thick. Here we began to dodge +'em, turning now one way and now another, keeping always low in the +bushes. They had lost us by sight now, but there was so many of 'em +that we pretty nigh despaired of getting through. Some of 'em had +tried to follow us, but the best part had run straight on for a bit, +and then, when sure they had headed us, scattered right and left, so +that they were ahead of us now as well as on our traces, and we could +hear 'em shouting all round us, so we did the only thing there was to +be done and made the best of our way back to the clearing, keeping +low and taking good care not to cross any patch where the moonlight +through the trees fell on the ground. + +"It were lucky for us that it was a camp of braves. Had it been an +ordinary redskin encampment there would have been squaws, and boys, +and wuss still, dogs, who would have seed us the moment we got back; +but being all braves on the war-path the hull gang had started arter +us, and not a soul had remained in the clearing. We did not rest +there long, you may be sure, but made straight down to the water. +There we picked out a canoe, crossed the river, and got into the +shade of the trees the other side. Then we kept along down it till we +got close to the fort of Detroit. + +"We could see a good many smoldering fires out afore it, and guessed +that a strong body of redskins, pretending to be friends, had camped +there. We made round 'em and reached the gate of the fort safe. The +sentries wouldn't let us in, but when a sergeant was fetched it +turned out as he knew us, seeing that we had been scouting out from +thar in the summer. Pretty thankful we was when the gate closed arter +us. Our news would keep, so we waited till morning afore we saw the +major, and then told him the whole history of the matter, and how +Pontiac had raised all the tribes east of the Mississippi against us. + +"We found that Pontiac had been into the camp with fifty of his +warriors three days afore, professing great friendship, and had said +that in two or three days he would call again and pay a formal visit. + +"Detroit then was but a trading post, defended by a stockade twenty +feet high and twelve hundred yards in circumference. About fifty +houses of traders and storekeepers stood within it. The garrison was +composed of 120 men of the Eighteenth Regiment and 8 officers. They +had three guns--two six-pounders, and a three-pounder--and three +mortars, but their carriages was so old and rotten that they was of +no real service. Two vessels, mounting some small guns, lay in the +river off the fort. The governor was a good soldier, but he was +naturally startled at hearing that there was something like a +thousand redskins in the woods round; but he said that now he had +warning he was not afraid of 'em. A messenger was sent off in a canoe +to carry the tidings east and to ask for re-enforcements, and the +traders was all told to get their arms ready. + +"At eight o'clock in the morning Pontiac was seen a-coming with three +hundred warriors. There had been no declaration of war, and the +redskins was supposed to be friendly, so the major didn't like to be +the first to commence hostilities, as folks who knew nothing of it +might likely enough have raised an outcry about massacring the poor +Injuns. Howsumever, he called all the troops under arms and disposed +'em behind the houses. The traders, too, with their rifles, were +drawn up ready. The gates was opened when Pontiac arrived, and he and +his warriors entered. They had left their rifles behind them, as they +pretended that their mission was a peaceful one, but they had all got +their tomahawks and knives under their blankets. They advanced in a +body toward where Major Gladwin and his officers was standing in +front of his quarters. + +"Jack and me and two or three scouts who happened to be in the fort +stood just behind, careless like, with our rifles, so that, in case +of any sudden attack, we could keep them back for a moment or two. I +noticed that Pontiac carried in his hand a wampum belt. I noticed it +because it was green on one side and white on the other, and it +turned out arterward that when he twisted that belt with two hands it +was to be the signal for an attack. + +"Pontiac spoke soft for a time. He was a fine redskin; that can't be +denied. He was a Catawba by birth, but had been adopted into the +tribe of Ottawas and had risen to be their chief. He were a great +brave and one of the best speakers I ever heard. He was a wise chief, +as you may guess by the way he got all the tribes to lay aside their +private quarrels and make common cause against us. I watched him +close. He kept his eyes on the major and spoke as cool and as calm as +if he had nothing on his mind; but I could see the warrior glancing +about, wondering, no doubt, what had become of the soldiers. +Presently the chief changed his tone and began to pretend as he was +in a rage at some grievance or other. + +"The major jest put his whistle to his lips, and in a moment from +behind the houses the soldiers and traders marched out, rifle in +hand. You never saw a more disgusted crew than them redskins. I'll do +Pontiac justice to say that he never so much as moved, but jest went +on talking as if he hadn't noticed the troops at all. The major +answered him in the same way, and after half an hour's talk the +redskins went out again without so much as a knife having been shown. +Major Gladwin gave Jack and me papers testifying as how we had saved +Detroit from destruction, and sent an account of it to Governor +Amherst, and to this day Jack and me draws special pensions for that +'ere business, besides what we earned as British scouts." + +"That was an adventure, Peter!" Harold said. "They did not take +Detroit after all, did they?" + +"No; we beat 'em off handsome when +they tried it. Then they laid siege to Fort Pitt and tried very hard +there, too, but the place held out till some troops who had come up +marched out from here and raised the siege. At some of the little +places they succeeded. Lots of settlers was massacred. At Fort +Sandusky Ensign Paulli and the garrison was massacred by a party of +Hurons and Ottawas who come in as friends. This was on the same day +as they had intended to do for us at Detroit. + +"At St. Joseph's an English ensign with fourteen soldiers was killed +by the Pottawatomies, but nowhere did Pontiac obtain any real +successes. The French in Illinois were preparing to leave, and he +couldn't git no assistance from them. After the siege of Fort Pitt +was raised peace was patched up again. Pontiac's confederacy, finding +as they hadn't got none of the successes he promised 'em, was +beginning to break up, and the English saw no chance of doing any +good by hunting the redskins among the forests, so both parties was +willing for peace. + +"Pontiac never gave any more trouble, and some years arterward, +coming into one of the towns, he was killed by an Injun who had a +private grudge agin' him. And now I'm longing for a quiet pipe, and +you'd better turn in. There's no saying whether we'll have a quiet +night of it." + +A fortnight passed without further incident. Then the sky became +overcast, and Peter and the Indians agreed that snow would soon fall. +All hands were at once set to work to make up their stores into +packages. The deerskins and blankets were tied in bundles; besides +these there were only two kegs of powder and about two hundred pounds +of frozen fish. + +Harold was in high glee at the thought that their imprisonment was to +come to an end, although there was no doubt that the attempt would be +a hazardous one, as the backwoodsmen were sure that the instant the +snow began to fall the Indians would be out in great numbers round +the island, to prevent the defenders taking advantage of the storm. + +Several times Harold observed the two backwoodsmen talking with the +Seneca chief and looking at the sky, and he thought that their +countenances expressed some anxiety. + +"What is it, Peter?" he asked at length. "Don't you think we shall +have a snowstorm?" + +"We may have snow," Peter said, "but I think it's more than a +snowstorm that's coming. The clouds are flying past very fast, and it +seems to me as ef we're in for a big gale of wind." + +"But that will drift the snow and cover our footsteps almost as well +as a snowstorm," Harold said. + +"Yes, it 'll do all that," the scout answered. + +"What is the objection to it, Peter?" + +"In the first place, lad, ef it don't snow we may stop where we are, +for there'd be no chance of getting through the Injuns unless it +snowed so thick you couldn't see five feet away. It'll be difficult +enough, anyhow. There'll be four or five hundred of the varmints out, +for they'll bring even their boys with 'em, so as to form a pretty +close line round the island. Our only chance'll be for the Senecas to +go first, and to silence, afore they can give the alarm, any they +might meet on our line. That might be done in a heavy snowstorm, but +without snow it would be impossible. In the next place, even if we +got through 'em, we'd have to carry our canoe." + +"Why?" Harold asked, surprised. "What good could the canoe be to us, +with the lake frozen hard?" + +"You see, the wind is on the shore here, lad, and when it does blow +on these lakes it blows fit to take the har off your head. It's as +much as a man can do to make way agin' it, and I doubt whether the +gals could face it, even with our help. As to carrying a canoe in its +teeth, it couldn't be done." + +"But why carry the canoe at all, Peter? That's what I cannot +understand." + +"Waal, you see, lad, the force of the wind acting on sech a big sheet +of ice will move it, and like enough you'd see it piled up in a bank +forty feet high on this side of the lake, and there'll be a strip of +clear water half a mile wide on the other. That's why we must take +the canoe." + +Harold was silent. In the face of such a probability it was clear +that they must encumber themselves with the canoe. + +The prevision of the scout proved well founded. Before evening the +wind was blowing with tremendous force. Small flakes of snow were +driven before it, inflicting stinging blows on the face and eyes of +those who ventured out of shelter. As it became dark the lookout +announced that he could, see large numbers of Indians starting from +the shore at some distance to the right and left of them, showing +that the redskins were fully alive to the possibility of the garrison +of the island taking advantage of the storm, which would hide their +trail, to effect their escape. + +Every hour the fury of the gale increased, and it was unanimously +agreed that until it diminished it would be impossible for the girls, +and for men carrying a canoe, to face it. + +Two men were placed on watch at the mouth of the cove, where mines +similar to the first had been sunk in the ice in a semicircle some +little distance outside that before exploded. This precaution had +been taken on the day succeeding the great repulse of the enemy, +although the scouts felt assured that the attempt would not be +repeated. But it was thought possible that the Indians might toward +morning, if they found the whites did not attempt to pass them, take +advantage of the storm to attempt a surprise. + +After it became dark Cameron and Harold, as was their custom, went +into the girls' hut to chat until it was time to turn in. The +deerskin and blankets had again been unrolled, and the covering of +snow kept the interior warm in spite of the storm without. + +"What is that noise?" Nelly asked in a pause of the conversation. + +"I don't know," Harold answered. "I have heard it for some time." + +All were silent, intent upon listening. Even above the fury of the +gale a dull grinding sound, with occasional crashes, could be heard. + +"I think it must be the ice," Harold said. "I will go out and see." + +On issuing from the hut he was for a time blinded by the force of the +wind and the flying particles of snow. The din was tremendous. He +made his way with difficulty in the teeth of the storm to the edge of +the rocks. Then he started in surprise. A great bank of cakes and +fragments of ice was heaped up against the wall of the rock, crashing +and grinding against each other as they were pressed onward by fresh +additions from beyond. Already the bank was nearly level with the top +of the rock, and some of the vast blocks, two feet in thickness, had +been thrust on to it. The surface of the lake beyond was no longer a +brilliant white. Every particle of snow had been swept away and the +dull gray of the rough ice lay unbroken. + +He made his way at once to the hut of the men, and just as he reached +the entrance Peter (who had also been out to reconnoiter) came up, +and before Harold had turned to speak he put his head into the hut. + +"Turn out!" he said. "I tell ye we're in a fix. This aint no common +gale. I don't know as ever I've been in a worse one." + +"What's the use of turning out?" Pearson asked. "We can't do nothing, +and it's warmer here a sight than it is outside." + +"I tell ye ye've got to go. The ice is breaking up fast and it's +level with the top of the island already. Unless I'm mistaken +there'll be forty foot of ice piled over this island afore an hour." + +This was, indeed, alarming news. And in a minute the occupants of the +hut were all in the open air. + +"You can call in your scouts, Seneca. There aint no fear of an attack +to-night. No mortal soul--not even an Injun--could stand the force of +the wind out on the lake." + +A very short examination sufficed to show the truth of Peter's +anticipations. + +Already the upper part of the bank was sliding over the rock, and it +was clear that in a very short time the whole would be covered. + +"What is to be done, Peter?" Harold shouted. + +"We must take to the canoe. There's clear water on the other side." + +Harold crossed the island and saw that what Peter said was correct. A +broad strip of black water stretched away in the darkness toward the +shore. The whole ice-sheet was moving bodily before the wind, and as +the island stood up in its course the ice to windward of it was +forced up over it, while under its lee the lake was clear. Not a +moment was lost. The canoe was got out, carried over the rocks, and +carefully lowered into the water under shelter of the island. All the +stores and provisions were lowered into it. A deerskin was spread on +the bottom, and the girls, having been helped down into the boat, +were told to lie down and were then covered with blankets. The men +wrapped themselves up in skins and blankets and took their places in +the canoe, the four Indians taking paddles. + +Quickly as the preparations had been made, there were but a few feet +of the island uncovered by the ice, as the last man descended into +the boat and they pushed off and, after a couple of strokes, lay with +the boat's head facing toward the island at a distance of fifty yards +from it. Although somewhat sheltered from the wind, the Indians were +obliged to paddle hard to maintain their position. Harold wondered at +first that they had not kept closer to the island, but he soon +understood their reason for keeping at a distance. The massive blocks +of ice, pressed forward by, the irresistible force behind, began to +shoot from the top of the island into the water, gliding far on +beneath the surface with the impetus of the fall, and then shooting +up again with a force which would have destroyed the canoe at once +had they touched it. + +Soon a perfect cataract of ice was falling. Peter and Pearson took +their places on each side of the bow of the canoe, with poles to push +off the pieces as they drifted before the gale toward the shore. The +work required the utmost strength and care. One touch from the +sharp-edged blocks would have ripped open the side of the bark canoe +like a knife, and in the icy cold water, encumbered by floating +fragments of ice, even the best swimmer could not have gained the +solid ice. The peril was great, and it needed all the strength and +activity of the white men and the skill of the paddlers to avoid the +danger which momentarily threatened them. So quickly did the blocks +float down upon them that Pearson thought it might be impossible to +avoid them all. The skins, therefore, were hung round the boat, +dropping some inches into the water, and these, although they could +not have prevented the boat from being stove in, by the larger +fragments, yet protected its sides from the contact of the smaller +ones. + +For upward of an hour the struggle continued, and Harold felt +something like despair at the thought of a long night passed in such +a struggle. Presently sounds like the booming of cannon were heard +above the gale. + +"What is that?" he shouted to the Seneca chief, next to whom he was +sitting. + +"Ice break up," the chief replied. "Break up altogether." + +This proved to be the case. As the ice was driven away from the +further side of the lake the full force of the wind played upon the +water there, and as the streak widened a heavy sea soon got up. The +force of the swell extended under the ice, aiding the effect of the +wind above, and the vast sheet began to break up. The reports +redoubled in strength, and frequently the ice was seen to heave and +swell. Then, with a sound like thunder, it broke and great cakes were +forced one on the top of another, and soon, instead of a level plain +of ice, a chaos of blocks were tossing about on the waves. + +Harold watched the change with anxiety. No longer was the channel on +either side marked by regular defined lines, but floating pieces +encroached upon it, and, looking toward the shore, the channel +appeared to be altogether lost. The danger was overwhelming, but the +Indians, paddling with increased strength, urged the boat forward +until within a few yards of the island. + +A few minutes before such an approach would have assured the +immediate destruction of the boat. But Harold saw with surprise that, +almost simultaneously with the breaking up of the ice-sheet, the fall +of blocks from the island had ceased. A moment's reflection showed +him the reason of this phenomenon. With the break-up of the ice-field +the pressure from behind had suddenly ceased. No longer were the +blocks piled on the island pushed forward by the tremendous pressure +of the ice-field. The torrent was stayed and they could approach the +island with safety. As soon as they were assured that this was so the +canoe was brought close to the rocks. + +Pearson leaped ashore, climbed the rocks and the ice piled twenty +feet above them, and with his pole convinced himself that at this +point there were no loose blocks likely to fall. Having satisfied +himself on this head, he descended again and took his place in the +boat. This was moored by a rope a few feet long to a bush growing +from a fissure in the rock close to the water's edge. He and Peter +remained on watch with their poles, to fend off any pieces of ice +which might be brought round by the waves, while the rest of the +crew, wrapping themselves up in their blankets, lay down at the +bottom of the boat. + +The next morning the storm still raged, and the lake presented the +appearance of an angry sea. Sheltered under the lee of the island, +the party were protected from its effects, although the light canoe +rose and fell on the heavy swell. The ice had wholly disappeared from +the lake, the pieces having been ground to atoms against each other +in the storm. Along the line of shore there was a great bank of ice +as high as the tree-tops. + +"The ways of the Lord are won'erful," Duncan Cameron said. "The storm +which threatened to be our destruction has proved our salvation. When +it abates we shall be able to paddle down the lake without fear of +interruption." + +"Yes," Peter said, "the varmints are not likely to follow us. In the +first place, unless they thought of taking their canoes into the +forest when the storm first began, which aint likely, as they was +a-thinking only of cutting off our escape, they'd 've been smashed +into tinder. In the second place, they couldn't ketch us if they had +canoes, for, as we've eight paddles, counting them we made out of the +seats when we was on shore, we'd be able to laugh at 'em. And lastly, +they've had such a taste of the quality of our rifles that, even if +they had a dozen canoes on hand, I doubt if they'd care to attack us. +No, sir; when this storm's over we have nothing to do but paddle down +to the settlements at the other end of the lake." + +Toward the afternoon the storm abated, and next morning the sun was +shining brilliantly and the waves had gone down sufficiently to +enable the canoe to start on her voyage. + +"Now, boys," Pearson said cheerfully, "ef ye don't want to git froze +up again you'd best be sharp, for I can tell ye about thirty-six +hours of this weather and the lake'll be solid again." + +Five minutes later the canoe with its eight sturdy paddlers started +on its way, speeding like an arrow from the ice-covered island which +had done them such good service in their greatest need. + +"Now, Jake," Peter said, "the more strength you put into that paddle +of yourn the sooner you'll have a piece of meat atween your jaws." + +The negro grinned. + +"Don't talk ob him, Massa Peter; don't say a word about him until I +see him. Fish bery good when dere's noting else to eat, but Jake +never want to see him again. He hab eat quite enough for the rest ob +his life." + +Cameron, who was not accustomed to the use of the paddle, sat in the +stern with the two girls; but the others were all used to the +exercise, and the boat literally bounded along at each stroke from +the sinewy arms, and by nightfall they had reached the opposite +shore. After some hours' work together two of them had rested, and +from that time they took it by turns, six paddles being kept +constantly going. + +Without any adventure they arrived safely at the end of the lake. The +clearing where Nelly had lived so long, and where her father and +mother had been killed, was passed in the night, much to Harold's +satisfaction, as he was afraid that she would have been terribly +upset at the many sad memories which the sight of the place could not +but call up. On their way down they had seen many gaps in the forest +caused by the gale, but it was not until they reached their landing +place that the full effect of its destructive force was visible. +Several scows and other boats lay wrecks upon the shore, every house +in the little village was leveled to the ground, the orchards were +ruined, palings and fences torn down, and the whole place strewn with +fragments. + +A few people were moving among the ruins. They gazed with a dull +apathy upon the new-comers, apparently dazed by the misfortune that +had befallen them. Harold learned, on questioning them, that +twenty-seven persons had been killed and the majority of the +survivors more or less seriously injured. With the exception of the +few whom they saw, about all the survivors had been taken off to the +town in boats down the river, or in wagons lent by neighbors whose +villages, sheltered in the woods, had escaped the ravages of the +gale. After a few hours' halt, having obtained meat and other stores, +they proceeded on their way to Detroit. + +Here Nelly had several friends, who had long believed her to have +fallen at the massacre at the farm. By them she was gladly received, +and she took up her abode in a family with some daughters of her own +age. Harold found that there was a considerable sum of money in the +bank in her father's name, and from this, after a consultation with +her, a sum of money sufficient to provide the Seneca and his +followers with blankets, powder, and Indian finery for years was +drawn and bestowed upon them. + +A day or two afterward the Indians left for their own country, highly +gratified with the success of the expedition and proud of the +numerous scalps which hung from each of their girdles. + +Harold learned that there was but little fighting going on along the +Canadian frontier. The winter had set in again with extreme severity; +the St. Lawrence would be frozen, and he would have no means of +leaving Canada; he was therefore well content to settle down until +the spring at Detroit, where he received numerous and hearty +invitations to stay, for any time, from the various friends of his +cousins. Jake, of course, remained with him. Peter went up to +Montreal, where he had some relatives residing; Harold promising to +call for him on his way East in the spring. Pearson, after a few +days' stay in Detroit, started again with a comrade on a hunting +expedition. Cameron and his daughter also spent the winter at +Detroit. + +The months passed very pleasantly to Harold. Since the war began he +had had no period of rest or quiet, and he now entered with zest into +the various amusements, sleighing, and dancing, which helped to while +away the long winter in America. He also joined in many hunting +parties, for in those days game abounded up to the very edge of the +clearings. Moose were abundant, and the hunt of these grand deer was +full of excitement. Except when the snow is on the ground these +animals can defy their pursuers, but the latter with their snowshoes +go lightly over the frozen snow, in which the moose sink heavily. + +There were many discussions as to the future of Nelly. Several of her +friends would gladly have adopted her as a member of their family, +but Harold warmly urged that she should go to England and take up her +abode with his mother, who was her nearest relative, and Nelly, +somewhat to the surprise of her friends, finally agreed to this +proposal. A purchaser was readily found for the farm, which was an +excellent one, and the proceeds of the sale, with the amount of +savings in the bank, gave her a little fortune of some twenty-five +hundred pounds. + +When the spring came and the navigation of the lake was open, Harold, +Nelly, the Camerons, and Jake started in a ship for Montreal. There +they were joined by Peter and sailed down to Quebec, where Nelly and +the Camerons took passage for England. Very deep was the gratitude +which Duncan expressed to the friends who had restored his daughter +to him. He had had enough of the colonies, and intended to spend the +rest of his life among his own people in Scotland. Harold, Peter, and +Jake sailed to join the English army in the South. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH. + +After the surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga the English +Parliament made another effort to obtain peace, and passed an act +renouncing all rights to tax the colonists and yielding every point +as to which they had been in dispute. Commissioners were sent over +with full authority to treat, and had the colonists been ready +nominally to submit to England, a virtual independence, similar to +that possessed by Canada and the Australian colonies at the present +time, would have been granted. As a very large body of the Americans +had from the first been desirous of coming to terms, and as the +paralyzed state of trade caused great and general distress, it is +probable that these terms might have been accepted had it not been +for the intervention of France. That power had all along encouraged +the rebellion. She had smarted under the loss of Canada, and although +her rule in her own colonies was far more arbitrary than that of +England in America, she was glad to assist in any movement which +could operate to the disadvantage of this country. Hitherto, +nominally she had remained neutral, but now, fearing that the offers +of the English would induce the colonists to make peace, she came +forward, recognized their independence, and engaged herself to +furnish a large fleet for their assistance. + +The colonists joyfully accepted the offer, seeing that the +intervention of France in the struggle would completely alter its +conditions. Heretofore the British had been enabled to send over men +and stores at will, but were they blockaded by a French fleet their +difficulties would be immensely increased. + +As there had been no cause of quarrel between England and France, +this agreement was an act of wanton hostility on the part of the +latter. On obtaining information of the signature of the treaty +between France and the colonies, the English ambassador was recalled +from Paris and both countries prepared vigorously for war. + +The first result was that the English deemed it prudent to evacuate +Philadelphia and retreat to New York. Washington endeavored to cut +off their retreat, and a battle took place at Freehold Court House, +in which the Americans were worsted. Washington drew off his army, +and the British army continued its march to New York without further +opposition. Early in May the French sent off a fleet of twelve ships +of the line and six frigates, carrying a large number of troops +commanded by Count D'Estaing. An English fleet, under Admiral Byron, +was lying at Portsmouth, and this sailed on June 9 in pursuit; for it +was not until that time that information was received of the intended +destination of the French fleet. + +D'Estaing reached the American coast upon the very day on which the +English army re-entered New York, and after making a demonstration +before that town the French fleet sailed for Rhode Island to expel +the British troops, under Sir Robert Pigott, who held it. + +Lord Howe sailed with the fleet from New York to give battle to that +of D'Estaing. For two days the fleets maneuvered in sight of each +other. Howe, being inferior in force, wished to gain the +weather-gauge before fighting. Failing to do this, on the third day +he offered battle, but a tremendous storm prevented the engagement +and dispersed both fleets. The French vessels retired to Boston and +the English to New York. + +Taking advantage of the departure of the French fleet, Sir Robert +attacked the American force, which had crossed to Rhode Island to act +with the French, and drove them from it. While crossing the Atlantic +the fleet under Admiral Byron had met with a tremendous storm, which +had entirely dispersed it, and the vessels arrived singly at New +York. When their repairs were completed the whole set out to give +battle to the French, but D'Estaing, finding that by the junction of +the two English fleets he was now menaced by a superior force, sailed +away to the West Indies. + +After his departure an expedition was sent down along the coast to +Georgia and East Florida. This met with great success. Savannah was +captured and the greater part of South Carolina was occupied. The +majority of the inhabitants joyfully welcomed the troops and many +companies of volunteers were raised. + +Harold had arrived in New York early in the spring. He had been +offered a commission, but he preferred remaining with his two +comrades in the position of scout. In this way he had far greater +independence, and while enjoying pay and rations sufficient for his +maintenance, he was to a great extent master of his own movements. At +an earlier period of the war he was offered by General Howe a +commission in the army, and his father would have been glad had he +accepted it. Harold, however, although determined to fight until the +struggle between the colonists and the mother country came to an end +one way or the other, had no great liking for the life of an officer +in the regular army, but had resolved at the conclusion of the war to +settle down upon a farm on the lakes--a life for which he felt far +more fitted than for the strict discipline and regularity of that of +an officer in the army. + +As, with the exception of the attack by the French fleet and American +army upon Rhode Island, both parties remained quiet all through the +summer of 1778, the year passed uneventfully to him, and the duties +of the scouts were little more than nominal. During the winter +fighting went on in the Carolinas and Georgia with varied success. + +In the spring of 1779 Harold and his comrades were, with a party of +scouts, sent down to Georgia, where constant skirmishes were going on +and the services of a body of men accustomed to outpost duty were +required. They were landed in May and joined General Prevost's force +on the island of St. John, situated close to the mainland and +connected with it by a bridge of boats, at the end of which on the +mainland a post had been erected. Shortly afterward General Prevost +left for Savannah, taking with him most of the troops, which were +carried away in the sloops which had formed the bridge of boats. On +the American side General Lincoln commanded a considerable army, +which had been dispatched by Congress to drive the English from that +State and the Carolinas. + +Lieutenant Colonel Maitland, who commanded the post on the mainland, +was left with only a flat-boat to keep up his communication with the +island. He had under his command the first battalion of the +Seventy-first Highlanders, now much weakened in numbers, part of a +Hessian regiment, some provincial volunteers, and a detachment of +artillery, the whole not exceeding 500 effective men. Hearing that +General Lincoln was advancing against him, Colonel Maitland sent all +his sick, baggage, and horses across to the island, and placed the +post as far as possible in a defensive position. Most of the scouts +who had come down from New York had accompanied General Prevost to +Savannah, but Harold, with Peter Lambton, Jake, and three or four +others, had been ordered to remain with Colonel Maitland, and were +sent out to reconnoiter when the enemy were known to be approaching. + +"This is something like our old work, Peter, upon Lake Champlain," +Harold said, as with his two comrades he took his way in the +direction from which the enemy were advancing. + +"Ay, lad, but they've none of the redskins with 'em, and there'll be +no great difficulty in finding out all about 'em. Besides, we've got +Jake with us, and jest about here Jake can do better nor we can. +Niggers swarm all over the country and are as ready to work for one +side as the other, jest as their masters go. All Jake has got to do +is to dress himself as a plantation nigger and stroll into their +camp. No question will be asked him, as he will naturally be taken +for a slave on some neighboring estate. What do you say, Jake?" + +Jake at once assented, and when they approached the enemy he left his +comrades and carried their plan into execution. He was away six +hours, and returned saying that the enemy were 5000 strong, with +eight pieces of artillery. + +"We must hurry back," Peter said. "Them are big odds agin' us. Ef all +our troops was regulars, I don't say as they might not hold the +place; but I don't put much count on the Germans, and the colonists +aint seen no fighting. However, Colonel Maitland seems a first-rate +officer. He has been real sharp in putting the place into a state of +defense, and I reckon ef the Yankees thinks as they're going to eat +us up without trouble they'll be mistaken." + +Jake reported that the enemy were on the point of marching forward, +and the scouts hurried back to give Colonel Maitland news of their +coming. + +It was late in the afternoon when they reached the post. + +"At what time do you think they will arrive here?" the colonel asked, +when Jake had made his report. "Dey be pretty close by dark, for +sure," Jake replied. + +"But I don't think, sir," Peter added, "they'll attack before +morning. They wouldn't be likely to try it in the dark, not knowing +the nature of the place." + +The commander was of the same opinion, but to prevent the possibility +of surprise he placed pickets at some distance round the fort, the +scouts being, of course, of the party. + +The night passed quietly, but at seven in the morning Peter, Harold, +and Jake, who were at some distance in advance of the others, saw the +enemy approaching. They fired their pieces and fell back upon the +outposts. Their position was rather to the right of the line of +defense. The pickets were about to fall back when 70 men, being two +companies of the Seventy-first under Captain Campbell, were sent out +to feel the enemy. + +"We're going to have a skirmish," Peter said. "I know these +Highlanders. Instead of jest firing a bit and then falling back, +they'll be sticking here and fighting as if they thought they could +lick the hull army of the Yankees." + +It was as Peter predicted. The Highlanders took post behind a hedge +and maintained a desperate resistance to the advance of the enemy. +Harold and his comrades for some time fought with them. + +"It's time for us to be out of this," Peter said presently. "Let's +jest get back to the fort." + +"We cannot fall back till they do, Peter." + +"I don't see that," Peter said. "We're scouts, and I don't see no +advantage in our chucking away our lives because these hot-headed +Highlanders choose to do so. Peter Lambton's ready to do a fair share +of fighting, but when he's sure that fighting aint no good, then he +goes." + +And suiting the action to the word, Peter rose from his recumbent +position and began to make his way back to the camp, taking advantage +of every bit of cover. + +Harold could not help laughing. For an instant he remained +irresolute, and then, seeing the overwhelming forces with which the +enemy were approaching, he called to Jake and followed Peter's +example. So obstinately did the Highlanders fight that they did not +retreat until all their officers were killed or wounded, and only 11 +men out of the two companies succeeded in regaining the camp. + +The whole force of the enemy now advanced against the works, and +halting at a distance of three hundred yards opened a tremendous fire +from their cannon on the intrenchments. The defenders replied, but so +overwhelming was the force of the assailants that the Hessians +abandoned the portion of the works committed to them and fell back. + +The enemy pressed forward and had already gained the foot of the +abattis, when Colonel Maitland brought up a portion of the +Seventy-first upon the right, and these gallant troops drove the +Americans back with slaughter. Colonel Maitland and his officers then +threw themselves among the Hessians and succeeded in rallying them +and bringing them back to the front. The provincial volunteers had +also fought with great bravery. They had for a time been pressed +backward, but finally maintained their position. + +The Americans, finding that all their efforts to carry the post were +unavailing, fell back to the forest. On the English side the loss +amounted to 129. The Americans fought in the open and suffered much +more heavily. + +The position of matters was suddenly changed by the arrival of Count +D'Estaing with a fleet of forty-one ships-of-war off the coast. The +American general, Lincoln, at once proposed to him to undertake a +combined movement to force the English to quit Georgia. The arrival +of the French fleet was wholly unexpected, and the _Experiment_, a +frigate of fifty guns, commanded by Sir James Wallace, having two or +three ships under his convoy, fell in with them off the mouth of the +Savannah River. Although the _Experiment_ had been much crippled by a +gale through which she had recently passed, Sir James Wallace would +not haul down his flag and opposed a desperate resistance to the +whole of the French fleet, and did not surrender until the +_Experiment_ was completely dismasted and riddled with shot. + +Upon the news that the French fleet was off the mouth of the river, +Captain Henry, who commanded the little squadron of four small +English ships, fell back to Savannah after removing all the buoys +from the river. He landed his guns from the ships and mounted them on +the batteries, and the marines and blue-jackets were also put on +shore to assist in the defense. Two of the brigs of war were sunk +across the channel below the town to prevent the French frigates +coming up. A boom was laid across above the town to prevent +fire-rafts from being sent down. + +D'Estaing landed the French troops at the mouth of the river, and, +marching to the town, summoned General Prevost to surrender. The +English commander, who had sent off a messenger to Colonel Maitland, +ordering him to march instantly to his assistance with the force +under him, which now amounted to 800 men, asked for twenty-four hours +before giving an answer. D'Estaing, who knew that General Lincoln was +close at hand, made sure that Prevost would surrender without +resistance, and so granted the time asked for. Before its expiration +Colonel Maitland, after a tremendous march, arrived at the town. As +the French commanded the mouth of the river he had been obliged to +transport his troops in boats through the marshes by a little creek, +which for two miles was so shallow that the troops were forced to +wade waist-deep, dragging the boats by main force through the mud. + +Upon the arrival of this re-enforcement General Prevost returned an +answer to Count D'Estaing that the town would be defended to the +last. Some time was spent by the enemy in landing and bringing up +heavy artillery from the ships, and the French and Americans did not +begin their works against the town until September 23. The garrison +had utilized the time thus afforded to them to erect new defenses. +The allied force of the assailants consisted of more than 10,000 +Americans and 5000 French troops, while the garrison, including +regulars, provincial corps, sailors, militia, and volunteers, did not +exceed 2500. + +Nevertheless, they did not allow the enemy to carry on their work +without interruption. Several sorties were made. The first of these, +under Major Graham of the Sixteenth Regiment, reached the lines of +the enemy and threw them into confusion. Large re-enforcements came +up to their assistance, and as Graham's detachment fell back upon the +town, the enemy incautiously pursued it so close up to the British +lines that both artillery and musketry were brought to bear upon +them, and they lost a large number of men before they could regain +their works. On the morning of October 4 the batteries of the +besiegers opened fire with fifty-three pieces of heavy artillery and +fourteen mortars. General Prevost sent in a request to Count +D'Estaing that the women and children might be permitted to leave the +town and embark on board vessels lying in the river, there to await +the issue of the fight; but the French commander refused the request +in a letter couched in insulting terms. + +The position of Savannah was naturally strong. The river protected +one of its sides and a deep swamp, partially flooded by it, covered +another. The other two were open to the country, which in front of +them was for several miles level and clear of wood. The works which +had been thrown up on these sides were extremely strong. When the +French first landed there were but ten pieces of cannon upon the +fortifications, but so incessantly did the garrison work that before +the conclusion of the siege nearly one hundred pieces of artillery +were mounted on the redoubts and batteries erected round the town. +Upon the side of the swamp there was not much fear of attack, but +three redoubts were erected to prevent a surprise from this +direction. The defense on the right face of the town was conducted +by Colonel Maitland. The defense on the left, consisting of two +strong redoubts and several batteries, was commanded by Lieutenant +Colonel Cruger. In the center were several strong works, of which +General Prevost himself took the special supervision. The whole +British line, except where the swamp rendered no such defense +necessary, was surrounded by a thick abattis. The French fire made +no sensible impression upon the English defenses, and finding that +the British artillery equaled his own, D'Estaing determined to +discontinue the attack by regular approaches and to carry the place +by storm. His position was a perilous one. He had already spent a +long time before the place, and at any moment the English fleet might +arrive from the West Indies and attack his fleet, which was weakened +by the men and guns which had been landed to carry on the siege. He +therefore determined to risk an assault rather than remain longer +before the town. To facilitate the attack an officer with 5 men on +October 8 advanced to the abattis and set fire to it. The wood, +however, was still green, and the flames were easily extinguished. + +The attack was fixed for the following morning. Bodies of the +American militia were to feign attacks upon the center and left, +while a strong force of the combined armies was to make a real attack +in two columns upon the right. The troops composing the two columns +consisted of 3500 French soldiers and 950 Americans. The principal +force, commanded by Count D'Estaing in person, assisted by General +Lincoln, was to attack the Springfield redoubt, which was situated at +the extreme right of the British central line of defense and close to +the edge of the swamp. The other column, under the command of Count +Dillon, was to move silently along the margin of the swamp, pass the +three redoubts, and get into the rear of the British lines. + +The troops were in motion long before daylight. The attempt to burn +the abattis had excited the suspicion of the English that an assault +might be intended, and accordingly pickets were thrown out in front +of the intrenchments and the scouts were ordered to keep a sharp +watch among the trees which grew in and near the swamp. + +Harold with his friends had accompanied Colonel Maitland's column in +its march to Savannah and had labored vigorously at the defenses, +being especially occupied in felling trees and chopping wood for the +abattis. Before daybreak they heard the noise made by the advance of +the enemy's columns through the wood and hurried back to the +Springfield redoubt, where the garrison at once stood to arms. In +this redoubt were a corps of provincial dismounted dragoons, +supported by the South Carolina regiment. + +Just as daylight appeared the column led by Count D'Estaing advanced +toward the Springfield redoubt, but the darkness was still so intense +that it was not discovered until within a very short distance of the +works. Then a blaze of musketry opened upon it, while a destructive +cross-fire was poured in from the adjoining batteries. So heavy was +the fire that the head of the column was almost swept away. The +assailants kept on with great bravery until they reached the redoubt; +here a desperate hand-to-hand contest took place. Captain Tawse fell +with many of his men, and for a moment a French and an American +standard were planted upon the parapet; nevertheless the defenders +continued to cling to the place and every foot was desperately +contested. + +At this moment Colonel Maitland, with the grenadiers of the Sixtieth +Regiment and the marines, advanced and fell upon the enemy's column, +already shaken by the obstinate resistance it had encountered and by +its losses by the fire from the batteries. The movement was decisive. +The assailants were driven headlong from the redoubt and retreated, +leaving behind them 637 of the French troops killed and wounded and +264 of the Americans. + +In the mean time the column commanded by Count Dillon mistook its way +in the darkness and was entangled in the swamp, from which it was +unable to extricate itself until it was broad daylight and it was +fully exposed to the view of the garrison and to the fire from the +British batteries. This was so hot and so well directed that the +column was never able even to form, far less to penetrate into the +rear of the British lines. + +When the main attack was repulsed Count Dillon drew off his column, +also. No pursuit was ordered as, although the besiegers had suffered +greatly, they were still three times more numerous than the garrison. + +A few days afterward the French withdrew their artillery and +re-embarked on board ship. + +The siege of Savannah cost the allies 1500 men, while the loss of the +garrison was only 120. The pleasure of the garrison at their +successful defense was marred by the death of Colonel Maitland, who +died from the effects of the unhealthy climate and of the exertions +he had made. + +A few days after the raising of the siege the French fleet was +dispersed by a tempest, and Count D'Estaing, with the majority of the +ships under his command, returned to France. + +During the course of this year there were many skirmishes round New +York, but nothing of any great importance took place. Sir Henry +Clinton, who was in supreme command, was unable to undertake any +offensive operations on a large scale, for he had not received the +re-enforcements from home which he had expected. England, indeed, had +her hands full, for in June Spain joined France and America in the +coalition against her and declared war. Spain was at that time a +formidable marine power, and it needed all the efforts that could be +made by the English government to make head against the powerful +fleets which the combined nations were able to send to sea against +them. It was not only in Europe that the Spaniards were able to give +effective aid to the allies. They were still a power on the American +continent, and created a diversion, invading West Florida and +reducing and capturing the town and fort of Mobile. + +In the spring of 1780 Sir Henry Clinton sent down an expedition under +the command of Lord Cornwallis to capture Charleston and reduce the +State of South Carolina. This town was extremely strongly fortified. +It could only be approached by land on one side, while the water, +which elsewhere defended it, was covered by the fire of numerous +batteries of artillery. The water of the bay was too shallow to admit +of the larger men-of-war passing, and the passage was defended by +Fort Moultrie, a very formidable work. Admiral Arbuthnot, with the +_Renown, Romulus, Roebuck, Richmond, Blonde, Raleigh_, and _Virginia_ +frigates, with a favorable wind and tide ran the gantlet of Fort +Moultrie, succeeded in passing up without great loss, and co-operated +on the sea face with the attack of the army on the land side. + +A force was landed on Sullivan's Island, on which Fort Moultrie +stood, and the fort, unprepared for an attack in this direction, was +obliged to surrender. The American cavalry force which had been +collected for the relief of the town was defeated by the English +under General Tarleton. The trenches were pushed forward with great +vigor, and the batteries of the third parallel opened at short range +on the town with great execution. The advances were pushed forward at +the ditch, when the garrison, seeing that further resistance was +impossible, surrendered. Five thousand prisoners were taken, 1000 +American and French seamen, and ten French and American ships-of-war. + +With the fall of Charleston all resistance ceased in South Carolina. +The vast majority of the inhabitants made their submission to the +British government and several loyalist regiments were raised. + +Colonel Tarleton, with 170 cavalry and 100 mounted infantry, was +dispatched against an American force under Colonel Burford, +consisting of 350 infantry, a detachment of cavalry, and two guns, +which had taken post on the border of North Carolina. Tarleton came +up with him, and after a sharp action the Americans were entirely +defeated. One hundred and thirteen were killed on the spot and 207 +made prisoners, of whom 103 were badly wounded. + +For some months the irregular operations were continued, the +Americans making frequent incursions into the Carolinas. The British +troops suffered greatly from the extreme heat and the unhealthiness +of the climate. + +In August the American General Gates advanced toward Camden, and Lord +Cornwallis also moved out to that town, which was held by a British +garrison. The position there was not hopeful. Nearly 800 were sick, +and the total number of effectives was under 2000, of whom 500 were +provincials. The force under General Gates amounted to 6000 men, +exclusive of the corps of Colonel Sumpter, 1000 strong, which were +maneuvering to cut off the English retreat. Cornwallis could not fall +back on Charleston without abandoning the sick and leaving all his +magazines and stores in the hands of the enemy, besides which a +retreat would have involved the abandonment of the whole State with +the exception of Charleston. He therefore decided upon giving battle +to the enemy, who were posted at Rugeley's Mills, a few miles +distant, leaving the defense of Camden to Major M'Arthur, with some +provincials and convalescent soldiers and a detachment of the +Sixty-third Regiment, which was expected to arrive during the night. + +The army marched in the following order: The first division, +commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Webster, consisting of four companies +of light infantry and the Twenty-third and Thirty-third regiments, +preceded by an advanced guard of 40 cavalry. The second division, +consisting of provincial troops and two battalions of the +Seventy-first Regiment, followed as a reserve. The dragoons of the +legion formed the rear guard. The force marched at ten o'clock on the +night of August 16, intending to attack at daybreak the next morning, +but it happened that at the very same hour in which the British set +out, General Gates, with his force, was starting from Rugeley's Mills +with the intention of attacking Camden in the morning. + +At two o'clock in the night the advanced guards of the two armies met +and fired into each other. In the confusion some prisoners were taken +on both sides, and the generals, finding that the two armies were +face to face, halted and waited till morning. Lord Cornwallis placed +Webster's division on the right; the second division, which was under +the command of Lord Rawdon, on the left; the battalion known as the +Volunteers of Ireland were on the right of Lord Rawdon's division and +communicated with the Thirty-third Regiment on the left of Webster. +In the front line were two six-pounders and two three-pounders under +the command of Lieutenant Macleod, R. A. The Seventy-first, with two +six-pounders, was in reserve, one battalion being placed behind each +wing. The dragoons were held in reserve, to charge in the event of a +favorable opportunity. + +The flanks of the English position were covered by swamps, which +somewhat narrowed the ground and prevented the Americans from +utilizing fully their great superiority of numbers. The Americans +were also formed in two lines. + +Soon after daybreak Lord Cornwallis ordered Colonel Webster to +advance and charge the enemy. So fiercely did the English regiments +attack that the Virginia and North Carolina troops who opposed them +quickly gave way, threw down their arms, and fled. General Gates and +General Casswell in vain attempted to rally them. They ran like a +torrent and spread through the woods in every direction. Lord Rawdon +began the action on the left with no less vigor and spirit than Lord +Cornwallis on the right, but here and in the center the contest was +more obstinately maintained by the Americans. + +[Illustration: Plan of the Battle Fought Near Camden, August 16th, +1780.] + +Their reserves were brought up, and the artillery did considerable +execution. Their left flank was, however, exposed by the flight of +the troops of Carolina and Virginia, and the light infantry and +Twenty-third Regiment were halted in the pursuit, and, wheeling +around, came upon the flank of the enemy, who, after a brave +resistance of nearly three-quarters of an hour, were driven into +total confusion and forced to give way on both sides. Their rout was +continued by the cavalry, who continued their pursuit twenty-two +miles from the field of action. + +Between eight and nine hundred of the enemy were killed and about +1000, many of whom were wounded, were taken prisoners. Among these +were Major General Baron de Kalb and Brigadier General Rutherford. +All the baggage, stores, and camp packages, a number of colors, and +several pieces of cannon were taken. General Gates, finding himself +unable to rally the militia, fled first to Charlotte, 90 miles from +the seat of action, and then to Hillsborough, 180 from Camden. +General Gist, alone of all the American commanders, was able to keep +together about 100 men, who, flying across the swamp on their right, +through which they could not be pursued by the cavalry, made their +escape in a body. The loss of the British troops amounted to 69 +killed, 245 wounded, and 11 missing. The loss of the Americans in +killed, wounded, and prisoners exceeded the number of British regular +troops engaged by at least 300. It was one of the most decisive +victories ever won. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +IN AN AMERICAN PRISON. + +Upon the morning after the victory of Camden Lord Cornwallis +dispatched Colonel Tarleton with the light infantry and the German +legion, 350 men in all, to attack Colonel Sumpter, who, with 800 men +and two pieces of cannon, had, upon hearing late at night of General +Gates' defeat, marched away at all speed. Thinking himself out of +danger he halted at midday to rest his men. The British came upon +them by surprise. One hundred and fifty were killed or wounded and +300 made prisoners. The rest scattered as fugitives. Two guns, one +thousand stand of arms, and all the stores and baggage were taken, +and 250 prisoners, some of them British soldiers and the rest loyal +militiamen, whom Sumpter had captured near Camden, were released. + +Lord Cornwallis, after obtaining supplies for his troops and taking +steps for the pacification of the State, was about to move forward +into North Carolina, when he received news of the destruction of a +column under Major Fergusson. This officer, with a detachment of 150 +British regulars and 800 provincials, was attacked by 5000 mounted +partisans, most of them border men accustomed to forest fighting. +Fergusson took up a position on a hill called King's Mountain. This +from its height would have been a good position for defense, but +being covered with wood it offered great opportunities for the +assailants, who dismounted and fought behind trees in accordance with +the tactics taught them in Indian warfare. Again and again the +English charged with the bayonet, each time driving their assailants +back, but these instantly recommenced their destructive fire from +their shelter behind the trees. In little over an hour from the +commencement of the fight 150 of the defenders were killed and many +more wounded. Still they repulsed every attack until their commander +fell dead; then the second in command, judging further resistance in +vain, surrendered. + +On the news of this misfortune Lord Cornwallis fell back, as the +western frontiers of South Carolina were now exposed to the +incursions of the band which had defeated Fergusson. In the retreat +the army suffered terribly. It rained for several days without +intermission. The soldiers had no tents, and the water was everywhere +over their shoes. The continued rains filled the rivers and creeks +prodigiously and rendered the roads almost impassable. The climate +was most unhealthy, and for many days the troops were without rum. +Sometimes the army had beef and no bread, sometimes bread and no +beef. For five days it was supported on Indian corn, which was +collected in the fields, five ears being served out as a daily +allowance to each two soldiers. They had to cook it as they could, +and this was generally done by parching it over the fire. One of the +officers of the quartermaster's department found some of the loyal +militia grating their corn. This was done by breaking up a canteen +and punching holes in the bottom with their bayonets, thus making a +kind of rasp. The idea was communicated to the adjutant general and +afterward adopted for the army. + +The soldiers supported their hardships and privations cheerfully, as +their officers were no better provided than themselves and the fare +of Lords Cornwallis and Rawdon was the same as their own. + +The toilsome march came to an end at last, and the army had rest +after its labors. The only other incident of importance which +occurred was an action between a force under Colonel Tarleton and one +of considerably superior strength under General Sumpter, strongly +posted on a commanding position. The British attack was repulsed, but +General Sumpter, being badly wounded, was carried off the field +during the night, and the force under his command at once dispersed. + +No other event occurred, and the army passed its time in winter +quarters till the spring of 1781. During this winter the enemies of +Great Britain were re-enforced by the accession of the Dutch. At this +time the efforts which England was called upon to make were indeed +great. In Europe France, Spain, and Holland were banded against her; +in India our troops were waging a desperate war with Hyder Ali; while +they were struggling to retain their hold on their American colonies. +Here, indeed, the operations had for the last two years languished. +The re-enforcements which could be spared were extremely small, and +although the British had almost uniformly defeated the Americans in +every action in which there was any approach to equality between the +forces engaged, they were unable to do more than hold the ground on +which they stood. Victorious as they might be, the country beyond the +reach of their rifles swarmed with their enemies, and it became +increasingly clear to all impartial observers that it was impossible +for an army which in all did not amount to more than 20,000 men to +conquer a continent in arms against them. + +Harold was not present at the later events of the campaign of 1780. +He and Jake had been with the column of Major Fergusson. Peter +Lambton had not accompanied him, having received a bullet wound in +the leg in a previous skirmish, which, although not serious, had +compelled him to lay up for a time. + +"Me no like de look ob dis affair, Massa Harold," Jake said, as the +Americans opened fire upon the troops gathered at the top of King's +Mountain. "Dese chaps no fools; dey all backwoodsmen; dey know how to +fight de redskins; great hunters all ob dem." + +"Yes," Harold agreed, "they are formidable opponents, Jake. I do not +like the look of things. These men are all accustomed to fighting in +the woods, while our men have no idea of it. Their rifles are +infinitely superior to these army muskets, and every man of them can +hit a deer behind the shoulder at the distance of 150 yards, while at +that distance most of our men would miss a haystack." + +The scouts and a few of the provincials who had been accustomed to +forest warfare, took up their position behind trees and fought the +advancing enemy in their own way. The mass of the defenders, however, +were altogether puzzled by the stealthy approach of their foes, who +advanced from tree to tree, seldom showing as much as a limb to the +fire of the defenders, and keeping up a deadly fire upon the crowd of +soldiers. + +Had there been time for Major Fergusson, before being attacked, to +have felled a circle of trees and made a breastwork round the top of +the hill, the result might have been different. Again and again the +British gallantly charged down with the bayonet, but the assailants, +as they did so, glided away among the trees after firing a shot or +two into the advancing troops, and retreated a hundred yards or so, +only to recommence their advance as soon as the defenders retired +again to their position. The loss of the assailants was very slight, +the few who fell being for the most part killed by the rifles of the +scouts. + +"It am no use, Massa Harold," Jake said. "Jest look how dem poor +fellows am being shot down. It's all up wid us dis time." + +When upon the fall of Major Fergusson his successor in command +surrendered the post, the defenders were disarmed. The Kentucky men, +accustomed only to warfare against Indians, had no idea of the usages +of war and treated the prisoners with great brutality. Ten of the +loyalist volunteers of Carolina they hung at once upon trees. There +was some discussion as to the disposal of the rest. The border men, +having accomplished their object, were anxious to disperse at once to +their homes. Some of them proposed that they should rid themselves of +all further trouble by shooting them all. This was overruled by the +majority. Presently the prisoners were all bound, their hands being +tied behind them, and a hundred of the border men surrounded them and +ordered them to march across the country. + +Jake and several other negroes who were among the captives were +separated from the rest, and, being put up at auction, were sold as +slaves. Jake fell to the bid of a tall Kentuckian who, without a +word, fastened a rope round his neck, mounted his horse, and started +for his home. The guards conducted the white prisoners to Woodville, +eighty miles from the scene of the fight. This distance was +accomplished in two days' march. Many of the unfortunate men, unable +to support the fatigue, fell and were shot by their guards; the rest +struggled on, utterly exhausted, until they arrived at Woodville, +where they were handed over to a strong force of militia gathered +there. They were now kindly treated, and by more easy marches were +taken to Richmond, in Virginia, where they were shut up in prison. +Here were many English troops, for the Americans, in spite of the +terms of surrender, had still retained as prisoners the troops of +General Burgoyne. + +Several weeks passed without incident. The prisoners were strongly +guarded and were placed in a building originally built for a jail and +surrounded by a very high wall. Harold often discussed with some of +his fellow-captives the possibility of escape. The windows were all +strongly barred, and even should the prisoners break through these +they would only find themselves in the courtyard. There would then be +a wall thirty feet high to surmount, and at the corners of this wall +the Americans had built sentry-boxes, in each of which two men were +stationed night and day. Escape, therefore, seemed next to +impossible. + +The sentries guarding the prison and at the gates were furnished by +an American regiment stationed at Richmond. The wardens in the prison +were, for the most part, negroes. The prisoners were confined at +night in separate cells; in the daytime they were allowed, in parties +of fifty, to walk for two hours in the courtyard. There were several +large rooms in which they sat and took their meals, two sentries with +loaded muskets being stationed in each room. Thus, although +monotonous, there was little to complain of; their food, if coarse, +was plentiful, and the prisoners passed the time in talk, playing +cards, and in such games as their ingenuity could invent. + +One day when two of the negro wardens entered with, the dinners of +the room to which Harold belonged, the latter was astounded at +recognizing in one of them his faithful companion Jake. It was with +difficulty that he suppressed an exclamation of gladness and +surprise. Jake paid no attention to him, but placed the great tin +dish heaped up with yams, which he was carrying, upon the table, and, +with an unmoved face, left the room. A fortnight passed without a +word being exchanged between them. Several times each day Harold saw +the negro, but the guards were always present, and although, when he +had his back to the latter, Jake sometimes indulged in a momentary +grin or a portentous wink, no further communication passed between +them. + +One night at the end of that time Harold, when on the point of going +to sleep, thought he heard a noise as of his door gently opening. It +was perfectly dark, and, after listening for a moment he laid his +head down again, thinking that he had been mistaken, when he heard +close to the bed the words in a low voice: + +"Am you asleep, Massa Harold?" + +"No, Jake," he exclaimed directly. "Ah, my good fellow! how have you +got here?" + +"Dat were a bery easy affair," Jake said. "Me tell you all about it." + +"Have you shut the door again, Jake? There is a sentry coming along +the passage every five minutes." + +"Me shut him, massa, but dere aint no fastening on dis side, so Jake +will sit down wid him back against him." + +Harold got up and partly dressed himself and then sat down by the +side of his follower. + +"No need to whisper," Jake said. "De walls and de doors bery thick; +no one hear. But de sentries on de walls hear if we talk too loud." + +The windows were without glass, which was in those days an expensive +article in America, and the mildness of the climate of Virginia +rendered glass a luxury rather than a necessity. Confident that even +the murmur of their voices would not be overheard if they spoke in +their usual way, Jake and Harold were enabled to converse +comfortably. + +"Well, massa," Jake said, "my story am not a long one. Dat man dat +bought me he rode in two days someting like one hundred miles. It wor +a lucky ting dat Jake had tramp on his feet de last four years, else +soon enough he tumble down, and den de rope round him neck hang him. +Jake awful footsore and tired when he git to de end ob dat journey. +De Kentucky man he lib in a clearing not far from a village. He had +two oder slaves; dey hoe de ground and work for him. He got grown-up +son, who look after dem while him fader away fighting. Dey not afraid +ob de niggers running away, because dere plenty redskin not far away, +and nigger scalp jest as good as white man's. De oder way dere wor +plenty ob villages, and dey tink nigger git caught for sure if he try +to run away. Jake make up his mind he not stop dere bery long. De +Kentuckian was a bery big, strong man, but not so strong as he was +ten years ago, and Jake tink he more dan a match for him. Jake pretty +strong himself, massa?" + +"I should think you were, Jake," Harold said. "There are not many +men, white or black, who can lift as great a weight as you can." + +"For a week Jake work bery hard. Dat Kentuckian hab a way ob always +carrying his rifle about on his arm, and as long as he do dat dere no +chance ob a fair fight. De son he always hab a stick, and he mighty +free wid it. He hit Jake seberal times, and me say to him once, +'Young man, you better mind what you do.' Me suppose dat he not like +de look dat I gib him. He speak to his fader, and he curse and swear +awful, and stand wid de rifle close by and tell dat son ob his to +larrup Jake. Dat he do, massa, for some time. Jake not say noting, +but he make a note ob de affair in his mind. De bery next day de son +go away to de village to buy some tings he want. De fader he come out +and watch me at work; he curse and swear as usual; he call me lazy +hound and swear he cut de flesh from my back; presently he come quite +close and shake him fist in Jake's face. Dat was a foolish ting to +do. So long as he keep bofe him hands on de gun he could say what he +like quite safe, but when he got one hand up lebel wid Jake's nose, +dat different ting altogether. Jake throw up his hand and close wid +him. De gun tumble down and we wrastle and fight. He strong man for +sure, but Jake jest a little stronger. We roll ober and ober on de +ground for some minutes; at last Jake git de upper hand and seize de +white man by de t'roat, and he pretty quick choke him life out. Den +he pick up de gun and wait for de son; when he come back he put a +bullet t'rough him. Den he go to de hut and git food and powder and +ball and start into de woods. De oder niggers dey take no part in de +affair. Dey look on while the skirmish lasts, but not interfere one +way or oder. When it ober me ask dem if dey like to go wid me, but +dey too afraid ob de redskins; so Jake start by himse'f. Me hab +plenty ob practice in de woods and no fear ob meeting redskins, +except when dey on de warpath. De woods stretch a bery long way all +ober de country, and Jake trabel in dem for nigh t'ree weeks. He +shoot deer and manage bery well; see no redskin from the first day to +de last; den he come out into de open country again, hundreds ob +miles from de place where he kill dat Kentuckian. He leab his gun +behind now and trabel for Richmond, where he hear dat de white +prisoners was kept. He walk all night and at day sleep in de woods or +de plantations, and eat ears ob corn. At last he git to Richmond. Den +he gib out dat him massa wanted him to fight on de side ob de English +and dat he run away. He go to de prison and offer to work dere. Dey +tink him story true, and as he had no massa to claim him dey say he +State property, and work widout wages like de oder niggers here; dey +all forfeited slaves whose massas had jined de English. Dese people +so pore dey can't afford to pay white man, so dey take Jake as +warden, and by good luck dey put him in to carry de dinner to de bery +room where Massa Harold was." + +"And have you the keys to lock us up?" + +"No, massa, de niggers only cook de dinners and sweep de prison and +de yard, and do dat kind ob job; de white wardens--dere's six ob +dem--dey hab de keys." + +"Then how did you manage to get here, Jake?" + +"Dat not bery easy matter, Massa Harold. Most ob de wardens drink +like fish; but de head man, him dat keep de keys, he not drink. For +some time Jake not see him way, but one night when he lock up de +prisoners he take Jake round wid him, and Jake carried de big bunch +ob keys--one key to each passage. When he lock up de doors here and +hand de key to Jake to put on de bunch agin, Jake pull out a hair ob +him head and twist it round de ward ob de key so as to know him agin. +Dat night me git a piece ob bread and work him up wid some oil till +he quite like putty, den me steal to de chief warden's room, and dere +de keys hang up close to him bed. Jake got no shoes on, and he stole +up bery silent. He take down de bunch ob keys and carry dem off. He +git to quiet place and strike a light, and search t'rough de keys +till he find de one wid de hair round it; den he take a deep +impression ob him wid de bread; den he carry back the keys and hang +'em up. Jake not allowed to leabe de prison. We jest as much +prisoners as de white men, so he not able to go out to git a key +made; but in de storeroom dere's all sorts ob tools, and he git hold +ob a fine file; den he look about among de keys in de doors ob all de +storerooms and places which wor not kept locked up. At last he find a +key jest de right size, and dough de wards were a little different +dey was ob de right shape. Jake set to work and filled off de knobs +and p'ints which didn't agree wid de shape in de bread. Dis morning, +when you was all out in de yard, me come up quietly and tried de key +and found dat it turned de lock quite easy. Wid a fedder and some oil +me oil de lock and de key till it turned widout making de least, +noise. Den to-night me waited till de sentry come along de corridor, +and den Jake slip along and here he is." + +"Capital, Jake!" Harold said. "And now what is the next thing to do? +Will it be possible to escape through the prison?" + +"No, Massa Harold, dere am t'ree doors from de prison into de yard +and dere's a sentry outside ob each, and de main guard ob twenty men +are down dere, too. No possible to git out ob doors widout de alarm +being given." + +"With the file, Jake, we might cut through the bars." + +"We might cut t'rough de bars and git down into de courtyard; dat +easy enough, massa. Jake could git plenty ob rope from de storeroom, +but we hab de oder wall to climb." + +"You must make a rope-ladder for that, Jake." + +"What sort ob a ladder dat, massa?" + +Harold explained to him how it should be made. + +"When you have finished it, Jake, you should twist strips of any sort +of stuff, cotton or woolen, round and round each of the wooden steps, +so that it will make no noise touching the wall as we climb it. Then +we want a grapnel." + +"Me no able to make dat, massa." + +"Not a regular grapnel, Jake, but you might manage something which +would do." + +"What sort ob ting?" Jake asked. + +Harold sat for some time in thought. + +"If the wall were not so high it would be easy enough, Jake, for we +could do it by fastening the rope within about three inches of the +end of a pole six feet long and three inches thick. That would never +pull over the wall, but it is too high to throw the pole over." + +"Jake could t'row such a stick as dat ober easy enough, massa--no +difficulty about dat; but me no see how a stick like dat balance +massa's weight." + +"It would not balance it, Jake, but the pull would be a side pull and +would not bring the stick over the wall. If it were only bamboo it +would be heavy enough." + +"Bery well, Massa Harold; if you say so, dat's all right. Jake can +git de wood easy enough; dere's plenty ob pieces among de firewood +dat would do for us." + +"Roll it with strips of stuff the same way as the ladder steps, so as +to prevent it making a noise when it strikes the wall. In addition to +the ladder we shall want a length of rope long enough to go from this +window to the ground, and another length of thin rope more than twice +the height of the wall." + +"Bery well, Massa Harold, me understand exactly what's wanted; but +it'll take two or t'ree days to make de ladder, and me can only work +ob a night." + +"There is no hurry, Jake; do not run any risk of being caught. We must +choose a dark and windy night. Bring two files with you, so that we can +work together, and some oil." + +"All right, massa. Now me go." + +"Shut the door quietly, Jake, and do not forget to lock it behind +you," Harold said, as Jake stole noiselessly from the cell. + +A week passed without Jake's again visiting Harold's cell. On the +seventh night the wind had got up and whistled around the jail, and +Harold, expecting that Jake would take advantage of the opportunity, +sat down on his bed without undressing, and awaited his coming. It +was but half an hour after the door had been locked for the night +that it quietly opened again. + +"Here me am, sar, wid eberyting dat's wanted; two files and some oil, +de rope-ladder, de short rope for us to slide down, and de long thin +rope and de piece ob wood six feet long and thick as de wrist." + +They at once set to work with the files, and in an hour had sawn +through two bars, making a hole sufficiently wide for them to pass. +The rope was then fastened to a bar, Harold took off his shoes and +put them in his pocket and then slid down the rope into the +courtyard. With the other rope Jake lowered the ladder and pole to +him and then slid down himself. Harold had already tied to the pole, +at four inches from one end, a piece of rope some four feet long, so +as to form a loop about half that length. The thin rope was put +through the loop and drawn until the two ends came together. + +Noiselessly they stole across the yard until they reached the +opposite wall. The night was a very dark one, and although they could +make out the outline of the wall above them against the skyline, the +sentry-boxes at the corners were invisible. Harold now took hold of +the two ends of the rope, and Jake, stepping back a few yards from +the wall, threw the pole over it. Then Harold drew upon the rope +until there was a check, and he knew that the pole was hard up +against the edge of the wall. He tied one end of the rope-ladder to +an end of the double cord and then hauled steadily upon the other. +The rope running through the loop drew the ladder to the top of the +wall. All this was done quickly and without noise. + +"Now, Jake, do you go first," Harold said. "I will hold the rope +tight below, and do you put part of your weight on it as you go up. +When you get to the top, knot it to the loop and sit on the wall +until I come up." + +In three minutes they were both on the wall, the ladder was hauled up +and dropped on the outside, while the pole was shifted to the inside +of the wall; then they descended the ladder and made across the +country. + +"Which way we go, massa?" Jake asked. + +"I have been thinking it over," Harold replied, "and have decided on +making for the James River. We shall be there before morning and can +no doubt find a boat. We can guide ourselves by the stars, and when +we get into the woods the direction of the wind will be sufficient." + +The distance was about twenty miles, but although accustomed to +scouting at night, they would have had difficulty in making their way +through the woods by morning had they not struck upon a road leading +in the direction in which they wanted to go. + +Thus it was still some hours before daylight when they reached the +James River. They had followed the road all the way, and at the point +where it reached the bank there was a village of considerable size, +and several fishermen's boats were moored alongside. Stepping into +one of these, they unloosed the head-rope and pushed out into the +stream. The boat was provided with a sail. The mast was soon stepped +and the sail hoisted. + +Neither Harold nor Jake had had much experience in boat-sailing, but +the wind was with them and the boat ran rapidly down the river, and +before daylight they were many miles from their point of starting. +The banks of the James River are low and swampy, and few signs of +human habitation were seen from the stream. It widened rapidly as +they descended and became rougher and rougher. They therefore steered +into a sheltered spot behind a sharp bend of the river and anchored. + +In the locker they found plenty of lines and bait, and, setting to +work, had soon half a dozen fine fish at the bottom of the boat. They +pulled up the kedge and rowed to shore and soon made a fire, finding +flint and steel in the boat. The fish were broiled over the fire upon +sticks. The boat was hauled in under some overhanging bushes, and, +stretching themselves in the bottom, Harold and Jake were soon fast +asleep. + +The sun was setting when they woke. + +"What you going to do, sar?" Jake asked. "Are you tinking ob +trabeling by land or ob sailing to New York?" + +"Neither, Jake," Harold answered. "I am thinking of sailing down the +coast inside the line of keys to Charleston. The water there is +comparatively smooth, and as we shall be taken for fishermen it is +not likely that we shall be overhauled. We can land occasionally and +pick a few ears of corn to eat with our fish, and as there is +generally a breeze night and morning, however still and hot the day, +we shall be able to do it comfortably. I see that there is an iron +plate here which has been used for making a fire and cooking on +board, so we will lay in a stock of dry wood before we start." + +The journey was made without any adventure. While the breeze lasted +they sailed; when it fell calm they fished, and when they had +obtained a sufficient supply for their wants they lay down and slept +under the shade of their sail stretched as an awning. Frequently they +passed within hail of other fishing-boats, generally manned by +negroes. But beyond a few words as to their success, no questions +were asked. They generally kept near the shore, and when they saw any +larger craft they either hauled the boat up or ran into one of the +creeks in which the coast abounds. It was with intense pleasure that +at last they saw in the distance the masts of the shipping in +Charleston harbor. + +Two hours later they landed. They fastened the boat to the wharf and +made their way into the town unquestioned. As they were walking along +the principal street they saw a well-known figure sauntering +leisurely toward them. His head was bent down and he did not notice, +them until Harold hailed him with a shout of "Halloo, Peter, old +fellow! How goes it?" + +Peter, although not easily moved or excited, gave a yell of delight +which astonished the passers-by. + +"Ah, my boy!" he exclaimed, "this is a good sight for my old eyes. +Here have I been a-fretting and a-worrying myself for the last three +months, and cussing my hard luck that I was not with you in that +affair on King's Mountain. At first, when I heard of it, I says to +myself, 'The young un got out of it somehow. He aint going to be +caught asleep.' Waal, I kept on hoping and hoping you'd turn up, till +at last I couldn't deceive myself no longer and was forced to +conclude that you'd either been rubbed out or taken prisoner. About a +month ago we got from the Yankees a list of the names of them they'd +captured, and glad I was to see yours among 'em. As I thought as how +you weren't likely to be out as long as the war lasted, I was +a-thinking of giving it up and going to Montreal and settling down +there. It was lonesome like without you, and I missed Jake's laugh, +and altogether things didn't seem natural like. Jake, I'm glad to see +ye. Your name was not in the list, but I thought it likely enough +they might have taken you and set you to work, and made no account of +ye." + +"That is just what they did; but he got away after settling his score +with his new master, and then made for Richmond, where I was in +prison; then he got me loose, and here we are. But it is a long +story, and I must tell it you at leisure." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA. + +The fishing-boat was disposed of for a few pounds, and Harold and +Jake were again fitted out in the semi-uniform worn by the scouts. On +December 13, the very day after their arrival, a considerable +detachment of troops, under General Leslie, arrived, and on the 19th +marched, 1500 strong, to join Lord Cornwallis. Harold and his mates +accompanied them, and the united army proceeded northwest, between +the Roanoke and Catawba rivers. Colonel Tarleton was detached with a +force of 1000 men, consisting of light and German legion infantry, a +portion of the Seventh Regiment and of the first battalion of the +Seventy-first, 350 cavalry, and two field-pieces. His orders were to +pursue and destroy a force of some 800 of the enemy under General +Morgan. The latter, finding himself pressed, drew up his troops for +action near a place called the Cowpens. Then ensued the one action in +the whole war in which the English, being superior in numbers, +suffered a severe defeat. + +Tarleton, confident of victory, led his troops to the attack without +making any proper preparations for it. The infantry advanced bravely, +and, although the American infantry held the ground for a time with +great obstinacy, they drove them back and the victory appeared to be +theirs. Tarleton now sent orders to his cavalry to pursue, as his +infantry were too exhausted, having marched at a rapid pace all +night, to do so. The order was not obeyed, and Major Washington, who +commanded the American cavalry, advanced to cover his infantry. These +rallied behind their shelter and fell upon the disordered British +infantry. Thus suddenly attacked when they believed that victory was +in their hands, the English gave way and were driven back. A panic +seized them and a general rout ensued. Almost the whole of them were +either killed or taken prisoners. + +Tarleton in vain endeavored to induce his German legion cavalry to +charge; they stood aloof and at last fled in a body through the +woods. Their commander and 14 officers remained with Tarleton, and +with these and 40 men of the Seventeenth Regiment of dragoons he +charged the whole body of the American cavalry and drove them back +upon the infantry. + +No partial advantage, however brilliant, could retrieve the +misfortune of the day. All was already lost, and Tarleton retreated +with his gallant little band to the main army under Lord Cornwallis, +twenty-five miles from the scene of action. The British infantry were +all killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, with the exception of a +small detachment which had been left in the rear, and who fell back +hastily as soon as the news of the result of the action reached them. +The legion cavalry returned to camp without the loss of a man. + +The defeat at Cowpens had a serious influence on the campaign. It +deprived Lord Cornwallis of the greater portion of his light +infantry, who were of the greatest utility in a campaign in such a +country, while the news of the action had an immense influence in +raising the spirits of the colonists. Hitherto they had uniformly met +with ill success when they opposed the British with forces even +approaching an equality of strength. In spite of their superior arms +and superior shooting, they were unable to stand the charge of the +British infantry, who had come almost to despise them as foes in the +field. The unexpected success urged them to fresh exertions and +brought to their side vast numbers of waverers. + +General Morgan, who was joined by General Greene, attempted to +prevent Cornwallis passing the fords of the Catawba. It was not till +February 1 that the river had fallen sufficiently to render a passage +possible. Colonel Webster was sent with his division to one of the +principal fords, with orders to open a cannonade there and make a +feint of crossing, while the general himself moved toward a smaller +and less-known ford. General Davidson, with 300 Americans, was +watching this point, but the brigade of guards were ordered to +commence the passage and were led by their light infantry companies +under Colonel Hall. The river was five hundred yards across, and the +stream so strong that the men, marching in fours, had to support one +another to enable them to withstand its force. The ford took a sharp +turn in the middle of the river. + +The night being dark, the guards were not perceived until they had +reached this point, when the enemy immediately opened fire upon them. +The guide at once fled, without his absence being noticed until it +was too late to stop him. Colonel Hall, not knowing of the bend in +the ford, led his men straight forward toward the opposite bank, and +although their difficulties were much increased by the greater depth +of water through which they had to pass, the mistake was really the +means of saving them from much loss, as the Americans were assembled +to meet them at the head of the ford, and would have inflicted a +heavy loss upon them as they struggled in the stream. They did not +perceive the change in the direction of the column's march until too +late, and the guards, on landing, met them as they came on and +quickly routed and dispersed them. The British lost 4 killed, among +whom was Colonel Hall, and 36 wounded. + +The rest of the division then crossed. Colonel Tarleton, with the +cavalry, was sent against 500 of the Americans who had fallen back +from the various fords, and, burning with the desire to retrieve the +defeat of the Cowpens, the legion horse charged the enemy with such +fury that they were completely routed, 50 of them being killed. + +Morgan and Greene withdrew their army through the Roanoke River, +hotly pursued by the English. For a few days the British army +remained at Hillsborough, but no supplies of food sufficient for its +maintenance could be found there, so it again fell back. General +Greene, being re-enforced by a considerable force, now determined to +fight, and accordingly advanced and took up a position near Guilford +Court House. + +[Illustration: Battle of Guilford Fought on the 16th of March 1781.] + +The American force consisted of 4243 infantry and some 3000 +irregulars--for the most part backwoodsmen from the frontier--while +the British force amounted to 1445, exclusive of their cavalry, who, +however, took little part in the fight. About four miles from +Guilford the advanced guards of the army met and a sharp fight +ensued--the Americans, under Colonel Lee, maintaining their ground +stanchly until the Twenty-third Regiment came up to the assistance of +Tarleton, who commanded the advance. + +The main American force was posted in an exceedingly strong position. +Their first line was on commanding ground, with open fields in front; +on their flanks were woods, and a strong fence ran along in front of +their line. The second line was posted in a wood three hundred yards +in rear of the first, while four hundred yards behind were three +brigades drawn up in the open ground round Guilford Court House. +Colonel Washington, with two regiments of dragoons and one of +riflemen, formed a reserve for the right flank; Colonel Lee, with his +command, was in reserve on the left. + +As soon as the head of the British column appeared in sight two guns +upon the road opened fire upon them and were answered by the English +artillery. While the cannonade continued the British formed in order +of attack. The Seventy-first, with a provincial regiment, supported +by the first battalion of the guards, formed the right; the +Twenty-third and Thirty-third, led by Colonel Webster, with the +grenadiers and second battalion of guards, formed the left. The light +infantry of the guards and the cavalry were in reserve. + +When the order was given to advance the line moved forward in perfect +steadiness, and at 150 yards the enemy opened fire. The English did +not fire a shot till within 80 yards, when they poured in a volley +and charged with the bayonet. The first line of the enemy at once +fell back upon the second; here a stout resistance was made. Posted +in the woods and sheltering themselves behind trees, they kept up for +some time a galling fire which did considerable execution. General +Leslie brought up the right wing of the first battalion of guards +into the front line and Colonel Webster called up the second +battalion. The enemy's second line now fell back on their third, +which was composed of their best troops, and the struggle was a very +obstinate one. + +The Americans, from their vastly superior numbers, occupied so long a +line of ground that the English commanders, in order to face them, +were obliged to leave large gaps between the different regiments. +Thus it happened that Webster, who with the Thirty-third Regiment, +the light infantry, and the second battalion of guards turned toward +the left, found himself separated from the rest of the troops by the +enemy, who pushed in between him and the Twenty-third. These again +were separated from the guards. The ground was very hilly, the wood +exceedingly thick, and the English line became broken up into +regiments separated from each other, each fighting on its own account +and ignorant of what was going on in other parts of the field. + +The second battalion of guards was the first that broke through the +wood into the open grounds of Guilford Court House. They immediately +attacked a considerable force drawn up there, routed them, and took +their two cannon with them; but, pursuing them with too much ardor +and impetuosity toward the woods in the rear, were thrown into +confusion by a heavy fire from another body of troops placed there, +and being instantly charged by Washington's dragoons, were driven +back with great slaughter and the cannon were retaken. + +At this moment the British guns, advancing along the road through the +wood, issued into the open and checked the pursuit of the Americans +by a well-directed fire. The Seventy-first and the Twenty-third now +came through the wood. The second battalion of guards rallied and +again advanced, and the enemy were quickly repulsed and put to +flight. The two guns were recaptured, with two others. + +Colonel Webster, with the Thirty-third, returned across the ravine +through which he had driven the enemy opposed to him, and rejoined +the rest of the force. The Americans drew off in good order. The +Twenty-third and Twenty-first pursued with the cavalry for a short +distance and were then recalled. The fight was now over on the center +and left, but on the right heavy firing was still going on. Here +General Leslie, with the first battalion of guards and a Hessian +regiment, had been greatly impeded by the excessive thickness of the +woods, which rendered it impossible to charge with the bayonet. As +they struggled through the thicket the enemy swarmed around them, so +that they were at times engaged in front, flanks, and rear. The enemy +were upon an exceedingly steep rise, and lying along the top of this +they poured such a heavy fire into the guards that these suffered +exceedingly; nevertheless they struggled up to the top and drove the +front line back, but found another far more numerous drawn up behind. +As the guards struggled up to the crest they were received by a +tremendous fire on their front and flanks and suffered so heavily +that they fell into confusion. The Hessian regiment, which had +suffered but slightly, advanced in compact order to the left of the +guards, and, wheeling to the right, took the enemy in the flank with +a very heavy fire. Under cover of this the guards re-formed and moved +forward to join the Hessians and complete the repulse of the enemy +opposed to them. They were again attacked both in the flank and the +rear, but at last they completely dispersed the troops surrounding +them and the battle came to an end. + +This battle was one of the most obstinate and well-contested +throughout the war, and the greatest credit is due to the British, +who drove the enemy, three times their own number, from the ground +chosen by them and admirably adapted to their mode of warfare. + +The loss, as might have been expected, was heavy, amounting to 93 +killed and 413 wounded--nearly a third of the force engaged. Between +two and three hundred of the enemy's dead were found on the field of +battle, and a great portion of their army was disbanded. The +sufferings of the wounded on the following night were great. A +tremendous rain fell, and the battle had extended over so large an +area that it was impossible to find and collect them. The troops had +had no food during the day and had marched several miles before they +came into action. Nearly 50 of the wounded died during the night. + +Decisive as the victory was, its consequences were slight. Lord +Cornwallis was crippled by his heavy loss, following that which the +force had suffered at the Cowpens. The two battles had diminished the +strength of his little force by fully half. Provisions were difficult +to obtain, and the inhabitants, some of whom had suffered greatly +upon previous occasions for their loyal opinions, seeing the weakness +of the force and the improbability of its being enabled to maintain +itself, were afraid to lend assistance or to show their sympathy, as +they would be exposed on its retreat to the most cruel persecutions +by the enemy. + +Three days after the battle Lord Cornwallis retired, leaving 70 of +the wounded, who were unable to move, under the protection of a flag +of truce. From Guilford Court House he moved his troops to +Wilmington, in North Carolina, a seaport where he hoped to obtain +provisions and stores, especially clothing and shoes. + +General Greene, left unmolested after his defeat, reassembled his +army, and receiving re-enforcements, marched at full speed to attack +Lord Rawdon at Camden, thinking that he would, with his greatly +superior force, be able to destroy him in his isolated situation. The +English commander fortified his position and the American general +drew back and encamped on Hobkirk Hill, two miles distant, to await +the coming of his heavy baggage and cannon, together with some +re-enforcements. Lord Rawdon determined to take the initiative, and +marching out with his whole force of 900 men, advanced to the attack. +The hill was covered at its foot by a deep swamp, but the English +marched round this and stormed the position. The Americans made an +obstinate resistance, but the English climbed the hill with such +impetuosity, in spite of the musketry and grape-shot of the enemy, +that they were forced to give way. Several times they returned to the +attack, but were finally driven off in confusion. One hundred +prisoners were taken, and Lord Rawdon estimated that 400 of the enemy +were killed and wounded. The American estimate was considerably +lower, and as the Americans fought with all the advantage of +position, while the English were exposed during their ascent to a +terrible fire, which they were unable to return effectively, it is +probable that the American loss, including the wounded, was inferior +to that of the English, whose casualties amounted to 258. + +Harold and his companions did not take part either in the battle of +Guilford Court House or in that of Hobkirk Hill, having been attached +to the fort known as Ninety-six, because a milestone with these +figures upon it stood in the village. The force here was under the +command of Lieutenant Colonel Cruger, who had with him 150 men of a +provincial corps known as Delancey's, 200 of the second battalion of +the New Jersey volunteers, and 200 local loyalists. The post was far +advanced, but so long as Lord Rawdon remained at Camden its position +was not considered to be dangerous. The English general, however, +after winning the battle of Hobkirk Hill, received news of the +retirement of Lord Cornwallis toward Wilmington, and seeing that he +would thereby be exposed to the whole of the American forces in South +Carolina and would infallibly be cut off from Charleston, he +determined to retire upon that port. Before falling back he sent +several messengers to Colonel Cruger, acquainting him of his +intention. But so well were the roads guarded by the enemy that none +of the messengers reached Ninety-six. + +Colonel Cruger, being uneasy at the length of time which had elapsed +since he had received any communication, sent Harold and the two +scouts out with instructions to make their way toward the enemy's +lines and, if possible, to bring in a prisoner. This they had not +much difficulty in doing. Finding out the position of two parties of +the Americans, they placed themselves on the road between them. No +long time elapsed before an American officer came along. A shot from +Peter's rifle killed his horse, and before the officer could recover +his feet, he was seized by the scouts. They remained hidden in the +wood during the day and at night returned with their prisoner to +Ninety-six, thirty miles distant, avoiding all villages where +resistance could be offered by hostile inhabitants. + +From the prisoner Colonel Cruger learned that Lord Rawdon had +retreated from Camden and that he was therefore entirely isolated. +The position was desperate, but he determined to defend the post to +the last, confident that Lord Rawdon would, as soon as possible, +undertake an expedition for his release. + +The whole garrison was at once set to work, stockades were erected, +earthworks thrown up, a redoubt--formed of casks filled with +earth--constructed, and the whole strengthened by ditches and +abattis. Blockhouses were erected in the village to enable the troops +to fire over the stockades, and covered communications made between +various works. The right of the village was defended by a regular +work called the Star. To the left was a work commanding a rivulet +from which the place drew its supply of water. + +Colonel Cruger offered the volunteers, who were a mounted corps, +permission to return to Charleston, but they refused to accept the +offer, and, turning their horses into the woods, determined to share +the fate of the garrison. In making this offer the colonel was +influenced partly by motives of policy, as the stock of provisions +was exceedingly scanty, and he feared that they would not last if the +siege should be a long one. Besides this, he feared that, as had +already too often happened, should the place fall, even the solemn +engagement of the terms of the surrender would not be sufficient to +protect the loyalists against the vengeance of their countrymen. + +On May 21 General Greene, with his army, appeared in sight of the +place and encamped in a wood within cannon-shot of the village. He +lost no time, and in the course of the night threw up two works +within seventy paces of the fortifications. The English commander did +not suffer so rash and disdainful a step to pass unpunished. The +scouts, who were outside the works, brought in news of what was being +done, and also that the working parties were protected by a strong +force. + +The three guns which constituted the entire artillery of the +defenders were moved noiselessly to the salient angle of the Star +opposite the works, and at eleven o'clock in the morning these +suddenly opened fire, aided by musketry from the parapets. The +covering force precipitately retreated, and 30 men sallied out from +the fort, carried the intrenchments, and bayoneted their defenders. +Other troops followed, the works were destroyed, and the intrenching +tools carried into the fort. General Greene, advancing with his whole +army, arrived only in time to see the last of the sallying party +re-enter the village. + +"I call that a right-down good beginning," Peter Lambton said, in +great exultation. "There's nothing like hitting a hard blow at the +beginning of the fight. It raises your spirits and makes t'other chap +mighty cautious. You'll see next time they'll begin their works at a +much more respectful distance." + +Peter was right. The blow checked the impetuosity of the American +general, and on the night of the 23d he opened his trenches at a +distance of four hundred yards. Having so large a force, he was able +to push forward with great rapidity, although the garrison made +several gallant sorties to interfere with the work. + +On June 3 the second parallel was completed. A formal summons was +sent to the British commander to surrender. This document was couched +in the most insolent language and contained the most unsoldierlike +threats of the consequences which would befall the garrison and its +commander if he offered further resistance. Colonel Cruger sent back +a verbal answer that he was not frightened by General Greene's +menaces and that he should defend the post until the last. + +The American batteries now opened with a heavy cross-fire, which +enfiladed several of the works. They also pushed forward a sap +against the Star fort and erected a battery, composed of gabions, +thirty-six yards only from the abattis and raised forty feet high so +as to overlook the works of the garrison. The riflemen posted on its +top did considerable execution and prevented the British guns being +worked during the day. + +The garrison tried to burn the battery by firing heated shot into it, +but from want of proper furnaces they were unable to heat the shot +sufficiently, and the attempt failed. They then protected their +parapets as well as they could by sand-bags with loop-holes, through +which the defenders did considerable execution with their rifles. + +Harold and his two comrades, whose skill with their weapons was +notorious, had their post behind some sand-bags immediately facing +the battery, and were able completely to silence the fire of its +riflemen, as it was certain death to show a head above its parapet. + +The enemy attempted to set fire to the houses of the village by +shooting blazing arrows into them, a heavy musketry and artillery +fire being kept up to prevent the defenders from quenching the +flames. These succeeded, however, in preventing any serious +conflagration, but Colonel Cruger ordered at once that the whole of +the houses should be unroofed. Thus the garrison were for the rest of +the siege without protection from the rain and night air, but all +risk of a fire, which might have caused the consumption of their +stores, was avoided. + +While the siege had been going on the town of Augusta had fallen, and +Lieutenant Colonel Lee, marching thence to re-enforce General Greene, +brought with him the British prisoners taken there. With a scandalous +want of honorable feeling he marched these prisoners along in full +sight of the garrison, with all the parade of martial music, and +preceded by a British standard reversed. + +If the intention was to discourage the garrison it failed entirely in +its effect. Fired with indignation at so shameful a sight, they +determined to encounter every danger and endure every hardship rather +than fall into the hands of an enemy capable of disgracing their +success by so wanton an insult to their prisoners. + +The Americans, strengthened by the junction of the troops who had +reduced Augusta, began to make approaches against the stockaded fort +on the left of the village, which kept open the communication of the +garrison with their water supply. The operations on this side were +intrusted to Colonel Lee, while General Greene continued to direct +those against the Star. + +On the night of June 9 a sortie was made by two strong parties of the +defenders. That to the right entered the enemy's trenches and +penetrated to a battery of four guns, which nothing but the want of +spikes and hammers prevented them from destroying. Here they +discovered the mouth of a mine intended to be carried under one of +the defenses of the Star. + +The division on the left fell in with the covering party of the +Americans, killed a number of them, and made their commanding officer +a prisoner. + +On the 12th Colonel Lee determined to attempt a storm of the stockade +on the left, and sent forward a sergeant and six men, with lighted +combustibles, to set fire to the abattis. The whole of them were +killed before effecting their purpose. A number of additional cannon +now arrived from Augusta, and so heavy and incessant a fire was +opened upon the stockade from three batteries that on the 17th it was +no longer tenable, and the garrison evacuated it in the night. + +The suffering of the garrison for want of water now became extreme. +With great labor a well had been dug in the fort, but no water was +found, and none could be procured except from the rivulet within +pistol-shot of the enemy. In the day nothing could be done, but at +night negroes, whose bodies in the darkness were not easily +distinguished from the tree-stumps which surrounded them, went out +and at great risk brought in a scanty supply. The position of the +garrison became desperate. Colonel Cruger, however, was not +discouraged, and did his best to sustain the spirits of his troops by +assurances that Lord Rawdon was certain to attempt to relieve the +place as soon as he possibly could do so. + +At length one day, to the delight of the garrison, an American +royalist rode right through the pickets under the fire of the enemy +and delivered a verbal message from Lord Rawdon to the effect that he +had passed Orangeburg and was on his march to raise the siege. + +Lord Rawdon had been forced to remain at Charleston until the arrival +of three fresh regiments from Ireland enabled him to leave that place +in safety and march to the relief of Ninety-six. His force amounted +to 1800 infantry and 150 cavalry. General Greene had also received +news of Lord Rawdon's movements, and, finding from his progress that +it would be impossible to reduce the fort by regular approaches +before his arrival, he determined to hazard an assault. + +The American works had been pushed up close to the forts, and the +third parallel had been completed, and a mine and two trenches +extended within a few feet of the ditch. On the morning of June 18 a +heavy cannonade was begun from all the American batteries. The Whole +of the batteries and trenches were lined with riflemen, whose fire +prevented the British from showing their heads, above the parapets. +At noon two parties of the enemy advanced under cover of their +trenches and made a lodgment in the ditch. These were followed by +other parties with hooks to drag down the sand-bags and tools to +overthrow the parapet. They were exposed to the fire of the +block-houses in the village, and Major Green, the English officer who +commanded the Star fort, had his detachment in readiness behind the +parapet to receive the enemy when they attempted to storm. + +As the main body of Americans did not advance beyond the third +parallel and contented themselves with supporting the parties in the +ditch with their fire, the commander of the fort resolved to inflict +a heavy blow. Two parties, each 30 strong, under the command of +Captains Campbell and French, issued from the sally-port in the rear, +entered the ditch, and, taking opposite directions, charged the +Americans who had made the lodgment with such impetuosity that they +drove everything before them until they met. The bayonet alone was +used and the carnage was great--two-thirds of those who entered the +trenches were either killed or wounded. + +General Greene, finding it useless any longer to continue the +attempt, called off his troops, and on the following day raised the +siege and marched away with all speed, having lost at least 300 men +in the siege. Of the garrison 27 were killed and 58 wounded. + +On the 21st Lord Rawdon arrived at Ninety-six and, finding that it +would be hopeless for him to attempt to overtake the retreating +enemy, who were marching with great speed, he drew off the garrison +of Ninety-six and fell back toward the coast. + +A short time afterward a sharp fight ensued between a force under +Colonel Stewart and the army of General Greene. The English were +taken by surprise and were at first driven back, but they recovered +from their confusion and renewed the fight with great spirit, and +after a desperate conflict the Americans were repulsed. Two cannon +and 60 prisoners were taken; among the latter Colonel Washington, who +commanded the reserve. The loss on both sides was about equal, as 250 +of the British troops were taken prisoners at the first outset. The +American killed considerably exceeded our own. Both, parties claimed +the victory; the Americans because they had forced the British to +retreat; the British because they had ultimately driven the Americans +from the field and obliged them to retire to a strong position seven +miles in the rear This was the last action of the war in South +Carolina. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +THE END OF THE STRUGGLE. + +Being unable to obtain any supplies at Wilmington, Lord Cornwallis +determined to march on into Virginia and to effect a junction with +the British force under General Arnold operating there. Arnold +advanced to Petersburg and Cornwallis effected a junction with him on +May 20. The Marquis de la Fayette, who commanded the colonial forces +here, fell back. Just at this time the Count de Grasse, with a large +French fleet, arrived off the coast, and, after some consultation +with General Washington, determined that the French fleet and the +whole American army should operate together to crush the forces under +Lord Cornwallis. + +The English were hoodwinked by reports that the French fleet was +intended to operate against New York, and it was not until they +learned that the Count de Grasse had arrived with twenty-eight ships +of the line at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay that the true object +of the expedition was seen. A portion of the English fleet +encountered them, but after irregular actions, lasting over five +days, the English drew off and retired to New York. The +commander-in-chief then attempted to effect a diversion, in order to +draw off some of the enemy who were surrounding Cornwallis. The fort +of New London was stormed after some desperate fighting, and great +quantities of ammunition and stores and fifty pieces of cannon taken. +General Washington did not allow his attention to be distracted. +Matters were in a most critical condition, for although to the +English the prospect of ultimate success appeared slight indeed, the +Americans were in a desperate condition. Their immense and +long-continued efforts had been unattended with any material success. +It was true that the British troops held no more ground now than they +did at the end of the first year of the war, but no efforts of the +colonists had succeeded in wresting that ground from them. The people +were exhausted and utterly disheartened. Business of all sorts was at +a standstill. Money had ceased to circulate, and the credit of +Congress stood so low that its bonds had ceased to have any value +whatever. The soldiers were unpaid, ill fed, and mutinous. If on the +English side it seemed that the task of conquering was beyond them, +the Americans were ready to abandon the defense from sheer +exhaustion. It was then of paramount necessity to General Washington +that a great and striking success should be obtained to animate the +spirits of the people. + +Cornwallis, seeing the formidable combination which the French and +Americans were making to crush him, sent message after message to New +York to ask for aid from the commander-in-chief, and received +assurances from him that he would at once sail with 4000 troops to +join him. Accordingly, in obedience to his orders, Lord Cornwallis +fortified himself at Yorktown. + +On September 28 the combined army of French and Americans, consisting +of 7000 of the former and 12,000 of the latter, appeared before +Yorktown and the post at Gloucester. Lord Cornwallis had 5960 men, +but so great had been the effects of the deadly climate in the autumn +months that only 4017 men were reported as fit for duty. + +The enemy at once invested the town and opened their trenches against +it. From their fleet they had drawn an abundance of heavy artillery, +and on October 9 their batteries opened a tremendous fire upon the +works. Each day they pushed their trenches closer, and the British +force was too weak, in comparison with the number of its assailants, +to venture upon sorties. The fire from the works was completely +overpowered by that of the enemy, and the ammunition was nearly +exhausted. Day after day passed and still the promised re-enforcements +did not arrive. Lord Cornwallis was told positively that the fleet +would set sail on October 8, but it came not, nor did it leave port +until the 19th, the day on which Lord Cornwallis surrendered. + +On the 16th, finding that he must either surrender or break through, +he determined to cross the river and fall on the French rear with his +whole force and then turn northward and force his way through +Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the Jerseys. In the night the light +infantry, the greater part of the guards, and part of the +Twenty-third were embarked in boats and crossed to the Gloucester +side of the river before midnight. At this critical moment a violent +storm arose which prevented the boats returning. The enemy's fire +reopened at daybreak, and the engineer and principal officers of the +army gave it as their opinion that it was impossible to resist +longer. Only one eight-inch shell and a hundred small ones remained. +The defenses had in many places tumbled to ruins, and no effectual +resistance could be opposed to an assault. + +Accordingly Lord Cornwallis sent out a flag of truce and arranged +terms of surrender. On the 24th the fleet and re-enforcements arrived +off the mouth of the Chesapeake. Had they left New York at the time +promised, the result of the campaign would have been different. + +The army surrendered as prisoners of war until exchanged, the +officers with liberty to proceed on parole to Europe and not to serve +until exchanged. The loyal Americans were embarked on the _Bonito_, +sloop of war, and sent to New York in safety, Lord Cornwallis having +obtained permission to send off the ship without her being searched, +with as many soldiers on board as he should think fit, so that they +were accounted for in any further exchange. He was thus enabled to +send off such of the inhabitants and loyalist troops as would have +suffered from the vengeance of the Americans. + +The surrender of Lord Cornwallis' army virtually ended the war. The +burden entailed on the people in England by the great struggle +against France, Spain, Holland, and America, united in arms against +her, was enormous. So long as there appeared any chance of recovering +the colony the English people made the sacrifices required of them, +but the conviction that it was impossible for them to wage a war with +half of Europe and at the same time to conquer a continent had been +gaining more and more in strength. Even the most sanguine were +silenced by the surrender of Yorktown, and a cry arose throughout the +country that peace should at once be made. + +As usual under the circumstances, a change of ministry took place. +Negotiations for peace were at once commenced, and the war terminated +in the acknowledgment of the entire independence of the United States +of America. + +Harold with his companions had fallen back to Charleston with Lord +Rawdon after the relief of Ninety-six, and remained there until the +news arrived that the negotiations were on foot and that peace was +now certain. Then he took his discharge and sailed at once for +England, accompanied by Jake; Peter Lambton taking a passage to +Canada to carry out his intention of settling at Montreal. + +Harold was now past twenty-two, and his father and mother did not +recognize him when, without warning, he arrived at their residence in +Devonshire. It was six years since his mother had seen him, when she +sailed from Boston before its surrender in 1776. + +For a year he remained quiet at home, and then carried out his plan +of returning to the American continent and settling in Canada. + +Accompanied by Jake, he sailed for the St. Lawrence and purchased a +snug farm on its banks, near the spot where it flows from Lake +Ontario. + +He greatly improved it, built a comfortable house upon it, and two +years later returned to England, whence he brought back his Cousin +Nelly as his wife. + +Her little fortune was used in adding to the farm, and it became one +of the largest and best managed in the country. Peter Lambton +found Montreal too crowded for him and settled down on the estate, +supplying it with fish and game so long as his strength enabled him +to go about, and enjoying the society of Jack Pearson, who had +married and established himself on a farm close by. As years went +on and the population increased the property became very valuable, +and Harold, before he died, was one of the wealthiest and most +respected men in the colony. So long as his mother lived he and his +wife paid occasional visits to England, but after her death his +family and farm had so increased that it was inconvenient to leave +them; his father therefore returned with him to Canada and ended his +life there. Jake lived to a good old age and was Harold's faithful +friend and right-hand man to the last. + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of True to the Old Flag, by G. A. Henty + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG *** + +***** This file should be named 8859-8.txt or 8859-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/8/5/8859/ + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. 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A. Henty</title> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%;} +--> +</style> +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of True to the Old Flag, by G. A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: True to the Old Flag + A Tale of the American War of Independence + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Posting Date: June 2, 2012 [EBook #8859] +Release Date: September, 2005 +First Posted: August 15, 2003 +[Last updated: December 15, 2013] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG *** + + + + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<H1 ALIGN="CENTER">TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG</H1> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">A TALE OF THE AMERICAN WAR +OF INDEPENDENCE</H2> + +<P> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">By</H3> +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">G. A. HENTY</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">Author Of "With Clive In India," "The Dragon And The Raven,"<BR> +"With Lee In Virginia," "By England's Aid," "In The Reign Of Terror,"<BR> +"With Wolfe In Canada," "Captain Bayley's Heir," Etc.</H3> + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="LEFT">CONTENTS</H2> + +<TABLE BORDER="0" SUMMARY="Contents"> +<TR><TH COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="LEFT">CHAPTER</TH></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c1">I.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c1">A FRONTIER FARM</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c2">II.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c2">AN INDIAN RAID</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c3">III.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c3">THE REDSKIN ATTACK</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c4">IV.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c4">THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c5">V.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c5">BUNKER'S HILL</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c6">VI.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c6">SCOUTING</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c7">VII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c7">IN THE FOREST</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c8">VIII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c8">QUEBEC</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c9">IX.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c9">THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c10">X.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c10">A TREACHEROUS PLANTER</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c11">XI.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c11">THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c12">XII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c12">THE SETTLER'S HUT</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c13">XIII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c13">SARATOGA</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c14">XIV.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c14">RESCUED!</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c15">XV.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c15">THE ISLAND REFUGE</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c16">XVI.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c16">THE GREAT STORM</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c17">XVII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c17">THE SCOUT'S STORY</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c18">XVIII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c18">THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c19">XIX.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c19">IN AN AMERICAN PRISON</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c20">XX.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c20">THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c21">XXI.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c21">THE END OF THE STRUGGLE</A></B></TD></TR> +</TABLE> + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">PREFACE.</H2> + +<P>MY DEAR LADS: + +<P>You have probably been accustomed to regard the war between England +and her colonies in America as one in which we were not only beaten +but, to some extent, humiliated. Owing to the war having been an +unsuccessful one for our arms, British writers have avoided the +subject, and it has been left for American historians to describe. +These, writing for their own countrymen, and drawing for their facts +upon gazettes, letters, and other documents emanating from one side +only, have, naturally, and no doubt insensibly, given a very strong +color to their own views of the events, and English writers have been +too much inclined to accept their account implicitly. There is, +however, another and very different side to the story, and this I +have endeavored to show you. The whole of the facts and details +connected with the war can be relied upon as accurate. They are drawn +from the valuable account of the struggle written by Major Steadman, +who served under Howe, Clinton, and Cornwallis, and from other +authentic contemporary sources. You will see that, although +unsuccessful,—and success was, under the circumstances, a sheer +impossibility,—the British troops fought with a bravery which was +never exceeded, and that their victories in actual conflict vastly +outnumbered their defeats. Indeed, it may be doubted whether in any +war in which this country has been engaged have our soldiers +exhibited the qualities of endurance and courage to a higher degree. + +<P>Yours very sincerely, + +<P>G. A. HENTY. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="CENTER">TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG.</H1> + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c1"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER I.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">A FRONTIER FARM.</H3> + +<P>"Concord, March 1, 1774. + +<P>"MY DEAR COUSIN: I am leaving next week with my husband for England, +where we intend to pass some time visiting his friends. John and I +have determined to accept the invitation you gave us last summer for +Harold to come and spend a few months with you. His father thinks +that a great future will, ere many years, open in the West, and that +it is therefore well the boy should learn something of frontier life. +For myself, I would rather that he stayed quietly at home, for he is +at present over-fond of adventure; but as my husband is meditating +selling his estate here and moving West, it is perhaps better for him. + +<P>"Massachusetts is in a ferment, as indeed are all the Eastern States, +and the people talk openly of armed resistance against the +Government. My husband, being of English birth and having served in +the king's army, cannot brook what he calls the rebellious talk which +is common among his neighbors, and is already on bad terms with many +around us. I myself am, as it were, a neutral. As an American woman, +it seems to me that the colonists have been dealt with somewhat +hardly by the English Parliament, and that the measures of the latter +have been high-handed and arbitrary. Upon the other hand, I naturally +incline toward my husband's views. He maintains that, as the king's +army has driven out the French, and gives protection to the colony, +it is only fair that the colonists should contribute to its expenses. +The English ask for no contributions toward the expense of their own +country, but demand that, at least, the expenses of the protection of +the colony shall not be charged upon the heavily taxed people at +home. As to the law that the colony shall trade only with the mother +country, my husband says that this is the rule in the colonies of +Spain, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands, and that the people +here, who can obtain what land they choose and till it without rent, +should not grumble at paying this small tax to the mother country. +However it be, I fear that troubles will come, and, this place being +the head and focus of the party hostile to England, my husband, +feeling himself out of accord with all his neighbors, saving a few +loyal gentlemen like himself, is thinking much and seriously of +selling our estate here and of moving away into the new countries of +the West, where he will be free from all the disputation and +contentious talk which occupies men's time here. + +<P>"Indeed, cousin, times have sadly changed since you were staying here +with us five years ago. Then our life was a peaceful and quiet one; +now there is nothing but wrangling and strife. The dissenting clergy +are, as my husband says was the case in England before the great +civil war, the fomenters of this discontent. There are many +busybodies who pass their time in stirring up the people by violent +harangues and seditious writings; therefore everyone takes one side +or the other, and there is neither peace nor comfort in life. + +<P>"Accustomed as I have always been to living in ease and affluence, I +dread, somewhat, the thought of a life on the Indian frontier. One +has heard so many dreadful stories of Indian fights and massacres +that I tremble a little at the prospect; but I do not mention this to +John, for as other women are, like yourself, brave enough to support +these dangers, I would not appear a coward in his eyes. You will see, +cousin, that, as this prospect is before us, it is well that Harold +should learn the ways of a frontier life. Moreover, John does not +like the thought of leaving him here while we are in England; for, as +he says, the boy might learn to become a rebel in his absence; +therefore, my dear cousin, we have resolved to send him to you. An +opportunity offers, in the fact that a gentleman of our acquaintance +is, with his family, going this week West, with the intention of +settling there, and he will, he tells us, go first to Detroit, whence +he will be able to send Harold forward to your farm. The boy himself +is delighted at the thought, and promises to return an accomplished +backwoodsman. John joins me in kind love to yourself and your +husband, and believe me to remain, + +<P>"Your Affectionate Cousin, + +<P>"MARY WILSON."</P> + +<BR> + +<P>Four months after the date of the above letter a lad some fifteen +years old was walking with a man of middle age on the shores of Lake +Huron. Behind them was a large clearing of about a hundred acres in +extent; a comfortable house, with buildings for cattle, stood at a +distance of some three hundred yards from the lake; broad fields of +yellow corn waved brightly in the sun; and from the edge of the +clearing came the sound of a woodsman's ax, showing that the +proprietor was still enlarging the limits of his farm. Surrounding +the house, at a distance of twenty yards, was a strong stockade some +seven feet in height, formed of young trees, pointed at the upper +end, squared, and fixed firmly in the ground. The house itself, +although far more spacious and comfortable than the majority of +backwood farmhouses, was built in the usual fashion, of solid logs, +and was evidently designed to resist attack. + +<P>William Welch had settled ten years before on this spot, which was +then far removed from the nearest habitation. It would have been a +very imprudent act, under ordinary circumstances, to have established +himself in so lonely a position, so far removed from the possibility +of assistance in case of attack. He settled there, however, just +after Pontiac, who was at the head of an alliance of all the Indian +tribes of those parts, had, after the long and desperate siege of +Fort Pitt, made peace with us upon finding that his friends, the +French, had given up all thought of further resistance to the +English, and had entirely abandoned the country. Mr. Welch thought, +therefore, that a permanent peace was likely to reign on the +frontier, and that he might safely establish himself in the charming +location he had pitched upon, far removed from the confines of +civilization. + +<P>The spot was a natural clearing of some forty acres in extent, +sloping down to the water's edge, and a more charming site could +hardly have been chosen. Mr. Welch had brought with him three farm +laborers from the East, and, as time went on, he extended the +clearing by cutting down the forest giants which bordered it. + +<P>But in spite of the beauty of the position, the fertility of the +soil, the abundance of his crops, and the advantages afforded by the +lake, both from its plentiful supply of fish and as a highway by +which he could convey his produce to market, he had more than once +regretted his choice of location. It was true that there had been no +Indian wars on a large scale, but the Indians had several times +broken out in sudden incursions. Three times he had been attacked, +but, fortunately, only by small parties, which he had been enabled to +beat off. Once, when a more serious danger threatened him, he had +been obliged to embark, with his wife and child and his more valuable +chattels, in the great scow in which he carried his produce to +market, and had to take refuge in the settlements, to find, on his +return, his buildings destroyed and his farm wasted. At that time he +had serious thoughts of abandoning his location altogether, but the +settlements were extending rapidly toward him, and, with the prospect +of having neighbors before long and the natural reluctance to give up +a place upon which he had expended so much toil, he decided to hold +on; hoping that more quiet times would prevail, until other settlers +would take up land around him. + +<P>The house had been rebuilt more strongly than before. He now employed +four men, and had been unmolested since his return to his farm, three +years before the date of this story. Already two or three locations +had been taken up on the shores of the lake beyond him, a village had +grown up thirty-five miles away, and several settlers had established +themselves between that place and his home. + +<P>"So you are going out fishing this morning, Harold?" Mr. Welch said. +"I hope you will bring back a good supply, for the larder is low. I +was looking at you yesterday, and I see that you are becoming a +first-rate hand at the management of a canoe." + +<P>"So I ought to be," the boy said, "considering that for nearly three +months I have done nothing but shoot and fish." + +<P>"You have a sharp eye, Harold, and will make a good backwoodsman one +of these days. You can shoot nearly as well as I can now. It is lucky +that I had a good stock of powder and lead on hand; firing away by +the hour together, as you do, consumes a large amount of ammunition. +See, there is a canoe on the lake; it is coming this way, too. There +is but one man in it; he is a white, by his clothes." + +<P>For a minute or two they stood watching the boat, and then, seeing +that its course was directed toward the shore, they walked down to +the edge of the lake to meet it. + +<P>"Ah, Pearson! is that you?" Mr. Welch asked. "I thought I knew your +long, sweeping stroke at a distance. You have been hunting, I see; +that is a fine stag you have got there. What is the news?" + +<P>"About as bad as can be, Master Welch," the hunter said. "The +Iroquois have dug up the tomahawk again and are out on the war-path. +They have massacred John Brent and his family. I heard a talk of it +among some hunters I met ten days since in the woods. They said that +the Iroquois were restless and that their chief, War Eagle, one of +the most troublesome varmints on the whole frontier, had been +stirring 'em up to war. He told 'em, I heard, that the pale-faces +were pushing further and further into the Injun woods, and that, +unless they drove 'em back, the redskin hunting grounds would be +gone. I hoped that nothing would come of it, but I might have known +better. When the redskins begin to stir there's sure to be mischief +before they're quiet again." + +<P>The color had somewhat left Mr. Welch's cheeks as the hunter spoke. + +<P>"This is bad news, indeed, Pearson," he said gravely. "Are you sure +about the attack on the Brents?" + +<P>"Sartin sure," the hunter said. "I met their herder; he had been down +to Johnson's to fetch a barrel of pork. Just when he got back he +heard the Injun yells and saw smoke rising in the clearing, so he +dropped the barrel and made tracks. I met him at Johnson's, where he +had just arrived. Johnson was packing up with all haste and was going +to leave, and so I said I would take my canoe and come down the lake, +giving you all warning on the way. I stopped at Burns' and Hooper's. +Burns said he should clear out at once, but Hooper talked about +seeing it through. He's got no wife to be skeary about, and reckoned +that, with his two hands, he could defend his log hut. I told him I +reckoned he would get his har raised if the Injuns came that way; +but, in course, that's his business." + +<P>"What do you advise, Pearson? I do not like abandoning this farm to +the mercy of the redskins." + +<P>"It would be a pity, Master Welch, that's as true as Gospel. It's the +likeliest clearing within fifty miles round, and you've fixed the +place up as snug and comfortable as if it were a farm in the old +provinces. In course the question is what this War Eagle intends to +do. His section of the tribe is pretty considerable strong, and +although at present I aint heard that any others have joined, these +Injuns are like barrels of gunpowder: when the spark is once struck +there's no saying how far the explosion may spread. When one band of +'em sees as how another is taking scalps and getting plunder and +honor, they all want to be at the same work. I reckon War Eagle has +got some two hundred braves who will follow him; but when the news +spreads that he has begun his work, all the Iroquois, to say nothing +of the Shawnees, Delawares, and other varmint, may dig up the +hatchet. The question is what War Eagle's intentions are. He may make +a clean sweep down, attacking all the outlying farms and waiting till +he is joined by a lot more of the red reptiles before attacking the +settlements. Then, on the other hand, he may think himself strong +enough to strike a blow at Gloucester and some other border villages +at once. In that case he might leave the outlying farms alone, as the +news of the burning of these would reach the settlements and put 'em +on their guard, and he knows, in course, that if he succeeds there he +can eat you all up at his leisure." + +<P>"The attack upon Brent's place looks as if he meant to make a clean +sweep down," Mr. Welch said. + +<P>"Well," the hunter continued thoughtfully, "I don't know as I sees it +in that light. Brent's place was a long way from any other. He might +have wished to give his band a taste of blood, and so raise their +spirits, and he might reasonably conclude that naught would be known +about it for days, perhaps weeks to come. Then, again, the attack +might have been made by some straggling party without orders. It's a +dubious question. You've got four hands here, I think, and yourself. +I have seen your wife shoot pretty straight with a rifle, so she can +count as one, and as this young un, here, has a good idea, too, with +his shooting-iron, that makes six guns. Your place is a strong one, +and you could beat off any straggling party. My idea is that War +Eagle, who knows pretty well that the place would make a stout fight, +won't waste his time by making a regular attack upon it. You might +hold out for twenty-four hours; the clearing is open and there aint +no shelter to be had. He would be safe to lose a sight of men, and +this would be a bad beginning, and would discourage his warriors +greatly. No, I reckon War Eagle will leave you alone for the present. +Maybe he will send a scout to see whether you are prepared; it's as +likely as not that one is spying at us somewhere among the trees now. +I should lose no time in driving in the animals and getting well in +shelter. When they see you are prepared they will leave you alone; at +least, for the present. Afterward there's no saying—that will depend +on how they get on at the settlements. If they succeed there and get +lots of booty and plenty of scalps, they may march back without +touching you; they will be in a hurry to get to their villages and +have their feasts and dancing. If they are beaten off at the +settlements I reckon they will pay you a visit for sure; they won't +go back without scalps. They will be savage like, and won't mind +losing some men for the sake of having something to brag about when +they get back. And now, Master Welch, I must be going on, for I want +to take the news down to the settlements before War Eagle gets there, +and he may be ahead of me now, for aught I know. I don't give you no +advice as to what you had best do; you can judge the circumstances as +well as I can. When I have been to the settlements and put them on +their guard, maybe I shall be coming back again, and, in that case, +you know Jack Pearson's rifle is at your disposal. You may as well +tote this stag up to the house. You won't be doing much hunting just +for the present, and the meat may come in handy." + +<P>The stag was landed, and a minute later the canoe shot away from +shore under the steady stroke of the hunter's powerful arms. Mr. +Welch at once threw the stag over his shoulders and, accompanied by +Harold, strode away toward the house. On reaching it he threw down +the stag at the door, seized a rope which hung against the wall, and +the sounds of a large bell, rung in quick, sharp strokes, summoned +the hands from the fields. The sound of the woodman's ax ceased at +once, and the shouts of the men, as they drove the cattle toward the +house, rose on the still air. + +<P>"What is the matter, William?" Mrs. Welch asked as she ran from the +house. + +<P>"I have bad news, my dear. The Indians are out again, and I fear we +may have trouble before us. We must hope that they will not come in +this direction, but must be prepared for the worst. Wait till I see +all the hands and beasts in the stockade, and then we can talk the +matter over quietly." + +<P>In a few minutes the hands arrived, driving before them the horses +and cattle. + +<P>"What is it, boss?" they asked. "Was that the alarm bell sure +enough?" + +<P>"The Indians are out again," Mr. Welch said, "and in force. They have +massacred the Brents and are making toward the settlements. They may +come this way or they may not; at any rate, we must be prepared for +them. Get the beasts into the sheds, and then do you all take scythes +and set to work to cut down that patch of corn, which is high enough +to give them shelter; there's nothing else which will cover them +within a hundred yards of the house. Of course you will take your +rifles with you and keep a sharp lookout; but they will have heard +the bell, if they are in the neighborhood, and will guess that we +are on the alert, so they are not likely to attempt a surprise. Shut +one of the gates and leave the other ajar, with the bar handy to put +up in case you have to make a run for it. Harold will go up to the +lookout while you are at work." + +<P>Having seen that all was attended to, Mr. Welch went into the house, +where his wife was going about her work as usual, pale, but quiet and +resolute. + +<P>"Now, Jane," he said, "sit down, and I will tell you exactly how +matters stand, as far as Pearson, who brought the news, has told me. +Then you shall decide as to the course we had better take." + +<P>After he had told her all that Pearson had said, and the reasons for +and against expecting an early attack, he went on: + +<P>"Now, it remains for you, my dear, to decide whether we shall stay +and defend the place till the last against any attack that may be +made, or whether we shall at once embark in the scow and make our way +down to the settlements." + +<P>"What do you think, William?" his wife asked. + +<P>"I scarcely know, myself," he answered; "but, if I had quite my own +way, I should send you and Nelly down to the settlements in the scow +and fight it out here with the hands." + +<P>"You certainly will not have your own way in that," his wife said. +"If you go of course I go; if you stay I stay. I would a thousand +times rather go through a siege here, and risk the worst, than go +down to Gloucester and have the frightful anxiety of not knowing what +was happening here. Besides, it is very possible, as you say, that +the Indians may attack the settlement itself. Many of the people +there have had no experience in Indian war, and the redskins are +likely to be far more successful in their surprise there than they +would be here. If we go we should have to leave our house, our barns, +our stacks, and our animals to the mercy of the savages. Your capital +is pretty nearly all embarked here now, and the loss of all this +would be ruin to us. At any rate, William, I am ready to stay here +and to risk what may come if you are. A life on the frontier is +necessarily a life of danger, and if we are to abandon everything and +to have to commence life afresh every time the Indians go on the +war-path, we had better give it up at once and return to +Massachusetts." + +<P>"Very well, my dear," her husband said gravely. "You are a true +frontiersman's wife; you have chosen as I should have done. It is a +choice of evils; but God has blessed and protected us since we came +out into the wilderness—we will trust and confide in him now. At any +rate," he went on more cheerfully, "there is no fear of the enemy +starving us out. We got in our store of provisions only a fortnight +since, and have enough of everything for a three-months' siege. There +is no fear of our well failing us; and as for ammunition, we have +abundance. Seeing how Harold was using powder and ball, I had an +extra supply when the stores came in the other day. There is plenty +of corn in the barn for the animals for months, and I will have the +corn which the men are cutting brought in as a supply of food for the +cows. It will be useful for another purpose, too; we will keep a heap +of it soaked with water and will cover the shingles with it in case +of attack. It will effectually quench their fire arrows." + +<P>The day passed off without the slightest alarm, and by nightfall the +patch of corn was cleared away and an uninterrupted view of the +ground for the distance of a hundred yards from the house was +afforded. When night fell two out of the four dogs belonging to the +farm were fastened out in the open, at a distance of from seventy to +eighty yards of the house, the others being retained within the +stockade. The garrison was divided into three watches, two men being +on the alert at a time, relieving each other every three hours. Mr. +Welch took Harold as his companion on the watch. The boy was greatly +excited at the prospect of a struggle. He had often read of the +desperate fights between the frontier settlers and the Indians, and +had longed to take a share in the adventurous work. He could scarcely +believe that the time had come and that he was really a sharer in +what might be a desperate struggle. + +<P>The first watch was set at nine, and at twelve Mr. Welch and Harold +came on duty. The men they relieved reported that all was silent in +the woods, and that they had heard no suspicious cries of any kind. +When the men had returned to their room Mr. Welch told Harold that he +should take a turn round the stockade and visit the dogs. Harold was +to keep watch at the gate, to close it after he went out, to put up +the bar, and to stand beside it ready to open it instantly if called +upon. + +<P>Then the farmer stepped out into the darkness and, treading +noiselessly, at once disappeared from Harold's sight. The latter +closed the gate, replaced the heavy bar, and stood with one hand on +this and the other holding his rifle, listening intently. Once he +thought he heard a low growling from one of the dogs, but this +presently ceased, and all was quiet again. The gate was a solid one, +formed of strong timbers placed at a few inches apart and bolted to +horizontal bars. + +<P>Presently he felt the gate upon which his hand rested quiver, as if +pressure was applied from without. His first impulse was to say, "Is +that you?" but Mr. Welch had told him that he would give a low +whistle as he approached the gate; he therefore stood quiet, with his +whole attention absorbed in listening. Without making the least stir +he peered through the bars and made out two dark figures behind them. +After once or twice shaking the gate, one took his place against it +and the other sprang upon his shoulders. + +<P>Harold looked up and saw a man's head appear against the sky. Dim as +was the light, he could see that it was no European head-gear, a long +feather or two projecting from it. In an instant he leveled his rifle +and fired. There was a heavy fall and then all was silent. Harold +again peered through the bars. The second figure had disappeared, and +a black mass lay at the foot of the gate. + +<P>In an instant the men came running from the house, rifles in hand. + +<P>"What is it?" they exclaimed. "Where is Mr. Welch?" + +<P>"He went out to scout round the house, leaving me at the gate," +Harold said. "Two men, I think Indians, came up; one was getting over +the gate when I shot him. I think he is lying outside—the other has +disappeared." + +<P>"We must get the master in," one of the men said. "He is probably +keeping away, not knowing what has happened. Mr. Welch," he shouted, +"it is all safe here, so far as we know; we are all on the lookout to +cover you as you come up." + +<P>Immediately a whistle was heard close to the gate. This was +cautiously opened a few inches, and was closed and barred directly +Mr. Welch entered. + +<P>Harold told him what had happened. + +<P>"I thought it was something of the sort. I heard Wolf growl and felt +sure that it was not at me. I threw myself down and crept up to him +and found him shot through the heart with an Indian arrow. I was +crawling back to the house when I heard Harold's shot. Then I waited +to see if it was followed by the war-whoop, which the redskins would +have raised at once, on finding that they were discovered, had they +been about to attack in force. Seeing that all was quiet, I +conjectured that it was probably an attempt on the part of a spy to +discover if we were upon the alert. Then I heard your call and at +once came on. I do not expect any attack to-night now, as these +fellows must have been alone; but we will all keep watch till the +morning. You have done very well, Harold, and have shown yourself a +keen watchman. It is fortunate that you had the presence of mind +neither to stir nor to call out when you first heard them; for, had +you done so, you would probably have got an arrow between your ribs, +as poor Wolf has done." + +<P>When it was daylight, and the gate was opened, the body of an Indian +was seen lying without; a small mark on his forehead showed where +Harold's bullet had entered; death being instantaneous. His war-paint +and the embroidery of his leggings showed him at once to be an +Iroquois. Beside him lay his bow, with an arrow which had evidently +been fitted to the string for instant work. Harold shuddered when he +saw it and congratulated himself on having stood perfectly quiet. A +grave was dug a short distance away, the Indian was buried, and the +household proceeded about their work. + +<P>The day, as was usual in households in America, was begun with +prayer, and the supplications of Mr. Welch for the protection of God +over the household were warm and earnest. The men proceeded to feed +the animals; these were then turned out of the inclosure, one of the +party being always on watch in the little tower which they had +erected for that purpose some ten or twelve feet above the roof of +the house. From this spot a view was obtainable right over the +clearing to the forest which surrounded it on three sides. The other +hands proceeded to cut down more of the corn, so as to extend the +level space around the house. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c2"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER II.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">AN INDIAN RAID.</H3> + +<P>That day and the next passed quietly. The first night the man who was +on watch up to midnight remarked to Mr. Welch, when he relieved him, +that it seemed to him that there were noises in the air. + +<P>"What sort of noises, Jackson—calls of night-birds or animals? If +so, the Indians are probably around us." + +<P>"No," the man said; "all is still round here, but I seem to feel the +noise rather than hear it. I should say that it was firing, very many +miles off." + +<P>"The night is perfectly still, and the sound of a gun would be heard +a long way." + +<P>"I cannot say that I have heard a gun; it is rather a tremble in the +air than a sound." + +<P>When the man they had relieved had gone down and all was still again, +Mr. Welch and Harold stood listening intently. + +<P>"Jackson was right," the farmer said; "there is something in the air. +I can feel it rather than hear it. It is a sort of murmur no louder +than a whisper. Do you hear it, Harold?" + +<P>"I seem to hear something," Harold said. "It might be the sound of +the sea a very long way off, just as one can hear it many miles from +the coast, on a still night at home. What do you think it is?" + +<P>"If it is not fancy," Mr. Welch replied, "and I do not think that we +should all be deceived, it is an attack upon Gloucester." + +<P>"But Gloucester is thirty-five miles away," Harold answered. + +<P>"It is," Mr. Welch replied; "but on so still a night as this sounds +can be heard from an immense distance. If it is not this, I cannot +say what it is." + +<P>Upon the following night, just as Mr. Welch's watch was at an end, a +low whistle was heard near the gate. + +<P>"Who is there?" Mr. Welch at once challenged. + +<P>"Jack Pearson, and the sooner you open the gate the better. There's +no saying where these red devils may be lying round." + +<P>Harold and the farmer instantly ran down and opened the gate. + +<P>"I should advise you to stop down here," the hunter said as they +replaced the bars. "If you did not hear me you certainly would not +hear the redskins, and they'd all be over the palisade before you had +time to fire a shot. I'm glad to see you safe, for I was badly +skeared lest I should find nothing but a heap of ashes here." + +<P>The next two men now turned out, and Mr. Welch led his visitor into +the house and struck a light. + +<P>"Halloo, Pearson! you must have been in a skirmish," he said, seeing +that the hunter's head was bound up with a bloodstained bandage. + +<P>"It was all that," Pearson said, "and wuss. I went down to Gloucester +and told 'em what I had heard, but the darned fools tuk it as quiet +as if all King George's troops with fixed bayonets had been camped +round 'em. The council got together and palavered for an hour, and +concluded that there was no chance whatever of the Iroquois venturing +to attack such a powerful place as Gloucester. I told 'em that the +redskins would go over their stockade at a squirrel's jump, and that +as War Eagle alone had at least 150 braves, while there warn't more +than 50 able-bodied men in Gloucester and all the farms around it, +things would go bad with 'em if they didn't mind. But bless yer, they +knew more than I did about it. Most of 'em had moved from the East +and had never seen an Injun in his war-paint. Gloucester had never +been attacked since it was founded nigh ten years ago, and they +didn't see no reason why it should be attacked now. There was a few +old frontiersmen like myself among 'em who did their best to stir 'em +up, but it was no manner of good. When the council was over we put +our heads together, and just went through the township a-talking to +the women, and we hadn't much difficulty in getting up such a skear +among 'em that before nightfall every one of 'em in the farms around +made their husbands move into the stockade of the village. + +<P>"When the night passed off quietly most of the men were just as +savage with us as if it had been a false alarm altogether. I p'inted +out that it was not because War Eagle had left 'em alone that night +that he was bound to do so the next night or any night after. But in +spite of the women they would have started out to their farms the +fust thing in the morning, if a man hadn't come in with the news that +Carter's farm had been burned and the whole of the people killed and +scalped. As Carter's farm lay only about fifteen miles off this gave +'em a skear, and they were as ready now to believe in the Injuns as I +had tried to make 'em the night before. Then they asked us old hands +to take the lead and promised to do what we told 'em, but when it +came to it their promises were not worth the breath they had spent +upon 'em. There were eight or ten houses outside the stockade, and in +course we wanted these pulled down; but they wouldn't hear of it. +Howsomever, we got 'em to work to strengthen the stockades, to make +loop-holes in the houses near 'em, to put up barricades from house to +house, and to prepare generally for a fight. We divided into three +watches. + +<P>"Well, just as I expected, about eleven o'clock at night the Injuns +attacked. Our watch might just as well have been asleep for any good +they did, for it was not till the redskins had crept up to the +stockade all round and opened fire between the timbers on 'em that +they knew that they were near. I'll do 'em justice to say that they +fought stiff enough then, and for four hours they held the line of +houses; every redskin who climbed the stockade fell dead inside it. +Four fires had been lighted directly they attacked to enable us to +keep 'em from scaling the stockade, but they showed us to the enemy, +of course. + +<P>"The redskins took possession of the houses which we had wanted to +pull down, and precious hot they made it for us. Then they shot such +showers of burning arrows into the village that half of the houses +were soon alight. We tried to get our men to sally out and to hold +the line of stockade, when we might have beaten 'em off if all the +village had been burned down; but it were no manner of good; each man +wanted to stick to his wife and family till the last. As the flames +went up every man who showed himself was shot down, and when at last +more than half our number had gone under the redskins brought up +fagots, piled 'em against the stockade outside, and then the hull +tribe came bounding over. Our rifles were emptied, for we couldn't +get the men to hold their fire, but some of us chaps as knew what was +coming gave the redskins a volley as they poured in. + +<P>"I don't know much as happened after that. Jack Robins and Bill +Shuter, who were old pals of mine, and me made up our minds what to +do, and we made a rush for a small gate that there was in the +stockade, just opposite where the Injuns came in. We got through safe +enough, but they had left men all round. Jack Robins he was shot +dead. Bill and I kept straight on. We had a grapple with some of the +redskins; two or three on 'em went down, and Bill and I got through +and had a race for it till we got fairly into the forest. Bill had a +ball in the shoulder, and I had a clip across the head with a +tomahawk. We had a council, and Bill went off to warn some of the +other settlements and I concluded to take to the water and paddle +back to you, not knowing whether I should find that the redskins had +been before me. I thought anyway that I might stop your going down to +Gloucester, and that if there was a fight you would be none the worse +for an extra rifle." + +<P>Mr. Welch told the hunter of the visit of the two Indian spies two +nights before. + +<P>"Waal," the hunter said, "I reckon for the present you are not likely +to be disturbed. The Injuns have taken a pile of booty and something +like two hundred scalps, counting the women and children, and they +moved off at daybreak this morning in the direction of Tottenham, +which I reckon they'll attack tonight. Howsomever, Bill has gone on +there to warn 'em, and after the sack of Gloucester the people of +Tottenham won't be caught napping, and there are two or three old +frontiersmen who have settled down there, and War Eagle will get a +hot reception if he tries it. As far as his band is concerned, you're +safe for some days. The only fear is that some others of the tribe, +hurrying up at hearing of his success, may take this place as they go +past. And now I guess I'll take a few hours' sleep. I haven't closed +an eye for the last two nights." + +<P>A week passed quietly. Pearson, after remaining two days, again went +down the lake to gather news, and returned a day later with the +intelligence that almost all the settlements had been deserted by +their inhabitants. The Indians were out in great strength and had +attacked the settlers at many points along the frontier, committing +frightful devastations. + +<P>Still another week passed, and Mr. Welch began to hope that his +little clearing had been overlooked and forgotten by the Indians. The +hands now went about their work as usual, but always carried arms +with them, while one was constantly stationed on the watch-tower. +Harold resumed his fishing; never, however, going out of sight of the +house. Sometimes he took with him little Nelly Welch; it being +considered that she was as safe in the canoe as she was in the house, +especially as the boat was always in sight, and the way up from the +landing to the house was under cover of the rifles of the defenders; +so that, even in case of an attack, they would probably be able to +make their way back. + +<P>One afternoon they had been out together for two or three hours; +everything looked as quiet and peaceable as usual; the hands were in +the fields near the house, a few of the cows grazing close to the +gate. Harold had been successful in his fishing and had obtained as +many fish as he could carry. He stepped out from the canoe, helped +Nelly to land, slung his rifle across his back, and picked up the +fish, which were strung on a withe passed through their gills. + +<P>He had made but a few steps when a yell arose, so loud and terrible +that for a moment his heart seemed to stop beating. Then from the +cornfields leaped up a hundred dark figures; then came the sharp +crack of rifles, and two of the hands dashed down at full speed +toward the house. One had fallen. The fourth man was in the +watch-tower. The surprise had been complete. The Indians had made +their way like snakes through the long corn, whose waving had been +unperceived by the sentinel, who was dozing at his post, half-asleep +in the heat of the sun. Harold saw in a moment that it was too late +for him to regain the house; the redskins were already nearer to it +than he was. + +<P>"Now, Nelly! into the boat again—quick!" he said. "We must keep out +of the way till it's all over." + +<P>Nelly was about twelve years old, and her life in the woods had given +her a courage and quickness beyond her years. Without wasting a +moment on cries or lamentations, she sprang back into the canoe. +Harold took his place beside her, and the light craft darted rapidly +out into the lake. Not until he was some three or four hundred yards +from the shore did Harold pause to look round. Then, when he felt he +was out of gunshot distance, he ceased paddling. The fight was raging +now around the house; from loop-holes and turret the white puffs of +smoke darted angrily out. The fire had not been ineffectual, for +several dark forms could be seen lying round the stockade, and the +bulk of the Indians, foiled in their attempt to carry the place at a +rush, had taken shelter in the corn and kept up a scattering fire +round the house, broken only on the side facing the lake, where there +was no growing crop to afford them shelter. + +<P>"They are all right now," Harold said cheerfully. + +<P>"Do not be anxious, Nelly; they will beat them off, Pearson is a host +in himself. I expect he must have been lying down when the attack was +made. I know he was scouting round the house all night. If he had +been on the watch, those fellows would never have succeeded in +creeping up so close unobserved." + +<P>"I wish we were inside," Nelly said, speaking for the first time. "If +I were only with them, I should not mind." + +<P>"I am sure I wish we were," Harold agreed. "It is too hard being +useless out here when such a splendid fight is going on. Ah! they +have their eyes on us!" he exclaimed as a puff of smoke burst out +from some bushes near the shore and a ball came skipping along on the +surface of the water, sinking, however, before it reached it. + +<P>"Those Indian muskets are no good," Harold said contemptuously, "and +the trade powder the Indians get is very poor stuff; but I think that +they are well within range of my rifle." + +<P>The weapon which Harold carried was an English rifle of very perfect +make and finish, which his father had given him on parting. + +<P>"Now," he said, "do you paddle the canoe a few strokes nearer the +shore, Nelly. We shall still be beyond the range of that fellow. He +will fire again and I shall see exactly where he is lying." + +<P>Nelly, who was efficient in the management of a canoe, took the +paddle, and dipping it in the water the boat moved slowly toward the +shore. Harold sat with his rifle across his knees, looking intently +over the bows of the boat toward the bush from which the shot had +come. + +<P>"That's near enough, Nelly," he said. + +<P>The girl stopped paddling, and the hidden foe, seeing that they did +not mean to come nearer the shore, again fired. Harold's rifle was in +an instant against his shoulder; he sat immovable for a moment and +then fired. + +<P>Instantly a dark figure sprang from the bush, staggered +a few steps up the slope, and then fell headlong. + +<P>"That was a pretty good shot," Harold said. "Your father told me, +when I saw a stag's horns above a bush, to fire about two feet behind +them and eighteen inches lower. I fired a foot below the flash, and I +expect I hit him through the body. I had the sight at three hundred +yards and fired a little above it. Now, Nelly, paddle out again. +See!" he said, "there is a shawl waving from the top of the tower. +Put your hat on the paddle and wave it." + +<P>"What are you thinking of doing, Harold?" the girl asked presently. + +<P>"That is just what I have been asking myself for the last ten +minutes," Harold replied. "It is quite clear that as long as the +siege is kept up we cannot get back again, and there is no saying how +long it may last. The first thing is, what chance is there of their +pursuing us? Are there any other canoes on the lake within a short +distance?" + +<P>"They have one at Braithwaite's," the girl said, "four miles off; but +look, there is Pearson's canoe lying by the shore." + +<P>"So there is!" Harold exclaimed. "I never thought of that. I expect +the Indians have not noticed it. The bank is rather high where it is +lying. They are sure to find it, sooner or later. I think, Nelly, the +best plan would be to paddle back again so as to be within the range +of my rifle while still beyond the reach of theirs. I think I can +keep them from using the boat until it is dark." + +<P>"But after it is dark, Harold?" + +<P>"Well, then, we must paddle out into the lake so as to be well out of +sight. When it gets quite dark we can paddle in again and sleep +safely anywhere a mile or two from the house." + +<P>An hour passed without change. Then Nelly said: "There is a movement +in the bushes near the canoe." Presently an arm was extended and +proceeded to haul the canoe toward the shore by its head-rope. As it +touched the bank an Indian rose from the bushes and was about to step +in, while a number of puffs of smoke burst out along the shore and +the bullets skipped over the water toward the canoe, one of them +striking it with sufficient force to penetrate the thin bark a few +inches above the water's edge. Harold had not moved, but as the +savage stepped into the canoe he fired, and the Indian fell heavily +into the water, upsetting the canoe as he did so. + +<P>A yell of rage broke from his comrades. + +<P>"I don't think they will try that game again as long as it is +daylight," Harold said. "Paddle a little further out again, Nelly. If +that bullet had hit you it would have given you a nasty blow, though +I don't think it would have penetrated; still we may as well avoid +accidents." + +<P>After another hour passed the fire round the house ceased. + +<P>"Do you think the Indians have gone away?" Nelly asked. + +<P>"I am afraid there is no chance of that," Harold said. "I expect they +are going to wait till night and then try again. They are not fond of +losing men, and Pearson and your father are not likely to miss +anything that comes within their range as long as daylight lasts." + +<P>"But after dark, Harold?" + +<P>"Oh, they will try all sorts of tricks; but Pearson is up to them +all. Don't you worry about them, dear." + +<P>The hours passed slowly away until at last the sun sank and the +darkness came on rapidly. So long as he could see the canoe, which +just floated above the water's edge, Harold maintained his position; +then taking one paddle, while Nelly handled the other, he sent the +boat flying away from the shore out into the lake. For a quarter of +an hour they paddled straight out. By this time the outline of the +shore could be but dimly perceived. Harold doubted whether it would +be possible to see the boat from shore, but in order to throw the +Indians off the scent, should this be the case, he turned the boat's +head to the south and paddled swiftly until it was perfectly dark. + +<P>"I expect they saw us turn south," he said to Nelly. "The redskins +have wonderful eyes; so, if they pursue at all, they will do it in +that direction. No human being, unless he borrowed the eyes of an +owl, could see us now, so we will turn and paddle the other way." + +<P>For two hours they rowed in this direction. + +<P>"We can go in to shore now," Harold said at last. "We must be seven +or eight miles beyond the house." + +<P>The distance to the shore was longer than they expected, for they had +only the light of the stars to guide them and neither had any +experience in night traveling. They had made much further out into +the lake than they had intended. At length the dark line of trees +rose in front of them, and in a few minutes the canoe lay alongside +the bank and its late occupants were stretched on a soft layer of +moss and fallen leaves. + +<P>"What are we going to do to-morrow about eating?" Nelly asked. + +<P>"There are four or five good-sized fish in the bottom of the canoe," +Harold replied. "Fortunately we caught more than I could carry, and I +intended to make a second trip from the house for these. I am afraid +we shall not be able to cook them, for the Indians can see smoke any +distance. If the worst comes to the worst we must eat them raw, but +we are sure to find some berries in the wood to-morrow. Now, dear, +you had better go to sleep as fast as you can; but first let us kneel +down and pray God to protect us and your father and mother." + +<P>The boy and girl knelt in the darkness and said their simple +prayers. Then they lay down, and Harold was pleased to hear in a few +minutes the steady breathing which told him that his cousin was +asleep. It was a long time before he followed her example. During the +day he had kept up a brave front and had endeavored to make the best +of their position, but now that he was alone he felt the full weight +of the responsibility of guiding his companion through the extreme +danger which threatened them both. He felt sure that the Indians +would prolong the siege for some time, as they would be sure that no +re-enforcements could possibly arrive in aid of the garrison. +Moreover, he by no means felt so sure as he had pretended to his +companion of the power of the defenders of the house to maintain a +successful resistance to so large a number of their savage foes. In +the daylight he felt certain they could beat them off, but darkness +neutralizes the effect both of superior arms and better marksmanship. +It was nearly midnight before he lay down with the determination to +sleep, but scarcely had he done so when he was aroused by an outburst +of distant firing. Although six or seven miles from the scene of the +encounter, the sound of each discharge came distinct to the ear along +the smooth surface of the lake, and he could even hear, mingled with +the musketry fire, the faint yells of the Indians. For hours, as it +seemed to him, he sat listening to the distant contest, and then he, +unconsciously to himself, dozed off to sleep, and awoke with a start, +to find Nelly sitting up beside him and the sun streaming down +through the boughs. He started to his feet. + +<P>"Bless me!" he exclaimed, "I did not know that I had been asleep. It +seems but an instant ago that I was listening"—and here he checked +himself—"that is, that I was wide awake, and here we are in broad +daylight." + +<P>Harold's first care was to examine the position of the canoe, and he +found that fortunately it had touched the shore at a spot where the +boughs of the trees overhead drooped into the water beyond it, so +that it could not be seen by anyone passing along the lake. This was +the more fortunate as he saw, some three miles away, a canoe with +three figures on board. For a long distance on either side the boughs +of the trees drooped into the water, with only an opening here and +there such as that through which the boat had passed the night +before. + +<P>"We must be moving, Nelly. Here are the marks where we scrambled up +the bank last night. If the Indians take it into their heads to +search the shore both ways, as likely enough they may do, they will +be sure to see them. In the first place let us gather a stock of +berries, and then we will get into the boat again and paddle along +under this arcade of boughs till we get to some place where we can +land without leaving marks of our feet. If the Indians find the place +where we landed here, they will suppose that we went off again before +daylight." + +<P>For some time they rambled in the woods and succeeded in gathering a +store of berries and wild fruit. Upon these Nelly made her breakfast, +but Harold's appetite was sufficiently ravenous to enable him to fall +to upon the fish, which, he declared, were not so bad, after all. +Then they took their places in the canoe again and paddled on for +nearly a mile. + +<P>"See, Harold!" Nelly exclaimed as she got a glimpse through the +boughs into the lake, "there is another canoe. They must have got the +Braithwaite boat. We passed their place coming here, you know. I +wonder what has happened there." + +<P>"What do you think is best to do, Nelly?" Harold asked. "Your opinion +is just as good as mine about it. Shall we leave our canoe behind, +land, and take to the woods, or shall we stop quietly in the canoe in +shelter here, or shall we take to the lake and trust to our speed to +get away? in which case, you know, if they should come up I could +pick them off with my gun before they got within reach. + +<P>"I don't think that would do," the girl said, shaking her head. "You +shoot very well, but it is not an easy thing to hit a moving object +if you are not accustomed to it, and they paddle so fast that if you +miss them once they would be close alongside—at any rate we should +be within reach of their guns—before you could load again. They +would be sure to catch us, for although we might paddle nearly as +fast for a time, they would certainly tire us out. Then, as to +waiting here in the canoe, if they came along on foot looking for us +we should be in their power. It is dreadful to think of taking to the +woods with Indians all about, but I really think that would be our +safest plan." + +<P>"I think so too, Nelly, if we can manage to do it without leaving a +track. We must not go much further, for the trees are getting thinner +ahead and we should be seen by the canoes." + +<P>Fifty yards further Harold stopped paddling. + +<P>"Here is just the place, Nelly." + +<P>At this point a little stream of three or four feet wide emerged into +the lake; Harold directed the boat's head toward it. The water in the +stream was but a few inches deep. + +<P>"Now, Nelly," he said, "we must step out into the water and walk up +it as far as we can go—it will puzzle even the sharpest redskin to +find our track then." + +<P>They stepped into the water, Harold taking the head-rope of the canoe +and towing the light boat—which, when empty, did not draw more than +two inches of water—behind him. He directed Nelly to be most careful +as she walked not to touch any of the bushes, which at times nearly +met across the stream. + +<P>"A broken twig or withered leaf would be quite enough to tell the +Indians that we came along this way," he said. "Where the bushes are +thick you must manage to crawl under them. Never mind about getting +wet—you will soon dry again." + +<P>Slowly and cautiously they made their way up the stream for nearly a +mile. It had for some distance been narrowing rapidly, being only fed +by little rills from the surrounding swamp land. Harold had so far +looked in vain for some spot where they could land without leaving +marks of their feet. Presently they came to a place where a great +tree had fallen across the stream. + +<P>"This will do, Nelly," Harold said. "Now, above all things you must +be careful not to break off any of the moss or bark. You had better +take your shoes off; then I will lift you on to the trunk and you can +walk along it without leaving a mark." + +<P>It was hard work for Nelly to take off her drenched boots, but she +managed at last. Harold lifted her on to the trunk and said: + +<P>"Walk along as far as you can and get down as lightly as possible on +to a firm piece of ground. It rises rapidly here and is, I expect, a +dry soil where the upper end of the tree lies." + +<P>"How are you going to get out, Harold?" + +<P>"I can swing myself up by that projecting root." + +<P>Before proceeding to do so Harold raised one end of the canoe and +placed it on the trunk of the tree; then, having previously taken off +his shoes, he swung himself on to the trunk; hauling up the light +bark canoe and taking especial pains that it did not grate upon the +trunk, he placed it on his head and followed Nelly along the tree. He +found, as he had expected, that the ground upon which the upper end +lay was firm and dry. He stepped down with great care, and was +pleased to see, as he walked forward, that no trace of a footmark was +left. + +<P>"Be careful, Nelly," he exclaimed when he joined her, "not to tread +on a stick or disturb a fallen leaf with your feet, and above all to +avoid breaking the smallest twig as you pass. Choose the most open +ground, as that is the hardest." + +<P>In about a hundred yards they came upon a large clump of bushes. + +<P>"Now, Nelly, raise those lower boughs as gently and as carefully as +you can. I will push the canoe under. I don't think the sharpest +Indian will be able to take up our track now." + +<P>Very carefully the canoe was stowed away, and when the boughs were +allowed to fall in their natural position it was completely hidden +from sight to every passer-by. Harold took up the fish, Nelly had +filled her apron with the berries, and carrying their shoes—for they +agreed that it would be safer not to put them on—they started on +their journey through the deep forest. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c3"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER III.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE REDSKIN ATTACK.</H3> + +<P>Mr. Welch was with the men, two or three hundred yards away from the +house, when the Indians suddenly sprang out and opened fire. One of +the men fell beside him; the farmer stooped to lift him, but saw that +he was shot through the head. Then he ran with full speed toward the +house, shouting to the hands to make straight for the gate, +disregarding the cattle. Several of these, however, alarmed at the +sudden outburst of fire and the yells of the Indians, made of their +own accord for the stables as their master rushed up at full speed. +The Indians were but fifty or sixty yards behind when Mr. Welch +reached his gate. They had all emptied their pieces, and after the +first volley no shots had been fired save one by the watchman on the +lookout. Then came the crack of Pearson's rifle just as Mr. Welch +shut the gate and laid the bar in its place. Several spare guns had +been placed in the upper chambers, and three reports rang out +together, for Mrs. Welch had run upstairs at the first alarm to take +her part in the defense. + +<P>In another minute the whole party, now six in all, were gathered in +the upper room. + +<P>"Where are Nelly and Harold?" Mr. Welch exclaimed. "I saw the canoe +close to the shore just before the Indians opened fire," the watchman +answered. + +<P>"You must have been asleep," Pearson said savagely. "Where were your +eyes to let them redskins crawl up through the corn without seeing +'em? With such a crowd of 'em the corn must have been a-waving as if +it was blowing a gale. You ought to have a bullet in yer ugly +carkidge, instead of its being in yer mate's out there." + +<P>While this conversation was going on no one had been idle. Each took +up his station at a loop-hole, and several shots were fired whenever +the movement of a blade of corn showed the lurking place of an +Indian. + +<P>The instant the gate had been closed War Eagle had called his men +back to shelter, for he saw that all chance of a surprise was now +over, and it was contrary to all redskin strategy to remain for one +moment unnecessarily exposed to the rifles of the whites. The farmer +and his wife had rushed at once up into the lookout as the Indians +drew off and, to their joy, saw the canoe darting away from shore. + +<P>"They are safe for the present, thank God!" Mr. Welch said. "It is +providential indeed that they had not come a little further from the +shore when the redskins broke out. Nothing could have saved them, had +they fairly started for the house." + +<P>"What will they do, William?" asked his wife anxiously. + +<P>"I cannot tell you, my dear. I do not know what I should do myself +under the circumstances. However, the boy has got a cool head on his +shoulders, and you need not be anxious for the present. Now let us +join the others. Our first duty is to take our share in the defense +of the house. The young ones are in the hands of God. We can do +nothing for them." + +<P>"Well?" Pearson asked, looking round from his +loop-hole as the farmer and his wife descended into the room, which +was a low garret extending over the whole of the house. "Do you see +the canoe?" + +<P>"Yes, it has got safely away," William Welch said; "but what the lad +will do now is more than I can say." + +<P>Pearson placed his rifle against the wall. "Now keep your eyes +skinned," he said to the three farm hands. + +<P>"One of yer's done mischief enough this morning already, and you'll +get your har raised, as sure as you're born, unless you look out +sharp. Now," he went on, turning to the Welches, "let us go down and +talk this matter over. The Injuns may keep on firing, but I don't +think they'll show in the open again as long as it's light enough for +us to draw bead on 'em. Yes," he went on, as he looked through a +loop-hole in the lower story over the lake, "there they are, just out +of range." + +<P>"What do you think they will do?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +<P>The hunter was silent for a minute. + +<P>"It aint a easy thing to say what they ought to do, much less what +they will do; it aint a good outlook anyway, and I don't know what I +should do myself. The whole of the woods on this side of the lake are +full of the darned red critters. There's a hundred eyes on that canoe +now, and, go where they will, they'll be watched." + +<P>"But why should they not cross the lake and land on the other side?" +Mr. Welch said. + +<P>"If you and I were in that canoe," the hunter answered, "that's about +what we should do; but, not to say that it's a long row for 'em, they +two young uns would never get across; the Injuns would have 'em +before they had been gone an hour. There's my canoe lying under the +bushes; she'd carry four, and would go three feet to their two." + +<P>"I had forgotten about that," William Welch said, and then added, +after a pause: "The Indians may not find it." + +<P>"You needn't hope that," the hunter answered; "they have found it +long before this. I don't want to put you out of heart; but I tell ye +ye'll see them on the water before many minutes have passed." + +<P>"Then they are lost," Mrs. Welch said, sinking down in her chair and +bursting into tears. + +<P>"They air in God's hands, ma'am," the hunter said, "and it's no use +trying to deceive you." + +<P>"Would it be of any use," William Welch asked, after a pause, "for me +to offer the redskins that my wife and I will go out and put +ourselves in their hands if they will let the canoe go off without +pursuit?" + +<P>"Not it," the hunter replied decidedly. "You would be throwing away +your own lives without saving theirs, not to mention, although that +doesn't matter a straw, the lives of the rest of us here. It will be +as much as we can do, when they attack us in earnest, to hold this +place with six guns, and with only four the chance would be worth +nothing. But that's neither here nor there. You wouldn't save the +young ones if you gave yourselves up. You can't trust the word of an +Injun on the war-path, and if they went so far as not to kill 'em +they would carry 'em off; and, after all, I aint sure as death aint +better for 'em than to be brought up as Injuns. There," he said, +stopping suddenly as a report of a musket sounded at some little +distance off, "the Injuns are trying their range against 'em. Let's +go up to the lookout." + +<P>The little tower had a thick parapet of logs some three feet high, +and, crouching behind this, they watched the canoe. "He's coming +nearer in shore, and the girl has got the paddle," Pearson muttered. +"What's he doing now?" A puff of smoke was seen to rise near the +border of the lake; then came the sharp crack of Harold's rifle. They +saw an Indian spring from the bushes and fall dead. + +<P>"Well done, young un!" Pearson exclaimed. "I told yer he'd got his +head screwed on the right way. He's keeping just out of range of +their guns, and that piece of his can carry twice as far as theirs. I +reckon he's thought of the canoe, and means to keep 'em from using +it. I begins to think, Mr. Welch, that there's a chance for 'em yet. +Now let's talk a little to these red devils in the corn." + +<P>For some little time Pearson and William Welch turned their attention +to the Indians, while the mother sat with her eyes fixed upon the +canoe. + +<P>"He is coming closer again," she exclaimed presently. + +<P>"He's watching the canoe, sure enough," Pearson said. Then came the +volley along the bushes on the shore, and they saw an Indian rise to +his feet. + +<P>"That's just where she lies!" Pearson exclaimed; "he's getting into +it. There! well done, young un." + +<P>The sudden disappearance of the Indian and the vengeful yell of the +hidden foe told of the failure of the attempt. + +<P>"I think they're safe, now, till nightfall. The Injuns won't care +about putting themselves within range of that 'ere rifle again." + +<P>Gradually the fire of the Indians ceased, and the defenders were able +to leave the loop-holes. Two of the men went down and fastened up the +cattle, which were still standing loose in the yard inside the +stockade; the other set to to prepare a meal, for Mrs. Welch could +not take her eyes off the canoe. + +<P>The afternoon seemed of interminable length. Not a shot was fired. +The men, after taking their dinner, were occupied in bringing some +great tubs on to the upper story and filling them to the brim with +water from the well. This story projected two feet beyond the one +below it, having been so built in order that, in case of attack, the +defenders might be able to fire down upon any foe who might cross the +stockade and attack the house itself; the floor boards over the +projecting portion were all removable. The men also brought a +quantity of the newly cut corn to the top of the house, first +drenching it with water. + +<P>The sun sank, and as dusk was coming on the anxious watchers saw the +canoe paddle out far into the lake. + +<P>"An old frontiersman couldn't do better," Pearson exclaimed. "He's +kept them out of the canoe as long as daylight lasted; now he has +determined to paddle away and is making down the lake," he went on +presently. "It's a pity he turned so soon, as they can see the course +he's taking." + +<P>They watched until it was completely dark; but, before the light +quite faded, they saw another canoe put out from shore and start in +the direction taken by the fugitives. + +<P>"Will they catch them, do you think?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +<P>"No, ma'am," Pearson said confidently. "The boy's got sense enough to +have changed his course after it gets dark, though whether he'll make +for shore or go out toward the other side is more than I can say. You +see, they'll know that the Injuns are all along this side of the +lake; but then, on the other hand, they'll be anxious about us and +'ll want to keep close at hand. Besides, the lad knows nothing of the +other side; there may be Injuns there, for aught he knows, and it's a +skeary thing for a young un to take to the forest, especially with a +gal in his charge. There aint no saying what he'll do. And now we've +got to look after ourselves; don't let us think about 'em at present. +The best thing as we can do for them, as well as for ourselves, is to +hold this here place. If they live they'll come back to it sooner or +later, and it 'll be better for 'em to find it standing, and you here +to welcome 'em, than to get back to a heap of ruins and some dead +bodies." + +<P>"When will the redskins attack, do you think?" the farmer asked. + +<P>"We may expect 'em any time, now," the hunter answered. "The Injuns' +time of attack is generally just before dawn, but they know well +enough they aint likely to ketch us asleep any time, and, as they +know exactly what they have got to do they'll gain nothing by +waiting. I wish we had a moon; if we had, we might keep 'em out of +the stockade. But there—it's just as well it's dark, after all; for, +if the moon was up, the young ones would have no chance of getting +away." + +<P>The garrison now all took their places at the loop-holes, having +first carried the wet fodder to the roof and spread it over the +shingles. There was nothing to do now but to wait. The night was so +dark that they could not see the outline of the stockade. Presently a +little spark shot through the air, followed by a score of others. Mr. +Welch had taken his post on the tower, and he saw the arrows whizzing +through the air, many of them falling on the roof. The dry grass +dipped in resin, which was tied round the arrow-heads, was instantly +extinguished as the arrows fell upon the wet corn, and a yell arose +from the Indians. + +<P>The farmer descended and told the others of the failure of the +Indians' first attempt. + +<P>"That 'ere dodge is a first-rate un," Pearson said. "We're safe from +fire, and that's the only thing we've got to be afeared on. You'll +see 'em up here in a few minutes." + +<P>Everything was perfectly quiet. Once or twice the watchers thought +that they could hear faint sounds, but could not distinguish their +direction. After half an hour's anxious waiting a terrible yell was +heard from below, and at the doors and windows of the lower rooms +came the crashing blows of tomahawks. + +<P>The boards had already been removed from the flooring above, and the +defenders opened a steady fire into the dark mass that they could +faintly make out clustered round the windows and doors. At Pearson's +suggestion the bullets had been removed from the guns and heavy +charges of buckshot had been substituted for them, and yells of pain +and surprise rose as they fired. A few shots were fired up from +below, but a second discharge from the spare guns completed the +effect from the first volley. The dark mass broke up and, in a few +seconds, all was as quiet as before. + +<P>Two hours passed, and then slight sounds were heard. "They've got the +gate opened, I expect," Pearson said. "Fire occasionally at that; if +we don't hit 'em the flashes may show us what they're doing." + +<P>It was as he had expected. The first discharge was followed by a cry, +and by the momentary light they saw a number of dark figures pouring +in through the gate. Seeing that concealment was no longer possible, +the Indians opened a heavy fire round the house; then came a crashing +sound near the door. + +<P>"Just as I thought," Pearson said. "They're going to try to burn us +out." + +<P>For some time the noise continued, as bundle after bundle of dried +wood was thrown down by the door. The garrison were silent; for, as +Pearson said, they could see nothing, and a stray bullet might enter +at the loop-holes if they placed themselves there, and the flashes of +the guns would serve as marks for the Indians. + +<P>Presently two or three faint lights were seen approaching. + +<P>"Now," Pearson said, "pick 'em off as they come up. You and I'll take +the first man, Welch. You fire just to the right of the light, I will +fire to the left; he may be carrying the brand in either hand." + +<P>They fired together, and the brand was seen to drop to the ground. +The same thing happened as the other two sparks of light approached; +then it was again quiet. Now a score of little lights flashed through +the air. + +<P>"They're going to light the pile with their flaming arrows," Pearson +said. "War Eagle is a good leader." + +<P>Three or four of the arrows fell on the pile of dry wood. A moment +later the flames crept up and the smoke of burning wood rolled up +into the room above. A yell of triumph burst from the Indians, but +this changed into one of wrath as those above emptied the contents of +one of the great tubs of water on to the pile of wood below them. The +flames were instantly extinguished. + +<P>"What will they do next?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +<P>"It's like enough," Pearson replied, "that they'll give the job up +altogether. They've got plenty of plunder and scalps at the +settlements, and their attacking us here in such force looks as if +the hull of 'em were on their way back to their villages. If they +could have tuk our scalps easy they would have done it; but War Eagle +aint likely to risk losing a lot of men when he aint sartin of +winning, after all. He has done good work as it is, and has quite +enough to boast about when he gets back. If he were to lose a heap of +his braves here it would spoil the success of his expedition. No, I +think as he will give it up now." + +<P>"He will be all the more anxious to catch the children," Mrs. Welch +said despondently. + +<P>"It can't be denied, ma'am, as he will do his best that way," Pearson +answered. "It all depends, though, on the boy. I wish I was with him +in that canoe. Howsomever, I can't help thinking as he will +sarcumvent 'em somehow." + +<P>The night passed without any further attack. By turns half the +garrison watched while the other lay down, but there was little sleep +taken by any. With the first gleam of daylight Mrs. Welch and her +husband were on the lookout. + +<P>"There's two canoes out on the lake," Pearson said. "They're paddling +quietly; which is which I can't say." + +<P>As the light became brighter Pearson pronounced, positively, that +there were three men in one canoe and four in the other. + +<P>"I think they're all Injuns," he said. "They must have got another +canoe somewhere along the lake. Waal, they've not caught the young +uns yet." + +<P>"The boats are closing up to each other," Mrs. Welch said. "They're +going to have a talk, I reckon. Yes, one of 'em's turning and going +down the lake, while the other's going up. I'd give a heap to know +where the young uns have got to." + +<P>The day passed quietly. An occasional shot toward the house showed +that the Indians remained in the vicinity and, indeed, dark forms +could be seen moving about in the distant parts of the clearing. + +<P>"Will it be possible," the farmer asked Pearson, when night again +fell, "to go out and see if we can discover any traces of them?" + +<P>"Worse than no use," Pearson said positively. "We should just lose +our har without doing no good whatever. If the Injuns in these +woods—and I reckon altogether there's a good many hundred of +'em—can't find 'em, ye may swear that we can't. That's just what +they're hoping, that we'll be fools enough to put ourselves outside +the stockade. They'll lie close round all night, and a weasel +wouldn't creep through 'em. Ef I thought there was jest a shadow of +chance of finding them young uns I'd risk it; but there's no +chance—not a bit of it." + +<P>A vigilant watch was again kept up all night, but all was still and +quiet. The next morning the Indians were still round them. + +<P>"Don't ye fret, ma'am!" Pearson said, as he saw how pale and wan Mrs. +Welch looked in the morning light. "You may bet your last shilling +that they're not caught 'em." + +<P>"Why are you so sure?" Mrs. Welch asked. "They may be dead by this +time." + +<P>"Not they, ma'am! I'm as sartin as they're living and free as I am +that I'm standing here. I know these Injuns' ways. Ef they had caught +'em they'd jest have brought 'em here and would have fixed up two +posts, jest out of rifle range, and would have tied them there and +offered you the choice of giving up this place and your scalps or of +seeing them tortured and burned under your eyes. That's their way. +No, they aint caught 'em alive, nor they aint caught 'em dead +neither; for, ef they had they'd have brought their scalps to have +shown yer. No, they've got away, though it beats me to say how. I've +only got one fear, and that is that they might come back before the +Injuns have gone. Now I tell ye what we had better do—we better keep +up a dropping fire all night and all day to-morrow, and so on, until +the redskins have gone. Ef the young uns come back across the lake at +night, and all is quiet, they'll think the Injuns have taken +themselves off; but, if they hear firing still going on, they'll know +well enough that they're still around the house." + +<P>William Welch at once agreed to this plan, and every quarter of an +hour or so all through the night a few shots were fired. The next +morning no Indians could be seen, and there was a cessation of the +dropping shots which had before been kept up at the house. + +<P>"They may be in hiding," Pearson said in the afternoon, "trying to +tempt us out; but I'm more inclined to think as how they've gone. I +don't see a blade of that corn move; I've had my eyes fixed on it for +the last two hours. It are possible, of course, that they're there, +but I reckon not. I expect they've been waiting, ever since they gave +up the attack, in hopes that the young uns would come back; but now, +as they see that we're keeping up a fire to tell them as how they're +still round us, they've given it up and gone. When it gets dark +to-night I'll go out and scout round." + +<P>At ten o'clock at night Pearson dropped lightly from the stockade on +the side opposite to the gate, as he knew that, if the Indians were +there, this would be the point that they would be watching; then, +crawling upon his stomach, he made his way slowly down to the lake. +Entering the water and stooping low, he waded along the edge of the +bushes for a distance of a mile; then he left the water and struck +into the forest. Every few minutes he could hear the discharge of the +rifles at the house; but, as before, no answering shots were heard. +Treading very cautiously, he made a wide <I>détour</I> and then came down +again on the clearing at the end furthest from the lake, where the +Indians had been last seen moving about. All was still. Keeping among +the trees and moving with great caution, he made his way, for a +considerable distance, along the edge of the clearing; then he +dropped on his hands and knees and entered the cornfield, and for two +hours he crawled about, quartering the ground like a dog in search of +game. Everywhere he found lines where the Indians had crawled along +to the edge nearest to the house, but nowhere did he discover a sign +of life. Then, still taking great care, he moved down toward the +house and made a circuit of it a short distance outside the stockade; +then he rose to his feet. + +<P>"Yer may stop shooting," he shouted. "The pesky rascals are gone." +Then he walked openly up to the gate; it was opened at once by +William Welch. + +<P>"Are you sure they have gone?" he asked. + +<P>"Sure as gospel," he answered, "and they've been gone twenty-four +hours at least." + +<P>"How do you know that?" + +<P>"Easy enough. I found several of their cooking places in the woods; +the brands were out, and even under the ashes the ground was cold, so +they must have been out for a long time. I could have walked straight +on to the house, then, but I thought it safer to make quite sure by +searching everywhere, for they might have moved deeper into the +forest, and left a few men on guard here, in case the young uns +should come back. But it aint so; they've gone, and there aint a +living soul anywhere nigh the clearing. The young uns can come back +now, if they will, safely enough." + +<P>Before doing anything else the farmer assembled the party together in +the living room, and there solemnly offered up thanks to God for +their deliverance from danger, and implored his protection for the +absent ones. When this was over he said to his wife: + +<P>"Now, Jane; you had better lie down and get a few hours' sleep. It is +already two o'clock, and there is no chance whatever of their +returning tonight, but I shall go down to the lake and wait till +morning. Place candles in two of the upper windows. Should they be +out on the lake they will see them and know that the Indians have not +taken the house." + +<P>Morning came, without any signs of the absent ones. At daybreak +Pearson went out to scout in the woods, and returned late in the +afternoon with the news that the Indians had all departed, and that, +for a distance of ten miles at least, the woods were entirely free. + +<P>When it became dark the farmer again went down to the lake and +watched until two, when Pearson took his place. Mr. Welch was turning +to go back to the house when Pearson placed his hand on his shoulder. + +<P>"Listen!" he said; and for a minute the men stood immovable. + +<P>"What was it?" the farmer asked. + +<P>"I thought I heard the stroke of a paddle," Pearson said; "it might +have been the jump of a fish. There! there it is again!" He lay down +and put his ear close to the water. "There's a canoe in the lake to +the north'ard. I can hear the strokes of the paddle plainly." + +<P>Mr. Welch could hear nothing. Some minutes passed, then Pearson +exclaimed: + +<P>"There! I saw a break in the water over there! There it is!" he said, +straining his eyes in the darkness. "That's a canoe, sure enough, +although they have ceased paddling. It's not a mile away." + +<P>Then he rose to his feet and shouted "Halloo!" at the top of his +voice. An answering shout faintly came back across the water. He +again hailed loudly, and this time the answer came in a female voice. + +<P>"It's them, sure enough. I can swear to Nelly's voice." + +<P>William Welch uncovered his head and, putting his hand before his +face, returned fervent thanks to God for the recovery of his child. +Then he dashed off at full speed toward the house. Before he reached +it however, he met his wife running down to meet him, the shouts +having informed her that something was seen. Hand in hand they ran +down to the water's edge. The canoe was now swiftly approaching. The +mother screamed: + +<P>"Nelly! is that you?" + +<P>"Mamma! mamma!" came back in the girl's clear tones. + +<P>With a low cry of gladness Mrs. Welch fell senseless to the ground. +The strain which she had for four days endured had been terrible, and +even the assurances of Pearson had failed to awaken any strong +feeling of hope in her heart. She had kept up bravely and had gone +about her work in the house with a pale, set face, but the unexpected +relief was too much for her. Two minutes later the bow of the canoe +grated on the shore, and Nelly leaped into her father's arms. + +<P>"Where is mamma?" she exclaimed. "She is here, my dear, but she has +fainted. The joy of your return has been too much for her." + +<P>Nelly knelt beside her mother and raised her head, and the farmer +grasped Harold's hand. + +<P>"My brave boy," he said, "I have to thank you for saving my child's +life. God bless you!" + +<P>He dipped his hat in the lake and sprinkled water in his wife's face. +She soon recovered and, a few minutes afterward, the happy party +walked up to the house, Mrs. Welch being assisted by her husband and +Pearson. The two young ones were soon seated at a table, ravenously +devouring food, and, when their hunger was satisfied, they related +the story of their adventures, the whole of the garrison being +gathered round to listen. After relating what had taken place up to +the time of their hiding the canoe, Harold went on: + +<P>"We walked about a quarter of a mile until we came to a large clump +of underwood. We crept in there, taking great pains not to break a +twig or disturb a leaf. The ground was, fortunately, very dry, and I +could see that our footprints had not left the smallest marks. There +we have lain hid ever since. We had the fish and the berries, and, +fortunately, the fruit was ripe and juicy and quenched our thirst +well enough, and we could, sometimes, hear the firing by day, and +always at night. On the day we took refuge we heard the voices of the +Indians down toward the lake quite plainly, but we have heard nothing +of them since. Last night we heard the firing up to the middle of the +night, and then it suddenly stopped. To-day I crept out and went down +to the lake to listen; but it seemed that everything was still. Nelly +was in a terrible way, and was afraid that the house had been taken +by the Indians, but I told her that could not be, for that there +would certainly have been a tremendous lot of firing at last, whereas +it stopped, after a few shots, just as it had been going on so long. +Our provisions were all gone and Nelly was getting very bad for want +of water. I, of course, got a drink at the lake this morning. So we +agreed that, if everything was still again to-night, we would go back +to the place where we had hidden the canoe, launch it, and paddle +here. Everything was quiet, so we came along as we had arranged. When +I saw the lights in the windows I made sure all was right: still it +was a great relief when I heard the shout from the shore. I knew, of +course, that it wasn't a redskin's shout. Besides, Indians would have +kept quiet till we came alongside." + +<P>Very hearty were the commendations bestowed on the boy for his +courage and thoughtfulness. + +<P>"You behaved like an old frontiersman," Pearson said. "I couldn't +have done better myself. You only made one blunder from the time you +set out from shore." + +<P>"What was that?" Harold asked. + +<P>"You were wrong to pick the berries. The redskins, of course, would +find where you had landed, they'd see the marks where you lay down, +and would know that you had paddled away again. Had it not been for +their seeing the tracks you made in picking the berries they might +have, supposed you had started before daybreak, and had gone out of +sight across the lake; but them marks would have shown 'em that you +did not take to your canoe until long after the sun was up, and +therefore that you couldn't have made across the lake without their +seeing you, but must either have landed or be in your canoe under +shelter of the trees somewhere along the shore. It's a marvel to me +that they didn't find your traces, however careful you were to +conceal 'em. But that's the only error you made, and I tell you, +young un, you have a right to be proud of having outwitted a hull +tribe of redskins." + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c4"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER IV.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON.</H3> + +<P>Harold remained for four months longer with his cousin. The Indians +had made several attacks upon settlements at other points of the +frontier, but they had not repeated their incursion in the +neighborhood of the lake. The farming operations had gone on +regularly, but the men always worked with their rifles ready to their +hand. Pearson had predicted that the Indians were not likely to +return to that neighborhood. Mr. Welch's farm was the only one along +the lake that had escaped, and the loss the Indians had sustained in +attacking it had been so heavy that they were not likely to make an +expedition in that quarter, where the chances of booty were so small +and the certainty of a desperate resistance so great. + +<P>Other matters occurred which rendered the renewal of the attack +improbable. The news was brought by a wandering hunter that a quarrel +had arisen between the Shawnees and the Iroquois, and that the latter +had recalled their braves from the frontier to defend their own +villages in case of hostilities breaking out between them and the +rival tribe. + +<P>There was no occasion for Harold to wait for news from home, for his +father had, before starting, definitely fixed the day for his return, +and when that time approached Harold started on his eastward journey, +in order to be at home about the date of their arrival. Pearson took +him in his canoe to the end of the lake and accompanied him to the +settlement, whence he was able to obtain a conveyance to Detroit. +Here he took a passage in a trading boat and made his way by water to +Montreal, thence down through Lake Champlain and the Hudson River to +New York, and thence to Boston. + +<P>The journey had occupied him longer than he expected, and Mr. and +Mrs. Wilson were already in their home at Concord when he arrived. +The meeting was a joyful one. His parents had upon their return home +found letters from Mr. Welch and his wife describing the events which +had happened at the farm, speaking in the highest terms of the +courage and coolness in danger which Harold had displayed, and giving +him full credit for the saving of their daughter's life. + +<P>Upon the day after Harold's return two gentlemen called upon Captain +Wilson and asked him to sign the agreement which a number of +colonists had entered into to resist the mother country to the last. +This Captain Wilson positively refused to do. + +<P>"I am an Englishman," he said, "and my sympathies are wholly with my +country. I do not say that the whole of the demands of England are +justifiable. I think that Parliament has been deceived as to the +spirit existing here. But I consider that it has done nothing +whatever to justify the attitude of the colonists. The soldiers of +England have fought for you against French and Indians and are still +stationed here to protect you. The colonists pay nothing for their +land; they pay nothing toward the expenses of the government of the +mother country; and it appears to me to be perfectly just that people +here, free as they are from all the burdens that bear so heavily on +those at home, should at least bear the expense of the army stationed +here. I grant that it would have been far better had the colonists +taxed themselves to pay the extra amount, instead of the mother +country taxing them; but this they would not do. Some of the +colonists paid their quota, others refused to do so, and this being +the case, it appears to me that England is perfectly justified in +laying on a tax. Nothing could have been fairer than the tax that she +proposed. The stamp-tax would in no way have affected the poorer +classes in the colonies. It would have been borne only by the rich +and by those engaged in such business transactions as required +stamped documents. I regard the present rebellion as the work of a +clique of ambitious men who have stirred up the people by incendiary +addresses and writings. There are, of course, among them a large +number of men—among them, gentlemen, I place you—who +conscientiously believe that they are justified in doing nothing +whatever for the land which gave them or their ancestors birth; who +would enjoy all the great natural wealth of this vast country without +contributing toward the expense of the troops to whom it is due that +they enjoy peace and tranquility. Such, gentlemen, are not my +sentiments. You consider it a gross hardship that the colonists are +compelled to trade only with the mother country. I grant that it +would be more profitable and better for us had we an open trade with +the whole world; but in this England only acts as do all other +countries toward their colonies. France, Spain, Portugal, and the +Netherlands all monopolize the trade of their colonies; all, far more +than does England, regard their colonies as sources of revenue. I +repeat, I do not think that the course that England has pursued +toward us has been always wise, but I am sure that nothing that she +has done justifies the spirit of disaffection and rebellion which is +ripe throughout these colonies." + +<P>"The time will come, sir," one of the gentlemen said, "when you will +have reason to regret the line which you have now taken." + +<P>"No, sir," Captain Wilson said haughtily. "The time may come when the +line that I have taken may cost me my fortune, and even my life, but +it will never cause me one moment's regret that I have chosen the +part of a loyal English gentleman." + +<P>When the deputation had departed Harold, who had been a wondering +listener to the conversation, asked his father to explain to him the +exact position in which matters stood. + +<P>It was indeed a serious one. The success of England, in her struggle +with France for the supremacy of North America had cost her a great +deal of money. At home the burdens of the people were extremely +heavy. The expense of the army and navy was great, and the ministry, +in striving to lighten the burdens of the people, turned their eyes +to the colonies. They saw in America a population of over two million +people, subjects of the king, like themselves, living free from rent +and taxes on their own land and paying nothing whatever to the +expenses of the country. They were, it is true, forced to trade with +England, but this obligation was set wholly at naught. A gigantic +system of smuggling was carried on. The custom-house officials had no +force at their disposal which would have enabled them to check these +operations, and the law enforcing a trade with England was virtually +a dead letter. + +<P>Their first step was to strengthen the naval force on the American +coast and by additional vigilance to put some sort of check on the +wholesale smuggling which prevailed. This step caused extreme +discontent among the trading classes of America, and these set to +work vigorously to stir up a strong feeling of disaffection against +England. The revenue officers were prevented, sometimes by force, +from carrying out their duties. + +<P>After great consideration the English government came to the +conclusion that a revenue sufficient to pay a considerable proportion +of the cost of the army in America might be raised by means of a +stamp-tax imposed upon all legal documents, receipts, agreements, and +licenses—a tax, in fact, resembling that on stamps now in use in +England. The colonists were furious at the imposition of this tax. A +Congress, composed of deputies from each State, met, and it was +unanimously resolved that the stamp-tax should not be paid. Meetings +were everywhere held, at which the strongest and most treasonable +language was uttered, and such violent threats were used against the +persons employed as stamp-collectors that these, in fear of their +lives, resigned their posts. + +<P>The stamp-tax remained uncollected and was treated by the colonists +as if it were not in existence. + +<P>The whole of the States now began to prepare for war. The Congress +was made permanent, the militia drilled and prepared for fighting, +and everywhere the position grew more and more strained. +Massachusetts was the headquarters of disaffection, and here a total +break with the mother country was openly spoken of. At times the more +moderate spirits attempted to bring about a reconciliation between +the two parties. Petitions were sent to the Houses of Parliament, and +even at this time had any spirit of wisdom prevailed in England the +final consequences might have been prevented. Unfortunately the +majority in Parliament were unable to recognize that the colonists +had any rights upon their side. Taxation was so heavy at home that +men felt indignant that they should be called upon to pay for the +keeping up of the army in America, to which the untaxed colonists, +with their free farms and houses, would contribute nothing. The plea +of the colonists that they were taxed by a chamber in which they were +unrepresented was answered by the statement that such was also the +case with Manchester, Leeds, and many other large towns which were +unrepresented in Parliament. + +<P>In England neither the spirit nor the strength of the colonists was +understood. Men could not bring themselves to believe that these +would fight rather than submit, still less that if they did fight it +would be successfully. They ignored the fact that the population of +the States was one-fourth as large as that of England; that by far +the greater proportion of that population were men trained, either in +border warfare or in the chase, to the use of the rifle; that the +enormous extent of country offered almost insuperable obstacles to +the most able army composed of regular troops, and that the vast +forests and thinly populated country were all in favor of a +population fighting as guerrillas against trained troops. Had they +perceived these things the English people would have hesitated before +embarking upon such a struggle, even if convinced, as assuredly the +great majority were convinced, of the fairness of their demands. It +is true that even had England at this point abandoned altogether her +determination to raise taxes in America the result would probably +have been the same. The spirit of disaffection in the colony had gone +so far that a retreat would have been considered as a confession of +weakness, and separation of the colonists from the mother country +would have happened ere many years had elapsed. As it was, Parliament +agreed to let the stamp-tax drop, and in its place established some +import duties on goods entering the American ports. + +<P>The colonists, however, were determined that they would submit to no +taxation whatever. The English government, in its desire for peace, +abandoned all the duties with the exception of that on tea; but even +this concession was not sufficient to satisfy the colonists. These +entered into a bond to use no English goods. A riot took place at +Boston, and the revenue officers were forced to withdraw from their +posts. Troops were dispatched from England and the House of Commons +declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion. + +<P>It must not be supposed that the colonists were by any means +unanimous in their resistance to England. There were throughout the +country a large number of gentlemen, like Captain Wilson, wholly +opposed to the general feeling. New York refused to send members to +the Congress, and in many other provinces the adhesion given to the +disaffected movement was but lukewarm. It was in the New England +provinces that the spirit of rebellion was hottest. These States had +been peopled for the most part by Puritans—men who had left England +voluntarily, exiling themselves rather than submit to the laws and +religion of the country, and among them, as among a portion of the +Irish population of America at the present time, the feeling of +hatred against the government of England was, in a way, hereditary. + +<P>So far but few acts of violence had taken place. Nothing could be +more virulent than the language of the newspapers of both parties +against their opponents, but beyond a few isolated tumults the peace +had not been broken. It was the lull before the storm. The great +majority of the New England colonists were bent upon obtaining +nothing short of absolute independence; the loyalists and the English +were as determined to put down any revolt by force. + +<P>The Congress drilled, armed, and organized; the English brought over +fresh troops and prepared for the struggle. It was December when +Harold returned home to his parents, and for the next three months +the lull before the storm continued. + +<P>The disaffected of Massachusetts had collected a large quantity of +military stores at Concord. These General Gage, who commanded the +troops at Boston, determined to seize and destroy, seeing that they +could be collected only for use against the Government, and on the +night of April 19 the grenadier and light infantry companies of the +various regiments, 800 strong, under command of Lieutenant Colonel +Smith of the Tenth Regiment, and Major Pitcairne of the Marines, +embarked in boats and were conveyed up Charles River as far as a +place called Phipps' Farm. There they landed at midnight, having a +day's provisions in their haversacks, and started on their march to +Concord, twenty miles distant from Boston. + +<P>The design had been discovered by some of the revolutionary party in +the town, and two of their number were dispatched on horseback to +rouse the whole country on the way to Concord, where the news arrived +at two o'clock in the morning. + +<P>Captain Wilson and his household were startled from sleep by the +sudden ringing of the alarm-bells, and a negro servant, Pompey, who +had been for many years in their service, was sent down into the +town, which lay a quarter of a mile from the house, to find out what +was the news. He returned in half an hour. + +<P>"Me tink all de people gone mad, massa. Dey swarming out of deir +houses and filling de streets, all wid guns on deir shoulders, all de +while shouting and halloing 'Down wid de English! Down wid de +redcoats! dey shan't have our guns; dey shan't take de cannon and de +powder.' Dere were ole Massa Bill Emerson, the preacher, wid his gun +in his hands, shouting to de people to stand firm and to fight till +de last; dey all shout, 'We will!' Dey bery desperate; me fear great +fight come on." + +<P>"What are you going to do, father?" Harold asked. + +<P>"Nothing, my boy. If, as it is only too likely, this is the beginning +of a civil war, I have determined to offer my services to the +government. Great numbers of loyalists have sent in their names +offering to serve if necessary, and from my knowledge of drill I +shall, of course, be useful. To-day I can take no active part in the +fight, but I shall take my horse and ride forward to meet the troops +and warn the commanding officer that resistance will be attempted +here." + +<P>"May I go with you, father?" + +<P>"Yes, if you like, my boy. Pompey, saddle two horses at once. You are +not afraid of being left alone, Mary?" he said, turning to his wife. +"There is no chance of any disturbance here. Our house lies beyond +the town, and whatever takes place will be in Concord. When the +troops have captured the guns and stores they will return." + +<P>Mrs. Wilson said she was not frightened and had no fear whatever of +being left alone. The horses were soon brought round, and Captain +Wilson and his son mounted and rode off at full speed. They made a +<I>détour</I> to avoid the town, and then, gaining the highroad, went +forward at full speed. The alarm had evidently been given all along +the line. At every village the bells were ringing, the people were +assembling in the streets, all carrying arms, while numbers were +flocking in from the farmhouses around. Once or twice Captain Wilson +was stopped and asked where he was going. + +<P>"I am going to tell the commander of the British force, now marching +hither, that if he advances there will be bloodshed—that it will be +the beginning of civil war. If he has orders to come at all hazards, +my words will not stop him; if it is left to his discretion, possibly +he may pause before he brings on so dire a calamity." + +<P>It was just dawn when Captain Wilson and Harold rode into Lexington, +where the militia, 130 strong, had assembled. Their guns were loaded +and they were ready to defend the place, which numbered about 700 +inhabitants. + +<P>Just as Captain Wilson rode in a messenger ran up with the news that +the head of the British column was close at hand. Some of the militia +had dispersed to lie down until the English arrived. John Parker, who +commanded them, ordered the drums to beat and the alarm-guns to be +fired, and his men drew up in two ranks across the road. + +<P>"It is too late now, Harold," Captain Wilson said. "Let us get out of +the line of fire." + +<P>The British, hearing the drums and the alarm-guns, loaded, and the +advance company came on at the double. Major Pitcairne was at their +head and shouted to the militia to lay down their arms. + +<P>It is a matter of dispute, and will always remain one, as to who +fired the first shot. The Americans assert that it was the English; +the English say that as they advanced several shots were fired at +them from behind a stone wall and from some of the adjoining houses, +which wounded one man and hit Major Pitcairne's horse in two places. + +<P>The militia disregarded Major Pitcairne's orders to lay down their +arms. The English fired; several of the militia were killed, nine +wounded, and the rest dispersed. There was no further fighting and +the English marched on, unopposed, to Concord. + +<P>As they approached the town the militia retreated from it. The +English took possession of a bridge behind the place and held this +while the troops were engaged in destroying the ammunition and +gun-carriages. Most of the guns had been removed and only two +twenty-four pounders were taken. In destroying the stores by fire the +court-house took flames. At the sight of this fire the militia and +armed countrymen advanced down the hill toward the bridge. The +English tried to pull up the planks, but the Americans ran forward +rapidly. The English guard fired; the colonists returned the fire. +Some of the English were killed and wounded and the party fell back +into the town. Half an hour later Colonel Smith, having performed the +duty that he was sent to do, resumed the homeward march with the +whole of his troops. + +<P>Then the militiamen of Concord, with those from many villages around +and every man in the district capable of bearing arms, fell upon the +retiring English. + +<P>The road led through several defiles, and every tree, every rock, +every depression of ground was taken advantage of by the Americans. +Scarcely a man was to be seen, but their deadly fire rained thick +upon the tired troops. This they vainly attempted to return, but they +could do nothing against an invisible foe, every man of whom +possessed a skill with his rifle far beyond that of the British +soldier. Very many fell and the retreat was fast becoming a rout, +when, near Lexington, the column met a strong re-enforcement which +had been sent out from Boston. This was commanded by Lord Percy, who +formed his detachment into square, in which Colonel Smith's party, +now so utterly exhausted that they were obliged to lie down for some +time, took refuge. When they were rested the whole force moved +forward again toward Boston, harassed the whole way by the Americans, +who from behind stone walls and other places of shelter kept up an +incessant fire upon both flanks, as well as in the front and rear, +against which the troops could do nothing. At last the retreating +column safely arrived at Boston, spent and worn out with fatigue. +Their loss was 65 men killed, 136 wounded, 49 missing. + +<P>Such was the beginning of the war of independence. Many American +writers have declared that previous to that battle there was no +desire for independence on the part of the colonists, but this is +emphatically contradicted by the language used at the meetings and in +the newspapers which have come down to us. The leaders may not have +wished to go so far—may not have intended to gain more than an +entire immunity from taxation and an absolute power for the colonists +to manage their own affairs. But experience has shown that when the +spark of revolution is once lighted, when resistance to the law has +once commenced, things are carried to a point far beyond that dreamed +of by the first leaders. + +<P>Those who commenced the French Revolution were moderate men who +desired only that some slight check should be placed on the arbitrary +power of the king—that the people should be relieved in some slight +degree from the horrible tyranny of the nobles, from the misery and +wretchedness in which they lived. These just demands increased step +by step until they culminated in the Reign of Terror and the most +horrible scenes of bloodshed and massacre of modern times. + +<P>Men like Washington and Franklin and Adams may have desired only that +the colonists should be free from imperial taxation, but the popular +voice went far beyond this. Three years earlier wise counsels in the +British Parliament might have averted a catastrophe and delayed for +many years the separation of the colonies from their mother country. +At the time the march began from Boston to Concord the American +colonists stood virtually in armed rebellion. The militia throughout +New England were ready to fight. Arms, ammunition, and military +stores were collected in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. The cannon +and military stores belonging to the Crown had been carried off by +the people, forty cannon being seized in Rhode Island alone. Such +being the case, it is nonsense to speak of the fray at Lexington as +the cause of the Revolutionary War. It was but the spark in the +powder. The magazine was ready and primed, the explosion was +inevitable, and the fight at Lexington was the accidental incident +which set fire to it. + +<P>The efforts of American writers to conceal the real facts of the +case, to minimize the rebellious language, the violent acts of the +colonists, and to make England responsible for the war because a body +of troops were sent to seize cannon and military stores intended to +be used against them are so absurd, as well as so untrue, that it is +astonishing how wide a credence such statements have received. + +<P>From an eminence at some distance from the line of retreat Captain +Wilson and his son watched sorrowfully the attack upon the British +troops. When at last the combatants disappeared from sight through +one of the defiles Captain Wilson turned his horse's head homeward. + +<P>"The die is cast," he said to his wife as she met him at the door. +"The war has begun, and I fear it can have but one termination. The +colonists can place forces in the field twenty times as numerous as +any army that England can spare. They are inferior in drill and in +discipline, but these things, which are of such vast consequence in a +European battlefield, matter but little in such a country as this. +Skill with the rifle and knowledge of forest warfare are far more +important. In these points the colonists are as superior to the +English soldiers as they are in point of numbers. Nevertheless, my +dear, my duty is plain. I am an Englishman and have borne his +Majesty's commission, and I must fight for the king. Harold has +spoken to me as we rode home together, and he wishes to fight by my +side. I have pointed out to him that as he was born here he can +without dishonor remain neutral in the struggle. He, however, insists +that as a royal subject of the king he is entitled to fight for him. +He saw to-day many lads not older than himself in the rebel ranks, +and he has pleaded strongly for permission to go with me. To this I +have agreed. Which would you prefer, Mary—to stay quietly here, +where I imagine you would not be molested on account of the part I +take, or will you move into Boston and stop with your relations there +until the struggle has ended one way or the other?" + +<P>As Mrs. Wilson had frequently talked over with her husband the course +that he would take in the event of civil war actually breaking out, +the news that he would at once offer his services to the British +authorities did not come as a shock upon her. Even the question of +Harold accompanying his father had been talked over; and although her +heart bled at the thought of husband and son being both engaged in +such a struggle, she agreed to acquiesce in any decision that Harold +might arrive at. He was now nearly sixteen, and in the colonies a lad +of this age is, in point of independence and self-reliance, older +than an English boy. Harold, too, had already shown that he possessed +discretion and coolness as well as courage, and although now that the +moment had come Mrs. Wilson wept passionately at the thought of their +leaving her, she abstained from saying any word to dissuade them from +the course they had determined upon. When she recovered from her fit +of crying she said that she would accompany them at once to Boston, +as in the first place their duties might for some time lie in that +city, and that in any case she would obtain far more speedy news +there of what was going on throughout the country than she would at +Concord. She would, too, be living among her friends and would meet +with many of the same convictions and opinions as her husband's, +whereas in Concord the whole population would be hostile. + +<P>Captain Wilson said that there was no time to be lost, as the whole +town was in a tumult. He therefore advised her to pack up such +necessary articles as could be carried in the valises, on the horses' +backs. + +<P>Pompey and the other servants were to pack up the most valuable +effects and to forward them to a relation of Mrs. Wilson's who lived +about three miles from Boston. There they would be in safety and +could be brought into the town, if necessary. Pompey and two other +old servants were to remain in charge of the house and its contents. +Jake, an active young negro some twenty-three or twenty-four years +old, who was much attached to Harold, whose personal attendant and +companion he had always been, was to accompany them on horseback, as +was Judy, Mrs. Wilson's negro maid. + +<P>As evening fell the five horses were brought round, and the party +started by a long and circuitous route, by which, after riding for +nearly forty miles, they reached Boston at two o'clock next morning. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c5"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER V.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">BUNKER'S HILL.</H3> + +<P>The excitement caused by the news of the fight at Concord was intense +and, as it spread through the colonies, the men everywhere rushed to +arms. The fray at Lexington was represented as a wanton outrage, and +the fact wholly ignored that the colonists concerned in it were drawn +up in arms to oppose the passage of the king's troops, who were +marching on their legitimate duty of seizing arms and ammunition +collected for the purpose of warring against the king. The colonial +orators and newspaper writers affirmed then, as they have affirmed +since, that, up to the day of Lexington, no one had a thought of +firing a shot against the Government. A more barefaced misstatement +was never made. Men do not carry off cannon by scores, and accumulate +everywhere great stores of warlike ammunition, without a thought of +fighting. The colonists commenced the war by assembling in arms to +oppose the progress of British troops obeying the orders of the +Government. It matters not a whit on which side the first shot was +fired. American troops have, many times since that event, fired upon +rioters in the streets, under circumstances no stronger than those +which brought on the fight at Lexington. + +<P>From all parts of New England the militia and volunteers poured in, +and in three days after the fight, twenty thousand armed men were +encamped between the rivers Mystic and Roxburgh, thus besieging +Boston. They at once set to work throwing up formidable earthworks, +the English troops remaining within their intrenchments across the +neck of land joining Boston with the mainland. + +<P>The streets of Boston were crowded with an excited populace when +Captain Wilson and his party rode into it at two in the morning. No +one thought of going to bed, and all were excited to the last degree +at the news of the battle. All sorts of reports prevailed. On the +colonial side it was affirmed that the British, in their retreat, had +shot down women and children; while the soldiers affirmed that the +colonists had scalped many of their number who fell in the fight. The +latter statement was officially made by Lord Percy in his report of +the engagement. + +<P>Captain Wilson rode direct to the house of his wife's friends. They +were still up, and were delighted to see Mary Wilson, for such +exaggerated reports had been received of the fight that they were +alarmed for her safety. They belonged to the moderate party, who saw +that there were faults on both sides and regretted bitterly both the +obstinacy of the English Parliament in attempting to coerce the +colonists and the determination of the latter to oppose, by force of +arms, the legitimate rights of the mother country. + +<P>Until the morning the events of the preceding day were talked over; a +few hours' repose was then taken, after which Captain Wilson went to +the headquarters of General Gage and offered his services. Although +Boston was the headquarters of the disaffected party, no less than +two hundred men came forward as volunteers in the king's service, and +Captain Wilson was at once appointed to the command of a company of +fifty men. Before leaving the army he had taken part in several +expeditions against the Indians, and his knowledge of forest warfare +rendered him a valuable acquisition. Boston was but poorly +provisioned, and, as upon the day when the news of Lexington reached +New York two vessels laden with flour for the use of the troops at +Boston were seized by the colonists and many other supplies cut off, +the danger of the place being starved out was considerable. General +Gage, therefore, offered no opposition to the exit from the city of +those who wished to avoid the horror of a siege, and a considerable +portion of the population made their way through to the rebel lines. +Every day brought news of fresh risings throughout the country; the +governors of the various provinces were powerless; small garrisons of +English troops were disarmed and made prisoners; and the fortress of +Ticonderoga, held only by fifty men, was captured by the Americans +without resistance. In one month after the first shot was fired the +whole of the American colonies were in rebellion. + +<P>The news was received in England with astonishment and sorrow. Great +concessions had been made by Parliament, but the news had reached +America too late to avoid hostilities. Public opinion was divided; +many were in favor of granting at once all that the colonists +demanded, and many officers of rank and position resigned their +commissions rather than fight against the Americans. The division, +indeed, was almost as general and complete as it had been in the time +of our own civil war. In London the feeling in favor of the colonists +was strong, but in the country generally the determination to repress +the rising was in the ascendant. The colonists had, with great +shrewdness, dispatched a fast-sailing ship to Europe upon the day +following the battle of Lexington, giving their account of the +affair, and representing it as a massacre of defenseless colonists by +British troops; and the story thus told excited a sympathy which +would not, perhaps, have been extended to them had the real facts of +the case been known. Representatives from all the colonies met at +Philadelphia to organize the national resistance; but as yet, +although many of the bolder spirits spoke of altogether throwing off +allegiance to England, no resolution was proposed to that effect. + +<P>For the first six weeks after his arrival at Boston, Captain Wilson +was engaged in drilling his company. Harold was, of course, attached +to it, and entered with ardor upon his duties. Captain Wilson did not +attempt to form his men into a band of regular soldiers; accuracy of +movement and regularity of drill would be of little avail in the +warfare in which they were likely to be engaged. Accuracy in +shooting, quickness in taking cover, and steadiness in carrying out +any general orders were the principal objects to be attained. Most of +the men had already taken part in frontier warfare. The majority of +them were gentlemen—Englishmen who, like their captain, had come out +from home and purchased small estates in the country. The discipline, +therefore, was not strict, and, off duty, all were on terms of +equality. + +<P>Toward the end of May and beginning of June considerable +re-enforcements arrived from England, and, as a step preparatory to +offensive measures, General Gage, on June 12, issued a proclamation +offering, in his Majesty's name, a free pardon to all who should +forthwith lay down their arms, John Hancock and General Adams only +excepted, and threatening with punishment all who should delay to +avail themselves of the offer. This proclamation had no effect +whatever. + +<P>Near the peninsula of Boston, on the north, and separated from it by +the Charles River, which is navigable and about the breadth of the +Thames at London Bridge, is another neck of land called the Peninsula +of Charlestown. On the north bank, opposite Boston, lies the town of +Charlestown, behind which, in the center of the peninsula, rises an +eminence called Bunker's Hill. Bunker's Hill is sufficiently high to +overlook any part of Boston and near enough to be within cannon-shot. +This hill was unoccupied by either party, and about this time the +Americans, hearing that General Gage had come to a determination to +fortify it, resolved to defeat his resolution by being the first to +occupy it. + +<P>About nine in the evening of June 16 a detachment from the colonial +army, one thousand strong, under the command of Colonel Prescott, +moved along the Charlestown road and took up a position on a shoulder +of Bunker's Hill, which was known as Breed's Hill, just above the +town of Charlestown. They reached this position at midnight. Each man +carried a pick and shovel, and all night they worked vigorously in +intrenching the position. Not a word was spoken, and the watch on +board the men-of-war in the harbor were ignorant of what was going on +so near at hand. At daybreak the alarm was given, and the <I>Lively</I> +opened a cannonade upon the redoubt. A battery of guns was placed on +Copp's Hill, behind Boston, distant twelve hundred yards from the +works, and this, also, opened fire. The Americans continued their +work, throwing up fresh intrenchments; and, singularly, only one man +was killed by the fire from the ships and redoubt. A breastwork was +carried down the hill to the flat ground which, intersected by +fences, stretched away to the Mystic. By nine o'clock they had +completed their intrenchments. + +<P>Prescott sent off for re-enforcements, but there was little harmony +among the colonial troops. Disputes between the contingents of the +various provinces were common; there was no head of sufficient +authority to enforce his orders upon the whole; and a long delay took +place before the re-enforcements were sent forward. + +<P>In the meantime the English had been preparing to attack the +position. The Fifth, Thirty-eighth, Forty-third, and Fifty-second +regiments, with ten companies of the grenadiers and ten of the light +infantry, with a proportion of field artillery, embarked in boats, +and, crossing the harbor, landed on the outward side of the +peninsula, near the Mystic, with a view of outflanking the American +position and surrounding them. The force was under the command of +Major General Howe, under whom was Brigadier General Piggott. + +<P>Upon seeing the strength of the American position, General Howe +halted, and sent back for further re-enforcements. The Americans +improved the time thus given them by forming a breastwork in front of +an old ditch. Here there was a post-and-rail fence. They ran up +another by the side of this and filled the space between the two with +the new-mown hay, which, cut only the day before, lay thickly over +the meadows. + +<P><IMG SRC="images/1.gif" ALT="Plan of the Action At Bunkers Hill, on the 17th of June 1775."> + +<P>Two battalions were sent across to re-enforce Howe, while large +re-enforcements, with six guns, arrived to the assistance of +Prescott. The English had now a force consisting, according to +different authorities, of between 2000 and 2500 men. The colonial +force is also variously estimated, and had the advantage both in +position and in the protection of their intrenchments, while the +British had to march across open ground. As individual shots the +colonists were immensely superior, but the British had the advantages +given by drill and discipline. + +<P>The English lines advanced in good order, steadily and slowly, the +artillery covering them by their fire. Presently the troops opened +fire, but the distance was too great and they did but little +execution. Encumbered with their knapsacks they ascended the steep +hill toward the redoubt with difficulty, covered, as it was, by grass +reaching to the knees. The colonists did not fire a shot until the +English line had reached a point about one hundred and fifty yards +from the intrenchments. Then Prescott gave the order, and from the +redoubt and the long line of intrenchments flanking it flashed a line +of fire. Each man had taken a steady aim with his rifle resting on +the earthwork before him, and so deadly was the fire that nearly the +whole front line of the British fell. For ten minutes the rest stood +with dogged courage, firing at the hidden foe, but these, sheltered +while they loaded and only exposing themselves momentarily while they +raised their heads above the parapets to fire, did such deadly +execution that the remnant of the British fell back to the foot of +the hill. + +<P>While this force, which was under the command of General Pigott, had +been engaged, another division under Howe himself moved against the +rail fence. The combat was a repetition of that which had taken place +on the hill. Here the Americans reserved their fire until the enemy +were close; then, with their muskets resting on the rails, they +poured in a deadly fire, and, after in vain trying to stand their +ground, the troops fell back to the shore. + +<P>Captain Wilson was standing with Harold on Copp's Hill watching the +engagement. + +<P>"What beautiful order they go in!" Harold said, looking admiringly at +the long lines of red-coated soldiers. + +<P>"It is very pretty," Captain Wilson said sadly, "and may do in +regular warfare; but I tell you, Harold, that sort of thing won't do +here. There is scarce a man carrying a gun behind those intrenchments +who cannot with certainty hit a bull's-eye at one hundred and fifty +yards. It is simply murder, taking the men up in regular order +against such a foe sheltered by earthworks." + +<P>At this moment the long line of fire darted out from the American +intrenchments. + +<P>"Look there!" Captain Wilson cried in a pained voice. "The front line +is nearly swept away! Do you see them lying almost in an unbroken +line on the hillside? I tell you, Harold, it is hopeless to look for +success if we fight in this way. The bravest men in the world could +not stand such a fire as that." + +<P>"What will be done now?" Harold asked as the men stood huddled upon +the shore. + +<P>"They will try again," Captain Wilson said. "Look at the officers +running about among them and getting them into order." + +<P>In a quarter of an hour the British again advanced both toward the +redoubt and the grass fence. As before the Americans withheld their +fire, and this time until the troops were far closer than before, and +the result was even more disastrous. Some of the grenadier and light +infantry companies who led lost three-fourths, others nine-tenths of +their men. Again the British troops recoiled from that terrible fire. +General Howe and his officers exerted themselves to the utmost to +restore order when the troops again reached the shore, and the men +gallantly replied to their exhortations. Almost impossible as the +task appeared, they prepared to undertake it for the third time. This +time a small force only was directed to move against the grass fence, +while the main body, under Howe, were to attack the redoubt on the +hill. + +<P>Knapsacks were taken off and thrown down, and each man nerved himself +to conquer or die. The ships in the harbor prepared the way by +opening a heavy cannonade. General Clinton, who was watching the +battle from Copp's Hill, ran down to the shore, rowed across the +harbor, and put himself at the head of two battalions. Then, with +loud cheers, the troops again sprang up the ascent. The American +ammunition was running short, many of the men not having more than +three or four rounds left, and this time they held their fire until +the British troops were within twenty yards. These had not fired a +shot, the order being that there was to be no pause, but that the +redoubt was to be carried with the bayonet. For a moment they wavered +when the deadly volley was poured in upon them. Then, with a cheer, +they rushed at the intrenchments. All those who first mounted were +shot down by the defenders, but the troops would not be denied, and, +pouring over the earthworks leaped down upon the enemy. + +<P>For a few minutes there was a hand-to-hand fight, the Americans using +the butt-ends of their muskets, the English their bayonets. The +soldiers were exhausted with the climb up the hill and their exertions +under a blazing sun, and the great majority of the defenders of the +redoubt were, therefore, enabled to retreat unharmed, as, fresh and +active, they were able to outrun their tired opponents, and as the +balls served out to the English field-pieces were too large, the +artillery were unable to come into action. + +<P>The colonists at the rail fence maintained their position against the +small force sent against them till the main body at the redoubt had +made their escape. The British were unable to continue the pursuit +beyond the isthmus. + +<P>In the whole history of the British army there is no record of a more +gallant feat than the capture of Bunker's Hill, and few troops in the +world would, after two bloody repulses, have moved up the third time +to assail such a position, defended by men so trained to the use of +the rifle. Ten hundred and fifty-four men, or nearly half their +number, were killed and wounded, among whom were 83 officers. In few +battles ever fought was the proportion of casualties to the number +engaged so great. The Americans fought bravely, but the extraordinary +praise bestowed upon them for their valor appears misplaced. Their +position was one of great strength, and the absence of drill was of +no consequence whatever in such an engagement. They were perfectly +sheltered from the enemy's fire while engaged in calmly shooting him +down, and their loss, up to the moment when the British rushed among +them, was altogether insignificant. Their casualties took place after +the position was stormed and on their retreat along the peninsula, +and amounted in all to 145 killed and captured and 304 wounded. It +may be said that both sides fought well; but, from the circumstances +under which they fought, the highest credit is due to the victors. + +<P>The battle, however, though won by the English, was a moral triumph +for the Americans, and the British Parliament should at once have +given up the contest. It was, from the first, absolutely certain that +the Americans, with their immense superiority in numbers, could, if +they were only willing to fight, hold their vast country against the +British troops, fighting with a base thousands of miles away. The +battle of Bunker's Hill showed that they were so willing—that they +could fight sternly and bravely: and this point once established, it +was little short of madness for the English government to continue +the contest. They had not even the excuse of desiring to wipe out the +dishonor of a defeat. Their soldiers had won a brilliant victory and +had fought with a determination and valor never exceeded, and England +could have afforded to say, "We will fight no more. If you, the +inhabitants of a vast continent, are determined to go alone, are +ready to give your lives rather than remain in connection with us, go +and prosper. We acknowledge we cannot subdue a nation in arms." + +<P>From the height of Copp's Hill it could be seen that the British had +suffered terribly. Captain Wilson was full of enthusiasm when he saw +the success of the last gallant charge of the English soldiers, but +he said to Harold: + +<P>"It is a disastrous victory. A few such battles as these and the +English army in America would cease to exist." + +<P>But although they were aware that the losses were heavy they were not +prepared for the truth. The long grass had hidden from view many of +those who fell, and when it was known that nearly half of those +engaged were killed or wounded the feeling among the English was akin +to consternation. + +<P>The generalship of the British was wholly unworthy of the valor of +the troops. There would have been no difficulty in placing some of +the vessels of light draught so far up the Mystic as to outflank the +intrenchments held by the colonists. Indeed, the British troops might +have been landed further up the Mystic, in which case the Americans +must have retreated instantly to avoid capture. Lastly, the troops, +although fighting within a mile of their quarters, were encumbered +with three days' provisions and their knapsacks, constituting, with +their muskets and ammunition, a load of 125 pounds. This was, indeed, +heavily handicapping men who had, under a blazing sun, to climb a +steep hill, with grass reaching to their knees, and intersected by +walls and fences. + +<P>American writers describe the defenders of the position as inferior +in numbers to the assailants, but it is due to the English to say +that their estimate of the number of the defenders of the +intrenchments differs very widely from this. General Gage estimated +them as being fully three times as numerous as the British troops. It +is probable that the truth lies between the two accounts. + +<P>Captain Wilson returned with Harold, greatly dispirited, to his +house. + +<P>"The lookout is dreadfully bad," he said to his wife, after +describing the events of the day. "So far as I can see there are but +two alternatives—either peace or a long and destructive war with +failure at its end. It is even more hopeless trying to conquer a vast +country like this, defended by irregulars, than if we had a trained +and disciplined army to deal with. In that case two or three signal +victories might bring the war to a conclusion; but fighting with +irregulars, a victory means nothing beyond so many of the enemy +killed. There are scarcely any cannon to take, no stores or magazines +to capture. When the enemy is beaten he disperses, moves off, and in +a couple of days gathers again in a fresh position. The work has no +end. There are no fortresses to take, no strategical positions to +occupy, no great roads to cut. The enemy can march anywhere, attack +and disperse as he chooses, scatter, and re-form when you have passed +by. It is like fighting the wind." + +<P>"Well, John, since it seems so hopeless, cannot you give it up? Is it +too late?" + +<P>"Altogether too late, Mary, and if I were free tomorrow I would +volunteer my services again next day. It is not any the less my duty +to fight in my country's cause because I believe the cause to be a +losing one. You must see that yourself, dear. If England had been +sure to win without my aid, I might have stood aloof. It is because +everyone's help is needed that such services as I can render are due +to her. A country would be in a bad way whose sons were only ready to +fight when their success was a certainty." + +<P>The Congress determined now to detach Canada from the English side +and prepared a force for the invasion of that colony, where the +British had but few regular troops. + +<P>Captain Wilson was one morning summoned to headquarters. On his +return he called together four or five of the men best acquainted +with the country. These had been in their early days hunters or +border scouts, and knew every foot of the forest and lakes. + +<P>"I have just seen the general," Captain Wilson said. "A royalist +brought in news last night that the rebels are raising a force +intended to act against Montreal. They reckon upon being joined by a +considerable portion of the Canadians, among whom there is, +unfortunately, a good deal of discontent. We have but two regiments +in the whole colony. One of these is at Quebec. The rebels, +therefore, will get the advantage of surprise, and may raise the +colony before we are in a condition to resist. General Howe asked me +to take my company through the woods straight to Montreal. We should +be landed a few miles up the coast at night. I suppose some of you +know the country well enough to be able to guide us." + +<P>Several of the men expressed their ability to act as guides. + +<P>"I've fought the Injuns through them woods over and over again," said +one of them, a sinewy, weather-beaten man of some sixty years old, +who was known as Peter Lambton. He had for many years been a scout +attached to the army and was one of the most experienced hunters on +the frontier. He was a tall, angular man, except that he stooped +slightly, the result of a habit of walking with the head bent forward +in the attitude of listening. The years which had passed over him had +had no effect upon his figure. He walked with a long, noiseless +tread, like that of an Indian, and was one of the men attached to his +company in whom, wisely, Captain Wilson had made no attempt to +instill the very rudiments of drill. It was, the captain thought, +well that the younger men should have such a knowledge of drill as +would enable them to perform simple maneuvers, but the old hunters +would fight in their own way—a way infinitely better adapted for +forest warfare than any that he could teach them. Peter and some of +his companions were in receipt of small pensions, which had been +bestowed upon them for their services with the troops. Men of this +kind were not likely to take any lively interest in the squabbles as +to questions of taxation, but when they found that it was coming to +fighting they again offered their services to the government as a +matter of course. Some were attached to the regular troops as scouts, +while others were divided among the newly raised companies of +loyalists. + +<P>Peter Lambton had for the last four years been settled at Concord. +During the war with the French he had served as a scout with the +regiment to which Captain Wilson belonged, and had saved that +officer's life when with a portion of his company, he was surrounded +and cut off by hostile Indians. A strong feeling of friendship had +sprung up between them, and when, four years before, there had been a +lull in the English fighting on the frontier, Peter had retired on +his pension and the savings which he had made during his many years' +work as a hunter, and had located himself in a cottage on Captain +Wilson's estate. It was the many tales told him by the hunter of his +experiences in Indian warfare that had fired Harold with a desire for +the life of a frontier hunter, and had given him such a knowledge of +forest life as had enabled him to throw off the Indians from his +trail. On Harold's return the old hunter had listened with extreme +interest to the story of his adventures and had taken great pride in +the manner in which he had utilized his teachings. Peter made his +appearance in the city three days after the arrival of Captain Wilson +there. + +<P>"I look upon this here affair as a favorable occurrence for Harold," +he said to Captain Wilson. "The boy has lots of spirits, but if it +had not been for this he might have grown up a regular town +greenhorn, fit for nothing but to walk about in a long coat and to +talk pleasant to women; but this 'll jest be the making of him. With +your permission, cap, I'll take him under my charge and teach him to +use his eyes and his ears, and I reckon he'll turn out as good an +Injun fighter as you'll see on the frontier." + +<P>"But it is not Indians that we are going to fight Peter," Captain +Wilson said. "I heartily wish it was." + +<P>"It 'll be the same thing," Peter said; "not here, in course; there +'ll be battles between the regulars and the colonists, regular +battles like that at Quebec, where both parties was fools enough to +march about in the open and get shot down by hundreds. I don't call +that fighting; that's jest killing, and there aint no more sense in +it than in two herd of buffalo charging each other on the prairie. +But there 'll be plenty of real fighting—expeditions in the woods +and Injun skirmishes, for you'll be sure that the Injuns'll join in, +some on one side and some on the other; it aint in their nature to +sit still in their villages while powder's being burned. A few months +of this work will make a man of him, and he might have a worse +teacher than Peter Lambton. You jest hand him over to my care, cap, +and I'll teach him all I know of the ways of the woods, and I tell +yer there aint no better kind of edication for a young fellow. He +larns to use the senses God has given him, to keep his head when +another man would lose his presence of mind, to have the eye of a +hawk and the ear of a hound, to get so that he scarcely knows what it +is to be tired or hungry, to be able to live while other men would +starve, to read the signs of the woods like a printed book, and to be +in every way a man and not a tailor's figure." + +<P>"There is a great deal in what you say, old friend," Captain Wilson +answered, "and such a training cannot but do a man good. I wish with +all my heart that it had been entirely with red foes that the +fighting was to be done. However, that cannot be helped, and as he is +to fight he could not be in better hands than yours. So long as we +remain here I shall teach him what drill I can with the rest of the +company, but when we leave this town and the work really begins, I +shall put him in your charge to learn the duties of a scout." + +<P>The young negro Jake had also enlisted, for throughout the war the +negroes fought on both sides, according to the politics of their +masters. There were only two other negroes in the company, and +Captain Wilson had some hesitation in enlisting them, but they made +good soldiers. In the case of Jake, Captain Wilson knew that he was +influenced in his wish to join solely by his affection for Harold, +and the lad's father felt that in the moment of danger the negro +would be ready to lay down his life for him. + +<P>There was great satisfaction in the band when they received news that +they were at last about to take the field. The long inaction had been +most wearisome to them, and they knew that any fighting that would +take place round Boston would be done by the regular troops. Food, +too, was very scarce in town, and they were heartily weary of the +regular drill and discipline. They were, then, in high spirits as +they embarked on board the <I>Thetis</I> sloop-of-war and sailed from +Boston harbor. + +<P>It was a pitiful parting between Mrs. Wilson and her husband and son. +It had been arranged that she should sail for England in a ship that +was leaving in the following week and should there stay with her +husband's family, from whom she had a warm invitation to make their +home her own until the war was over. + +<P>The <I>Thetis</I> ran out to sea. As soon as night fell her bow was turned +to land again, and about midnight the anchor was let fall near the +shore some twenty miles north of Boston. The landing was quickly +effected, and with three days' provisions in their knapsacks the +little party started on their march. + +<P>One of the scouts who had come from that neighborhood led them by +paths which avoided all villages and farms. At daybreak they +bivouacked in a wood and at nightfall resumed the march. By the next +morning they had left the settlements behind, and entered a belt of +swamp and forest extending west to the St. Lawrence. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c6"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER VI.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">SCOUTING.</H3> + +<P>A party of six men were seated around a fire in the forest which +covered the slopes of the northern shore of Lake Champlain. The spot +had been chosen because a great tree had fallen, bringing down +several others in its course, and opening a vista through which a +view could be obtained of the surface of the lake. The party +consisted of Peter Lambton, Harold, Jake, Ephraim Potter, another old +frontiersman, and two Indians. + +<P>The company under Captain Wilson had made its way safely to the St. +Lawrence after undergoing considerable hardships in the forest. They +had been obliged to depend entirely on what game they could shoot and +such fish as they could catch in the rivers whose course they +followed. They had, however, reached Montreal without loss, and there +they found that General Carleton had in all about 500 regulars and +about 200 volunteers who had recently been engaged. + +<P>It was clear that if the people of Canada were as hostile to the +connection with England as were those of the other colonies, the +little force at the disposal of the English general could do nothing +to defend the colony against the strong force which the Americans +were collecting for its invasion. Fortunately this was not the case. +Although the Canadians were of French descent and the province had +been wrested by arms from France, they for the most part preferred +being under English rule to joining the insurgent colonies. They had +been in no way oppressed by England, their property had been +respected, and above all things no attempt had ever been made to +interfere with their religion. In the New England provinces the hard +Puritan spirit of the early fathers had never ceased to prevail. +Those who had fled from England to obtain freedom of worship had been +intolerant persecutors of all religion different from their own. The +consequence was that the priests of Canada were wholly opposed to any +idea of union with the insurgent colonists. Their influence over the +people was great, and although these still objected to the English +rule and would have readily taken up arms against it under other +circumstances, they had too little sympathy with the New Englanders +to join in their movement, which, if successful, would have placed +Canada under the rule of the United States instead of that of +England. + +<P>The upper classes of Canadians were almost to a man loyal to the +English connection. They had been well treated and enjoyed a greater +state of independence than had been the case under French rule. +Moreover, they were for the most part descended from old French +families, and their sympathies were entirely opposed to popular +insurrection. Thus, when Captain Wilson and his party reached +Montreal, they found that, in spite of the paucity of English troops +under the command of General Carleton, the position was not so bad as +had been feared by General Gage. It was possible, and indeed +probable, that Upper Canada might fall into the hands of the +Americans, and that even Quebec itself might be captured; but unless +the people joined the Americans the success of the latter would be +but temporary. With the spring the navigation of the river would be +open and re-enforcements would arrive from England. The invaders +would then be at a disadvantage. Separated from home by a wide tract +of forest-covered country, they would have the greatest difficulty in +transporting artillery, ammunition, and stores, and, fighting as an +army in invasion, they would be placed in a very different position +to that occupied by the colonists fighting on their own ground. It +was probable that for a time the tide of invasion would succeed. + +<P>The Indians of the Five Nations, as those dwelling near the British +frontier at this point were called, had volunteered their services to +the general to cross the frontier to recapture Ticonderoga and Crown +Point, which had been seized by the Americans, and to carry the war +into the colonies. But General Carleton, an exceedingly humane and +kind-hearted man, shrank from the horrors that such a warfare would +entail upon the colonists. He accepted the services of the Indians as +far as the absolute defense of Canada from invasion, but refused to +allow them to cross the frontier. + +<P>On the arrival of Captain Wilson with his little force he was ordered +to march at once to the fort of St. John's, which was held by a party +of regular troops. + +<P>On arriving at that place the two scouts had been sent down toward +Lake Champlain to watch the proceedings of the enemy. Harold had +obtained leave from his father to accompany the scouts, and Jake had +been permitted to form one of the party. Peter Lambton had grumbled a +little at this last addition to the number. He knew Jake's affection +for his young master, and the great strength of the negro would have +rendered him useful in a hand-to-hand fight, but he was altogether +unaccustomed to forest work, and his habit of bursting into fits of +laughter on the smallest provocation, as is the manner of his race, +enraged the scout to the last degree. Indeed, he had not left the +fort above an hour when he turned savagely on the negro. + +<P>"Look-ee here," he said, "if that's the way ye're a-going on, the +sooner ye turns yer face and tramps back to the fort the better. When +you were at Concord it done no harm to make as much noise as a +jackass braying whenever you opened that mouth of yours, but it won't +do in the forests. It would cost us our har and your wool ef yer were +to make that noise with the enemy anywhere within fifteen miles of +yer. I aint a-going, if I knows it, to risk my sculp on such a +venture as this; still less I aint a-going to see this young chap's +life thrown away. His father hez put him in my charge, and I aint +a-going to see him sacrificed in no such way. So ye've got to make up +yer mind; yer have got to keep that mouth of yours shut tight or +yer've got to tramp back to the fort." + +<P>Jake gave many promises of silence, and although at first he often +raised his voice to a point far exceeding that considered by the +hunters safe in the woods, he was each time checked by such a savage +growl on the part of Peter, or by a punch in the ribs from Harold, +that he quickly fell into the ways of the others and never spoke +above a loud whisper. + +<P>At a short distance from the fort they were joined by the two +Indians, who were also out on a scouting expedition on their own +account. They had previously been well known both to Peter and +Ephraim. They were warriors of the Seneca tribe, one of the Five +Nations. They had now been for two days on the north shore of Lake +Champlain. They were sitting round a fire eating a portion of a deer +which had been shot by Harold that morning. So far they had seen +nothing of the enemy. They knew that 3000 men, under Schuyler and +Montgomery, had marched to the other end of the lake. The colonists +had been sending proclamations across the frontier to the +inhabitants, saying that they were coming as friends to free them +from the yoke of England and calling upon them to arise and strike +for freedom. They were also in negotiation with some of the chiefs of +the Five Nations and with other Indian tribes to induce them to join +with them. + +<P>"I propose," Peter said when the meal was finished and he had lighted +his pipe, "to go down the lake and see what they're doing. Deer Tail +here tells me that he knows where there's a canoe. He, Harold, and me +will go and reconnoiter a bit; the other three had best wait here +till we comes back with news. In course, chief," he continued to the +other Indian, after explaining to him in his own language what he +intended to do, "you'll be guided by circumstances—you can see a +long way down the lake, and ef anything should lead you to think that +we're in trouble, you can take such steps as may seem best to you. +It's mighty little I should think of the crowd of colonists; but ef, +as you say, a number of the warriors of the Five Nations, indignant +at the rejection, of their offers by the English general, have gone +down and joined the colonists, it'll be a different affair +altogether." + +<P>The Elk, as the second Seneca chief was called, nodded his assent. In +a few words Peter told Harold what had been arranged. Jake looked +downcast when he heard that he was not to accompany his master, but +as he saw the latter had, since leaving the fort, obeyed without +questioning every suggestion of the scout, he offered no +remonstrance. + +<P>A quarter of an hour later Peter rose, Deer Tail followed his +example, and Harold at once took up his rifle and fell in in their +steps. There was but little talk in the woods, and the matter having +been settled, it did not enter the mind either of Peter or of the +Indian to say a word of adieu to their comrades. Harold imitated +their example, but gave a nod and a smile to Jake as he started. + +<P>Half an hour's tramp took them to the shore of the lake. Here they +halted for a minute while the Indian closely examined the locality. +With the wonderful power of making their way straight through the +forest to the required spot, which seems to be almost an instinct +among Indians, Deer Tail had struck the lake within two hundred yards +of the point which he aimed at. He led the way along the shore until +he came to a spot where a great maple had fallen into the lake; here +he turned into the forest again, and in fifty yards came to a clump +of bushes; these he pushed aside and pointed to a canoe which was +lying hidden among them. Peter joined him, the two lifted the boat +out, placed it on their shoulders, and carried it to the lake. There +were three paddles in it. Peter motioned Harold to take his place in +the stern and steer, while he and the Indian knelt forward and put +their paddles in the water. + +<P>"Keep her along on the right shore of the lake, about fifty yards +from the trees. There's no fear of anyone lurking about near this +end." + +<P>The canoe was light and well made, and darted quickly over the water +under the strokes of the two paddlers. It was late in the afternoon +when they started, and before they had gone many miles darkness had +fallen. The canoe was run in close to shore, where she lay in the +shadow of the trees until morning. Just as the sun rose the redskin +and Peter simultaneously dipped their paddles in the water and sent +the canoe under the arches of the trees. They had at the same instant +caught sight of four canoes making their way along the lake. + +<P>"Them's Injuns," Peter whispered. "They're scouting to see if the +lake's free. If the general could have got a couple of gunboats up +the Sorrel the enemy could never have crossed the lake, and it would +have given them a month's work to take their guns round it. It's +lucky we were well under the trees or we should have been seen. What +had we best do, Deer Tail?" + +<P>For two or three minutes the scouts conversed together in the Indian +tongue. + +<P>"The Seneca agrees with me," Peter said. "It's like enough there are +Injuns scouting along both shores. We must lay up here till +nightfall. Ef we're seen they'd signal by smoke, and we should have +them canoes back again in no time. By their coming I expect the +expedition is starting, but it won't do to go back without being sure +of it." + +<P>The canoe was paddled to a spot where the bushes grew thickly by the +bank. It was pushed among these, and the three, after eating some +cooked deer's flesh which they had brought with them, prepared to +pass the day. + +<P>"The Seneca and I'll keep watch by turns," the scout said. "We'll +wake you if we want ye." + +<P>Harold was by this time sufficiently accustomed to the ways of the +woods to obey orders at once without offering to take his turn at +watching, as his inclination led him to do, and he was soon sound +asleep. It was late in the afternoon when he was awoke by the scout +touching him. + +<P>"There's some critters coming along the bank," he said in a whisper. +"They aint likely to see us, but it's best to be ready." + +<P>Harold sat up in the canoe, rifle in hand, and, listening intently, +heard a slight sound such as would be produced by the snapping of a +twig. Presently he heard upon the other side of the bushes, a few +yards distant, a few low words in the Indian tongue. He looked at his +companions. They were sitting immovable, each with his rifle directed +toward the sound, and Harold thought it would fare badly with any of +the passers if they happened to take a fancy to peer through the +bushes. The Indians had, however, no reason for supposing that there +were any enemies upon the lake, and they consequently passed on +without examining more closely the thicket by the shore. Not until it +was perfectly dark did Peter give the sign for the continuance of the +journey. This time, instead of skirting the lake, the canoe was +steered out toward its center. For some time they paddled, and then +several lights were seen from ahead. + +<P>"I thought so," the scout said. "They've crossed to the Isle La Motte +and they're making as many fires as if they war having a sort of +picnic at home. We must wait till they burns out, for we daren't go +near the place with the water lit up for two or three hundred yards +round. It won't be long, for I reckon it must be past eleven o'clock +now." + +<P>The fires were soon seen to burn down. The paddles were dipped in the +water and the canoe approached the island. + +<P>"I'd give something," Peter said, "to know whether there's any +redskins there. Ef there are, our chance of landing without being +seen aint worth talking of; ef there aint we might land a hull fleet; +at any rate we must risk it. Now, Harold, the chief and me'll land +and find out how many men there are here, and, ef we can, how long +they're likely to stop. You keep the canoe about ten yards from +shore, in the shadow of the trees, and be ready to move close the +instant you hear my call. I'll jest give the croak of a frog. The +instant we get in you paddle off without a word. Ef ye hears any +shouts and judges as how we've been seen, ye must jest act upon the +best of yer judgment." + +<P>The boat glided noiselessly up to the shore. All was still there, the +encampment being at the other side of the island. The two scouts, red +and white, stepped noiselessly on to the land. Harold backed the +canoe a few paces with a quick stroke upon the paddle, and seeing +close to him a spot where a long branch of a tree dipped into the +water, he guided the canoe among the foliage and there sat without +movement, listening almost breathlessly. + +<P>Ere many minutes had elapsed he heard footsteps coming along the +shore. They stopped when near him. Three or four minutes passed +without the slightest sound, and then a voice said, in tones which +the speaker had evidently tried to lower, but which were distinctly +audible in the canoe: + +<P>"I tell yer, redskin, it seems to me as how you've brought us here on +a fool's errand. I don't see no signs of a canoe, and it aint likely +that the British would be along the lake here, seeing as how there's +a score of canoes with your people in them scouting ahead." + +<P>"I heard canoe," another voice said, "first at other end of the +island and then coming along here." + +<P>"And ef yer did," the first speaker said, "likely enough it was one +of the canoes of your people." + +<P>"No," the Indian answered. "If canoe come back with news, would have +come straight to fires." + +<P>"Well, it aint here, anyway," the first speaker said, "and I don't +believe yer ever heard a canoe at all. It's enough to make a man +swear to be called up jest as we were making ourselves comfortable +for the night on account of an Injun's fancies. I wonder at the +general's listening to them. However, we've got our orders to go +round the island and see ef there's any canoe on either shore; so +we'd better be moving, else we shall not get to sleep before +morning." + +<P>Harold held his breath as the group passed opposite to him. +Fortunately the trunk of the tree grew from the very edge of the +water, and there were several bushes growing round it, so that at +this point the men had to make a slight <I>détour</I> inland. Harold felt +thankful indeed that he had taken the precaution of laying his canoe +among the thick foliage, for although the night was dark it would +have been instantly seen had it been lying on the surface of the +lake. Even as it was, a close inspection might have detected it, but +the eyes of the party were fixed on the shore, as it was there, if at +all, that they expected to find an empty canoe lying. + +<P>Harold was uneasy at the discovery that there were still some +redskins on the island. It was possible, of course, that the one he +had heard might be alone as a scout, but it was more likely that +others of the tribe were also there. + +<P>After landing, Peter and the Seneca made their way across the island +to the side facing the American shore. Creeping cautiously along, +they found a large number of flat-bottomed boats, in which the +Americans had crossed from the mainland, and which were, Peter +thought, capable of carrying 2000 men. They now made their way toward +the spot where the forces were encamped. The fires had burned low, +but round a few of them men were still sitting and talking. Motioning +to the Seneca to remain quiet, Peter sauntered cautiously out on to +the clearing where the camp was formed. He had little fear of +detection, for he wore no uniform, and his hunter's dress afforded no +index to the party to which he was attached. + +<P>A great portion of the Americans were still in their ordinary attire, +it having been impossible to furnish uniforms for so great a number +of men as had been suddenly called to arms throughout the colonies. + +<P>From the arbors of boughs which had been erected in all directions, +he judged that the force had been already some days upon the island. +But large numbers of men were sleeping in the open air, and picking +his way cautiously among them, he threw himself down at a short +distance from one of the fires by which three or four men were +sitting. + +<P>For some time they talked of camp matters, the shortness of food, and +want of provisions. + +<P>"It is bad here," one said presently; "it will be worse when we move +forward. Schuyler will be here tomorrow with the rest of the army, +and we are to move down to Isle-aux-Noix, at the end of the lake, and +I suppose we shall land at once and march against St. John's. There +are only a couple of hundred Britishers there, and we shall make +short work of them." + +<P>"The sooner the better, I say," another speaker remarked. "I am ready +enough to fight, but I hate all this waiting about. I want to get +back to my farm again." + +<P>"You are in a hurry, you are," the other said. "You don't suppose we +are going to take Canada in a week's time, do you. Even if the +Canadians join us, and by what I hear that aint so sartin after all, +we shall have to march down to Quebec, and that's no child's play. I +know the country there. It is now September 4. Another month and the +winter will be upon us, and a Canadian winter is no joke, I can tell +you." + +<P>"The more reason for not wasting any more time," the other one +grumbled. "If Montgomery had his way we should go at them quickly +enough, but Schuyler is always delaying. He has kept us waiting now +since the 17th of last month. We might have been halfway to Quebec by +this time." + +<P>"Yes," the other said, "if the Britishers had run away as we came; +but we have got St. John's and Fort Chamblée to deal with, and they +may hold out some time. However, the sooner we begin the job the +sooner it will be over, and I am heartily glad that we move tomorrow." + +<P>Peter had now obtained the information he required, and rising to +his feet again, with a grumbling remark as to the hardness of the +ground, he sauntered away toward the spot where he had left the +Indian. Just as he did so a tall figure came out from an arbor close +by. A fire was burning just in front, and Peter saw that he was a +tall and handsome man of about forty years of age. He guessed at once +that he was in the presence of the colonial leader. + +<P>"You are, like myself," the newcomer said, "unable to sleep, I +suppose?" + +<P>"Yes, general," Peter answered. "I found I could not get off, and so +I thought I'd stretch my legs in the wood a bit. They're lying so +tarnal thick down there by the fires, one can't move without treading +on 'em." + +<P>"Which regiment do you belong to?" + +<P>"The Connecticut," Peter replied, for he knew by report that a +regiment from this province formed part of the expedition. + +<P>"As good men as any I have," the general said cordially. "Their only +fault is that they are in too great a hurry to attack the enemy." + +<P>"I agree with the rest, general," Peter said. "It's dull work wasting +our time here when we're wanted at home. I enlisted for six months, +and the sooner the time's up the better, say I." + +<P>"You have heard nothing moving?" the general asked. "One of the +Chippewas told me that he heard a canoe out in the lake. Ah! here he +is." + +<P>At that moment five or six men, headed by an Indian, issued from the +wood close by. It was too late for Peter to try to withdraw, but he +stepped aside a pace or two as the party approached. + +<P>"Well, have you found anything?" the general asked. + +<P>"No find," the Chippewa said shortly. + +<P>"I don't believe as there ever was a canoe there," the man who +followed him said. "It was jest a fancy of the Injun's." + +<P>"No fancy," the Indian asserted angrily. "Canoe there. No find." + +<P>"It might have been one of our own canoes," Montgomery said in a +conciliatory tone. "The Indians are seldom mistaken. Still, if no one +has landed it matters not either way." + +<P>"Only as we have had a tramp for nothing," the colonist said. +"However, there's time for a sleep yet. Hullo!" he exclaimed as his +eye fell on Peter Lambton. "What, Peter! Why, how did you get here? +Why, I thought as how——General," he exclaimed, sharply turning to +Montgomery, "this man lives close to me at Concord. He's a royalist, +he is, and went into Boston and joined the corps they got up there!" + +<P>"Seize him!" Montgomery shouted, but it was too late. + +<P>As the man had turned to speak to the general, Peter darted into the +wood. The Chippewa, without waiting to hear the statement of the +colonist, at once divined the state of things, and uttering his +war-whoop dashed after the fugitive. Two or three of the colonists +instantly followed, and a moment later three or four Indians who had +been lying on the ground leaped up and darted like phantoms into the +wood. + +<P>The general no sooner grasped the facts than he shouted an order for +pursuit, and a number of the men most accustomed to frontier work at +once followed the first party of pursuers. Others would have done the +same, but Montgomery shouted that no more should go, as they would +only be in the others' way, and there could not be more than two or +three spies on the island. + +<P>After the Chippewa's first war-cry there was silence for the space of +a minute in the forest. Then came a wild scream, mingled with another +Indian yell; a moment later the leading pursuers came upon the body +of the Chippewa. His skull had been cleft with a tomahawk and the +scalp was gone. + +<P>As they were clustered round the body two or three of the Indians ran +up. They raised the Indian wail as they saw their comrade and with +the rest took up the pursuit. + +<P>Peter and the Seneca were now far among the trees, and as their +pursuers had nothing to guide them, they reached the spot where they +had left the canoe unmolested. + +<P>On the signal being given, Harold instantly paddled to the shore. Not +a word was spoken until the canoe was well out in the lake. +Occasional shots were heard on shore as the pursuers fired at objects +which they thought were men. Presently a loud Indian cry rose from +the shore. + +<P>"They see us," Peter said. "We're out of shot and can take it easy." +The redskin said a few words. "You're right, chief. The chief says," +he explained to Harold, "that as there are redskins on the island +they have probably some canoes. The moon's jest getting up beyond +that hill, and it'll be light enough to see us half across the lake. +It would not matter if the water was free; but what with Injuns +prowling along the shores and out on the lake, we shall have to use +our wits to save our har. Look!" he exclaimed two or three minutes +later as two columns of bright flame at a short distance from them +shot up at the end of the island. "They're Injun signals. As far as +they can be seen Injuns will know that there are enemies on the lake. +Now, paddle your hardest, Harold, and do you, chief, keep your eyes +and your ears open for sights and sounds." + +<P>Under the steady strokes of the three paddles the bark canoe sped +rapidly over the water. When the moon was fairly above the edge of +the hill they halted for a moment and looked back. The two columns of +fire still blazed brightly on the island, which was now three miles +astern, and two dark spots could be seen on the water about halfway +between them and it. + +<P>"You can paddle, my lads," Peter Lambton said to the distant foes, +"but you'll never ketch us. I wouldn't heed you if it weren't for the +other varmint ahead." + +<P>He stood up in the canoe and looked anxiously over the lake. + +<P>"It's all clear as far as I can see at present," he said. + +<P>"Can't we land, Peter, and make our way back on foot?" + +<P>"Bless you," Peter said, "there aint a native along the shore there +but has got his eye on this canoe. We might as well take her straight +back to the island as try to land. Better; for we should get a few +hours before they tried and shot us there, while the Injuns would not +give us a minute. No, we must just keep to the water; and now paddle +on again, but take it quietly. It's no odds to let them varmints +behind gain on us a little. You needn't think about them. When the +danger comes we shall want every ounce of our strength." + +<P>For half an hour they paddled steadily on. The pursuing canoes were +now less than a mile behind them. + +<P>"I'd give a good deal," muttered the scout, "for a few black clouds +over the moon; we'd make for shore then and risk it. It will be +getting daylight before long. Ah!" he exclaimed, pausing suddenly as +the chief stopped rowing, "a canoe on each side is rowing out to cut +us off." + +<P>Harold was now paddling forward, while the scout had the place at the +stern. The former was surprised to feel the canoe shooting off from +its former course at right angles toward the shore; then, curving +still more round, they began to paddle back along the lake. The +canoes which had been pursuing them were nearly abreast of each +other. They had embarked from opposite sides of the island, but they +had been gradually drawing together, although still some distance +apart, when Peter turned his canoe. Seeing his maneuver, both turned +to head him off, but by so doing they occupied an entirely different +position in relation to each other, one canoe being nearly half a +mile nearer to them than the other. + +<P>"Take it easy," Peter said. "These varmints will cut us off and we've +got to fight, but we can cripple the one nearest to us before the +other comes up." + +<P>The boats were now darting over the water in a line which promised to +bring the leading canoe almost in collision with that of Peter. When +within two hundred yards of each other Peter ceased rowing. + +<P>"Now," he said, "Harold, see if you can pick one of them fellows off. +It's no easy matter, traveling at the pace they are. You fire first." + +<P>Harold took a steady aim and fired. A yell of derision told that he +had missed. The Indians stopped paddling. There was a flash and a +ball struck the canoe. At the same moment Peter fired. + +<P>"There's one down!" he exclaimed. + +<P>The Seneca fired, but without result; and the three unwounded Indians +in the canoe—for it had contained four men—replied with a volley. + +<P>Harold felt a burning sensation, as if a hot iron passed across his +arm. + +<P>"Hit, boy?" Peter asked anxiously as he gave a short exclamation. + +<P>"Nothing to speak of," Harold replied. + +<P>"The varmints are lying by, waiting for' the other canoe. Paddle +straight at 'em." + +<P>The Indians at once turned the boat and paddled to meet their +companions, who were fast approaching. + +<P>"Now," Peter exclaimed, "we've got 'em in a line—a steady aim this +time." + +<P>The three rifles spoke out; one of the Indians fell into the boat and +the paddle of another was struck from his grasp. + +<P>"Now," the scout shouted, "paddle away! We've got 'em all fairly +behind us." + +<P>Day broke just as they were again abreast of the island. One canoe +was following closely, two others were a mile and a half behind, +while the one with which they had been engaged had made for the +shore. + +<P>"What do you mean to do?" Harold asked Peter. + +<P>"I mean to run as close as I can round the end of the island, and +then make for the place where they must have embarked on the +mainland. They may have seen the signal fires there, but will not +know what has been going on. So now row your best. We must leave the +others as far behind as possible." + +<P>For the first time since they started the three paddlers exerted +themselves to the utmost. They had little fear that there were any +more canoes on the island, for, had there been, they would have +joined in the chase. It was only necessary to keep so far from the +end of the island as would take them out of reach of the fire. +Several shots were discharged as they passed, but these fell short as +the canoe shot along at its highest rate of speed, every stroke +taking it further from its nearest pursuer. + +<P>At the end of an hour's paddling this canoe was a mile and a half +behind. Its rowers had apparently somewhat abated their speed in +order to allow the other two boats to draw up to them, for the result +of the encounter between their comrades and the fugitives had not +been of a nature to encourage them to undertake a single-handed +contest with them. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c7"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER VII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">IN THE FOREST.</H3> + +<P>"See, Peter!" Harold exclaimed; "there is a whole fleet of boats +ahead." + +<P>"I sees 'em," Peter said, "and have seed 'em for the last quarter of +an hour. It's Schuyler, with the rest of what they calls their army. +Steer a little out of the course; we must pass close by 'em. They +won't suspect nothing wrong and will suppose we are merely carrying a +message." + +<P>In half an hour they were abreast of the flotilla, consisting of +flatboats laden with troops. With them were two or three Indian +canoes. Peter steered so as to pass at a distance of a hundred and +fifty yards. They rowed less strongly now, but still vigorously. +There was a shout from the boat. + +<P>"All well on the island?" + +<P>"All well," Peter shouted back, waving his hand, and without further +word the canoe passed on. "There! do you hear that?" Peter exclaimed. +"They're firing shots from the canoes to call their attention. The +chances are they won't hear them, for the rattle of their oars and +the talking and the row they're making are enough to drown the sound +of a cannon. Now put it on again as hard as you can. Another hour +will take us to the landing place." + +<P>They could see, when the flotilla came up to the pursuing boats, that +the canoes which accompanied it turned their heads and joined in the +pursuit, but they were now near three miles ahead and there was no +chance whatever of their being overtaken. They slackened their speed +slightly as they approached the land, and rowed up to the landing +place without any signs of extraordinary haste. A few men were +loitering about. + +<P>"What's the news from the island?" one asked as they landed. + +<P>"All well there," Peter said. + +<P>"Did you see anything of Schuyler?" + +<P>"Yes, we met him about halfway across." + +<P>"What have you come for?" + +<P>"General Montgomery says that no spare flints have been sent over for +the firelocks." + +<P>"I'll swear that some went," one of the men exclaimed, "for I packed +a sack of them myself in one of the boats." + +<P>"I s'pose they have been mislaid," Peter said. "Perhaps some of the +stores have got heaped over 'em. Ef you are quite sartin, we have had +our journey for nothing." + +<P>"As sartin as life," the man replied. "I'll swear to the sackful of +flints; and tarnation heavy they was, too." + +<P>"Well, then, I need not trouble about it further," Peter said. "We'll +take a rest and paddle back in an hour or two. Was there any marks on +the sack, so as I may tell the general how to look for it?" + +<P>"Marks!" the man repeated. "Why, it had 'Flints' written on it in big +black letters six inches long. It must turn up, anyhow. They'll find +it when they come to shift the stores." + +<P>Then, accompanied by his two companions, Peter strolled quietly +through the little village. Stopping at a small store, he purchased +some flour and tea; then he followed the road inland and was soon out +of sight of the village; he stopped for a moment and then shook his +head. + +<P>"It's no use trying to hide our trail here," he said. "The road's an +inch thick in dust, and do what we will they'll be able to see where +we turn off. It's our legs as we have got to trust to for a bit. +We've got a good half hour's start of the canoes; they were a long +three miles behind when we struck the shore." + +<P>Leaving the road, he led the way with a long, swinging stride across +the cultivated land. Twenty minutes' walk took them into the forest, +which extended from the shore of the lake many miles inland. + +<P>"Take off your boots, Harold," he said as he entered the wood. "Them +heels will leave marks that a redskin could pick up at a run. Now +tread, as near as you can, in the exact spot where the Seneca has +trodden before you. He'll follow in my track, and you may be sure +that I'll choose the hardest bits of ground I can come across. There, +the varmints are on shore!" + +<P>As he spoke an angry yell rose from the distant village. At a long, +steady pace, which taxed to the utmost Harold's powers as a walker, +they kept their way through the woods, not pursuing a straight +course, but turning, winding, and zigzagging every few minutes. +Harold could not but feel impatient at what seemed to him such a loss +of time, especially when a yell from the edge of the wood told that +the Indians had traced them thus far—showed, too, that they were far +nearer than before. But, as Peter, afterward explained to him, all +this turning and winding made it necessary for the Indians to follow +every step, as they would an animal, to guess the direction they had +taken. The weather had been dry and the ground was hard; therefore +the most experienced trapper would be obliged to proceed very slowly +on the trail and would frequently be for a time at fault; whereas, +had they continued in a straight line, the Indians could have +followed at a run, contenting themselves with seeing the trail here +and there. They came across two or three little streams running down +toward the lake. These they followed, in some cases up, in others +down, for a considerable distance, leaving the bed where the bushes +grew thick and hid the marks of their feet as they stepped out from +the water. Harold would gladly have gone at a run, but Peter never +quickened his pace. He knew that the Indians could not pick up the +trail at a rate faster than that at which they were going, and that +great delay would be caused at each of the little streams, as it +would be uncertain whether they had passed up or down. + +<P>As the time passed the Indian yells, which had, when they first +entered the wood, sounded so alarmingly near, died away, and a +perfect stillness reigned in the forest. It was late in the afternoon +before Peter halted. + +<P>"We can rest now," he said. "It'll be hours before the critters can +be here. Now let us have some tea." + +<P>He began to look for some dried sticks. Harold offered to assist. + +<P>"You sit down," the scout said. "A nice sort of fire we should get +with sticks of your picking up! Why, we should have a smoke that +would bring all the Injuns in the woods on to us. No, the sticks as +the Seneca and me'll pick up won't give as much smoke as you can put +in a teacup; but I wouldn't risk even that if we was nigh the lake, +for it might be seen by any redskins out in a canoe. But we are miles +back from the lake, and there aint no other open space where they +could get a view over the tree-tops." + +<P>Harold watched the Indian and the scout collecting dry leaves and +sticks, and took particular notice, for future use, of the kinds +which they selected. A light was struck with a flint and steel, and +soon a bright blaze sprang up, without, so far as Harold could see, +the slightest smoke being given off. Then the hunter produced some +food from his wallet, and a tin pot. He had at the last spring they +passed filled a skin which hung on his shoulder with water, and this +was soon boiling over the fire. A handful of tea was thrown in and +the pot removed. Some flour, mixed with water, was placed on a small +iron plate, which was put on the red-hot ashes. A few cakes were +baked, and with these, the cold venison, and the tea an ample meal +was made. + +<P>After nearly an hour's halt they again proceeded on their way. A +consultation had taken place between Peter and the Seneca as to the +best course to be pursued. They could, without much difficulty or +risk, have continued the way through the woods beyond the lake, but +it was important that they should reach the other side by the evening +of the following day, to give warning of the intended attack by the +Americans. There were, they knew, other redskins in the woods besides +those on their trail, and the nearer they approached the shore the +greater the danger. They had determined that they would at all +hazards endeavor to obtain another canoe and cross the lake. Until +nightfall they continued their course, and then, knowing that their +trail could no longer be followed, they made down to the lake. They +were many miles distant from it, and Harold was completely worn out +when at last he saw a gleam of water through the trees. He was not +yet to rest. Entering the lake, they began wading through it at a few +feet from the edge. + +<P>After an hour's walking thus they entered the bushes, which thickly +covered the shore, and made their way through these until they came +to a spot sufficiently open for them to lie down; and Harold, +wrapping himself in the blanket which he carried over his shoulder, +was sound asleep in less than a minute. When he woke the sun was +shining brightly. + +<P>"Get up, youngster! We're in luck," the scout said. "Here's a canoe +with two of the varmints making toward the shore. By the way they're +going they'll land not far off." + +<P>The scout led the way, crawling on his hands and knees, to the +water's edge, to where the Seneca was sitting watching the canoe +through a cover of green leaves. The course that the boat was taking +would lead it to a point some three hundred yards from where they +were sitting. + +<P>"We shall have no difficulty in managing them," Harold said, and +grasped his rifle eagerly. + +<P>"Not too fast," Peter said. "The chances are that the varmints have +friends on shore. Like enough they have been out fishing." + +<P>The shore formed a slight sweep at this point, and the bushes in +which they were hidden occupied the point at one extremity. In the +center of the little bay there was a spot clear from bushes; to this +the canoe was directed. As it approached the shore two other Indians +appeared at the water's edge. One of them asked a question, and in +reply a paddler held up a large bunch of fish. + +<P>"Just as I thought. Like enough there are a dozen of them there," +said Peter. + +<P>On reaching the shore the men sprang out, taking their fish with +them. The canoe was fastened by its head-rope to the bushes, and the +Indians moved a short distance inland. + +<P>"There is their smoke," Peter said, indicating a point some thirty +feet from the lake, but so slight was it that, even when it was +pointed out to him, Harold could hardly make out the light mist +rising from among the bushes. Presently he looked round for the +Seneca, but the Indian had disappeared. + +<P>"He's gone scouting," Peter said in answer to Harold's question. "Ef +there are only four of them it would be an easy job, but I expect +there's more of the red varmints there." + +<P>In ten minutes the Seneca returned as noiselessly as he had gone. He +opened his hand and all the fingers twice; the third time he showed +only three fingers. + +<P>"Thirteen," Peter said. "Too many of them even for a sudden +onslaught." + +<P>The Indian said a few words to Peter; the latter nodded, and Deer +Tail again quietly stole away. + +<P>"He's going to steal the boat," Peter said. "It's a risky job, for +where it lies it can be seen by 'em as they sit. Now, you and me must +be ready with our shooting irons to cover him, if need be. Ef he's +found out before he gets the boat he'll take to the woods and lead +them away from us; but ef he's fairly in the boat, then we must do +our best for him. Ef the wust comes to the wust, I reckon we can hold +these bushes agin 'em for some time; but in the end I don't disguise +from ye, youngster, they'll beat us." + +<P>Harold now sat intently watching the canoe. It seemed an age to him +before he saw a hand emerge from the bushes and take hold of the +head-rope. The motion given to the canoe was so slight as to be +almost imperceptible; it seemed as if it was only drifting gently +before the slight breeze which was creeping over the surface of the +lake. Half its length had disappeared from the open space, when an +Indian appeared by the edge of the water. He looked at the canoe, +looked over the lake, and withdrew again. The hand had disappeared in +the bushes on his approach. The movement of the canoe, slight as it +was, had caught his eye, but, satisfied that it was caused only by +the wind, he had returned to his fire again. The hand appeared again +through the bushes, and the canoe was drawn along until hidden from +the sight of those sitting by the fire. Again the watchful Indian +appeared, but the boat was lying quietly by the bushes at the full +length of its head-rope. He stooped down to see that this was +securely fastened and again retired. Harold held his breath, +expecting that every moment the presence of the Seneca would be +discovered. Scarcely had the Indian disappeared than the Seneca +crawled out from the bushes. With a sweep of his knife he cut the +rope of the canoe and noiselessly entered it, and as he did so gave a +shove with his foot, which sent it dancing along the shore toward the +spot where Harold and his companion were hidden. Then he seized the +paddle, and in half a dozen strokes brought it within reach of them. +Harold and Peter stepped into it; as they did so there was a sudden +shout. The Indian had again strolled down to look at the canoe, whose +movements, slight as they had been, had appeared suspicious to him. +He now, to his astonishment, saw it at the point with two white men +and an Indian on board. He had left his gun behind him and, uttering +his war-cry, bounded back for it. + +<P>"Round the p'int, quick!" Peter exclaimed. "They'll riddle us in the +open." + +<P>Two strokes took the canoe round the projecting point of bushes, and +she then darted along the shore, driven by the greatest efforts of +which the three paddlers were capable. Had the shore been open the +Indians would have gained upon them, but they were unable to force +their way through the thick bushes at anything like the rate at which +the canoe was flying over the water. The first start was upward of a +hundred yards, and this was increased by fifty before the Indians, +arriving at the point, opened fire. The distance was beyond anything +like an accurate range with Indian guns. Several bullets struck the +water round the canoe. + +<P>"Now steer out," Peter said as the firing suddenly ceased. "They're +making a <I>détour</I> among the bushes, and 'll come down ahead of us if +we keep near the shore." + +<P>Two or three more shots were fired, but without effect, and the canoe +soon left the shore far behind. + +<P>"Now," Peter said, "I think we're safe. It's not likely they've +another canoe anywhere near on this side, as most of 'em would have +gone with the expedition. Ef the firing has been heard it will not +attract much attention, being on this side, and I see nothing in the +way of a boat out in the lake. Still, these redskins' eyes can see +'most any distance. Now, chief," he went on to the Indian in his +native language, "the young un and I'll lie down at the bottom of the +boat; do you paddle quietly and easily, as ef you were fishing. The +canoe with a single Indian in it will excite no suspicion, and even +ef you see other canoes, you had better keep on in that way unless +you see that any of 'em are intending to overhaul you." + +<P>The chief nodded assent. Peter and Harold stretched themselves at +full length in the canoe, and the Indian paddled quietly and steadily +on. For an hour not a word was spoken in the canoe. Harold several +times dozed off to sleep. At last the Seneca spoke: + +<P>"Many boats out on water—American army." + +<P>Harold was about to raise his head to look out when Peter exclaimed: +"Lie close, Harold! Ef a head were shown now it would be wuss than ef +we had sat up all the time. We know there are Injun canoes with the +flats, and they may be watching us now. We may be a long way off, but +there's no saying how far a redskin's eyes can carry. Can you see +where they are going to, chief?" he asked the Seneca. "Are they +heading for Isle-aux-Noix, as we heard 'em say they were going to +do?" + +<P>The Seneca nodded. + +<P>"Going to island." + +<P>"Then," Peter said, "the sooner we're across the lake the better." + +<P>The Seneca again spoke, and after a consultation with Peter laid in +his paddle. + +<P>"What is he doing now?" Harold asked. + +<P>"Our course lies pretty near the same way as theirs," Peter said. +"The island is but a short distance from the shore, near the mouth of +the Sorrel, so where we're going would take us right across their +line. We fooled them yesterday, but are not likely to do it again +to-day. So the chief has stopped paddling and makes as if he were +fishing. I doubt whether it will succeed, for he would hardly be +fishing so far out. But we'll soon see. It's better so than to turn +and paddle in any other direction, as that would be sure to excite +their suspicions." + +<P>The fleet of boats had already passed the spot where the canoe would +have crossed had she been going directly across the lake when she was +first seen, and was therefore now ahead of it. The great flotilla +kept on as if the canoe with its single occupant in its rear had not +excited suspicion. The Seneca, however, knew that sharp eyes must be +upon him. The manner in which the canoe had baffled pursuit the day +before must have inflicted a severe blow upon the pride of the +Indians, and although, having driven them off the lake, they could +have no reason for suspecting that their foes could have obtained a +fresh canoe, the Seneca knew that their vigilance would not sleep for +a moment. Therefore, although bending over the side of the canoe as +if watching his lines, his eyes were never off the boats. + +<P>"There are canoes making for the shore both ways," he said at last. +"It is time that my white brother should take the paddle." + +<P>Peter and Harold at once sat up in the boat and looked round the +lake, which at this point was about ten miles wide. The canoe was +four miles from the eastern side; the flotilla was a mile further up +the lake and the same distance nearer to the western shore. Four or +five canoes were detaching themselves from the flotilla, apparently +rowing direct for the shore. It would have been easy for the canoe to +have regained the eastern side long before she could have been cut +off, but here they might find the Chippewas. The Indians whose boat +they had taken would assuredly follow along the shores of the lake in +hopes that something might occur to drive them back. Besides, had +they landed there, they would be unable to carry in time the news of +the approaching attack upon St. John's. For the same reason it was +important to land up the lake near the Canadian end. + +<P>Peter rapidly took in the situation. He saw that it was possible, and +only just possible, to reach the shore at a point opposite to that at +which they now were before the hostile canoes could cut them off from +it. If they headed them there they would be obliged to run down to +the other end of the lake before effecting a landing, while he could +not calculate on being able to beat all the canoes, most of which +carried four paddlers, who would strain every nerve to retrieve their +failure of the previous day. + +<P>Not a word was spoken as the boat darted through the water. Harold, +unaccustomed to judge distances, could form no idea whether the +distant canoes would or would not intercept them. At present both +seemed to him to be running toward the shore on nearly parallel +courses, and the shorter distance that the Indians would have to row +seemed to place them far ahead. The courses, however, were not +parallel, as the Indians were gradually turning their canoes to +intercept the course of that which they were pursuing. As the minutes +went by and the boats converged more and more toward the same point, +Harold saw how close the race would be. After twenty minutes' hard +paddling the boats were within a quarter of a mile of each other, and +the courses which they were respectively taking seemed likely to +bring them together at about a quarter of a mile from the shore. +There were three Indian canoes, and these kept well together. So +close did the race appear that Harold expected every moment to see +Peter sweep the head of the canoe round and make a stern chase of it +by running down the lake. This Peter had no intention of doing. The +canoes, he saw, traveled as fast as his own and could each spare a +man to fire occasionally, while he and his companions would be +obliged to continue paddling. Better accustomed to judge distances +than Harold, he was sure, at the speed at which they were going, he +would be able to pass somewhat ahead of his foes. + +<P>"Row all you know, Harold," he said. "Now, chief, send her along." + +<P>Harold had been rowing to the utmost of his strength, but he felt by +the way the canoe quivered at every stroke that his companions were +only now putting out their extreme strength. The boat seemed to fly +through the water, and he began to think for the first time that the +canoe would pass ahead of their pursuers. The latter were clearly +also conscious of the fact, for they now turned their boats' heads +more toward the shore, so that the spot where the lines would meet +would be close to the shore itself. The canoes were now within two +hundred yards of each other. The Indians were nearer to the shore, +but the oblique line that they were following would give them about +an equal distance to row to the point for which both were making. +Harold could not see that there was the slightest difference in the +rate at which they were traveling. It seemed to him that the four +canoes would all arrive precisely at the same moment at the land, +which was now some five or six hundred yards distant. + +<P>Another two minutes' paddling, and when the canoes were but seventy +or eighty yards apart, Peter, with a sweep with his paddle, turned +the boat's head nearly half round and made obliquely for the shore, +so throwing his pursuers almost astern of him. The shore was but +three hundred yards distant; they were but fifty ahead of their +pursuers. The latter gave a loud yell at seeing the change in the +position in the chase. They had, of course, foreseen the possibility +of such a movement, but had been powerless to prevent it. But they +were prepared, for on the instant one man in each canoe dropped his +paddle and, standing up, fired. It is a difficult thing to take aim +when standing in a canoe dancing under the vigorous strokes of three +paddlers. It was the more difficult since the canoes were at the +moment sweeping round to follow the movement of the chase. The three +balls whistled closely round the canoe, but no one was hit. + +<P>The loss of three paddlers for even so short a time checked the pace +of the canoes. The Indians saw that they could not hope to overtake +their foes, whose canoe was now but a few lengths from shore. They +dropped their paddles, and each man seized his rifle. Another moment, +and the nine pieces would have poured their fire into the canoe about +fifty yards ahead of them, when from the bushes on the shore three +puffs of smoke shot out, and three of the Indians fell, one of them +upsetting his boat in his fall. A yell of surprise and dismay broke +from them, the guns were thrown down, the paddles grasped again, and +the heads of the canoes turned from the shore. The Indians in the +overturned boat did not wait to right it, but scrambled into the +other canoes, and both were soon paddling at the top of their speed +from the shore, not without further damage, for the guns in the +bushes again spoke out, and Peter and the Seneca added their fire the +instant they leaped from the boat to shore, and another of the +Indians was seen to fall. Harold was too breathless when he reached +the bank to be able to fire. He raised his gun, but his hands +trembled with the exertion that he had undergone, and the beating of +his heart and his short, panting breath rendered it impossible for +him to take a steady aim. A minute later Jake burst his way through +the bushes. + +<P>"Ah, Massa Harold!" he exclaimed. "Bress de Lord dat we was here! +What a fright you hab giben me, to be sure! We hab been watching you +for a long time. Ephraim and de redskin dey say dey saw little spot +far out on lake, behind all dose boats; den dey say other boats set +off in chase. For a long time Jake see nothing about dat, but at last +he see dem. Den we hurry along de shore, so as to get near de place +to where de boats row; ebery moment me tink dat dey catch you up. +Ephraim say no, bery close thing, but he tink you come along first, +but dat we must shoot when dey come close. We stand watch for some +time, den Ephraim say dat you no able to get to dat point. You hab to +turn along de shore, so we change our place and run along, and sure +'nough de boat's head turns, and you come along in front of us. Den +we all shoot, and the redskins dey tumble over." + +<P>"Well, Jake, it is fortunate indeed that you were on the spot, for +they could scarcely have missed all of us. Besides, even if we had +got to shore safely, they would have followed us, and the odds +against us would have been heavy." + +<P>"That ar war a close shave, Peter," Ephraim said; "an all-fired close +shave I call it." + +<P>"It war, Ephraim, and no mistake." + +<P>"Why didn't yer head down along the lake?" + +<P>"Because I got news that the colonists air going to attack St. John's +to-morrow, and I want to get to the fort in time to put 'em on their +guard. Besides, both sides of the lake are sure to be full of hostile +Injuns. Those canoes paddled as fast as we did, and in the long run +might have worn us out." + +<P>"Did you have a fight on the lake two nights ago? Me and the redskin +thought we heard firing." + +<P>"We had a skirmish with 'em," Peter said; "a pretty sharp shave it +war, too, but we managed to slip away from them. Altogether we've had +some mighty close work, I can tell yer, and I thought more than once +as we were going to be wiped out." + +<P>While they were speaking the men had already started at a steady pace +through the woods, away from the lake, having first drawn up the +canoe and carefully concealed it. + +<P>It was late at night when they reached Fort St. John. A message was +at once dispatched to a party of the Senecas who were at their +village, about sixteen miles away. They arrived in the morning and, +together with a portion of the garrison, moved out and took their +place in the wooded and marshy ground between the fort and the river. +Scouts were sent along the Sorrel, and these returned about one +o'clock, saying that a large number of boats were coming down the +lake from Isle-aux-Noix. It had been determined to allow the +colonists to land without resistance, as the commander of the fort +felt no doubt of his ability, with the assistance of his Indian +allies, to repulse their attack. Some twelve hundred men were landed, +and these at once began to advance toward the fort, lead by their two +generals, Schuyler and Montgomery. Scarcely had they entered the +swamp, when from every bush a fire was opened upon them. The invaders +were staggered, but pushed forward, in a weak and undecided way, as +far as a creek which intercepted their path. In vain General +Montgomery endeavored to encourage them to advance. They wavered and +soon began to fall back, and in an hour from the time of their +landing they were again gathered on the bank of the river. Here they +threw up a breastwork, and, as his numbers were greatly inferior, the +British officer in command thought it unadvisable to attack them. +After nightfall the colonists took to their boats and returned to +Isle-aux-Noix, their loss in this their first attempt at the invasion +of Canada being nine men. + +<P>A day or two later the Indians again attempted to induce General +Carleton to permit them to cross the frontier and carry the war into +the American settlements, and upon the general's renewed refusal they +left the camp in anger and remained from that time altogether aloof +from the contest. + +<P>St. John's was now left with only its own small garrison. Captain +Wilson was ordered to fall back with his company to Montreal, it +being considered that the garrison of St. John's was sufficient to +defend that place for a considerable time. As soon as the Indians had +marched away, having sent word to the colonists that they should take +no further part in the fight, Montgomery—who was now in command, +Schuyler having fallen sick—landed the whole of the force and +invested the fort. An American officer, Ethan Allen, had been sent +with a party to try to raise the colonists in rebellion in the +neighborhood of Chamblée. He had with him 30 Americans and was joined +by 80 Canadians. Dazzled by the success which had attended the +surprise of Ticonderoga, he thought to repeat the stroke by the +conquest of Montreal. He crossed the river in the night about three +miles below the city. Peter and some other scouts, who had been +watching his movements, crossed higher up and brought the news, and +36 men of the Twenty-sixth Regiment, Captain Wilson's company, and +200 or 300 loyal Canadians, the whole under the command of Major +Campbell, attacked Ethan Allen. He was speedily routed and, with 38 +of his men, taken prisoner. The siege of St. John's made but little +progress. The place was well provisioned, and the Americans encamped +in the low, swampy ground around it suffered much from ill health. +The men were mutinous and insolent, the officers incapable and +disobedient. So far the invasion of Canada, of which such great +things had been hoped by the Americans, appeared likely to turn out a +complete failure. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c8"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER VIII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">QUEBEC.</H3> + +<P>General Carleton, seeing that Montgomery's whole force was retained +idle before St. John's, began to hope that the winter would come to +his assistance before the invaders had made any serious progress. +Unfortunately he had not reckoned on the utter incapacity of the officer +in command of Fort Chamblée. Major Stopford of the Seventh Regiment had +160 men and a few artillerymen, and the fort was strong and well +provided with provisions. American spies had found the inhabitants +around the place favorable to the Americans. Major Brown was sent down +by Montgomery with a small detachment, and, being joined by the +inhabitants, sat down before the fort. They had only two six-pounders, +and could have effected nothing had the fort been commanded by a man of +bravery and resources. Such was not the character of its commander, who, +after a siege of only a day and a half, surrendered the place with all +its stores, which were of inestimable value to the invaders, who were +upon the edge of giving up the siege of the fort; their ammunition being +entirely exhausted; but the six tons of gunpowder, the seventeen cannon, +mortars, and muskets which fell into their hands enabled them to carry +on the siege of St. John's with renewed vigor. There was no excuse +whatever for the conduct of Major Stopford in allowing these stores to +fall into the hands of the Americans; as, even had he not possessed the +courage to defend the fort, he might, before surrendering, have thrown +the whole of the ammunition into the river, upon which there was a safe +sally-port, where he could have carried on the operation entirely +unmolested by the enemy. The colors of the Seventh Regiment were +captured and sent to Congress as the first trophy of the war. + +<P>The siege of St. John's was now pushed on by Montgomery with vigor. +Colonel Maclean, with 800 Indians and Canadians, attempted to relieve +it, crossing the St. Lawrence in small boats. On nearing the other bank, +they were received by so heavy a fire by the Americans posted there that +they were obliged to retire without effecting a landing. Provisions and +ammunition were now running short in St. John's, there was no hope +whatever of relief from the outside, and the officer commanding was +therefore obliged to surrender on November 14, after a gallant defense. + +<P>As there were only some fifty or sixty regulars in Montreal, General +Carleton was unable to defend that town, and, upon the news of the fall +of St. John's, he at once retired to Quebec, and Montreal was occupied +by the Americans. In the meantime another expedition had been dispatched +by the Americans under Arnold. This officer, with 1500 men, had started +for Quebec from a point 130 miles north of Boston. Suffering enormous +fatigue and hardship, the force made its way up the river; past rapids, +cataracts, and through swamps they dragged and carried their boats and +stores. They followed the bed of the river up to its source, and then, +crossing the watershed, descended the Chaudière and Duloup rivers on to +the St. Lawrence, within a few miles of Quebec. + +<P>This was a wonderful march—one scarcely equaled in the annals of +military history. Crossing the St. Lawrence in canoes, Arnold encamped +with his little force upon the heights of Abraham. Such a daring +attempt could not have been undertaken had not the Americans been aware +of the extreme weakness of the garrison at Quebec, which consisted only +of 50 men of the Seventh Regiment, 240 of the Canadian militia, a +battalion of seamen from the ships-of-war, under the command of Captain +Hamilton of the <I>Lizard</I>, 250 strong, and the colonial volunteers, +under Colonel Maclean. + +<P>The fortifications were in a ruinous condition. It was fortunate that +Colonel Maclean, who had come from the Sorrel, upon the surrender of St. +John's, by forced marches, arrived on the very day on which Arnold +appeared before the city. Directly he arrived Arnold attacked the city +at the gate of St. Louis, but was sharply repulsed. He then desisted +from active operations and awaited the arrival of Montgomery, who was +marching down from Montreal. The flotilla in which Carleton was +descending the river was attacked by the Americans, who came down the +Sorrel, and was captured, with all the troops and military stores which +it was bringing down. General Carleton himself escaped in a small boat +under cover of night, and reached Quebec. + +<P>Captain Wilson's company had been attached to the command of Colonel +Maclean, and with it arrived in Quebec in safety. + +<P>Upon the arrival of Montgomery with his army the city was summoned to +surrender. A strong party in the town were favorable to the invaders, +but General Carleton treated the summons with contempt, and turned +all the inhabitants who refused to join in the defense of the city +outside the town. + +<P>The winter had now set in in earnest, and the difficulties of the +besiegers were great. Arnold's force had been much weakened by the +hardships that they had undergone, Montgomery's by desertions; the +batteries which they erected were overpowered by the fire of the +defenders, and the siege made no progress whatever. The men became +more and more disaffected and mutinous. Many of them had nearly served +the time for which they had enlisted, and Montgomery feared that they +would leave him when their engagement came to an end. He in vain +tempted the besieged to make a sally. Carleton was so certain that +success would come by waiting that he refused to allow himself to +hazard it by a sortie. + +<P>The weather was fighting for him, and the besiegers had before them only +the alternatives of taking the place by storm or abandoning the siege +altogether. They resolved upon a storm. It was to take place at daybreak +on December 31. Montgomery determined to make four attacks—two false +and two real ones. Colonel James Livingstone, with 200 Canadians, was to +appear before St. John's gate, and a party under Colonel Brown were to +feign a movement against the upper town, and from high ground there were +to send up rockets as the signal for the real attacks to commence—that +led by Montgomery from the south and that under Arnold from the +northwest—both against the lower town. + +<P>The false attacks were made too soon, the rockets being fired half an +hour before the main columns reached their place of attack. The British +were not deceived; but, judging these attacks to be feints, left but a +small party to oppose them and marched the bulk of their forces down +toward the lower town. Their assistance, however, came too late, for, +before they arrived, the fate of the attack was already decided. The +Americans advanced under circumstances of great difficulty. A furious +wind, with cutting hail, blew in their faces; the ground was slippery +and covered with snow. + +<P>Half an hour before the English supports arrived on the spot Montgomery, +with his leading company, reached the first barricade, which was +undefended; passing through this, they pressed on toward the next. The +road leading to it was only wide enough for five or six persons abreast. +On one side was the river, on the other a steep cliff; in front was a +log hut with loop-holes for musketry, and a battery of two +three-pounders. It was held by a party of 30 Canadians and 8 militiamen +under John Coffin, with 9 sailors under Bairnsfeather, the captain of +the transport, to work the guns. Montgomery, with 60 men, pushed on at a +run to carry the battery; but, when within fifty yards Bairnsfeather +discharged his pieces, which were loaded with grape-shot, with deadly +aim. Montgomery, his aid-de-camp Macpherson, Lieutenant Cheeseman, and +10 others fell dead at the first discharge, and with them the soul of +the expedition fled. The remaining officers endeavored to get the men to +advance, but none would do so, and they fell back without losing another +man. So completely cowed were they that they would not even carry off +the bodies of their general and his companions. These were brought into +Quebec next day and buried with the honors of war by the garrison. + +<P>The force under Arnold was far stronger than that under Montgomery. The +Canadian guard appointed to defend the first barrier fled at the +approach, but the small body of sailors fought bravely and were all +killed or wounded. Arnold was shot through the leg and disabled. Morgan, +who commanded the advanced companies, led his men on and carried the +second barrier after an obstinate resistance. They were attacking the +third when Maclean with his men from the upper town arrived. The British +then took the offensive, and drove the enemy back, and a party, going +round, fell upon their rear. Fifty were killed in Arnold's column, 400 +taken prisoners, and the rest retreated in extreme disorder. + +<P>Thus ended the assault upon Quebec—an assault which was all but +hopeless from the first, but in which Americans showed but little valor +and determination. In fact, throughout the war, it may be said that the +Americans, when fighting on the defensive behind trees and +intrenchments, fought stubbornly; but that they were feeble in attack +and wholly incapable of standing against British troops in the open. + +<P>It would now have been easy for Carleton to have sallied out and taken +the offensive, but he preferred holding Quebec quietly. He might have +easily driven the Americans from their position before the walls; but, +with the handful of troops under his orders, he could have done nothing +toward carrying on a serious campaign in the open. + +<P>Until spring came, and the rivers were opened, no re-enforcements could +reach him from England, while the Americans could send any number of +troops into Canada. Carleton, therefore, preferred to wait quietly +within the walls of Quebec, allowing the winter, hardships, and disunion +to work their natural effects upon the invaders. + +<P>Arnold sent to Washington to demand 10,000 more troops, with siege +artillery. Several regiments were sent forward, but artillery could not +be spared. Eight regiments entered Canada, but they found that, instead +of meeting, as they had expected, an enthusiastic reception from the +inhabitants, the population was now hostile to them. The exactions of +the invading army had been great, and the feeling in favor of the +English was now all but universal. + +<P>On May 5 two frigates and a sloop-of-war made their way up the river +to Quebec. The Americans endeavored to embark their sick and +artillery above the town. Re-enforced by the marines, the garrison +sallied out and attacked the enemy, who fled with precipitation, +leaving their provisions, cannon, five hundred muskets, and two +hundred sick behind them. The British pursued them until they reached +the mouth of the Sorrel. + +<P>The arrival of the fleet from England brought news of what had taken +place since Captain Wilson's company had marched from Boston, a short +time after the battle of Bunker's Hill. Immediately after the battle the +colonists had sent two deputies, Penn and Lee, with a petition to +Parliament for the restoration of peace. This petition was supported by +a strong body in Parliament. The majority, however, argued that, from +the conduct of the Americans, it was clear that they aimed at +unconditional, unqualified, and total independence. In all their +proceedings they had behaved as if entirely separated from Great +Britain. Their professions and petition breathed peace and moderation; +their actions and preparations denoted war and defiance; every attempt +that could be made to soften their hostility had been in vain; their +obstinacy was inflexible; and the more England had given in to their +wishes, the more insolent and overbearing had their demands become. The +stamp tax had been repealed, but their ill will had grown rather than +abated. The taxations on imports had been entirely taken off save on one +small item; but, rather than pay this, they had accumulated arms and +ammunition, seized cannon belonging to the king, and everywhere prepared +for armed resistance. Only two alternatives remained for the British +nation to adopt—either to coerce the colonists to submission or to +grant them their entire independence. + +<P>These arguments were well founded. The concessions which had been made +had but encouraged the colonists to demand more. No good whatever would +have come from entering into negotiation; there remained but the two +alternatives. It would have been far better had Parliament, instead of +deciding on coercion, withdrawn altogether from the colonies, for +although hitherto the Americans had shown no great fighting qualities, +it was clear that so small an army as England could spare could not +permanently keep down so vast a country if the people were determined +upon independence. They might win every battle,—might overpower every +considerable force gathered against them,—but they could only enforce +the king's authority over a mere fractional portion of so great an area. +England, however, was unaccustomed to defeat; her spirit in those days +was proud and high; and by a large majority Parliament voted for the +continuance of the war. The next step taken was one unworthy of the +country. It tended still further to embitter the war, and it added to +the strength of the party in favor of the colonists at home. Attempts +were made by the government to obtain the services of large numbers of +foreign troops. Negotiations were entered into with Russia, Holland, +Hesse, and other countries. Most of these proved ineffectual, but a +considerable number of troops was obtained from Hesse. + +<P>The news of these proceedings excited the Americans to renewed efforts. +The force under Washington was strengthened, and he took possession of +Dorchester Heights, commanding the town of Boston. A heavy cannonade +was opened on the city. The British guns answered it, but the American +position gave them an immense advantage. General Howe, who was in +command, at first thought of attempting to storm the heights, but the +tremendous loss sustained at the battle of Bunker's Hill deterred him +from the undertaking. His supineness during the past four months had +virtually lost the American colonies to England. He had under his +command 8000 troops, who could have routed, with ease, the +undisciplined levies of Washington. Instead of leading his men out +against the enemy, he had suffered them to be cooped up for months in +the city, and had failed to take possession of the various heights +commanding the town. Had he done this Boston might have resisted a +force many times as strong as that which advanced against it, and there +was now nothing left for the English but to storm the heights with +enormous loss or to evacuate the city. + +<P>The first was the alternative which had been chosen when the Americans +seized Bunker's Hill; the second was that which was now adopted. + +<P>Having adopted this resolution, Howe carried it out in a manner which +would in itself be sufficient to condemn him as a military leader. +Nothing was done to destroy the vast stores of arms and ammunition, and +two hundred and fifty pieces of cannon were left for the colonists to +use against England. No steps were taken to warn ships arriving from +England of the surrender of the town. The consequence was that, in +addition to the vast amount of stores captured in the town, numbers of +the British storeships fell into the hands of the Americans—among them +a vessel which, in addition to carbines, bayonets, gun-carriages, and +other stores, had on board more than seventy tons of powder, while +Washington's whole stock was all but exhausted. + +<P>But worse even than this hurried and unnecessary abandonment of vast +munitions of war was the desertion of the loyalist population. Boston +was full of loyalists, among whom were many of the wealthier and +better-born persons in the colony, who, from the commencement of the +troubles had left their homes, their fortunes, and their families to +rally round the standard of their sovereign. The very least that Howe +could have done for these loyal men would have been to have entered into +some terms of capitulation with Washington, whereby they might have been +permitted to depart to their homes and to the enjoyment of their +property. Nothing of the sort was attempted, and the only choice offered +to a loyalist was to remain in the town, exposed to certain insult and +ill treatment, perhaps to death, at the hands of the rebels, or to leave +in the transports for England or Halifax and to be landed here penniless +and starving. + +<P>Howe's conduct in this was on a piece with his behavior throughout the +campaign; but he was little, if at all, inferior to the other generals, +who vied with each other in incapacity and folly. Never in the whole +history of England were her troops led by men so inefficient, so +sluggish, and so incapable as those who commanded her armies in the +American Revolutionary War. + +<P>The first ships from England which arrived at Quebec were followed, a +few days later, by the <I>Niger</I> and <I>Triton</I>, convoy transports, with +troops. The British now took the offensive in earnest. From the west +Captain Forster marched from Detroit, with 40 men of the Eighth +Regiment, 100 Canadians, and some Indians, against a pass called the +Cedars, situated fifteen leagues above Montreal. This was held by 400 +men with two cannon. As soon as the British force opened fire the +Americans surrendered. The following day Forster's force, advancing, +came upon 140 men under Major Sherbourne, who were marching to +re-enforce the garrison at the Cedars. These were forced to retreat and +100 of them taken prisoners. + +<P>Arnold, with 700 men, advanced against the British force. The British +officer, fearing that in case of an attack the Indians with him might +massacre the prisoners, released the whole of them, 474 in number, under +the promise that an equal number of British prisoners should be +returned. This engagement was shamefully broken by the Americans, who +raised a number of frivolous excuses, among others that prisoners taken +by the British were ill treated—an accusation which excited the +indignation of the prisoners themselves, some of whom wrote to members +of Congress, stating that nothing could be kinder or more courteous than +the treatment which they received. + +<P>While Forster was advancing toward Montreal from the west, Carleton +was moving up against the Americans at Sorrel from Quebec. At the +death of Montgomery, Wooster had taken the command of the main +American force. He had been succeeded by Thompson, but the latter +dying of smallpox, Sullivan took his place. The new commander +determined to take the offensive against the English, and dispatched a +force of about 2000 men to attack General Fraser, who held a post at a +place called Three Rivers. + +<P>A Canadian peasant brought news to General Fraser of the approach of the +Americans, and as he had received re-enforcements from below he +determined to anticipate their attack. His movements were completely +successful. Some of the Americans fought well, but the rest dispersed +with but little resistance. Two hundred were killed and 150 taken +prisoners. The rest succeeded in returning to Sorrel. + +<P>The main body of the British army now came up the river in their ships, +and, as they approached Sorrel, Sullivan broke up his camp and +retreated. At the same time Arnold, who commanded at Montreal, evacuated +the town and joined Sullivan's army at St. John's. + +<P>Had the English pushed forward with any energy the whole of the American +army of invasion would have fallen into their hands. They were +completely broken in spirits, suffering terribly from sickness, and were +wholly incapable of making any defense. Burgoyne, who commanded the +advance of the English army, moved forward very slowly, and the +Americans were enabled to take to their boats and cross, first to +Isle-aux-Noix and then to Crown Point. An American historian, who saw +them after they landed, says: "At the sight of so much privation and +distress I wept until I had no more power to weep. I did not look into a +tent or hut in which I did not find either a dead or dying man. Of about +5000 men full half were invalids. In little more than two months they +had lost by desertion and death more than 5000 men." + +<P>Captain Wilson and his company were not present with the advance of the +British troops. General Howe, after evacuating Boston, had sailed with +his army to Halifax, there to wait until a large body of re-enforcements +should be sent in the spring from England. General Carleton had, in his +dispatches, mentioned favorably the services which the little company of +loyalists from Boston had performed, and Lord Howe wrote requesting that +the company should be sent down by ship to Halifax, as he was about to +sail from New York to undertake operations on a large scale, and should +be glad to have with him a body of men accustomed to scouting and +acquainted with the country. Accordingly, the company was embarked in a +transport and reached Halifax early in June. On the 11th they sailed +with the army and arrived at Sandy Hook on the 29th. On July 3 the army +landed on Staten Island, opposite Long Island, and soon afterward Lord +Howe, brother of General Howe, arrived with the main army from England, +raising the total force to nearly 30,000 men. It consisted of two +battalions of light infantry, two of grenadiers, the Fourth, Fifth, +Tenth, Seventeenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-third, Twenty-seventh, +Thirty-fifth, Thirty-eighth, Fortieth, Forty-second, Forty-third, +Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty-ninth, Fifty-second, Fifty-fifth, +Sixty-third, and Sixty-fourth regiments of foot, part of the Forty-sixth +and Seventy-first regiments, and the Seventeenth Regiment of light +dragoons. There were, besides, two battalions of volunteers from New +York, each 1000 strong. Had this force arrived, as it should have done, +three months earlier, it might have achieved great things; but the delay +had enabled the Americans to make extensive preparations to meet the +coming storm. + +<P>Lord Howe brought with him a communication from Parliament, giving him +and his brother full power to treat with the Americans on any terms +which they might think fit. Upon his arrival Lord Howe addressed a +letter to Dr. Franklin, informing him of the nature of his +communication, expressing hopes that he would find in America the same +disposition for peace that he brought with him, and requesting his aid +to accomplish the desired end. Dr. Franklin, in answer, informed Lord +Howe that, "prior to the consideration of any proposition for friendship +or peace, it would be required that Great Britain should acknowledge the +independence of America, should defray the expense of the war, and +indemnify, the colonists for all damages committed." + +<P>After such a reply as this Lord Howe had no alternative but to commence +hostilities, which he did by landing the army in Gravesend Bay, Long +Island. The enemy offered no opposition to the landing, but retreated at +once, setting fire to all the houses and granaries, and taking up a +position on the wooded heights which commanded the line by which the +English must advance. + +<P>The American main force, 15,000 strong, was posted on a peninsula +between Mill Creek and Wallabout Bay, and had constructed a strong line +of intrenchments across the end of the peninsula. The intrenchments were +strengthened by abattis and flanked by strong redoubts. Five thousand +remained to guard this post, and 10,000, under General Puttenham, +advanced to hold the line of wooded hills which run across the island. + +<P>In the center of the plain, at the foot of these hills, stood the +village of Flatbush. + +<P>The Hessian division of the British army, under General De Heister, +advanced against this, while General Clinton, with the right wing of the +English army, moved forward to attack the enemy's left. + +<P>This force marched at nine o'clock at night on August 26; General Sir +William Howe himself accompanied it. The line of hills trended away +greatly to the left, and the enemy had neglected to secure the passes +over the hills on this flank; consequently, at nine o'clock in the +morning, the British passed the range of hills without resistance, and +occupied Bedford in its rear. Had Sir William Howe now pushed on +vigorously, the whole of Puttenham's force must have been captured. + +<P>In the meantime the Hessians from Flatbush attacked the center of the +Americans, and after a warm engagement, routed them and drove them into +the woods with a loss of three pieces of cannon. + +<P>On the British left General Grant also advanced, and at midnight carried +a strong pass on the enemy's left. Retiring, they held a still stronger +position further back and offered a fierce resistance until the fires at +Bedford showed that the English had obtained a position almost in their +rear, when they retreated precipitately. + +<P><IMG SRC="images/2.gif" ALT="Sketch of the British Position on Long Island."> + +<P>The victory was a complete one, but it had none of the consequences +which would have attended it had the English pushed forward with +energy after turning the American left. Six pieces of cannon were +captured and 2000 men killed or taken prisoners. The English lost 70 +killed and 230 wounded. + +<P>So impetuously did the English attack that even Sir William Howe +admitted that they could have carried the intrenchments. He alleges he +did not permit them to do so, because he intended to take the position +by regular approaches and wished therefore to avoid the loss of life +which an immediate assault would have occasioned. On the 27th and 28th +regular approaches were commenced, but on the 29th, under cover of a +fog, the Americans embarked in boats and succeeded in carrying the whole +of their force, without the loss of a man, across to the mainland. + +<P>The escape of this body of men was disgraceful in the extreme to the +English commanders. They had a great fleet at their disposal, and had +they placed a couple of frigates in the East River, between Long Island +and New York, the escape would have been impossible, and General +Washington and his army of 15,000 men must have been taken prisoners. +Whether this misfortune would have proved conclusive of the war it is +now too late to speculate; but so splendid an opportunity was never +before let slip by an English general, and the negligence was the more +inexcusable inasmuch as the fleet of boats could be seen lying alongside +of the American position. Their purpose must have been known, and they +could at any moment have been destroyed by the guns of a ship-of-war +taking up its position outside them. + +<P>Lord Howe dispatched the American General Sullivan, who had been taken +prisoner on Long Island, to Congress, repeating his desire to treat. A +committee of three members accordingly waited on Lord Howe, who informed +them that it was the most ardent wish of the king and the government of +Great Britain to put an end to the dissatisfaction between the mother +country and the colonists. To accomplish this desire every act of +Parliament which was considered obnoxious to the colonists should +undergo a revisal, and every just cause of complaint should be removed, +if the colonists would declare their willingness to submit to the +authority of the British government. The committee replied that it was +not America which had separated herself from Great Britain, but Great +Britain had separated herself from America. The latter had never +declared herself independent until the former had made war upon her, and +even if Congress were willing to place America in her former situation, +it could not do so, as the Declaration of Independence had been made in +consequence of the congregated voice of the whole people, by whom alone +it could be abolished. The country was determined not to return under +the domination of England. + +<P>The negotiations were therefore broken off. Lord Howe published a +declaration to the people of America, giving the answer of the committee +to his offer of reconciliation. He acquainted them with the fact that +the parent country was willing to receive into its bosom and protection +all who might be willing to return to their former obedience. In taking +this step, Lord Howe was convinced that a majority of the inhabitants of +America were still willing to enter into an accommodation of the +differences between the two powers, and the conviction was not ill +founded. The declaration, however, produced but little effect, for the +dominant section, that resolved to break off all connection with +England, had acquired the sole management of affairs, and no offers +which could possibly have been made would have been accepted by them. + +<P>Convinced that all further negotiations would be ineffectual, Lord Howe +prepared to carry his army across from Long Island to New York, where +the American army had taken up their post after the retreat from Long +Island. The armies were separated by the East River, with a breadth of +about thirteen hundred yards. A cannonade was kept up for several days. +On September 13 some ships-of-war were brought up to cover the passage. +Washington, seeing the preparations, began to evacuate the city and to +abandon the strong intrenchments which he had thrown up. At eleven +o'clock on the morning of the 15th the men-of-war opened a heavy fire, +and Clinton's division, consisting of 4000 men in eighty-four boats, +sailed up the river, landed on Manhattan Island at a place called Kipp's +Bay, and occupied the heights of Inclenberg, the enemy abandoning their +intrenchments at their approach. General Washington rode toward Kipp's +Bay to take command of the troops stationed there, but found the men who +had been posted at the lines running away, and the brigades which should +have supported them flying in every direction, heedless of the exertions +of their generals. + +<P>Puttenham's division of 4000 men was still in the lower city, and would +be cut off unless the British advance should be checked. Washington +therefore made the greatest efforts to rally the fugitives and to get +them to make a stand to check the advancing enemy, but in vain; for, as +soon as even small bodies of redcoats were seen advancing, they broke +and fled in panic. + +<P>Howe, as usual, delayed giving orders for an advance, and thus permitted +the whole of Puttenham's brigade, who were cut off and must have been +taken prisoners, to escape unharmed. And thus, with comparatively little +loss, the Americans drew off, leaving behind them only a few heavy +cannon and some bayonets and stores. + +So rapid had been their flight at the approach of the English that only +fifteen were killed, two men falling on the English side. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c9"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER IX.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON.</H3> + +<P>The Americans, finding that they were not pursued, rallied from their +panic and took up a position at Harlem and Kingsbridge. So great was the +disorganization among them that had the British advanced at once they +would have taken the place with scarcely any loss, strong as it was by +nature and by the intrenchments which Washington had prepared. Great +numbers deserted, disputes broke out between the troops of the various +States, insubordination prevailed, and the whole army was utterly +disheartened by the easy victories which the British had obtained over +them. Washington reported the cowardice of his troops to Congress, who +passed a law inflicting the punishment of death for cowardice. + +<P>Before leaving New York the Americans had made preparations for burning +the whole town, but the speediness of their retreat prevented the +preparations being carried into effect. Fire was set to it in several +places and a third of the town was destroyed. + +<P>The position taken up by the enemy was so strong that it was determined +to operate in the rear. Some redoubts were thrown up to cover New York +during the absence of the main part of the British force. + +<P>A portion of the British army was landed at a point threatening the +retreat of the Americans, and a series of skirmishes of no great +importance took place. The enemy fell back from their most advanced +works, but no general move was undertaken, although, as the numbers on +both sides were about even and the superior fighting powers of the +English had been amply demonstrated, there could have been no doubt as +to the result of a general battle. Lord Howe, however, wasted the time +in a series of petty movements, which, although generally successful, +had no influence upon the result and served only to enable the Americans +to recover from the utter depression which had fallen upon them after +the evacuation of Long Island and the loss of New York. + +<P>Gradually the Americans fell back across a country so swampy and +difficult that it was now no longer possible to bring on a general +action. Their retreat had the effect of isolating the important +positions of Kingsbridge and Fort Washington. The latter post was of the +utmost importance, inasmuch as it secured the American intercourse with +the Jersey shore. The fortifications were very strong and stood upon +rising and open ground. It was garrisoned by 3000 of the best American +troops under the command of Colonel Magaw. Washington was gradually +withdrawing his army, and had already given orders that Fort Washington +should be evacuated; but General Lee, who was second in command, so +strongly urged that it should be retained that, greatly against his own +judgment, he was obliged to consent to its being defended, especially as +Colonel Magaw insisted that the fort could stand a siege. On the night +of November 14 the British passed some troops across the creek, and Lord +Howe summoned the place to surrender on pain of the garrison being put +to the sword. Magaw had upon the previous day received large numbers of +re-enforcements, and replied that he should defend the fort. Soon after +daybreak on the 16th the artillery opened on both sides. Five thousand +Hessians, under the command of General Knyphausen, moved up the hill, +penetrated some of the advanced works of the enemy, and took post within +a hundred yards of the fort. The second division, consisting of the +guards and light infantry, with two battalions of Hessians and the +Thirty-third Regiment, landed at Island Creek, and after some stiff +fighting forced the enemy from the rocks and trees up the steep and +rugged mountain. The third and fourth divisions fought their way up +through similar defenses. So steep was the hill that the assailants +could only climb it by grasping the trees and bushes, and so obstinate +was the defense that the troops were sometimes mixed up together. + +<P>The bravery and superior numbers of the British troops bore down all +resistance, and the whole of the four divisions reached their places +round the fort. They then summoned it to surrender, and its commander, +after half an hour's consideration, seeing the impossibility of +resisting the assault which was threatened, opened the gates. + +<P>Upon the English side about 800 men were killed and wounded, of whom the +majority were Hessians. These troops fought with extreme bravery. The +American loss, owing to their superior position, was about 150 killed +and wounded, but the prisoners taken amounted to over 3000. + +<P>On the 18th Lord Howe landed a strong body on the Jersey shore under +Lord Cornwallis, who marched to Fort Lee and surprised it. A deserter +had informed the enemy of his approach and the garrison had fled in +disorder, leaving their tents, provisions, and military stores behind +them. Lord Cornwallis, pushing forward with great energy, drove the +Americans out of New Jersey. Another expedition occupied Rhode Island. + +<P>Cold weather now set in and the English went into winter quarters. Their +success had been complete, without a single check, and had they been led +vigorously the army of Washington might on two occasions have been +wholly destroyed. In such a case the moderate portion of the population +of the colonies would have obtained a hearing, and a peace honorable to +both parties might have been arrived at. + +<P>The advantage gained by the gallantry of the British troops was, +however, entirely neutralized by the lethargy and inactivity of their +general, and the colonists had time given them to recover from the alarm +which the defeat of their troops had given them, to put another army in +the field, and to prepare on a great scale for the following campaign. + +<P>The conduct of General Howe in allowing Washington's army to retire +almost unmolested was to the officers who served under him +unaccountable. His arrangements for the winter were even more singularly +defective. Instead of concentrating his troops he scattered them over a +wide extent of country at a distance too great to support each other, +and thus left it open to the enemy to crush them in detail. + +<P>General Howe now issued a proclamation offering a free pardon to all who +surrendered, and great numbers of colonists came in and made their +submission. Even in Philadelphia the longing for peace was so strong +that General Washington was obliged to send a force there to prevent the +town from declaring for England. + +<P>During the operations which had taken place since the landing of the +British troops on Long Island Captain Wilson's company had taken but +little part in the operations. All had been straightforward work and +conducted on the principles of European warfare. The services of the +volunteers as scouts had not, therefore, been called into requisition. +The success which at first attended the expedition had encouraged +Captain Wilson to hope, for the first time since the outbreak of the +Revolution, that the English might obtain such decisive successes that +the colonists would be willing to accept some propositions of peace such +as those indicated by Lord Howe—a repeal of all obnoxious laws, freedom +from any taxation except that imposed by themselves, and a recognition +of the British authority. When he saw that Lord Howe, instead of +actively utilizing the splendid force at his disposal, frittered it away +in minor movements and allowed Washington to withdraw with his beaten +army unmolested, his hopes again faded, and he felt that the colonists +would in the long run succeed in gaining all that they contended for. + +<P>When the army went into winter quarters the company was ordered to take +post on the Delaware. There were four frontier posts, at Trenton, +Bordentown, White Horse, and Burlington. Trenton, opposite to which lay +Washington with the main body of his army, was held by only 1200 +Hessians, and Bordentown, which was also on the Delaware, was, like +Trenton, garrisoned by these troops. No worse choice could have been +made. The Hessians were brave soldiers, but their ignorance of the +language and of the country made them peculiarly unsuitable troops for +outpost work, as they were unable to obtain any information. As +foreigners, too, they were greatly disliked by the country people. + +<P>Nothing was done to strengthen these frontier posts, which were left +wholly without redoubts or intrenchments into which the garrison could +withdraw in case of attack. + +<P>Captain Wilson's little company were to act as scouts along the line of +frontier. Their headquarters were fixed at Bordentown, where Captain +Wilson obtained a large house for their use. Most of the men were at +home at work of this kind, and Peter Lambton, Ephraim, and the other +frontiersmen were dispatched from time to time in different directions +to ascertain the movements and intentions of the enemy. Harold asked +his father to allow him, as before, to accompany Peter. The inactivity +of a life at a quiet little station was wearisome, and with Peter he +was sure of plenty of work, with a chance of adventure. The life of +exercise and activity which he had led for more than a year had +strengthened his muscles and widened his frame, and he was now able to +keep up with Peter, however long and tiresome the day's work might be. +Jake, too, was of the party. He had developed into an active soldier, +and although he was but of little use for scouting purposes, even Peter +did not object to his accompanying him, for the negro's unfailing good +temper and willingness to make himself useful had made him a favorite +with the scout. + +<P>The weather was now setting in exceedingly cold. The three men had more +than once crossed the Delaware in a canoe and scouted in the very heart +of the enemy's country. They were now sitting by the bank, watching some +drifting ice upon the river. + +<P>"There won't be many more passages of the river by water," Peter +remarked. "Another ten days, and it'll be frozen across." + +<P>"Then we can cross on foot, Peter." + +<P>"Yes, we can do that," the scout said, "and so can the enemy. Ef their +general has got any interprise with him, and ef he can get them chaps as +he calls soldiers to fight, he'll be crossing over one of these nights +and capturing the hull of them Hessians at Trenton. What General Howe +means by leaving 'em there is more nor I can think; he might as well +have sent so many babies. The critters can fight, and fight well, too, +and they're good soldiers; but what's the good of 'em in a frontier +post? They know nothing of the country; they can't speak to the people, +nor ask no questions, nor find out nothing about what's doing the other +side of the river. They air no more than mere machines. What was wanted +was two or three battalions of light troops, who would make friends with +the country people and larn all that's doing opposite. If the Americans +are sharp they'll give us lots of trouble this winter, and you'll find +there won't be much sitting quiet for us at Bordentown. Fortunately +Bordentown and Trenton aint far apart, and one garrison ought to be able +to arrive to the assistance of the other before it's overpowered. We +shall see. Now, I propose that we cross again to-night and try and find +out what the enemy's doing. Then we can come back and manage for you to +eat your Christmas dinner with yer father, as you seem to have bent yer +mind upon that, though why it matters about dinner one day more than +another is more nor I can see." + +<P>That night the three scouts crossed the river in the canoe. Avoiding all +houses, they kept many miles straight on beyond the river and lay down +for a few hours before morning dawned; then they turned their faces the +other way and walked up to the first farmhouse they saw. + +<P>"Can we have a drink of milk?" the hunter asked. + +<P>"You can," the farmer replied, "and some breakfast if you like to pay +for it. At first I was glad to give the best I had to those who came +along, but there have been such numbers going one way and the other, +either marching to join the army or running away to return to their +homes, that I should be ruined if I gave to all comers." + +<P>"We're ready to pay," Peter said, drawing some money from his pocket. + +<P>"Then come in and sit down." + +<P>In a few minutes an excellent breakfast was put before them. + +<P>"You are on your way to join the army, of course?" the farmer asked. + +<P>"Jest that," Peter replied. "We think it's about our time to do a little +shooting, though I don't suppose there'll be much done till the spring." + +<P>"I don't know," the farmer said. "I should not be surprised if the +general wakes up them Germans when the Delaware gets frozen. I heard +some talk about it from some men who came past yesterday. Their time was +expired, they said, and they were going home. I hear, too, that they are +gathering a force down near Mount Holly, and I reckon that they are +going to attack Bordentown." + +<P>"Is that so?" Peter asked. "In that case we might as well tramp in that +direction. It don't matter a corn-shuck to us where we fight, so as it's +soon. We've come to help lick these British, and we means to do it." + +<P>"Ah!" the farmer said, "I have heard that sentiment a good many times, +but I have not seen much come of it yet. So far, it seems to me as the +licking has been all the other way." + +<P>"That's so," Peter agreed. "But everyone knows that the Americans are +just the bravest people on the face of the habitable arth. I reckon +their dander's not fairly up yet; but when they begin in arnest you'll +see what they'll do." + +<P>The farmer gave a grunt which might mean anything. He had no strong +sympathies either way, and the conduct of the numerous deserters and +disbanded men who had passed through his neighborhood had been far from +impressing him favorably. + +<P>"I don't pretend to be strong either for the Congress or the king. I +don't want to be taxed, but I don't see why the colonists should not pay +something toward the expenses of the government; and now that Parliament +seems willing to give all we ask for, I don't see what we want to go on +fighting for." + +<P>"Waal!" Peter exclaimed in a tone of disgust, "you're one of the +half-hearted ones." + +<P>"I am like the great majority of the people of this country. We are of +English stock and we don't want to break with the Old Country; but the +affairs have got into the hands of the preachers, and the newspaper men, +and the chaps that want to push themselves forward and make their pile +out of the war. As I read it, it's just the civil war in England over +again. We were all united at the first against what we considered as +tyranny on the part of the Parliament, and now we have gone setting up +demands which no one dreamed of at first and which most of us object to +now, only we have no longer the control of our own affairs." + +<P>"The great heart of this country beats for freedom," Peter Lambton said. + +<P>"Pooh!" said the farmer contemptuously. "The great heart of the country +wants to work its farms and do its business quietly. The English general +has made fair offers, which might well be accepted; and as for freedom, +there was no tyranny greater than that of the New England States. As +long as they managed their own affairs there was neither freedom of +speech nor religion. No, sir; what they call freedom was simply the +freedom to make everyone else do and think like the majority." + +<P>"Waal, we won't argue it out," Peter said, "for I'm not good at +argument, and I came here to fight and not to talk. Besides, I want +to get to Mount Holly in time to jine in this battle, so I guess +we'll be moving." + +<P>Paying for the breakfast, they started at once in the direction of Mount +Holly, which lay some twenty-five miles away. As they approached the +place early in the afternoon they overtook several men going in the same +direction. They entered into conversation with them, but could only +learn that some 450 of the militia from Philadelphia and the counties of +Gloucester and Salem had arrived on the spot. The men whom they had +overtaken were armed countrymen who were going to take a share in the +fight on their own account. + +<P>Entering the place with the others, Peter found that the information +given him was correct. + +<P>"We better be out of this at once," he said to Harold, "and make for +Bordentown." + +<P>"You don't think that there is much importance in the movement," Harold +said as they tramped along. + +<P>"There aint no importance whatever," Peter said, "and that's what I want +to tell 'em. They're never thinking of attacking the two thousand +Hessians at Bordentown with that ragged lot." + +<P>"But what can they have assembled them for within twelve miles of the +place?" Harold asked. + +<P>"It seems to me," the hunter replied, "that it's jest a trick to draw +the Germans out from Bordentown and so away from Trenton. At any rate, +it's well that the true account of the force here should be known. +These things gets magnified, and they may think that there's a hull +army here." + +<P>It was getting dusk when they entered Bordentown, and Harold was glad +when he saw the little town, for since sunset on the evening before they +had tramped nearly sixty miles. The place seemed singularly quiet. They +asked the first person they met what had become of the troops, and they +were told that Colonel Donop, who commanded, had marched an hour before +with his whole force of 2000 men toward Mount Holly, leaving only 80 men +in garrison at Bordentown. + +<P>"We are too late," Harold said. "They have gone by the road and we kept +straight through the woods and so missed them." + +<P>"Waal, I hope no harm 'ill come of it. I suppose they mean to attack at +daylight, and in course that rabble will run without fighting. I hope, +when the colonel sees as how thar's no enemy ther worth speaking of, +he'll march straight back again." + +<P>Unfortunately this was not the case. The militia, according to their +orders, at once dispersed when their outposts told them of the approach +of the British, but the German officer, instead of returning instantly, +remained for two days near Mount Holly, and so gave time to Washington +to carry out his plans. + +<P>Captain Wilson's company had gone out with the force, and Peter and his +companions had the house to themselves that night. Harold slept late, +being thoroughly fatigued by his long march the day before, carrying his +rifle, blanket, and provisions. Peter woke him at last. + +<P>"Now, young un, you've had a good sleep; it's eleven o'clock. I'm off to +Trenton to see what's doing there. Will you go with me, or will you stop +here on the chance of eating your dinner with your father?" + +<P>"Oh, it's Christmas Day," Harold said, stretching. "Well, what do you +think, Peter—are they likely to come back or not?" + +<P>"They ought to be back, there's no doubt about that, but whether they +will or not is a different affair altogether. I've never seed them hurry +themselves yet, not since the war began; things would have gone a good +deal better if they had; but time never seems of no consequence to them. +They marched twelve miles last night, and I reckon it's likely they'll +halt to-day and won't be back till to-morrow. I feel oneasy in my mind +about the whole affair, for I can't see a single reason for the enemy +sending that weak force to Mount Holly, unless it was to draw away the +troops from here, and the only motive there could be for that would be +because they intended to attack Trenton." + +<P>"Very well, Peter, I will go with you." + +<P>Accompanied by Jake they set out at once for Trenton. On arriving there +they found no particular signs of vigilance. Since the Hessians had +reached Trenton their discipline had much relaxed. A broad river +separated them from the enemy, who were known to be extremely +discontented and disorganized. They had received instruction on no +account to cross the river to attack the colonials, and the natural +consequence of this forced inactivity had manifested itself. Discipline +was lax, and but a slight watch was kept on the movements of the enemy +across the stream. Ignorant of the language of the people, they were +incapable of distinguishing between those who were friendly and those +who were hostile to the Crown, and they behaved as if in a conquered +country; taking such necessaries as they required without payment, and +even sending parties to a considerable distance on plundering +expeditions. + +<P>Peter, on his arrival, proceeded to the headquarters of Colonel Rhalle, +who was in command—an officer of great bravery and energy. One of his +officers was able to speak English, and to him Peter reported the +departure of the force from Bordentown, of which Colonel Rhalle was +already aware, and the weakness of the American force at Mount Holly. +He stated, also, his own belief that it was merely a feint to draw off +Colonel Donop, and that preparatory to an attack on Trenton. The +officer treated the information lightly, and pointing to the mass of +ice floating down the river asked whether it would be possible for +boats to cross. + +<P>"When the river freezes," he said, "there may be some chance of attack. +Till then we are absolutely safe." + +<P>Peter, shaking his head, rejoined his companions and told them of the +manner in which his advice had been received. + +<P>"But it would be difficult to cross the river," Harold said. "Look at +the masses of ice on the water." + +<P>"It would be difficult," the hunter admitted, "but not by no manner of +means impossible. Determined men could do it. Waal, I've done my duty +and can do no more. Ef the night passes off quietly we'll cross again +before daybreak and go right into the Yankee camp and see what they're +up to. Now, Harold, you can take it easy till nightfall; there's naught +to be learned till then, and as we shall be on foot all night ye may as +well sleep to-day." + +<P>Returning to a spot on the banks of the river at a short distance from +the town, they made a fire, on which Jake cooked some steaks of +venison they had procured. After smoking a pipe, the hunter set the +example by stretching himself on the ground near the fire and going to +sleep. Used as he was to night marches, he had acquired the faculty of +going to sleep at any hour at will. Jake and Harold were some time +before they followed his example, but they too were at last asleep. At +sunset they were on their feet again, and after taking supper +proceeded along the river. + +<P>The night passed off quietly, and Harold became convinced that his +companion's fears were unfounded. Toward morning he suggested that it +was time to be crossing the river. + +<P>"I'm not going yet," the hunter said. "Before I start we'll go down to +Trenton Ferry, a mile below the town. Ef they come over at all, it's +likely enough to be there. There'll be time then to get back and cross +before it's light; It's six o'clock now." + +<P>They kept along the road by the river until they were within a quarter +of a mile of the ferry. Presently they saw a dark mass ahead. + +<P>"Jerusalem!" Peter exclaimed. "There they are." + +<P>They immediately discharged their rifles and ran back at full speed to +the outposts, which were but a quarter of a mile from the town. The +Americans had also pressed forward at full speed, and the outposts, who +had been alarmed by the discharge of the rifles, were forced at once to +abandon the post and to run into the town, whither they had, on hearing +the rifles, already sent in one of their number with the news. Here all +was in confusion. The Hessian leader was trying to collect his troops, +who were hurrying in from their quarters, but many of them thought more +of storing their plunder away in the wagons than of taking their places +in the ranks. + +<P>Washington had crossed with 2500 men and a few field-pieces, and upon +gaining the Jersey side had divided his troops into two detachments, one +of which marched by the river side, the other by an upper road. Hurrying +forward they surrounded the town, and placing their field-pieces in the +road, opened fire on the astonished Hessians. Rhalle had by this time +succeeded in assembling the greater part of his force and charged the +Americans with his usual courage. He received, however, a mortal wound +as he advanced. His troops immediately lost heart, and finding their +retreat cut off at once surrendered. A body of Hessian light horse +succeeded in making their escape. The casualties were few on either +side, but 1000 prisoners were taken. Two other divisions of the +Americans had attempted to cross, the one at Bordentown, the other at +Mackenzie's Ferry, but both had failed, owing to the quantity of +floating ice. Washington retired across the Delaware the same afternoon. + +<P>The consequences of this success were great. The spirits of the +Americans, which had fallen to the lowest ebb in consequence of the +uninterrupted series of defeats, rose greatly. They found that the +British were not invincible, and that, if unable to oppose them in great +battles, they might at least inflict heavy losses on them and weary them +out with skirmishes and surprises. The greatest joy reigned throughout +the various States; fresh levies were ordered; the voices of the +moderate party, which had been gaining strength, were silenced, and the +determination to continue the war vigorously was in the ascendency. + +<P>The lesson given at Trenton was wholly lost upon the English +commander-in-chief. Instead of at once ordering General Leslie to +advance from Princeton and to hold the enemy in check by reoccupying and +fortifying Trenton, he allowed Colonel Donop to abandon Bordentown and +to fall back to Princeton—thus laying it open to Washington to cross +the Delaware again and carry the war into New Jersey. Washington, after +waiting eight days, seeing the indecision and ineptitude of the British +general, again crossed with 4000 men and occupied Trenton. + +<P>Peter Lambton and his two companions were not among the prisoners +taken at Trenton. On entering the town Harold was about to join the +Hessians assembling under Colonel Rhalle, but Peter gave a violent tug +to his coat. + +<P>"Come along, young un!" he said. "The darned fools have let themselves +be caught in a trap and they'll find there's no way out of it. In ten +minutes the Americans will be all round the place, and as I don't wish +to spend a year or two in a Yankee prison at present, I'm going to make +tracks at once. Fighting aren't no good now. Men who'll let 'emselves +be caught in a trap like this'll never be able to cut their way out of +it. Come on!" + +<P>Much against his will Harold yielded to Peter's wishes, and the three +kept straight on through the town by the river side and issued into the +country beyond before the Americans had surrounded it. A minute or two +after leaving the town the light horse galloped past. + +<P>"There are some more out of the hole, and I reckon that's about all. +There, do you hear the guns? The Yanks have brought their artillery +over—I reckon the fight won't last long." + +<P>For two or three minutes there was a roar of musketry; then this +suddenly ceased. + +<P>"I thought as much," Peter said. "They've surrendered. If they had only +kept together and fought well, they should have cut their way through +the enemy. Lord! what poor things regular soldiers are in the dark! A +frontiersman would just as soon fight in the dark as in the light; but +here are the men who climbed up the hill to Fort Washington—and that +was no child's play—no better nor a pack of women when they're attacked +half-asleep and half-awake, just as day is breaking." + +<P>The three comrades walked to Bordentown, which, they were relieved to +find, had not been attacked. A few miles beyond this place they met +Colonel Donop marching back at full speed with his corps, having +received the news of the disaster at Trenton from the horsemen who had +fled. They joined their company and marched to Princeton. + +<P>A fortnight later Lord Cornwallis, with the forces at Brunswick, under +General Grant, advanced to Princeton and then moved forward to attack +the army at Trenton. General Washington on his approach retired from the +town and, crossing a rivulet at the back of it, took post on some high +ground there, with the apparent intention of defending himself against +an attack. It was late in the afternoon, and a heavy cannonade was kept +up till night-time. Lord Cornwallis determined to attack next morning. +At two in the morning Washington retired suddenly, leaving his fires +burning. Quitting the main road he made a long circuit through Allentown +and marched with all speed toward Princeton, which place he intended to +surprise. When Lord Cornwallis advanced he had left the Seventeenth, +Fortieth, and Fifty-fifth regiments there. + +<P>On arriving at Trenton he had sent word back for the Seventeenth and +Fifty-fifth to advance to Maidenhead, a village halfway between +Princeton and Trenton. Colonel Mawhood, who commanded, marched at +daylight, but scarcely had he started when he met Washington advancing +with his army. The morning was foggy, and it was at first supposed that +the enemy were a body of British troops marching back to Princeton, but +it was soon found that the force was a hostile one. Its strength could +not be seen on account of the fog, and he determined to engage it. +Possessing himself of some high ground, he sent his wagons back to +Princeton and ordered the Fortieth Regiment to come out to his +assistance. + +<P>As the Americans advanced, the artillery on both sides opened fire. The +leading columns of the colonists soon showed signs of disorder. The +Seventeenth Regiment fixed bayonets and with great gallantry charged the +enemy in front of them, driving them back with considerable slaughter; +and so far did they advance that they were separated from the other +battalions, and cutting their way through the American force the +regiment pursued its march to Maidenhead. The Fortieth and Fifty-fifth +fought stoutly, but were unable to make their way through the American +force, and fell back to Brunswick, while the Americans occupied +Princeton. At daybreak Lord Cornwallis discovered the retreat of the +American army, and being apprehensive for the safety of Brunswick, where +great stores of the army were accumulated, marched with all haste toward +that town. + +<P>Brigadier Matthew, the officer commanding there, on hearing of the +approach of the enemy, at once dispatched the store wagons toward the +rear and drew up his small command to defend the place to the last. The +gallant resistance before Princeton had delayed the Americans so long +that the van of the army of Cornwallis was already close to their rear +as they approached Brunswick. Seeing this, Washington abandoned his +design on that town and crossed the Millstone River, breaking down the +bridge at Kingston to stop pursuit. + +<P>Washington now overran East and West Jersey, penetrated into Essex +County, and making himself master of the country opposite to Staten +Island, thus regained almost all the district which the English had +taken from him in the autumn. + +<P>All this greatly heightened the spirit and courage of the Americans, +while the loyalists and the English troops were disheartened and +disgusted at seeing an army of 30,000 fine troops kept inactive, while +the enemy, with but 4000 men, who were wholly incapable of opposing an +equal number of English troops, were allowed to wander unchecked, to +attack and harass the English pickets, and to utilize the whole of the +resources of their country. Had General Howe entertained a fixed desire +to see English authority overthrown in America he could not have acted +in a manner more calculated to carry those wishes into effect. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c10"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER X.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">A TREACHEROUS PLANTER.</H3> + +<P>It must not be supposed that the whole of the time was spent in scouting +and fighting. Between the armies lay a band of no man's land. Here, as +elsewhere, the people of the country were divided in their opinions, but +generally made very little display of these, whatever they might be. It +is true that, as a rule, non-combatants were but little interfered with; +still, a warm and open display of sympathy with one side or the other +was likely to be attended by the loss of cattle and damage to crops when +the other party got the upper hand. In some other States feeling ran +much higher. In the Carolinas the royalists were most cruelly +persecuted. Their property was destroyed and they were, in many cases, +shot down without mercy; but generally, throughout the colonies, a +considerable latitude of opinion was allowed. This was especially so in +the zone between the armies in the Jerseys. None could tell what the +positions of the armies a week hence might be, and any persecution +inflicted by the one party might lead to retaliation upon a shift of +positions a few weeks later. A general toleration therefore reigned. + +<P>Next to Peter Lambton, Harold's greatest friend in the corps was a young +man named Harvey. He was of good family and belonged to New York. Being +a strong loyalist, he had, like many other gentlemen, enlisted for +service under the old flag. He had, naturally, many acquaintances among +the county families, and Harold often accompanied him in his visits to +one or other of them. + +<P>During the winter, when things were quiet, the duties of the scouts were +light, and it was the habit among them that one-third should be on +outpost duty at a time, the rest being free to move about as they liked. +The scouts had no fixed order of position. They went out alone or in +twos or threes, as it pleased them, their duty simply being to watch +everything that was going on along the enemy's line of outposts, to +bring the earliest news of any intended movements, and to prevent +dashing parties of the enemy's horsemen from making raids into or behind +the British lines. They were not, of course, expected to check bodies of +cavalry starting on a raid, but simply to obtain information of their +having left their lines and of the direction taken, and then to hurry +back to the British posts, whence a force of cavalry would be sent out +to intercept or check the invaders. Many dashing exploits were performed +by the cavalry on both sides in the way of getting behind their +opponents' quarters, cutting off provision trains, attacking small +posts, and carrying off straggling parties. + +<P>One of the houses to which Harold used most frequently to accompany his +friend Harvey was situated nearly halfway between the rival armies, and +was about eight miles from either. The owner—Mr. Jackson—was a man of +considerable wealth, and the house was large and well appointed. He had, +before the troubles began, a fine business as a lawyer in New York; but, +as the outbreak of hostilities put a stop to all business of a legal +kind in that city, he had retired to his country house. Although himself +born in England, he professed to be entirely neutral, but his family +were undisguisedly loyal. It consisted of his wife and two daughters, +girls of seventeen and eighteen years old. + +<P>When the English army advanced to the neighborhood of his property Mr. +Jackson was always ready to offer his hospitality to the officers of the +corps which might be stationed near him, and he similarly opened his +house to the Americans when they, in turn, advanced as the British +turned back. Being, as he always made a point of saying, perfectly +neutral in the struggle, he was glad to meet gentlemen, irrespective of +the opinions they held. The line taken by Mr. Jackson was the one which +was very largely pursued among the inhabitants of the country houses and +farms scattered over what was, throughout the war, a debatable land. So +frequent were the changes of the position of the armies that none could +say who might be in possession in a week's time, and it was, therefore, +an absolute necessity for those who wished to live unmolested to abstain +from any stronger show of partisanship. + +<P>As is always the case in struggles of this kind, the female population +were more enthusiastic in their partisanship and more pronounced in +their opinions than the men; and although, upon the arrival of a troop +of cavalry or a detachment of foot belonging to the other side, the +master of the house would impartially offer what hospitality he was +capable of, it was not difficult to perceive, by the warmth or coldness +of the female welcome, what were the private sentiments of the family. + +<P>Harold was not long in discovering, from the frequency with which Harvey +proposed an excursion to the Jacksons' and from his conduct there, that +Isabelle, the eldest daughter, was the object which mainly attracted +him. The families had long been friends, and Harvey, although now +serving as a simple scout, was of a position equal to her own. The +friends were always cordially received by Mr. Jackson, and Harold was +soon as intimate there as his comrade. They usually left their quarters +a little before dusk and started back late at night. Often as Mr. +Jackson pressed them to stay, they never accepted his invitation. + +<P>The scouts, from their activity and ubiquitousness, were the +<I>bêtes-noirs</I> of the Americans, whose most secret plans were constantly +detected and foiled by the sagacity and watchfulness of these men, whose +unerring rifles made frequent gaps in the ranks of the officers. They +therefore spared no pains, whenever there was a chance, of killing or +capturing any of these most troublesome foes, and Harvey and Harold knew +that a report of their presence at the Jacksons' would suffice to bring +a party of horsemen from the American lines. Their visits, therefore, +were always made after dark, and at irregular intervals, and, in spite +of their inclination to the contrary they made a point of returning at +night to their quarters. + +<P>Other visitors were often present at the Jacksons', the sons and +daughters of neighbors, and there was generally music and singing, and +sometimes the young people stood up for a dance. + +<P>The scouts wore no regular uniform, although there was a general +similarity in their attire, which was that of an ordinary backwoods +hunter. When off duty they were allowed to dress as they pleased, and at +Mr. Jackson's the two friends were attired in the ordinary dress of +colonists of position. At these little gatherings political subjects +were never discussed, and a stranger spending an evening there would not +have dreamed that the house stood between two hostile armies; that at +any moment a party of horsemen belonging to one side or other might dash +into the courtyard, and that even those laughing and talking pleasantly +together might be of opinions diametrically opposed. + +<P>Harvey and Harold were introduced to visitors simply as friends from New +York, and, although the suspicions as to their character and position +might be strong, no one thought of asking questions. + +<P>"I do not like that fellow Chermside," Harvey said one night, as he and +his friend were returning to their quarters. + +<P>They were mounted; for, although when on duty the scouts worked on foot, +many of them, who were men of property, kept horses which they used when +not engaged. Harvey had two horses, and one of these was always at +Harold's service. + +<P>"I am not surprised you don't like him," Harold replied with a laugh, +"and I imagine the dislike is mutual. When two gentlemen are paying +attentions to one young lady they seldom appreciate each other's merits +very cordially." + +<P>"I don't think it is entirely that," Harvey laughed. "Isabella and I +understand each other, and I have no fear of his rivalry; but I do not +like him." + +<P>"I do not think I like him myself," Harold said more seriously; "and yet +I do not know why I should not. When he has been there alone with us and +the family, he has frequently used expressions showing his strong +leaning toward the loyalists' side." + +<P>"I don't put much faith in that," Harvey said. "He knows how strongly +Mr. Jackson and the girls lean toward the Crown, and would say anything +that he thought would please Isabelle. I have spoken to her and she +thinks that he is sincere; in fact, she has rather a good opinion of +him. However, we shall see. It was rather curious that that party of +Morgan's cavalry should have ridden up the other night and searched the +house two hours after we left. You see, we had agreed to sleep there +that night, and only changed our minds after the others had all left, +when we remembered that we were both for duty early next morning. It +might have been a coincidence, of course, but it had an ugly look. I +think Mr. Jackson thought so, too, for he did not ask us to stop +to-night; anyhow, I wish Chermside's plantation was not so near this and +that he did not drop in so often." + +<P>A week later they paid another visit. When dinner was over Harold +was chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Harvey was sitting at the +piano, where the eldest girl was playing, and the younger was +looking out of window. + +<P>"We are going to have another fall of snow," she said. "There is not a +star to be seen. Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. + +<P>"What is it, my dear?" Mr. Jackson asked. + +<P>"There is a rocket gone up from the woods." + +<P>"A rocket!" Mr. Jackson repeated. + +<P>"Yes, papa; there are the stars falling now." + +<P>"That is a curious thing," Mr. Jackson said, while the others went +to the window. They stood watching for some minutes, but nothing +was to be seen. + +<P>"I do not like that rocket," Mr. Jackson said as they left the window. +"It means something. It can only be a signal. People don't let off +rockets for amusement nowadays. Did you meet anyone on the road?" + +<P>"No, sir," Harvey said, "not a soul." + +<P>"I do not like it," their host repeated. "It means mischief of some sort +or other. I do not wish to seem inhospitable, but my advice to you is, +get on your horses at once and ride to your quarters. You are on duty +to-morrow, and you told me you would pass near here on your way toward +the enemy's lines. You might look in as you go past and hear whether +anything came of it. If I mistake not, we shall have another visit from +Morgan's horse this evening." + +<P>Much against their inclination the young men followed Mr. +Jackson's advice. + +<P>The next day they, with Peter and Jake, stopped at the house as +they passed. + +<P>"I was right," their host said, as the two young men entered. "An hour +after you left twenty of Morgan's horse rode up here. They would not +take my word that we were alone, but searched the house from top to +bottom, and were evidently greatly disappointed at finding no one. I +have been making inquiries this morning and find that all the servants +were in the house at the time my daughter saw the rocket, so I hope that +I have no traitor here. Still, it is clear that someone must be keeping +watch over your movements." + +<P>"Have you asked, sir," Harvey said, after a pause, "whether anyone came +after we had arrived?" + +<P>"I do not see how anyone could come, but I will ask." + +<P>He rang the bell and a negro servant appeared. + +<P>"Did anyone come to the house yesterday, Caesar, after these gentleman +came—any beggar or peddler, or anyone of that sort?" + +<P>"No, sir; no one came except Massa Chermside. He get off his horse and +ask if you, hab any visitors. I said that Massa Harvey and Massa Wilson +were here. He say he call again another night when the family alone, and +rode off." + +<P>"Just what I expected, sir," Harvey said, when the servant left the +room. "I have always doubted that fellow's honesty." + +<P>"Oh, nonsense!" Mr. Jackson replied. "You must be mad, Harvey. +Chermside's father was an old friend of mine, and I have known the young +fellow since he was a child. I should as soon suspect one of my own +daughters of being capable of such an act of gross treachery as laying a +plot to bring the American cavalry down upon guests of mine. The idea is +preposterous. Bless me, how amused the girls will be at your suspecting +their old playfellow!" + +<P>"I hope I may be mistaken, sir," Harvey said, "but Harold's opinion of +him agrees with mine; and, in talking it over last night, we both put +our finger on him as the man who fired the rocket. Well, now, we must be +pushing on. We are bound for the ford where Morgan's horse must have +come over, and shall hear from our fellows there whether they rode +straight here after crossing, as, if so, there can be no doubt whatever +that the rocket was a signal." + +<P>Upon arriving at the ford they found that Morgan's horse had only +crossed an hour before the time at which they arrived at Mr. Jackson's. +One of the scouts had instantly taken word to the nearest cavalry +outpost, but the enemy had recrossed the river before these had arrived +on the spot. + +<P>After three days on duty at the front, the party returned to their +lines, and the next time that the young men rode out to their friends +they took with them Jake and Peter, to whom they related the +circumstances. + +<P>The scouts proceeded on foot and separated from the others a mile before +reaching the house, having arranged that Peter should scout round it, +while Jake should proceed to the plantation of Mr. Chermside and keep a +sharp lookout there. + +<P>They had arranged with Mr. Jackson that no mention of the rocket should +be made to anyone, however intimate with the family. + +<P>"I am glad to see you again," the host said, as they entered the room +where the family were assembled, "although I own that these two raids of +Morgan's horse have made me uneasy. The girls have been immensely amused +at your suspicions of young Chermside." + +<P>"How could you think such a thing?" Isabelle said. "He was here on the +following evening, and was as indignant as we were at the thought of +treachery being at work. He quite agreed with us that the coming of the +Yankees could hardly have been accidental." + +<P>"You said nothing about the rocket, I hope?" Harvey asked. + +<P>"No, we kept quite silent about that, as you made such a point of it; +but it seemed ridiculous with him. But I shall be in a fright, now, +every time you come." + +<P>"We have brought two of our men with us," Harvey said, "and they are +scouting round, so we shall hear if another rocket goes up; and, even if +the person who let it up suspects that the last was seen,—as he might +do from our having left so suddenly,—and tries some other plan to warn +the enemy, we can trust our men to fire a shot and so give us warning in +time. We have told the groom not to take the saddles off the horses, as +we may stop but a short time." + +<P>At eight o'clock a disturbance was heard outside, and Jake entered the +room, dragging with him by main force the young planter. + +<P>"What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Jackson asked, as they rose from +their seats in surprise. + +<P>"Me tell you, sar," Jake answered. "Me had orders from Massa Harold to +watch outside ob de house ob dis feller and see what going on dere. +About half an hour after me got dere a nigger come along running from +dis direction. Dat no business of Jake's, so he stood in de trees and +let him pass. He go into de house; five minutes afterward dis feller he +come out and he walk away. Jake follow him bery quiet to see what him +after. He walk more dan a mile, den he get on to de oder side of dat big +hill; den me see him stop, and Jake tink it time to interfere, so he ran +up and catch him. He had put dis ting against a stump of a tree, and had +him pistol in him hand, and was on de point of firing it close to dis +ting, so as to light him." + +<P>As Jake spoke he held out a rocket. Several times while Jake had been +speaking the planter had tried to interrupt him, but each time Jake, who +had not released his hold of him, gave him so violent a shake that he +was fain to be silent. + +<P>"This is a scandalous indignity," he exclaimed furiously when Jake +finished. "What do you mean, sir," he demanded of Harvey, "by setting +this nigger to watch my abode? I will have satisfaction for this +treatment." + +<P>"It seems, sir," Mr. Jackson said, signing to Harvey to be silent, +"that you have been detected in a gross act of treachery. My friends +have suspected you of it, but I indignantly denied it. Could we +believe, I and my family, that you, whom we have known as a child, +would betray our guests to the Americans? Loyalists and republicans are +alike welcome here. I do not ask my friends their opinions. My house is +neutral ground, and I did not think that anyone who used it would have +had the treachery to turn it into a trap; still less did I imagine you +would do so. These gentlemen would be perfectly within their right did +they take you out and hang you from the nearest tree; but, for my sake, +I trust that they will not do so; but should the American cavalry ever +again visit this house under circumstances which may lead it to be +supposed that they have been brought here to capture my guests, I shall +let them punish you as you deserve. No word of mine will be raised in +your favor. Now, sir, go, and never again enter this house, where the +loathing and contempt that I feel for you will, I know, be shared by +the ladies of my family." + +<P>At a nod from Harold Jake released his hold of the captive, who, without +a word, turned and left the room. + +<P>Not a word was spoken for a minute or two after he had left. The +youngest girl was the first to speak. + +<P>"The wretch!" she exclaimed. "To think that Herbert Chermside should +turn out such a mean traitor! Papa, I would have let them hang him at +once. It would have served him right. Now he may do us all harm." + +<P>"I do not know that you are not right, Ada," Mr. Jackson replied +gravely. "I am far from saying that I acted wisely. Young Chermside has +many friends among the Americans, and it is possible that he may work us +harm. However, my position as a neutral is well established. Officers on +both sides have at times been welcomed here, and his report, therefore, +that our friends here are often with us can do us no harm. Henceforth he +must be regarded as an enemy, and there will always be danger in these +visits. So long as the American outposts are within an hour's ride he +can have the road watched; and, although he is not likely to venture +upon signaling with rockets, he may send or take word on horseback. A +bonfire, too, might be lit at the other side of the hill to call them +over. Altogether you will never be safe from home except when you have a +strong body of your own troops between this and the river." + +<P>"I am glad to say," Harvey said, "that in consequence of the news of +Morgan's raids on this side a body of 200 infantry and a troop of +cavalry are to move to-morrow and take up their position by the ford, so +we shall be safe from any surprise from that direction." + +<P>"I am very glad to hear it," Mr. Jackson said. "It will relieve me of a +great anxiety. But pray be watchful when you are in this neighborhood. +You have made a bitter enemy, and, after what he has proved himself +capable of, we cannot doubt that he would hesitate at nothing. I +understand," he went on with a smile toward his eldest daughter, "what +is at the bottom of his conduct, and, as I have long suspected his hopes +in that quarter, I am not surprised that he is somewhat hostile to you. +Still, I never for a moment deemed him capable of this." + +<P>The next day Mr. Jackson learned that his neighbor had left his +plantation, and had told his servants that he was not likely to return +for some time. + +<P>Shortly after this a series of bad luck attended the doings of the +British scouts. Several parties were killed or captured by the enemy, +and they were constantly baffled by false reports, while the Americans +appeared to forestall all their movements. It was only when enterprises +were set on foot and carried out by small bodies that they were ever +successful, anything like combined action by the orders of the officers +constantly turning out ill. + +<P>"There must be a traitor somewhere," Peter said upon the return of a +party from an attempt which, although it promised well, had been +frustrated, to carry off a number of cattle from one of the American +depots. "It aint possible that this can be all sheer bad luck. It aint +no one in our company, I'll be bound. We aint had any new recruits +lately, and there aint a man among us whom I could not answer for. There +must be a black sheep in Gregory's or Vincent's corps. The enemy seem up +to every move, and, between us, we have lost more than thirty men in the +last few weeks. There aint no doubt about it—there's a traitor +somewhere and he must be a clever one, and he must have pals with him, +or he couldn't send news of what we are doing so quickly. It beats me +altogether, and the men are all furious." + +<P>"I've been talking with some of our men," Peter said a few days +afterward, "and we agree that we are bound to get to the bottom of this +matter. We're sartin sure that the traitor don't belong to us. What we +propose is this, that the hull of us shall go up together, without +saying a word to a soul, and scatter ourselves along the river at all +the points where a chap going with a message to the enemy would be +likely to cross. The night we go out we'll get the three captains all to +give orders to their men for an expedition, so that whoever it is that +sends messages from here would be sure to send over word to the Yankees; +and it'll be hard if we don't ketch him. What do you say?" + +<P>"I think the plan is a very good one," Harold answered. "If you like, I +will go with my father and ask Gregory and Vincent to send their men." + +<P>Captain Wilson at once went to these officers. They were as much +irritated and puzzled as were their men by the failures which had taken +place, and agreed that, next evening, an order should be issued for the +men of the three corps to act in combination, and to allow it to leak +out that they intended to surprise an American post situated near the +river, twenty-one miles distant. Captain Wilson's scouts, instead of +going with the others, were to act on their own account. + +<P>On the day arranged, as soon as it became dark, the forty scouts quietly +left their quarters in small parties and made their way toward the +river, striking it at the point where a messenger would be likely to +cross upon his way to give warning to the American post of the attack +intended to be made upon it. They took post along the river, at a +distance of fifty or sixty yards apart, and silently awaited the result. +Several hours passed and no sound broke the stillness of the woods. An +hour before dawn Peter Lambton heard a slight crack, as that of a +breaking twig. It was some distance back in the woods, but it seemed to +him, by the direction, that the man who caused it would strike the river +between himself and Jake, who was stationed next to him. He noiselessly +stole along toward the point. Another slight sound afforded him a sure +indication of the direction in which the man, whoever he might be, was +approaching. He hastened his steps, and a minute later a negro issued +from the wood close to him. He stood for an instant on the river bank +and was about to plunge in, when Peter threw his arms around him. + +<P>Although taken by surprise, the negro struggled desperately and would +have freed himself from the grip of the old scout had not Jake run up +instantly to his comrade's assistance. In a minute the negro was bound +and two shots were then fired, the concerted signal by which it would be +known along the line that a capture had been effected. In a few minutes +the whole body was assembled. The negro, who refused to answer any +questions, was carried far back into the woods and a fire was lighted. + +<P>"Now, nigger," Peter said, taking, as captor, the lead in the matter, +"jest tell us right away where you was going and who sent you." + +<P>The negro was silent. + +<P>"Now, look ye here, darky, you're in the hands of men who are no +jokers. Ef you tell us at once who put ye on to this trick no harm will +happen to you; but ef ye don't we'll jest burn the skin off your body, +bit by bit." + +<P>Still the negro was silent. + +<P>"Half a dozen of yez," Peter said, "as have got iron ramrods shove them +into the fire. We'll soon find this nigger's tongue." + +<P>Not a word was spoken until the ramrods were heated red-hot. + +<P>"Now," Peter said, "two of yez clap your ramrods against this +darky's flanks." + +<P>The negro struggled as the men approached him, and gave a terrific yell +as the hot iron was applied to his sides. + +<P>"I will tell you, sars—oh! have mercy upon me and I will tell you +eberything!" + +<P>"I thought," Peter said grimly, "that you'd find a tongue soon enough. +Now, then, who sent you?" + +<P>"My massa," the negro answered. + +<P>"And who is your master?" + +<P>The negro was again silent, but as, at a nod from Peter, the men again +raised the ramrods, he blurted out: + +<P>"Massa Chermside." + +<P>The name was known to many of the scouts, and a cry of anger broke +from them. + +<P>"I thought as much," Harvey said. "I suspected that scoundrel was at the +bottom of it all along. Where is he?" he asked the negro. + +<P>"Me not know, sar." + +<P>"You mean you won't say," Peter said. "Try the vartue of them +ramrods again." + +<P>"No, no!" the negro screamed. "Me swear me do not know where him be. You +may burn me to death if you will, but I could not tell you." + +<P>"I think he is speaking the truth," Harvey said. "Wait a minute. Have +you done this before?" he asked the negro. + +<P>"Yes, sar. Eight or ten times me swim de river at night." + +<P>"With messages to the Americans?" + +<P>"Yes, sar; messages to American officers." + +<P>"Have you any written message—any letter?" + +<P>"No, sar, me never take no letter. Me only carry dis." And he took out +from his hair a tiny ball of paper smaller than a pea. + +<P>It was smoothed out, and upon it, were the words, "General Washington." + +<P>"Where I go, sar, I show dem dis, and dey know den dat de message can be +believed." + +<P>"But how do you get the message? How do you see your master?" + +<P>"Master's orders were dat me and two oders were to meet him ebery night, +after it got dark, at a tree a mile from de place where de soldiers are. +Sometimes he no come. When he come he gibs each of us a piece of money +and tell us to carry a message across the river. We start by different +ways, swim across de water in different places, take de message, and +come back to de plantation." + +<P>"A pretty business!" Peter said. "Now you must come back with us to the +post and tell your story to the commanding officer. Then we must see if +we can't lay hands on this rascally master of yours." + +<P>Upon the news being told, the general in command sent a party out, who, +after searching the house and out-buildings of the plantation in vain, +set fire to them and burned them to the ground. The negroes were all +carried away and employed to labor for the army. The town and all the +surrounding villages were searched, but no trace could be obtained of +the missing man. One of the men of Gregory's corps of scouts +disappeared. He had recently joined, but his appearance, as a man with +beard and whiskers, in no way agreed with that of the planter. He might, +however, have been disguised, and his disappearance was in itself no +proof against him, for the scouts were under no great discipline, and +when tired of the service often left without giving notice of their +intention of doing so. It was, moreover, possible that he might have +fallen by an enemy's bullet. + +<P>The strongest proof in favor of the deserter being Chermside was that, +henceforth, the scouts were again as successful as before, often +surprising the enemy successfully. + +<P>Now that the ford nearest Mr. Jackson's was strongly guarded, the young +men had no apprehension of any surprise, although such an event was just +possible, as the cavalry on both sides often made great circuits in +their raids upon each other's country. That Chermside was somewhere in +the neighborhood they believed; having, indeed, strong reason for doing +so, as a rifle was one evening fired at them from the wood as they rode +over, the ball passing between their heads. Pursuit, at the time, was +impossible. But the next day a number of scouts searched the woods +without success. Soon after they heard that Chermside had joined the +Americans and obtained a commission in a body of their irregular horse. + +<P>Harvey was now formally engaged to Isabelle Jackson, and it was settled +that the wedding should take place in the early spring at New York. When +not on duty he naturally spent a good deal of his time there, and Harold +was frequently with him. Since he had been fired at in the woods +Isabelle had been in the highest state of nervous anxiety lest her +lover's enemy should again try to assassinate him, and she begged Harold +always to come over with him, if possible, as the thought of his riding +alone through the wood filled her with anxiety. + +<P>Although he had no order to do so, Jake, whenever he saw Harold and his +friend canter off toward the Jacksons, shouldered his rifle and went out +after them to the house, where, so long as they stayed, he scouted round +and round with the utmost vigilance. Very often Harold was ignorant of +his presence there; but when, after his return, he found, by questioning +him, how he had been employed, he remonstrated with him on such +excessive precaution. + +<P>"Can't be too cautious, massa," Jake said. "You see dat fellow come one +of dese days." + +<P>Jake's presentiment turned out correct. One evening when, with several +friends, the young men were at Mr. Jackson's the sound of the report of +a rifle was heard at a short distance. + +<P>"That must be Jake's rifle!" Harold exclaimed. + +<P>"Quick, Harvey, to your horse!" + +<P>It was too late. As they reached the door a strong party of American +cavalry dashed up to it. + +<P>"Surround the house!" an officer shouted. "Do not let a soul escape!" + +<P>The young men ran upstairs again. + +<P>"We are caught," Harvey said. "Escape is cut off. The Yankee cavalry are +all round the house. Good-by, Isabelle. We shall meet one of these days +again, dear." The girl threw herself into his arms. + +<P>"Be calm, love!" he said. "Do not let this scoundrel have the +satisfaction of triumphing over you." + +<P>A moment later Chermside, accompanied by several soldiers, +entered the room. + +<P>"I am sorry to disturb so pleasant a party," he said in a sneering +voice, "but if Americans choose to entertain the enemies of their +country they must expect these little disagreeables." + +<P>Mr. Jackson abruptly turned his back upon him, and no one else spoke, +although he was personally well known to all. + +<P>"These are the two men," he said to the soldiers—"two of the most +notorious scouts and spies on the frontier. We will take them to +headquarters, where a short shrift and two strong ropes will be +their lot." + +<P>"The less the word spy is in the mouth of such a pitiful traitor as +yourself the better, I should say," Harvey said quietly; and, walking +forward with Harold, he placed himself in the hands of the soldiers. + +<P>No one else spoke. Isabelle had fainted when she heard the threat of +execution against her lover. Ada stood before her with a look of +such anger and contempt on her young face that Chermside fairly +winced under it. + +<P>"To horse!" he said sullenly, and, turning, followed his men and +prisoners downstairs. + +<P>The troop, Harold saw, numbered some 200 sabers. They had with them a +number of riderless horses, whose accouterments showed that they +belonged to an English regiment; most of the men, too, had sacks of +plunder upon their horses. They had evidently made a successful raid, +and had probably attacked a post and surprised and driven off the +horses of a squadron of cavalry, and were now on their return toward +their lines. + +<P>"This is an awkward business, Harold," Harvey said as, in the midst +of their captors, they galloped off from the Jacksons'. "Of course +it's all nonsense about our being hung. Still, I have no wish to see +the inside of a prison, where we may pass years before we are +exchanged. Once handed over to the authorities we shall be safe; but +I shall not feel that we are out of danger so long as we are in this +scoundrel's hands. Fortunately there are officers of superior rank to +himself with the squadron, otherwise I have no doubt at all that he +would hang us at once." + +<P>Such was indeed the case, and Chermside was, at that moment, fuming +intensely at the chance which had thrown his rival in his hands at a +time when he was powerless to carry out his vengeance. He had, indeed, +ventured to suggest that it would be less trouble to hang the prisoners +at once, but the major in command had so strongly rebuked him for the +suggestion that he had at once been silenced. + +<P>"I blush that I should have heard such words from the mouth of an +American officer. It is by such deeds, sir, that our cause is too often +disgraced. We are soldiers fighting for the independence of our +country—not lawless marauders. Had these men been taken in their +civilian dress over on our side of the river they would have been tried +and hung as spies; but they were on neutral ground, and, in fact, in the +rear of their own posts. There is no shadow of defense for such an +accusation. Should I ever hear a similar suggestion I shall at once +report your conduct to General Washington, who will know how to deal +with you." + +<P>"I wonder what has become of Jake," Harold said to his comrade. "I trust +he was not shot down." + +<P>"Not he," Harvey said. "He made off after firing his rifle, you may be +sure, when he saw that there was nothing to be done. The fellow can run +like a hare, and I have no doubt that, by this time, he has either got +back to the village and given the alarm there or has made for the ford. +There are 100 cavalry there now as well as the infantry. Jake will be +there in an hour from the time he started. The dragoons will be in the +saddle five minutes later, and it is just possible they may cut off our +retreat before we have crossed the river. Peter is on duty there, and, +if he happens to be at the post when Jake arrives, he will hurry up with +all the scouts he can collect." + +<P>Jake had taken flight as Harvey supposed. He had, after firing his +rifle, taken to the wood, and had remained near the house long enough to +see which way the cavalry rode when they started. Then he made for the +post at the ford at the top of his speed. It was less than an hour from +starting when he arrived there, and three minutes later the cavalry +trumpets were blowing "To horse!" After giving his message to the +officer in command Jake went into the village, where the sounds of the +trumpet brought all the soldiers into the street. + +<P>"Hullo, Jake! is that you?" a familiar voice asked. "What the tarnal +is up now?" + +<P>Jake hastily related what had taken place. + +<P>"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "This is a bad job. They're making, no +doubt, for Finchley's Ford, fifteen mile down the river. With an hour's +start they're sure to be there before us." + +<P>"What are you going to do, Peter? Are you thinking of running wid +de cavalry?" + +<P>"Thinking of running to the moon!" the scout said contemptuously. "You +can run well, I don't deny, Jake, but you couldn't run fifteen mile with +the dragoons; and, if you could, you'd get there too late. Yer bellows +are going pretty fast already. Now don't stand staring there, but hurry +through the camp and get all our boys together. Tell them to meet by the +water side. Get Gregory and Vincent's men as well as our own. There's +twenty or thirty altogether in the place." + +<P>Without asking a question Jake ran off to carry out the orders, and, in +a few minutes, twenty-four men were collected together on the bank. + +<P>"Now, you fellows," Peter said, "we've got to rescue these two chaps out +of the hands of the Yankees. Them who don't want to jine—and mind you +the venture is a risky one—had better say so at once and stop behind." + +<P>No one moved. + +<P>"What I propose is this: we'll take the ferryboat, which aint no good +to no one, seeing as how the Yankees are on one side of the river and +we the other, and we'll drop down the stream about ten mile. Then we'll +land on their side of the river and strike inland, hiding the boat +under the bushes somewhere. They'll halt for the night when they're +safe across the river. There's five or six hundred of their infantry +camped on the ford. There's two hundred on our side, but the Yankees'll +ride through in the dark and get across before the redcoats are awake. +Now, I propose that, after we've landed, we make a sweep round until we +get near the Yanks' camp. Then the rest'll wait and two or three of +us'll go in and see if we can't get the young fellows out of wherever +they've put 'em. Then we'll jine you and make a running fight of it +back to the boat." + +<P>The others assented. The boat was amply large enough for all, and, +pulling her out into the stream, they dropped down, keeping under +shelter of the trees on the British side. Half an hour after they had +started they heard the faint sound of distant musketry. + +<P>"There," Peter said, "the Yanks are riding through the British camp, +close to the ford." + +<P>A few more shots were heard, and then all was silent. The stream was +swift, for it was swollen by recent rains, and at three in the morning +the boat touched the bank about a mile above the ford. The party +disembarked noiselessly and, fastening the boat to a tree, moved along +toward the camp. + +<P>When they were within four or five hundred yards of the village Peter +chose Jake and two others of his band, and, telling the rest to remain +where they were, ready for action, he struck inland. He made a <I>détour</I> +and came in at the back of the camp. + +<P>Here there were no sentries, as the only danger to be apprehended was +upon the side of the river. Peter therefore entered boldly. In front of +the principal house a sentry was walking up and down, and he, in the +free-and-easy manner usual in the American army, gladly entered into +conversation with the newcomers. + +<P>"All pretty quiet about here?" Peter asked. "We're from the West, and +have jest come down to do a little fighting with the Britishers. I +reckon they aint far off now?" + +<P>"They are just across the river," the sentry said. "Have you come far?" + +<P>"We've made something like two hundred mile this week, and mean to have +a day or two's rest before we begin. We've done some Injun fighting, my +mates and me, in our time, and we says to ourselves it was about time we +burned a little powder against the redcoats. Things seem quiet enough +about here. Nothing doing, eh?" + +<P>"Not much," the sentry said; "just skirmishes. Some of our cavalry came +across through the redcoats late to-night. I hear they have got a +quantity of plunder and some fine horses, and they have brought in a +couple of the British scouts." + +<P>"And what have they done with 'em?" Peter asked. "Strung 'em up, +I suppose." + +<P>"No, no; we aint fighting Indians now; we don't hang our prisoners. No, +they are safe under guard over there in the cavalry camp, and will be +taken to headquarters to-morrow." + +<P>"Waal," Peter said, stretching himself, "I feel mighty tired and shall +jest look for a soft place for an hour's sleep before morning." + +<P>So saying he sauntered away, and the sentry resumed his walk. + +<P>Peter and his three companions now moved off toward the spot where, as +the sentry had indicated, the cavalry were encamped. They were not in +tents, but were sleeping wrapped up in their blankets. Two tents had +been erected, lent probably by the infantry on the spot. One was much +larger than the other, and sentries were placed before each. They had +some difficulty in making their way, for the night was dark, and the +cavalry had picketed their horses without order or regularity. In their +search they had to use great caution to avoid stumbling over the +sleeping men, but at last they saw the tents faintly against the sky. +They crawled cautiously up. There were two sentries on the smaller tent. + +<P>"Now, Jake," Peter whispered, "you're the blackest and so had better do +the trick. Don't cut a hole in the tent, for they'd be safe to hear the +canvas tear. Crawl under. It's been put up in haste and aint likely to +be pinned down very tight. They're safe to be bound, and when you've cut +the cords and given them time to get the use of their feet, then crawl +along and jine us." + +<P>Jake did as he was instructed. One of the sentries was pacing up and +down before the entrance, the other making a circuit round the tent. The +circle was a somewhat large one to avoid stumbling over the tent ropes. +Jake, watching his opportunity, had no difficulty in crawling up and +squeezing himself under the canvas before the sentry returned. + +<P>"Hush!" he whispered, as he let the canvas fall behind him. "It's Jake." + +<P>Both the captives were fast asleep. Jake, feeling about in the darkness, +found them, one after the other, and, putting his hands on their mouths +to prevent them making an exclamation, he woke them, and soon cut the +cords with which they were bound hand and foot. Then in whispers he told +them what had happened. They chafed their limbs to produce circulation, +for they had been tightly tied, and then, one by one, they crawled out +of the tent. + +<P>Harvey went first and was safely across before the sentry returned. +Harold followed; but, as he went, in his hurry he struck a tent rope. + +<P>"What's that?" the sentry in front asked sharply. "Bill, was that you?" + +<P>"No," his comrade replied. "Something's up. Look into the tent." + +<P>And, so saying, he ran round behind, while the sentry in front rushed +into the tent and, kicking about with his feet, soon found that it +was empty. + +<P>Jake, on hearing the exclamation, at once crawled from the tent; but, as +he did so, the sentry, running round, saw him and leveled his rifle. +Before he could fire a shot was heard and the man fell dead. + +<P>Jake started to his feet and joined his friends. The other sentry also +discharged his rifle, and the whole camp awoke and sprang to their feet. +The horses, alarmed at the sudden tumult, plunged and kicked; men +shouted and swore, everyone asking what was the matter. Then loud cries +were heard that the sentry was shot and the prisoners had escaped. + +<P>Running closely together and knocking down all who stood in their way, +the fugitives hurried in the darkness until at the edge of the camp, and +then started at full speed. + +<P>The trumpets were now sounding to horse, and several shots were fired +after them. Many of the horses had not been unsaddled, and mounted men +at once dashed off. Several had seen the little party rush away, and the +horsemen were speedily on their track. The six men ran at the top of +their speed and were soon close to their hidden friends. + +<P>"This way! this way! I see them!" shouted a voice, which Harold and +Harvey recognized as that of their enemy, who, a minute later, galloped +up with half a dozen troopers. It was not until he was within a few +yards that his figure was clearly discernible; then Peter Lambton's +rifle flashed out, and the planter fell from his horse with a bullet in +his brain. + +<P>Jake and the other two men also fired, and the horsemen, astonished at +their number, reined in their horses to await the coming up of more of +their comrades. + +<P>In another minute the fugitives were with their friends, and, at a rapid +trot, the whole ran up the river bank toward the spot where they had +hidden their boat. + +<P>The country was covered with brushwood and forest and, as the cavalry, +now swollen to a considerable force, advanced, they were greeted by so +heavy a fire that, astonished at this strong force of foes upon their +side of the river, and not knowing how numerous they might be, they +halted and waited for the infantry to come up. Long before the enemy +were prepared to advance against the unknown foe the scouts reached +their boat and crossed safely to the other side. + +<P>Shortly after this adventure Mr. Jackson and his family moved for the +winter to New York, where, soon after their arrival, the wedding +between Harvey and Isabella took place, the former retiring from the +corps of scouts. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c11"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XI.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA.</H3> + +<P>During the course of the spring of 1777 a large number of loyal +colonists had volunteered their services. They had been embodied into +battalions, and when the army prepared to take the field they were +placed in garrisons in New York and other places, thus permitting the +employment of the whole of the British force in the field. The Americans +had occupied themselves in strongly fortifying the more defensible +positions, especially those in a mountain tract of country called the +Manor of Courland. This was converted into a sort of citadel, where +large quantities of provisions, forage, and stores of all kinds were +collected. About fifty miles from New York, up the North River, was a +place called Peekskill, which served as a port to the Manor of Courland. +The country was so difficult and mountainous that General Howe shrank +from engaging his army in it. He determined, however, to attack and +destroy Peekskill, and a party of 500 men, under the command of Colonel +Bird of the Fifteenth Regiment, were sent up the river in two transports +to destroy it. The garrison, consisting of 800 men, set fire to the +place and withdrew without firing a shot. The British completed the +destruction of the stores and returned to New York. + +<P>A little later 2000 men were sent on a similar expedition against the +town of Danbury, another place on the confines of Courland Manor, where +great stores had also been collected. They proceeded up the East River +and landed at Camp's Point. They started on foot at ten o'clock at +night, and after a ten hours' march arrived at eight o'clock at Danbury. +The enemy evacuated the place on their approach, and the English set +fire to the great magazines filled with stores of all kinds. + +<P>The news of the march of the English had spread rapidly, and the enemy +assembled from all quarters and posted themselves under the command of +General Arnold at a town called Ridgefield, through which the English +would have to pass on their return. Here they threw up intrenchments. It +was late in the afternoon when the English, fatigued with the long +march, arrived at this spot. They did not hesitate, but when the +Americans opened fire they boldly assailed the intrenchments and carried +them with the bayonet. They were unable to march further, and lying down +so as to form an oblong square, slept till morning. All night the +Americans continued to come up in great force, and in the morning as the +troops advanced a terrible fire was opened upon them from the houses and +stone walls in which the country abounded. The British had to fight +every foot of their way. General Wooster had brought up some +field-artillery on the side of the Americans. Gradually the column +fought its way forward until it arrived within half a mile of Camp's +Point. Here two strong bodies of the enemy barred their way. The column +was by this time greatly exhausted; the men had had no real rest for +three days and two nights, and several dropped on the road with fatigue. +Brigadier General Erskine picked out 400 of those who were in the best +condition and attacked the two bodies of the enemy with such vigor that +he put them utterly to flight, and the column, again advancing, reached +their destination without further molestation. Nearly 200 men, including +10 officers, were killed and wounded on the part of the British; the +loss of the Americans was still greater, and General Wooster and some +field officers were among the slain. + +<P>Many other skirmishes took place with varied success. The Americans at +Bondwick, seven miles from Brunswick, 1200 in number, were surprised and +routed by Cornwallis, while on the other hand the American Colonel Meigs +carried out a most dashing expedition by crossing to Long Island and +destroying a quantity of stores at a place called Sag Harbor, burning a +dozen brigs and sloops which lay there, taking 90 prisoners, and +returning safely across the Sound. + +<P>In June Washington with 8000 men was encamped in a strong position at +Middlebrook. General Howe, although he had 30,000 men, hesitated to +attack him here. By a feigned retreat he succeeded in drawing General +Washington from his stronghold and inflicted a decisive defeat on 3000 +of his men. Washington fell back to his position in the mountains, and +General Howe retired altogether from Jersey and withdrew his troops to +Staten Island. A dashing feat was executed at this time by Colonel +Barton of the American army. Learning that General Prescott, who +commanded at Rhode Island, had his headquarters at a distance of a mile +from his troops, he crossed from the mainland in two boats, seized the +general in his bed, and carried him off through the British fleet. The +object of this dashing enterprise was to obtain a general to exchange +for the American General Lee, who had been captured by the British. + +<P>General Howe, in June, again marched against Washington and again fell +back without doing anything. Had he, instead of thus frittering away his +strength, marched to the Delaware, crossed that river, and advanced +against Philadelphia, Washington would have been forced to leave his +stronghold and either fight in the open or allow that important city to +fall into the hands of the English. + +<P>General Howe now embarked his army in transports. Had he sailed up the +North River to Albany he would have effected a junction with General +Burgoyne's army, which was advancing from Canada, and with the united +force could have marched through America from end to end as he chose. +Instead of doing so he sailed down to Chesapeake Bay and there +disembarked the whole army, which had been pent up in transports from +July 3 to August 24. Not till September 11 did they advance in earnest +toward Philadelphia. The Americans thus had ample time to take up a +strong position and fortify it. This they did on the other side of +Brandywine Creek. Under cover of a cannonade the British advanced, +mastered the fort, and carried the intrenchments. General Sullivan, with +a considerable force, had now arrived, accompanied by General Washington +himself. He took up his position a short distance from the Brandywine, +his artillery well placed and his flanks covered with woods. + +<P>The following afternoon the British attacked. The Americans fought well, +but the British were not to be denied, and rushing forward drove the +enemy from their position into the woods in their rear. Here they made a +stand and were only dislodged after a desperate resistance. The greater +portion of them fled in all directions. Washington himself, with his +guns and a small force, retreated eight miles from Chester and then +marched by Derby to Philadelphia. Here he waited three days rallying his +troops, and then, having recruited his stores from the magazines, +marched away. + +<P>All this time the British remained inactive on the ground they had won. +In the battle the Americans lost 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +prisoners. Several guns were also taken. The British lost 100 killed and +400 wounded. + +<P>On September 20 they advanced toward Philadelphia. The American General +Wayne had concealed himself in the woods with 1500 men, with the +intention of harassing the rear of the British army. News of this having +been obtained, Major General Grey was dispatched at once to surprise +him; he ordered his men not to load, but to rely wholly on the bayonet. +The success of the expedition was complete. General Wayne's outpost was +surprised and the British troops rushed into his encampment. Three +hundred of the Americans were killed or wounded and 100 taken prisoners. +The rest escaped through the woods. On the English side 1 officer was +killed and 7 privates killed and wounded. + +<P>The capture of Philadelphia was an important advantage to the British, +but it could not be thoroughly utilized until the fleet could come up +the river to the town. The American Congress, which had sat at +Philadelphia until General Howe approached the town, had taken extensive +measures for rendering the passage impracticable. Three rows of +chevaux-de-frise, composed of immense beams of timber bolted and +fastened together and stuck with iron spikes, were sunk across the +channel, and these lines were protected by batteries. At these forts +were fourteen large rowboats, each carrying a heavy cannon, two floating +batteries carrying nine guns each, and a number of fireships and rafts. + +<P>The forts commanding the chevaux-de-frise were abandoned on the +approach of the British, and Captain Hammond of the <I>Roebuck</I> +succeeded, in spite of the opposition of the enemy's boats and +batteries, in making an opening through the chevaux-de-frise +sufficiently wide for the fleet to pass. + +<P>Large numbers of troops having been sent away from Germantown, a place +seven miles from Philadelphia, where the main body of the British army +were posted, General Washington determined to attempt the surprise of +that position. For this purpose he re-enforced his army by drawing 1500 +troops from Peekskill and 1000 from Virginia, and at daybreak on October +4, under cover of a thick fog, he made an attack on the troops posted at +the head of the village. + +<P>Half of the British force lay on one side of the village, and half on +the other, and had the attack upon the place succeeded the British army +would have been cut in two. The village was held by the Fortieth +Regiment, who, fighting obstinately, were driven back among the houses. +The Americans were pushing forward in five heavy columns, when +Lieutenant Colonel Musgrave, who commanded the Fortieth, threw himself +into a large stone house. Here he offered a desperate resistance, and so +impeded the advance of the enemy that time was given for the rest of the +British troops to get under arms. + +<P>General Washington ordered a whole brigade of infantry to attack the +house and turned four guns against it. Colonel Musgrave and his men +resisted desperately and held the post until Major General Grey, with +the Third Brigade, and Brigadier General Agnew, with the Fourth Brigade, +came up and attacked the enemy with great spirit. The engagement was for +some time very hot. At length a part of the right wing fell upon the +enemy's flank, and the Americans retired with great precipitation. The +fog was so dense that no pursuit could be attempted. + +<P>On the part of the English 600 were killed and wounded. The loss of the +Americans amounted to between 200 and 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +taken prisoners. General Howe had on the previous night been acquainted +with the intention of General Washington to attack the place, and had he +taken the proper measures to have received them the American army would +have been destroyed. He took no measures whatever, gave no warning to +the army, and suffered the camp to be taken by surprise. + +<P>After this battle the fleet and army united, cleared away the +chevaux-de-frise across the Delaware, and took the forts commanding them +after some hard fighting. + +<P>The passage of the Delaware being thus opened and the water +communication secured, the army went to their winter quarters at +Philadelphia. + +<P>Captain Wilson, and his son had taken no part in any of these +operations, as a short time after the capture of Harold and Harvey by +the American cavalry the company had been disbanded. The men, when they +entered the service, had volunteered for a year. This time already had +been greatly exceeded—twenty months had passed since the battle of +Bunker's Hill—and although the men were willing to continue to give +their services so long as it appeared to them that there was a prospect +of a favorable termination of the war, no such hope any longer remained +in their minds. The great army which England had sent over had done +nothing toward restoring the king's authority in the colonies, and if, +after a year's fighting, its outposts were still within a few miles of +New York, how could it be expected or even hoped that it could ever +subdue a country containing hundreds of thousands of square miles? The +retreat from the Delaware and the virtual handing over of New Jersey +again to Washington was the finishing stroke which decided the +volunteers to demand their discharge, according to the terms of their +engagement. Except during the Canadian campaign they had had but little +fighting, nor in such a warfare as that which General Howe was carrying +on was there much scope for their services. Many of the gentlemen who +formed the majority of the company, and who for the most part had +friends and connections in England, sailed for that country; some had +left wives and families on their estates when they took up arms; and +most of them, despairing of the final success of the war, had instructed +their agents to sell these estates for any sum that they would fetch; +others—among them Captain Wilson—now followed their example. It was +but a mere tithe of the value of the property that was obtained, for +money was scarce in the colonies, and so many had sold out and gone to +England, rather than take part on one side or the other of the +fratricidal strife, that land and houses fetched but nominal prices. + +<P>Mrs. Wilson had long since gone to England, and her husband, having made +arrangements for the disposal of his property, now determined to join +her. Fortunately he possessed means, irrespective of his estate in +America. This had come to him through his wife, and his own fortune and +the money obtained by the sale of his commission had remained invested +in English securities. While determined on this course for himself, he +left it to his son to choose his own career. Harold was now nearly +eighteen, and his life of adventure and responsibility had made a man of +him. His father would have preferred that he should have returned with +him to England, but Harold finally decided upon remaining. In war men's +passions become heated, the original cause of quarrel sinks into +comparative insignificance, and the desire for victory, the +determination to resist, and a feeling of something like individual +hatred for the enemy become predominant motives of the strife. + +<P>This was especially the case in the American war. On both sides there +were many circumstances which heightened the passions of the combatants. +The loyalists in the English ranks had been ruined by the action of +their opponents—many had been reduced from wealth to poverty, and each +man felt a deep passion of resentment at what he regarded his personal +grievance. Then, too, the persistent misrepresentations both of facts +and motives on the part of the American writers and speakers added to +the irritation. The loyalists felt that there were vast numbers +throughout the colonies who agreed with them and regarded Congress as a +tyrannical faction rather than the expression of the general will. In +this, no doubt, they were to some extent mistaken, for by this time the +vast majority of the people had joined heart and soul in the conflict. +Men's passions had become so stirred up that it was difficult for any to +remain neutral; and although there were still large numbers of loyalists +throughout the States, the vast bulk of the people had resolved that the +only issue of the contest was complete and entire separation from the +mother country. + +<P>Harold had now entered passionately into the struggle. He was in +constant contact with men who had been ruined by the war. He heard only +one side of the question, and he was determined, so long as England +continued the struggle, to fight on for a cause which he considered +sacred. He was unable to regard the prospects of success as hopeless; he +saw the fine army which England had collected; he had been a witness of +the defeat of the Americans whenever they ventured to stand the shock of +the British battalions; and in spite of the unsatisfactory nature of the +first campaign, he could not bring himself to believe that such an army +could fail. + +<P>When the company was disbanded he decided to continue to serve as a +scout, but, sharing in the general disgust in the army at the incapacity +of General Howe, he determined to take ship again for Canada and take +service under General Burgoyne, who was preparing with a well-appointed +army to invade the States from that side. + +<P>When he communicated his determination to Peter Lambton the latter at +once agreed to accompany him. + +<P>"I've gone into this business," the hunter said, "and I mean to see it +through. Settling down don't suit me. I aint got any friends at New +York, and I'd be miserable just loafing about all day doing nothing. No, +I'll see this business out to the end, and I'd much rather go with you +than anyone else." + +<P>Jake was of the same opinion. Accustomed all his life to obey orders and +to the life on his master's plantation, he would not have known what to +do if left to his own devices. Captain Wilson pointed out to him that he +could easily obtain work on the wharves of New York or as a laborer on a +farm, but Jake would not listen to the proposal and was hurt at the +thought that he could leave his young master's side as long as Harold +continued in the war. + +<P>Accordingly, the day after Captain Wilson sailed for England the three +comrades embarked in a ship for Halifax, whence another vessel took them +to Quebec. They then sailed up the river to Montreal and took service as +scouts in General Burgoyne's army. + +<P>For political reasons General Burgoyne had been appointed to the command +of the expedition which had been, prepared, and General Carleton, +naturally offended at being passed over, at once resigned the +governorship. His long residence in Canada, his knowledge of the +country, of the manners of its inhabitants and the extent of its +resources, and his acquaintance with the character of the Indians, +rendered him far more fit for command than was General Burgoyne. In +military knowledge and experience, too, he was his superior, and had he +retained a command the fate of the expedition would probably have been +very different. + +<P>The army under General Burgoyne consisted of 7173 men, exclusive of +artillerymen. Of these about half were Germans. The Canadians were +called upon to furnish men sufficient to occupy the woods on the +frontier and to provide men for the completion of the fortifications at +Sorrel, St. John's, Chamblée, and Isle-aux-Noix, to furnish horses and +carts for carriage, and to make roads when necessary. A naval force was +to go forward with him on the lake. The Indian question had again to be +decided. Several tribes volunteered to join the British. General +Burgoyne hesitated, as General Carleton had done before, to accept their +services, and only did so finally on the certainty that if he refused +their offers they would join the Americans. He resolved to use them as +little as possible. He knew that their object in all wars was murder and +destruction, and although he wished to conquer the Americans, he did not +desire to exterminate them. + +<P>On June 16, 1777, General Burgoyne advanced from St. John's. The naval +force had preceded the army and opened a way for its advance. The troops +were carried in a flotilla of boats, and under the protection of the +fleet passed Lake Champlain and landed at Crown Point. + +<P>Harold and his companions had joined the army a fortnight previously, +and as they crossed the lake with the fleet they could not but +remember their last expedition there. At Crown Point they were joined +by 1000 Indians, who marched round the lake, and at this place General +Burgoyne gave them a great feast and afterward made a speech to them, +exhorting them to abstain from all cruelty, to avoid any ill-treatment +of unarmed combatants, and to take as prisoners all combatants who +fell into their hands. + +<P>But while thus exhorting the Indians to behave with humanity and +moderation, the general took a most ill-judged step, which not only +did the English cause great harm, but was used by the Americans with +much effect as a proof of the cruel way in which England warred +against the colonists. He issued a proclamation threatening to punish +with the utmost severity all who refused to attach themselves to the +British cause, and at the same time he magnified the ferocity of the +Indians; pointing out with great emphasis their eagerness to butcher +those who continued hostile to the mother country, whose interests +they had espoused. + +<P>This proclamation was naturally construed by the Americans as a threat +to deliver over to the tender mercies of the Indians to slay, scalp, and +destroy all who ventured to resist the authority of the king. + +<P>The Americans had fallen back on the approach of the British, and upon +the landing being effected, the scouts were instantly sent forward. + +<P>Among the Indians who had joined at Crown Point were the Senecas—among +them their old friend Deer Tail. + +<P>The scouts received no particular orders and were free to regulate their +own movements. Their duty was to reconnoiter the country ahead and to +bring in any information they might gather as to numbers and positions +of the enemy. + +<P>Finding that Peter and his companions were about to start, Deer Tail +said that, instead of waiting for the feast, he would take five of his +warriors and accompany them. + +<P>It was at Ticonderoga that the Americans had prepared to make their +first stand. The place lies on the western shore of the lake a few miles +to the northward of the narrow inlet uniting Lake Champlain to Lake +George. It was to reconnoiter the fort that the party now set out. News +had been brought that the Americans had been executing great additional +works, and the British general was anxious to learn the nature of these +before he advanced. + +<P>It was certain that the enemy would on their side have sent out scouts +to ascertain the movements of the royal army, and the party proceeded +with the greatest care. They marched in the usual fashion—in Indian +file; the Seneca chief led the way, followed by one of his braves; then +came Peter, Harold, and Jake; the other Senecas marched in the rear. + +<P>When they came within a few miles of the fort their progress was marked +with profound caution. Not a word was spoken, their tread was noiseless, +and the greatest pains were taken to avoid stepping on a twig or dried +stick. The three scouts when they left St. John's had abandoned their +boots and had taken to Indian moccasins. Several times slight murmurs +were heard in the forest, and once a party of four American frontiersmen +were seen in the wood. The party halted and crouched in the bushes. The +Senecas turned toward Peter as if asking if an attack should be made, +but the latter shook his head. A single shot would have been heard far +away in the woods and their further progress would have been arrested. +Their object now was not to fight, but to penetrate close to the +American intrenchments. + +<P>When the enemy had passed on the party continued its way. As they neared +the fort the caution observed increased. Several times they halted, +while the Seneca, with one of his braves, crawled forward to see that +all was clear. At last they stood on the edge of a great clearing. +Before them, just within gunshot range, stood the fort of Ticonderoga. +Peter Lambton was well acquainted with it, and beyond the fact that the +space around had been cleared of all trees and the stockades and +earthworks repaired, little change could be seen. + +<P>As he was gazing the Indian touched his shoulder and pointed to a high +hill on the opposite side of the narrow straits. This had been cleared +of trees and on the top a strong fort had been erected. Many cannon were +to be seen along its crest, the roofs of huts, and a large number of +men. Halfway up the hill was another battery and a third, still lower +down, to sweep the landing. + +<P>"They've been working hard," the hunter said, "and the army'll have a +mighty tough job before it. What do you think of that, Harold?" + +<P>"It is a very strong position," Harold said, "and will cost us a +tremendous number of men to take it. The fort cannot be attacked till +that hill has been carried, for its guns completely command all this +clearing." + +<P>For some time they stood gazing at the works, standing well back +among the trees, so as to be screened from all observation. At last +Harold said: + +<P>"Look at that other hill behind. It is a good bit higher than that which +they have fortified and must be within easy range both of it and the +fort. I don't see any works there—do you?" + +<P>Peter and the Seneca chief both gazed long and earnestly at the hill and +agreed that they could see no fortification there. + +<P>"It won't do to have any doubt about it," Peter said. "We must go round +and have a look at it." + +<P>"We shall have to cross the river," Harold remarked. + +<P>"Ay, cross it we must," Peter said. "That hill's got to be inspected." + +<P>They withdrew into the wood again and made a circuitous deviation till +they came down upon the river, two miles above Ticonderoga. They could +not reach the water itself, as a road ran along parallel with it and the +forest was cleared away for some distance. A number of men could be seen +going backward and forward on the road. + +<P>Having made their observations, the scouts retired again into a thick +part of the forest and waited till nightfall. + +<P>"How are we to get across?" Harold asked Peter. "It's a good long swim, +and we could not carry our muskets and ammunition across." + +<P>"Easy enough," the scout said. "Didn't you notice down by the road a +pile of planks? I suppose a wagon has broke down there, and the planks +have been turned out and nobody has thought anything more about 'em. +We'll each take a plank, fasten our rifle and ammunition on it, and swim +across; there won't be any difficulty about that. Then, when we've seen +what's on the top of that 'ere hill, we'll tramp round to the other end +of the lake. I heard that the army was to advance half on each side, so +we'll meet 'em coming." + +<P>When it was perfectly dark they left their hiding place and crossed the +clearing to the spot where Peter had seen the planks. Each took one of +them and proceeded to the river side. Peter, Harold, and Jake divested +themselves of some of their clothes and fastened these with their rifles +and ammunition to the planks. To the Indians the question of getting wet +was one of entire indifference, and they did not even take off their +hunting shirts. Entering the water the party swam noiselessly across to +the other side, pushing their planks before them. On getting out they +carried the planks for some distance, as their appearance by the water's +edge might excite a suspicion on the part of the Americans that the +works had been reconnoitered. + +<P>After hiding the planks in the bushes they made their way to Sugar Hill, +as the eminence was called. The ascent was made with great +circumspection, the Indians going on first. No signs of the enemy were +met with, and at last the party stood on the summit of the hill. It was +entirely unoccupied by the Americans. + +<P>"Well, my fine fellows," laughed the scout, "I reckon ye've been doing a +grist of work, and ye might jest as well have been sitting down quietly +smoking yer pipes. What on arth possessed ye to leave this hill +unguarded?" + +<P>In point of fact General St. Clair, who commanded the Americans, had +perceived that his position was commanded from this spot. He had only +3000 men under him, and he considered this number too small to hold +Ticonderoga, Mount Independence, and Sugar Hill. The two former posts +could afford no assistance to the garrison of a fort placed on Sugar +Hill, and that place must therefore fall if attacked by the British. On +the other hand, he hoped that, should the attention of the English not +be called to the importance of the position by the erection of works +upon it, it might be overlooked, and that General Burgoyne on his +arrival might at once attack the position which he had prepared with so +much care. + +<P>Having ascertained that the hill was unoccupied, Peter proposed at once +to continue the march. Harold suggested to him that it would be better +to wait until morning, as from their lofty position they would be able +to overlook the whole of the enemy's lines of defense and might obtain +information of vital importance to the general. Peter saw the advantage +of the suggestion. Two of the Indians were placed on watch, and the rest +of the party lay down to sleep. At daybreak they saw that the delay had +been fully justified, for they had now a view of the water which +separated Ticonderoga from Mount Independence, and perceived that the +Americans had made a strong bridge of communication between these posts. +Twenty-two piers had been sunk at equal distances, and between them +boats were placed, fastened with chains to the piers. A strong bridge of +planks connected the whole. On the Lake Champlain side of the bridge a +boom, composed of great trees fastened together with double chains, had +been placed. Thus, not only had communication been established across +the stream, but an effectual barrier erected to the passage of the +fleet. Fully satisfied with the result of their investigations, the +party set out on their return. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c12"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE SETTLER'S HUT.</H3> + +<P>Before starting they stood for a minute or two looking over the forest +which they were to traverse. To Harold's eyes all appeared quiet and +still. Here and there were clearings where settlers had established +themselves; but, with these exceptions, the forest stretched away like a +green sea. + +<P>"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "We'll have all our work to get through +safely; eh, chief?" + +<P>The Seneca nodded. + +<P>"What makes you say so?" Harold asked in surprise. "I see nothing." + +<P>Peter looked at him reproachfully. + +<P>"I'm downright ashamed of ye, lad. You should have been long enough in +the woods by this time to know smoke when you see it. Why, there it is +curling up from the trees in a dozen—ay, in a score of places. There +must be hundreds of men out scouting or camping in them woods." + +<P>Harold looked fixedly again at the forests, but even now he could not +detect the signs which were so plain to the scout. + +<P>"You may call me as blind as a bat, Peter," he said with a laugh, "but I +can see nothing. Looking hard I imagine I can see a light mist here and +there, but I believe it is nothing but fancy." + +<P>"It's clear enough to me, lad, and to the redskins. What do you +say, chief?" + +<P>"Too much men," the Seneca replied sententiously. + +<P>For another minute or two he and Peter stood watching the forest, and +then in a few words consulted together as to the best line to follow to +avoid meeting the foe who, to their eyes, swarmed in the forest. + +<P>"It's mighty lucky," the hunter said as they turned to descend the hill, +which was covered with trees to its very summit, "that they're white men +and not redskins out in the woods, there. I don't say that there's not +many frontiersmen who know the way of the woods as well as the redskins. +I do myself, and when it comes to fighting we can lick 'em on their own +ground; but in scouting we aint nowhere—not the best of us. The redskin +seems to have an instinct more like that of an animal than a man. I +don't say as he can smell a man a mile off as a dog can do, but he seems +to know when the enemy's about; his ears can hear noises which we can't; +his eyes see marks on the ground when the keenest-sighted white man sees +nothing. If that wood was as full of redskins as it is of whites to-day, +our sculps wouldn't be worth a charge of powder." + +<P>"You are not going to follow the shores of the lake, I suppose?" +Harold asked. + +<P>"No," Peter said. "They'll be as thick as peas down there, watching for +the first sight of our fleet. No, we must just keep through the woods +and be as still and as silent as if the trees had ears. You'd best look +to the priming of yer piece before we goes further, for it's likely +enough you'll have to use it before the day's done, and a miss-fire +might cost you yer life. Tell that nigger of yourn that he's not to open +his mouth again till I gives him leave." + +<P>With a long stealthy tread the party descended the mountain and took +their way through the woods. Every hundred yards or so they stopped and +listened intently. When any noise, even of the slightest kind, was +heard, all dropped to the ground until the chief had scouted round and +discovered the way was clear. Once or twice they heard the sound of +men's voices and a distant laugh, but they passed on without seeing +those who uttered them. + +<P>Presently they again heard voices, this time raised as if in angry +dispute. The Seneca would, as before, have made a long <I>détour</I> to avoid +them, but Peter said. + +<P>"Let's have a squint at what's going on, chief." + +<P>With redoubled caution they again advanced until they stood at the edge +of the clearing. It was a patch of land some hundred yards wide, and +extending from the shore of the lake nearly a quarter of a mile inland. +In the center stood a log hut, neatly and carefully built. A few flowers +grew around the house, and the whole bore signs of greater neatness and +comfort than was usual in the cabins of the backwood settlers. + +<P>The point where the party had reached the edge of the wood was +immediately opposite the house. Near it stood a group of some twenty +men, one of whom, apparently their leader, was gesticulating angrily as +he addressed a man who stood facing him. + +<P>"I tell ye, ye're a darned royalist—ye're a traitor to the country, and +I've a mind to hang ye and all belonging to ye to the nearest bough." + +<P>"I tell you," the man answered calmly, but in the still air every word +he said could be heard by those at the edge of the forest, "I hae +naething to do with the trouble ane way or the ither. I am a quiet +settler, whose business only is to mak a hame for my wife and bairn; +but, if you ask me to drink success to the Congress and confusion to the +king's troops, I tell you I willna do it; not even if you are brutal +enough, but this I canna believe possible, to carry your threats into +execution. I hae served my time in a king's regiment. With the bounty I +received instead o' pension on my discharge I settled here wi' my wife +and bairn, and no one shall say that Duncan Cameron was a traitor to his +king. We do no harm to anyone; we tak no part for or against you; we +only ask to be allowed to live in peace." + +<P>"That ye shall not," the man said. "The king's troops have got Injuns +with 'em, and they're going to burn and kill all those who won't take +part with 'em. It's time we should show 'em as we can play at that game, +too. Now ye've either got to swear to be faithful to the States of +America or up you go." + +<P>"I canna swear," the settler said firmly. "You may kill me if you will, +but, if you are men, you will nae harm my wife and girl." + +<P>"We'll just do to you as the redskins'll do to our people," the man +said. "We'll make a sweep of the hull lot of you. Here, you fellows, +fetch the woman and girl out of the house and then set a light to it." + +<P>Four or five men entered the house. A minute later screams were heard +and a woman and child were dragged out. The settler sprang toward them, +but three or four men seized him. + +<P>"Now," the man said, stepping toward the house, "we'll show 'em a +bonfire." + +<P>As he neared the door a crack of a rifle was heard and the ruffian fell +dead in his tracks. A yell of astonishment and rage broke from his +followers. + +<P>"Jerusalem, youngster! you've got us into a nice fix. Howsomever, since +you've begun it, here goes." + +<P>And the rifle of the hunter brought down another of the Americans. +These, following the first impulse of a frontiersman when attacked, fled +for shelter to the house, leaving the settler, with his wife and +daughter, standing alone. + +<P>"Ye'd best get out of the way," Peter shouted, "or ye may get a bit of +lead that wasn't intended for ye." + +<P>Catching up his child, Cameron ran toward the forest, making for the +side on which his unknown friends were placed, but keeping down toward +the lake, so as to be out of their line of fire. + +<P>"Make down to 'em, Harold," Peter said. "Tell 'em they'd best go to some +neighbor's and stop there for a day or two. The army'll be here +to-morrow or next day. Be quick about it, and come back as fast as ye +can. I tell ye we're in a hornets' nest, and it'll be as much as we can +do to get out of it." + +<P>A scattering fire was now being exchanged between the redskins behind +the shelter of the trees and the Americans firing from the windows of +the log house. Harold was but two or three minutes absent. + +<P>"All right, Peter!" he exclaimed, as he rejoined them. + +<P>"Come along, then," the hunter said. "Now, chief, let's make up round +the top of this clearing and then foot it." + +<P>The chief at once put himself at the head of the party, and the nine men +strode away again through the forest. It was no longer silent. Behind +them the occupants of the hut were still keeping up a brisk fire toward +the trees, while from several quarters shouts could be heard, and more +than once the Indian war-whoop rose in the forest. + +<P>"That's just what I was afeared of," Peter muttered. "There's some of +those darned varmint with 'em. We might have found our way through the +whites, but the redskins'll pick up our trail as sartin as if we were +driving a wagon through the woods." + +<P>Going along at a swinging, noiseless trot the party made their way +through the forest. Presently a prolonged Indian whoop was heard in the +direction from which they had come. Then there were loud shouts and the +firing ceased. + +<P>"One of the red reptiles has found our trail," Peter said. "He's with a +party of whites, and they've shouted the news to the gang in the +clearing. Waal, we may, calculate we've got thirty on our trail, and, as +we can hear them all round, it'll be a sarcumstance if we git out with +our sculps." + +<P>As they ran they heard shouts from those behind, answered by others on +both flanks. Shots, too, were fired as signals to call the attention of +other parties. Several times the Seneca chief stopped and listened +attentively, and then changed his course as he heard suspicious noises +ahead. Those behind them were coming up, although still at some distance +in the rear. They could hear the sound of breaking trees and bushes as +their pursuers followed them in a body. + +<P>"Ef it was only the fellows behind," Peter said, "we could leave them +easy enough, but the wood seems alive with the varmint." + +<P>It was evident the alarm had spread through the forest, and that the +bands scattered here and there were aware that an enemy was in their +midst. The dropping fire, which the pursuers kept up, afforded an +indication as to the direction in which they were making, and the +ringing war-whoop of the hostile Indians conveyed the intelligence still +more surely. + +<P>Presently there was a shout a short distance ahead, followed by the +sound of a rifle ball as it whizzed close to Harold's head and buried +itself in a tree that he was passing. In a moment each of the party had +sheltered behind a tree. + +<P>"It's of no use, chief," Peter said. "We'll have the hull pack from +behind upon us in five minutes. We must run for it and take our chances +of being hit." + +<P>Swerving somewhat from their former line, they again ran on; bullets +whisked round them, but they did not pause to fire a shot in return. + +<P>"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed, as the trees in front of them opened and +they found themselves on the edge of another clearing. It was +considerably larger than that which they had lately left, being three +hundred yards across, and extending back from the lake fully half a +mile. As in the previous case, a log hut stood in the center, some two +hundred yards back from the lake. + +<P>"There's nothing for it, chief," Peter said. "We must take to the house +and fight it out there. There's a hull gang of fellows in the forest +ahead, and they'll shoot us down if we cross the clearing." + +<P>Without a moment's hesitation the party rushed across the clearing to +the hut. Several shots were fired as they dashed across the open, but +they gained the place of refuge in safety. The hut was deserted. It had +probably belonged to royalists, for its rough furniture lay broken on +the ground; boxes and cupboards had been forced open, and the floor was +strewn with broken crockery and portions of wearing apparel. + +<P>Harold looked round. Several of the party were bleeding from +slight wounds. + +<P>"Now to the windows," Peter said as he barred the door. "Pile up bedding +and anything else that ye can find against the shutters, and keep +yerselves well under cover. Don't throw away a shot; we'll want all our +powder, I can tell ye. Quickly, now—there aint no time to be lost." + +<P>While some began carrying out his instructions below, others bounded +upstairs and scattered themselves through the upper rooms. There were +two windows on each side of the house—one at each end. Disregarding the +latter, Peter and Harold took post at the windows looking toward the +forest from which they had just come. The chief and another Indian +posted themselves to watch the other side. At first no one was to be +seen. The party who had fired at them as they ran across the open had +waited for the coming up of the strong band who were following, before +venturing to show themselves. The arrival of the pursuers was heralded +by the opening of a heavy fire toward the house. As the assailants kept +themselves behind trees, no reply was made, and the defenders occupied +themselves by piling the bedding against the shutters, which they had +hastily closed. Loop-holes had been left in the walls when the hut was +first built; the moss with which they were filled up was torn out, and +each man took his post at one of these. As no answering shot came from +the house the assailants became bolder, and one or two ventured to show +themselves from, behind shelter. In a moment Harold and Peter, whose +rifles would carry more truly and much further than those of the +Indians, fired. + +<P>"Two wiped out!" Peter said, as the men fell, and shouts of anger arose +from the woods. "That'll make them careful." + +<P>This proof of the accuracy of the aim of the besieged checked their +assailants, and for some time they were very careful not to expose +themselves. From both sides of the forest a steady fire was maintained. +Occasionally an answering shot flashed out from the house when one of +the enemy incautiously showed an arm or a part of his body from behind +the trees, and it was seldom the rifles were fired in vain. Four or five +of the Americans were shot through the head as they leaned forward to +fire, and after an hour's exchange of bullets the attack ceased. + +<P>"What are they going to do now?" Harold asked. + +<P>"I expect they're going to wait till nightfall," Peter said. "There's no +moon, and they'll be able to work up all round the house. Then they'll +make a rush at the door and lower windows. We'll shoot down a good many +on 'em, and then they'll burst their way in or set fire to the hut, and +there'll be an end of it. That's what'll happen." + +<P>"And you think there is no way of making our way out?" Harold asked. + +<P>"It's a mighty poor chance, if there's one at all," the hunter replied. +"I should say by the fire there must be nigh a hundred of 'em now, and +it's likely that, by nightfall, there'll be three times as many. As soon +as it gets dusk they'll creep out from the woods and form a circle round +the house and gradually work up to it. Now let's cook some vittles; +we've had nothing to eat this morning yet, and it must be nigh eleven +o'clock. I don't see why we should be starved, even if we have got to be +killed to-night." + +<P>One of the party was left on watch on each side of the house, and the +others gathered in the room below, where a fire was lit and the strips +of dried deer flesh which they carried were soon frying over it. Harold +admired the air of indifference with which his companions set about +preparing the meat. Everyone was aware of the desperate nature of the +position, but no allusion was made to it. The negro had caught the +spirit of his companions, but his natural loquacity prevented his +imitating their habitual silence. + +<P>"Dis bad affair, Massa Harold," he said. "We jess like so many coons up +in tree, wid a whole pack ob dogs round us, and de hunters in de +distance coming up wid de guns. Dis chile reckon dat some ob dem hunters +will get hit hard before dey get us. Jake don't care one bit for +himself, massa, but he bery sorry to see you in such a fix." + +<P>"It can't be helped, Jake," Harold said as cheerfully as he could. "It +was my firing that shot which got us into it, and yet I cannot blame +myself. We could not stand by and see those ruffians murder a woman +and child." + +<P>"Dat's so, Massa Harold; dere was no possinbility of seeing dat. I +reckon dat when dose rascals come to climb de stairs dey'll find it are +bery hard work." + +<P>"I don't think they will try, Jake. They are more likely to heap +brushwood against the door and windows and set it alight, and then shoot +us down as we rush out. This hut is not like the one I had to defend +against the Iroquois. That was built to repel Indians' attacks; this is +a mere squatter's hut." + +<P>After the meal was over Peter and the Seneca chief went upstairs, looked +through the loop-holes, and talked long and earnestly together; then +they rejoined the party below. + +<P>"The chief and I are of opinion," Peter said to Harold, "that it are of +no manner of use our waiting to be attacked here. They'd burn us out to +a sartinty; we should have no show of a fight at all. Anything's better +than that. Now, what we propose is that, directly it gets fairly dark, +we'll all creep out and make for the lake. Even if they have formed +their circle round us, they aint likely to be as thick there as they are +on the other side. What they'll try to do, in course, is to prevent our +taking to the forest; and there'll be such a grist of 'em that I don't +believe one of us would get through alive if we tried it. Now they'll +not be so strong toward the lake, and we might break through to the +water. I don't say as there's much chance of our getting away, for I +tell you fairly that I don't believe that there's any chance at all; but +the chief, here, and his braves don't want their sculps to hang in the +wigwams of the Chippewas, and I myself, ef I had the choice, would +rather be drownded than shot down. It don't make much difference; but, +of the two, I had rather. Ef we can reach the lake, we can swim out of +gunshot range. I know you can swim like a fish, and so can Jake, and the +Indians swim as a matter of course. Ef we dive at first we may get off; +it'll be so dark they won't see us with any sartainty beyond fifty +yards. When we're once fairly out in the lake we can take our chance." + +<P>"And is there a chance, Peter? Although, if there is none, I quite agree +with you that I would rather be drowned than shot down. If one were sure +of being killed by the first shot that would be the easiest death; but +if we were only wounded they would probably hang us in the morning." + +<P>"That's so," the hunter said. "Waal, I can hardly say that there's a +chance, and yet I can't say as how there aint. In the first place, they +may have some canoes and come out after us; there's pretty safe to be +some along the shore here. The settlers would have had 'em for fishing." + +<P>"But what chance will that give us?" Harold asked. + +<P>"Waal," the hunter replied, "I reckon in that case as our chance is a +fair one. Ef we dive and come up close alongside we may manage to upset +one of 'em, and, in that case, we might get off. That's one chance. Then +ef they don't come out in canoes, we might swim three or four miles down +the lake and take to land. They couldn't tell which way to go and would +have to scatter over a long line. It's just possible as we might land +without being seen. Once in the woods and we'd be safe. So you see, we +have two chances. In course we must throw away our rifles and ammunition +before we come to the water." + +<P>"At any rate," Harold said, "the plan is a hopeful one, and I agree with +you that it is a thousand times better to try it than it is to stop here +with the certainty of being shot down before morning." + +<P>The afternoon passed quietly. A few shots were fired occasionally from +the wood, and taunting shouts were heard of the fate which awaited them +when night approached. + +<P>A vigilant watch was kept from the upper windows, but Peter thought that +it was certain the enemy would make no move until it became perfectly +dark, although they would establish a strong cordon all round the +clearing in case the besieged should try and break out. Harold trembled +with impatience to be off as the night grew darker and darker. It seemed +to him that at any moment the assailants might be narrowing the circle +round the house, and, had he been a leader, he would have given the word +long before the scout made a move. + +<P>At last Peter signaled that the time had come. It was perfectly dark +when the bars were noiselessly removed from the door and the party stole +out. Everything seemed silent, but the very stillness made the danger +appear more terrible. Peter had impressed upon Harold and Jake the +necessity for moving without making the slightest noise. As soon as they +left the house the whole party dropped on their hands and knees. Peter +and the Seneca chief led the way; two of the braves came next; Harold +and Jake followed; the remaining Indians crawled in the rear. Peter had +told his comrades to keep as close as possible to the Indians in front +of them, and, grasping their rifles, they crept along the ground. As +they led the way Peter and the Seneca carefully removed from before them +every dried twig and threw it on one side. + +<P>The distance to be traversed from the hut to the water was about two +hundred yards, and half of this was passed over before they encountered +any obstacle. Then suddenly there was an exclamation, and Peter and the +Seneca sprang to their feet, as they came in contact with two men +crawling in the opposite direction. They were too close to use their +rifles, but a crushing blow from the Seneca's tomahawk cleft down the +man in front of him, while Peter drew his long knife from its sheath and +buried it in the body of his opponent. + +<P>The others had also leaped to their feet, and each, as he did so, fired +at the dark figures which rose around them. They had the advantage of +the surprise; several scattered shots answered their volley, then, with +their rifles clubbed, they rushed forward. For a moment there was a +hand-to-hand fight. Harold had just struck down a man opposite to him +when another sprang upon him; so sudden was the attack that he fell from +the shock. But in an instant Jake buried his knife between his +opponent's shoulders and dragged Harold to his feet. + +<P>"Run for your life, Massa Harold. De whole gang's upon us!" + +<P>And indeed the instant the first shot broke the silence of the woods a +babel of sounds arose from the whole circuit of the clearing; shouts and +yells burst out from hundreds of throats. There was no further use for +concealment, and from all sides the men who had been advancing to the +attack rushed in the direction where the conflict was taking place. This +lasted but a few seconds. As Peter had expected, the line was thinner +toward the lake than upon the other sides, and the rush of nine men had +broken through it. Shouts were heard from the woods on either side +extending down to the water, showing that the precaution had been taken +by the assailants of leaving a portion of their force to guard the line +of forest should the defenders break through the circle. + +<P>At headlong speed the little band rushed down to the water's side, +dropped their ammunition pouches by its edge, threw their rifles a few +yards into the water, to be recovered, perhaps, on some future occasion, +and then dived in. The nearest of the pursuers were some thirty yards +behind when they neared the water's edge. Swimming as far under water as +they could hold their breath, each came to the surface for an instant, +and then again dived. Momentarily as they showed themselves they heard +the rattle of musketry behind, and the bullets splashed thickly on the +water. The night, however, was so dark that the fire could only be a +random one. Until far out from the shore they continued diving and then +gathered together. + +<P>"We're pretty well out of range, now," Peter said, "and quite out of +sight of the varmints. Now we can wait a bit and see what they do next." + +<P>The enemy were still keeping up a heavy fire from the shore, hallooing +and shouting to each other as they fancied they caught a glimpse of +their enemies. + +<P>"There must be two or three hundred of 'em," Peter said. "We've fooled +'em nicely, so far." + +<P>By the crashing of the bushes the fugitives could hear strong parties +making their way along the shore in either direction. An hour passed, +during which the fugitives floated nearly opposite the clearing. + +<P>"Hullo!" Peter exclaimed presently. "There's a canoe coming along the +lake. I expect they got it from Cameron's." + +<P>As he spoke a canoe appeared round the point. Two men were standing up +holding blazing torches; two others paddled; while two, rifle in hand, +sat by them. Almost at the same moment another canoe, similarly manned, +pushed out from the shore immediately opposite. + +<P>"I wish we had known of that canoe," Peter said; "it would have saved us +a lot of trouble; but we had no time for looking about. I suspected them +settlers must have had one laid up somewheres. Now," he went on, "let's +make our plans. The canoes are sure to keep pretty nigh each other. +They'll most likely think as we've gone down the lake and'll not be +looking very sharply after us at present. It'll never do to let 'em pass +us. Now Jake and I and two of the Injuns will take one canoe, and the +chief and three of his braves the other. We must move round so as to get +between 'em and the shore, and then dive and come up close to 'em. Now, +Harold, do you swim out a bit further and then make a splash so as to +call their attention. Do it once or twice till you see that they've got +their eyes turned that way. Then be very quiet, so as to keep 'em +watching for another sound. That'll be our moment for attacking 'em." + +<P>They waited till the two canoes joined each other and paddled slowly out +from the shore. Then the eight swimmers started off to make their +<I>détour</I>, while Harold swam quietly further out into the lake. The +canoes were about three hundred yards from shore and were paddling very +slowly, the occupants keeping a fixed look along the lake. There was +perfect quiet on the shore now, and when Harold made a slight splash +with his hand upon the water he saw that it was heard. Both canoes +stopped rowing, the steerers in each case giving them a steer so that +they lay broadside to the land, giving each man a view over the lake. +They sat as quiet as if carved in stone. Again Harold made a splash, but +this time a very slight one, so slight that it could hardly reach the +ears of the listeners. + +<P>A few words were exchanged by the occupants of the boats. + +<P>"They are further out on the lake, Bill," one said. + +<P>"I am not sure," another answered. "I rather think the sound was further +down. Listen again." + +<P>Again they sat motionless. Harold swam with his eyes fixed upon them. +Every face was turned his way and none was looking shoreward. Then, +almost at the same instant there was a shout from both boats. The men +with torches seemed to lose their balance. The lights described a half +circle through the air and were extinguished. A shout of astonishment +broke from the occupants, mingled with the wild Seneca war-yell, and he +knew that both canoes were upset. + +<P>There was a sound of a desperate struggle going on. Oaths and wild cries +rose from the water. Heavy blows were struck, while from the shore arose +loud shouts of dismay and rage. In two minutes all was quiet on the +water. Then came Peter's shout: + +<P>"This way, Harold! We'll have the canoes righted and bailed in a minute. +The varmin's all wiped out." + +<P>With a lightened heart Harold swam toward the spot. The surprise had +been a complete success. The occupants of the canoes, intent only upon +the pursuit and having no fear of attack—for they knew that the +fugitives must have thrown away their rifles—were all gazing intently +out on the lake, when, close to each canoe on the shore side, four heads +rose from out of the water. In an instant eight hands had seized the +gunwales, and, before the occupants were aware of their danger, the +canoes were upset. + +<P>Taken wholly by surprise, the Americans were no match for their +assailants. The knives of the latter did their work before the +frontiersmen had thoroughly grasped what had happened. Two or three, +indeed, had made a desperate fight, but they were no match for their +opponents, and the struggle was quickly over. + +<P>On Harold reaching the canoes he found them already righted and half +emptied of water. The paddles were picked up, and, in a few minutes, +with a derisive shout of adieu to their furious enemy on the shore, the +two canoes paddled out into the lake. When they had attained a distance +of about half a mile from the shore they turned the boats heads and +paddled north. In three hours they saw lights in the wood. + +<P>"There's the troops," Peter said. "Soldiers are never content unless +they're making fires big enough to warn every redskin within fifty miles +that they're coming." + +<P>As they approached the shore the challenge from the English sentinel +came over the water: + +<P>"Who comes there?" + +<P>"Friends," Peter replied. + +<P>"Give the password." + +<P>"How on arth am I to give the password," Peter shouted back, "when we've +been three days away from the camp?" + +<P>"If you approach without the password I fire," the sentinel said. + +<P>"I tell ye," Peter shouted, "we're scouts with news for the general." + +<P>"I can't help who you are," the sentinel said. "I have got my orders." + +<P>"Pass the word along for an officer," Harold shouted. "We have +important news." + +<P>The sentry called to the one next him, and so the word was passed along +the line. In a few minutes an officer appeared on the shore, and, after +a short parley, the party were allowed to land, and Peter and Harold +were at once conducted to the headquarters of General Burgoyne. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c13"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XIII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">SARATOGA.</H3> + +<P>"What is your report?" asked General Burgoyne, as the scouts were +conducted into his tent. + +<P>"We have discovered, sir, that the Americans have strongly fortified +Mount Independence, which faces Ticonderoga, and have connected the two +places by a bridge across the river, which is protected by a strong +boom. Both positions are, however, overlooked by Sugar Hill, and this +they have entirely neglected to fortify. If you were to seize this they +would have to retire at once." + +<P>The general expressed his satisfaction at the news and gave orders that +steps should be taken to seize Sugar Hill immediately. He then +questioned the scouts as to their adventures and praised them highly for +their conduct. + +<P>The next day the army advanced, and at nightfall both divisions were in +their places, having arrived within an hour or two of each other from +the opposite sides of the lake. Sugar Hill was seized the same night, +and a strong party were set to work cutting a road through the trees. +The next morning the enemy discovered the British at work erecting a +battery on the hill, and their general decided to evacuate both +Ticonderoga and Mount Independence instantly. Their baggage, provisions, +and stores were embarked in two hundred boats and sent up the river. The +army started to march by the road. + +<P>The next morning the English discovered that the Americans had +disappeared. Captain Lutwych immediately set to work to destroy the +bridge and boom, whose construction had taken the Americans nearly +twelve months' labor. By nine in the morning a passage was effected, and +some gunboats passed through in pursuit of the enemy's convoy. They +overtook them near Skenesborough, engaged and captured many of their +largest craft, and obliged them to set several others on fire, together +with a large number of their boats and barges. + +<P>A few hours afterward a detachment of British troops in gunboats came up +the river to Skenesborough. The cannon on the works which the Americans +had erected there opened fire, but the troops were landed, and the enemy +at once evacuated their works, setting fire to their store-houses and +mills. While these operations had been going on by water Brigadier +General Fraser, at the head of the advance corps of grenadiers and light +infantry, pressed hard upon the division of the enemy which had retired +by the Hubberton Road, and overtook them at five o'clock in the morning. + +<P>The division consisted of fifteen hundred of the best colonial troops +under the command of Colonel Francis. They were posted on strong ground +and sheltered by breastworks composed of logs and old trees. General +Fraser's detachment was inferior in point of numbers to that of the +defenders of the position, but as he expected a body of the German +troops under General Reidesel to arrive immediately, he at once attacked +the breastworks. The Americans defended their post with great resolution +and bravery. The re-enforcements did not arrive so soon as was expected, +and for some time the British made no way. + +<P>General Reidesel, hearing the fire in front, pushed forward at full +speed with a small body of troops. Among these was the band, which he +ordered to play. + +<P>The enemy, hearing the music and supposing that the whole of the +German troops had come up, evacuated the position and fell back +with precipitation. Colonel Francis and many others were killed and +two hundred taken prisoners. On the English side 120 men were +killed and wounded. + +<P>The enemy from Skenesborough were pursued by Colonel Hill, with the +Ninth Regiment, and were overtaken near Fort Anne. Finding how small was +the force that pursued them in comparison to their own, they took the +offensive. A hot engagement took place, and after three hours' fighting +the Americans were repulsed with great slaughter and forced to retreat +after setting fire to Fort Anne and Fort Edward. + +<P>In these operations the British captured 148 guns, with large quantities +of stores. At Fort Edward General Schuyler was joined by General St. +Clair, but even with this addition the total American strength did not +exceed forty-four hundred. + +<P>Instead of returning from Skenesborough to Ticonderoga, whence he might +have sailed with his army up to Lake George, General Burgoyne proceeded +to cut his way through the woods to the lake. The difficulties of the +passage were immense: swamps and morasses had to be passed, bridges had +to be constructed over creeks, ravines, and gulleys. The troops worked +with great vigor and spirit. Major General Phillips had returned to Lake +George and transported the artillery, provisions, and baggage to Fort +George and thence by land to a point on the Hudson River, together with +a large number of boats for the use of the army in their intended +descent to Albany. + +<P>So great was the labor entailed by this work that it was not until July +30 that the army arrived on the Hudson River. The delay of three weeks +had afforded the enemy time to recover their spirits and recruit their +strength. General Arnold arrived with a strong re-enforcement, and a +force was detached to check the progress of Colonel St. Leger, who was +coming down from Montreal by way of Lake Ontario and the Mohawk River to +effect a junction with General Burgoyne. + +<P>General Burgoyne determined to advance at once. The army was already +suffering from want of transportation, and he decided to send a body of +troops to Bennington, twenty-four miles to the eastward of the Hudson +River, where the Americans had large supplies collected. Instead of +sending light infantry he dispatched six hundred Germans—the worst +troops he could have selected for this purpose, as they were very +heavily armed and marched exceedingly slowly. Several of the officers +remonstrated with him, but with his usual infatuated obstinacy he +maintained his disposition. + +<P>On approaching Bennington Colonel Baum, who commanded the Germans, found +that a very strong force was gathered there. He sent back for +re-enforcements, and five hundred more Germans, under Lieutenant Colonel +Breyman, were dispatched to his assistance. Long, however, before these +slowly moving troops could arrive Colonel Baum was attacked by the enemy +in vastly superior numbers. The Germans fought with great bravery and +several times charged the Americans and drove them back. Fresh troops +continued to come up on the enemy's side, and the Germans, having lost a +large number of men, including their colonel, were forced to retreat +into the woods. The enemy then advanced against Colonel Breyman, who was +ignorant of the disaster that had befallen Baum, and with his detachment +had occupied twenty-four hours in marching sixteen miles. The Germans +again fought well, but after a gallant resistance were obliged to fall +back. In these two affairs they lost six hundred men. + +<P>In the meantime Colonel St. Leger had commenced his attack upon Fort +Stanwix, which was defended by seven hundred men. The American General +Herkimer advanced with one thousand men to its relief. Colonel St. +Leger detached Sir John Johnson with a party of regulars and a number +of Indians, who had accompanied him, to meet them. The enemy advanced +incautiously and fell into an ambush. A terrible fire was poured into +them, and the Indians then rushed down and attacked them hand to hand. +The Americans, although taken by surprise, fought bravely and +succeeded in making their retreat, leaving four hundred killed and +wounded behind them. + +<P>Colonel St. Leger had no artillery which was capable of making any +impression on the defenses of the fort. Its commander sent out a man +who, pretending to be a deserter, entered the British camp and informed +Colonel St. Leger that General Burgoyne had been defeated and his army +cut to pieces, and that General Arnold, with two thousand men, was +advancing to raise the siege. Colonel St. Leger did not credit the news, +but it created a panic among the Indians, the greater portion of whom at +once retired without orders, and St. Leger, having but a small British +force with him, was compelled to follow their example, leaving his +artillery and stores behind him. + +<P>On September 13 General Burgoyne, having with immense labor collected +thirty days' provisions on the Hudson, crossed the river by a bridge of +boats and encamped on the heights of Saratoga. His movements had been +immensely hampered by the vast train of artillery which he took with +him. In an open country a powerful force of artillery is of the greatest +service to an army, but in a campaign in a wooded and roadless country +it is of little utility and enormously hampers the operations of an +army. Had General Burgoyne, after the capture of Ticonderoga, pressed +forward in light order without artillery, he could unquestionably have +marched to New York without meeting with any serious opposition, but the +six weeks' delay had enabled the Americans to collect a great force to +oppose them. + +<P>On the 19th, as the army were advancing to Stillwater, five thousand of +the enemy attacked the British right. They were led by General Arnold +and fought with great bravery and determination. The brunt of the battle +fell on the Twentieth, Twenty-fourth, and Sixty-second regiments. For +four hours the fight continued without any advantage on either side, and +at nightfall the Americans drew off, each side having lost about six +hundred men. After the battle of Stillwater the whole of the Indians +with General Burgoyne left him and returned to Canada. + +<P>Hampered with his great train of artillery, unprovided with +transportation, in the face of a powerful enemy posted in an exceedingly +strong position, General Burgoyne could neither advance nor retreat. The +forage was exhausted and the artillery horses were dying in great +numbers. He had hoped that Sir William Howe would have sailed up the +Hudson and joined him, but the English commander-in-chief had taken his +army down to Philadelphia. Sir Henry Clinton, who commanded at New York, +endeavored with a small force at his command to make a diversion by +operating against the American posts on the Hudson River, but this was +of no utility. + +<P>Burgoyne's army was now reduced to little more than five thousand men, +and he determined to fall back upon the lakes. Before doing this, +however, it would be necessary to dislodge the Americans from their +posts on his left. Leaving the camp under the command of General +Hamilton, Burgoyne advanced with fifteen hundred men against them. But +scarcely had the detachment started when the enemy made a furious attack +on the British left. Major Ackland, with the grenadiers, was posted +here, and for a time defended himself with great bravery. The light +infantry and Twenty-fourth were sent to their assistance, but, +overpowered by numbers, the left wing was forced to retreat into their +intrenchments. These the enemy, led by General Arnold, at once attacked +with great impetuosity. For a long time the result was doubtful, and it +was not until the American leader was wounded that the attack ceased. In +the meantime the intrenchments defended by the German troops under +Colonel Breyman had also been attacked. Here the fight was obstinate, +but the German intrenchments were carried, Colonel Breyman killed, and +his troops retreated with the loss of all their baggage and artillery. +Two hundred prisoners fell into the hands of the Americans. + +<P>That night the British army was concentrated on the heights above the +hospital. General Gates, who commanded the Americans, moved his army so +as to entirely inclose the British, and the latter, on the night of +October 8, retired to Saratoga, being obliged to leave all their sick +and wounded in the hospital. These were treated with the greatest +kindness by the Americans. An attempt was now made to retreat to Fort +George or Fort Edward, but the Americans had taken up positions on each +road and fortified them with cannon. + +<P>Only about thirty-five hundred fighting men now remained, of whom but +one-half were British, and scarcely eight days' provisions were left. +The enemy, four times superior in point of numbers, held every line of +retreat and eluded every attempt of the British to force them to a +general engagement. + +<P>The position was hopeless, and on October 13 a council of war was held +and it was determined to open negotiations for a surrender. Two days +were spent in negotiations, and it was finally agreed that the army +should lay down its arms and that it should be marched to Boston, and +there allowed to sail for England on condition of not serving again in +North America during the contest. The Canadians were to be allowed to +return at once to their own country. On the 16th the army laid down its +arms. It consisted of thirty-five hundred fighting men and six hundred +sick and nearly two thousand boatmen, teamsters, and other +non-effectives. + +<P>Never did a general behave with greater incompetence than that +manifested by General Burgoyne from the day of his leaving Ticonderoga, +and the disaster which befell his army was entirely the result of +mismanagement, procrastination, and faulty generalship. + +<P>Had Harold remained with the army until its surrender his share in the +war would have been at an end, for the Canadians, as well as all others +who laid down their arms, gave their word of honor not to serve again +during the war. He had, however, with Peter Lambton and Jake, +accompanied Colonel Baum's detachment on its march to Bennington. +Scouting in front of the column, they had ascertained the presence of +large numbers of the enemy, and had, by hastening back with the news, +enabled the German colonel to make some preparations for resistance +before the attack was made upon him. During the fight that ensued the +scouts, posted behind trees on the German left, had assisted them to +repel the attack from that quarter, and when the Germans gave way they +effected their escape into the woods and managed to rejoin the army. + +<P>They had continued with it until it moved to the hospital heights after +the disastrous attack by the Americans on their camp. General Burgoyne +then sent for Peter Lambton, who was, he knew, one of his most active +and intelligent scouts. + +<P>"Could you make your way through the enemy's lines down to +Ticonderoga?" he asked. + +<P>"I could try, general," Peter said. "Me and the party who work with me +could get through if anyone could, but more nor that I can't say. The +Yanks are swarming around pretty thick, I reckon; but if we have luck we +might make a shift to get through." + +<P>"I have hopes," the general said, "that another regiment, for which I +asked General Carleton, has arrived there. Here is a letter to General +Powell, who is in command, to beg him to march with all his available +force and fall upon the enemy posted on our line of communication. +Unless the new regiment has reached him he will not have a sufficient +force to attempt this, but, if this has come up, he may be able to do +so. He is to march in the lightest order and at full speed, so as to +take the enemy by surprise. Twelve hours before he starts you will bring +me back news of his coming, and I will move out to meet him. His +operations in their rear will confuse the enemy and enable me to operate +with a greater chance of success. I tell you this because, if you are +surrounded and in difficulties, you may have to destroy my dispatch. You +can then convey my instructions by word of mouth to General Powell if +you succeed in getting through." + +<P>Upon leaving headquarters Peter joined his friends. + +<P>"It's a risksome business," he went on, after informing them of the +instructions he had received, "but I don't know as it's much more +risksome than stopping here. It don't seem to me that this army is like +to get out of the trap into which their general has led 'em. Whatever he +wanted to leave the lakes for is more nor I can tell. However, +generaling aint my business, and I wouldn't change places with the old +man to-day, not for a big sum of money. Now, chief, what do you say? +How's this 'ere business to be carried out?" + +<P>The Seneca, with the five braves who had from the first accompanied +them, were now the only Indians with the British army. The rest of the +redskins, disgusted with the dilatory progress of the army and +foreseeing inevitable disaster, had all betaken themselves to their +homes. They were, moreover, angered at the severity with which the +English general had endeavored to suppress their tendency to acts of +cruelty on the defenseless settlers. The redskin has no idea of +civilized warfare. His sole notion of fighting is to kill, burn, and +destroy, and the prohibition of all irregular operations and of the +infliction of unnecessary suffering was, in his eyes, an act of +incomprehensible weakness. The Seneca chief remained with the army +simply because his old comrade did so. He saw that there was little +chance of plunder, but he and his braves had succeeded in fair fight in +obtaining many scalps, and would, at least, be received with high honor +on their return to their tribe. + +<P>A long discussion took place between the chief and Peter before they +finally decided upon the best course to be pursued. They were ignorant +of the country and of the disposition of the enemy's force, and could +only decide to act upon general principles. They thought it probable +that the Americans would be most thickly posted upon the line between +the British army and the lakes, and their best chance of success would +therefore be to make their way straight ahead for some distance, and +then, when they had penetrated the American lines, to make a long +<I>détour</I> round to the lakes. + +<P>Taking four days' provisions with them they started when nightfall had +fairly set in. It was intensely dark, and in the shadows of the woods +Harold was unable to see his hand before him. The Indians appeared to +have a faculty of seeing in the dark, for they advanced without the +slightest pause or hesitation and were soon in the open country. The +greatest vigilance was now necessary. Everywhere they could hear the low +hum which betokens the presence of many men gathered together. Sometimes +a faint shout came to their ears, and for a long distance around the +glow in the sky told of many fires. The party now advanced with the +greatest caution, frequently halting while the Indians went on ahead to +scout; and more than once they were obliged to alter their direction as +they came upon bodies of men posted across their front. At last they +passed through the line of sentinels, and, avoiding all the camps, +gained the country in the Americans' rear. + +<P>They now struck off to the right, and by daybreak were far round beyond +the American army, on their way to Ticonderoga. They had walked for +fifteen hours when they halted, and it was not until late in the +afternoon that they continued their journey. They presently struck the +road which the army had cut in its advance, and keeping parallel with +this through the forest they arrived the next morning at Fort Edward. A +few hours' rest here and they continued their march to Ticonderoga. This +place had been attacked by the Americans a few days previously, but the +garrison had beaten off the assailants. + +<P>On the march they had seen many bodies of the enemy moving along the +road, but their approach had in every case been detected in time to take +refuge in the forest. On entering the fort Peter at once proceeded to +General Powell's quarters and delivered the dispatch with which he had +been intrusted. The general read it. + +<P>"No re-enforcements have arrived," the general said, "and the force here +is barely sufficient to defend the place. It would be madness for me to +set out on such a march with the handful of troops at my disposal." + +<P>He then questioned Peter concerning the exact position of the army, and +the latter had no hesitation in saying that he thought the whole force +would be compelled to lay down their arms unless some re-enforcements +reached them from below. + +<P>This, however, was not to be. General Clinton captured Forts Montgomery +and Clinton, the latter a very strong position, defended with great +resolution by four hundred Americans. The Seventh and Twenty-sixth +regiments and a company of grenadiers attacked on one side, the +Sixty-third Regiment on the other. They had no cannon to cover their +advance and had to cross ground swept by ten pieces of artillery. In no +event during the war did the British fight with more resolution. +Without firing a shot they pressed forward to the foot of the works, +climbed over each other's shoulders on to the walls, and drove the +enemy back. The latter discharged one last volley into the troops and +then laid down their arms. Notwithstanding the slaughter effected by +this wanton fire after all possibility of continuing a resistance was +over, quarter was given and not one of the enemy was killed after the +fort was taken. The British loss was 140 killed and wounded; 300 +Americans were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. The fleet attacked +the American squadron on the river and entirely destroyed it. Beyond +sending a flying squadron up the river to destroy the enemy's boats and +stores of provisions, nothing further could be done to effect a +diversion in favor of General Burgoyne. + +<P>Four days after Harold's arrival at Ticonderoga the news of the +surrender of General Burgoyne reached the place. Upon the following day +he suggested to Peter Lambton that they should visit the clearing of the +ex-soldier Cameron and see whether their interference had saved him and +his family. Upon arriving at the spot whence Harold had fired the shot +which had brought discovery upon them, they saw a few charred stumps +alone remaining of the snug house which had stood there. In front of it, +upon the stump of a tree, Cameron himself was sitting in an attitude of +utter depression. + +<P>They walked across the clearing to the spot, but although the sound of +their footsteps must have reached his ear, the man did not look up until +Harold touched him on the shoulder. + +<P>"What has happened?" he asked. "Who has done this ruin?" + +<P>The man still remained with his head bent down, as if he had not heard +the question. + +<P>"We had hoped that you had escaped," Harold went on. "We were hidden in +the wood when we saw those ruffians drive your wife and daughter out, +and it was the shot from my rifle that killed their leader and brought +them down on us; and a narrow escape we had of it; but we hoped that we +had diverted them from their determination to kill you and your family." + +<P>Cameron looked up now. + +<P>"I thank ye, sir," he said. "I thank ye wi' a' my hairt for your +interference on our behalf. I heerd how closely ye were beset that +night and how ye escaped. They thought nae mair o' us, and when the +royal army arrived the next day we were safe; but ye might as weel ha' +let the matter gang on—better, indeed, for then I should be deed +instead o' suffering. This wark," and he pointed toward the remains of +the house, "is redskin deviltry. A fortnight sin' a band o' Indians +fell upon us. I was awa'. They killed my wife and burned my house and +ha' carried off my bairn." + +<P>"Who were they?" Harold asked. + +<P>"I dinna ken," Cameron replied; "but a neebor o' mine whose place they +attacked, and whom they had scalped and left for deed, told me that they +were a band o' the Iroquois who had come down from Lake Michigan and +advanced wi' the British. He said that they, with the other redskins, +desairted when their hopes o' plunder were disappointed, and that on +their way back to their tribes they burned and ravaged every settlement +they cam' across. My neebor was an old frontiersman; he had fought +against the tribe and knew their war-cry. He deed the next day. He was +mair lucky than I am." + +<P>"The tarnal ruffians!" Peter exclaimed; "the murdering varmints! And to +think of 'em carrying off that purty little gal of yours! I suppose by +this time they're at their old game of plundering and slaying on the +frontier. It's naught to them which side they fight on; scalps and +plunder is all they care for." + +<P>The unfortunate settler had sat down again on the log, the picture of a +broken-hearted man. Harold drew Peter a short distance away. + +<P>"Look here. Peter," he said. "Now Burgoyne's army has surrendered and +winter is close at hand, it is certain that there will be no further +operations here, except perhaps that the Americans will recapture the +place. What do you say to our undertaking an expedition on our own +account to try and get back this poor fellow's daughter? I do not know +whether the Seneca would join us, but we three—of course I count +Jake—and the settler might do something. I have an old grudge against +these Iroquois myself, as you have heard; and for aught I know they may +long ere this have murdered my cousins." + +<P>"The Seneca will jine," Peter said, "willing enough. There's an old feud +between his tribe and the Iroquois. He'll jine fast enough. But mind, +youngster, this aint no child's play; it aint like fighting them +American clodhoppers. We'll have to deal with men as sharp as ourselves, +who can shoot as well, hear as well, see as well, who are in their own +country, and who are a hundred to one against us. We've got hundreds and +hundreds of miles to travel afore we gets near 'em. It's a big job; but +if, when ye thinks it all over, you're ready to go, Peter Lambton aint +the man to hold back. As you say, there's naught to do this winter, and +we might as well be doing this as anything else." + +<P>The two men then went back to the settler. + +<P>"Cameron," Harold said, "it is of no use sitting here grieving. Why not +be up in pursuit of those who carried off your daughter?" + +<P>The man sprang to his feet. + +<P>"In pursuit!" he cried fiercely; "in pursuit! Do ye think Donald Cameron +wad be sitting here quietly if he kenned where to look for his +daughter—where to find the murderers o' his wife? But what can I do? +For three days after I cam' back and found what had happened I was just +mad. I couldna think nor rest, nor do aught but throw mysel' on the +ground and pray to God to tak' me. When at last I could think, it was +too late. It wad hae mattered naething to me that they were a hundred to +one. If I could ha' killed but one o' them I wad ha' died happy; but +they were gone, and how could I follow them—how could I find them? Tell +me where to look, mon—show me the way; and if it be to the ends o' the +airth I will go after them." + +<P>"We will do more, than that," Harold said. "My friend and myself have +still with us the seven men who were with us when we were here before. +Five are Senecas, the other a faithful negro who would go through fire +and water for me. There is little chance of our services being required +during the winter with the British army. We, are interested in you and +in the pretty child we saw here, and, if you will, we will accompany you +in the search for her. Peter Lambton knows the country well, and if +anyone could lead you to your child and rescue her from those who +carried her off, he is the man." + +<P>"Truly!" gasped the Scotchman. "And will ye truly gang wi' me to find +my bairn? May the guid God o' heaven bless you!" and the tears ran down +his cheeks. + +<P>"Git your traps together at once, man," Peter said. "Let's go straight +back to the fort; then I'll set the matter before the chief, who will, I +warrant me, be glad enough to jine the expedition. It's too late to +follow the track of the red varmints; our best plan will be to make +straight for the St. Lawrence; to take a boat if we can git one; if not, +two canoes; and to make up the river and along the Ontario. Then we must +sell our boat, cross to Erie, and git fresh canoes and go on by Detroit +into Lake Huron, and so up in the country of these reptiles. We shall +have no difficulty, I reckon, in discovering the whereabout of the tribe +which has been away on this expedition." + +<P>The Scotchman took up the rifle. + +<P>"I am ready," he said, and without another word the party started +for the fort. + +<P>Upon their arrival there a consultation was held with the Seneca. The +prospect of an expedition against his hereditary foes filled him with +delight, and three of his braves also agreed to accompany them. Jake +received the news with the remark: + +<P>"All right, Massa Harold. It make no odds to dis chile whar he goes. You +say de word—Jake ready." + +<P>Half an hour sufficed for making the preparations, and they at once +proceeded to the point where they had hidden the two canoes on the night +when they joined General Burgoyne before his advance upon Ticonderoga. +These were soon floating on the lake, and they started to paddle to the +mouth of the Sorrel, down this river into the St. Lawrence, and thence +to Montreal. Their rifles they had recovered from the lake upon the day +following that on which Ticonderoga was first captured; Deer Tail having +dispatched to the spot two of his braves, who recovered them without +difficulty, by diving, and brought them back to the fort. + +<P>At Montreal they stayed but a few hours. An ample supply of ammunition +was purchased and provisions sufficient for the voyage; and then, +embarking in the two canoes, they started up the St. Lawrence. It was +three weeks later when they arrived at Detroit, which was garrisoned by +a British force. Here they heard that there had been continuous troubles +with the Indians on the frontier; that a great many farms and +settlements had been destroyed, and numbers of persons murdered. + +<P>Their stay at Detroit was a short one. Harold obtained no news of his +cousins, but there were so many tales told of Indian massacres that he +was filled with apprehension on their account. His worst apprehensions +were justified when the canoes at length came within sight of the +well-remembered clearing. Harold gave a cry as he saw that the farmhouse +no longer existed. The two canoes were headed toward shore, and their +occupants disembarked and walked toward the spot where the house had +stood. The site was marked by a heap of charred embers. The outhouses +had been destroyed, and a few fowls were the only living things to be +seen in the fields. + +<P>"This here business must have taken place some time ago," Peter said, +breaking the silence. "A month, I should say, or p'r'aps more." + +<P>For a time Harold was too moved to speak. The thought of his kind +cousins and their brave girl all murdered by the Indians filled him with +deep grief. At last he said: + +<P>"What makes you think so, Peter?" + +<P>"It's easy enough to see as it was after the harvest, for ye see the +fields is all clear. And then there's long grass shooting up through the +ashes. It would take a full month, p'r'aps six weeks, afore it would do +that. Don't you think so, chief?" + +<P>The Seneca nodded. + +<P>"A moon," he said. + +<P>"Yes, about a month," replied Peter. "The grass grows quick after +the rains." + +<P>"Do you think that it was a surprise, Peter?" + +<P>"No man can tell," the hunter answered. "If we had seen the place soon +afterward we might have told. There would have been marks of blood. Or +if the house had stood we could have told by the bullet-holes and the +color of the splintered wood how it happened and how long back. As it +is, not even the chief can give ye an idea." + +<P>"Not an attack," the Seneca said; "a surprise." + +<P>"How on arth do you know that, chief?" the hunter exclaimed in +surprise, and he looked round in search of some sign which would have +enabled the Seneca to have given so confident an opinion. "You must be +a witch, surely." + +<P>"A chief's eyes are not blind," the redskin answered, with a +slight smile of satisfaction at having for once succeeded when his +white comrade was at fault. "Let my friend look up the hill—two +dead men there." + +<P>Harold looked in the direction in which the chief pointed, but could see +nothing. The hunter exclaimed: + +<P>"There's something there, chief, but even my eyes couldn't tell they +were bodies." + +<P>The party proceeded to the spot and found two skeletons. A few remnants +of clothes lay around, but the birds had stripped every particle of +flesh from the bones. There was a bullet in the forehead of one skull; +the other was cleft with a sharp instrument. + +<P>"It's clear enough," the hunter said, "there's been a surprise. Likely +enough the hull lot was killed without a shot being fired in defense." + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c14"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XIV.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">RESCUED!</H3> + +<P>Harold was deeply touched at the evidences of the fate which had +befallen the occupants of his cousin's plantation. + +<P>"If there are any more of these to be found," pointing to their remains, +"we might learn for a certainty whether the same fate befell them all." + +<P>The Seneca spoke a word to his followers and the four Indians spread +themselves over the clearing. One more body was found—it was lying down +near the water as if killed in the act of making for the canoe. + +<P>"The others are probably there," Peter said, pointing to the ruins. "The +three hands was killed in the fields, and most likely the attack was +made at the same moment on the house. I'm pretty sure it was so, for the +body by the water lies face downward, with his head toward the lake. He +was no doubt shot from behind as he was running. There must have been +Injuns round the house then, or he would have made for that instead of +the water." + +<P>The Seneca touched Peter on the shoulder and pointed toward the farm. A +figure was seen approaching. As it came nearer they could see that he +was a tall man, dressed in the deerskin shirt and leggings usually worn +by hunters. As he came near Harold gave an exclamation: + +<P>"It is Jack Pearson!" + +<P>"It are Jack Pearson," the hunter said, "but for the moment I can't +recollect ye, though yer face seems known. Why!" he exclaimed in changed +tones, "it's that boy Harold growed into a man." + +<P>"It is," Harold replied, grasping the frontiersman's hand. + +<P>"And ye may know me, too," Peter Lambton said, "though it's twenty year +since we fought side by side against the Mohawks." + +<P>"Why, old hoss, are you above ground still?" the hunter exclaimed +heartily. "I'm glad to see you again, old friend. And what are you doing +here, you and Harold and these Senecas? For they is Senecas, sure +enough. I've been in the woods for the last hour, and have been puzzling +myself nigh to death. I seed them Injuns going about over the clearing +sarching, and for the life of me I couldn't think what they were +a-doing. Then I seed 'em gathered down here, with two white men among +'em, so I guessed it was right to show myself." + +<P>"They were searching to see how many had fallen in this terrible +business," Harold said, pointing to the ruins. The hunter shook his +head. + +<P>"I'm afeared they've all gone under. I were here a week afterward; it +were just as it is now. I found the three hands lying killed and sculped +in the fields; the others, I reckon, is there. I has no doubt at all +about Bill Welch and his wife, but it may be that the gal has been +carried off." + +<P>"Do you think so?" Harold exclaimed eagerly. "If so, we may find her, +too, with the other." + +<P>"What other?" Pearson, asked. + +<P>Harold gave briefly an account of the reason which had brought them to +the spot and of the object they had in view. + +<P>"You can count me in," Pearson said. "There's just a chance that Nelly +Welch may be in their hands still; and in any case I'm longing to draw a +bead on some of the varmints to pay 'em for this," and he looked round +him, "and a hundred other massacres round this frontier." + +<P>"I'm glad to hear ye say so," Peter replied. "I expected as much of ye, +Jack. I don't know much of this country, having only hunted here for a +few weeks with a party of Delawares twenty year afore the Iroquois moved +so far west." + +<P>"I know pretty nigh every foot of it," Jack Pearson said. "When the +Iroquois were quiet I used to do a deal of hunting in their country. It +are good country for game." + +<P>"Well! shall we set out at once?" Harold asked, impatient to be off. + +<P>"We can't move to-night," Pearson answered; and Harold saw that Peter +and the Indians agreed with him. + +<P>"Why not?" he asked. "Every hour is of importance." + +<P>"That's so," Peter said, "but there's no going out on the lake to-night. +In half an hour we'll have our first snowstorm, and by morning it will +be two foot deep." + +<P>Harold turned his eyes toward the lake and saw what his companions had +noticed long before. The sky was overcast and a thick bank of hidden +clouds was rolling up across the lake, and the thick mist seemed to hang +between the clouds and the water. + +<P>"That's snow," Peter said. "It's late this year, and I'd give my pension +if it was a month later." + +<P>"That's so," Pearson said. "Snow aint never pleasant in the woods, but +when you're scouting round among Injuns it are a caution. We'd best make +a shelter afore it comes on." + +<P>The two canoes were lifted from the water, unloaded, and turned bottom +upward; a few charred planks, which had formed part of the roof of the +outhouses, were brought and put up to form a sort of shelter. A fire was +lit and a meal prepared. By this time the snow had begun to fall. After +the meal was over pipes were lit and the two hunters earnestly talked +over their plans, the Seneca chief throwing in a few words occasionally; +the others listened quietly. The Indians left the matter in the hands of +their chief, while Harold and Cameron knew that the two frontiersmen did +not need any suggestion from them. As to Jake, the thought of asking +questions never entered his mind. He was just at present less happy than +usual, for the negro, like most of his race, hated cold, and the +prospect of wandering through the woods in deep snow made him shudder +as he crouched close to the great fire they had built. + +<P>Peter and Jack Pearson were of opinion that it was exceedingly +probable that the Welches had been destroyed by the very band which +had carried off little Janet Cameron. The bodies of Indians who had +been on the war-path with the army had retired some six weeks before, +and it was about that time, Pearson said, that the attack on the +settlements had been made. + +<P>"I heard some parties of redskins who had been with the British +troops had passed through the neighborhood, and there was reports +that they were greatly onsatisfied with the results of the campaign. +As likely as not some of that band may have been consarned in the +attack on this place three year ago, and, passing nigh it, may have +determined to wipe out that defeat. An Injun never forgives. Many of +their braves fell here, and they could scarcely bring a more welcome +trophy back to their villages than the scalps of Welch and his men." + +<P>"Now, the first thing to do," Peter said, "is to find out what +particular chief took his braves with him to the war; then we've got +to find his village; and there likely enough we'll find Cameron's +daughter and maybe the girl from here. How old was she?" + +<P>"About fifteen," Pearson said, "and a fine girl, and a pretty girl, +too. I dun know," he went on after a pause, "which of the chiefs took +part in the war across the lakes, but I suspect it were War Eagle. +There's three great chiefs, and the other two were trading on the +frontier. It was War Eagle who attacked the place afore, and would be +the more likely to attack it again if he came anywheres near it. He +made a mess of it afore and 'd be burning to wipe out his failure if +he had a chance." + +<P>"Where is his place?" + +<P>"His village is the furthest of them all from here. He lives up near +the falls of Sault Ste. Marie, betwixt Lakes Superior and Huron. It's +a village with nigh three hundred wigwams." + +<P>"It aint easy to see how it's to be done. We must make to the north +shore of the lake. There'll be no working down here through the +woods; but it's a pesky difficult job—about as hard a one as ever I +took part in." + +<P>"It is that," Pearson said; "it can't be denied. To steal two white +girls out of a big Injun village aint a easy job at no time; but with +the snow on the ground it comes as nigh to an impossibility as +anything can do." + +<P>For another hour or two they talked over the route they should take +and their best mode of proceeding. Duncan Cameron sat and listened +with an intent face to every word. Since he had joined them he had +spoken but seldom; his whole soul was taken up with the thought of +his little daughter. He was ever ready to do his share and more than +his share of the work of paddling and at the portages, but he never +joined in the conversation; and of an evening, when the others sat +round the fire, he would move away and pace backward and forward in +anxious thought until the fire burned low and the party wrapped +themselves in their blankets and went off to sleep. + +<P>All the time the conversation had been going on the snow had fallen +heavily, and before it was concluded the clearing was covered deep +with the white mantle. There was little wind, and the snow fell +quietly and noiselessly. At night the Indians lay down round the +fire, while the white men crept under the canoes and were soon fast +asleep. In the morning it was still snowing, but about noon it +cleared up. It was freezing hard, and the snow glistened as the sun +burst through the clouds. The stillness of the forest was broken now +by sharp cracking sounds as boughs of trees gave way under the weight +of the snow; in the open it lay more than two feet deep. + +<P>"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we're off the better." + +<P>"I'll come in my own canoe," Pearson said. "One of the Injuns can +come with me and we'll keep up with the rest." + +<P>"There is room for you in the other canoes," Harold said. + +<P>"Plenty of room," the hunter answered. "But you see, Harold, the more +canoes the better. There aint no saying how close we may be chased, +and by hiding up the canoes at different places we give ourselves so +much more chance of being able to get to one or the other. They're +all large canoes, and at a pinch any one of them might hold the hull +party, with the two gals throwed in. But," he added to Harold in a +low voice, "don't you build too much on these gals, Harold. I +wouldn't say so while that poor fellow's listening, but the chance is +a desperate poor one, and I think we'll be mighty lucky ef we don't +leave all our scalps in that 'ere redskin village." The traps were +soon placed in the canoes, and just as the sun burst out the three +boats started. It was a long and toilsome journey. Stormy weather set +in, and they were obliged to wait for days by the lake till its +surface calmed. On these occasions they devoted themselves to hunting +and killed several deer. They knew that there were no Indian villages +near, and in such weather it would be improbable that any redskins +would be in the woods. They were enabled, therefore, to fire without +fear of the reports betraying their presence. The Senecas took the +opportunity of fabricating snowshoes for the whole party, as these +would be absolutely necessary for walking in the woods. Harold, Jake, +and Duncan Cameron at once began to practice their use. The negro was +comical in the extreme in his first attempts, and shouted so loudly +with laughter each time that he fell head foremost into the snow that +Peter said to him angrily: + +<P>"Look-a-here, Jake; it's dangerous enough letting off a rifle at a +deer in these woods, but it has to be done because we must lay in a +supply of food; but a musket-shot is a mere whisper to yer shouting. +Thunder aint much louder than you laughing—it shakes the hull place +and might be heard from here well-nigh to Montreal. Ef you can't keep +that mouth of your'n shut, ye must stop up the idée of learning to use +them shoes and must stop in the canoe while we're scouting on shore." + +<P>Jake promised to amend, and from this time when he fell in the soft +snow-wreaths he gave no audible vent to his amusement; but a pair of +great feet, with the snow-shoes attached, could be seen waving above +the surface until he was picked up and righted again. + +<P>Harold soon learned, and Cameron went at the work with grim +earnestness. No smile ever crossed his face at his own accidents or +at the wild vagaries of Jake, which excited silent amusement even +among the Indians. In a short time the falls were less frequent, and +by the time they reached the spot where they were determined to cross +the lake at the point where Lakes Huron and Michigan join, the three +novices were able to make fair progress in the snow-shoes. + +<P>The spot fixed upon was about twelve miles from the village of War +Eagle, and the canoes were hidden at distances of three miles apart. +First Pearson, Harold, and Cameron disembarked; Jake, Peter, and one +of the Indians alighted at the next point; and the Seneca chief and +two of his followers proceeded to the spot nearer to the Indian +village. Each party as they landed struck straight into the woods, to +unite at a point eight miles from the lake and as many from the +village. The hunters had agreed that, should any Indians come across +the tracks, less suspicion would be excited than would have been the +case were they found skirting the river, as it might be thought that +they were made by Indians out hunting. + +<P>Harold wondered how the other parties would find the spot to which +Pearson had directed them, but in due time all arrived at the +rendezvous. After some search a spot was found where the underwood +grew thickly, and there was an open place in the center of the clump. +In this the camp was established. It was composed solely of a low +tent of about two feet high, made of deer's hides sewed together, and +large enough to shelter them all. The snow was cleared away, sticks +were driven into the frozen ground, and strong poles laid across +them; the deerskin was then laid flat upon these. The top was little +higher than the general level of the snow, an inch or two of snow was +scattered over it, and to anyone passing outside the bushes the tent +was completely invisible. + +<P>The Indians now went outside the thicket and with great care +obliterated, as far as possible, the marks upon the snow. This could +not be wholly done, but it was so far complete that the slightest +wind which would send a drift over the surface would wholly conceal +all traces of passage. + +<P>They had, before crossing the lake, cooked a supply of food +sufficient for some days. Intense as was the cold outside, it was +perfectly warm in the tent. The entrance as they crept into it was +closed with a blanket, and in the center a lamp composed of deer's +fat in a calabash with a cotton wick gave a sufficient light. + +<P>"What is the next move?" Harold asked. + +<P>"The chief 'll start, when it comes dusk, with Pearson," Peter said. +"When they git close to the village he'll go in alone. He'll paint +Iroquois before he goes." + +<P>"Cannot we be near at hand to help them in case of a necessity," +Harold asked. + +<P>"No," Peter said. "It wouldn't be no good at all. Ef it comes to +fighting they're fifty to one, and the lot of us would have no more +chance than two. If they're found out, which aint likely, they must +run for it, and they can get over the snow a deal faster than you +could, to say nothing of Cameron and Jake. They must shift for +themselves and 'll make straight for the nearest canoe. In the forest +they must be run down sooner or later, for their tracks would be +plain. No, they must go alone." + +<P>When night came on the Seneca produced his paints, and one of his +followers marked his face and arms with the lines and flourishes in +use by the Iroquois; then without a word of adieu he took his rifle +and glided out from the tent, followed by Pearson. Peter also put on +his snow-shoes and prepared to follow. + +<P>"I thought you were going to stay here, Peter." + +<P>"No, I'm going halfway with 'em. I'll be able to hear the sound of a +gun. Then, ef they're trapped, we must make tracks for the canoes at +once, for after following 'em to the lake they're safe to take up +their back track to see where they've come from; so, ef I hear a gun, +I'll make back here as quick as I can come." + +<P>When the three men had started silence fell on the tent. The redskins +at once lay down to sleep, and Jake followed their example. Harold +lay quiet thinking over the events which had happened to him in the +last three years, while Cameron lay with his face turned toward the +lamp with a set, anxious look on his face. Several times he crawled +to the entrance and listened when the crack made by some breaking +bough came to his ear. Hours passed and at last Harold dozed off, but +Cameron's eyes never closed until about midnight the blanket at the +entrance moved and Peter entered. + +<P>"Hae ye seen the ithers?" Cameron exclaimed. + +<P>"No, and were not likely to," Peter answered. "It was all still to +the time I came away, and afore I moved I was sure they must have +left the village. They won't come straight back, bless ye; they'll go +'way in the opposite direction and make a sweep miles round. They may +not be here for hours yet; not that there's much chance of their +tracks being traced. It has not snowed for over a week, and the snow +round the village must be trampled thick for a mile and more, with +the squaws coming and going for wood and the hunters going out on the +chase. I've crossed a dozen tracks or more on my way back. Ef it +wasn't for that we daren't have gone at all, for ef the snow was new +fallen the sight of fresh tracks would have set the first Injun that +come along a-wondering; and when a redskin begins to wonder he sets +to to ease his mind at once by finding out all about it, ef it takes +him a couple of days' sarch to do so. No, you can lie down now for +some hours. They won't be here till morning." + +<P>So saying, the scout set the example by wrapping himself up and going +to sleep, but Cameron's eyes never closed until the blanket was drawn +on one side again and in the gray light of the winter morning the +Seneca and Pearson crawled into the tent. + +<P>"What news?" Harold asked, for Cameron was too agitated to speak. + +<P>"Both gals are there," Pearson answered. + +<P>An exclamation of thankfulness broke from Harold. A sob of joy issued +from the heart of the Scotchman, and for a few minutes his lips moved +as he poured forth his silent thankfulness to God. + +<P>"Waal, tell us all about it," Peter said. "I can ask the chief any +questions afterward." + +<P>"We went on straight enough to the village," the hunter began. "It +are larger than when I saw it last, and War Eagle's influence in the +tribe must have increased. I didn't expect to find no watch, the +redskins having, so far as they knew, no enemies within five hundred +mile of 'em. There was a lot of fires burning and plenty of redskins +moving about among 'em. We kept on till we got quite close, and then +we lay up for a time below a tree at the edge of the clearing. There +were a sight too many of 'em about for the Seneca to go in yet +awhile. About half an hour arter we got there we saw two white gals +come outen one of the wigwams and stand for a while to warm +theirselves by one of the fires. The tallest of the two, well-nigh a +woman, was Nelly Welch. I knew her, in course. The other was three or +four years younger, with yaller hair over her shoulders. Nelly seemed +quiet and sad-like, but the other 'peared more at home—she laughed +with some of the redskin gals and even jined in their play. You see," +he said, turning to Cameron, "she'd been captured longer and +children's spirits soon rise again. Arter a while they went back to +the wigwam. When the fires burned down and the crowd thinned, and +there was only a few left sitting in groups round the embers, the +Seneca started. For a long time I saw nothing of him, but once or +twice I thought I saw a figure moving among the wigwams. Presently +the fires burned quite down and the last Injun went off. I had begun +to wonder what the chief was doing, when he stood beside me. We made +tracks at once and have been tramping in a long circle all night. The +chief can tell ye his part of the business hisself." + +<P>"Well, chief, what have you found out?" Peter asked. + +<P>The Indian answered in his native tongue, which Peter interpreted +from time to time for the benefit of his white companions: + +<P>"When Deer Tail left the white hunter he went into the village. It +was no use going among the men, and he went round by the wigwams and +listened to the chattering of the squaws. The tribe were all well +contented, for the band brought back a great deal of plunder which +they had picked up on their way back from the army. They had lost no +braves and everyone was pleased. The destruction of the settlement of +the white man who had repulsed them before was a special matter for +rejoicing. The scalps of the white man and his wife are in the +village. War Eagle's son, Young Elk, is going to marry the white +girl. There are several of the braves whose heads have been turned by +the white skin and her bright eyes, but Young Elk is going to have +her. There have been great feastings and rejoicings since the return +of the warriors, but they are to be joined tomorrow by Beaver's band, +and then they will feast again. When all was quiet I went to the +wigwam where the white girls are confined. An old squaw and two of +War Eagle's daughters are with them. Deer Tail had listened while +they prepared for rest and knew on which side of the wigwam the tall +white maiden slept. He thought that she would be awake. Her heart +would be sad and sleep would not come to her soon, so he crept round +there and cut a slit in the skin close to where she lay. He put his +head in at the hole and whispered, 'Do not let the white girl be +afraid; it is a friend. Does she hear him?' She whispered, 'Yes.' +'Friends are near,' he said. 'The young warrior Harold, whom she +knows, and others, are at hand to take her away. The Iroquois will be +feasting to-morrow night. When she hears the cry of a night-owl let +her steal away with her little white sister and she will find her +friends waiting.' Then Deer Tail closed the slit and stole away to +his friend the white hunter. I have spoken." + +<P>"Jest what I expected of you, chief," Peter said warmly. "I thought +as how you'd manage to git speech with 'em somehow. If there's a +feast to-night, it's hard ef we don't manage to get 'em off." + +<P>"I suppose we must lie still all day, Peter." + +<P>"You must so," the hunter said. "Not a soul must show his nose +outside the tent except that one of the redskins'll keep watch to be +sure that no straggler has come across our tracks and followed 'em +up. Ef he was to do that, he might bring the hull gang down on us. +Ye'd best get as much sleep as ye can, for ye don't know when ye may +get another chance." + +<P>At nightfall the whole party issued from the tent and started toward +the Indian village. All arrangements had been made. It was agreed +that Pearson and the Seneca should go up to the village, the former +being chosen because he was known to Nelly. Peter and one of the +redskins were to take post a hundred yards further back, ready to +give assistance in case of alarm, while the rest were to remain about +half a mile distant. Cameron had asked that he might go with the +advance party, but upon Peter pointing out to him that his +comparatively slow rate of progression in snow-shoes would, in case +of discovery, lead to the recapture of the girls, he at once agreed +to the decision. If the flight of the girls was discovered soon after +leaving the camp, it was arranged that the Seneca and Peter should +hurry at once with them to the main body, while the other two Indians +should draw off their pursuers in another direction. In the event of +anything occurring to excite the suspicion of the Indians before +there was a chance of the girls being brought safely to the main +body, they were to be left to walk quietly back to camp, as they had +nothing to fear from the Indians. Peter and the Seneca were then to +work round by a circuitous route to the boat, where they were to be +joined by the main body, and to draw off until another opportunity +offered for repeating the attempt. + +<P>It was eight o'clock in the evening when Pearson and the Seneca +approached the village. The fires were burning high, and seated round +them were all the warriors of the tribe. A party were engaged in a +dance representing the pursuit and defeat of an enemy. The women were +standing in an outer circle, clapping their hands and raising their +voices in loud cries of applause and excitement as the dance became +faster and faster. The warriors bounded high, brandishing their +tomahawks. A better time could not have been chosen for the evasion +of the fugitives. Nelly Welch stood close to a number of Indian +girls, but slightly behind them. She held the hand of little Janet +Cameron. + +<P>Although she appeared to share in the interest of the Indians in the +dance, a close observer would have had no difficulty in perceiving +that Nelly was preoccupied. She was, indeed, intently listening for +the signal. She was afraid to move from among the others lest her +absence should be at once detected, but so long as the noise was +going on she despaired of being able to hear the signal agreed upon. +Presently an Indian brave passed close to her, and as he did so +whispered in her ear in English, "Behind your wigwam—friends there." +Then he passed on and moved round the circle as if intending to take +his seat at another point. + +<P>The excitement of the dance was momentarily increasing, and the +attention of the spectators was riveted to the movements of the +performers. Holding Janet's hand, Nelly moved noiselessly away from +the place where she had been standing. The movement was unnoticed, as +she was no longer closely watched, a flight in the depth of winter +appearing impossible. She kept round the circle till no longer +visible from the spot she had left. Then, leaving the crowd, she made +her way toward the nearest wigwams. Once behind these the girls stole +rapidly along under their shelter until they stood behind that which +they usually inhabited. Two figures were standing there. They +hesitated for a moment, but one of them advanced. + +<P>"Jack Pearson!" Nelly exclaimed, with a low cry of gladness. + +<P>"Jest that same, Nelly, and right glad to see you. But we've no time +for greeting now; the hull tribe may be after us in another five +minutes. Come along, pretty," he said, turning to Janet. "You'll find +somebody ye know close at hand." + +<P>Two minutes later the child was in her father's arms, and after a +moment's rapturous greeting between father and child and a very +delighted one between Nelly Welch and her Cousin Harold, the flight +was continued. + +<P>"How long a start do you think we may have?" + +<P>"Half an hour, maybe. The women may be some time afore they miss her, +and they'll sarch for her everywhere afore they give the alarm, as +they'll be greatly blamed for their carelessness." + +<P>There had been a pause in the flight for a few seconds when the +Seneca and Pearson arrived with the girls at the point where Peter +and the other Indian were posted, two hundred yards from the camp. Up +to this point the snow was everywhere thickly trampled, but as the +camp was left further behind the footprints would naturally become +more scarce. Here Pearson fastened to the girls' feet two pairs of +large moccasins; inside these wooden soles had been placed. They +therefore acted to some extent like snowshoes and prevented the +girls' feet from sinking deeply, while the prints which they left +bore no resemblance to their own. They were strapped on the wrong +way, so that the marks would seem to point toward the village rather +than away from it. Both girls protested that they should not be able +to get along fast in these encumbrances, but one of the men posted +himself on either side of each and assisted them along, and as the +moccasins were very light, even with the wooden soles inside, they +were soon able to move with them at a considerable pace. + +<P>Once united the whole party kept along at the top of their speed. +Peter Lambton assisted Cameron with Janet, and the girl, half-lifted +from the ground, skimmed over the surface like a bird, only touching +the snow here and there with the moccasins. Nelly Welch needed no +assistance from Harold or Pearson. During the long winters she had +often practiced on snow-shoes, and was consequently but little +encumbered with the huge moccasins, which to some extent served the +same purpose. + +<P>They had been nearly half an hour on their way when they heard a +tremendous yell burst from the village. + +<P>"They've missed you," Peter said. "Now it's a fair race. We've got a +good start and 'll git more, for they'll have to hunt up the traces +very carefully, and it may be an hour, perhaps more, before they +strike upon the right one. Ef the snow had been new fallen we should +have had 'em arter us in five minutes; but even a redskin's eye will +be puzzled to find out at night one track among such hundreds." + +<P>"I have but one fear," Pearson said to Harold. + +<P>"What is that?" + +<P>"I'm afeared that without waiting to find the tracks they may send +off half a dozen parties to the lake. They'll be sure that friends +have taken the gals away, and will know that their only chance of +escape is by the water. On land we should be hunted down to a +certainty, and the redskins, knowing that the gals could not travel +fast, will not hurry in following up the trail. So I think they'll at +once send off parties to watch the lake, and 'll like enough make no +effort to take up the trail till to-morrow morning." + +<P>This was said in a low whisper, for although they were more than two +miles from the village it was necessary to move as silently as +possible. + +<P>"You had best tell the others what you think, Pearson. It may make a +difference in our movements." + +<P>A short halt was called, and the Seneca and Peter quite agreed with +Pearson's idea. + +<P>"We'd best make for the canoe that's furthest off. When the redskins +find the others, which they're pretty sure to do, for they'll hunt +every bush, they're likely to be satisfied and to make sure they'll +ketch us at one or the other." + +<P>This much decided upon, they continued their flight, now less +rapidly, but in perfect silence. Speed was less an object than +concealment. The Indians might spread, and a party might come across +them by accident. If they could avoid this, they were sure to reach +their canoe before morning and unlikely to find the Indians there +before them. + +<P>It was about twelve miles to the spot where they had hidden the +canoe, and although they heard distant shouts and whoops ringing +through the forest, no sound was heard near them. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c15"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XV.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE ISLAND REFUGE.</H3> + +<P>The night was intensely cold and still and the stars shone brightly +through the bare boughs overhead. + +<P>"Are you sure you are going all +right?" Nelly asked Harold. "It is so dark here that it seems +impossible to know which way we are going." + +<P>"You can trust the +Indians," Harold said. "Even if there was not a star to be seen they +could find their way by some mysterious instinct. How you are grown, +Nelly! Your voice does not seem much changed, and I am longing to see +your face." + +<P>"I expect you are more changed than I am, Harold," the girl answered. +"You have been going through so much since we last met, and you seem +to have grown so tall and big. Your voice has changed very much, too; +it is the voice of a man. How in the world did you find us here?" + +<P>Pearson had gone on ahead to speak to the Seneca, but he now joined +them again. + +<P>"You mustn't talk," he said. "I hope there's no redskins within five +miles of us now, but there's never any saying where they may be." + +<P>There was, Harold thought, a certain sharpness in the hunter's voice, +which told of a greater anxiety than would be caused by the very +slight risk of the quietly spoken words being heard by passing +redskins, and he wondered what it could be. + +<P>They were now, he calculated, within a mile of the hiding place where +they had left the boat, and they had every reason for believing that +none of the Indians would be likely to have followed the shore so +far. That they would be pursued and that, in so heavily laden a +canoe, they would have great difficulty in escaping, he was well +aware, but he relied on the craft of the hunters and Senecas for +throwing their pursuers off the trail. + +<P>All at once the trees seemed to open in front, and in a few minutes +the party reached the river. A cry of astonishment and of something +akin to terror broke from Harold. As far as the eye could reach the +lake was frozen. Their escape was cut off. + +<P>"That's jest what I've been expecting," Pearson said. "The ice had +begun to form at the edge when we landed, and three days and nights +of such frost as we've had since was enough to freeze Ontario. What +on arth's to be done?" + +<P>No one answered. Peter and the redskins had shared Pearson's anxiety, +but to Harold and Cameron the disappointment was a terrible one; as +to Jake, he left all the thinking to be done by the others. Harold +stood gazing helplessly on the expanse of ice which covered the +water. It was not a smooth sheet, but was rough and broken, as if, +while it had been forming, the wind had broken the ice up into cakes +again and again, while the frost as often had bound them together. + +<P>They had struck the river within a few hundred yards of the place +where the canoe was hidden, and, after a short consultation between +the Seneca chief, Peter Lambton, and Pearson, moved down toward that +spot. + +<P>"What are you thinking of doing?" Harold asked when they gathered +round the canoe. + +<P>"We're going to load ourselves with the ammunition and deer's flesh," +Peter said, "and make for a rocky island which lies about a mile off +here. I noticed it as we landed. There's nothing to do but to fight +it out to the last there. It are a good place for defense, for the +redskins won't like to come out across the open, and, even covered by +a dark night, they'd show on this white surface." + +<P>"Perhaps they won't trace us." + +<P>"Not trace us!" the trapper repeated scornfully. "Why, when daylight +comes, they'll pick up our track and follow it as easy as you could +that of a wagon across the snow." + +<P>They were just starting when Harold gave a little exclamation. + +<P>"What is it, lad?" + +<P>"A flake of snow fell on my face." + +<P>All looked up. The stars had disappeared. Another flake and another +fell on the upturned faces of the party. + +<P>"Let's thank the great God," Peter said quietly. "There's a chance +for our lives yet. Half an hour's snow and the trail 'll be lost." + +<P>Faster and faster the snowflakes came down. Again the leaders +consulted. + +<P>"We must change our plans, now," Peter said, turning to the others. +"So long as they could easily follow our tracks it mattered nothing +that they'd find the canoe here; but now it's altogether different. +We must take it along with us." + +<P>The weight of the canoe was very small. The greater part of its +contents had already been removed. There was a careful look round to +see that nothing remained on the bank; then four of the men lifted it +on their shoulders, and the whole party stepped out upon the ice. The +snow was now falling heavily, and to Harold's eyes there was nothing +to guide them in the direction they were following. Even the Indians +would have been at a loss had not the Seneca, the instant the snow +began to fall, sent on one of his followers at full speed toward the +island. Harold wondered at the time what his object could be as the +Indian darted off across the ice, but now he understood. Every minute +or two the low hoot of an owl was heard, and toward this sound the +party directed their way through the darkness and snow. + +<P>So heavy was the fall that the island rose white before them as they +reached it. It was of no great extent—some twenty or thirty yards +across, and perhaps twice that length. It rose steeply from the water +to a height of from ten to fifteen feet. The ground was rough and +broken, and several trees and much brushwood grew in the crevices of +the rock. + +<P>The Seneca and the hunters made a rapid examination of the island, +and soon fixed upon the spot for their camp. Toward one end the +island was split in two, and an indentation ran some distance up into +it. Here a clear spot was found some three or four feet above the +level of the water. It was completely hidden by thick bushes from the +sight of anyone approaching by water. There the canoe was turned +over, and the girls, who were both suffering from the intense cold, +were wrapped up in blankets and placed under its shelter. The camp +was at the lower end of the island and would, therefore, be entirely +hidden from view of Indians gathered upon the shore. In such a +snowstorm light would be invisible at a very short distance, and +Peter did not hesitate to light a fire in front of the canoe. + +<P>For three hours the snow continued to fall. The fire had been +sheltered by blankets stretched at some distance above it. Long +before the snow ceased it had sunk down to a pile of red embers. A +small tent had now been formed of blankets for the use of the girls; +brushwood had been heaped over this, and upon the brushwood snow had +been thrown, the whole making a shelter which would be warm and +comfortable in the bitterest weather. A pile of hot embers was placed +in this little tent until it was thoroughly heated; blankets were +then spread, and the girls were asked to leave the shelter of the +canoe and take their place there. + +<P>The canoe itself was now raised on four sticks three feet from the +ground; bushes were laid round it and snow piled on, thus forming the +walls of which the canoe was the roof. All this was finished long +before the snow had ceased falling, and this added a smooth white +surface all over, so that, to a casual eye, both tent and hut looked +like two natural ridges of the ground. They were a cheerful party +which assembled in the little hut. The remainder of the embers of the +fire had been brought in, and, intense as was the cold outside, it +was warm and comfortable within. Tea was made and pipes filled, and +they chatted some time before going to sleep. + +<P>Duncan Cameron was like a man transfigured. His joy and thankfulness +for the recovery of his daughter were unbounded. Harold's pleasure, +too, at the rescue of his cousin was very great, and the others were +all gratified at the success of their expedition. It was true that +the Indians had as yet gained no scalps, but Harold had promised them +before starting that, should the expedition be successful, they +should be handsomely rewarded. + +<P>"We mustn't reckon as we are safe yet," Peter said in answer to one +of Harold's remarks. "The redskins aint going to let us slip through +their fingers so easy as all that. They've lost our trail and have +nothing but their senses to guide 'em, but an Injun's senses aint +easily deceived in these woods. Ef this snow begins again and keeps +on for two or three days they may be puzzled; but ef it stops they'll +cast a circle round their camp at a distance beyond where we could +have got before the snow ceased, and ef they find no new trails +they'll know that we must be within that circle. Then, as to the +boats, when they find as we don't come down to the two as they've +discovered, and that we've not made off by land, they'll guess as +there was another canoe hidden somewhere, and they'll sarch high and +low for it. Waal, they won't find it; and then they'll suppose that +we may have taken to the ice, and they'll sarch that. Either they'll +git to open water or to the other side. Ef there's open water +anywhere within a few miles they may conclude that we've carried a +canoe, launched it there, and made off. In that case, when they've +sarched everywhere, they may give it up. Ef there aint no such open +water, they'll sarch till they find us. It aint likely that this +island will escape 'em. With nine good rifles here we can hold the +place against the hull tribe, and as they'd show up against the snow, +they can no more attack by night than by day." + +<P>"I don't think our food will hold out beyond seven or eight days," +Harold said. + +<P>"Jest about that," Peter answered; "but we can cut a hole in the ice +and fish, and can hold out that way, if need be, for weeks. The wust +of it is that the ice aint likely to break up now until the spring. I +reckon our only chance is to wait till we git another big snowstorm +and then to make off. The snow will cover our trail as fast as we +make it, and, once across to the other shore, we may git away from +the varmints. But I don't disguise from you, Harold, that we're in a +very awk'ard trouble, and that it 'll need all the craft of the +chief, here, and all the experience of Pearson and me to get us out +of it." + +<P>"The guid God has been vera merciful to us sae far," Duncan Cameron +said; "he will surely protect us to the end. Had he na sent the snow +just when he did, the savages could hae followed our trail at once; +it was a miracle wrought in our favor. He has aided us to rescue the +twa bairns frae the hands of the Indians, and we may surely trust in +his protection to the end. My daughter and her friend hae, I am very +sure, before lying down to sleep, entreated his protection. Let us a' +do the same." + +<P>And the old soldier, taking off his cap, prayed aloud to God to heed +and protect them. + +<P>Harold and the frontiersmen also removed their caps and joined in the +prayer, and the Senecas looked on, silent and reverent, at an act of +worship which was rare among their white companions. + +<P>As Peter was of opinion that there was no chance whatever of any +search on the part of the Indians that night, and therefore there was +no need to set a watch, the whole party wrapped themselves up in +their blankets and were soon asleep. + +<P>When Harold woke next morning it was broad daylight. The Senecas had +already been out and had brought news that a strong party of Indians +could be seen moving along the edge of the forest, evidently +searching for a canoe. One of the Indians was placed on watch, and +two or three hours later he reported that the Indians were now +entirely out of sight and were, when last seen, scouting along the +edge of the forest. + +<P>"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we git another snowstorm the better. +Ef we'd been alone we could have pushed on last night, but the gals +was exhausted and would soon have died of the cold. Now, with a fresh +start they'd do. Ef we can't cross the lake I calculate that we're +about thirty mile from a p'int on the north shore below the falls of +Ste. Marie, and we could land there and strike across through the +woods for the settlement. It'd be a terrible long journey round the +north of Huron, but we must try it ef we can't get across." + +<P>"But we could go off by night, surely," Harold said, "even if there +is no fresh snow." + +<P>"We could do that," Peter replied; "no doubt of it. But ef they were +to find our track the next day, ay, or within three days, they'd +follow us and overtake us afore we got to the settlements. Ef we was +alone, it'd be one thing; but with the gals it'd be another +altogether. No, we must stop here till a snowstorm comes, even if we +have to stop for a month. There's no saying how soon some of them +Injuns may be loafing round, and we daren't leave a trail for 'em to +take up." + +<P>They had scarcely ceased speaking when a low call from the Indian +placed on watch summoned the chief to his side. A minute later the +latter rejoined the group below and said a few words to Peter. + +<P>"Jest as I thought!" the latter grumbled, rising with his rifle +across his arm. "Here are some of the varmints coming out this 'ere +way. Likely enough it's a party of young braves jest scouting about +on their own account, to try and get honor by discovering us when +their elders have failed. It would have been better for them to have +stopped at home." + +<P>The party now crept up to the top of the rock, keeping carefully +below its crest. + +<P>"Ef you show as much as a hair above the top line," Peter said, +"they'll see you, sartin." + +<P>"Would it not be well," Harold asked, "for one of us to show himself? +There is no possibility of further concealment, and if they go off +without any of them being killed the others might be less bitter +against us than they would if they had lost some of their tribe." + +<P>Peter laughed scornfully. + +<P>"Ye haven't had much to do with Injuns, lad, but I should have +thought you'd have had better sense nor that. Haven't these Injuns +been a-murdering and a-slaying along the frontier all the summer, +falling on defenseless women and children? Marcy and pity aint in +their natur, and, fight or no fight, our scalps will dry in their +wigwams if they get us into their power. They know that we can shoot +and mean to, and that 'll make 'em careful of attacking us, and every +hour is important. Now," he said to the others, "each of you cover a +man and fire straight through your sights when I gives the word. +There's others watching 'em, you may be sure, and ef the whole five +go down together, it'll make 'em think twice afore they attack us +again." + +<P>Peering between some loose rocks, so that he could see without +exposing his head above the line, Harold watched the five Indians +approaching. They had evidently some doubts as to the wisdom of the +course they were pursuing, and were well aware that they ran a +terrible risk standing there in the open before the rifles of those +concealed, should the fugitives be really there. Nevertheless, the +hope of gaining distinction and the fear of ridicule from those +watching them on shore, should they turn back with their mission +unaccomplished, inspired them with resolution. When within three +hundred yards of the island they halted for a long time. They stood +gazing fixedly; but, although no signs of life could be perceived, +they were too well versed in Indian warfare to gain any confidence +from the apparent stillness. Throwing themselves flat on the snow and +following each other in single line, by which means their bodies were +nearly concealed from sight in the track which their leader made +through the light, yielding snow, they made a complete circuit of the +island. They paused for some time opposite the little forked entrance +in which the camp was situated, but apparently saw nothing, for they +kept round until they completed the circuit. + +<P>When they reached the point from which they had started there was, +apparently, a short consultation among them. Then they continued +their course in the track that they had before made until they +reached a spot facing the camp. Then they changed order, and, still +prone in the snow, advanced abreast toward the island. + +<P>"The varmints have guessed that, if we are here, this is the place +where we'd be hid," Peter whispered in Harold's ear. + +<P>As the Indians made their circuit the party in the island had changed +their position so as always to keep out of sight. They were now on +the top of the island, which was a sort of rough plateau. The girls +had been warned, when they left them, to remain perfectly quiet in +their shelter whatever noise they might hear. Peter and the Seneca +watched the Indians through holes which they had made with their +ramrods through a bank of snow. The others remained flat in the +slight depression behind it. At the distance of one hundred and fifty +yards the Indians stopped. + +<P>"The varmints see something!" Peter said. "Maybe they can make out +the two snow heaps through the bushes; maybe they can see some of our +footsteps in the snow. They're going to fire!" he exclaimed. "Up, +lads! They may send a bullet into the hut whar the gals is hid." + +<P>In an instant the line of men sprang to their feet. The Indians, +taken by surprise at the sudden appearance of a larger number of +enemies than they expected, fired a hasty volley and then sprang to +their feet and dashed toward the shore. But they were deadly rifles +which covered them. Peter, Harold, and Pearson could be trusted not +to miss even a rapidly moving object at that distance, and the men +were all good shots. Not in regular order, but as each covered his +man, the rifles were discharged. Four out of the five Indians fell, +and an arm of the fifth dropped useless by his side; however, he +still kept on. The whites reloaded rapidly, and Harold was about to +fire again when Pearson put his hand on his shoulder. + +<P>"Don't fire! We've shown them that we can shoot straight. It's jest +as well at present that they shouldn't know how far our rifles will +carry." + +<P>The four Senecas dashed out across the snow and speedily returned, +each with a scalp hanging at his belt. + +<P>A loud yell of anger and lamentation had risen from the woods +skirting the shore as the Indians fell, but after this died away deep +silence reigned. + +<P>"What will be their next move?" Cameron asked Peter, as they gathered +again in their low hut, having placed one of the Indians on watch. + +<P>"We'll hear nothing of 'em till nightfall," Peter said. "Their first +move, now they know as we're here, will be to send off to fetch up +all the tribe who're in search of us. When it comes on dark they'll +send scouts outside of us on the ice to see as we don't escape—not +that they'd much mind ef we did, for they could track us through the +snow and come up with us whenever they chose. No, they may be sure +we'll stay where we are. It may be they'll attack us to-night, maybe +not. It'd be a thing more risksome than redskins often undertake to +cross the snow under the fire of nine rifles. I aint no doubt they'd +try and starve us out, for they must know well enough that we can +have no great store of provisions. But they know as well as we do +that, if another snowstorm comes on, we might slip away from 'em +without leaving a foot-mark behind. It's jest that thought as may +make 'em attack." + +<P>"Well, we can beat them off, if they do," Harold said confidently. + +<P>"Waal, we may and we may not," the scout answered. "Anyhow we can +kill a grist of 'em afore they turn us out on this 'ere island." + +<P>"That's sartin enough," Pearson put in; "but they're a strong tribe, +and ef they can harden their hearts and make a rush it's all up with +us. I allow that it's contrary to their custom, but when they see no +other way to do with, they may try." + +<P>"I suppose if they do try a rush," Harold said, "they will do it +against this end of the island?" + +<P>"Yes, you may bet your money on that," the scout answered. "In other +places the rock goes pretty nigh straight up from the water, but here +it's an easy landing. Being so close to 'em they're sure to know all +about it; but even if they didn't, the chap that got away would tell +'em. I don't much expect an attack to-night—the bands won't be back +yet. They'll have a grand palaver to-night, and there'll be a big +talk afore they decide what is best to be done; so I think we're safe +for to-night. To-morrow we'll set to work and build a shelter for the +pretty ones up above, where they'll be safe from stray shots. Then +we'll throw up a breastwork with loose rocks on the top of the slope +round this cove, so as to give it to 'em hot when they land." + +<P>"You have plenty of powder?" Harold asked. + +<P>"Dollops," Peter replied; "more'n we could fire away if we was +besieged here for a month." + +<P>"Then you could spare me twenty pounds or so?" + +<P>"We could spare you a whole keg if you like; we've got three full. +But what are you thinking of now, young un?" + +<P>"I was thinking," Harold answered, "of forming a line of holes, say +three feet apart, in the ice across the mouth of the cove. If we were +to charge them with powder and lay a train between them, we could, +when the first dozen or so have passed the line, fire the train and +break up the ice. This would prevent the others following, and give +them such a bad scare that they would probably make off, and we could +easily deal with those who had passed the line before we fired it." + +<P>"That's a good idea of yours, lad. A fust-rate idea. The ice must be +a foot thick by this time, and ef you put in your charges eight +inches and tamp 'em well down you'll shiver the ice for a long way +round. The idea is a fust-rate one." + +<P>Pearson and Cameron assisted in the work, and the Indians, when Peter +had explained the plan to them, gave deep gutteral exclamations of +surprise and approval. The process of blasting was one wholly unknown +to them. + +<P>"I will mak' the holes," Cameron said. "I hae seen a deal of blasting +when I was in the army. I can heat the end of a ramrod in a fire and +hammer it into the shape of a borer." + +<P>"A better way than that, Cameron," Harold said, "will be to heat the +end of a ramrod white-hot. You will melt holes in the ice in half the +time it would take you to bore them. That was what I was thinking of +doing." + +<P>"Right you are, lad!" Pearson said. "Let's set about it at once." + +<P>A large fire was now lighted outside the hut, for there was no longer +any occasion for secrecy. The ends of three or four of the ramrods +were placed in the fire, and two lines of holes were bored in the ice +across the mouth of the little cove. These lines were twelve feet +apart, and they calculated that the ice between them would be +completely broken up, even if the fractures did not extend a good way +beyond the lines. The holes were of rather larger diameter than the +interior of a gun barrel. It was found that the ice was about fifteen +inches thick, and the holes were taken down ten inches. Three or four +charges of powder were placed in each; a stick of a quarter of an +inch in diameter was then placed in each hole, and pounded ice was +rammed tightly in around it until the holes were filled up, a few +drops of water being poured in on the top, so as to freeze the whole +into a solid mass. There was no fear of the powder being wetted, for +the frost was intense. Then the sticks were withdrawn and the holes +left filled with powder. With the heated ramrods little troughs were +sunk half an inch deep, connecting the tops of the holes; lines of +powder were placed in these trenches; narrow strips of skin were laid +over them, and the snow was then thrown on again. The two lines of +trenches were connected at the ends at the shore, so that they could +be fired simultaneously. + +<P>While the men were occupied with this work the girls had cooked some +venison steaks and made some cakes. + +<P>It was just nightfall when they had finished, and all sat down and +enjoyed a hearty meal. Peter and one of the Senecas undertook the +watch for half the night, when they were to be relieved by Pearson +and the chief. The early part of the night passed off quietly, but an +hour before morning the party were aroused by the sharp crack of two +rifles. Seizing their arms, all rushed out. + +<P>"What is it, Pearson?" + +<P>"Two of their scouts," Pearson answered, pointing to two dark bodies +on the snow at a distance of about one hundred yards. "I suppose they +wanted to see ef we was on the watch. We made 'em out almost as soon +as they left the shore, but we let 'em come on until we was sartin of +our aim. There aint no more about as we can see, so ye can all turn +in again for another hour or two." + +<P>There was no fresh alarm before morning, and, when the sun rose, it +shone over a wide expanse of snow, unbroken save where lay the bodies +of the two Indians—whose scalps already hung at the belt of the +Seneca—and those of their four comrades who had fallen in the first +attack. + +<P>The day passed quietly. Toward the afternoon two Indians were seen +approaching from the shore. They were unarmed and held their hands +aloft as a sign of amity. Peter and Pearson at once laid down their +guns, left the island, and advanced to meet them. They were Indian +chiefs of importance. + +<P>"Why have my white brothers stolen in at night upon the village of +War Eagle and slain his young men?" + +<P>"It is what you have been doing all last year, chief," Pearson, who +spoke the dialect better than Peter, replied. "But we injured no one. +We didn't kill women and children, as your warriors have done in the +white villages. We only came to take what you had stolen from us, and +ef your young men have been killed it's only because they tried to +attack us." + +<P>"The white men must see," the chief said, "that they cannot get away. +The water is hard, and their canoe will not swim in it. The snow is +deep, and the tender feet cannot walk through it. My warriors are +very numerous, and the white men cannot fight their way through them. +The white settlements are very far away, and their friends cannot +reach them; and it will be many months before the water softens, and +long before that the white men will have eaten their moccasins." + +<P>"Waal, chief," Pearson said, "we're in a tight hole, I grant you; but +I'm far from allowing that we aint no chances left to us yet. What do +you propose? I suppose you've some proposition to make." + +<P>"Let the white men leave behind them their guns and their powder and +the maidens they have taken from War Eagle's camp; then let them go +in peace. They shall not be harmed." + +<P>Pearson gave a short laugh. + +<P>"War Eagle must think the white men are foolish. What's to prevent +the red warriors from taking all our scalps when our arms are in +their hands?" + +<P>"The word of a great chief," War Eagle said. "War Eagle never lies." + +<P>"You may not lie, chief," Pearson said bluntly, "but I've known many +a treaty broken afore now. You and your people may not touch us, but +there's other redskins about, and I wouldn't give a beaver's skin for +our sculps ef we were to take the back trail to the settlements +without arms in our hands. Besides that, we've among us the father of +the gal who was stole far away off from Lake Champlain, and a +relative of hers whose parents you've killed down on the lake. Ef we +were to agree to give up our arms, it stands to reason it aint likely +they'd agree to give up the gals. No, no, chief; your terms aren't +reasonable. But I tell ye what we will do; ef you'll give us your +word that neither you nor your tribe'll molest us in our retreat +we'll go back to the settlements, and 'll engage that, when we get +back there, we'll send you nine of the best rifles money can buy, +with plenty of powder and ball, and blankets and such like." + +<P>The chief waved his hand in contemptuous refusal of the terms. + +<P>"There are six of my young men's scalps at your girdles, and their +places are empty. War Eagle has spoken." + +<P>"Very well, chief," Pearson said. "Ef nothing but sculps will content +you, to fighting it must come; but I warn you that your tribe'll lose +a good many more afore they get ours." + +<P>So saying, without another word, they separated, each party making +their way back to their friends. + +<P>"What on earth can he have proposed such terms as those for?" Harold +asked, when Pearson had related what had taken place between him and +the chief. "He must have known we should not accept them." + +<P>"I expect," Pearson said, "he wanted to see who we were and to judge +what sort of spirit we had. It may be, too, that there was a party +among the tribe who had no stomachs for the job of attacking this +place, and so he was obliged to make a show of offering terms to +please 'em; but he never meant as they should be accepted. No, I take +it they'll wait a few days to see what hunger'll do. They must be +pretty sure that we've not a very large supply of food." + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c16"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XVI.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE GREAT STORM.</H3> + +<P>"Let us overhaul our packages," Harold said, "and see what provisions +we have left. It would be as well to know how we stand." + +<P>It was found that they had a sufficient supply of flour to last, with +care, for a fortnight. The meal was nearly exhausted; of tea they had +an abundance; the sugar was nearly out, and they had three bottles of +spirits. + +<P>"Could we not make the flour last more than the fourteen days by +putting ourselves on half rations?" Harold asked. + +<P>"We might do that," Peter said, "but I tell you the rations would be +small even for fourteen days. We've calkilated according to how much +we eat when we've plenty of meat, but without meat it'd be only a +starvation ration to each. Fortunately we've fish-hooks and lines, +and by making holes in the ice we can get as many fish as we like. +Waal, we can live on them alone, if need be, and an ounce or two of +flour, made into cakes, will be enough to go with 'em. That way the +flour would last us pretty nigh two months. I don't say that, if the +wust comes to the wust, we might not hold on right to the spring on +fish. The lake's full of 'em, and some of 'em have so much oil in 'em +that they're nigh as good as meat." + +<P>"Do you think, Peter, that if the Indians make one great attack and +are beaten off they will try again?" + +<P>"No one can say," Peter answered. "Injun natur' can't never be +calkilated on. I should say if they got a thundering beating they +aint likely to try again; but there's never no saying." + +<P>"The sooner they attack and get it o'er the better," Cameron said. "I +hae na slept a wink the last twa nights. If I doze off for a moment I +wake up, thinking I hear their yells. I am as ready to fight as ony +o' you when the time comes, but the thought o' my daughter, here, +makes me nervous and anxious. What do you say, Jake?" + +<P>"It all de same to Jake, Massa Cameron. Jake sleeps bery sound, but +he no like de tought ob eating nothing but fish for five or six +months. Jake neber bery fond ob fish." + +<P>"You'll like it well enough when you get used to it, Jake," Pearson +said. "It's not bad eating on a pinch, only you want to eat a sight +of it to satisfy you. Well, let's see how the fish'll bite." + +<P>Four holes were cut in the ice at a short distance apart. The hooks +were attached to strong lines and baited with deer's flesh, and soon +the fishing began. The girls took great interest in the proceeding. +Nelly was an adept at the sport, having generally caught the fish for +the consumption of the household at home. She took charge of one of +the lines, Harold of another, while Jake and one of the Senecas +squatted themselves by the other holes. There had been some +discussion as to whether the fishing should take place on the side of +the island facing the shore or behind the rocks, but the former was +decided upon. This was done because all were anxious that the +expected attack should take place as soon as possible, and the event +was likely to be hastened when the Indians saw that they were +provided with lines and were thus able to procure food for a +considerable time. + +<P>It was soon manifest that, if they could live upon fish, they need +feel no uneasiness as to its supply. Scarcely had the lines been let +down than fish were fast to them. Harold and the other men soon had +trout, from three to six pounds, lying on the ice beside them, but +Nelly was obliged to call Pearson to her assistance, and the fish, +when brought to the surface, was found to be over twenty pounds in +weight. An hour's fishing procured them a sufficient supply for a +week's consumption. There was no fear as to the fish keeping, for in +a very short time after being drawn from the water they were frozen +stiff and hard. They were hung up to some boughs near the huts, and +the party were glad enough to get into shelter again, for the cold +was intense. + +<P>As before, the early part of the night passed quietly; but toward +morning Peter, who was on watch, ran down and awakened the others. + +<P>"Get your shooting-irons and hurry up," he said. "The varmints are +coming this time in arnest." + +<P>In a minute everyone was at the post assigned to him. A number of +dark figures could be seen coming over the ice. + +<P>"There's nigh two hundred of 'em," Peter said. "War Eagle has brought +the whole strength of his tribe." + +<P>Contrary to their usual practice the Indians did not attempt to crawl +up to the place they were about to attack, but advanced at a run +across the ice. The defenders lost not a moment in opening fire, for +some of their rifles would carry as far as the shore. + +<P>"Shoot steady," Peter said. "Don't throw away a shot." + +<P>Each man loaded and fired as quickly as he could, taking a steady +aim, and the dark figures which dotted the ice behind the advancing +Indians showed that the fire was an effectual one. The Indians did +not return a shot. Their chief had, no doubt, impressed upon them the +uselessness of firing against men lying in shelter, and had urged +them to hurry at the top of their speed to the island and crush the +whites in a hand-to-hand fight. + +<P>It was but three or four minutes from the time the first shot was +fired before they were close to the island. They made, as Peter had +expected, toward the little cove, which was indeed the only place at +which a landing could well be effected. Harold ran down and hid +himself in a bush at the spot where the train terminated, carrying +with him a glowing brand from the fire. + +<P>"War Eagle means to have our sculps this time," Peter said to +Pearson. "I never seed an uglier rush. White men couldn't have done +better." + +<P>The Indians had run in scattered order across the ice, but they +closed up as they neared the cove. As they rushed toward it four fell +beneath the shots of half the defenders, and another four a few +seconds later from a volley by the other section. + +<P>In a wonderfully short time the first were ready again, and the +Indians wavered at the slaughter and opened fire upon the breastwork, +behind which the defenders were crouching. Those behind pressed on, +and, with terrific yells, the mass of Indians bounded forward. + +<P>Harold had remained inactive, crouching behind the bush. He saw the +head of the dark mass rush past him and then applied the brand to the +train. + +<P>There was a tremendous explosion. Yells and screams rent the air, and +in an instant a dark line of water, twenty feet wide, stretched +across the mouth of the cove. + +<P>In this were pieces of floating ice and numbers of Indians struggling +and yelling. Some made only a faint struggle before they sank, while +others struck out for the side furthest from the island. + +<P>The main body of the Indians, appalled by the explosion, checked +themselves in their course and at once took to flight; some, unable +to check their impetus, fell into the water upon the wounded wretches +who were struggling there. Those who had crossed stood irresolute, +and then, turning, leaped into the water. As they struggled to get +out on the opposite side the defenders maintained a deadly fire upon +them, but, in two or three minutes, the last survivor had scrambled +out, and all were in full flight toward the shore. + +<P>"I think we've seen the last of the attacks," Peter said, as they +came down from their breastwork and joined Harold in the cove. "That +was a first-rate notion of yours, lad. Ef it hadn't been for that we +should have been rubbed out, sure enough; another minute and we'd +have gone down. They were in arnest and no mistake; they'd got steam +up and was determined to finish with us at once, whatever it cost +'em." + +<P>The instant the attack had ceased Cameron had hastened to the hut +where the girls were lying, to assure them that all danger was over +and that the Indians were entirely defeated. In an hour a fresh skim +of ice had formed across the streak of water, but, as through its +clear surface many of the bodies of the Indians could be seen, the +men threw snow over it, to spare the girls the unpleasantness of such +a sight every time they went out from the cove. The bodies of all the +Indians who had fallen near the island were also covered with snow. +Those nearer the shore were carried off by the Iroquois in their +retreat. + +<P>"I suppose, Peter," Harold said as they sat round the fire that +evening, "you have been in quite as awkward scrapes as this before +and have got out all right?" + +<P>"Why, this business aint nothing to that affair we had by Lake +Champlain. That were as bad a business, when we was surrounded in +that log hut, as ever I went through—and I've been through a good +many. Pearson and me nigh got our har raised more nor once in that +business of Pontiac's. He were a great chief and managed to get up +the biggest confederation agin us that's ever been known. It were +well for us that that business didn't begin a few years earlier when +we was fighting the French; but you see, so long as we and they was +at war the Indians hoped as we might pretty well exterminate each +other, and then they intended to come in and finish off whoever got +the best of it. Waal, the English they drove the French back and +finally a treaty was made in Europe by which the French agreed to +clear out. + +<P>"It was jest about this time as Pontiac worked upon the tribes to lay +aside their own quarrels and jine the French in fighting agin us. He +got the Senecas, and the Delawares, and the Shawnees, the Wyandots, +and a lot of other tribes from the lakes and the hull country between +the Niagara River and the Mississippi. + +<P>"Jack Pearson and me, we happened to be with the Miamis when the +bloody belt which Pontiac were sending round as a signal for war +arrived at the fort there. Jack and me knew the redskins pretty well, +and saw by their manner as something unusual had happened. I went to +the commandant of the fort and told him as much. He didn't think much +of my news. The soldier chaps always despises the redskins till they +see 'em come yelling along with their tomahawks, and then as often as +not it's jest the other way. Howsumdever, he agreed at last to pay +any amount of trade goods I might promise to the Miamis if the news +turned out worth finding out. I discovered that a great palaver was +to be held that evening at the chief's village, which was a mile away +from the fort. + +<P>"I'd seen a good deal of the Miamis and had fought with 'em against +the Shawnees, so I could do as much with 'em as most. Off Pearson and +I goes to the chief; and I says to him, 'Look ye here, chief, I've +good reasons to believe you've got a message from Pontiac and that it +means trouble. Now don't you go and let yourself be led away by him. +I've heard rumors that he's getting up a great confederation agin the +English. But I tell you, chief, if all the redskins on this continent +was to jine together, they couldn't do nothing agin the English. I +don't say as you mightn't wipe out a number of little border forts, +for no doubt you might; but what would come of it? England would send +out as many men as there are leaves in the forest, who would scorch +up the redskin nations as a fire on the prairie scorches up the +grass. I tell yer, chief, no good can come on it. Don't build yer +hopes on the French; they've acknowledged that they're beaten and are +all going out of the country. It'd be best for you and your people to +stick to the English. They can reward their friends handsomely, and +ef you jine with Pontiac, sooner or later trouble and ruin will come +upon you. Now I can promise you, in the name of the officer of the +fort, a good English rifle for yerself and fifty guns for your braves +and ten bales of blankets ef yer'll make a clean breast of it, and +first tell us what deviltry Pontiac is up to and next jine us +freely—or anyway hold aloof altogether from this conspiracy till yer +see how things is going.' + +<P>"Waal, the chief he thought the matter over and said he'd do his best +at the palaver that night, but till that was over, and he knew what +the council decided on, he couldn't tell me what the message was. I +was pretty well satisfied, for Prairie Dog were a great chief in his +tribe, and I felt pretty sartin he'd git the council to go the way he +wanted. I told him I'd be at the fort and that the governor would +expect a message after the council was over. + +<P>"It was past midnight when the chief came with four of his braves. He +told us that the tribe had received a bloody belt from Pontiac and a +message that the Mingoes and Delawares, the Wyandots and Shawnees +were going to dig up the hatchet against the whites, and calling upon +him and his people to massacre the garrison of the fort and then +march to jine Pontiac, who was about to fall upon Detroit and Fort +Pitt. They were directed to send the belt on to the tribes on the +Wabash, but they loved the English and were determined to take no +part against them; so they delivered the belt to their friend the +white commander, and hoped that he'd tell the great king in England +that the Miamis were faithful to him. The governor highly applauded +their conduct and said he'd send the news to the English governor at +New York, and at once ordered the presents which I promised to be +delivered to the chief for himself and his braves. When they'd gone +he said: + +<P>"'You were right, Peter. This news is important indeed, and it's +clear that a terrible storm's about to bust upon the frontier. +Whether the Miamis will keep true is doubtful; but now I'm on my +guard they'll find it difficult to take the fort. But the great thing +is to carry the news of what's happened to Detroit, to put them on +their guard. Will you and Pearson start at once?' + +<P>"In course we agreed, though it was clear that the job was a risksome +one, for it wouldn't be no easy matter to journey through the woods +with the hull redskin tribes on the war-path. + +<P>"The commander wanted me to carry the belt with me, but I said, 'I +might jest as well carry my death warrant to the first redskins as I +come across.' Major Gladwin, who commanded at Detroit, knew me, and I +didn't need to carry any proof of my story. So, afore the Miamis had +been gone half an hour, Jack and me took the trail for Detroit. We +had got a canoe hid on the lake a few miles away, and we was soon on +board. The next morning we seed a hull fleet of canoes coming down +the lake. We might have made a race with 'em, but being fully manned +the chances was as they'd have cut us off, and seeing that at present +war had not been declared, we judged it best to seem as if we weren't +afeared. So we paddles up to 'em and found as they were a lot of +Wyandots whose hunting-grounds lay up by Lake Superior. In course I +didn't ask no questions as to whar they was going, but jest mentioned +as we was on our way down to Detroit. 'We're going that way, too,' +the chief said, 'and 'll be glad to have our white brothers with us.' +So we paddled along together until, about noon, they landed. Nothing +was said to us as how we were prisoners, but we could see as how we +was jest as much captives as ef we'd been tied with buckskin ropes. + +<P>"Jack and me talked it over and agreed as it was no manner o' use +trying to make our escape, but that as long as they chose to treat us +as guests we'd best seem perfectly contented and make no show of +considering as they was on the war-path; although, seeing as they had +no women or children with 'em, a baby could have known as they were +up to no good. + +<P>"The next morning they started again at daybreak, and after paddling +some hours landed and hid away their canoes and started on foot. +Nothing was said to us, but we saw as we was expected to do as they +did. We went on till we was within ten mile of Detroit and then we +halted. I thought it were best to find out exactly how we stood, so +Jack and I goes up to the chief and says that as we was near Detroit +we would jest say good-by to him and tramp in. + +<P>"'Why should my white brothers hurry?' he said. 'It is not good for +them to go on alone, for the woods are very full of Indians.' 'But,' +I said, 'the hatchet's buried between the whites and the redskins, so +there's no danger in the woods.' The chief waved his hand. 'My white +brothers have joined the Wyandots, and they will tarry with them +until they go into Detroit. There are many redskins there, and there +will be a grand palaver. The Wyandots will be present.' + +<P>"Jack and me made no signs of being dissatisfied, but the position +weren't a pleasant one, I can tell you. Here was the redskins +a-clustering like bees around Detroit, ready to fall upon the +garrison and massacre 'em, and we, who was the only men as knew of +the danger, was prisoners among the redskins. It was sartin, too, +that though they mightn't take our lives till they had attacked the +garrison, they was only keeping us for the pleasure of torturing us +quietly arterward. The situation was plain enough; the question was, +what were to be done? There was about sixty of the varmints around us +sitting by their fires and looking as ef they didn't even know as we +was there, but we knew as sharp eyes was watching us and that, afore +we'd gone five yards, the hull lot would be on our track. + +<P>"Jack and me didn't say much to each other, for we knew how closely +we was watched and didn't want 'em to think as we was planning our +escape, so after a few words we sat down by one of the fires till it +got time to lie down for the night; but we had both been a-thinking. +We saw, when we lay down, that the Injuns lay pretty well around us, +while two on 'em, with their rifles ready to hand, sat down by a fire +close by and threw on some logs, as if they intended to watch all +night. + +<P>"It was a goodish-size clearing as they'd chose for a camping-ground, +and we should have had to run some distance afore we got to the +shelter of the trees. The moon too was up, and it were well-nigh as +light as day, and anxious as we was to git away, we agreed that there +were no chance of sliding off, but that it'd be better to wait till +next day. + +<P>"When we woke our guns was gone. We complained to the chief, who said +coldly that his young men would carry the guns and give 'em back to +us when we got to Detroit. It were no use saying more, for he might +at any moment have ordered us to be bound, and it were better to keep +the use of our legs as long as we could. + +<P>"For two days we stayed there, not seeing the shadow of a chance of +gitting away. Several redskin runners come in and spoke to the chief, +and we got more and more anxious to be off. We was still allowed to +walk about, provided we didn't go near the edge of the clearing; +whenever we went that way two Injuns, who kept guard by turns over +us, shouted to us to go no furder. + +<P>"The third morning, after a runner had come in, the chief gave the +word for a move and we set out. We saw they wasn't taking the direct +line to Detroit, although still going in that direction, and after +two hours' marching through the woods we got down on to the Detroit +River. Here was a big encampment, and some three or four hundred +Shawnees and Delawares was gathered here. A chief come up to us as we +entered the open. He gave an order to the Wyandots, and in a minute +we was bound hand and foot, carried to a small wigwam, and chucked +down inside like two logs of wood. + +<P>"After a little talk Jack and I agreed as after all we had a better +chance of escaping now than when we was watched by a hull tribe, and +we concluded that there weren't no time to be lost. The Wyandots had +no doubt been brought up in readiness to strike the blow, and even if +we'd known nothing about the belt we'd have been, sure that mischief +was intended when these three bands of red varmints had gathered so +close to the fort. It was sartin we couldn't do nothing till night, +but we both strained our cords as much as possible to get 'em to +stretch a bit and give us a better chance of slipping out of 'em. No +one come near us for some time, and as we could hear the sound of +voices we guessed that a great council was taking place, and we +agreed at once to loosen the knots, so as to be in readiness for +work, as like enough they'd put a sentry over us at night. + +<P>"It was a risky thing to try, for we might be disturbed at any +minute. Still we thought it were our only chance, so Jack set to work +with his teeth at my knots and in a quarter of an hour had loosened +them; then I undone his. We unbound our thongs and then fastened 'em +up again so that to the eye they looked jest the same as before but +really with a jerk they'd fall off. + +<P>"I must teach you how to do that, Harold, some time; ye may find it +of use. The knots was tied up as tightly as before, and it would have +needed a close examination to see that we was not tied as tight as +ever. Not a word was spoken and, we was as quiet as mice, for we +could hear two redskins talking outside. You may guess we was pretty +slick about it; and I don't know as ever I felt so thankful as when +we laid ourselves down again, jest as we had been throwed, without +the slit in the tent having opened and a red face peered in. + +<P>"A quarter of an hour later a redskin come in and looked at us. +Seeing, as it seemed to him, as we hadn't moved, he went out again. +Jest before nightfall two on 'em came in together, rolled us over, +and looked at the knots; they found as these was all right; then one +sat down jest in the door of the tent and the other took his place +outside. We waited some hours. + +<P>"At last the fires burned low and the camp got quiet. We knew it was +well-nigh hopeless to wait for 'em all to be asleep, for redskin +natur' is a restless one, and especially when there's anything on +hand they'll turn out two or three times in the night to smoke their +pipes by the fires, and they'd be the more restless since, as we'd +seen, there was only four or five wigwams and all would be sleeping +on the ground. At last I thought the time were come and gave Jack a +nudge, and we both sat up. + +<P>"It were a ticklish moment, young un, I can tell ye, for we knew that +it were scarce possible to get off without the alarm being raised. Ef +the wigwam had stood close to the edge of the forest it would have +been compar'tively easy, for once among the trees we might have hoped +to have outrun 'em, though the moon was so pesky bright; but +unfortunately it was built not far from the river, and we should have +to cross the hull clearing to gain the woods. The chances weren't +good, I can tell you, but it was clear as we had to try 'em. We had +purposely moved about pretty often, so that our movements would not +attract the attention of the Injun now. It didn't take a minute to +slip out of the cords, which, tight as they looked, really were not +fastened at all, there being two loose double ends between our arms +and our bodies. We could see the outside sentry through the open +door, and we waited till he turned his back and looked out on the +river. Then suddenly I gripped the redskin sitting at the entrance by +the neck with both my hands, pretty tight, as you may reckon, and +Jack ketched his knife from his belt and buried it in his body. + +<P>"That was soon over, and not a sound made as would have startled a +mouse. Then, standing up, I made a spring on to the sentry, while +Jack used his knife as before. We let him drop softly down and +prepared to bolt, when of a sudden the war-whoop sounded not twenty +feet away. One of the redskins, finding the ground hard, I suppose, +was strolling up to speak to the sentry when he saw us tackle him. +For a moment he were too much surprised to holler, but when he did he +gave a yell as brought the hull tribe to their feet. Jack had taken +up the sentry's rifle. + +<P>"'Ye'd better have held yer tongue,' he said as he leveled on the +redskin, and before the whoop was out of his lips the bullet hit him +and he went down like a log. It didn't need to look round to see as +there was no chance of getting to the trees, for two hundred redskins +was between us and them. 'We must take to the river, Jack,' I said. +It were but thirty yards away. I expected every moment, as we run, to +hear the rifle bullets whistle round us, but I guess Pontiac had +given orders that no gun was to be fired lest it might be heard at +the fort. Anyhow, not a shot was fired and we got down safe to the +bank." + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c17"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XVII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE SCOUT'S STORY.</H3> + +<P>"Luckily enough there was a canoe lying close at our feet. 'Shove it +out, Jack,' says I, 'and then keep along the bank.' We gave it a +shove with all our strength and sent it dancing out into the river. +Then we dived in and swum down close under the bank. There was bushes +growing all along, and we came up each time under 'em. The redskins +was some little distance behind us as we reached the river, and in +course thought we had throwed ourselves flat in the canoe. In a +minute or two they got another and paddled off to it, and we soon +heard the shout they raised when they found it was empty. By this +time we was a hundred yards below the spot where we had taken to the +water, and knowing as they would be off along the bank and would find +us in no time, we scrambled straight up and made for the trees. + +<P>"We was within fifty yards of the edge of the forest, and none of the +redskins was near us, as the hull body had clustered down at the spot +where we had jumped in. We hadn't fairly set foot on the bank afore +they saw us and, with a whoop—which sometimes wakes me even now in +my sleep and makes me sit up with the sweat on my forehead—they +started. I could run faster then than I can now, and ye may guess I +went my best. We plunged into the trees and went as hard as we could +foot it, the redskins being fifty or sixty yards behind. + +<P>"Our hope was to find a place with a thickish underwood. It was +darker a deal under the trees than in the clearing, still it was not +dark enough to hide us from redskin eyes. We run straight, for we +knew they could see us, and arter about four hundred yards we come +upon a place where the undergrowth grew thick. Here we began to dodge +'em, turning now one way and now another, keeping always low in the +bushes. They had lost us by sight now, but there was so many of 'em +that we pretty nigh despaired of getting through. Some of 'em had +tried to follow us, but the best part had run straight on for a bit, +and then, when sure they had headed us, scattered right and left, so +that they were ahead of us now as well as on our traces, and we could +hear 'em shouting all round us, so we did the only thing there was to +be done and made the best of our way back to the clearing, keeping +low and taking good care not to cross any patch where the moonlight +through the trees fell on the ground. + +<P>"It were lucky for us that it was a camp of braves. Had it been an +ordinary redskin encampment there would have been squaws, and boys, +and wuss still, dogs, who would have seed us the moment we got back; +but being all braves on the war-path the hull gang had started arter +us, and not a soul had remained in the clearing. We did not rest +there long, you may be sure, but made straight down to the water. +There we picked out a canoe, crossed the river, and got into the +shade of the trees the other side. Then we kept along down it till we +got close to the fort of Detroit. + +<P>"We could see a good many smoldering fires out afore it, and guessed +that a strong body of redskins, pretending to be friends, had camped +there. We made round 'em and reached the gate of the fort safe. The +sentries wouldn't let us in, but when a sergeant was fetched it +turned out as he knew us, seeing that we had been scouting out from +thar in the summer. Pretty thankful we was when the gate closed arter +us. Our news would keep, so we waited till morning afore we saw the +major, and then told him the whole history of the matter, and how +Pontiac had raised all the tribes east of the Mississippi against us. + +<P>"We found that Pontiac had been into the camp with fifty of his +warriors three days afore, professing great friendship, and had said +that in two or three days he would call again and pay a formal visit. + +<P>"Detroit then was but a trading post, defended by a stockade twenty +feet high and twelve hundred yards in circumference. About fifty +houses of traders and storekeepers stood within it. The garrison was +composed of 120 men of the Eighteenth Regiment and 8 officers. They +had three guns—two six-pounders, and a three-pounder—and three +mortars, but their carriages was so old and rotten that they was of +no real service. Two vessels, mounting some small guns, lay in the +river off the fort. The governor was a good soldier, but he was +naturally startled at hearing that there was something like a +thousand redskins in the woods round; but he said that now he had +warning he was not afraid of 'em. A messenger was sent off in a canoe +to carry the tidings east and to ask for re-enforcements, and the +traders was all told to get their arms ready. + +<P>"At eight o'clock in the morning Pontiac was seen a-coming with three +hundred warriors. There had been no declaration of war, and the +redskins was supposed to be friendly, so the major didn't like to be +the first to commence hostilities, as folks who knew nothing of it +might likely enough have raised an outcry about massacring the poor +Injuns. Howsumever, he called all the troops under arms and disposed +'em behind the houses. The traders, too, with their rifles, were +drawn up ready. The gates was opened when Pontiac arrived, and he and +his warriors entered. They had left their rifles behind them, as they +pretended that their mission was a peaceful one, but they had all got +their tomahawks and knives under their blankets. They advanced in a +body toward where Major Gladwin and his officers was standing in +front of his quarters. + +<P>"Jack and me and two or three scouts who happened to be in the fort +stood just behind, careless like, with our rifles, so that, in case +of any sudden attack, we could keep them back for a moment or two. I +noticed that Pontiac carried in his hand a wampum belt. I noticed it +because it was green on one side and white on the other, and it +turned out arterward that when he twisted that belt with two hands it +was to be the signal for an attack. + +<P>"Pontiac spoke soft for a time. He was a fine redskin; that can't be +denied. He was a Catawba by birth, but had been adopted into the +tribe of Ottawas and had risen to be their chief. He were a great +brave and one of the best speakers I ever heard. He was a wise chief, +as you may guess by the way he got all the tribes to lay aside their +private quarrels and make common cause against us. I watched him +close. He kept his eyes on the major and spoke as cool and as calm as +if he had nothing on his mind; but I could see the warrior glancing +about, wondering, no doubt, what had become of the soldiers. +Presently the chief changed his tone and began to pretend as he was +in a rage at some grievance or other. + +<P>"The major jest put his whistle to his lips, and in a moment from +behind the houses the soldiers and traders marched out, rifle in +hand. You never saw a more disgusted crew than them redskins. I'll do +Pontiac justice to say that he never so much as moved, but jest went +on talking as if he hadn't noticed the troops at all. The major +answered him in the same way, and after half an hour's talk the +redskins went out again without so much as a knife having been shown. +Major Gladwin gave Jack and me papers testifying as how we had saved +Detroit from destruction, and sent an account of it to Governor +Amherst, and to this day Jack and me draws special pensions for that +'ere business, besides what we earned as British scouts." + +<P>"That was an adventure, Peter!" Harold said. "They did not take +Detroit after all, did they?" + +<P>"No; we beat 'em off handsome when +they tried it. Then they laid siege to Fort Pitt and tried very hard +there, too, but the place held out till some troops who had come up +marched out from here and raised the siege. At some of the little +places they succeeded. Lots of settlers was massacred. At Fort +Sandusky Ensign Paulli and the garrison was massacred by a party of +Hurons and Ottawas who come in as friends. This was on the same day +as they had intended to do for us at Detroit. + +<P>"At St. Joseph's an English ensign with fourteen soldiers was killed +by the Pottawatomies, but nowhere did Pontiac obtain any real +successes. The French in Illinois were preparing to leave, and he +couldn't git no assistance from them. After the siege of Fort Pitt +was raised peace was patched up again. Pontiac's confederacy, finding +as they hadn't got none of the successes he promised 'em, was +beginning to break up, and the English saw no chance of doing any +good by hunting the redskins among the forests, so both parties was +willing for peace. + +<P>"Pontiac never gave any more trouble, and some years arterward, +coming into one of the towns, he was killed by an Injun who had a +private grudge agin' him. And now I'm longing for a quiet pipe, and +you'd better turn in. There's no saying whether we'll have a quiet +night of it." + +<P>A fortnight passed without further incident. Then the sky became +overcast, and Peter and the Indians agreed that snow would soon fall. +All hands were at once set to work to make up their stores into +packages. The deerskins and blankets were tied in bundles; besides +these there were only two kegs of powder and about two hundred pounds +of frozen fish. + +<P>Harold was in high glee at the thought that their imprisonment was to +come to an end, although there was no doubt that the attempt would be +a hazardous one, as the backwoodsmen were sure that the instant the +snow began to fall the Indians would be out in great numbers round +the island, to prevent the defenders taking advantage of the storm. + +<P>Several times Harold observed the two backwoodsmen talking with the +Seneca chief and looking at the sky, and he thought that their +countenances expressed some anxiety. + +<P>"What is it, Peter?" he asked at length. "Don't you think we shall +have a snowstorm?" + +<P>"We may have snow," Peter said, "but I think it's more than a +snowstorm that's coming. The clouds are flying past very fast, and it +seems to me as ef we're in for a big gale of wind." + +<P>"But that will drift the snow and cover our footsteps almost as well +as a snowstorm," Harold said. + +<P>"Yes, it 'll do all that," the scout answered. + +<P>"What is the objection to it, Peter?" + +<P>"In the first place, lad, ef it don't snow we may stop where we are, +for there'd be no chance of getting through the Injuns unless it +snowed so thick you couldn't see five feet away. It'll be difficult +enough, anyhow. There'll be four or five hundred of the varmints out, +for they'll bring even their boys with 'em, so as to form a pretty +close line round the island. Our only chance'll be for the Senecas to +go first, and to silence, afore they can give the alarm, any they +might meet on our line. That might be done in a heavy snowstorm, but +without snow it would be impossible. In the next place, even if we +got through 'em, we'd have to carry our canoe." + +<P>"Why?" Harold asked, surprised. "What good could the canoe be to us, +with the lake frozen hard?" + +<P>"You see, the wind is on the shore here, lad, and when it does blow +on these lakes it blows fit to take the har off your head. It's as +much as a man can do to make way agin' it, and I doubt whether the +gals could face it, even with our help. As to carrying a canoe in its +teeth, it couldn't be done." + +<P>"But why carry the canoe at all, Peter? That's what I cannot +understand." + +<P>"Waal, you see, lad, the force of the wind acting on sech a big sheet +of ice will move it, and like enough you'd see it piled up in a bank +forty feet high on this side of the lake, and there'll be a strip of +clear water half a mile wide on the other. That's why we must take +the canoe." + +<P>Harold was silent. In the face of such a probability it was clear +that they must encumber themselves with the canoe. + +<P>The prevision of the scout proved well founded. Before evening the +wind was blowing with tremendous force. Small flakes of snow were +driven before it, inflicting stinging blows on the face and eyes of +those who ventured out of shelter. As it became dark the lookout +announced that he could, see large numbers of Indians starting from +the shore at some distance to the right and left of them, showing +that the redskins were fully alive to the possibility of the garrison +of the island taking advantage of the storm, which would hide their +trail, to effect their escape. + +<P>Every hour the fury of the gale increased, and it was unanimously +agreed that until it diminished it would be impossible for the girls, +and for men carrying a canoe, to face it. + +<P>Two men were placed on watch at the mouth of the cove, where mines +similar to the first had been sunk in the ice in a semicircle some +little distance outside that before exploded. This precaution had +been taken on the day succeeding the great repulse of the enemy, +although the scouts felt assured that the attempt would not be +repeated. But it was thought possible that the Indians might toward +morning, if they found the whites did not attempt to pass them, take +advantage of the storm to attempt a surprise. + +<P>After it became dark Cameron and Harold, as was their custom, went +into the girls' hut to chat until it was time to turn in. The +deerskin and blankets had again been unrolled, and the covering of +snow kept the interior warm in spite of the storm without. + +<P>"What is that noise?" Nelly asked in a pause of the conversation. + +<P>"I don't know," Harold answered. "I have heard it for some time." + +<P>All were silent, intent upon listening. Even above the fury of the +gale a dull grinding sound, with occasional crashes, could be heard. + +<P>"I think it must be the ice," Harold said. "I will go out and see." + +<P>On issuing from the hut he was for a time blinded by the force of the +wind and the flying particles of snow. The din was tremendous. He +made his way with difficulty in the teeth of the storm to the edge of +the rocks. Then he started in surprise. A great bank of cakes and +fragments of ice was heaped up against the wall of the rock, crashing +and grinding against each other as they were pressed onward by fresh +additions from beyond. Already the bank was nearly level with the top +of the rock, and some of the vast blocks, two feet in thickness, had +been thrust on to it. The surface of the lake beyond was no longer a +brilliant white. Every particle of snow had been swept away and the +dull gray of the rough ice lay unbroken. + +<P>He made his way at once to the hut of the men, and just as he reached +the entrance Peter (who had also been out to reconnoiter) came up, +and before Harold had turned to speak he put his head into the hut. + +<P>"Turn out!" he said. "I tell ye we're in a fix. This aint no common +gale. I don't know as ever I've been in a worse one." + +<P>"What's the use of turning out?" Pearson asked. "We can't do nothing, +and it's warmer here a sight than it is outside." + +<P>"I tell ye ye've got to go. The ice is breaking up fast and it's +level with the top of the island already. Unless I'm mistaken +there'll be forty foot of ice piled over this island afore an hour." + +<P>This was, indeed, alarming news. And in a minute the occupants of the +hut were all in the open air. + +<P>"You can call in your scouts, Seneca. There aint no fear of an attack +to-night. No mortal soul—not even an Injun—could stand the force of +the wind out on the lake." + +<P>A very short examination sufficed to show the truth of Peter's +anticipations. + +<P>Already the upper part of the bank was sliding over the rock, and it +was clear that in a very short time the whole would be covered. + +<P>"What is to be done, Peter?" Harold shouted. + +<P>"We must take to the canoe. There's clear water on the other side." + +<P>Harold crossed the island and saw that what Peter said was correct. A +broad strip of black water stretched away in the darkness toward the +shore. The whole ice-sheet was moving bodily before the wind, and as +the island stood up in its course the ice to windward of it was +forced up over it, while under its lee the lake was clear. Not a +moment was lost. The canoe was got out, carried over the rocks, and +carefully lowered into the water under shelter of the island. All the +stores and provisions were lowered into it. A deerskin was spread on +the bottom, and the girls, having been helped down into the boat, +were told to lie down and were then covered with blankets. The men +wrapped themselves up in skins and blankets and took their places in +the canoe, the four Indians taking paddles. + +<P>Quickly as the preparations had been made, there were but a few feet +of the island uncovered by the ice, as the last man descended into +the boat and they pushed off and, after a couple of strokes, lay with +the boat's head facing toward the island at a distance of fifty yards +from it. Although somewhat sheltered from the wind, the Indians were +obliged to paddle hard to maintain their position. Harold wondered at +first that they had not kept closer to the island, but he soon +understood their reason for keeping at a distance. The massive blocks +of ice, pressed forward by, the irresistible force behind, began to +shoot from the top of the island into the water, gliding far on +beneath the surface with the impetus of the fall, and then shooting +up again with a force which would have destroyed the canoe at once +had they touched it. + +<P>Soon a perfect cataract of ice was falling. Peter and Pearson took +their places on each side of the bow of the canoe, with poles to push +off the pieces as they drifted before the gale toward the shore. The +work required the utmost strength and care. One touch from the +sharp-edged blocks would have ripped open the side of the bark canoe +like a knife, and in the icy cold water, encumbered by floating +fragments of ice, even the best swimmer could not have gained the +solid ice. The peril was great, and it needed all the strength and +activity of the white men and the skill of the paddlers to avoid the +danger which momentarily threatened them. So quickly did the blocks +float down upon them that Pearson thought it might be impossible to +avoid them all. The skins, therefore, were hung round the boat, +dropping some inches into the water, and these, although they could +not have prevented the boat from being stove in, by the larger +fragments, yet protected its sides from the contact of the smaller +ones. + +<P>For upward of an hour the struggle continued, and Harold felt +something like despair at the thought of a long night passed in such +a struggle. Presently sounds like the booming of cannon were heard +above the gale. + +<P>"What is that?" he shouted to the Seneca chief, next to whom he was +sitting. + +<P>"Ice break up," the chief replied. "Break up altogether." + +<P>This proved to be the case. As the ice was driven away from the +further side of the lake the full force of the wind played upon the +water there, and as the streak widened a heavy sea soon got up. The +force of the swell extended under the ice, aiding the effect of the +wind above, and the vast sheet began to break up. The reports +redoubled in strength, and frequently the ice was seen to heave and +swell. Then, with a sound like thunder, it broke and great cakes were +forced one on the top of another, and soon, instead of a level plain +of ice, a chaos of blocks were tossing about on the waves. + +<P>Harold watched the change with anxiety. No longer was the channel on +either side marked by regular defined lines, but floating pieces +encroached upon it, and, looking toward the shore, the channel +appeared to be altogether lost. The danger was overwhelming, but the +Indians, paddling with increased strength, urged the boat forward +until within a few yards of the island. + +<P>A few minutes before such an approach would have assured the +immediate destruction of the boat. But Harold saw with surprise that, +almost simultaneously with the breaking up of the ice-sheet, the fall +of blocks from the island had ceased. A moment's reflection showed +him the reason of this phenomenon. With the break-up of the ice-field +the pressure from behind had suddenly ceased. No longer were the +blocks piled on the island pushed forward by the tremendous pressure +of the ice-field. The torrent was stayed and they could approach the +island with safety. As soon as they were assured that this was so the +canoe was brought close to the rocks. + +<P>Pearson leaped ashore, climbed the rocks and the ice piled twenty +feet above them, and with his pole convinced himself that at this +point there were no loose blocks likely to fall. Having satisfied +himself on this head, he descended again and took his place in the +boat. This was moored by a rope a few feet long to a bush growing +from a fissure in the rock close to the water's edge. He and Peter +remained on watch with their poles, to fend off any pieces of ice +which might be brought round by the waves, while the rest of the +crew, wrapping themselves up in their blankets, lay down at the +bottom of the boat. + +<P>The next morning the storm still raged, and the lake presented the +appearance of an angry sea. Sheltered under the lee of the island, +the party were protected from its effects, although the light canoe +rose and fell on the heavy swell. The ice had wholly disappeared from +the lake, the pieces having been ground to atoms against each other +in the storm. Along the line of shore there was a great bank of ice +as high as the tree-tops. + +<P>"The ways of the Lord are won'erful," Duncan Cameron said. "The storm +which threatened to be our destruction has proved our salvation. When +it abates we shall be able to paddle down the lake without fear of +interruption." + +<P>"Yes," Peter said, "the varmints are not likely to follow us. In the +first place, unless they thought of taking their canoes into the +forest when the storm first began, which aint likely, as they was +a-thinking only of cutting off our escape, they'd 've been smashed +into tinder. In the second place, they couldn't ketch us if they had +canoes, for, as we've eight paddles, counting them we made out of the +seats when we was on shore, we'd be able to laugh at 'em. And lastly, +they've had such a taste of the quality of our rifles that, even if +they had a dozen canoes on hand, I doubt if they'd care to attack us. +No, sir; when this storm's over we have nothing to do but paddle down +to the settlements at the other end of the lake." + +<P>Toward the afternoon the storm abated, and next morning the sun was +shining brilliantly and the waves had gone down sufficiently to +enable the canoe to start on her voyage. + +<P>"Now, boys," Pearson said cheerfully, "ef ye don't want to git froze +up again you'd best be sharp, for I can tell ye about thirty-six +hours of this weather and the lake'll be solid again." + +<P>Five minutes later the canoe with its eight sturdy paddlers started +on its way, speeding like an arrow from the ice-covered island which +had done them such good service in their greatest need. + +<P>"Now, Jake," Peter said, "the more strength you put into that paddle +of yourn the sooner you'll have a piece of meat atween your jaws." + +<P>The negro grinned. + +<P>"Don't talk ob him, Massa Peter; don't say a word about him until I +see him. Fish bery good when dere's noting else to eat, but Jake +never want to see him again. He hab eat quite enough for the rest ob +his life." + +<P>Cameron, who was not accustomed to the use of the paddle, sat in the +stern with the two girls; but the others were all used to the +exercise, and the boat literally bounded along at each stroke from +the sinewy arms, and by nightfall they had reached the opposite +shore. After some hours' work together two of them had rested, and +from that time they took it by turns, six paddles being kept +constantly going. + +<P>Without any adventure they arrived safely at the end of the lake. The +clearing where Nelly had lived so long, and where her father and +mother had been killed, was passed in the night, much to Harold's +satisfaction, as he was afraid that she would have been terribly +upset at the many sad memories which the sight of the place could not +but call up. On their way down they had seen many gaps in the forest +caused by the gale, but it was not until they reached their landing +place that the full effect of its destructive force was visible. +Several scows and other boats lay wrecks upon the shore, every house +in the little village was leveled to the ground, the orchards were +ruined, palings and fences torn down, and the whole place strewn with +fragments. + +<P>A few people were moving among the ruins. They gazed with a dull +apathy upon the new-comers, apparently dazed by the misfortune that +had befallen them. Harold learned, on questioning them, that +twenty-seven persons had been killed and the majority of the +survivors more or less seriously injured. With the exception of the +few whom they saw, about all the survivors had been taken off to the +town in boats down the river, or in wagons lent by neighbors whose +villages, sheltered in the woods, had escaped the ravages of the +gale. After a few hours' halt, having obtained meat and other stores, +they proceeded on their way to Detroit. + +<P>Here Nelly had several friends, who had long believed her to have +fallen at the massacre at the farm. By them she was gladly received, +and she took up her abode in a family with some daughters of her own +age. Harold found that there was a considerable sum of money in the +bank in her father's name, and from this, after a consultation with +her, a sum of money sufficient to provide the Seneca and his +followers with blankets, powder, and Indian finery for years was +drawn and bestowed upon them. + +<P>A day or two afterward the Indians left for their own country, highly +gratified with the success of the expedition and proud of the +numerous scalps which hung from each of their girdles. + +<P>Harold learned that there was but little fighting going on along the +Canadian frontier. The winter had set in again with extreme severity; +the St. Lawrence would be frozen, and he would have no means of +leaving Canada; he was therefore well content to settle down until +the spring at Detroit, where he received numerous and hearty +invitations to stay, for any time, from the various friends of his +cousins. Jake, of course, remained with him. Peter went up to +Montreal, where he had some relatives residing; Harold promising to +call for him on his way East in the spring. Pearson, after a few +days' stay in Detroit, started again with a comrade on a hunting +expedition. Cameron and his daughter also spent the winter at +Detroit. + +<P>The months passed very pleasantly to Harold. Since the war began he +had had no period of rest or quiet, and he now entered with zest into +the various amusements, sleighing, and dancing, which helped to while +away the long winter in America. He also joined in many hunting +parties, for in those days game abounded up to the very edge of the +clearings. Moose were abundant, and the hunt of these grand deer was +full of excitement. Except when the snow is on the ground these +animals can defy their pursuers, but the latter with their snowshoes +go lightly over the frozen snow, in which the moose sink heavily. + +<P>There were many discussions as to the future of Nelly. Several of her +friends would gladly have adopted her as a member of their family, +but Harold warmly urged that she should go to England and take up her +abode with his mother, who was her nearest relative, and Nelly, +somewhat to the surprise of her friends, finally agreed to this +proposal. A purchaser was readily found for the farm, which was an +excellent one, and the proceeds of the sale, with the amount of +savings in the bank, gave her a little fortune of some twenty-five +hundred pounds. + +<P>When the spring came and the navigation of the lake was open, Harold, +Nelly, the Camerons, and Jake started in a ship for Montreal. There +they were joined by Peter and sailed down to Quebec, where Nelly and +the Camerons took passage for England. Very deep was the gratitude +which Duncan expressed to the friends who had restored his daughter +to him. He had had enough of the colonies, and intended to spend the +rest of his life among his own people in Scotland. Harold, Peter, and +Jake sailed to join the English army in the South. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c18"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XVIII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH.</H3> + +<P>After the surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga the English +Parliament made another effort to obtain peace, and passed an act +renouncing all rights to tax the colonists and yielding every point +as to which they had been in dispute. Commissioners were sent over +with full authority to treat, and had the colonists been ready +nominally to submit to England, a virtual independence, similar to +that possessed by Canada and the Australian colonies at the present +time, would have been granted. As a very large body of the Americans +had from the first been desirous of coming to terms, and as the +paralyzed state of trade caused great and general distress, it is +probable that these terms might have been accepted had it not been +for the intervention of France. That power had all along encouraged +the rebellion. She had smarted under the loss of Canada, and although +her rule in her own colonies was far more arbitrary than that of +England in America, she was glad to assist in any movement which +could operate to the disadvantage of this country. Hitherto, +nominally she had remained neutral, but now, fearing that the offers +of the English would induce the colonists to make peace, she came +forward, recognized their independence, and engaged herself to +furnish a large fleet for their assistance. + +<P>The colonists joyfully accepted the offer, seeing that the +intervention of France in the struggle would completely alter its +conditions. Heretofore the British had been enabled to send over men +and stores at will, but were they blockaded by a French fleet their +difficulties would be immensely increased. + +<P>As there had been no cause of quarrel between England and France, +this agreement was an act of wanton hostility on the part of the +latter. On obtaining information of the signature of the treaty +between France and the colonies, the English ambassador was recalled +from Paris and both countries prepared vigorously for war. + +<P>The first result was that the English deemed it prudent to evacuate +Philadelphia and retreat to New York. Washington endeavored to cut +off their retreat, and a battle took place at Freehold Court House, +in which the Americans were worsted. Washington drew off his army, +and the British army continued its march to New York without further +opposition. Early in May the French sent off a fleet of twelve ships +of the line and six frigates, carrying a large number of troops +commanded by Count D'Estaing. An English fleet, under Admiral Byron, +was lying at Portsmouth, and this sailed on June 9 in pursuit; for it +was not until that time that information was received of the intended +destination of the French fleet. + +<P>D'Estaing reached the American coast upon the very day on which the +English army re-entered New York, and after making a demonstration +before that town the French fleet sailed for Rhode Island to expel +the British troops, under Sir Robert Pigott, who held it. + +<P>Lord Howe sailed with the fleet from New York to give battle to that +of D'Estaing. For two days the fleets maneuvered in sight of each +other. Howe, being inferior in force, wished to gain the +weather-gauge before fighting. Failing to do this, on the third day +he offered battle, but a tremendous storm prevented the engagement +and dispersed both fleets. The French vessels retired to Boston and +the English to New York. + +<P>Taking advantage of the departure of the French fleet, Sir Robert +attacked the American force, which had crossed to Rhode Island to act +with the French, and drove them from it. While crossing the Atlantic +the fleet under Admiral Byron had met with a tremendous storm, which +had entirely dispersed it, and the vessels arrived singly at New +York. When their repairs were completed the whole set out to give +battle to the French, but D'Estaing, finding that by the junction of +the two English fleets he was now menaced by a superior force, sailed +away to the West Indies. + +<P>After his departure an expedition was sent down along the coast to +Georgia and East Florida. This met with great success. Savannah was +captured and the greater part of South Carolina was occupied. The +majority of the inhabitants joyfully welcomed the troops and many +companies of volunteers were raised. + +<P>Harold had arrived in New York early in the spring. He had been +offered a commission, but he preferred remaining with his two +comrades in the position of scout. In this way he had far greater +independence, and while enjoying pay and rations sufficient for his +maintenance, he was to a great extent master of his own movements. At +an earlier period of the war he was offered by General Howe a +commission in the army, and his father would have been glad had he +accepted it. Harold, however, although determined to fight until the +struggle between the colonists and the mother country came to an end +one way or the other, had no great liking for the life of an officer +in the regular army, but had resolved at the conclusion of the war to +settle down upon a farm on the lakes—a life for which he felt far +more fitted than for the strict discipline and regularity of that of +an officer in the army. + +<P>As, with the exception of the attack by the French fleet and American +army upon Rhode Island, both parties remained quiet all through the +summer of 1778, the year passed uneventfully to him, and the duties +of the scouts were little more than nominal. During the winter +fighting went on in the Carolinas and Georgia with varied success. + +<P>In the spring of 1779 Harold and his comrades were, with a party of +scouts, sent down to Georgia, where constant skirmishes were going on +and the services of a body of men accustomed to outpost duty were +required. They were landed in May and joined General Prevost's force +on the island of St. John, situated close to the mainland and +connected with it by a bridge of boats, at the end of which on the +mainland a post had been erected. Shortly afterward General Prevost +left for Savannah, taking with him most of the troops, which were +carried away in the sloops which had formed the bridge of boats. On +the American side General Lincoln commanded a considerable army, +which had been dispatched by Congress to drive the English from that +State and the Carolinas. + +<P>Lieutenant Colonel Maitland, who commanded the post on the mainland, +was left with only a flat-boat to keep up his communication with the +island. He had under his command the first battalion of the +Seventy-first Highlanders, now much weakened in numbers, part of a +Hessian regiment, some provincial volunteers, and a detachment of +artillery, the whole not exceeding 500 effective men. Hearing that +General Lincoln was advancing against him, Colonel Maitland sent all +his sick, baggage, and horses across to the island, and placed the +post as far as possible in a defensive position. Most of the scouts +who had come down from New York had accompanied General Prevost to +Savannah, but Harold, with Peter Lambton, Jake, and three or four +others, had been ordered to remain with Colonel Maitland, and were +sent out to reconnoiter when the enemy were known to be approaching. + +<P>"This is something like our old work, Peter, upon Lake Champlain," +Harold said, as with his two comrades he took his way in the +direction from which the enemy were advancing. + +<P>"Ay, lad, but they've none of the redskins with 'em, and there'll be +no great difficulty in finding out all about 'em. Besides, we've got +Jake with us, and jest about here Jake can do better nor we can. +Niggers swarm all over the country and are as ready to work for one +side as the other, jest as their masters go. All Jake has got to do +is to dress himself as a plantation nigger and stroll into their +camp. No question will be asked him, as he will naturally be taken +for a slave on some neighboring estate. What do you say, Jake?" + +<P>Jake at once assented, and when they approached the enemy he left his +comrades and carried their plan into execution. He was away six +hours, and returned saying that the enemy were 5000 strong, with +eight pieces of artillery. + +<P>"We must hurry back," Peter said. "Them are big odds agin' us. Ef all +our troops was regulars, I don't say as they might not hold the +place; but I don't put much count on the Germans, and the colonists +aint seen no fighting. However, Colonel Maitland seems a first-rate +officer. He has been real sharp in putting the place into a state of +defense, and I reckon ef the Yankees thinks as they're going to eat +us up without trouble they'll be mistaken." + +<P>Jake reported that the enemy were on the point of marching forward, +and the scouts hurried back to give Colonel Maitland news of their +coming. + +<P>It was late in the afternoon when they reached the post. + +<P>"At what time do you think they will arrive here?" the colonel asked, +when Jake had made his report. "Dey be pretty close by dark, for +sure," Jake replied. + +<P>"But I don't think, sir," Peter added, "they'll attack before +morning. They wouldn't be likely to try it in the dark, not knowing +the nature of the place." + +<P>The commander was of the same opinion, but to prevent the possibility +of surprise he placed pickets at some distance round the fort, the +scouts being, of course, of the party. + +<P>The night passed quietly, but at seven in the morning Peter, Harold, +and Jake, who were at some distance in advance of the others, saw the +enemy approaching. They fired their pieces and fell back upon the +outposts. Their position was rather to the right of the line of +defense. The pickets were about to fall back when 70 men, being two +companies of the Seventy-first under Captain Campbell, were sent out +to feel the enemy. + +<P>"We're going to have a skirmish," Peter said. "I know these +Highlanders. Instead of jest firing a bit and then falling back, +they'll be sticking here and fighting as if they thought they could +lick the hull army of the Yankees." + +<P>It was as Peter predicted. The Highlanders took post behind a hedge +and maintained a desperate resistance to the advance of the enemy. +Harold and his comrades for some time fought with them. + +<P>"It's time for us to be out of this," Peter said presently. "Let's +jest get back to the fort." + +<P>"We cannot fall back till they do, Peter." + +<P>"I don't see that," Peter said. "We're scouts, and I don't see no +advantage in our chucking away our lives because these hot-headed +Highlanders choose to do so. Peter Lambton's ready to do a fair share +of fighting, but when he's sure that fighting aint no good, then he +goes." + +<P>And suiting the action to the word, Peter rose from his recumbent +position and began to make his way back to the camp, taking advantage +of every bit of cover. + +<P>Harold could not help laughing. For an instant he remained +irresolute, and then, seeing the overwhelming forces with which the +enemy were approaching, he called to Jake and followed Peter's +example. So obstinately did the Highlanders fight that they did not +retreat until all their officers were killed or wounded, and only 11 +men out of the two companies succeeded in regaining the camp. + +<P>The whole force of the enemy now advanced against the works, and +halting at a distance of three hundred yards opened a tremendous fire +from their cannon on the intrenchments. The defenders replied, but so +overwhelming was the force of the assailants that the Hessians +abandoned the portion of the works committed to them and fell back. + +<P>The enemy pressed forward and had already gained the foot of the +abattis, when Colonel Maitland brought up a portion of the +Seventy-first upon the right, and these gallant troops drove the +Americans back with slaughter. Colonel Maitland and his officers then +threw themselves among the Hessians and succeeded in rallying them +and bringing them back to the front. The provincial volunteers had +also fought with great bravery. They had for a time been pressed +backward, but finally maintained their position. + +<P>The Americans, finding that all their efforts to carry the post were +unavailing, fell back to the forest. On the English side the loss +amounted to 129. The Americans fought in the open and suffered much +more heavily. + +<P>The position of matters was suddenly changed by the arrival of Count +D'Estaing with a fleet of forty-one ships-of-war off the coast. The +American general, Lincoln, at once proposed to him to undertake a +combined movement to force the English to quit Georgia. The arrival +of the French fleet was wholly unexpected, and the <I>Experiment</I>, a +frigate of fifty guns, commanded by Sir James Wallace, having two or +three ships under his convoy, fell in with them off the mouth of the +Savannah River. Although the <I>Experiment</I> had been much crippled by a +gale through which she had recently passed, Sir James Wallace would +not haul down his flag and opposed a desperate resistance to the +whole of the French fleet, and did not surrender until the +<I>Experiment</I> was completely dismasted and riddled with shot. + +<P>Upon the news that the French fleet was off the mouth of the river, +Captain Henry, who commanded the little squadron of four small +English ships, fell back to Savannah after removing all the buoys +from the river. He landed his guns from the ships and mounted them on +the batteries, and the marines and blue-jackets were also put on +shore to assist in the defense. Two of the brigs of war were sunk +across the channel below the town to prevent the French frigates +coming up. A boom was laid across above the town to prevent +fire-rafts from being sent down. + +<P>D'Estaing landed the French troops at the mouth of the river, and, +marching to the town, summoned General Prevost to surrender. The +English commander, who had sent off a messenger to Colonel Maitland, +ordering him to march instantly to his assistance with the force +under him, which now amounted to 800 men, asked for twenty-four hours +before giving an answer. D'Estaing, who knew that General Lincoln was +close at hand, made sure that Prevost would surrender without +resistance, and so granted the time asked for. Before its expiration +Colonel Maitland, after a tremendous march, arrived at the town. As +the French commanded the mouth of the river he had been obliged to +transport his troops in boats through the marshes by a little creek, +which for two miles was so shallow that the troops were forced to +wade waist-deep, dragging the boats by main force through the mud. + +<P>Upon the arrival of this re-enforcement General Prevost returned an +answer to Count D'Estaing that the town would be defended to the +last. Some time was spent by the enemy in landing and bringing up +heavy artillery from the ships, and the French and Americans did not +begin their works against the town until September 23. The garrison +had utilized the time thus afforded to them to erect new defenses. +The allied force of the assailants consisted of more than 10,000 +Americans and 5000 French troops, while the garrison, including +regulars, provincial corps, sailors, militia, and volunteers, did not +exceed 2500. + +<P>Nevertheless, they did not allow the enemy to carry on their work +without interruption. Several sorties were made. The first of these, +under Major Graham of the Sixteenth Regiment, reached the lines of +the enemy and threw them into confusion. Large re-enforcements came +up to their assistance, and as Graham's detachment fell back upon the +town, the enemy incautiously pursued it so close up to the British +lines that both artillery and musketry were brought to bear upon +them, and they lost a large number of men before they could regain +their works. On the morning of October 4 the batteries of the +besiegers opened fire with fifty-three pieces of heavy artillery and +fourteen mortars. General Prevost sent in a request to Count +D'Estaing that the women and children might be permitted to leave the +town and embark on board vessels lying in the river, there to await +the issue of the fight; but the French commander refused the request +in a letter couched in insulting terms. + +<P>The position of Savannah was naturally strong. The river protected +one of its sides and a deep swamp, partially flooded by it, covered +another. The other two were open to the country, which in front of +them was for several miles level and clear of wood. The works which +had been thrown up on these sides were extremely strong. When the +French first landed there were but ten pieces of cannon upon the +fortifications, but so incessantly did the garrison work that before +the conclusion of the siege nearly one hundred pieces of artillery +were mounted on the redoubts and batteries erected round the town. +Upon the side of the swamp there was not much fear of attack, but +three redoubts were erected to prevent a surprise from this +direction. The defense on the right face of the town was conducted +by Colonel Maitland. The defense on the left, consisting of two +strong redoubts and several batteries, was commanded by Lieutenant +Colonel Cruger. In the center were several strong works, of which +General Prevost himself took the special supervision. The whole +British line, except where the swamp rendered no such defense +necessary, was surrounded by a thick abattis. The French fire made +no sensible impression upon the English defenses, and finding that +the British artillery equaled his own, D'Estaing determined to +discontinue the attack by regular approaches and to carry the place +by storm. His position was a perilous one. He had already spent a +long time before the place, and at any moment the English fleet might +arrive from the West Indies and attack his fleet, which was weakened +by the men and guns which had been landed to carry on the siege. He +therefore determined to risk an assault rather than remain longer +before the town. To facilitate the attack an officer with 5 men on +October 8 advanced to the abattis and set fire to it. The wood, +however, was still green, and the flames were easily extinguished. + +<P>The attack was fixed for the following morning. Bodies of the +American militia were to feign attacks upon the center and left, +while a strong force of the combined armies was to make a real attack +in two columns upon the right. The troops composing the two columns +consisted of 3500 French soldiers and 950 Americans. The principal +force, commanded by Count D'Estaing in person, assisted by General +Lincoln, was to attack the Springfield redoubt, which was situated at +the extreme right of the British central line of defense and close to +the edge of the swamp. The other column, under the command of Count +Dillon, was to move silently along the margin of the swamp, pass the +three redoubts, and get into the rear of the British lines. + +<P>The troops were in motion long before daylight. The attempt to burn +the abattis had excited the suspicion of the English that an assault +might be intended, and accordingly pickets were thrown out in front +of the intrenchments and the scouts were ordered to keep a sharp +watch among the trees which grew in and near the swamp. + +<P>Harold with his friends had accompanied Colonel Maitland's column in +its march to Savannah and had labored vigorously at the defenses, +being especially occupied in felling trees and chopping wood for the +abattis. Before daybreak they heard the noise made by the advance of +the enemy's columns through the wood and hurried back to the +Springfield redoubt, where the garrison at once stood to arms. In +this redoubt were a corps of provincial dismounted dragoons, +supported by the South Carolina regiment. + +<P>Just as daylight appeared the column led by Count D'Estaing advanced +toward the Springfield redoubt, but the darkness was still so intense +that it was not discovered until within a very short distance of the +works. Then a blaze of musketry opened upon it, while a destructive +cross-fire was poured in from the adjoining batteries. So heavy was +the fire that the head of the column was almost swept away. The +assailants kept on with great bravery until they reached the redoubt; +here a desperate hand-to-hand contest took place. Captain Tawse fell +with many of his men, and for a moment a French and an American +standard were planted upon the parapet; nevertheless the defenders +continued to cling to the place and every foot was desperately +contested. + +<P>At this moment Colonel Maitland, with the grenadiers of the Sixtieth +Regiment and the marines, advanced and fell upon the enemy's column, +already shaken by the obstinate resistance it had encountered and by +its losses by the fire from the batteries. The movement was decisive. +The assailants were driven headlong from the redoubt and retreated, +leaving behind them 637 of the French troops killed and wounded and +264 of the Americans. + +<P>In the mean time the column commanded by Count Dillon mistook its way +in the darkness and was entangled in the swamp, from which it was +unable to extricate itself until it was broad daylight and it was +fully exposed to the view of the garrison and to the fire from the +British batteries. This was so hot and so well directed that the +column was never able even to form, far less to penetrate into the +rear of the British lines. + +<P>When the main attack was repulsed Count Dillon drew off his column, +also. No pursuit was ordered as, although the besiegers had suffered +greatly, they were still three times more numerous than the garrison. + +<P>A few days afterward the French withdrew their artillery and +re-embarked on board ship. + +<P>The siege of Savannah cost the allies 1500 men, while the loss of the +garrison was only 120. The pleasure of the garrison at their +successful defense was marred by the death of Colonel Maitland, who +died from the effects of the unhealthy climate and of the exertions +he had made. + +<P>A few days after the raising of the siege the French fleet was +dispersed by a tempest, and Count D'Estaing, with the majority of the +ships under his command, returned to France. + +<P>During the course of this year there were many skirmishes round New +York, but nothing of any great importance took place. Sir Henry +Clinton, who was in supreme command, was unable to undertake any +offensive operations on a large scale, for he had not received the +re-enforcements from home which he had expected. England, indeed, had +her hands full, for in June Spain joined France and America in the +coalition against her and declared war. Spain was at that time a +formidable marine power, and it needed all the efforts that could be +made by the English government to make head against the powerful +fleets which the combined nations were able to send to sea against +them. It was not only in Europe that the Spaniards were able to give +effective aid to the allies. They were still a power on the American +continent, and created a diversion, invading West Florida and +reducing and capturing the town and fort of Mobile. + +<P>In the spring of 1780 Sir Henry Clinton sent down an expedition under +the command of Lord Cornwallis to capture Charleston and reduce the +State of South Carolina. This town was extremely strongly fortified. +It could only be approached by land on one side, while the water, +which elsewhere defended it, was covered by the fire of numerous +batteries of artillery. The water of the bay was too shallow to admit +of the larger men-of-war passing, and the passage was defended by +Fort Moultrie, a very formidable work. Admiral Arbuthnot, with the +<I>Renown, Romulus, Roebuck, Richmond, Blonde, Raleigh</I>, and <I>Virginia</I> +frigates, with a favorable wind and tide ran the gantlet of Fort +Moultrie, succeeded in passing up without great loss, and co-operated +on the sea face with the attack of the army on the land side. + +<P>A force was landed on Sullivan's Island, on which Fort Moultrie +stood, and the fort, unprepared for an attack in this direction, was +obliged to surrender. The American cavalry force which had been +collected for the relief of the town was defeated by the English +under General Tarleton. The trenches were pushed forward with great +vigor, and the batteries of the third parallel opened at short range +on the town with great execution. The advances were pushed forward at +the ditch, when the garrison, seeing that further resistance was +impossible, surrendered. Five thousand prisoners were taken, 1000 +American and French seamen, and ten French and American ships-of-war. + +<P>With the fall of Charleston all resistance ceased in South Carolina. +The vast majority of the inhabitants made their submission to the +British government and several loyalist regiments were raised. + +<P>Colonel Tarleton, with 170 cavalry and 100 mounted infantry, was +dispatched against an American force under Colonel Burford, +consisting of 350 infantry, a detachment of cavalry, and two guns, +which had taken post on the border of North Carolina. Tarleton came +up with him, and after a sharp action the Americans were entirely +defeated. One hundred and thirteen were killed on the spot and 207 +made prisoners, of whom 103 were badly wounded. + +<P>For some months the irregular operations were continued, the +Americans making frequent incursions into the Carolinas. The British +troops suffered greatly from the extreme heat and the unhealthiness +of the climate. + +<P>In August the American General Gates advanced toward Camden, and Lord +Cornwallis also moved out to that town, which was held by a British +garrison. The position there was not hopeful. Nearly 800 were sick, +and the total number of effectives was under 2000, of whom 500 were +provincials. The force under General Gates amounted to 6000 men, +exclusive of the corps of Colonel Sumpter, 1000 strong, which were +maneuvering to cut off the English retreat. Cornwallis could not fall +back on Charleston without abandoning the sick and leaving all his +magazines and stores in the hands of the enemy, besides which a +retreat would have involved the abandonment of the whole State with +the exception of Charleston. He therefore decided upon giving battle +to the enemy, who were posted at Rugeley's Mills, a few miles +distant, leaving the defense of Camden to Major M'Arthur, with some +provincials and convalescent soldiers and a detachment of the +Sixty-third Regiment, which was expected to arrive during the night. + +<P>The army marched in the following order: The first division, +commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Webster, consisting of four companies +of light infantry and the Twenty-third and Thirty-third regiments, +preceded by an advanced guard of 40 cavalry. The second division, +consisting of provincial troops and two battalions of the +Seventy-first Regiment, followed as a reserve. The dragoons of the +legion formed the rear guard. The force marched at ten o'clock on the +night of August 16, intending to attack at daybreak the next morning, +but it happened that at the very same hour in which the British set +out, General Gates, with his force, was starting from Rugeley's Mills +with the intention of attacking Camden in the morning. + +<P>At two o'clock in the night the advanced guards of the two armies met +and fired into each other. In the confusion some prisoners were taken +on both sides, and the generals, finding that the two armies were +face to face, halted and waited till morning. Lord Cornwallis placed +Webster's division on the right; the second division, which was under +the command of Lord Rawdon, on the left; the battalion known as the +Volunteers of Ireland were on the right of Lord Rawdon's division and +communicated with the Thirty-third Regiment on the left of Webster. +In the front line were two six-pounders and two three-pounders under +the command of Lieutenant Macleod, R. A. The Seventy-first, with two +six-pounders, was in reserve, one battalion being placed behind each +wing. The dragoons were held in reserve, to charge in the event of a +favorable opportunity. + +<P>The flanks of the English position were covered by swamps, which +somewhat narrowed the ground and prevented the Americans from +utilizing fully their great superiority of numbers. The Americans +were also formed in two lines. + +<P>Soon after daybreak Lord Cornwallis ordered Colonel Webster to +advance and charge the enemy. So fiercely did the English regiments +attack that the Virginia and North Carolina troops who opposed them +quickly gave way, threw down their arms, and fled. General Gates and +General Casswell in vain attempted to rally them. They ran like a +torrent and spread through the woods in every direction. Lord Rawdon +began the action on the left with no less vigor and spirit than Lord +Cornwallis on the right, but here and in the center the contest was +more obstinately maintained by the Americans. + +<P><IMG SRC="images/3.gif" ALT="Plan of the Battle Fought Near Camden, August 16th, 1780."> + +<P>Their reserves were brought up, and the artillery did considerable +execution. Their left flank was, however, exposed by the flight of +the troops of Carolina and Virginia, and the light infantry and +Twenty-third Regiment were halted in the pursuit, and, wheeling +around, came upon the flank of the enemy, who, after a brave +resistance of nearly three-quarters of an hour, were driven into +total confusion and forced to give way on both sides. Their rout was +continued by the cavalry, who continued their pursuit twenty-two +miles from the field of action. + +<P>Between eight and nine hundred of the enemy were killed and about +1000, many of whom were wounded, were taken prisoners. Among these +were Major General Baron de Kalb and Brigadier General Rutherford. +All the baggage, stores, and camp packages, a number of colors, and +several pieces of cannon were taken. General Gates, finding himself +unable to rally the militia, fled first to Charlotte, 90 miles from +the seat of action, and then to Hillsborough, 180 from Camden. +General Gist, alone of all the American commanders, was able to keep +together about 100 men, who, flying across the swamp on their right, +through which they could not be pursued by the cavalry, made their +escape in a body. The loss of the British troops amounted to 69 +killed, 245 wounded, and 11 missing. The loss of the Americans in +killed, wounded, and prisoners exceeded the number of British regular +troops engaged by at least 300. It was one of the most decisive +victories ever won. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c19"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XIX.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">IN AN AMERICAN PRISON.</H3> + +<P>Upon the morning after the victory of Camden Lord Cornwallis +dispatched Colonel Tarleton with the light infantry and the German +legion, 350 men in all, to attack Colonel Sumpter, who, with 800 men +and two pieces of cannon, had, upon hearing late at night of General +Gates' defeat, marched away at all speed. Thinking himself out of +danger he halted at midday to rest his men. The British came upon +them by surprise. One hundred and fifty were killed or wounded and +300 made prisoners. The rest scattered as fugitives. Two guns, one +thousand stand of arms, and all the stores and baggage were taken, +and 250 prisoners, some of them British soldiers and the rest loyal +militiamen, whom Sumpter had captured near Camden, were released. + +<P>Lord Cornwallis, after obtaining supplies for his troops and taking +steps for the pacification of the State, was about to move forward +into North Carolina, when he received news of the destruction of a +column under Major Fergusson. This officer, with a detachment of 150 +British regulars and 800 provincials, was attacked by 5000 mounted +partisans, most of them border men accustomed to forest fighting. +Fergusson took up a position on a hill called King's Mountain. This +from its height would have been a good position for defense, but +being covered with wood it offered great opportunities for the +assailants, who dismounted and fought behind trees in accordance with +the tactics taught them in Indian warfare. Again and again the +English charged with the bayonet, each time driving their assailants +back, but these instantly recommenced their destructive fire from +their shelter behind the trees. In little over an hour from the +commencement of the fight 150 of the defenders were killed and many +more wounded. Still they repulsed every attack until their commander +fell dead; then the second in command, judging further resistance in +vain, surrendered. + +<P>On the news of this misfortune Lord Cornwallis fell back, as the +western frontiers of South Carolina were now exposed to the +incursions of the band which had defeated Fergusson. In the retreat +the army suffered terribly. It rained for several days without +intermission. The soldiers had no tents, and the water was everywhere +over their shoes. The continued rains filled the rivers and creeks +prodigiously and rendered the roads almost impassable. The climate +was most unhealthy, and for many days the troops were without rum. +Sometimes the army had beef and no bread, sometimes bread and no +beef. For five days it was supported on Indian corn, which was +collected in the fields, five ears being served out as a daily +allowance to each two soldiers. They had to cook it as they could, +and this was generally done by parching it over the fire. One of the +officers of the quartermaster's department found some of the loyal +militia grating their corn. This was done by breaking up a canteen +and punching holes in the bottom with their bayonets, thus making a +kind of rasp. The idea was communicated to the adjutant general and +afterward adopted for the army. + +<P>The soldiers supported their hardships and privations cheerfully, as +their officers were no better provided than themselves and the fare +of Lords Cornwallis and Rawdon was the same as their own. + +<P>The toilsome march came to an end at last, and the army had rest +after its labors. The only other incident of importance which +occurred was an action between a force under Colonel Tarleton and one +of considerably superior strength under General Sumpter, strongly +posted on a commanding position. The British attack was repulsed, but +General Sumpter, being badly wounded, was carried off the field +during the night, and the force under his command at once dispersed. + +<P>No other event occurred, and the army passed its time in winter +quarters till the spring of 1781. During this winter the enemies of +Great Britain were re-enforced by the accession of the Dutch. At this +time the efforts which England was called upon to make were indeed +great. In Europe France, Spain, and Holland were banded against her; +in India our troops were waging a desperate war with Hyder Ali; while +they were struggling to retain their hold on their American colonies. +Here, indeed, the operations had for the last two years languished. +The re-enforcements which could be spared were extremely small, and +although the British had almost uniformly defeated the Americans in +every action in which there was any approach to equality between the +forces engaged, they were unable to do more than hold the ground on +which they stood. Victorious as they might be, the country beyond the +reach of their rifles swarmed with their enemies, and it became +increasingly clear to all impartial observers that it was impossible +for an army which in all did not amount to more than 20,000 men to +conquer a continent in arms against them. + +<P>Harold was not present at the later events of the campaign of 1780. +He and Jake had been with the column of Major Fergusson. Peter +Lambton had not accompanied him, having received a bullet wound in +the leg in a previous skirmish, which, although not serious, had +compelled him to lay up for a time. + +<P>"Me no like de look ob dis affair, Massa Harold," Jake said, as the +Americans opened fire upon the troops gathered at the top of King's +Mountain. "Dese chaps no fools; dey all backwoodsmen; dey know how to +fight de redskins; great hunters all ob dem." + +<P>"Yes," Harold agreed, "they are formidable opponents, Jake. I do not +like the look of things. These men are all accustomed to fighting in +the woods, while our men have no idea of it. Their rifles are +infinitely superior to these army muskets, and every man of them can +hit a deer behind the shoulder at the distance of 150 yards, while at +that distance most of our men would miss a haystack." + +<P>The scouts and a few of the provincials who had been accustomed to +forest warfare, took up their position behind trees and fought the +advancing enemy in their own way. The mass of the defenders, however, +were altogether puzzled by the stealthy approach of their foes, who +advanced from tree to tree, seldom showing as much as a limb to the +fire of the defenders, and keeping up a deadly fire upon the crowd of +soldiers. + +<P>Had there been time for Major Fergusson, before being attacked, to +have felled a circle of trees and made a breastwork round the top of +the hill, the result might have been different. Again and again the +British gallantly charged down with the bayonet, but the assailants, +as they did so, glided away among the trees after firing a shot or +two into the advancing troops, and retreated a hundred yards or so, +only to recommence their advance as soon as the defenders retired +again to their position. The loss of the assailants was very slight, +the few who fell being for the most part killed by the rifles of the +scouts. + +<P>"It am no use, Massa Harold," Jake said. "Jest look how dem poor +fellows am being shot down. It's all up wid us dis time." + +<P>When upon the fall of Major Fergusson his successor in command +surrendered the post, the defenders were disarmed. The Kentucky men, +accustomed only to warfare against Indians, had no idea of the usages +of war and treated the prisoners with great brutality. Ten of the +loyalist volunteers of Carolina they hung at once upon trees. There +was some discussion as to the disposal of the rest. The border men, +having accomplished their object, were anxious to disperse at once to +their homes. Some of them proposed that they should rid themselves of +all further trouble by shooting them all. This was overruled by the +majority. Presently the prisoners were all bound, their hands being +tied behind them, and a hundred of the border men surrounded them and +ordered them to march across the country. + +<P>Jake and several other negroes who were among the captives were +separated from the rest, and, being put up at auction, were sold as +slaves. Jake fell to the bid of a tall Kentuckian who, without a +word, fastened a rope round his neck, mounted his horse, and started +for his home. The guards conducted the white prisoners to Woodville, +eighty miles from the scene of the fight. This distance was +accomplished in two days' march. Many of the unfortunate men, unable +to support the fatigue, fell and were shot by their guards; the rest +struggled on, utterly exhausted, until they arrived at Woodville, +where they were handed over to a strong force of militia gathered +there. They were now kindly treated, and by more easy marches were +taken to Richmond, in Virginia, where they were shut up in prison. +Here were many English troops, for the Americans, in spite of the +terms of surrender, had still retained as prisoners the troops of +General Burgoyne. + +<P>Several weeks passed without incident. The prisoners were strongly +guarded and were placed in a building originally built for a jail and +surrounded by a very high wall. Harold often discussed with some of +his fellow-captives the possibility of escape. The windows were all +strongly barred, and even should the prisoners break through these +they would only find themselves in the courtyard. There would then be +a wall thirty feet high to surmount, and at the corners of this wall +the Americans had built sentry-boxes, in each of which two men were +stationed night and day. Escape, therefore, seemed next to +impossible. + +<P>The sentries guarding the prison and at the gates were furnished by +an American regiment stationed at Richmond. The wardens in the prison +were, for the most part, negroes. The prisoners were confined at +night in separate cells; in the daytime they were allowed, in parties +of fifty, to walk for two hours in the courtyard. There were several +large rooms in which they sat and took their meals, two sentries with +loaded muskets being stationed in each room. Thus, although +monotonous, there was little to complain of; their food, if coarse, +was plentiful, and the prisoners passed the time in talk, playing +cards, and in such games as their ingenuity could invent. + +<P>One day when two of the negro wardens entered with, the dinners of +the room to which Harold belonged, the latter was astounded at +recognizing in one of them his faithful companion Jake. It was with +difficulty that he suppressed an exclamation of gladness and +surprise. Jake paid no attention to him, but placed the great tin +dish heaped up with yams, which he was carrying, upon the table, and, +with an unmoved face, left the room. A fortnight passed without a +word being exchanged between them. Several times each day Harold saw +the negro, but the guards were always present, and although, when he +had his back to the latter, Jake sometimes indulged in a momentary +grin or a portentous wink, no further communication passed between +them. + +<P>One night at the end of that time Harold, when on the point of going +to sleep, thought he heard a noise as of his door gently opening. It +was perfectly dark, and, after listening for a moment he laid his +head down again, thinking that he had been mistaken, when he heard +close to the bed the words in a low voice: + +<P>"Am you asleep, Massa Harold?" + +<P>"No, Jake," he exclaimed directly. "Ah, my good fellow! how have you +got here?" + +<P>"Dat were a bery easy affair," Jake said. "Me tell you all about it." + +<P>"Have you shut the door again, Jake? There is a sentry coming along +the passage every five minutes." + +<P>"Me shut him, massa, but dere aint no fastening on dis side, so Jake +will sit down wid him back against him." + +<P>Harold got up and partly dressed himself and then sat down by the +side of his follower. + +<P>"No need to whisper," Jake said. "De walls and de doors bery thick; +no one hear. But de sentries on de walls hear if we talk too loud." + +<P>The windows were without glass, which was in those days an expensive +article in America, and the mildness of the climate of Virginia +rendered glass a luxury rather than a necessity. Confident that even +the murmur of their voices would not be overheard if they spoke in +their usual way, Jake and Harold were enabled to converse +comfortably. + +<P>"Well, massa," Jake said, "my story am not a long one. Dat man dat +bought me he rode in two days someting like one hundred miles. It wor +a lucky ting dat Jake had tramp on his feet de last four years, else +soon enough he tumble down, and den de rope round him neck hang him. +Jake awful footsore and tired when he git to de end ob dat journey. +De Kentucky man he lib in a clearing not far from a village. He had +two oder slaves; dey hoe de ground and work for him. He got grown-up +son, who look after dem while him fader away fighting. Dey not afraid +ob de niggers running away, because dere plenty redskin not far away, +and nigger scalp jest as good as white man's. De oder way dere wor +plenty ob villages, and dey tink nigger git caught for sure if he try +to run away. Jake make up his mind he not stop dere bery long. De +Kentuckian was a bery big, strong man, but not so strong as he was +ten years ago, and Jake tink he more dan a match for him. Jake pretty +strong himself, massa?" + +<P>"I should think you were, Jake," Harold said. "There are not many +men, white or black, who can lift as great a weight as you can." + +<P>"For a week Jake work bery hard. Dat Kentuckian hab a way ob always +carrying his rifle about on his arm, and as long as he do dat dere no +chance ob a fair fight. De son he always hab a stick, and he mighty +free wid it. He hit Jake seberal times, and me say to him once, +'Young man, you better mind what you do.' Me suppose dat he not like +de look dat I gib him. He speak to his fader, and he curse and swear +awful, and stand wid de rifle close by and tell dat son ob his to +larrup Jake. Dat he do, massa, for some time. Jake not say noting, +but he make a note ob de affair in his mind. De bery next day de son +go away to de village to buy some tings he want. De fader he come out +and watch me at work; he curse and swear as usual; he call me lazy +hound and swear he cut de flesh from my back; presently he come quite +close and shake him fist in Jake's face. Dat was a foolish ting to +do. So long as he keep bofe him hands on de gun he could say what he +like quite safe, but when he got one hand up lebel wid Jake's nose, +dat different ting altogether. Jake throw up his hand and close wid +him. De gun tumble down and we wrastle and fight. He strong man for +sure, but Jake jest a little stronger. We roll ober and ober on de +ground for some minutes; at last Jake git de upper hand and seize de +white man by de t'roat, and he pretty quick choke him life out. Den +he pick up de gun and wait for de son; when he come back he put a +bullet t'rough him. Den he go to de hut and git food and powder and +ball and start into de woods. De oder niggers dey take no part in de +affair. Dey look on while the skirmish lasts, but not interfere one +way or oder. When it ober me ask dem if dey like to go wid me, but +dey too afraid ob de redskins; so Jake start by himse'f. Me hab +plenty ob practice in de woods and no fear ob meeting redskins, +except when dey on de warpath. De woods stretch a bery long way all +ober de country, and Jake trabel in dem for nigh t'ree weeks. He +shoot deer and manage bery well; see no redskin from the first day to +de last; den he come out into de open country again, hundreds ob +miles from de place where he kill dat Kentuckian. He leab his gun +behind now and trabel for Richmond, where he hear dat de white +prisoners was kept. He walk all night and at day sleep in de woods or +de plantations, and eat ears ob corn. At last he git to Richmond. Den +he gib out dat him massa wanted him to fight on de side ob de English +and dat he run away. He go to de prison and offer to work dere. Dey +tink him story true, and as he had no massa to claim him dey say he +State property, and work widout wages like de oder niggers here; dey +all forfeited slaves whose massas had jined de English. Dese people +so pore dey can't afford to pay white man, so dey take Jake as +warden, and by good luck dey put him in to carry de dinner to de bery +room where Massa Harold was." + +<P>"And have you the keys to lock us up?" + +<P>"No, massa, de niggers only cook de dinners and sweep de prison and +de yard, and do dat kind ob job; de white wardens—dere's six ob +dem—dey hab de keys." + +<P>"Then how did you manage to get here, Jake?" + +<P>"Dat not bery easy matter, Massa Harold. Most ob de wardens drink +like fish; but de head man, him dat keep de keys, he not drink. For +some time Jake not see him way, but one night when he lock up de +prisoners he take Jake round wid him, and Jake carried de big bunch +ob keys—one key to each passage. When he lock up de doors here and +hand de key to Jake to put on de bunch agin, Jake pull out a hair ob +him head and twist it round de ward ob de key so as to know him agin. +Dat night me git a piece ob bread and work him up wid some oil till +he quite like putty, den me steal to de chief warden's room, and dere +de keys hang up close to him bed. Jake got no shoes on, and he stole +up bery silent. He take down de bunch ob keys and carry dem off. He +git to quiet place and strike a light, and search t'rough de keys +till he find de one wid de hair round it; den he take a deep +impression ob him wid de bread; den he carry back the keys and hang +'em up. Jake not allowed to leabe de prison. We jest as much +prisoners as de white men, so he not able to go out to git a key +made; but in de storeroom dere's all sorts ob tools, and he git hold +ob a fine file; den he look about among de keys in de doors ob all de +storerooms and places which wor not kept locked up. At last he find a +key jest de right size, and dough de wards were a little different +dey was ob de right shape. Jake set to work and filled off de knobs +and p'ints which didn't agree wid de shape in de bread. Dis morning, +when you was all out in de yard, me come up quietly and tried de key +and found dat it turned de lock quite easy. Wid a fedder and some oil +me oil de lock and de key till it turned widout making de least, +noise. Den to-night me waited till de sentry come along de corridor, +and den Jake slip along and here he is." + +<P>"Capital, Jake!" Harold said. "And now what is the next thing to do? +Will it be possible to escape through the prison?" + +<P>"No, Massa Harold, dere am t'ree doors from de prison into de yard +and dere's a sentry outside ob each, and de main guard ob twenty men +are down dere, too. No possible to git out ob doors widout de alarm +being given." + +<P>"With the file, Jake, we might cut through the bars." + +<P>"We might cut t'rough de bars and git down into de courtyard; dat +easy enough, massa. Jake could git plenty ob rope from de storeroom, +but we hab de oder wall to climb." + +<P>"You must make a rope-ladder for that, Jake." + +<P>"What sort ob a ladder dat, massa?" + +<P>Harold explained to him how it should be made. + +<P>"When you have finished it, Jake, you should twist strips of any sort +of stuff, cotton or woolen, round and round each of the wooden steps, +so that it will make no noise touching the wall as we climb it. Then +we want a grapnel." + +<P>"Me no able to make dat, massa." + +<P>"Not a regular grapnel, Jake, but you might manage something which +would do." + +<P>"What sort ob ting?" Jake asked. + +<P>Harold sat for some time in thought. + +<P>"If the wall were not so high it would be easy enough, Jake, for we +could do it by fastening the rope within about three inches of the +end of a pole six feet long and three inches thick. That would never +pull over the wall, but it is too high to throw the pole over." + +<P>"Jake could t'row such a stick as dat ober easy enough, massa—no +difficulty about dat; but me no see how a stick like dat balance +massa's weight." + +<P>"It would not balance it, Jake, but the pull would be a side pull and +would not bring the stick over the wall. If it were only bamboo it +would be heavy enough." + +<P>"Bery well, Massa Harold; if you say so, dat's all right. Jake can +git de wood easy enough; dere's plenty ob pieces among de firewood +dat would do for us." + +<P>"Roll it with strips of stuff the same way as the ladder steps, so as +to prevent it making a noise when it strikes the wall. In addition to +the ladder we shall want a length of rope long enough to go from this +window to the ground, and another length of thin rope more than twice +the height of the wall." + +<P>"Bery well, Massa Harold, me understand exactly what's wanted; but +it'll take two or t'ree days to make de ladder, and me can only work +ob a night." + +<P>"There is no hurry, Jake; do not run any risk of being caught. We must +choose a dark and windy night. Bring two files with you, so that we can +work together, and some oil." + +<P>"All right, massa. Now me go." + +<P>"Shut the door quietly, Jake, and do not forget to lock it behind +you," Harold said, as Jake stole noiselessly from the cell. + +<P>A week passed without Jake's again visiting Harold's cell. On the +seventh night the wind had got up and whistled around the jail, and +Harold, expecting that Jake would take advantage of the opportunity, +sat down on his bed without undressing, and awaited his coming. It +was but half an hour after the door had been locked for the night +that it quietly opened again. + +<P>"Here me am, sar, wid eberyting dat's wanted; two files and some oil, +de rope-ladder, de short rope for us to slide down, and de long thin +rope and de piece ob wood six feet long and thick as de wrist." + +<P>They at once set to work with the files, and in an hour had sawn +through two bars, making a hole sufficiently wide for them to pass. +The rope was then fastened to a bar, Harold took off his shoes and +put them in his pocket and then slid down the rope into the +courtyard. With the other rope Jake lowered the ladder and pole to +him and then slid down himself. Harold had already tied to the pole, +at four inches from one end, a piece of rope some four feet long, so +as to form a loop about half that length. The thin rope was put +through the loop and drawn until the two ends came together. + +<P>Noiselessly they stole across the yard until they reached the +opposite wall. The night was a very dark one, and although they could +make out the outline of the wall above them against the skyline, the +sentry-boxes at the corners were invisible. Harold now took hold of +the two ends of the rope, and Jake, stepping back a few yards from +the wall, threw the pole over it. Then Harold drew upon the rope +until there was a check, and he knew that the pole was hard up +against the edge of the wall. He tied one end of the rope-ladder to +an end of the double cord and then hauled steadily upon the other. +The rope running through the loop drew the ladder to the top of the +wall. All this was done quickly and without noise. + +<P>"Now, Jake, do you go first," Harold said. "I will hold the rope +tight below, and do you put part of your weight on it as you go up. +When you get to the top, knot it to the loop and sit on the wall +until I come up." + +<P>In three minutes they were both on the wall, the ladder was hauled up +and dropped on the outside, while the pole was shifted to the inside +of the wall; then they descended the ladder and made across the +country. + +<P>"Which way we go, massa?" Jake asked. + +<P>"I have been thinking it over," Harold replied, "and have decided on +making for the James River. We shall be there before morning and can +no doubt find a boat. We can guide ourselves by the stars, and when +we get into the woods the direction of the wind will be sufficient." + +<P>The distance was about twenty miles, but although accustomed to +scouting at night, they would have had difficulty in making their way +through the woods by morning had they not struck upon a road leading +in the direction in which they wanted to go. + +<P>Thus it was still some hours before daylight when they reached the +James River. They had followed the road all the way, and at the point +where it reached the bank there was a village of considerable size, +and several fishermen's boats were moored alongside. Stepping into +one of these, they unloosed the head-rope and pushed out into the +stream. The boat was provided with a sail. The mast was soon stepped +and the sail hoisted. + +<P>Neither Harold nor Jake had had much experience in boat-sailing, but +the wind was with them and the boat ran rapidly down the river, and +before daylight they were many miles from their point of starting. +The banks of the James River are low and swampy, and few signs of +human habitation were seen from the stream. It widened rapidly as +they descended and became rougher and rougher. They therefore steered +into a sheltered spot behind a sharp bend of the river and anchored. + +<P>In the locker they found plenty of lines and bait, and, setting to +work, had soon half a dozen fine fish at the bottom of the boat. They +pulled up the kedge and rowed to shore and soon made a fire, finding +flint and steel in the boat. The fish were broiled over the fire upon +sticks. The boat was hauled in under some overhanging bushes, and, +stretching themselves in the bottom, Harold and Jake were soon fast +asleep. + +<P>The sun was setting when they woke. + +<P>"What you going to do, sar?" Jake asked. "Are you tinking ob +trabeling by land or ob sailing to New York?" + +<P>"Neither, Jake," Harold answered. "I am thinking of sailing down the +coast inside the line of keys to Charleston. The water there is +comparatively smooth, and as we shall be taken for fishermen it is +not likely that we shall be overhauled. We can land occasionally and +pick a few ears of corn to eat with our fish, and as there is +generally a breeze night and morning, however still and hot the day, +we shall be able to do it comfortably. I see that there is an iron +plate here which has been used for making a fire and cooking on +board, so we will lay in a stock of dry wood before we start." + +<P>The journey was made without any adventure. While the breeze lasted +they sailed; when it fell calm they fished, and when they had +obtained a sufficient supply for their wants they lay down and slept +under the shade of their sail stretched as an awning. Frequently they +passed within hail of other fishing-boats, generally manned by +negroes. But beyond a few words as to their success, no questions +were asked. They generally kept near the shore, and when they saw any +larger craft they either hauled the boat up or ran into one of the +creeks in which the coast abounds. It was with intense pleasure that +at last they saw in the distance the masts of the shipping in +Charleston harbor. + +<P>Two hours later they landed. They fastened the boat to the wharf and +made their way into the town unquestioned. As they were walking along +the principal street they saw a well-known figure sauntering +leisurely toward them. His head was bent down and he did not notice, +them until Harold hailed him with a shout of "Halloo, Peter, old +fellow! How goes it?" + +<P>Peter, although not easily moved or excited, gave a yell of delight +which astonished the passers-by. + +<P>"Ah, my boy!" he exclaimed, "this is a good sight for my old eyes. +Here have I been a-fretting and a-worrying myself for the last three +months, and cussing my hard luck that I was not with you in that +affair on King's Mountain. At first, when I heard of it, I says to +myself, 'The young un got out of it somehow. He aint going to be +caught asleep.' Waal, I kept on hoping and hoping you'd turn up, till +at last I couldn't deceive myself no longer and was forced to +conclude that you'd either been rubbed out or taken prisoner. About a +month ago we got from the Yankees a list of the names of them they'd +captured, and glad I was to see yours among 'em. As I thought as how +you weren't likely to be out as long as the war lasted, I was +a-thinking of giving it up and going to Montreal and settling down +there. It was lonesome like without you, and I missed Jake's laugh, +and altogether things didn't seem natural like. Jake, I'm glad to see +ye. Your name was not in the list, but I thought it likely enough +they might have taken you and set you to work, and made no account of +ye." + +<P>"That is just what they did; but he got away after settling his score +with his new master, and then made for Richmond, where I was in +prison; then he got me loose, and here we are. But it is a long +story, and I must tell it you at leisure." + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c20"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XX.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA.</H3> + +<P>The fishing-boat was disposed of for a few pounds, and Harold and +Jake were again fitted out in the semi-uniform worn by the scouts. On +December 13, the very day after their arrival, a considerable +detachment of troops, under General Leslie, arrived, and on the 19th +marched, 1500 strong, to join Lord Cornwallis. Harold and his mates +accompanied them, and the united army proceeded northwest, between +the Roanoke and Catawba rivers. Colonel Tarleton was detached with a +force of 1000 men, consisting of light and German legion infantry, a +portion of the Seventh Regiment and of the first battalion of the +Seventy-first, 350 cavalry, and two field-pieces. His orders were to +pursue and destroy a force of some 800 of the enemy under General +Morgan. The latter, finding himself pressed, drew up his troops for +action near a place called the Cowpens. Then ensued the one action in +the whole war in which the English, being superior in numbers, +suffered a severe defeat. + +<P>Tarleton, confident of victory, led his troops to the attack without +making any proper preparations for it. The infantry advanced bravely, +and, although the American infantry held the ground for a time with +great obstinacy, they drove them back and the victory appeared to be +theirs. Tarleton now sent orders to his cavalry to pursue, as his +infantry were too exhausted, having marched at a rapid pace all +night, to do so. The order was not obeyed, and Major Washington, who +commanded the American cavalry, advanced to cover his infantry. These +rallied behind their shelter and fell upon the disordered British +infantry. Thus suddenly attacked when they believed that victory was +in their hands, the English gave way and were driven back. A panic +seized them and a general rout ensued. Almost the whole of them were +either killed or taken prisoners. + +<P>Tarleton in vain endeavored to induce his German legion cavalry to +charge; they stood aloof and at last fled in a body through the +woods. Their commander and 14 officers remained with Tarleton, and +with these and 40 men of the Seventeenth Regiment of dragoons he +charged the whole body of the American cavalry and drove them back +upon the infantry. + +<P>No partial advantage, however brilliant, could retrieve the +misfortune of the day. All was already lost, and Tarleton retreated +with his gallant little band to the main army under Lord Cornwallis, +twenty-five miles from the scene of action. The British infantry were +all killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, with the exception of a +small detachment which had been left in the rear, and who fell back +hastily as soon as the news of the result of the action reached them. +The legion cavalry returned to camp without the loss of a man. + +<P>The defeat at Cowpens had a serious influence on the campaign. It +deprived Lord Cornwallis of the greater portion of his light +infantry, who were of the greatest utility in a campaign in such a +country, while the news of the action had an immense influence in +raising the spirits of the colonists. Hitherto they had uniformly met +with ill success when they opposed the British with forces even +approaching an equality of strength. In spite of their superior arms +and superior shooting, they were unable to stand the charge of the +British infantry, who had come almost to despise them as foes in the +field. The unexpected success urged them to fresh exertions and +brought to their side vast numbers of waverers. + +<P>General Morgan, who was joined by General Greene, attempted to +prevent Cornwallis passing the fords of the Catawba. It was not till +February 1 that the river had fallen sufficiently to render a passage +possible. Colonel Webster was sent with his division to one of the +principal fords, with orders to open a cannonade there and make a +feint of crossing, while the general himself moved toward a smaller +and less-known ford. General Davidson, with 300 Americans, was +watching this point, but the brigade of guards were ordered to +commence the passage and were led by their light infantry companies +under Colonel Hall. The river was five hundred yards across, and the +stream so strong that the men, marching in fours, had to support one +another to enable them to withstand its force. The ford took a sharp +turn in the middle of the river. + +<P>The night being dark, the guards were not perceived until they had +reached this point, when the enemy immediately opened fire upon them. +The guide at once fled, without his absence being noticed until it +was too late to stop him. Colonel Hall, not knowing of the bend in +the ford, led his men straight forward toward the opposite bank, and +although their difficulties were much increased by the greater depth +of water through which they had to pass, the mistake was really the +means of saving them from much loss, as the Americans were assembled +to meet them at the head of the ford, and would have inflicted a +heavy loss upon them as they struggled in the stream. They did not +perceive the change in the direction of the column's march until too +late, and the guards, on landing, met them as they came on and +quickly routed and dispersed them. The British lost 4 killed, among +whom was Colonel Hall, and 36 wounded. + +<P>The rest of the division then crossed. Colonel Tarleton, with the +cavalry, was sent against 500 of the Americans who had fallen back +from the various fords, and, burning with the desire to retrieve the +defeat of the Cowpens, the legion horse charged the enemy with such +fury that they were completely routed, 50 of them being killed. + +<P>Morgan and Greene withdrew their army through the Roanoke River, +hotly pursued by the English. For a few days the British army +remained at Hillsborough, but no supplies of food sufficient for its +maintenance could be found there, so it again fell back. General +Greene, being re-enforced by a considerable force, now determined to +fight, and accordingly advanced and took up a position near Guilford +Court House.</p> + +<p><IMG SRC="images/4.gif" ALT="Battle of Guilford Fought on the 15th of March 1781."></p> + +<P>The American force consisted of 4243 infantry and some 3000 +irregulars—for the most part backwoodsmen from the frontier—while +the British force amounted to 1445, exclusive of their cavalry, who, +however, took little part in the fight. About four miles from +Guilford the advanced guards of the army met and a sharp fight +ensued—the Americans, under Colonel Lee, maintaining their ground +stanchly until the Twenty-third Regiment came up to the assistance of +Tarleton, who commanded the advance. + +<P>The main American force was posted in an exceedingly strong position. +Their first line was on commanding ground, with open fields in front; +on their flanks were woods, and a strong fence ran along in front of +their line. The second line was posted in a wood three hundred yards +in rear of the first, while four hundred yards behind were three +brigades drawn up in the open ground round Guilford Court House. +Colonel Washington, with two regiments of dragoons and one of +riflemen, formed a reserve for the right flank; Colonel Lee, with his +command, was in reserve on the left. + +<P>As soon as the head of the British column appeared in sight two guns +upon the road opened fire upon them and were answered by the English +artillery. While the cannonade continued the British formed in order +of attack. The Seventy-first, with a provincial regiment, supported +by the first battalion of the guards, formed the right; the +Twenty-third and Thirty-third, led by Colonel Webster, with the +grenadiers and second battalion of guards, formed the left. The light +infantry of the guards and the cavalry were in reserve. + +<P>When the order was given to advance the line moved forward in perfect +steadiness, and at 150 yards the enemy opened fire. The English did +not fire a shot till within 80 yards, when they poured in a volley +and charged with the bayonet. The first line of the enemy at once +fell back upon the second; here a stout resistance was made. Posted +in the woods and sheltering themselves behind trees, they kept up for +some time a galling fire which did considerable execution. General +Leslie brought up the right wing of the first battalion of guards +into the front line and Colonel Webster called up the second +battalion. The enemy's second line now fell back on their third, +which was composed of their best troops, and the struggle was a very +obstinate one. + +<P>The Americans, from their vastly superior numbers, occupied so long a +line of ground that the English commanders, in order to face them, +were obliged to leave large gaps between the different regiments. +Thus it happened that Webster, who with the Thirty-third Regiment, +the light infantry, and the second battalion of guards turned toward +the left, found himself separated from the rest of the troops by the +enemy, who pushed in between him and the Twenty-third. These again +were separated from the guards. The ground was very hilly, the wood +exceedingly thick, and the English line became broken up into +regiments separated from each other, each fighting on its own account +and ignorant of what was going on in other parts of the field. + +<P>The second battalion of guards was the first that broke through the +wood into the open grounds of Guilford Court House. They immediately +attacked a considerable force drawn up there, routed them, and took +their two cannon with them; but, pursuing them with too much ardor +and impetuosity toward the woods in the rear, were thrown into +confusion by a heavy fire from another body of troops placed there, +and being instantly charged by Washington's dragoons, were driven +back with great slaughter and the cannon were retaken. + +<P>At this moment the British guns, advancing along the road through the +wood, issued into the open and checked the pursuit of the Americans +by a well-directed fire. The Seventy-first and the Twenty-third now +came through the wood. The second battalion of guards rallied and +again advanced, and the enemy were quickly repulsed and put to +flight. The two guns were recaptured, with two others. + +<P>Colonel Webster, with the Thirty-third, returned across the ravine +through which he had driven the enemy opposed to him, and rejoined +the rest of the force. The Americans drew off in good order. The +Twenty-third and Twenty-first pursued with the cavalry for a short +distance and were then recalled. The fight was now over on the center +and left, but on the right heavy firing was still going on. Here +General Leslie, with the first battalion of guards and a Hessian +regiment, had been greatly impeded by the excessive thickness of the +woods, which rendered it impossible to charge with the bayonet. As +they struggled through the thicket the enemy swarmed around them, so +that they were at times engaged in front, flanks, and rear. The enemy +were upon an exceedingly steep rise, and lying along the top of this +they poured such a heavy fire into the guards that these suffered +exceedingly; nevertheless they struggled up to the top and drove the +front line back, but found another far more numerous drawn up behind. +As the guards struggled up to the crest they were received by a +tremendous fire on their front and flanks and suffered so heavily +that they fell into confusion. The Hessian regiment, which had +suffered but slightly, advanced in compact order to the left of the +guards, and, wheeling to the right, took the enemy in the flank with +a very heavy fire. Under cover of this the guards re-formed and moved +forward to join the Hessians and complete the repulse of the enemy +opposed to them. They were again attacked both in the flank and the +rear, but at last they completely dispersed the troops surrounding +them and the battle came to an end. + +<P>This battle was one of the most obstinate and well-contested +throughout the war, and the greatest credit is due to the British, +who drove the enemy, three times their own number, from the ground +chosen by them and admirably adapted to their mode of warfare. + +<P>The loss, as might have been expected, was heavy, amounting to 93 +killed and 413 wounded—nearly a third of the force engaged. Between +two and three hundred of the enemy's dead were found on the field of +battle, and a great portion of their army was disbanded. The +sufferings of the wounded on the following night were great. A +tremendous rain fell, and the battle had extended over so large an +area that it was impossible to find and collect them. The troops had +had no food during the day and had marched several miles before they +came into action. Nearly 50 of the wounded died during the night. + +<P>Decisive as the victory was, its consequences were slight. Lord +Cornwallis was crippled by his heavy loss, following that which the +force had suffered at the Cowpens. The two battles had diminished the +strength of his little force by fully half. Provisions were difficult +to obtain, and the inhabitants, some of whom had suffered greatly +upon previous occasions for their loyal opinions, seeing the weakness +of the force and the improbability of its being enabled to maintain +itself, were afraid to lend assistance or to show their sympathy, as +they would be exposed on its retreat to the most cruel persecutions +by the enemy. + +<P>Three days after the battle Lord Cornwallis retired, leaving 70 of +the wounded, who were unable to move, under the protection of a flag +of truce. From Guilford Court House he moved his troops to +Wilmington, in North Carolina, a seaport where he hoped to obtain +provisions and stores, especially clothing and shoes. + +<P>General Greene, left unmolested after his defeat, reassembled his +army, and receiving re-enforcements, marched at full speed to attack +Lord Rawdon at Camden, thinking that he would, with his greatly +superior force, be able to destroy him in his isolated situation. The +English commander fortified his position and the American general +drew back and encamped on Hobkirk Hill, two miles distant, to await +the coming of his heavy baggage and cannon, together with some +re-enforcements. Lord Rawdon determined to take the initiative, and +marching out with his whole force of 900 men, advanced to the attack. +The hill was covered at its foot by a deep swamp, but the English +marched round this and stormed the position. The Americans made an +obstinate resistance, but the English climbed the hill with such +impetuosity, in spite of the musketry and grape-shot of the enemy, +that they were forced to give way. Several times they returned to the +attack, but were finally driven off in confusion. One hundred +prisoners were taken, and Lord Rawdon estimated that 400 of the enemy +were killed and wounded. The American estimate was considerably +lower, and as the Americans fought with all the advantage of +position, while the English were exposed during their ascent to a +terrible fire, which they were unable to return effectively, it is +probable that the American loss, including the wounded, was inferior +to that of the English, whose casualties amounted to 258. + +<P>Harold and his companions did not take part either in the battle of +Guilford Court House or in that of Hobkirk Hill, having been attached +to the fort known as Ninety-six, because a milestone with these +figures upon it stood in the village. The force here was under the +command of Lieutenant Colonel Cruger, who had with him 150 men of a +provincial corps known as Delancey's, 200 of the second battalion of +the New Jersey volunteers, and 200 local loyalists. The post was far +advanced, but so long as Lord Rawdon remained at Camden its position +was not considered to be dangerous. The English general, however, +after winning the battle of Hobkirk Hill, received news of the +retirement of Lord Cornwallis toward Wilmington, and seeing that he +would thereby be exposed to the whole of the American forces in South +Carolina and would infallibly be cut off from Charleston, he +determined to retire upon that port. Before falling back he sent +several messengers to Colonel Cruger, acquainting him of his +intention. But so well were the roads guarded by the enemy that none +of the messengers reached Ninety-six. + +<P>Colonel Cruger, being uneasy at the length of time which had elapsed +since he had received any communication, sent Harold and the two +scouts out with instructions to make their way toward the enemy's +lines and, if possible, to bring in a prisoner. This they had not +much difficulty in doing. Finding out the position of two parties of +the Americans, they placed themselves on the road between them. No +long time elapsed before an American officer came along. A shot from +Peter's rifle killed his horse, and before the officer could recover +his feet, he was seized by the scouts. They remained hidden in the +wood during the day and at night returned with their prisoner to +Ninety-six, thirty miles distant, avoiding all villages where +resistance could be offered by hostile inhabitants. + +<P>From the prisoner Colonel Cruger learned that Lord Rawdon had +retreated from Camden and that he was therefore entirely isolated. +The position was desperate, but he determined to defend the post to +the last, confident that Lord Rawdon would, as soon as possible, +undertake an expedition for his release. + +<P>The whole garrison was at once set to work, stockades were erected, +earthworks thrown up, a redoubt—formed of casks filled with +earth—constructed, and the whole strengthened by ditches and +abattis. Blockhouses were erected in the village to enable the troops +to fire over the stockades, and covered communications made between +various works. The right of the village was defended by a regular +work called the Star. To the left was a work commanding a rivulet +from which the place drew its supply of water. + +<P>Colonel Cruger offered the volunteers, who were a mounted corps, +permission to return to Charleston, but they refused to accept the +offer, and, turning their horses into the woods, determined to share +the fate of the garrison. In making this offer the colonel was +influenced partly by motives of policy, as the stock of provisions +was exceedingly scanty, and he feared that they would not last if the +siege should be a long one. Besides this, he feared that, as had +already too often happened, should the place fall, even the solemn +engagement of the terms of the surrender would not be sufficient to +protect the loyalists against the vengeance of their countrymen. + +<P>On May 21 General Greene, with his army, appeared in sight of the +place and encamped in a wood within cannon-shot of the village. He +lost no time, and in the course of the night threw up two works +within seventy paces of the fortifications. The English commander did +not suffer so rash and disdainful a step to pass unpunished. The +scouts, who were outside the works, brought in news of what was being +done, and also that the working parties were protected by a strong +force. + +<P>The three guns which constituted the entire artillery of the +defenders were moved noiselessly to the salient angle of the Star +opposite the works, and at eleven o'clock in the morning these +suddenly opened fire, aided by musketry from the parapets. The +covering force precipitately retreated, and 30 men sallied out from +the fort, carried the intrenchments, and bayoneted their defenders. +Other troops followed, the works were destroyed, and the intrenching +tools carried into the fort. General Greene, advancing with his whole +army, arrived only in time to see the last of the sallying party +re-enter the village. + +<P>"I call that a right-down good beginning," Peter Lambton said, in +great exultation. "There's nothing like hitting a hard blow at the +beginning of the fight. It raises your spirits and makes t'other chap +mighty cautious. You'll see next time they'll begin their works at a +much more respectful distance." + +<P>Peter was right. The blow checked the impetuosity of the American +general, and on the night of the 23d he opened his trenches at a +distance of four hundred yards. Having so large a force, he was able +to push forward with great rapidity, although the garrison made +several gallant sorties to interfere with the work. + +<P>On June 3 the second parallel was completed. A formal summons was +sent to the British commander to surrender. This document was couched +in the most insolent language and contained the most unsoldierlike +threats of the consequences which would befall the garrison and its +commander if he offered further resistance. Colonel Cruger sent back +a verbal answer that he was not frightened by General Greene's +menaces and that he should defend the post until the last. + +<P>The American batteries now opened with a heavy cross-fire, which +enfiladed several of the works. They also pushed forward a sap +against the Star fort and erected a battery, composed of gabions, +thirty-six yards only from the abattis and raised forty feet high so +as to overlook the works of the garrison. The riflemen posted on its +top did considerable execution and prevented the British guns being +worked during the day. + +<P>The garrison tried to burn the battery by firing heated shot into it, +but from want of proper furnaces they were unable to heat the shot +sufficiently, and the attempt failed. They then protected their +parapets as well as they could by sand-bags with loop-holes, through +which the defenders did considerable execution with their rifles. + +<P>Harold and his two comrades, whose skill with their weapons was +notorious, had their post behind some sand-bags immediately facing +the battery, and were able completely to silence the fire of its +riflemen, as it was certain death to show a head above its parapet. + +<P>The enemy attempted to set fire to the houses of the village by +shooting blazing arrows into them, a heavy musketry and artillery +fire being kept up to prevent the defenders from quenching the +flames. These succeeded, however, in preventing any serious +conflagration, but Colonel Cruger ordered at once that the whole of +the houses should be unroofed. Thus the garrison were for the rest of +the siege without protection from the rain and night air, but all +risk of a fire, which might have caused the consumption of their +stores, was avoided. + +<P>While the siege had been going on the town of Augusta had fallen, and +Lieutenant Colonel Lee, marching thence to re-enforce General Greene, +brought with him the British prisoners taken there. With a scandalous +want of honorable feeling he marched these prisoners along in full +sight of the garrison, with all the parade of martial music, and +preceded by a British standard reversed. + +<P>If the intention was to discourage the garrison it failed entirely in +its effect. Fired with indignation at so shameful a sight, they +determined to encounter every danger and endure every hardship rather +than fall into the hands of an enemy capable of disgracing their +success by so wanton an insult to their prisoners. + +<P>The Americans, strengthened by the junction of the troops who had +reduced Augusta, began to make approaches against the stockaded fort +on the left of the village, which kept open the communication of the +garrison with their water supply. The operations on this side were +intrusted to Colonel Lee, while General Greene continued to direct +those against the Star. + +<P>On the night of June 9 a sortie was made by two strong parties of the +defenders. That to the right entered the enemy's trenches and +penetrated to a battery of four guns, which nothing but the want of +spikes and hammers prevented them from destroying. Here they +discovered the mouth of a mine intended to be carried under one of +the defenses of the Star. + +<P>The division on the left fell in with the covering party of the +Americans, killed a number of them, and made their commanding officer +a prisoner. + +<P>On the 12th Colonel Lee determined to attempt a storm of the stockade +on the left, and sent forward a sergeant and six men, with lighted +combustibles, to set fire to the abattis. The whole of them were +killed before effecting their purpose. A number of additional cannon +now arrived from Augusta, and so heavy and incessant a fire was +opened upon the stockade from three batteries that on the 17th it was +no longer tenable, and the garrison evacuated it in the night. + +<P>The suffering of the garrison for want of water now became extreme. +With great labor a well had been dug in the fort, but no water was +found, and none could be procured except from the rivulet within +pistol-shot of the enemy. In the day nothing could be done, but at +night negroes, whose bodies in the darkness were not easily +distinguished from the tree-stumps which surrounded them, went out +and at great risk brought in a scanty supply. The position of the +garrison became desperate. Colonel Cruger, however, was not +discouraged, and did his best to sustain the spirits of his troops by +assurances that Lord Rawdon was certain to attempt to relieve the +place as soon as he possibly could do so. + +<P>At length one day, to the delight of the garrison, an American +royalist rode right through the pickets under the fire of the enemy +and delivered a verbal message from Lord Rawdon to the effect that he +had passed Orangeburg and was on his march to raise the siege. + +<P>Lord Rawdon had been forced to remain at Charleston until the arrival +of three fresh regiments from Ireland enabled him to leave that place +in safety and march to the relief of Ninety-six. His force amounted +to 1800 infantry and 150 cavalry. General Greene had also received +news of Lord Rawdon's movements, and, finding from his progress that +it would be impossible to reduce the fort by regular approaches +before his arrival, he determined to hazard an assault. + +<P>The American works had been pushed up close to the forts, and the +third parallel had been completed, and a mine and two trenches +extended within a few feet of the ditch. On the morning of June 18 a +heavy cannonade was begun from all the American batteries. The Whole +of the batteries and trenches were lined with riflemen, whose fire +prevented the British from showing their heads, above the parapets. +At noon two parties of the enemy advanced under cover of their +trenches and made a lodgment in the ditch. These were followed by +other parties with hooks to drag down the sand-bags and tools to +overthrow the parapet. They were exposed to the fire of the +block-houses in the village, and Major Green, the English officer who +commanded the Star fort, had his detachment in readiness behind the +parapet to receive the enemy when they attempted to storm. + +<P>As the main body of Americans did not advance beyond the third +parallel and contented themselves with supporting the parties in the +ditch with their fire, the commander of the fort resolved to inflict +a heavy blow. Two parties, each 30 strong, under the command of +Captains Campbell and French, issued from the sally-port in the rear, +entered the ditch, and, taking opposite directions, charged the +Americans who had made the lodgment with such impetuosity that they +drove everything before them until they met. The bayonet alone was +used and the carnage was great—two-thirds of those who entered the +trenches were either killed or wounded. + +<P>General Greene, finding it useless any longer to continue the +attempt, called off his troops, and on the following day raised the +siege and marched away with all speed, having lost at least 300 men +in the siege. Of the garrison 27 were killed and 58 wounded. + +<P>On the 21st Lord Rawdon arrived at Ninety-six and, finding that it +would be hopeless for him to attempt to overtake the retreating +enemy, who were marching with great speed, he drew off the garrison +of Ninety-six and fell back toward the coast. + +<P>A short time afterward a sharp fight ensued between a force under +Colonel Stewart and the army of General Greene. The English were +taken by surprise and were at first driven back, but they recovered +from their confusion and renewed the fight with great spirit, and +after a desperate conflict the Americans were repulsed. Two cannon +and 60 prisoners were taken; among the latter Colonel Washington, who +commanded the reserve. The loss on both sides was about equal, as 250 +of the British troops were taken prisoners at the first outset. The +American killed considerably exceeded our own. Both, parties claimed +the victory; the Americans because they had forced the British to +retreat; the British because they had ultimately driven the Americans +from the field and obliged them to retire to a strong position seven +miles in the rear This was the last action of the war in South +Carolina. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c21"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XXI.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE END OF THE STRUGGLE.</H3> + +<P>Being unable to obtain any supplies at Wilmington, Lord Cornwallis +determined to march on into Virginia and to effect a junction with +the British force under General Arnold operating there. Arnold +advanced to Petersburg and Cornwallis effected a junction with him on +May 20. The Marquis de la Fayette, who commanded the colonial forces +here, fell back. Just at this time the Count de Grasse, with a large +French fleet, arrived off the coast, and, after some consultation +with General Washington, determined that the French fleet and the +whole American army should operate together to crush the forces under +Lord Cornwallis. + +<P>The English were hoodwinked by reports that the French fleet was +intended to operate against New York, and it was not until they +learned that the Count de Grasse had arrived with twenty-eight ships +of the line at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay that the true object +of the expedition was seen. A portion of the English fleet +encountered them, but after irregular actions, lasting over five +days, the English drew off and retired to New York. The +commander-in-chief then attempted to effect a diversion, in order to +draw off some of the enemy who were surrounding Cornwallis. The fort +of New London was stormed after some desperate fighting, and great +quantities of ammunition and stores and fifty pieces of cannon taken. +General Washington did not allow his attention to be distracted. +Matters were in a most critical condition, for although to the +English the prospect of ultimate success appeared slight indeed, the +Americans were in a desperate condition. Their immense and +long-continued efforts had been unattended with any material success. +It was true that the British troops held no more ground now than they +did at the end of the first year of the war, but no efforts of the +colonists had succeeded in wresting that ground from them. The people +were exhausted and utterly disheartened. Business of all sorts was at +a standstill. Money had ceased to circulate, and the credit of +Congress stood so low that its bonds had ceased to have any value +whatever. The soldiers were unpaid, ill fed, and mutinous. If on the +English side it seemed that the task of conquering was beyond them, +the Americans were ready to abandon the defense from sheer +exhaustion. It was then of paramount necessity to General Washington +that a great and striking success should be obtained to animate the +spirits of the people. + +<P>Cornwallis, seeing the formidable combination which the French and +Americans were making to crush him, sent message after message to New +York to ask for aid from the commander-in-chief, and received +assurances from him that he would at once sail with 4000 troops to +join him. Accordingly, in obedience to his orders, Lord Cornwallis +fortified himself at Yorktown. + +<P>On September 28 the combined army of French and Americans, consisting +of 7000 of the former and 12,000 of the latter, appeared before +Yorktown and the post at Gloucester. Lord Cornwallis had 5960 men, +but so great had been the effects of the deadly climate in the autumn +months that only 4017 men were reported as fit for duty. + +<P>The enemy at once invested the town and opened their trenches against +it. From their fleet they had drawn an abundance of heavy artillery, +and on October 9 their batteries opened a tremendous fire upon the +works. Each day they pushed their trenches closer, and the British +force was too weak, in comparison with the number of its assailants, +to venture upon sorties. The fire from the works was completely +overpowered by that of the enemy, and the ammunition was nearly +exhausted. Day after day passed and still the promised re-enforcements +did not arrive. Lord Cornwallis was told positively that the fleet +would set sail on October 8, but it came not, nor did it leave port +until the 19th, the day on which Lord Cornwallis surrendered. + +<P>On the 16th, finding that he must either surrender or break through, +he determined to cross the river and fall on the French rear with his +whole force and then turn northward and force his way through +Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the Jerseys. In the night the light +infantry, the greater part of the guards, and part of the +Twenty-third were embarked in boats and crossed to the Gloucester +side of the river before midnight. At this critical moment a violent +storm arose which prevented the boats returning. The enemy's fire +reopened at daybreak, and the engineer and principal officers of the +army gave it as their opinion that it was impossible to resist +longer. Only one eight-inch shell and a hundred small ones remained. +The defenses had in many places tumbled to ruins, and no effectual +resistance could be opposed to an assault. + +<P>Accordingly Lord Cornwallis sent out a flag of truce and arranged +terms of surrender. On the 24th the fleet and re-enforcements arrived +off the mouth of the Chesapeake. Had they left New York at the time +promised, the result of the campaign would have been different. + +<P>The army surrendered as prisoners of war until exchanged, the +officers with liberty to proceed on parole to Europe and not to serve +until exchanged. The loyal Americans were embarked on the <I>Bonito</I>, +sloop of war, and sent to New York in safety, Lord Cornwallis having +obtained permission to send off the ship without her being searched, +with as many soldiers on board as he should think fit, so that they +were accounted for in any further exchange. He was thus enabled to +send off such of the inhabitants and loyalist troops as would have +suffered from the vengeance of the Americans. + +<P>The surrender of Lord Cornwallis' army virtually ended the war. The +burden entailed on the people in England by the great struggle +against France, Spain, Holland, and America, united in arms against +her, was enormous. So long as there appeared any chance of recovering +the colony the English people made the sacrifices required of them, +but the conviction that it was impossible for them to wage a war with +half of Europe and at the same time to conquer a continent had been +gaining more and more in strength. Even the most sanguine were +silenced by the surrender of Yorktown, and a cry arose throughout the +country that peace should at once be made. + +<P>As usual under the circumstances, a change of ministry took place. +Negotiations for peace were at once commenced, and the war terminated +in the acknowledgment of the entire independence of the United States +of America. + +<P>Harold with his companions had fallen back to Charleston with Lord +Rawdon after the relief of Ninety-six, and remained there until the +news arrived that the negotiations were on foot and that peace was +now certain. Then he took his discharge and sailed at once for +England, accompanied by Jake; Peter Lambton taking a passage to +Canada to carry out his intention of settling at Montreal. + +<P>Harold was now past twenty-two, and his father and mother did not +recognize him when, without warning, he arrived at their residence in +Devonshire. It was six years since his mother had seen him, when she +sailed from Boston before its surrender in 1776. + +<P>For a year he remained quiet at home, and then carried out his plan +of returning to the American continent and settling in Canada. + +<P>Accompanied by Jake, he sailed for the St. Lawrence and purchased a +snug farm on its banks, near the spot where it flows from Lake +Ontario. + +<P>He greatly improved it, built a comfortable house upon it, and two +years later returned to England, whence he brought back his Cousin +Nelly as his wife. + +<P>Her little fortune was used in adding to the farm, and it became one +of the largest and best managed in the country. Peter Lambton +found Montreal too crowded for him and settled down on the estate, +supplying it with fish and game so long as his strength enabled him +to go about, and enjoying the society of Jack Pearson, who had +married and established himself on a farm close by. As years went +on and the population increased the property became very valuable, +and Harold, before he died, was one of the wealthiest and most +respected men in the colony. So long as his mother lived he and his +wife paid occasional visits to England, but after her death his +family and farm had so increased that it was inconvenient to leave +them; his father therefore returned with him to Canada and ended his +life there. Jake lived to a good old age and was Harold's faithful +friend and right-hand man to the last. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">THE END.</H2> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of True to the Old Flag, by G. A. 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A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: True to the Old Flag + A Tale of the American War of Independence + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Posting Date: June 2, 2012 [EBook #8859] +Release Date: September, 2005 +First Posted: August 15, 2003 +[Last updated: December 15, 2013] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG *** + + + + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + + + + + +TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG + +A TALE OF THE AMERICAN WAR +OF INDEPENDENCE + + + + +By +G. A. HENTY + +Author Of "With Clive In India," "The Dragon And The Raven," +"With Lee In Virginia," "By England's Aid," "In The Reign Of Terror," +"With Wolfe In Canada," "Captain Bayley's Heir," Etc. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + +I. A FRONTIER FARM + +II. AN INDIAN RAID + +III. THE REDSKIN ATTACK + +IV. THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON + +V. BUNKER'S HILL + +VI. SCOUTING + +VII. IN THE FOREST + +VIII. QUEBEC + +IX. THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON + +X. A TREACHEROUS PLANTER + +XI. THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA + +XII. THE SETTLER'S HUT + +XIII. SARATOGA + +XIV. RESCUED! + +XV. THE ISLAND REFUGE + +XVI. THE GREAT STORM + +XVII. THE SCOUT'S STORY + +XVIII. THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH + +XIX. IN AN AMERICAN PRISON + +XX. THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA + +XXI. THE END OF THE STRUGGLE + + + + +PREFACE. + + +MY DEAR LADS: + +You have probably been accustomed to regard the war between England +and her colonies in America as one in which we were not only beaten +but, to some extent, humiliated. Owing to the war having been an +unsuccessful one for our arms, British writers have avoided the +subject, and it has been left for American historians to describe. +These, writing for their own countrymen, and drawing for their facts +upon gazettes, letters, and other documents emanating from one side +only, have, naturally, and no doubt insensibly, given a very strong +color to their own views of the events, and English writers have been +too much inclined to accept their account implicitly. There is, +however, another and very different side to the story, and this I +have endeavored to show you. The whole of the facts and details +connected with the war can be relied upon as accurate. They are drawn +from the valuable account of the struggle written by Major Steadman, +who served under Howe, Clinton, and Cornwallis, and from other +authentic contemporary sources. You will see that, although +unsuccessful,--and success was, under the circumstances, a sheer +impossibility,--the British troops fought with a bravery which was +never exceeded, and that their victories in actual conflict vastly +outnumbered their defeats. Indeed, it may be doubted whether in any +war in which this country has been engaged have our soldiers +exhibited the qualities of endurance and courage to a higher degree. + +Yours very sincerely, + +G. A. HENTY. + + + + + + +TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +A FRONTIER FARM. + + +"Concord, March 1, 1774. + +"MY DEAR COUSIN: I am leaving next week with my husband for England, +where we intend to pass some time visiting his friends. John and I +have determined to accept the invitation you gave us last summer for +Harold to come and spend a few months with you. His father thinks +that a great future will, ere many years, open in the West, and that +it is therefore well the boy should learn something of frontier life. +For myself, I would rather that he stayed quietly at home, for he is +at present over-fond of adventure; but as my husband is meditating +selling his estate here and moving West, it is perhaps better for him. + +"Massachusetts is in a ferment, as indeed are all the Eastern States, +and the people talk openly of armed resistance against the +Government. My husband, being of English birth and having served in +the king's army, cannot brook what he calls the rebellious talk which +is common among his neighbors, and is already on bad terms with many +around us. I myself am, as it were, a neutral. As an American woman, +it seems to me that the colonists have been dealt with somewhat +hardly by the English Parliament, and that the measures of the latter +have been high-handed and arbitrary. Upon the other hand, I naturally +incline toward my husband's views. He maintains that, as the king's +army has driven out the French, and gives protection to the colony, +it is only fair that the colonists should contribute to its expenses. +The English ask for no contributions toward the expense of their own +country, but demand that, at least, the expenses of the protection of +the colony shall not be charged upon the heavily taxed people at +home. As to the law that the colony shall trade only with the mother +country, my husband says that this is the rule in the colonies of +Spain, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands, and that the people +here, who can obtain what land they choose and till it without rent, +should not grumble at paying this small tax to the mother country. +However it be, I fear that troubles will come, and, this place being +the head and focus of the party hostile to England, my husband, +feeling himself out of accord with all his neighbors, saving a few +loyal gentlemen like himself, is thinking much and seriously of +selling our estate here and of moving away into the new countries of +the West, where he will be free from all the disputation and +contentious talk which occupies men's time here. + +"Indeed, cousin, times have sadly changed since you were staying here +with us five years ago. Then our life was a peaceful and quiet one; +now there is nothing but wrangling and strife. The dissenting clergy +are, as my husband says was the case in England before the great +civil war, the fomenters of this discontent. There are many +busybodies who pass their time in stirring up the people by violent +harangues and seditious writings; therefore everyone takes one side +or the other, and there is neither peace nor comfort in life. + +"Accustomed as I have always been to living in ease and affluence, I +dread, somewhat, the thought of a life on the Indian frontier. One +has heard so many dreadful stories of Indian fights and massacres +that I tremble a little at the prospect; but I do not mention this to +John, for as other women are, like yourself, brave enough to support +these dangers, I would not appear a coward in his eyes. You will see, +cousin, that, as this prospect is before us, it is well that Harold +should learn the ways of a frontier life. Moreover, John does not +like the thought of leaving him here while we are in England; for, as +he says, the boy might learn to become a rebel in his absence; +therefore, my dear cousin, we have resolved to send him to you. An +opportunity offers, in the fact that a gentleman of our acquaintance +is, with his family, going this week West, with the intention of +settling there, and he will, he tells us, go first to Detroit, whence +he will be able to send Harold forward to your farm. The boy himself +is delighted at the thought, and promises to return an accomplished +backwoodsman. John joins me in kind love to yourself and your +husband, and believe me to remain, + +"Your Affectionate Cousin, + +"MARY WILSON." + + +Four months after the date of the above letter a lad some fifteen +years old was walking with a man of middle age on the shores of Lake +Huron. Behind them was a large clearing of about a hundred acres in +extent; a comfortable house, with buildings for cattle, stood at a +distance of some three hundred yards from the lake; broad fields of +yellow corn waved brightly in the sun; and from the edge of the +clearing came the sound of a woodsman's ax, showing that the +proprietor was still enlarging the limits of his farm. Surrounding +the house, at a distance of twenty yards, was a strong stockade some +seven feet in height, formed of young trees, pointed at the upper +end, squared, and fixed firmly in the ground. The house itself, +although far more spacious and comfortable than the majority of +backwood farmhouses, was built in the usual fashion, of solid logs, +and was evidently designed to resist attack. + +William Welch had settled ten years before on this spot, which was +then far removed from the nearest habitation. It would have been a +very imprudent act, under ordinary circumstances, to have established +himself in so lonely a position, so far removed from the possibility +of assistance in case of attack. He settled there, however, just +after Pontiac, who was at the head of an alliance of all the Indian +tribes of those parts, had, after the long and desperate siege of +Fort Pitt, made peace with us upon finding that his friends, the +French, had given up all thought of further resistance to the +English, and had entirely abandoned the country. Mr. Welch thought, +therefore, that a permanent peace was likely to reign on the +frontier, and that he might safely establish himself in the charming +location he had pitched upon, far removed from the confines of +civilization. + +The spot was a natural clearing of some forty acres in extent, +sloping down to the water's edge, and a more charming site could +hardly have been chosen. Mr. Welch had brought with him three farm +laborers from the East, and, as time went on, he extended the +clearing by cutting down the forest giants which bordered it. + +But in spite of the beauty of the position, the fertility of the +soil, the abundance of his crops, and the advantages afforded by the +lake, both from its plentiful supply of fish and as a highway by +which he could convey his produce to market, he had more than once +regretted his choice of location. It was true that there had been no +Indian wars on a large scale, but the Indians had several times +broken out in sudden incursions. Three times he had been attacked, +but, fortunately, only by small parties, which he had been enabled to +beat off. Once, when a more serious danger threatened him, he had +been obliged to embark, with his wife and child and his more valuable +chattels, in the great scow in which he carried his produce to +market, and had to take refuge in the settlements, to find, on his +return, his buildings destroyed and his farm wasted. At that time he +had serious thoughts of abandoning his location altogether, but the +settlements were extending rapidly toward him, and, with the prospect +of having neighbors before long and the natural reluctance to give up +a place upon which he had expended so much toil, he decided to hold +on; hoping that more quiet times would prevail, until other settlers +would take up land around him. + +The house had been rebuilt more strongly than before. He now employed +four men, and had been unmolested since his return to his farm, three +years before the date of this story. Already two or three locations +had been taken up on the shores of the lake beyond him, a village had +grown up thirty-five miles away, and several settlers had established +themselves between that place and his home. + +"So you are going out fishing this morning, Harold?" Mr. Welch said. +"I hope you will bring back a good supply, for the larder is low. I +was looking at you yesterday, and I see that you are becoming a +first-rate hand at the management of a canoe." + +"So I ought to be," the boy said, "considering that for nearly three +months I have done nothing but shoot and fish." + +"You have a sharp eye, Harold, and will make a good backwoodsman one +of these days. You can shoot nearly as well as I can now. It is lucky +that I had a good stock of powder and lead on hand; firing away by +the hour together, as you do, consumes a large amount of ammunition. +See, there is a canoe on the lake; it is coming this way, too. There +is but one man in it; he is a white, by his clothes." + +For a minute or two they stood watching the boat, and then, seeing +that its course was directed toward the shore, they walked down to +the edge of the lake to meet it. + +"Ah, Pearson! is that you?" Mr. Welch asked. "I thought I knew your +long, sweeping stroke at a distance. You have been hunting, I see; +that is a fine stag you have got there. What is the news?" + +"About as bad as can be, Master Welch," the hunter said. "The +Iroquois have dug up the tomahawk again and are out on the war-path. +They have massacred John Brent and his family. I heard a talk of it +among some hunters I met ten days since in the woods. They said that +the Iroquois were restless and that their chief, War Eagle, one of +the most troublesome varmints on the whole frontier, had been +stirring 'em up to war. He told 'em, I heard, that the pale-faces +were pushing further and further into the Injun woods, and that, +unless they drove 'em back, the redskin hunting grounds would be +gone. I hoped that nothing would come of it, but I might have known +better. When the redskins begin to stir there's sure to be mischief +before they're quiet again." + +The color had somewhat left Mr. Welch's cheeks as the hunter spoke. + +"This is bad news, indeed, Pearson," he said gravely. "Are you sure +about the attack on the Brents?" + +"Sartin sure," the hunter said. "I met their herder; he had been down +to Johnson's to fetch a barrel of pork. Just when he got back he +heard the Injun yells and saw smoke rising in the clearing, so he +dropped the barrel and made tracks. I met him at Johnson's, where he +had just arrived. Johnson was packing up with all haste and was going +to leave, and so I said I would take my canoe and come down the lake, +giving you all warning on the way. I stopped at Burns' and Hooper's. +Burns said he should clear out at once, but Hooper talked about +seeing it through. He's got no wife to be skeary about, and reckoned +that, with his two hands, he could defend his log hut. I told him I +reckoned he would get his har raised if the Injuns came that way; +but, in course, that's his business." + +"What do you advise, Pearson? I do not like abandoning this farm to +the mercy of the redskins." + +"It would be a pity, Master Welch, that's as true as Gospel. It's the +likeliest clearing within fifty miles round, and you've fixed the +place up as snug and comfortable as if it were a farm in the old +provinces. In course the question is what this War Eagle intends to +do. His section of the tribe is pretty considerable strong, and +although at present I aint heard that any others have joined, these +Injuns are like barrels of gunpowder: when the spark is once struck +there's no saying how far the explosion may spread. When one band of +'em sees as how another is taking scalps and getting plunder and +honor, they all want to be at the same work. I reckon War Eagle has +got some two hundred braves who will follow him; but when the news +spreads that he has begun his work, all the Iroquois, to say nothing +of the Shawnees, Delawares, and other varmint, may dig up the +hatchet. The question is what War Eagle's intentions are. He may make +a clean sweep down, attacking all the outlying farms and waiting till +he is joined by a lot more of the red reptiles before attacking the +settlements. Then, on the other hand, he may think himself strong +enough to strike a blow at Gloucester and some other border villages +at once. In that case he might leave the outlying farms alone, as the +news of the burning of these would reach the settlements and put 'em +on their guard, and he knows, in course, that if he succeeds there he +can eat you all up at his leisure." + +"The attack upon Brent's place looks as if he meant to make a clean +sweep down," Mr. Welch said. + +"Well," the hunter continued thoughtfully, "I don't know as I sees it +in that light. Brent's place was a long way from any other. He might +have wished to give his band a taste of blood, and so raise their +spirits, and he might reasonably conclude that naught would be known +about it for days, perhaps weeks to come. Then, again, the attack +might have been made by some straggling party without orders. It's a +dubious question. You've got four hands here, I think, and yourself. +I have seen your wife shoot pretty straight with a rifle, so she can +count as one, and as this young un, here, has a good idea, too, with +his shooting-iron, that makes six guns. Your place is a strong one, +and you could beat off any straggling party. My idea is that War +Eagle, who knows pretty well that the place would make a stout fight, +won't waste his time by making a regular attack upon it. You might +hold out for twenty-four hours; the clearing is open and there aint +no shelter to be had. He would be safe to lose a sight of men, and +this would be a bad beginning, and would discourage his warriors +greatly. No, I reckon War Eagle will leave you alone for the present. +Maybe he will send a scout to see whether you are prepared; it's as +likely as not that one is spying at us somewhere among the trees now. +I should lose no time in driving in the animals and getting well in +shelter. When they see you are prepared they will leave you alone; at +least, for the present. Afterward there's no saying--that will depend +on how they get on at the settlements. If they succeed there and get +lots of booty and plenty of scalps, they may march back without +touching you; they will be in a hurry to get to their villages and +have their feasts and dancing. If they are beaten off at the +settlements I reckon they will pay you a visit for sure; they won't +go back without scalps. They will be savage like, and won't mind +losing some men for the sake of having something to brag about when +they get back. And now, Master Welch, I must be going on, for I want +to take the news down to the settlements before War Eagle gets there, +and he may be ahead of me now, for aught I know. I don't give you no +advice as to what you had best do; you can judge the circumstances as +well as I can. When I have been to the settlements and put them on +their guard, maybe I shall be coming back again, and, in that case, +you know Jack Pearson's rifle is at your disposal. You may as well +tote this stag up to the house. You won't be doing much hunting just +for the present, and the meat may come in handy." + +The stag was landed, and a minute later the canoe shot away from +shore under the steady stroke of the hunter's powerful arms. Mr. +Welch at once threw the stag over his shoulders and, accompanied by +Harold, strode away toward the house. On reaching it he threw down +the stag at the door, seized a rope which hung against the wall, and +the sounds of a large bell, rung in quick, sharp strokes, summoned +the hands from the fields. The sound of the woodman's ax ceased at +once, and the shouts of the men, as they drove the cattle toward the +house, rose on the still air. + +"What is the matter, William?" Mrs. Welch asked as she ran from the +house. + +"I have bad news, my dear. The Indians are out again, and I fear we +may have trouble before us. We must hope that they will not come in +this direction, but must be prepared for the worst. Wait till I see +all the hands and beasts in the stockade, and then we can talk the +matter over quietly." + +In a few minutes the hands arrived, driving before them the horses +and cattle. + +"What is it, boss?" they asked. "Was that the alarm bell sure +enough?" + +"The Indians are out again," Mr. Welch said, "and in force. They have +massacred the Brents and are making toward the settlements. They may +come this way or they may not; at any rate, we must be prepared for +them. Get the beasts into the sheds, and then do you all take scythes +and set to work to cut down that patch of corn, which is high enough +to give them shelter; there's nothing else which will cover them +within a hundred yards of the house. Of course you will take your +rifles with you and keep a sharp lookout; but they will have heard +the bell, if they are in the neighborhood, and will guess that we +are on the alert, so they are not likely to attempt a surprise. Shut +one of the gates and leave the other ajar, with the bar handy to put +up in case you have to make a run for it. Harold will go up to the +lookout while you are at work." + +Having seen that all was attended to, Mr. Welch went into the house, +where his wife was going about her work as usual, pale, but quiet and +resolute. + +"Now, Jane," he said, "sit down, and I will tell you exactly how +matters stand, as far as Pearson, who brought the news, has told me. +Then you shall decide as to the course we had better take." + +After he had told her all that Pearson had said, and the reasons for +and against expecting an early attack, he went on: + +"Now, it remains for you, my dear, to decide whether we shall stay +and defend the place till the last against any attack that may be +made, or whether we shall at once embark in the scow and make our way +down to the settlements." + +"What do you think, William?" his wife asked. + +"I scarcely know, myself," he answered; "but, if I had quite my own +way, I should send you and Nelly down to the settlements in the scow +and fight it out here with the hands." + +"You certainly will not have your own way in that," his wife said. +"If you go of course I go; if you stay I stay. I would a thousand +times rather go through a siege here, and risk the worst, than go +down to Gloucester and have the frightful anxiety of not knowing what +was happening here. Besides, it is very possible, as you say, that +the Indians may attack the settlement itself. Many of the people +there have had no experience in Indian war, and the redskins are +likely to be far more successful in their surprise there than they +would be here. If we go we should have to leave our house, our barns, +our stacks, and our animals to the mercy of the savages. Your capital +is pretty nearly all embarked here now, and the loss of all this +would be ruin to us. At any rate, William, I am ready to stay here +and to risk what may come if you are. A life on the frontier is +necessarily a life of danger, and if we are to abandon everything and +to have to commence life afresh every time the Indians go on the +war-path, we had better give it up at once and return to +Massachusetts." + +"Very well, my dear," her husband said gravely. "You are a true +frontiersman's wife; you have chosen as I should have done. It is a +choice of evils; but God has blessed and protected us since we came +out into the wilderness--we will trust and confide in him now. At any +rate," he went on more cheerfully, "there is no fear of the enemy +starving us out. We got in our store of provisions only a fortnight +since, and have enough of everything for a three-months' siege. There +is no fear of our well failing us; and as for ammunition, we have +abundance. Seeing how Harold was using powder and ball, I had an +extra supply when the stores came in the other day. There is plenty +of corn in the barn for the animals for months, and I will have the +corn which the men are cutting brought in as a supply of food for the +cows. It will be useful for another purpose, too; we will keep a heap +of it soaked with water and will cover the shingles with it in case +of attack. It will effectually quench their fire arrows." + +The day passed off without the slightest alarm, and by nightfall the +patch of corn was cleared away and an uninterrupted view of the +ground for the distance of a hundred yards from the house was +afforded. When night fell two out of the four dogs belonging to the +farm were fastened out in the open, at a distance of from seventy to +eighty yards of the house, the others being retained within the +stockade. The garrison was divided into three watches, two men being +on the alert at a time, relieving each other every three hours. Mr. +Welch took Harold as his companion on the watch. The boy was greatly +excited at the prospect of a struggle. He had often read of the +desperate fights between the frontier settlers and the Indians, and +had longed to take a share in the adventurous work. He could scarcely +believe that the time had come and that he was really a sharer in +what might be a desperate struggle. + +The first watch was set at nine, and at twelve Mr. Welch and Harold +came on duty. The men they relieved reported that all was silent in +the woods, and that they had heard no suspicious cries of any kind. +When the men had returned to their room Mr. Welch told Harold that he +should take a turn round the stockade and visit the dogs. Harold was +to keep watch at the gate, to close it after he went out, to put up +the bar, and to stand beside it ready to open it instantly if called +upon. + +Then the farmer stepped out into the darkness and, treading +noiselessly, at once disappeared from Harold's sight. The latter +closed the gate, replaced the heavy bar, and stood with one hand on +this and the other holding his rifle, listening intently. Once he +thought he heard a low growling from one of the dogs, but this +presently ceased, and all was quiet again. The gate was a solid one, +formed of strong timbers placed at a few inches apart and bolted to +horizontal bars. + +Presently he felt the gate upon which his hand rested quiver, as if +pressure was applied from without. His first impulse was to say, "Is +that you?" but Mr. Welch had told him that he would give a low +whistle as he approached the gate; he therefore stood quiet, with his +whole attention absorbed in listening. Without making the least stir +he peered through the bars and made out two dark figures behind them. +After once or twice shaking the gate, one took his place against it +and the other sprang upon his shoulders. + +Harold looked up and saw a man's head appear against the sky. Dim as +was the light, he could see that it was no European head-gear, a long +feather or two projecting from it. In an instant he leveled his rifle +and fired. There was a heavy fall and then all was silent. Harold +again peered through the bars. The second figure had disappeared, and +a black mass lay at the foot of the gate. + +In an instant the men came running from the house, rifles in hand. + +"What is it?" they exclaimed. "Where is Mr. Welch?" + +"He went out to scout round the house, leaving me at the gate," +Harold said. "Two men, I think Indians, came up; one was getting over +the gate when I shot him. I think he is lying outside--the other has +disappeared." + +"We must get the master in," one of the men said. "He is probably +keeping away, not knowing what has happened. Mr. Welch," he shouted, +"it is all safe here, so far as we know; we are all on the lookout to +cover you as you come up." + +Immediately a whistle was heard close to the gate. This was +cautiously opened a few inches, and was closed and barred directly +Mr. Welch entered. + +Harold told him what had happened. + +"I thought it was something of the sort. I heard Wolf growl and felt +sure that it was not at me. I threw myself down and crept up to him +and found him shot through the heart with an Indian arrow. I was +crawling back to the house when I heard Harold's shot. Then I waited +to see if it was followed by the war-whoop, which the redskins would +have raised at once, on finding that they were discovered, had they +been about to attack in force. Seeing that all was quiet, I +conjectured that it was probably an attempt on the part of a spy to +discover if we were upon the alert. Then I heard your call and at +once came on. I do not expect any attack to-night now, as these +fellows must have been alone; but we will all keep watch till the +morning. You have done very well, Harold, and have shown yourself a +keen watchman. It is fortunate that you had the presence of mind +neither to stir nor to call out when you first heard them; for, had +you done so, you would probably have got an arrow between your ribs, +as poor Wolf has done." + +When it was daylight, and the gate was opened, the body of an Indian +was seen lying without; a small mark on his forehead showed where +Harold's bullet had entered; death being instantaneous. His war-paint +and the embroidery of his leggings showed him at once to be an +Iroquois. Beside him lay his bow, with an arrow which had evidently +been fitted to the string for instant work. Harold shuddered when he +saw it and congratulated himself on having stood perfectly quiet. A +grave was dug a short distance away, the Indian was buried, and the +household proceeded about their work. + +The day, as was usual in households in America, was begun with +prayer, and the supplications of Mr. Welch for the protection of God +over the household were warm and earnest. The men proceeded to feed +the animals; these were then turned out of the inclosure, one of the +party being always on watch in the little tower which they had +erected for that purpose some ten or twelve feet above the roof of +the house. From this spot a view was obtainable right over the +clearing to the forest which surrounded it on three sides. The other +hands proceeded to cut down more of the corn, so as to extend the +level space around the house. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +AN INDIAN RAID. + +That day and the next passed quietly. The first night the man who was +on watch up to midnight remarked to Mr. Welch, when he relieved him, +that it seemed to him that there were noises in the air. + +"What sort of noises, Jackson--calls of night-birds or animals? If +so, the Indians are probably around us." + +"No," the man said; "all is still round here, but I seem to feel the +noise rather than hear it. I should say that it was firing, very many +miles off." + +"The night is perfectly still, and the sound of a gun would be heard +a long way." + +"I cannot say that I have heard a gun; it is rather a tremble in the +air than a sound." + +When the man they had relieved had gone down and all was still again, +Mr. Welch and Harold stood listening intently. + +"Jackson was right," the farmer said; "there is something in the air. +I can feel it rather than hear it. It is a sort of murmur no louder +than a whisper. Do you hear it, Harold?" + +"I seem to hear something," Harold said. "It might be the sound of +the sea a very long way off, just as one can hear it many miles from +the coast, on a still night at home. What do you think it is?" + +"If it is not fancy," Mr. Welch replied, "and I do not think that we +should all be deceived, it is an attack upon Gloucester." + +"But Gloucester is thirty-five miles away," Harold answered. + +"It is," Mr. Welch replied; "but on so still a night as this sounds +can be heard from an immense distance. If it is not this, I cannot +say what it is." + +Upon the following night, just as Mr. Welch's watch was at an end, a +low whistle was heard near the gate. + +"Who is there?" Mr. Welch at once challenged. + +"Jack Pearson, and the sooner you open the gate the better. There's +no saying where these red devils may be lying round." + +Harold and the farmer instantly ran down and opened the gate. + +"I should advise you to stop down here," the hunter said as they +replaced the bars. "If you did not hear me you certainly would not +hear the redskins, and they'd all be over the palisade before you had +time to fire a shot. I'm glad to see you safe, for I was badly +skeared lest I should find nothing but a heap of ashes here." + +The next two men now turned out, and Mr. Welch led his visitor into +the house and struck a light. + +"Halloo, Pearson! you must have been in a skirmish," he said, seeing +that the hunter's head was bound up with a bloodstained bandage. + +"It was all that," Pearson said, "and wuss. I went down to Gloucester +and told 'em what I had heard, but the darned fools tuk it as quiet +as if all King George's troops with fixed bayonets had been camped +round 'em. The council got together and palavered for an hour, and +concluded that there was no chance whatever of the Iroquois venturing +to attack such a powerful place as Gloucester. I told 'em that the +redskins would go over their stockade at a squirrel's jump, and that +as War Eagle alone had at least 150 braves, while there warn't more +than 50 able-bodied men in Gloucester and all the farms around it, +things would go bad with 'em if they didn't mind. But bless yer, they +knew more than I did about it. Most of 'em had moved from the East +and had never seen an Injun in his war-paint. Gloucester had never +been attacked since it was founded nigh ten years ago, and they +didn't see no reason why it should be attacked now. There was a few +old frontiersmen like myself among 'em who did their best to stir 'em +up, but it was no manner of good. When the council was over we put +our heads together, and just went through the township a-talking to +the women, and we hadn't much difficulty in getting up such a skear +among 'em that before nightfall every one of 'em in the farms around +made their husbands move into the stockade of the village. + +"When the night passed off quietly most of the men were just as +savage with us as if it had been a false alarm altogether. I p'inted +out that it was not because War Eagle had left 'em alone that night +that he was bound to do so the next night or any night after. But in +spite of the women they would have started out to their farms the +fust thing in the morning, if a man hadn't come in with the news that +Carter's farm had been burned and the whole of the people killed and +scalped. As Carter's farm lay only about fifteen miles off this gave +'em a skear, and they were as ready now to believe in the Injuns as I +had tried to make 'em the night before. Then they asked us old hands +to take the lead and promised to do what we told 'em, but when it +came to it their promises were not worth the breath they had spent +upon 'em. There were eight or ten houses outside the stockade, and in +course we wanted these pulled down; but they wouldn't hear of it. +Howsomever, we got 'em to work to strengthen the stockades, to make +loop-holes in the houses near 'em, to put up barricades from house to +house, and to prepare generally for a fight. We divided into three +watches. + +"Well, just as I expected, about eleven o'clock at night the Injuns +attacked. Our watch might just as well have been asleep for any good +they did, for it was not till the redskins had crept up to the +stockade all round and opened fire between the timbers on 'em that +they knew that they were near. I'll do 'em justice to say that they +fought stiff enough then, and for four hours they held the line of +houses; every redskin who climbed the stockade fell dead inside it. +Four fires had been lighted directly they attacked to enable us to +keep 'em from scaling the stockade, but they showed us to the enemy, +of course. + + "The redskins took possession of the houses which we had wanted to +pull down, and precious hot they made it for us. Then they shot such +showers of burning arrows into the village that half of the houses +were soon alight. We tried to get our men to sally out and to hold +the line of stockade, when we might have beaten 'em off if all the +village had been burned down; but it were no manner of good; each man +wanted to stick to his wife and family till the last. As the flames +went up every man who showed himself was shot down, and when at last +more than half our number had gone under the redskins brought up +fagots, piled 'em against the stockade outside, and then the hull +tribe came bounding over. Our rifles were emptied, for we couldn't +get the men to hold their fire, but some of us chaps as knew what was +coming gave the redskins a volley as they poured in. + +"I don't know much as happened after that. Jack Robins and Bill +Shuter, who were old pals of mine, and me made up our minds what to +do, and we made a rush for a small gate that there was in the +stockade, just opposite where the Injuns came in. We got through safe +enough, but they had left men all round. Jack Robins he was shot +dead. Bill and I kept straight on. We had a grapple with some of the +redskins; two or three on 'em went down, and Bill and I got through +and had a race for it till we got fairly into the forest. Bill had a +ball in the shoulder, and I had a clip across the head with a +tomahawk. We had a council, and Bill went off to warn some of the +other settlements and I concluded to take to the water and paddle +back to you, not knowing whether I should find that the redskins had +been before me. I thought anyway that I might stop your going down to +Gloucester, and that if there was a fight you would be none the worse +for an extra rifle." + +Mr. Welch told the hunter of the visit of the two Indian spies two +nights before. + +"Waal," the hunter said, "I reckon for the present you are not likely +to be disturbed. The Injuns have taken a pile of booty and something +like two hundred scalps, counting the women and children, and they +moved off at daybreak this morning in the direction of Tottenham, +which I reckon they'll attack tonight. Howsomever, Bill has gone on +there to warn 'em, and after the sack of Gloucester the people of +Tottenham won't be caught napping, and there are two or three old +frontiersmen who have settled down there, and War Eagle will get a +hot reception if he tries it. As far as his band is concerned, you're +safe for some days. The only fear is that some others of the tribe, +hurrying up at hearing of his success, may take this place as they go +past. And now I guess I'll take a few hours' sleep. I haven't closed +an eye for the last two nights." + +A week passed quietly. Pearson, after remaining two days, again went +down the lake to gather news, and returned a day later with the +intelligence that almost all the settlements had been deserted by +their inhabitants. The Indians were out in great strength and had +attacked the settlers at many points along the frontier, committing +frightful devastations. + +Still another week passed, and Mr. Welch began to hope that his +little clearing had been overlooked and forgotten by the Indians. The +hands now went about their work as usual, but always carried arms +with them, while one was constantly stationed on the watch-tower. +Harold resumed his fishing; never, however, going out of sight of the +house. Sometimes he took with him little Nelly Welch; it being +considered that she was as safe in the canoe as she was in the house, +especially as the boat was always in sight, and the way up from the +landing to the house was under cover of the rifles of the defenders; +so that, even in case of an attack, they would probably be able to +make their way back. + +One afternoon they had been out together for two or three hours; +everything looked as quiet and peaceable as usual; the hands were in +the fields near the house, a few of the cows grazing close to the +gate. Harold had been successful in his fishing and had obtained as +many fish as he could carry. He stepped out from the canoe, helped +Nelly to land, slung his rifle across his back, and picked up the +fish, which were strung on a withe passed through their gills. + +He had made but a few steps when a yell arose, so loud and terrible +that for a moment his heart seemed to stop beating. Then from the +cornfields leaped up a hundred dark figures; then came the sharp +crack of rifles, and two of the hands dashed down at full speed +toward the house. One had fallen. The fourth man was in the +watch-tower. The surprise had been complete. The Indians had made +their way like snakes through the long corn, whose waving had been +unperceived by the sentinel, who was dozing at his post, half-asleep +in the heat of the sun. Harold saw in a moment that it was too late +for him to regain the house; the redskins were already nearer to it +than he was. + +"Now, Nelly! into the boat again--quick!" he said. "We must keep out +of the way till it's all over." + +Nelly was about twelve years old, and her life in the woods had given +her a courage and quickness beyond her years. Without wasting a +moment on cries or lamentations, she sprang back into the canoe. +Harold took his place beside her, and the light craft darted rapidly +out into the lake. Not until he was some three or four hundred yards +from the shore did Harold pause to look round. Then, when he felt he +was out of gunshot distance, he ceased paddling. The fight was raging +now around the house; from loop-holes and turret the white puffs of +smoke darted angrily out. The fire had not been ineffectual, for +several dark forms could be seen lying round the stockade, and the +bulk of the Indians, foiled in their attempt to carry the place at a +rush, had taken shelter in the corn and kept up a scattering fire +round the house, broken only on the side facing the lake, where there +was no growing crop to afford them shelter. + +"They are all right now," Harold said cheerfully. + +"Do not be anxious, Nelly; they will beat them off, Pearson is a host +in himself. I expect he must have been lying down when the attack was +made. I know he was scouting round the house all night. If he had +been on the watch, those fellows would never have succeeded in +creeping up so close unobserved." + +"I wish we were inside," Nelly said, speaking for the first time. "If +I were only with them, I should not mind." + +"I am sure I wish we were," Harold agreed. "It is too hard being +useless out here when such a splendid fight is going on. Ah! they +have their eyes on us!" he exclaimed as a puff of smoke burst out +from some bushes near the shore and a ball came skipping along on the +surface of the water, sinking, however, before it reached it. + +"Those Indian muskets are no good," Harold said contemptuously, "and +the trade powder the Indians get is very poor stuff; but I think that +they are well within range of my rifle." + +The weapon which Harold carried was an English rifle of very perfect +make and finish, which his father had given him on parting. + +"Now," he said, "do you paddle the canoe a few strokes nearer the +shore, Nelly. We shall still be beyond the range of that fellow. He +will fire again and I shall see exactly where he is lying." + +Nelly, who was efficient in the management of a canoe, took the +paddle, and dipping it in the water the boat moved slowly toward the +shore. Harold sat with his rifle across his knees, looking intently +over the bows of the boat toward the bush from which the shot had +come. + +"That's near enough, Nelly," he said. + +The girl stopped paddling, and the hidden foe, seeing that they did +not mean to come nearer the shore, again fired. Harold's rifle was in +an instant against his shoulder; he sat immovable for a moment and +then fired. + +Instantly a dark figure sprang from the bush, staggered +a few steps up the slope, and then fell headlong. + +"That was a pretty good shot," Harold said. "Your father told me, +when I saw a stag's horns above a bush, to fire about two feet behind +them and eighteen inches lower. I fired a foot below the flash, and I +expect I hit him through the body. I had the sight at three hundred +yards and fired a little above it. Now, Nelly, paddle out again. +See!" he said, "there is a shawl waving from the top of the tower. +Put your hat on the paddle and wave it." + +"What are you thinking of doing, Harold?" the girl asked presently. + + "That is just what I have been asking myself for the last ten +minutes," Harold replied. "It is quite clear that as long as the +siege is kept up we cannot get back again, and there is no saying how +long it may last. The first thing is, what chance is there of their +pursuing us? Are there any other canoes on the lake within a short +distance?" + +"They have one at Braithwaite's," the girl said, "four miles off; but +look, there is Pearson's canoe lying by the shore." + +"So there is!" Harold exclaimed. "I never thought of that. I expect +the Indians have not noticed it. The bank is rather high where it is +lying. They are sure to find it, sooner or later. I think, Nelly, the +best plan would be to paddle back again so as to be within the range +of my rifle while still beyond the reach of theirs. I think I can +keep them from using the boat until it is dark." + +"But after it is dark, Harold?" + +"Well, then, we must paddle out into the lake so as to be well out of +sight. When it gets quite dark we can paddle in again and sleep +safely anywhere a mile or two from the house." + +An hour passed without change. Then Nelly said: "There is a movement +in the bushes near the canoe." Presently an arm was extended and +proceeded to haul the canoe toward the shore by its head-rope. As it +touched the bank an Indian rose from the bushes and was about to step +in, while a number of puffs of smoke burst out along the shore and +the bullets skipped over the water toward the canoe, one of them +striking it with sufficient force to penetrate the thin bark a few +inches above the water's edge. Harold had not moved, but as the +savage stepped into the canoe he fired, and the Indian fell heavily +into the water, upsetting the canoe as he did so. + +A yell of rage broke from his comrades. + +"I don't think they will try that game again as long as it is +daylight," Harold said. "Paddle a little further out again, Nelly. If +that bullet had hit you it would have given you a nasty blow, though +I don't think it would have penetrated; still we may as well avoid +accidents." + +After another hour passed the fire round the house ceased. + +"Do you think the Indians have gone away?" Nelly asked. + +"I am afraid there is no chance of that," Harold said. "I expect they +are going to wait till night and then try again. They are not fond of +losing men, and Pearson and your father are not likely to miss +anything that comes within their range as long as daylight lasts." + +"But after dark, Harold?" + +"Oh, they will try all sorts of tricks; but Pearson is up to them +all. Don't you worry about them, dear." + +The hours passed slowly away until at last the sun sank and the +darkness came on rapidly. So long as he could see the canoe, which +just floated above the water's edge, Harold maintained his position; +then taking one paddle, while Nelly handled the other, he sent the +boat flying away from the shore out into the lake. For a quarter of +an hour they paddled straight out. By this time the outline of the +shore could be but dimly perceived. Harold doubted whether it would +be possible to see the boat from shore, but in order to throw the +Indians off the scent, should this be the case, he turned the boat's +head to the south and paddled swiftly until it was perfectly dark. + +"I expect they saw us turn south," he said to Nelly. "The redskins +have wonderful eyes; so, if they pursue at all, they will do it in +that direction. No human being, unless he borrowed the eyes of an +owl, could see us now, so we will turn and paddle the other way." + +For two hours they rowed in this direction. + +"We can go in to shore now," Harold said at last. "We must be seven +or eight miles beyond the house." + +The distance to the shore was longer than they expected, for they had +only the light of the stars to guide them and neither had any +experience in night traveling. They had made much further out into +the lake than they had intended. At length the dark line of trees +rose in front of them, and in a few minutes the canoe lay alongside +the bank and its late occupants were stretched on a soft layer of +moss and fallen leaves. + +"What are we going to do to-morrow about eating?" Nelly asked. + +"There are four or five good-sized fish in the bottom of the canoe," +Harold replied. "Fortunately we caught more than I could carry, and I +intended to make a second trip from the house for these. I am afraid +we shall not be able to cook them, for the Indians can see smoke any +distance. If the worst comes to the worst we must eat them raw, but +we are sure to find some berries in the wood to-morrow. Now, dear, +you had better go to sleep as fast as you can; but first let us kneel +down and pray God to protect us and your father and mother." + + The boy and girl knelt in the darkness and said their simple +prayers. Then they lay down, and Harold was pleased to hear in a few +minutes the steady breathing which told him that his cousin was +asleep. It was a long time before he followed her example. During the +day he had kept up a brave front and had endeavored to make the best +of their position, but now that he was alone he felt the full weight +of the responsibility of guiding his companion through the extreme +danger which threatened them both. He felt sure that the Indians +would prolong the siege for some time, as they would be sure that no +re-enforcements could possibly arrive in aid of the garrison. +Moreover, he by no means felt so sure as he had pretended to his +companion of the power of the defenders of the house to maintain a +successful resistance to so large a number of their savage foes. In +the daylight he felt certain they could beat them off, but darkness +neutralizes the effect both of superior arms and better marksmanship. +It was nearly midnight before he lay down with the determination to +sleep, but scarcely had he done so when he was aroused by an outburst +of distant firing. Although six or seven miles from the scene of the +encounter, the sound of each discharge came distinct to the ear along +the smooth surface of the lake, and he could even hear, mingled with +the musketry fire, the faint yells of the Indians. For hours, as it +seemed to him, he sat listening to the distant contest, and then he, +unconsciously to himself, dozed off to sleep, and awoke with a start, +to find Nelly sitting up beside him and the sun streaming down +through the boughs. He started to his feet. + +"Bless me!" he exclaimed, "I did not know that I had been asleep. It +seems but an instant ago that I was listening"--and here he checked +himself--"that is, that I was wide awake, and here we are in broad +daylight." + +Harold's first care was to examine the position of the canoe, and he +found that fortunately it had touched the shore at a spot where the +boughs of the trees overhead drooped into the water beyond it, so +that it could not be seen by anyone passing along the lake. This was +the more fortunate as he saw, some three miles away, a canoe with +three figures on board. For a long distance on either side the boughs +of the trees drooped into the water, with only an opening here and +there such as that through which the boat had passed the night +before. + +"We must be moving, Nelly. Here are the marks where we scrambled up +the bank last night. If the Indians take it into their heads to +search the shore both ways, as likely enough they may do, they will +be sure to see them. In the first place let us gather a stock of +berries, and then we will get into the boat again and paddle along +under this arcade of boughs till we get to some place where we can +land without leaving marks of our feet. If the Indians find the place +where we landed here, they will suppose that we went off again before +daylight." + +For some time they rambled in the woods and succeeded in gathering a +store of berries and wild fruit. Upon these Nelly made her breakfast, +but Harold's appetite was sufficiently ravenous to enable him to fall +to upon the fish, which, he declared, were not so bad, after all. +Then they took their places in the canoe again and paddled on for +nearly a mile. + + "See, Harold!" Nelly exclaimed as she got a glimpse through the +boughs into the lake, "there is another canoe. They must have got the +Braithwaite boat. We passed their place coming here, you know. I +wonder what has happened there." + +"What do you think is best to do, Nelly?" Harold asked. "Your opinion +is just as good as mine about it. Shall we leave our canoe behind, +land, and take to the woods, or shall we stop quietly in the canoe in +shelter here, or shall we take to the lake and trust to our speed to +get away? in which case, you know, if they should come up I could +pick them off with my gun before they got within reach. + +"I don't think that would do," the girl said, shaking her head. "You +shoot very well, but it is not an easy thing to hit a moving object +if you are not accustomed to it, and they paddle so fast that if you +miss them once they would be close alongside--at any rate we should +be within reach of their guns--before you could load again. They +would be sure to catch us, for although we might paddle nearly as +fast for a time, they would certainly tire us out. Then, as to +waiting here in the canoe, if they came along on foot looking for us +we should be in their power. It is dreadful to think of taking to the +woods with Indians all about, but I really think that would be our +safest plan." + +"I think so too, Nelly, if we can manage to do it without leaving a +track. We must not go much further, for the trees are getting thinner +ahead and we should be seen by the canoes." + +Fifty yards further Harold stopped paddling. + +"Here is just the place, Nelly." + +At this point a little stream of three or four feet wide emerged into +the lake; Harold directed the boat's head toward it. The water in the +stream was but a few inches deep. + +"Now, Nelly," he said, "we must step out into the water and walk up +it as far as we can go--it will puzzle even the sharpest redskin to +find our track then." + +They stepped into the water, Harold taking the head-rope of the canoe +and towing the light boat--which, when empty, did not draw more than +two inches of water--behind him. He directed Nelly to be most careful +as she walked not to touch any of the bushes, which at times nearly +met across the stream. + +"A broken twig or withered leaf would be quite enough to tell the +Indians that we came along this way," he said. "Where the bushes are +thick you must manage to crawl under them. Never mind about getting +wet--you will soon dry again." + +Slowly and cautiously they made their way up the stream for nearly a +mile. It had for some distance been narrowing rapidly, being only fed +by little rills from the surrounding swamp land. Harold had so far +looked in vain for some spot where they could land without leaving +marks of their feet. Presently they came to a place where a great +tree had fallen across the stream. + +"This will do, Nelly," Harold said. "Now, above all things you must +be careful not to break off any of the moss or bark. You had better +take your shoes off; then I will lift you on to the trunk and you can +walk along it without leaving a mark." + +It was hard work for Nelly to take off her drenched boots, but she +managed at last. Harold lifted her on to the trunk and said: + +"Walk along as far as you can and get down as lightly as possible on +to a firm piece of ground. It rises rapidly here and is, I expect, a +dry soil where the upper end of the tree lies." + +"How are you going to get out, Harold?" + +"I can swing myself up by that projecting root." + +Before proceeding to do so Harold raised one end of the canoe and +placed it on the trunk of the tree; then, having previously taken off +his shoes, he swung himself on to the trunk; hauling up the light +bark canoe and taking especial pains that it did not grate upon the +trunk, he placed it on his head and followed Nelly along the tree. He +found, as he had expected, that the ground upon which the upper end +lay was firm and dry. He stepped down with great care, and was +pleased to see, as he walked forward, that no trace of a footmark was +left. + +"Be careful, Nelly," he exclaimed when he joined her, "not to tread +on a stick or disturb a fallen leaf with your feet, and above all to +avoid breaking the smallest twig as you pass. Choose the most open +ground, as that is the hardest." + +In about a hundred yards they came upon a large clump of bushes. + +"Now, Nelly, raise those lower boughs as gently and as carefully as +you can. I will push the canoe under. I don't think the sharpest +Indian will be able to take up our track now." + +Very carefully the canoe was stowed away, and when the boughs were +allowed to fall in their natural position it was completely hidden +from sight to every passer-by. Harold took up the fish, Nelly had +filled her apron with the berries, and carrying their shoes--for they +agreed that it would be safer not to put them on--they started on +their journey through the deep forest. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +THE REDSKIN ATTACK. + +Mr. Welch was with the men, two or three hundred yards away from the +house, when the Indians suddenly sprang out and opened fire. One of +the men fell beside him; the farmer stooped to lift him, but saw that +he was shot through the head. Then he ran with full speed toward the +house, shouting to the hands to make straight for the gate, +disregarding the cattle. Several of these, however, alarmed at the +sudden outburst of fire and the yells of the Indians, made of their +own accord for the stables as their master rushed up at full speed. +The Indians were but fifty or sixty yards behind when Mr. Welch +reached his gate. They had all emptied their pieces, and after the +first volley no shots had been fired save one by the watchman on the +lookout. Then came the crack of Pearson's rifle just as Mr. Welch +shut the gate and laid the bar in its place. Several spare guns had +been placed in the upper chambers, and three reports rang out +together, for Mrs. Welch had run upstairs at the first alarm to take +her part in the defense. + +In another minute the whole party, now six in all, were gathered in +the upper room. + +"Where are Nelly and Harold?" Mr. Welch exclaimed. "I saw the canoe +close to the shore just before the Indians opened fire," the watchman +answered. + +"You must have been asleep," Pearson said savagely. "Where were your +eyes to let them redskins crawl up through the corn without seeing +'em? With such a crowd of 'em the corn must have been a-waving as if +it was blowing a gale. You ought to have a bullet in yer ugly +carkidge, instead of its being in yer mate's out there." + +While this conversation was going on no one had been idle. Each took +up his station at a loop-hole, and several shots were fired whenever +the movement of a blade of corn showed the lurking place of an +Indian. + +The instant the gate had been closed War Eagle had called his men +back to shelter, for he saw that all chance of a surprise was now +over, and it was contrary to all redskin strategy to remain for one +moment unnecessarily exposed to the rifles of the whites. The farmer +and his wife had rushed at once up into the lookout as the Indians +drew off and, to their joy, saw the canoe darting away from shore. + +"They are safe for the present, thank God!" Mr. Welch said. "It is +providential indeed that they had not come a little further from the +shore when the redskins broke out. Nothing could have saved them, had +they fairly started for the house." + +"What will they do, William?" asked his wife anxiously. + +"I cannot tell you, my dear. I do not know what I should do myself +under the circumstances. However, the boy has got a cool head on his +shoulders, and you need not be anxious for the present. Now let us +join the others. Our first duty is to take our share in the defense +of the house. The young ones are in the hands of God. We can do +nothing for them." + +"Well?" Pearson asked, looking round from his +loop-hole as the farmer and his wife descended into the room, which +was a low garret extending over the whole of the house. "Do you see +the canoe?" + +"Yes, it has got safely away," William Welch said; "but what the lad +will do now is more than I can say." + +Pearson placed his rifle against the wall. "Now keep your eyes +skinned," he said to the three farm hands. + +"One of yer's done mischief enough this morning already, and you'll +get your har raised, as sure as you're born, unless you look out +sharp. Now," he went on, turning to the Welches, "let us go down and +talk this matter over. The Injuns may keep on firing, but I don't +think they'll show in the open again as long as it's light enough for +us to draw bead on 'em. Yes," he went on, as he looked through a +loop-hole in the lower story over the lake, "there they are, just out +of range." + +"What do you think they will do?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +The hunter was silent for a minute. + +"It aint a easy thing to say what they ought to do, much less what +they will do; it aint a good outlook anyway, and I don't know what I +should do myself. The whole of the woods on this side of the lake are +full of the darned red critters. There's a hundred eyes on that canoe +now, and, go where they will, they'll be watched." + +"But why should they not cross the lake and land on the other side?" +Mr. Welch said. + +"If you and I were in that canoe," the hunter answered, "that's about +what we should do; but, not to say that it's a long row for 'em, they +two young uns would never get across; the Injuns would have 'em +before they had been gone an hour. There's my canoe lying under the +bushes; she'd carry four, and would go three feet to their two." + +"I had forgotten about that," William Welch said, and then added, +after a pause: "The Indians may not find it." + +"You needn't hope that," the hunter answered; "they have found it +long before this. I don't want to put you out of heart; but I tell ye +ye'll see them on the water before many minutes have passed." + +"Then they are lost," Mrs. Welch said, sinking down in her chair and +bursting into tears. + +"They air in God's hands, ma'am," the hunter said, "and it's no use +trying to deceive you." + +"Would it be of any use," William Welch asked, after a pause, "for me +to offer the redskins that my wife and I will go out and put +ourselves in their hands if they will let the canoe go off without +pursuit?" + +"Not it," the hunter replied decidedly. "You would be throwing away +your own lives without saving theirs, not to mention, although that +doesn't matter a straw, the lives of the rest of us here. It will be +as much as we can do, when they attack us in earnest, to hold this +place with six guns, and with only four the chance would be worth +nothing. But that's neither here nor there. You wouldn't save the +young ones if you gave yourselves up. You can't trust the word of an +Injun on the war-path, and if they went so far as not to kill 'em +they would carry 'em off; and, after all, I aint sure as death aint +better for 'em than to be brought up as Injuns. There," he said, +stopping suddenly as a report of a musket sounded at some little +distance off, "the Injuns are trying their range against 'em. Let's +go up to the lookout." + +The little tower had a thick parapet of logs some three feet high, +and, crouching behind this, they watched the canoe. "He's coming +nearer in shore, and the girl has got the paddle," Pearson muttered. +"What's he doing now?" A puff of smoke was seen to rise near the +border of the lake; then came the sharp crack of Harold's rifle. They +saw an Indian spring from the bushes and fall dead. + +"Well done, young un!" Pearson exclaimed. "I told yer he'd got his +head screwed on the right way. He's keeping just out of range of +their guns, and that piece of his can carry twice as far as theirs. I +reckon he's thought of the canoe, and means to keep 'em from using +it. I begins to think, Mr. Welch, that there's a chance for 'em yet. +Now let's talk a little to these red devils in the corn." + +For some little time Pearson and William Welch turned their attention +to the Indians, while the mother sat with her eyes fixed upon the +canoe. + +"He is coming closer again," she exclaimed presently. + +"He's watching the canoe, sure enough," Pearson said. Then came the +volley along the bushes on the shore, and they saw an Indian rise to +his feet. + +"That's just where she lies!" Pearson exclaimed; "he's getting into +it. There! well done, young un." + +The sudden disappearance of the Indian and the vengeful yell of the +hidden foe told of the failure of the attempt. + +"I think they're safe, now, till nightfall. The Injuns won't care +about putting themselves within range of that 'ere rifle again." + +Gradually the fire of the Indians ceased, and the defenders were able +to leave the loop-holes. Two of the men went down and fastened up the +cattle, which were still standing loose in the yard inside the +stockade; the other set to to prepare a meal, for Mrs. Welch could +not take her eyes off the canoe. + +The afternoon seemed of interminable length. Not a shot was fired. +The men, after taking their dinner, were occupied in bringing some +great tubs on to the upper story and filling them to the brim with +water from the well. This story projected two feet beyond the one +below it, having been so built in order that, in case of attack, the +defenders might be able to fire down upon any foe who might cross the +stockade and attack the house itself; the floor boards over the +projecting portion were all removable. The men also brought a +quantity of the newly cut corn to the top of the house, first +drenching it with water. + +The sun sank, and as dusk was coming on the anxious watchers saw the +canoe paddle out far into the lake. + +"An old frontiersman couldn't do better," Pearson exclaimed. "He's +kept them out of the canoe as long as daylight lasted; now he has +determined to paddle away and is making down the lake," he went on +presently. "It's a pity he turned so soon, as they can see the course +he's taking." + +They watched until it was completely dark; but, before the light +quite faded, they saw another canoe put out from shore and start in +the direction taken by the fugitives. + +"Will they catch them, do you think?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +"No, ma'am," Pearson said confidently. "The boy's got sense enough to +have changed his course after it gets dark, though whether he'll make +for shore or go out toward the other side is more than I can say. You +see, they'll know that the Injuns are all along this side of the +lake; but then, on the other hand, they'll be anxious about us and +'ll want to keep close at hand. Besides, the lad knows nothing of the +other side; there may be Injuns there, for aught he knows, and it's a +skeary thing for a young un to take to the forest, especially with a +gal in his charge. There aint no saying what he'll do. And now we've +got to look after ourselves; don't let us think about 'em at present. +The best thing as we can do for them, as well as for ourselves, is to +hold this here place. If they live they'll come back to it sooner or +later, and it 'll be better for 'em to find it standing, and you here +to welcome 'em, than to get back to a heap of ruins and some dead +bodies." + +"When will the redskins attack, do you think?" the farmer asked. + +"We may expect 'em any time, now," the hunter answered. "The Injuns' +time of attack is generally just before dawn, but they know well +enough they aint likely to ketch us asleep any time, and, as they +know exactly what they have got to do they'll gain nothing by +waiting. I wish we had a moon; if we had, we might keep 'em out of +the stockade. But there--it's just as well it's dark, after all; for, +if the moon was up, the young ones would have no chance of getting +away." + +The garrison now all took their places at the loop-holes, having +first carried the wet fodder to the roof and spread it over the +shingles. There was nothing to do now but to wait. The night was so +dark that they could not see the outline of the stockade. Presently a +little spark shot through the air, followed by a score of others. Mr. +Welch had taken his post on the tower, and he saw the arrows whizzing +through the air, many of them falling on the roof. The dry grass +dipped in resin, which was tied round the arrow-heads, was instantly +extinguished as the arrows fell upon the wet corn, and a yell arose +from the Indians. + +The farmer descended and told the others of the failure of the +Indians' first attempt. + +"That 'ere dodge is a first-rate un," Pearson said. "We're safe from +fire, and that's the only thing we've got to be afeared on. You'll +see 'em up here in a few minutes." + +Everything was perfectly quiet. Once or twice the watchers thought +that they could hear faint sounds, but could not distinguish their +direction. After half an hour's anxious waiting a terrible yell was +heard from below, and at the doors and windows of the lower rooms +came the crashing blows of tomahawks. + +The boards had already been removed from the flooring above, and the +defenders opened a steady fire into the dark mass that they could +faintly make out clustered round the windows and doors. At Pearson's +suggestion the bullets had been removed from the guns and heavy +charges of buckshot had been substituted for them, and yells of pain +and surprise rose as they fired. A few shots were fired up from +below, but a second discharge from the spare guns completed the +effect from the first volley. The dark mass broke up and, in a few +seconds, all was as quiet as before. + +Two hours passed, and then slight sounds were heard. "They've got the +gate opened, I expect," Pearson said. "Fire occasionally at that; if +we don't hit 'em the flashes may show us what they're doing." + +It was as he had expected. The first discharge was followed by a cry, +and by the momentary light they saw a number of dark figures pouring +in through the gate. Seeing that concealment was no longer possible, +the Indians opened a heavy fire round the house; then came a crashing +sound near the door. + +"Just as I thought," Pearson said. "They're going to try to burn us +out." + +For some time the noise continued, as bundle after bundle of dried +wood was thrown down by the door. The garrison were silent; for, as +Pearson said, they could see nothing, and a stray bullet might enter +at the loop-holes if they placed themselves there, and the flashes of +the guns would serve as marks for the Indians. + +Presently two or three faint lights were seen approaching. + +"Now," Pearson said, "pick 'em off as they come up. You and I'll take +the first man, Welch. You fire just to the right of the light, I will +fire to the left; he may be carrying the brand in either hand." + +They fired together, and the brand was seen to drop to the ground. +The same thing happened as the other two sparks of light approached; +then it was again quiet. Now a score of little lights flashed through +the air. + +"They're going to light the pile with their flaming arrows," Pearson +said. "War Eagle is a good leader." + +Three or four of the arrows fell on the pile of dry wood. A moment +later the flames crept up and the smoke of burning wood rolled up +into the room above. A yell of triumph burst from the Indians, but +this changed into one of wrath as those above emptied the contents of +one of the great tubs of water on to the pile of wood below them. The +flames were instantly extinguished. + +"What will they do next?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +"It's like enough," Pearson replied, "that they'll give the job up +altogether. They've got plenty of plunder and scalps at the +settlements, and their attacking us here in such force looks as if +the hull of 'em were on their way back to their villages. If they +could have tuk our scalps easy they would have done it; but War Eagle +aint likely to risk losing a lot of men when he aint sartin of +winning, after all. He has done good work as it is, and has quite +enough to boast about when he gets back. If he were to lose a heap of +his braves here it would spoil the success of his expedition. No, I +think as he will give it up now." + +"He will be all the more anxious to catch the children," Mrs. Welch +said despondently. + +"It can't be denied, ma'am, as he will do his best that way," Pearson +answered. "It all depends, though, on the boy. I wish I was with him +in that canoe. Howsomever, I can't help thinking as he will +sarcumvent 'em somehow." + +The night passed without any further attack. By turns half the +garrison watched while the other lay down, but there was little sleep +taken by any. With the first gleam of daylight Mrs. Welch and her +husband were on the lookout. + +"There's two canoes out on the lake," Pearson said. "They're paddling +quietly; which is which I can't say." + +As the light became brighter Pearson pronounced, positively, that +there were three men in one canoe and four in the other. + +"I think they're all Injuns," he said. "They must have got another +canoe somewhere along the lake. Waal, they've not caught the young +uns yet." + +"The boats are closing up to each other," Mrs. Welch said. "They're +going to have a talk, I reckon. Yes, one of 'em's turning and going +down the lake, while the other's going up. I'd give a heap to know +where the young uns have got to." + +The day passed quietly. An occasional shot toward the house showed +that the Indians remained in the vicinity and, indeed, dark forms +could be seen moving about in the distant parts of the clearing. + +"Will it be possible," the farmer asked Pearson, when night again +fell, "to go out and see if we can discover any traces of them?" + +"Worse than no use," Pearson said positively. "We should just lose +our har without doing no good whatever. If the Injuns in these +woods--and I reckon altogether there's a good many hundred of +'em--can't find 'em, ye may swear that we can't. That's just what +they're hoping, that we'll be fools enough to put ourselves outside +the stockade. They'll lie close round all night, and a weasel +wouldn't creep through 'em. Ef I thought there was jest a shadow of +chance of finding them young uns I'd risk it; but there's no +chance--not a bit of it." + +A vigilant watch was again kept up all night, but all was still and +quiet. The next morning the Indians were still round them. + +"Don't ye fret, ma'am!" Pearson said, as he saw how pale and wan Mrs. +Welch looked in the morning light. "You may bet your last shilling +that they're not caught 'em." + +"Why are you so sure?" Mrs. Welch asked. "They may be dead by this +time." + +"Not they, ma'am! I'm as sartin as they're living and free as I am +that I'm standing here. I know these Injuns' ways. Ef they had caught +'em they'd jest have brought 'em here and would have fixed up two +posts, jest out of rifle range, and would have tied them there and +offered you the choice of giving up this place and your scalps or of +seeing them tortured and burned under your eyes. That's their way. +No, they aint caught 'em alive, nor they aint caught 'em dead +neither; for, ef they had they'd have brought their scalps to have +shown yer. No, they've got away, though it beats me to say how. I've +only got one fear, and that is that they might come back before the +Injuns have gone. Now I tell ye what we had better do--we better keep +up a dropping fire all night and all day to-morrow, and so on, until +the redskins have gone. Ef the young uns come back across the lake at +night, and all is quiet, they'll think the Injuns have taken +themselves off; but, if they hear firing still going on, they'll know +well enough that they're still around the house." + +William Welch at once agreed to this plan, and every quarter of an +hour or so all through the night a few shots were fired. The next +morning no Indians could be seen, and there was a cessation of the +dropping shots which had before been kept up at the house. + +"They may be in hiding," Pearson said in the afternoon, "trying to +tempt us out; but I'm more inclined to think as how they've gone. I +don't see a blade of that corn move; I've had my eyes fixed on it for +the last two hours. It are possible, of course, that they're there, +but I reckon not. I expect they've been waiting, ever since they gave +up the attack, in hopes that the young uns would come back; but now, +as they see that we're keeping up a fire to tell them as how they're +still round us, they've given it up and gone. When it gets dark +to-night I'll go out and scout round." + +At ten o'clock at night Pearson dropped lightly from the stockade on +the side opposite to the gate, as he knew that, if the Indians were +there, this would be the point that they would be watching; then, +crawling upon his stomach, he made his way slowly down to the lake. +Entering the water and stooping low, he waded along the edge of the +bushes for a distance of a mile; then he left the water and struck +into the forest. Every few minutes he could hear the discharge of the +rifles at the house; but, as before, no answering shots were heard. +Treading very cautiously, he made a wide _detour_ and then came down +again on the clearing at the end furthest from the lake, where the +Indians had been last seen moving about. All was still. Keeping among +the trees and moving with great caution, he made his way, for a +considerable distance, along the edge of the clearing; then he +dropped on his hands and knees and entered the cornfield, and for two +hours he crawled about, quartering the ground like a dog in search of +game. Everywhere he found lines where the Indians had crawled along +to the edge nearest to the house, but nowhere did he discover a sign +of life. Then, still taking great care, he moved down toward the +house and made a circuit of it a short distance outside the stockade; +then he rose to his feet. + +"Yer may stop shooting," he shouted. "The pesky rascals are gone." +Then he walked openly up to the gate; it was opened at once by +William Welch. + +"Are you sure they have gone?" he asked. + +"Sure as gospel," he answered, "and they've been gone twenty-four +hours at least." + +"How do you know that?" + +"Easy enough. I found several of their cooking places in the woods; +the brands were out, and even under the ashes the ground was cold, so +they must have been out for a long time. I could have walked straight +on to the house, then, but I thought it safer to make quite sure by +searching everywhere, for they might have moved deeper into the +forest, and left a few men on guard here, in case the young uns +should come back. But it aint so; they've gone, and there aint a +living soul anywhere nigh the clearing. The young uns can come back +now, if they will, safely enough." + +Before doing anything else the farmer assembled the party together in +the living room, and there solemnly offered up thanks to God for +their deliverance from danger, and implored his protection for the +absent ones. When this was over he said to his wife: + +"Now, Jane; you had better lie down and get a few hours' sleep. It is +already two o'clock, and there is no chance whatever of their +returning tonight, but I shall go down to the lake and wait till +morning. Place candles in two of the upper windows. Should they be +out on the lake they will see them and know that the Indians have not +taken the house." + +Morning came, without any signs of the absent ones. At daybreak +Pearson went out to scout in the woods, and returned late in the +afternoon with the news that the Indians had all departed, and that, +for a distance of ten miles at least, the woods were entirely free. + +When it became dark the farmer again went down to the lake and +watched until two, when Pearson took his place. Mr. Welch was turning +to go back to the house when Pearson placed his hand on his shoulder. + +"Listen!" he said; and for a minute the men stood immovable. + +"What was it?" the farmer asked. + +"I thought I heard the stroke of a paddle," Pearson said; "it might +have been the jump of a fish. There! there it is again!" He lay down +and put his ear close to the water. "There's a canoe in the lake to +the north'ard. I can hear the strokes of the paddle plainly." + +Mr. Welch could hear nothing. Some minutes passed, then Pearson +exclaimed: + +"There! I saw a break in the water over there! There it is!" he said, +straining his eyes in the darkness. "That's a canoe, sure enough, +although they have ceased paddling. It's not a mile away." + +Then he rose to his feet and shouted "Halloo!" at the top of his +voice. An answering shout faintly came back across the water. He +again hailed loudly, and this time the answer came in a female voice. + +"It's them, sure enough. I can swear to Nelly's voice." + +William Welch uncovered his head and, putting his hand before his +face, returned fervent thanks to God for the recovery of his child. +Then he dashed off at full speed toward the house. Before he reached +it however, he met his wife running down to meet him, the shouts +having informed her that something was seen. Hand in hand they ran +down to the water's edge. The canoe was now swiftly approaching. The +mother screamed: + +"Nelly! is that you?" + +"Mamma! mamma!" came back in the girl's clear tones. + +With a low cry of gladness Mrs. Welch fell senseless to the ground. +The strain which she had for four days endured had been terrible, and +even the assurances of Pearson had failed to awaken any strong +feeling of hope in her heart. She had kept up bravely and had gone +about her work in the house with a pale, set face, but the unexpected +relief was too much for her. Two minutes later the bow of the canoe +grated on the shore, and Nelly leaped into her father's arms. + +"Where is mamma?" she exclaimed. "She is here, my dear, but she has +fainted. The joy of your return has been too much for her." + +Nelly knelt beside her mother and raised her head, and the farmer +grasped Harold's hand. + +"My brave boy," he said, "I have to thank you for saving my child's +life. God bless you!" + +He dipped his hat in the lake and sprinkled water in his wife's face. +She soon recovered and, a few minutes afterward, the happy party +walked up to the house, Mrs. Welch being assisted by her husband and +Pearson. The two young ones were soon seated at a table, ravenously +devouring food, and, when their hunger was satisfied, they related +the story of their adventures, the whole of the garrison being +gathered round to listen. After relating what had taken place up to +the time of their hiding the canoe, Harold went on: + +"We walked about a quarter of a mile until we came to a large clump +of underwood. We crept in there, taking great pains not to break a +twig or disturb a leaf. The ground was, fortunately, very dry, and I +could see that our footprints had not left the smallest marks. There +we have lain hid ever since. We had the fish and the berries, and, +fortunately, the fruit was ripe and juicy and quenched our thirst +well enough, and we could, sometimes, hear the firing by day, and +always at night. On the day we took refuge we heard the voices of the +Indians down toward the lake quite plainly, but we have heard nothing +of them since. Last night we heard the firing up to the middle of the +night, and then it suddenly stopped. To-day I crept out and went down +to the lake to listen; but it seemed that everything was still. Nelly +was in a terrible way, and was afraid that the house had been taken +by the Indians, but I told her that could not be, for that there +would certainly have been a tremendous lot of firing at last, whereas +it stopped, after a few shots, just as it had been going on so long. +Our provisions were all gone and Nelly was getting very bad for want +of water. I, of course, got a drink at the lake this morning. So we +agreed that, if everything was still again to-night, we would go back +to the place where we had hidden the canoe, launch it, and paddle +here. Everything was quiet, so we came along as we had arranged. When +I saw the lights in the windows I made sure all was right: still it +was a great relief when I heard the shout from the shore. I knew, of +course, that it wasn't a redskin's shout. Besides, Indians would have +kept quiet till we came alongside." + +Very hearty were the commendations bestowed on the boy for his +courage and thoughtfulness. + +"You behaved like an old frontiersman," Pearson said. "I couldn't +have done better myself. You only made one blunder from the time you +set out from shore." + +"What was that?" Harold asked. + +"You were wrong to pick the berries. The redskins, of course, would +find where you had landed, they'd see the marks where you lay down, +and would know that you had paddled away again. Had it not been for +their seeing the tracks you made in picking the berries they might +have, supposed you had started before daybreak, and had gone out of +sight across the lake; but them marks would have shown 'em that you +did not take to your canoe until long after the sun was up, and +therefore that you couldn't have made across the lake without their +seeing you, but must either have landed or be in your canoe under +shelter of the trees somewhere along the shore. It's a marvel to me +that they didn't find your traces, however careful you were to +conceal 'em. But that's the only error you made, and I tell you, +young un, you have a right to be proud of having outwitted a hull +tribe of redskins." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON. + +Harold remained for four months longer with his cousin. The Indians +had made several attacks upon settlements at other points of the +frontier, but they had not repeated their incursion in the +neighborhood of the lake. The farming operations had gone on +regularly, but the men always worked with their rifles ready to their +hand. Pearson had predicted that the Indians were not likely to +return to that neighborhood. Mr. Welch's farm was the only one along +the lake that had escaped, and the loss the Indians had sustained in +attacking it had been so heavy that they were not likely to make an +expedition in that quarter, where the chances of booty were so small +and the certainty of a desperate resistance so great. + +Other matters occurred which rendered the renewal of the attack +improbable. The news was brought by a wandering hunter that a quarrel +had arisen between the Shawnees and the Iroquois, and that the latter +had recalled their braves from the frontier to defend their own +villages in case of hostilities breaking out between them and the +rival tribe. + +There was no occasion for Harold to wait for news from home, for his +father had, before starting, definitely fixed the day for his return, +and when that time approached Harold started on his eastward journey, +in order to be at home about the date of their arrival. Pearson took +him in his canoe to the end of the lake and accompanied him to the +settlement, whence he was able to obtain a conveyance to Detroit. +Here he took a passage in a trading boat and made his way by water to +Montreal, thence down through Lake Champlain and the Hudson River to +New York, and thence to Boston. + +The journey had occupied him longer than he expected, and Mr. and +Mrs. Wilson were already in their home at Concord when he arrived. +The meeting was a joyful one. His parents had upon their return home +found letters from Mr. Welch and his wife describing the events which +had happened at the farm, speaking in the highest terms of the +courage and coolness in danger which Harold had displayed, and giving +him full credit for the saving of their daughter's life. + +Upon the day after Harold's return two gentlemen called upon Captain +Wilson and asked him to sign the agreement which a number of +colonists had entered into to resist the mother country to the last. +This Captain Wilson positively refused to do. + +"I am an Englishman," he said, "and my sympathies are wholly with my +country. I do not say that the whole of the demands of England are +justifiable. I think that Parliament has been deceived as to the +spirit existing here. But I consider that it has done nothing +whatever to justify the attitude of the colonists. The soldiers of +England have fought for you against French and Indians and are still +stationed here to protect you. The colonists pay nothing for their +land; they pay nothing toward the expenses of the government of the +mother country; and it appears to me to be perfectly just that people +here, free as they are from all the burdens that bear so heavily on +those at home, should at least bear the expense of the army stationed +here. I grant that it would have been far better had the colonists +taxed themselves to pay the extra amount, instead of the mother +country taxing them; but this they would not do. Some of the +colonists paid their quota, others refused to do so, and this being +the case, it appears to me that England is perfectly justified in +laying on a tax. Nothing could have been fairer than the tax that she +proposed. The stamp-tax would in no way have affected the poorer +classes in the colonies. It would have been borne only by the rich +and by those engaged in such business transactions as required +stamped documents. I regard the present rebellion as the work of a +clique of ambitious men who have stirred up the people by incendiary +addresses and writings. There are, of course, among them a large +number of men--among them, gentlemen, I place you--who +conscientiously believe that they are justified in doing nothing +whatever for the land which gave them or their ancestors birth; who +would enjoy all the great natural wealth of this vast country without +contributing toward the expense of the troops to whom it is due that +they enjoy peace and tranquility. Such, gentlemen, are not my +sentiments. You consider it a gross hardship that the colonists are +compelled to trade only with the mother country. I grant that it +would be more profitable and better for us had we an open trade with +the whole world; but in this England only acts as do all other +countries toward their colonies. France, Spain, Portugal, and the +Netherlands all monopolize the trade of their colonies; all, far more +than does England, regard their colonies as sources of revenue. I +repeat, I do not think that the course that England has pursued +toward us has been always wise, but I am sure that nothing that she +has done justifies the spirit of disaffection and rebellion which is +ripe throughout these colonies." + +"The time will come, sir," one of the gentlemen said, "when you will +have reason to regret the line which you have now taken." + +"No, sir," Captain Wilson said haughtily. "The time may come when the +line that I have taken may cost me my fortune, and even my life, but +it will never cause me one moment's regret that I have chosen the +part of a loyal English gentleman." + +When the deputation had departed Harold, who had been a wondering +listener to the conversation, asked his father to explain to him the +exact position in which matters stood. + +It was indeed a serious one. The success of England, in her struggle +with France for the supremacy of North America had cost her a great +deal of money. At home the burdens of the people were extremely +heavy. The expense of the army and navy was great, and the ministry, +in striving to lighten the burdens of the people, turned their eyes +to the colonies. They saw in America a population of over two million +people, subjects of the king, like themselves, living free from rent +and taxes on their own land and paying nothing whatever to the +expenses of the country. They were, it is true, forced to trade with +England, but this obligation was set wholly at naught. A gigantic +system of smuggling was carried on. The custom-house officials had no +force at their disposal which would have enabled them to check these +operations, and the law enforcing a trade with England was virtually +a dead letter. + +Their first step was to strengthen the naval force on the American +coast and by additional vigilance to put some sort of check on the +wholesale smuggling which prevailed. This step caused extreme +discontent among the trading classes of America, and these set to +work vigorously to stir up a strong feeling of disaffection against +England. The revenue officers were prevented, sometimes by force, +from carrying out their duties. + +After great consideration the English government came to the +conclusion that a revenue sufficient to pay a considerable proportion +of the cost of the army in America might be raised by means of a +stamp-tax imposed upon all legal documents, receipts, agreements, and +licenses--a tax, in fact, resembling that on stamps now in use in +England. The colonists were furious at the imposition of this tax. A +Congress, composed of deputies from each State, met, and it was +unanimously resolved that the stamp-tax should not be paid. Meetings +were everywhere held, at which the strongest and most treasonable +language was uttered, and such violent threats were used against the +persons employed as stamp-collectors that these, in fear of their +lives, resigned their posts. + +The stamp-tax remained uncollected and was treated by the colonists +as if it were not in existence. + +The whole of the States now began to prepare for war. The Congress +was made permanent, the militia drilled and prepared for fighting, +and everywhere the position grew more and more strained. +Massachusetts was the headquarters of disaffection, and here a total +break with the mother country was openly spoken of. At times the more +moderate spirits attempted to bring about a reconciliation between +the two parties. Petitions were sent to the Houses of Parliament, and +even at this time had any spirit of wisdom prevailed in England the +final consequences might have been prevented. Unfortunately the +majority in Parliament were unable to recognize that the colonists +had any rights upon their side. Taxation was so heavy at home that +men felt indignant that they should be called upon to pay for the +keeping up of the army in America, to which the untaxed colonists, +with their free farms and houses, would contribute nothing. The plea +of the colonists that they were taxed by a chamber in which they were +unrepresented was answered by the statement that such was also the +case with Manchester, Leeds, and many other large towns which were +unrepresented in Parliament. + +In England neither the spirit nor the strength of the colonists was +understood. Men could not bring themselves to believe that these +would fight rather than submit, still less that if they did fight it +would be successfully. They ignored the fact that the population of +the States was one-fourth as large as that of England; that by far +the greater proportion of that population were men trained, either in +border warfare or in the chase, to the use of the rifle; that the +enormous extent of country offered almost insuperable obstacles to +the most able army composed of regular troops, and that the vast +forests and thinly populated country were all in favor of a +population fighting as guerrillas against trained troops. Had they +perceived these things the English people would have hesitated before +embarking upon such a struggle, even if convinced, as assuredly the +great majority were convinced, of the fairness of their demands. It +is true that even had England at this point abandoned altogether her +determination to raise taxes in America the result would probably +have been the same. The spirit of disaffection in the colony had gone +so far that a retreat would have been considered as a confession of +weakness, and separation of the colonists from the mother country +would have happened ere many years had elapsed. As it was, Parliament +agreed to let the stamp-tax drop, and in its place established some +import duties on goods entering the American ports. + +The colonists, however, were determined that they would submit to no +taxation whatever. The English government, in its desire for peace, +abandoned all the duties with the exception of that on tea; but even +this concession was not sufficient to satisfy the colonists. These +entered into a bond to use no English goods. A riot took place at +Boston, and the revenue officers were forced to withdraw from their +posts. Troops were dispatched from England and the House of Commons +declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion. + +It must not be supposed that the colonists were by any means +unanimous in their resistance to England. There were throughout the +country a large number of gentlemen, like Captain Wilson, wholly +opposed to the general feeling. New York refused to send members to +the Congress, and in many other provinces the adhesion given to the +disaffected movement was but lukewarm. It was in the New England +provinces that the spirit of rebellion was hottest. These States had +been peopled for the most part by Puritans--men who had left England +voluntarily, exiling themselves rather than submit to the laws and +religion of the country, and among them, as among a portion of the +Irish population of America at the present time, the feeling of +hatred against the government of England was, in a way, hereditary. + +So far but few acts of violence had taken place. Nothing could be +more virulent than the language of the newspapers of both parties +against their opponents, but beyond a few isolated tumults the peace +had not been broken. It was the lull before the storm. The great +majority of the New England colonists were bent upon obtaining +nothing short of absolute independence; the loyalists and the English +were as determined to put down any revolt by force. + +The Congress drilled, armed, and organized; the English brought over +fresh troops and prepared for the struggle. It was December when +Harold returned home to his parents, and for the next three months +the lull before the storm continued. + +The disaffected of Massachusetts had collected a large quantity of +military stores at Concord. These General Gage, who commanded the +troops at Boston, determined to seize and destroy, seeing that they +could be collected only for use against the Government, and on the +night of April 19 the grenadier and light infantry companies of the +various regiments, 800 strong, under command of Lieutenant Colonel +Smith of the Tenth Regiment, and Major Pitcairne of the Marines, +embarked in boats and were conveyed up Charles River as far as a +place called Phipps' Farm. There they landed at midnight, having a +day's provisions in their haversacks, and started on their march to +Concord, twenty miles distant from Boston. + +The design had been discovered by some of the revolutionary party in +the town, and two of their number were dispatched on horseback to +rouse the whole country on the way to Concord, where the news arrived +at two o'clock in the morning. + +Captain Wilson and his household were startled from sleep by the +sudden ringing of the alarm-bells, and a negro servant, Pompey, who +had been for many years in their service, was sent down into the +town, which lay a quarter of a mile from the house, to find out what +was the news. He returned in half an hour. + +"Me tink all de people gone mad, massa. Dey swarming out of deir +houses and filling de streets, all wid guns on deir shoulders, all de +while shouting and halloing 'Down wid de English! Down wid de +redcoats! dey shan't have our guns; dey shan't take de cannon and de +powder.' Dere were ole Massa Bill Emerson, the preacher, wid his gun +in his hands, shouting to de people to stand firm and to fight till +de last; dey all shout, 'We will!' Dey bery desperate; me fear great +fight come on." + +"What are you going to do, father?" Harold asked. + +"Nothing, my boy. If, as it is only too likely, this is the beginning +of a civil war, I have determined to offer my services to the +government. Great numbers of loyalists have sent in their names +offering to serve if necessary, and from my knowledge of drill I +shall, of course, be useful. To-day I can take no active part in the +fight, but I shall take my horse and ride forward to meet the troops +and warn the commanding officer that resistance will be attempted +here." + +"May I go with you, father?" + +"Yes, if you like, my boy. Pompey, saddle two horses at once. You are +not afraid of being left alone, Mary?" he said, turning to his wife. +"There is no chance of any disturbance here. Our house lies beyond +the town, and whatever takes place will be in Concord. When the +troops have captured the guns and stores they will return." + +Mrs. Wilson said she was not frightened and had no fear whatever of +being left alone. The horses were soon brought round, and Captain +Wilson and his son mounted and rode off at full speed. They made a +_detour_ to avoid the town, and then, gaining the highroad, went +forward at full speed. The alarm had evidently been given all along +the line. At every village the bells were ringing, the people were +assembling in the streets, all carrying arms, while numbers were +flocking in from the farmhouses around. Once or twice Captain Wilson +was stopped and asked where he was going. + +"I am going to tell the commander of the British force, now marching +hither, that if he advances there will be bloodshed--that it will be +the beginning of civil war. If he has orders to come at all hazards, +my words will not stop him; if it is left to his discretion, possibly +he may pause before he brings on so dire a calamity." + +It was just dawn when Captain Wilson and Harold rode into Lexington, +where the militia, 130 strong, had assembled. Their guns were loaded +and they were ready to defend the place, which numbered about 700 +inhabitants. + +Just as Captain Wilson rode in a messenger ran up with the news that +the head of the British column was close at hand. Some of the militia +had dispersed to lie down until the English arrived. John Parker, who +commanded them, ordered the drums to beat and the alarm-guns to be +fired, and his men drew up in two ranks across the road. + +"It is too late now, Harold," Captain Wilson said. "Let us get out of +the line of fire." + +The British, hearing the drums and the alarm-guns, loaded, and the +advance company came on at the double. Major Pitcairne was at their +head and shouted to the militia to lay down their arms. + +It is a matter of dispute, and will always remain one, as to who +fired the first shot. The Americans assert that it was the English; +the English say that as they advanced several shots were fired at +them from behind a stone wall and from some of the adjoining houses, +which wounded one man and hit Major Pitcairne's horse in two places. + +The militia disregarded Major Pitcairne's orders to lay down their +arms. The English fired; several of the militia were killed, nine +wounded, and the rest dispersed. There was no further fighting and +the English marched on, unopposed, to Concord. + +As they approached the town the militia retreated from it. The +English took possession of a bridge behind the place and held this +while the troops were engaged in destroying the ammunition and +gun-carriages. Most of the guns had been removed and only two +twenty-four pounders were taken. In destroying the stores by fire the +court-house took flames. At the sight of this fire the militia and +armed countrymen advanced down the hill toward the bridge. The +English tried to pull up the planks, but the Americans ran forward +rapidly. The English guard fired; the colonists returned the fire. +Some of the English were killed and wounded and the party fell back +into the town. Half an hour later Colonel Smith, having performed the +duty that he was sent to do, resumed the homeward march with the +whole of his troops. + +Then the militiamen of Concord, with those from many villages around +and every man in the district capable of bearing arms, fell upon the +retiring English. + +The road led through several defiles, and every tree, every rock, +every depression of ground was taken advantage of by the Americans. +Scarcely a man was to be seen, but their deadly fire rained thick +upon the tired troops. This they vainly attempted to return, but they +could do nothing against an invisible foe, every man of whom +possessed a skill with his rifle far beyond that of the British +soldier. Very many fell and the retreat was fast becoming a rout, +when, near Lexington, the column met a strong re-enforcement which +had been sent out from Boston. This was commanded by Lord Percy, who +formed his detachment into square, in which Colonel Smith's party, +now so utterly exhausted that they were obliged to lie down for some +time, took refuge. When they were rested the whole force moved +forward again toward Boston, harassed the whole way by the Americans, +who from behind stone walls and other places of shelter kept up an +incessant fire upon both flanks, as well as in the front and rear, +against which the troops could do nothing. At last the retreating +column safely arrived at Boston, spent and worn out with fatigue. +Their loss was 65 men killed, 136 wounded, 49 missing. + +Such was the beginning of the war of independence. Many American +writers have declared that previous to that battle there was no +desire for independence on the part of the colonists, but this is +emphatically contradicted by the language used at the meetings and in +the newspapers which have come down to us. The leaders may not have +wished to go so far--may not have intended to gain more than an +entire immunity from taxation and an absolute power for the colonists +to manage their own affairs. But experience has shown that when the +spark of revolution is once lighted, when resistance to the law has +once commenced, things are carried to a point far beyond that dreamed +of by the first leaders. + +Those who commenced the French Revolution were moderate men who +desired only that some slight check should be placed on the arbitrary +power of the king--that the people should be relieved in some slight +degree from the horrible tyranny of the nobles, from the misery and +wretchedness in which they lived. These just demands increased step +by step until they culminated in the Reign of Terror and the most +horrible scenes of bloodshed and massacre of modern times. + +Men like Washington and Franklin and Adams may have desired only that +the colonists should be free from imperial taxation, but the popular +voice went far beyond this. Three years earlier wise counsels in the +British Parliament might have averted a catastrophe and delayed for +many years the separation of the colonies from their mother country. +At the time the march began from Boston to Concord the American +colonists stood virtually in armed rebellion. The militia throughout +New England were ready to fight. Arms, ammunition, and military +stores were collected in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. The cannon +and military stores belonging to the Crown had been carried off by +the people, forty cannon being seized in Rhode Island alone. Such +being the case, it is nonsense to speak of the fray at Lexington as +the cause of the Revolutionary War. It was but the spark in the +powder. The magazine was ready and primed, the explosion was +inevitable, and the fight at Lexington was the accidental incident +which set fire to it. + +The efforts of American writers to conceal the real facts of the +case, to minimize the rebellious language, the violent acts of the +colonists, and to make England responsible for the war because a body +of troops were sent to seize cannon and military stores intended to +be used against them are so absurd, as well as so untrue, that it is +astonishing how wide a credence such statements have received. + +From an eminence at some distance from the line of retreat Captain +Wilson and his son watched sorrowfully the attack upon the British +troops. When at last the combatants disappeared from sight through +one of the defiles Captain Wilson turned his horse's head homeward. + +"The die is cast," he said to his wife as she met him at the door. +"The war has begun, and I fear it can have but one termination. The +colonists can place forces in the field twenty times as numerous as +any army that England can spare. They are inferior in drill and in +discipline, but these things, which are of such vast consequence in a +European battlefield, matter but little in such a country as this. +Skill with the rifle and knowledge of forest warfare are far more +important. In these points the colonists are as superior to the +English soldiers as they are in point of numbers. Nevertheless, my +dear, my duty is plain. I am an Englishman and have borne his +Majesty's commission, and I must fight for the king. Harold has +spoken to me as we rode home together, and he wishes to fight by my +side. I have pointed out to him that as he was born here he can +without dishonor remain neutral in the struggle. He, however, insists +that as a royal subject of the king he is entitled to fight for him. +He saw to-day many lads not older than himself in the rebel ranks, +and he has pleaded strongly for permission to go with me. To this I +have agreed. Which would you prefer, Mary--to stay quietly here, +where I imagine you would not be molested on account of the part I +take, or will you move into Boston and stop with your relations there +until the struggle has ended one way or the other?" + +As Mrs. Wilson had frequently talked over with her husband the course +that he would take in the event of civil war actually breaking out, +the news that he would at once offer his services to the British +authorities did not come as a shock upon her. Even the question of +Harold accompanying his father had been talked over; and although her +heart bled at the thought of husband and son being both engaged in +such a struggle, she agreed to acquiesce in any decision that Harold +might arrive at. He was now nearly sixteen, and in the colonies a lad +of this age is, in point of independence and self-reliance, older +than an English boy. Harold, too, had already shown that he possessed +discretion and coolness as well as courage, and although now that the +moment had come Mrs. Wilson wept passionately at the thought of their +leaving her, she abstained from saying any word to dissuade them from +the course they had determined upon. When she recovered from her fit +of crying she said that she would accompany them at once to Boston, +as in the first place their duties might for some time lie in that +city, and that in any case she would obtain far more speedy news +there of what was going on throughout the country than she would at +Concord. She would, too, be living among her friends and would meet +with many of the same convictions and opinions as her husband's, +whereas in Concord the whole population would be hostile. + +Captain Wilson said that there was no time to be lost, as the whole +town was in a tumult. He therefore advised her to pack up such +necessary articles as could be carried in the valises, on the horses' +backs. + +Pompey and the other servants were to pack up the most valuable +effects and to forward them to a relation of Mrs. Wilson's who lived +about three miles from Boston. There they would be in safety and +could be brought into the town, if necessary. Pompey and two other +old servants were to remain in charge of the house and its contents. +Jake, an active young negro some twenty-three or twenty-four years +old, who was much attached to Harold, whose personal attendant and +companion he had always been, was to accompany them on horseback, as +was Judy, Mrs. Wilson's negro maid. + +As evening fell the five horses were brought round, and the party +started by a long and circuitous route, by which, after riding for +nearly forty miles, they reached Boston at two o'clock next morning. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +BUNKER'S HILL. + +The excitement caused by the news of the fight at Concord was intense +and, as it spread through the colonies, the men everywhere rushed to +arms. The fray at Lexington was represented as a wanton outrage, and +the fact wholly ignored that the colonists concerned in it were drawn +up in arms to oppose the passage of the king's troops, who were +marching on their legitimate duty of seizing arms and ammunition +collected for the purpose of warring against the king. The colonial +orators and newspaper writers affirmed then, as they have affirmed +since, that, up to the day of Lexington, no one had a thought of +firing a shot against the Government. A more barefaced misstatement +was never made. Men do not carry off cannon by scores, and accumulate +everywhere great stores of warlike ammunition, without a thought of +fighting. The colonists commenced the war by assembling in arms to +oppose the progress of British troops obeying the orders of the +Government. It matters not a whit on which side the first shot was +fired. American troops have, many times since that event, fired upon +rioters in the streets, under circumstances no stronger than those +which brought on the fight at Lexington. + +From all parts of New England the militia and volunteers poured in, +and in three days after the fight, twenty thousand armed men were +encamped between the rivers Mystic and Roxburgh, thus besieging +Boston. They at once set to work throwing up formidable earthworks, +the English troops remaining within their intrenchments across the +neck of land joining Boston with the mainland. + +The streets of Boston were crowded with an excited populace when +Captain Wilson and his party rode into it at two in the morning. No +one thought of going to bed, and all were excited to the last degree +at the news of the battle. All sorts of reports prevailed. On the +colonial side it was affirmed that the British, in their retreat, had +shot down women and children; while the soldiers affirmed that the +colonists had scalped many of their number who fell in the fight. The +latter statement was officially made by Lord Percy in his report of +the engagement. + +Captain Wilson rode direct to the house of his wife's friends. They +were still up, and were delighted to see Mary Wilson, for such +exaggerated reports had been received of the fight that they were +alarmed for her safety. They belonged to the moderate party, who saw +that there were faults on both sides and regretted bitterly both the +obstinacy of the English Parliament in attempting to coerce the +colonists and the determination of the latter to oppose, by force of +arms, the legitimate rights of the mother country. + +Until the morning the events of the preceding day were talked over; a +few hours' repose was then taken, after which Captain Wilson went to +the headquarters of General Gage and offered his services. Although +Boston was the headquarters of the disaffected party, no less than +two hundred men came forward as volunteers in the king's service, and +Captain Wilson was at once appointed to the command of a company of +fifty men. Before leaving the army he had taken part in several +expeditions against the Indians, and his knowledge of forest warfare +rendered him a valuable acquisition. Boston was but poorly +provisioned, and, as upon the day when the news of Lexington reached +New York two vessels laden with flour for the use of the troops at +Boston were seized by the colonists and many other supplies cut off, +the danger of the place being starved out was considerable. General +Gage, therefore, offered no opposition to the exit from the city of +those who wished to avoid the horror of a siege, and a considerable +portion of the population made their way through to the rebel lines. +Every day brought news of fresh risings throughout the country; the +governors of the various provinces were powerless; small garrisons of +English troops were disarmed and made prisoners; and the fortress of +Ticonderoga, held only by fifty men, was captured by the Americans +without resistance. In one month after the first shot was fired the +whole of the American colonies were in rebellion. + +The news was received in England with astonishment and sorrow. Great +concessions had been made by Parliament, but the news had reached +America too late to avoid hostilities. Public opinion was divided; +many were in favor of granting at once all that the colonists +demanded, and many officers of rank and position resigned their +commissions rather than fight against the Americans. The division, +indeed, was almost as general and complete as it had been in the time +of our own civil war. In London the feeling in favor of the colonists +was strong, but in the country generally the determination to repress +the rising was in the ascendant. The colonists had, with great +shrewdness, dispatched a fast-sailing ship to Europe upon the day +following the battle of Lexington, giving their account of the +affair, and representing it as a massacre of defenseless colonists by +British troops; and the story thus told excited a sympathy which +would not, perhaps, have been extended to them had the real facts of +the case been known. Representatives from all the colonies met at +Philadelphia to organize the national resistance; but as yet, +although many of the bolder spirits spoke of altogether throwing off +allegiance to England, no resolution was proposed to that effect. + +For the first six weeks after his arrival at Boston, Captain Wilson +was engaged in drilling his company. Harold was, of course, attached +to it, and entered with ardor upon his duties. Captain Wilson did not +attempt to form his men into a band of regular soldiers; accuracy of +movement and regularity of drill would be of little avail in the +warfare in which they were likely to be engaged. Accuracy in +shooting, quickness in taking cover, and steadiness in carrying out +any general orders were the principal objects to be attained. Most of +the men had already taken part in frontier warfare. The majority of +them were gentlemen--Englishmen who, like their captain, had come out +from home and purchased small estates in the country. The discipline, +therefore, was not strict, and, off duty, all were on terms of +equality. + +Toward the end of May and beginning of June considerable +re-enforcements arrived from England, and, as a step preparatory to +offensive measures, General Gage, on June 12, issued a proclamation +offering, in his Majesty's name, a free pardon to all who should +forthwith lay down their arms, John Hancock and General Adams only +excepted, and threatening with punishment all who should delay to +avail themselves of the offer. This proclamation had no effect +whatever. + +Near the peninsula of Boston, on the north, and separated from it by +the Charles River, which is navigable and about the breadth of the +Thames at London Bridge, is another neck of land called the Peninsula +of Charlestown. On the north bank, opposite Boston, lies the town of +Charlestown, behind which, in the center of the peninsula, rises an +eminence called Bunker's Hill. Bunker's Hill is sufficiently high to +overlook any part of Boston and near enough to be within cannon-shot. +This hill was unoccupied by either party, and about this time the +Americans, hearing that General Gage had come to a determination to +fortify it, resolved to defeat his resolution by being the first to +occupy it. + +About nine in the evening of June 16 a detachment from the colonial +army, one thousand strong, under the command of Colonel Prescott, +moved along the Charlestown road and took up a position on a shoulder +of Bunker's Hill, which was known as Breed's Hill, just above the +town of Charlestown. They reached this position at midnight. Each man +carried a pick and shovel, and all night they worked vigorously in +intrenching the position. Not a word was spoken, and the watch on +board the men-of-war in the harbor were ignorant of what was going on +so near at hand. At daybreak the alarm was given, and the _Lively_ +opened a cannonade upon the redoubt. A battery of guns was placed on +Copp's Hill, behind Boston, distant twelve hundred yards from the +works, and this, also, opened fire. The Americans continued their +work, throwing up fresh intrenchments; and, singularly, only one man +was killed by the fire from the ships and redoubt. A breastwork was +carried down the hill to the flat ground which, intersected by +fences, stretched away to the Mystic. By nine o'clock they had +completed their intrenchments. + +Prescott sent off for re-enforcements, but there was little harmony +among the colonial troops. Disputes between the contingents of the +various provinces were common; there was no head of sufficient +authority to enforce his orders upon the whole; and a long delay took +place before the re-enforcements were sent forward. + +In the meantime the English had been preparing to attack the +position. The Fifth, Thirty-eighth, Forty-third, and Fifty-second +regiments, with ten companies of the grenadiers and ten of the light +infantry, with a proportion of field artillery, embarked in boats, +and, crossing the harbor, landed on the outward side of the +peninsula, near the Mystic, with a view of outflanking the American +position and surrounding them. The force was under the command of +Major General Howe, under whom was Brigadier General Piggott. + +Upon seeing the strength of the American position, General Howe +halted, and sent back for further re-enforcements. The Americans +improved the time thus given them by forming a breastwork in front of +an old ditch. Here there was a post-and-rail fence. They ran up +another by the side of this and filled the space between the two with +the new-mown hay, which, cut only the day before, lay thickly over +the meadows. + +[Illustration: Plan of the Action at Bunkers Hill, on the 17th of +June 1775.] + +Two battalions were sent across to re-enforce Howe, while large +re-enforcements, with six guns, arrived to the assistance of +Prescott. The English had now a force consisting, according to +different authorities, of between 2000 and 2500 men. The colonial +force is also variously estimated, and had the advantage both in +position and in the protection of their intrenchments, while the +British had to march across open ground. As individual shots the +colonists were immensely superior, but the British had the advantages +given by drill and discipline. + +The English lines advanced in good order, steadily and slowly, the +artillery covering them by their fire. Presently the troops opened +fire, but the distance was too great and they did but little +execution. Encumbered with their knapsacks they ascended the steep +hill toward the redoubt with difficulty, covered, as it was, by grass +reaching to the knees. The colonists did not fire a shot until the +English line had reached a point about one hundred and fifty yards +from the intrenchments. Then Prescott gave the order, and from the +redoubt and the long line of intrenchments flanking it flashed a line +of fire. Each man had taken a steady aim with his rifle resting on +the earthwork before him, and so deadly was the fire that nearly the +whole front line of the British fell. For ten minutes the rest stood +with dogged courage, firing at the hidden foe, but these, sheltered +while they loaded and only exposing themselves momentarily while they +raised their heads above the parapets to fire, did such deadly +execution that the remnant of the British fell back to the foot of +the hill. + +While this force, which was under the command of General Pigott, had +been engaged, another division under Howe himself moved against the +rail fence. The combat was a repetition of that which had taken place +on the hill. Here the Americans reserved their fire until the enemy +were close; then, with their muskets resting on the rails, they +poured in a deadly fire, and, after in vain trying to stand their +ground, the troops fell back to the shore. + +Captain Wilson was standing with Harold on Copp's Hill watching the +engagement. + +"What beautiful order they go in!" Harold said, looking admiringly at +the long lines of red-coated soldiers. + +"It is very pretty," Captain Wilson said sadly, "and may do in +regular warfare; but I tell you, Harold, that sort of thing won't do +here. There is scarce a man carrying a gun behind those intrenchments +who cannot with certainty hit a bull's-eye at one hundred and fifty +yards. It is simply murder, taking the men up in regular order +against such a foe sheltered by earthworks." + +At this moment the long line of fire darted out from the American +intrenchments. + +"Look there!" Captain Wilson cried in a pained voice. "The front line +is nearly swept away! Do you see them lying almost in an unbroken +line on the hillside? I tell you, Harold, it is hopeless to look for +success if we fight in this way. The bravest men in the world could +not stand such a fire as that." + +"What will be done now?" Harold asked as the men stood huddled upon +the shore. + +"They will try again," Captain Wilson said. "Look at the officers +running about among them and getting them into order." + +In a quarter of an hour the British again advanced both toward the +redoubt and the grass fence. As before the Americans withheld their +fire, and this time until the troops were far closer than before, and +the result was even more disastrous. Some of the grenadier and light +infantry companies who led lost three-fourths, others nine-tenths of +their men. Again the British troops recoiled from that terrible fire. +General Howe and his officers exerted themselves to the utmost to +restore order when the troops again reached the shore, and the men +gallantly replied to their exhortations. Almost impossible as the +task appeared, they prepared to undertake it for the third time. This +time a small force only was directed to move against the grass fence, +while the main body, under Howe, were to attack the redoubt on the +hill. + +Knapsacks were taken off and thrown down, and each man nerved himself +to conquer or die. The ships in the harbor prepared the way by +opening a heavy cannonade. General Clinton, who was watching the +battle from Copp's Hill, ran down to the shore, rowed across the +harbor, and put himself at the head of two battalions. Then, with +loud cheers, the troops again sprang up the ascent. The American +ammunition was running short, many of the men not having more than +three or four rounds left, and this time they held their fire until +the British troops were within twenty yards. These had not fired a +shot, the order being that there was to be no pause, but that the +redoubt was to be carried with the bayonet. For a moment they wavered +when the deadly volley was poured in upon them. Then, with a cheer, +they rushed at the intrenchments. All those who first mounted were +shot down by the defenders, but the troops would not be denied, and, +pouring over the earthworks leaped down upon the enemy. + +For a few minutes there was a hand-to-hand fight, the Americans using +the butt-ends of their muskets, the English their bayonets. The +soldiers were exhausted with the climb up the hill and their exertions +under a blazing sun, and the great majority of the defenders of the +redoubt were, therefore, enabled to retreat unharmed, as, fresh and +active, they were able to outrun their tired opponents, and as the +balls served out to the English field-pieces were too large, the +artillery were unable to come into action. + +The colonists at the rail fence maintained their position against the +small force sent against them till the main body at the redoubt had +made their escape. The British were unable to continue the pursuit +beyond the isthmus. + +In the whole history of the British army there is no record of a more +gallant feat than the capture of Bunker's Hill, and few troops in the +world would, after two bloody repulses, have moved up the third time +to assail such a position, defended by men so trained to the use of +the rifle. Ten hundred and fifty-four men, or nearly half their +number, were killed and wounded, among whom were 83 officers. In few +battles ever fought was the proportion of casualties to the number +engaged so great. The Americans fought bravely, but the extraordinary +praise bestowed upon them for their valor appears misplaced. Their +position was one of great strength, and the absence of drill was of +no consequence whatever in such an engagement. They were perfectly +sheltered from the enemy's fire while engaged in calmly shooting him +down, and their loss, up to the moment when the British rushed among +them, was altogether insignificant. Their casualties took place after +the position was stormed and on their retreat along the peninsula, +and amounted in all to 145 killed and captured and 304 wounded. It +may be said that both sides fought well; but, from the circumstances +under which they fought, the highest credit is due to the victors. + +The battle, however, though won by the English, was a moral triumph +for the Americans, and the British Parliament should at once have +given up the contest. It was, from the first, absolutely certain that +the Americans, with their immense superiority in numbers, could, if +they were only willing to fight, hold their vast country against the +British troops, fighting with a base thousands of miles away. The +battle of Bunker's Hill showed that they were so willing--that they +could fight sternly and bravely: and this point once established, it +was little short of madness for the English government to continue +the contest. They had not even the excuse of desiring to wipe out the +dishonor of a defeat. Their soldiers had won a brilliant victory and +had fought with a determination and valor never exceeded, and England +could have afforded to say, "We will fight no more. If you, the +inhabitants of a vast continent, are determined to go alone, are +ready to give your lives rather than remain in connection with us, go +and prosper. We acknowledge we cannot subdue a nation in arms." + +From the height of Copp's Hill it could be seen that the British had +suffered terribly. Captain Wilson was full of enthusiasm when he saw +the success of the last gallant charge of the English soldiers, but +he said to Harold: + +"It is a disastrous victory. A few such battles as these and the +English army in America would cease to exist." + +But although they were aware that the losses were heavy they were not +prepared for the truth. The long grass had hidden from view many of +those who fell, and when it was known that nearly half of those +engaged were killed or wounded the feeling among the English was akin +to consternation. + +The generalship of the British was wholly unworthy of the valor of +the troops. There would have been no difficulty in placing some of +the vessels of light draught so far up the Mystic as to outflank the +intrenchments held by the colonists. Indeed, the British troops might +have been landed further up the Mystic, in which case the Americans +must have retreated instantly to avoid capture. Lastly, the troops, +although fighting within a mile of their quarters, were encumbered +with three days' provisions and their knapsacks, constituting, with +their muskets and ammunition, a load of 125 pounds. This was, indeed, +heavily handicapping men who had, under a blazing sun, to climb a +steep hill, with grass reaching to their knees, and intersected by +walls and fences. + +American writers describe the defenders of the position as inferior +in numbers to the assailants, but it is due to the English to say +that their estimate of the number of the defenders of the +intrenchments differs very widely from this. General Gage estimated +them as being fully three times as numerous as the British troops. It +is probable that the truth lies between the two accounts. + +Captain Wilson returned with Harold, greatly dispirited, to his +house. + +"The lookout is dreadfully bad," he said to his wife, after +describing the events of the day. "So far as I can see there are but +two alternatives--either peace or a long and destructive war with +failure at its end. It is even more hopeless trying to conquer a vast +country like this, defended by irregulars, than if we had a trained +and disciplined army to deal with. In that case two or three signal +victories might bring the war to a conclusion; but fighting with +irregulars, a victory means nothing beyond so many of the enemy +killed. There are scarcely any cannon to take, no stores or magazines +to capture. When the enemy is beaten he disperses, moves off, and in +a couple of days gathers again in a fresh position. The work has no +end. There are no fortresses to take, no strategical positions to +occupy, no great roads to cut. The enemy can march anywhere, attack +and disperse as he chooses, scatter, and re-form when you have passed +by. It is like fighting the wind." + +"Well, John, since it seems so hopeless, cannot you give it up? Is it +too late?" + +"Altogether too late, Mary, and if I were free tomorrow I would +volunteer my services again next day. It is not any the less my duty +to fight in my country's cause because I believe the cause to be a +losing one. You must see that yourself, dear. If England had been +sure to win without my aid, I might have stood aloof. It is because +everyone's help is needed that such services as I can render are due +to her. A country would be in a bad way whose sons were only ready to +fight when their success was a certainty." + +The Congress determined now to detach Canada from the English side +and prepared a force for the invasion of that colony, where the +British had but few regular troops. + +Captain Wilson was one morning summoned to headquarters. On his +return he called together four or five of the men best acquainted +with the country. These had been in their early days hunters or +border scouts, and knew every foot of the forest and lakes. + +"I have just seen the general," Captain Wilson said. "A royalist +brought in news last night that the rebels are raising a force +intended to act against Montreal. They reckon upon being joined by a +considerable portion of the Canadians, among whom there is, +unfortunately, a good deal of discontent. We have but two regiments +in the whole colony. One of these is at Quebec. The rebels, +therefore, will get the advantage of surprise, and may raise the +colony before we are in a condition to resist. General Howe asked me +to take my company through the woods straight to Montreal. We should +be landed a few miles up the coast at night. I suppose some of you +know the country well enough to be able to guide us." + +Several of the men expressed their ability to act as guides. + +"I've fought the Injuns through them woods over and over again," said +one of them, a sinewy, weather-beaten man of some sixty years old, +who was known as Peter Lambton. He had for many years been a scout +attached to the army and was one of the most experienced hunters on +the frontier. He was a tall, angular man, except that he stooped +slightly, the result of a habit of walking with the head bent forward +in the attitude of listening. The years which had passed over him had +had no effect upon his figure. He walked with a long, noiseless +tread, like that of an Indian, and was one of the men attached to his +company in whom, wisely, Captain Wilson had made no attempt to +instill the very rudiments of drill. It was, the captain thought, +well that the younger men should have such a knowledge of drill as +would enable them to perform simple maneuvers, but the old hunters +would fight in their own way--a way infinitely better adapted for +forest warfare than any that he could teach them. Peter and some of +his companions were in receipt of small pensions, which had been +bestowed upon them for their services with the troops. Men of this +kind were not likely to take any lively interest in the squabbles as +to questions of taxation, but when they found that it was coming to +fighting they again offered their services to the government as a +matter of course. Some were attached to the regular troops as scouts, +while others were divided among the newly raised companies of +loyalists. + +Peter Lambton had for the last four years been settled at Concord. +During the war with the French he had served as a scout with the +regiment to which Captain Wilson belonged, and had saved that +officer's life when with a portion of his company, he was surrounded +and cut off by hostile Indians. A strong feeling of friendship had +sprung up between them, and when, four years before, there had been a +lull in the English fighting on the frontier, Peter had retired on +his pension and the savings which he had made during his many years' +work as a hunter, and had located himself in a cottage on Captain +Wilson's estate. It was the many tales told him by the hunter of his +experiences in Indian warfare that had fired Harold with a desire for +the life of a frontier hunter, and had given him such a knowledge of +forest life as had enabled him to throw off the Indians from his +trail. On Harold's return the old hunter had listened with extreme +interest to the story of his adventures and had taken great pride in +the manner in which he had utilized his teachings. Peter made his +appearance in the city three days after the arrival of Captain Wilson +there. + +"I look upon this here affair as a favorable occurrence for Harold," +he said to Captain Wilson. "The boy has lots of spirits, but if it +had not been for this he might have grown up a regular town +greenhorn, fit for nothing but to walk about in a long coat and to +talk pleasant to women; but this 'll jest be the making of him. With +your permission, cap, I'll take him under my charge and teach him to +use his eyes and his ears, and I reckon he'll turn out as good an +Injun fighter as you'll see on the frontier." + +"But it is not Indians that we are going to fight Peter," Captain +Wilson said. "I heartily wish it was." + +"It 'll be the same thing," Peter said; "not here, in course; there +'ll be battles between the regulars and the colonists, regular +battles like that at Quebec, where both parties was fools enough to +march about in the open and get shot down by hundreds. I don't call +that fighting; that's jest killing, and there aint no more sense in +it than in two herd of buffalo charging each other on the prairie. +But there 'll be plenty of real fighting--expeditions in the woods +and Injun skirmishes, for you'll be sure that the Injuns'll join in, +some on one side and some on the other; it aint in their nature to +sit still in their villages while powder's being burned. A few months +of this work will make a man of him, and he might have a worse +teacher than Peter Lambton. You jest hand him over to my care, cap, +and I'll teach him all I know of the ways of the woods, and I tell +yer there aint no better kind of edication for a young fellow. He +larns to use the senses God has given him, to keep his head when +another man would lose his presence of mind, to have the eye of a +hawk and the ear of a hound, to get so that he scarcely knows what it +is to be tired or hungry, to be able to live while other men would +starve, to read the signs of the woods like a printed book, and to be +in every way a man and not a tailor's figure." + +"There is a great deal in what you say, old friend," Captain Wilson +answered, "and such a training cannot but do a man good. I wish with +all my heart that it had been entirely with red foes that the +fighting was to be done. However, that cannot be helped, and as he is +to fight he could not be in better hands than yours. So long as we +remain here I shall teach him what drill I can with the rest of the +company, but when we leave this town and the work really begins, I +shall put him in your charge to learn the duties of a scout." + +The young negro Jake had also enlisted, for throughout the war the +negroes fought on both sides, according to the politics of their +masters. There were only two other negroes in the company, and +Captain Wilson had some hesitation in enlisting them, but they made +good soldiers. In the case of Jake, Captain Wilson knew that he was +influenced in his wish to join solely by his affection for Harold, +and the lad's father felt that in the moment of danger the negro +would be ready to lay down his life for him. + +There was great satisfaction in the band when they received news that +they were at last about to take the field. The long inaction had been +most wearisome to them, and they knew that any fighting that would +take place round Boston would be done by the regular troops. Food, +too, was very scarce in town, and they were heartily weary of the +regular drill and discipline. They were, then, in high spirits as +they embarked on board the _Thetis_ sloop-of-war and sailed from +Boston harbor. + +It was a pitiful parting between Mrs. Wilson and her husband and son. +It had been arranged that she should sail for England in a ship that +was leaving in the following week and should there stay with her +husband's family, from whom she had a warm invitation to make their +home her own until the war was over. + +The _Thetis_ ran out to sea. As soon as night fell her bow was turned +to land again, and about midnight the anchor was let fall near the +shore some twenty miles north of Boston. The landing was quickly +effected, and with three days' provisions in their knapsacks the +little party started on their march. + +One of the scouts who had come from that neighborhood led them by +paths which avoided all villages and farms. At daybreak they +bivouacked in a wood and at nightfall resumed the march. By the next +morning they had left the settlements behind, and entered a belt of +swamp and forest extending west to the St. Lawrence. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +SCOUTING. + +A party of six men were seated around a fire in the forest which +covered the slopes of the northern shore of Lake Champlain. The spot +had been chosen because a great tree had fallen, bringing down +several others in its course, and opening a vista through which a +view could be obtained of the surface of the lake. The party +consisted of Peter Lambton, Harold, Jake, Ephraim Potter, another old +frontiersman, and two Indians. + +The company under Captain Wilson had made its way safely to the St. +Lawrence after undergoing considerable hardships in the forest. They +had been obliged to depend entirely on what game they could shoot and +such fish as they could catch in the rivers whose course they +followed. They had, however, reached Montreal without loss, and there +they found that General Carleton had in all about 500 regulars and +about 200 volunteers who had recently been engaged. + +It was clear that if the people of Canada were as hostile to the +connection with England as were those of the other colonies, the +little force at the disposal of the English general could do nothing +to defend the colony against the strong force which the Americans +were collecting for its invasion. Fortunately this was not the case. +Although the Canadians were of French descent and the province had +been wrested by arms from France, they for the most part preferred +being under English rule to joining the insurgent colonies. They had +been in no way oppressed by England, their property had been +respected, and above all things no attempt had ever been made to +interfere with their religion. In the New England provinces the hard +Puritan spirit of the early fathers had never ceased to prevail. +Those who had fled from England to obtain freedom of worship had been +intolerant persecutors of all religion different from their own. The +consequence was that the priests of Canada were wholly opposed to any +idea of union with the insurgent colonists. Their influence over the +people was great, and although these still objected to the English +rule and would have readily taken up arms against it under other +circumstances, they had too little sympathy with the New Englanders +to join in their movement, which, if successful, would have placed +Canada under the rule of the United States instead of that of +England. + +The upper classes of Canadians were almost to a man loyal to the +English connection. They had been well treated and enjoyed a greater +state of independence than had been the case under French rule. +Moreover, they were for the most part descended from old French +families, and their sympathies were entirely opposed to popular +insurrection. Thus, when Captain Wilson and his party reached +Montreal, they found that, in spite of the paucity of English troops +under the command of General Carleton, the position was not so bad as +had been feared by General Gage. It was possible, and indeed +probable, that Upper Canada might fall into the hands of the +Americans, and that even Quebec itself might be captured; but unless +the people joined the Americans the success of the latter would be +but temporary. With the spring the navigation of the river would be +open and re-enforcements would arrive from England. The invaders +would then be at a disadvantage. Separated from home by a wide tract +of forest-covered country, they would have the greatest difficulty in +transporting artillery, ammunition, and stores, and, fighting as an +army in invasion, they would be placed in a very different position +to that occupied by the colonists fighting on their own ground. It +was probable that for a time the tide of invasion would succeed. + +The Indians of the Five Nations, as those dwelling near the British +frontier at this point were called, had volunteered their services to +the general to cross the frontier to recapture Ticonderoga and Crown +Point, which had been seized by the Americans, and to carry the war +into the colonies. But General Carleton, an exceedingly humane and +kind-hearted man, shrank from the horrors that such a warfare would +entail upon the colonists. He accepted the services of the Indians as +far as the absolute defense of Canada from invasion, but refused to +allow them to cross the frontier. + +On the arrival of Captain Wilson with his little force he was ordered +to march at once to the fort of St. John's, which was held by a party +of regular troops. + +On arriving at that place the two scouts had been sent down toward +Lake Champlain to watch the proceedings of the enemy. Harold had +obtained leave from his father to accompany the scouts, and Jake had +been permitted to form one of the party. Peter Lambton had grumbled a +little at this last addition to the number. He knew Jake's affection +for his young master, and the great strength of the negro would have +rendered him useful in a hand-to-hand fight, but he was altogether +unaccustomed to forest work, and his habit of bursting into fits of +laughter on the smallest provocation, as is the manner of his race, +enraged the scout to the last degree. Indeed, he had not left the +fort above an hour when he turned savagely on the negro. + +"Look-ee here," he said, "if that's the way ye're a-going on, the +sooner ye turns yer face and tramps back to the fort the better. When +you were at Concord it done no harm to make as much noise as a +jackass braying whenever you opened that mouth of yours, but it won't +do in the forests. It would cost us our har and your wool ef yer were +to make that noise with the enemy anywhere within fifteen miles of +yer. I aint a-going, if I knows it, to risk my sculp on such a +venture as this; still less I aint a-going to see this young chap's +life thrown away. His father hez put him in my charge, and I aint +a-going to see him sacrificed in no such way. So ye've got to make up +yer mind; yer have got to keep that mouth of yours shut tight or +yer've got to tramp back to the fort." + +Jake gave many promises of silence, and although at first he often +raised his voice to a point far exceeding that considered by the +hunters safe in the woods, he was each time checked by such a savage +growl on the part of Peter, or by a punch in the ribs from Harold, +that he quickly fell into the ways of the others and never spoke +above a loud whisper. + +At a short distance from the fort they were joined by the two +Indians, who were also out on a scouting expedition on their own +account. They had previously been well known both to Peter and +Ephraim. They were warriors of the Seneca tribe, one of the Five +Nations. They had now been for two days on the north shore of Lake +Champlain. They were sitting round a fire eating a portion of a deer +which had been shot by Harold that morning. So far they had seen +nothing of the enemy. They knew that 3000 men, under Schuyler and +Montgomery, had marched to the other end of the lake. The colonists +had been sending proclamations across the frontier to the +inhabitants, saying that they were coming as friends to free them +from the yoke of England and calling upon them to arise and strike +for freedom. They were also in negotiation with some of the chiefs of +the Five Nations and with other Indian tribes to induce them to join +with them. + +"I propose," Peter said when the meal was finished and he had lighted +his pipe, "to go down the lake and see what they're doing. Deer Tail +here tells me that he knows where there's a canoe. He, Harold, and me +will go and reconnoiter a bit; the other three had best wait here +till we comes back with news. In course, chief," he continued to the +other Indian, after explaining to him in his own language what he +intended to do, "you'll be guided by circumstances--you can see a +long way down the lake, and ef anything should lead you to think that +we're in trouble, you can take such steps as may seem best to you. +It's mighty little I should think of the crowd of colonists; but ef, +as you say, a number of the warriors of the Five Nations, indignant +at the rejection, of their offers by the English general, have gone +down and joined the colonists, it'll be a different affair +altogether." + +The Elk, as the second Seneca chief was called, nodded his assent. In +a few words Peter told Harold what had been arranged. Jake looked +downcast when he heard that he was not to accompany his master, but +as he saw the latter had, since leaving the fort, obeyed without +questioning every suggestion of the scout, he offered no +remonstrance. + +A quarter of an hour later Peter rose, Deer Tail followed his +example, and Harold at once took up his rifle and fell in in their +steps. There was but little talk in the woods, and the matter having +been settled, it did not enter the mind either of Peter or of the +Indian to say a word of adieu to their comrades. Harold imitated +their example, but gave a nod and a smile to Jake as he started. + +Half an hour's tramp took them to the shore of the lake. Here they +halted for a minute while the Indian closely examined the locality. +With the wonderful power of making their way straight through the +forest to the required spot, which seems to be almost an instinct +among Indians, Deer Tail had struck the lake within two hundred yards +of the point which he aimed at. He led the way along the shore until +he came to a spot where a great maple had fallen into the lake; here +he turned into the forest again, and in fifty yards came to a clump +of bushes; these he pushed aside and pointed to a canoe which was +lying hidden among them. Peter joined him, the two lifted the boat +out, placed it on their shoulders, and carried it to the lake. There +were three paddles in it. Peter motioned Harold to take his place in +the stern and steer, while he and the Indian knelt forward and put +their paddles in the water. + +"Keep her along on the right shore of the lake, about fifty yards +from the trees. There's no fear of anyone lurking about near this +end." + +The canoe was light and well made, and darted quickly over the water +under the strokes of the two paddlers. It was late in the afternoon +when they started, and before they had gone many miles darkness had +fallen. The canoe was run in close to shore, where she lay in the +shadow of the trees until morning. Just as the sun rose the redskin +and Peter simultaneously dipped their paddles in the water and sent +the canoe under the arches of the trees. They had at the same instant +caught sight of four canoes making their way along the lake. + +"Them's Injuns," Peter whispered. "They're scouting to see if the +lake's free. If the general could have got a couple of gunboats up +the Sorrel the enemy could never have crossed the lake, and it would +have given them a month's work to take their guns round it. It's +lucky we were well under the trees or we should have been seen. What +had we best do, Deer Tail?" + +For two or three minutes the scouts conversed together in the Indian +tongue. + +"The Seneca agrees with me," Peter said. "It's like enough there are +Injuns scouting along both shores. We must lay up here till +nightfall. Ef we're seen they'd signal by smoke, and we should have +them canoes back again in no time. By their coming I expect the +expedition is starting, but it won't do to go back without being sure +of it." + +The canoe was paddled to a spot where the bushes grew thickly by the +bank. It was pushed among these, and the three, after eating some +cooked deer's flesh which they had brought with them, prepared to +pass the day. + +"The Seneca and I'll keep watch by turns," the scout said. "We'll +wake you if we want ye." + +Harold was by this time sufficiently accustomed to the ways of the +woods to obey orders at once without offering to take his turn at +watching, as his inclination led him to do, and he was soon sound +asleep. It was late in the afternoon when he was awoke by the scout +touching him. + +"There's some critters coming along the bank," he said in a whisper. +"They aint likely to see us, but it's best to be ready." + +Harold sat up in the canoe, rifle in hand, and, listening intently, +heard a slight sound such as would be produced by the snapping of a +twig. Presently he heard upon the other side of the bushes, a few +yards distant, a few low words in the Indian tongue. He looked at his +companions. They were sitting immovable, each with his rifle directed +toward the sound, and Harold thought it would fare badly with any of +the passers if they happened to take a fancy to peer through the +bushes. The Indians had, however, no reason for supposing that there +were any enemies upon the lake, and they consequently passed on +without examining more closely the thicket by the shore. Not until it +was perfectly dark did Peter give the sign for the continuance of the +journey. This time, instead of skirting the lake, the canoe was +steered out toward its center. For some time they paddled, and then +several lights were seen from ahead. + +"I thought so," the scout said. "They've crossed to the Isle La Motte +and they're making as many fires as if they war having a sort of +picnic at home. We must wait till they burns out, for we daren't go +near the place with the water lit up for two or three hundred yards +round. It won't be long, for I reckon it must be past eleven o'clock +now." + +The fires were soon seen to burn down. The paddles were dipped in the +water and the canoe approached the island. + +"I'd give something," Peter said, "to know whether there's any +redskins there. Ef there are, our chance of landing without being +seen aint worth talking of; ef there aint we might land a hull fleet; +at any rate we must risk it. Now, Harold, the chief and me'll land +and find out how many men there are here, and, ef we can, how long +they're likely to stop. You keep the canoe about ten yards from +shore, in the shadow of the trees, and be ready to move close the +instant you hear my call. I'll jest give the croak of a frog. The +instant we get in you paddle off without a word. Ef ye hears any +shouts and judges as how we've been seen, ye must jest act upon the +best of yer judgment." + +The boat glided noiselessly up to the shore. All was still there, the +encampment being at the other side of the island. The two scouts, red +and white, stepped noiselessly on to the land. Harold backed the +canoe a few paces with a quick stroke upon the paddle, and seeing +close to him a spot where a long branch of a tree dipped into the +water, he guided the canoe among the foliage and there sat without +movement, listening almost breathlessly. + +Ere many minutes had elapsed he heard footsteps coming along the +shore. They stopped when near him. Three or four minutes passed +without the slightest sound, and then a voice said, in tones which +the speaker had evidently tried to lower, but which were distinctly +audible in the canoe: + +"I tell yer, redskin, it seems to me as how you've brought us here on +a fool's errand. I don't see no signs of a canoe, and it aint likely +that the British would be along the lake here, seeing as how there's +a score of canoes with your people in them scouting ahead." + +"I heard canoe," another voice said, "first at other end of the +island and then coming along here." + +"And ef yer did," the first speaker said, "likely enough it was one +of the canoes of your people." + +"No," the Indian answered. "If canoe come back with news, would have +come straight to fires." + +"Well, it aint here, anyway," the first speaker said, "and I don't +believe yer ever heard a canoe at all. It's enough to make a man +swear to be called up jest as we were making ourselves comfortable +for the night on account of an Injun's fancies. I wonder at the +general's listening to them. However, we've got our orders to go +round the island and see ef there's any canoe on either shore; so +we'd better be moving, else we shall not get to sleep before +morning." + +Harold held his breath as the group passed opposite to him. +Fortunately the trunk of the tree grew from the very edge of the +water, and there were several bushes growing round it, so that at +this point the men had to make a slight _detour_ inland. Harold felt +thankful indeed that he had taken the precaution of laying his canoe +among the thick foliage, for although the night was dark it would +have been instantly seen had it been lying on the surface of the +lake. Even as it was, a close inspection might have detected it, but +the eyes of the party were fixed on the shore, as it was there, if at +all, that they expected to find an empty canoe lying. + +Harold was uneasy at the discovery that there were still some +redskins on the island. It was possible, of course, that the one he +had heard might be alone as a scout, but it was more likely that +others of the tribe were also there. + +After landing, Peter and the Seneca made their way across the island +to the side facing the American shore. Creeping cautiously along, +they found a large number of flat-bottomed boats, in which the +Americans had crossed from the mainland, and which were, Peter +thought, capable of carrying 2000 men. They now made their way toward +the spot where the forces were encamped. The fires had burned low, +but round a few of them men were still sitting and talking. Motioning +to the Seneca to remain quiet, Peter sauntered cautiously out on to +the clearing where the camp was formed. He had little fear of +detection, for he wore no uniform, and his hunter's dress afforded no +index to the party to which he was attached. + +A great portion of the Americans were still in their ordinary attire, +it having been impossible to furnish uniforms for so great a number +of men as had been suddenly called to arms throughout the colonies. + +From the arbors of boughs which had been erected in all directions, +he judged that the force had been already some days upon the island. +But large numbers of men were sleeping in the open air, and picking +his way cautiously among them, he threw himself down at a short +distance from one of the fires by which three or four men were +sitting. + +For some time they talked of camp matters, the shortness of food, and +want of provisions. + +"It is bad here," one said presently; "it will be worse when we move +forward. Schuyler will be here tomorrow with the rest of the army, +and we are to move down to Isle-aux-Noix, at the end of the lake, and +I suppose we shall land at once and march against St. John's. There +are only a couple of hundred Britishers there, and we shall make +short work of them." + +"The sooner the better, I say," another speaker remarked. "I am ready +enough to fight, but I hate all this waiting about. I want to get +back to my farm again." + +"You are in a hurry, you are," the other said. "You don't suppose we +are going to take Canada in a week's time, do you. Even if the +Canadians join us, and by what I hear that aint so sartin after all, +we shall have to march down to Quebec, and that's no child's play. I +know the country there. It is now September 4. Another month and the +winter will be upon us, and a Canadian winter is no joke, I can tell +you." + +"The more reason for not wasting any more time," the other one +grumbled. "If Montgomery had his way we should go at them quickly +enough, but Schuyler is always delaying. He has kept us waiting now +since the 17th of last month. We might have been halfway to Quebec by +this time." + +"Yes," the other said, "if the Britishers had run away as we came; +but we have got St. John's and Fort Chamblee to deal with, and they +may hold out some time. However, the sooner we begin the job the +sooner it will be over, and I am heartily glad that we move tomorrow." + +Peter had now obtained the information he required, and rising to +his feet again, with a grumbling remark as to the hardness of the +ground, he sauntered away toward the spot where he had left the +Indian. Just as he did so a tall figure came out from an arbor close +by. A fire was burning just in front, and Peter saw that he was a +tall and handsome man of about forty years of age. He guessed at once +that he was in the presence of the colonial leader. + +"You are, like myself," the newcomer said, "unable to sleep, I +suppose?" + +"Yes, general," Peter answered. "I found I could not get off, and so +I thought I'd stretch my legs in the wood a bit. They're lying so +tarnal thick down there by the fires, one can't move without treading +on 'em." + +"Which regiment do you belong to?" + +"The Connecticut," Peter replied, for he knew by report that a +regiment from this province formed part of the expedition. + +"As good men as any I have," the general said cordially. "Their only +fault is that they are in too great a hurry to attack the enemy." + +"I agree with the rest, general," Peter said. "It's dull work wasting +our time here when we're wanted at home. I enlisted for six months, +and the sooner the time's up the better, say I." + +"You have heard nothing moving?" the general asked. "One of the +Chippewas told me that he heard a canoe out in the lake. Ah! here he +is." + +At that moment five or six men, headed by an Indian, issued from the +wood close by. It was too late for Peter to try to withdraw, but he +stepped aside a pace or two as the party approached. + +"Well, have you found anything?" the general asked. + +"No find," the Chippewa said shortly. + +"I don't believe as there ever was a canoe there," the man who +followed him said. "It was jest a fancy of the Injun's." + +"No fancy," the Indian asserted angrily. "Canoe there. No find." + +"It might have been one of our own canoes," Montgomery said in a +conciliatory tone. "The Indians are seldom mistaken. Still, if no one +has landed it matters not either way." + +"Only as we have had a tramp for nothing," the colonist said. +"However, there's time for a sleep yet. Hullo!" he exclaimed as his +eye fell on Peter Lambton. "What, Peter! Why, how did you get here? +Why, I thought as how----General," he exclaimed, sharply turning to +Montgomery, "this man lives close to me at Concord. He's a royalist, +he is, and went into Boston and joined the corps they got up there!" + +"Seize him!" Montgomery shouted, but it was too late. + +As the man had turned to speak to the general, Peter darted into the +wood. The Chippewa, without waiting to hear the statement of the +colonist, at once divined the state of things, and uttering his +war-whoop dashed after the fugitive. Two or three of the colonists +instantly followed, and a moment later three or four Indians who had +been lying on the ground leaped up and darted like phantoms into the +wood. + +The general no sooner grasped the facts than he shouted an order for +pursuit, and a number of the men most accustomed to frontier work at +once followed the first party of pursuers. Others would have done the +same, but Montgomery shouted that no more should go, as they would +only be in the others' way, and there could not be more than two or +three spies on the island. + +After the Chippewa's first war-cry there was silence for the space of +a minute in the forest. Then came a wild scream, mingled with another +Indian yell; a moment later the leading pursuers came upon the body +of the Chippewa. His skull had been cleft with a tomahawk and the +scalp was gone. + +As they were clustered round the body two or three of the Indians ran +up. They raised the Indian wail as they saw their comrade and with +the rest took up the pursuit. + +Peter and the Seneca were now far among the trees, and as their +pursuers had nothing to guide them, they reached the spot where they +had left the canoe unmolested. + +On the signal being given, Harold instantly paddled to the shore. Not +a word was spoken until the canoe was well out in the lake. +Occasional shots were heard on shore as the pursuers fired at objects +which they thought were men. Presently a loud Indian cry rose from +the shore. + +"They see us," Peter said. "We're out of shot and can take it easy." +The redskin said a few words. "You're right, chief. The chief says," +he explained to Harold, "that as there are redskins on the island +they have probably some canoes. The moon's jest getting up beyond +that hill, and it'll be light enough to see us half across the lake. +It would not matter if the water was free; but what with Injuns +prowling along the shores and out on the lake, we shall have to use +our wits to save our har. Look!" he exclaimed two or three minutes +later as two columns of bright flame at a short distance from them +shot up at the end of the island. "They're Injun signals. As far as +they can be seen Injuns will know that there are enemies on the lake. +Now, paddle your hardest, Harold, and do you, chief, keep your eyes +and your ears open for sights and sounds." + +Under the steady strokes of the three paddles the bark canoe sped +rapidly over the water. When the moon was fairly above the edge of +the hill they halted for a moment and looked back. The two columns of +fire still blazed brightly on the island, which was now three miles +astern, and two dark spots could be seen on the water about halfway +between them and it. + +"You can paddle, my lads," Peter Lambton said to the distant foes, +"but you'll never ketch us. I wouldn't heed you if it weren't for the +other varmint ahead." + +He stood up in the canoe and looked anxiously over the lake. + +"It's all clear as far as I can see at present," he said. + +"Can't we land, Peter, and make our way back on foot?" + +"Bless you," Peter said, "there aint a native along the shore there +but has got his eye on this canoe. We might as well take her straight +back to the island as try to land. Better; for we should get a few +hours before they tried and shot us there, while the Injuns would not +give us a minute. No, we must just keep to the water; and now paddle +on again, but take it quietly. It's no odds to let them varmints +behind gain on us a little. You needn't think about them. When the +danger comes we shall want every ounce of our strength." + + For half an hour they paddled steadily on. The pursuing canoes were +now less than a mile behind them. + +"I'd give a good deal," muttered the scout, "for a few black clouds +over the moon; we'd make for shore then and risk it. It will be +getting daylight before long. Ah!" he exclaimed, pausing suddenly as +the chief stopped rowing, "a canoe on each side is rowing out to cut +us off." + +Harold was now paddling forward, while the scout had the place at the +stern. The former was surprised to feel the canoe shooting off from +its former course at right angles toward the shore; then, curving +still more round, they began to paddle back along the lake. The +canoes which had been pursuing them were nearly abreast of each +other. They had embarked from opposite sides of the island, but they +had been gradually drawing together, although still some distance +apart, when Peter turned his canoe. Seeing his maneuver, both turned +to head him off, but by so doing they occupied an entirely different +position in relation to each other, one canoe being nearly half a +mile nearer to them than the other. + +"Take it easy," Peter said. "These varmints will cut us off and we've +got to fight, but we can cripple the one nearest to us before the +other comes up." + +The boats were now darting over the water in a line which promised to +bring the leading canoe almost in collision with that of Peter. When +within two hundred yards of each other Peter ceased rowing. + +"Now," he said, "Harold, see if you can pick one of them fellows off. +It's no easy matter, traveling at the pace they are. You fire first." + +Harold took a steady aim and fired. A yell of derision told that he +had missed. The Indians stopped paddling. There was a flash and a +ball struck the canoe. At the same moment Peter fired. + +"There's one down!" he exclaimed. + +The Seneca fired, but without result; and the three unwounded Indians +in the canoe--for it had contained four men--replied with a volley. + +Harold felt a burning sensation, as if a hot iron passed across his +arm. + +"Hit, boy?" Peter asked anxiously as he gave a short exclamation. + +"Nothing to speak of," Harold replied. + +"The varmints are lying by, waiting for' the other canoe. Paddle +straight at 'em." + +The Indians at once turned the boat and paddled to meet their +companions, who were fast approaching. + +"Now," Peter exclaimed, "we've got 'em in a line--a steady aim this +time." + +The three rifles spoke out; one of the Indians fell into the boat and +the paddle of another was struck from his grasp. + +"Now," the scout shouted, "paddle away! We've got 'em all fairly +behind us." + +Day broke just as they were again abreast of the island. One canoe +was following closely, two others were a mile and a half behind, +while the one with which they had been engaged had made for the +shore. + +"What do you mean to do?" Harold asked Peter. + +"I mean to run as close as I can round the end of the island, and +then make for the place where they must have embarked on the +mainland. They may have seen the signal fires there, but will not +know what has been going on. So now row your best. We must leave the +others as far behind as possible." + +For the first time since they started the three paddlers exerted +themselves to the utmost. They had little fear that there were any +more canoes on the island, for, had there been, they would have +joined in the chase. It was only necessary to keep so far from the +end of the island as would take them out of reach of the fire. +Several shots were discharged as they passed, but these fell short as +the canoe shot along at its highest rate of speed, every stroke +taking it further from its nearest pursuer. + +At the end of an hour's paddling this canoe was a mile and a half +behind. Its rowers had apparently somewhat abated their speed in +order to allow the other two boats to draw up to them, for the result +of the encounter between their comrades and the fugitives had not +been of a nature to encourage them to undertake a single-handed +contest with them. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +IN THE FOREST. + +"See, Peter!" Harold exclaimed; "there is a whole fleet of boats +ahead." + +"I sees 'em," Peter said, "and have seed 'em for the last quarter of +an hour. It's Schuyler, with the rest of what they calls their army. +Steer a little out of the course; we must pass close by 'em. They +won't suspect nothing wrong and will suppose we are merely carrying a +message." + +In half an hour they were abreast of the flotilla, consisting of +flatboats laden with troops. With them were two or three Indian +canoes. Peter steered so as to pass at a distance of a hundred and +fifty yards. They rowed less strongly now, but still vigorously. +There was a shout from the boat. + +"All well on the island?" + +"All well," Peter shouted back, waving his hand, and without further +word the canoe passed on. "There! do you hear that?" Peter exclaimed. +"They're firing shots from the canoes to call their attention. The +chances are they won't hear them, for the rattle of their oars and +the talking and the row they're making are enough to drown the sound +of a cannon. Now put it on again as hard as you can. Another hour +will take us to the landing place." + +They could see, when the flotilla came up to the pursuing boats, that +the canoes which accompanied it turned their heads and joined in the +pursuit, but they were now near three miles ahead and there was no +chance whatever of their being overtaken. They slackened their speed +slightly as they approached the land, and rowed up to the landing +place without any signs of extraordinary haste. A few men were +loitering about. + +"What's the news from the island?" one asked as they landed. + +"All well there," Peter said. + +"Did you see anything of Schuyler?" + +"Yes, we met him about halfway across." + +"What have you come for?" + +"General Montgomery says that no spare flints have been sent over for +the firelocks." + +"I'll swear that some went," one of the men exclaimed, "for I packed +a sack of them myself in one of the boats." + +"I s'pose they have been mislaid," Peter said. "Perhaps some of the +stores have got heaped over 'em. Ef you are quite sartin, we have had +our journey for nothing." + +"As sartin as life," the man replied. "I'll swear to the sackful of +flints; and tarnation heavy they was, too." + +"Well, then, I need not trouble about it further," Peter said. "We'll +take a rest and paddle back in an hour or two. Was there any marks on +the sack, so as I may tell the general how to look for it?" + +"Marks!" the man repeated. "Why, it had 'Flints' written on it in big +black letters six inches long. It must turn up, anyhow. They'll find +it when they come to shift the stores." + +Then, accompanied by his two companions, Peter strolled quietly +through the little village. Stopping at a small store, he purchased +some flour and tea; then he followed the road inland and was soon out +of sight of the village; he stopped for a moment and then shook his +head. + +"It's no use trying to hide our trail here," he said. "The road's an +inch thick in dust, and do what we will they'll be able to see where +we turn off. It's our legs as we have got to trust to for a bit. +We've got a good half hour's start of the canoes; they were a long +three miles behind when we struck the shore." + +Leaving the road, he led the way with a long, swinging stride across +the cultivated land. Twenty minutes' walk took them into the forest, +which extended from the shore of the lake many miles inland. + +"Take off your boots, Harold," he said as he entered the wood. "Them +heels will leave marks that a redskin could pick up at a run. Now +tread, as near as you can, in the exact spot where the Seneca has +trodden before you. He'll follow in my track, and you may be sure +that I'll choose the hardest bits of ground I can come across. There, +the varmints are on shore!" + +As he spoke an angry yell rose from the distant village. At a long, +steady pace, which taxed to the utmost Harold's powers as a walker, +they kept their way through the woods, not pursuing a straight +course, but turning, winding, and zigzagging every few minutes. +Harold could not but feel impatient at what seemed to him such a loss +of time, especially when a yell from the edge of the wood told that +the Indians had traced them thus far--showed, too, that they were far +nearer than before. But, as Peter, afterward explained to him, all +this turning and winding made it necessary for the Indians to follow +every step, as they would an animal, to guess the direction they had +taken. The weather had been dry and the ground was hard; therefore +the most experienced trapper would be obliged to proceed very slowly +on the trail and would frequently be for a time at fault; whereas, +had they continued in a straight line, the Indians could have +followed at a run, contenting themselves with seeing the trail here +and there. They came across two or three little streams running down +toward the lake. These they followed, in some cases up, in others +down, for a considerable distance, leaving the bed where the bushes +grew thick and hid the marks of their feet as they stepped out from +the water. Harold would gladly have gone at a run, but Peter never +quickened his pace. He knew that the Indians could not pick up the +trail at a rate faster than that at which they were going, and that +great delay would be caused at each of the little streams, as it +would be uncertain whether they had passed up or down. + +As the time passed the Indian yells, which had, when they first +entered the wood, sounded so alarmingly near, died away, and a +perfect stillness reigned in the forest. It was late in the afternoon +before Peter halted. + +"We can rest now," he said. "It'll be hours before the critters can +be here. Now let us have some tea." + +He began to look for some dried sticks. Harold offered to assist. + +"You sit down," the scout said. "A nice sort of fire we should get +with sticks of your picking up! Why, we should have a smoke that +would bring all the Injuns in the woods on to us. No, the sticks as +the Seneca and me'll pick up won't give as much smoke as you can put +in a teacup; but I wouldn't risk even that if we was nigh the lake, +for it might be seen by any redskins out in a canoe. But we are miles +back from the lake, and there aint no other open space where they +could get a view over the tree-tops." + +Harold watched the Indian and the scout collecting dry leaves and +sticks, and took particular notice, for future use, of the kinds +which they selected. A light was struck with a flint and steel, and +soon a bright blaze sprang up, without, so far as Harold could see, +the slightest smoke being given off. Then the hunter produced some +food from his wallet, and a tin pot. He had at the last spring they +passed filled a skin which hung on his shoulder with water, and this +was soon boiling over the fire. A handful of tea was thrown in and +the pot removed. Some flour, mixed with water, was placed on a small +iron plate, which was put on the red-hot ashes. A few cakes were +baked, and with these, the cold venison, and the tea an ample meal +was made. + +After nearly an hour's halt they again proceeded on their way. A +consultation had taken place between Peter and the Seneca as to the +best course to be pursued. They could, without much difficulty or +risk, have continued the way through the woods beyond the lake, but +it was important that they should reach the other side by the evening +of the following day, to give warning of the intended attack by the +Americans. There were, they knew, other redskins in the woods besides +those on their trail, and the nearer they approached the shore the +greater the danger. They had determined that they would at all +hazards endeavor to obtain another canoe and cross the lake. Until +nightfall they continued their course, and then, knowing that their +trail could no longer be followed, they made down to the lake. They +were many miles distant from it, and Harold was completely worn out +when at last he saw a gleam of water through the trees. He was not +yet to rest. Entering the lake, they began wading through it at a few +feet from the edge. + +After an hour's walking thus they entered the bushes, which thickly +covered the shore, and made their way through these until they came +to a spot sufficiently open for them to lie down; and Harold, +wrapping himself in the blanket which he carried over his shoulder, +was sound asleep in less than a minute. When he woke the sun was +shining brightly. + +"Get up, youngster! We're in luck," the scout said. "Here's a canoe +with two of the varmints making toward the shore. By the way they're +going they'll land not far off." + +The scout led the way, crawling on his hands and knees, to the +water's edge, to where the Seneca was sitting watching the canoe +through a cover of green leaves. The course that the boat was taking +would lead it to a point some three hundred yards from where they +were sitting. + +"We shall have no difficulty in managing them," Harold said, and +grasped his rifle eagerly. + +"Not too fast," Peter said. "The chances are that the varmints have +friends on shore. Like enough they have been out fishing." + +The shore formed a slight sweep at this point, and the bushes in +which they were hidden occupied the point at one extremity. In the +center of the little bay there was a spot clear from bushes; to this +the canoe was directed. As it approached the shore two other Indians +appeared at the water's edge. One of them asked a question, and in +reply a paddler held up a large bunch of fish. + +"Just as I thought. Like enough there are a dozen of them there," +said Peter. + +On reaching the shore the men sprang out, taking their fish with +them. The canoe was fastened by its head-rope to the bushes, and the +Indians moved a short distance inland. + +"There is their smoke," Peter said, indicating a point some thirty +feet from the lake, but so slight was it that, even when it was +pointed out to him, Harold could hardly make out the light mist +rising from among the bushes. Presently he looked round for the +Seneca, but the Indian had disappeared. + +"He's gone scouting," Peter said in answer to Harold's question. "Ef +there are only four of them it would be an easy job, but I expect +there's more of the red varmints there." + +In ten minutes the Seneca returned as noiselessly as he had gone. He +opened his hand and all the fingers twice; the third time he showed +only three fingers. + +"Thirteen," Peter said. "Too many of them even for a sudden +onslaught." + +The Indian said a few words to Peter; the latter nodded, and Deer +Tail again quietly stole away. + +"He's going to steal the boat," Peter said. "It's a risky job, for +where it lies it can be seen by 'em as they sit. Now, you and me must +be ready with our shooting irons to cover him, if need be. Ef he's +found out before he gets the boat he'll take to the woods and lead +them away from us; but ef he's fairly in the boat, then we must do +our best for him. Ef the wust comes to the wust, I reckon we can hold +these bushes agin 'em for some time; but in the end I don't disguise +from ye, youngster, they'll beat us." + +Harold now sat intently watching the canoe. It seemed an age to him +before he saw a hand emerge from the bushes and take hold of the +head-rope. The motion given to the canoe was so slight as to be +almost imperceptible; it seemed as if it was only drifting gently +before the slight breeze which was creeping over the surface of the +lake. Half its length had disappeared from the open space, when an +Indian appeared by the edge of the water. He looked at the canoe, +looked over the lake, and withdrew again. The hand had disappeared in +the bushes on his approach. The movement of the canoe, slight as it +was, had caught his eye, but, satisfied that it was caused only by +the wind, he had returned to his fire again. The hand appeared again +through the bushes, and the canoe was drawn along until hidden from +the sight of those sitting by the fire. Again the watchful Indian +appeared, but the boat was lying quietly by the bushes at the full +length of its head-rope. He stooped down to see that this was +securely fastened and again retired. Harold held his breath, +expecting that every moment the presence of the Seneca would be +discovered. Scarcely had the Indian disappeared than the Seneca +crawled out from the bushes. With a sweep of his knife he cut the +rope of the canoe and noiselessly entered it, and as he did so gave a +shove with his foot, which sent it dancing along the shore toward the +spot where Harold and his companion were hidden. Then he seized the +paddle, and in half a dozen strokes brought it within reach of them. +Harold and Peter stepped into it; as they did so there was a sudden +shout. The Indian had again strolled down to look at the canoe, whose +movements, slight as they had been, had appeared suspicious to him. +He now, to his astonishment, saw it at the point with two white men +and an Indian on board. He had left his gun behind him and, uttering +his war-cry, bounded back for it. + +"Round the p'int, quick!" Peter exclaimed. "They'll riddle us in the +open." + +Two strokes took the canoe round the projecting point of bushes, and +she then darted along the shore, driven by the greatest efforts of +which the three paddlers were capable. Had the shore been open the +Indians would have gained upon them, but they were unable to force +their way through the thick bushes at anything like the rate at which +the canoe was flying over the water. The first start was upward of a +hundred yards, and this was increased by fifty before the Indians, +arriving at the point, opened fire. The distance was beyond anything +like an accurate range with Indian guns. Several bullets struck the +water round the canoe. + +"Now steer out," Peter said as the firing suddenly ceased. "They're +making a _detour_ among the bushes, and 'll come down ahead of us if +we keep near the shore." + +Two or three more shots were fired, but without effect, and the canoe +soon left the shore far behind. + +"Now," Peter said, "I think we're safe. It's not likely they've +another canoe anywhere near on this side, as most of 'em would have +gone with the expedition. Ef the firing has been heard it will not +attract much attention, being on this side, and I see nothing in the +way of a boat out in the lake. Still, these redskins' eyes can see +'most any distance. Now, chief," he went on to the Indian in his +native language, "the young un and I'll lie down at the bottom of the +boat; do you paddle quietly and easily, as ef you were fishing. The +canoe with a single Indian in it will excite no suspicion, and even +ef you see other canoes, you had better keep on in that way unless +you see that any of 'em are intending to overhaul you." + +The chief nodded assent. Peter and Harold stretched themselves at +full length in the canoe, and the Indian paddled quietly and steadily +on. For an hour not a word was spoken in the canoe. Harold several +times dozed off to sleep. At last the Seneca spoke: + +"Many boats out on water--American army." + +Harold was about to raise his head to look out when Peter exclaimed: +"Lie close, Harold! Ef a head were shown now it would be wuss than ef +we had sat up all the time. We know there are Injun canoes with the +flats, and they may be watching us now. We may be a long way off, but +there's no saying how far a redskin's eyes can carry. Can you see +where they are going to, chief?" he asked the Seneca. "Are they +heading for Isle-aux-Noix, as we heard 'em say they were going to +do?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"Going to island." + +"Then," Peter said, "the sooner we're across the lake the better." + +The Seneca again spoke, and after a consultation with Peter laid in +his paddle. + +"What is he doing now?" Harold asked. + +"Our course lies pretty near the same way as theirs," Peter said. +"The island is but a short distance from the shore, near the mouth of +the Sorrel, so where we're going would take us right across their +line. We fooled them yesterday, but are not likely to do it again +to-day. So the chief has stopped paddling and makes as if he were +fishing. I doubt whether it will succeed, for he would hardly be +fishing so far out. But we'll soon see. It's better so than to turn +and paddle in any other direction, as that would be sure to excite +their suspicions." + +The fleet of boats had already passed the spot where the canoe would +have crossed had she been going directly across the lake when she was +first seen, and was therefore now ahead of it. The great flotilla +kept on as if the canoe with its single occupant in its rear had not +excited suspicion. The Seneca, however, knew that sharp eyes must be +upon him. The manner in which the canoe had baffled pursuit the day +before must have inflicted a severe blow upon the pride of the +Indians, and although, having driven them off the lake, they could +have no reason for suspecting that their foes could have obtained a +fresh canoe, the Seneca knew that their vigilance would not sleep for +a moment. Therefore, although bending over the side of the canoe as +if watching his lines, his eyes were never off the boats. + +"There are canoes making for the shore both ways," he said at last. +"It is time that my white brother should take the paddle." + +Peter and Harold at once sat up in the boat and looked round the +lake, which at this point was about ten miles wide. The canoe was +four miles from the eastern side; the flotilla was a mile further up +the lake and the same distance nearer to the western shore. Four or +five canoes were detaching themselves from the flotilla, apparently +rowing direct for the shore. It would have been easy for the canoe to +have regained the eastern side long before she could have been cut +off, but here they might find the Chippewas. The Indians whose boat +they had taken would assuredly follow along the shores of the lake in +hopes that something might occur to drive them back. Besides, had +they landed there, they would be unable to carry in time the news of +the approaching attack upon St. John's. For the same reason it was +important to land up the lake near the Canadian end. + +Peter rapidly took in the situation. He saw that it was possible, and +only just possible, to reach the shore at a point opposite to that at +which they now were before the hostile canoes could cut them off from +it. If they headed them there they would be obliged to run down to +the other end of the lake before effecting a landing, while he could +not calculate on being able to beat all the canoes, most of which +carried four paddlers, who would strain every nerve to retrieve their +failure of the previous day. + +Not a word was spoken as the boat darted through the water. Harold, +unaccustomed to judge distances, could form no idea whether the +distant canoes would or would not intercept them. At present both +seemed to him to be running toward the shore on nearly parallel +courses, and the shorter distance that the Indians would have to row +seemed to place them far ahead. The courses, however, were not +parallel, as the Indians were gradually turning their canoes to +intercept the course of that which they were pursuing. As the minutes +went by and the boats converged more and more toward the same point, +Harold saw how close the race would be. After twenty minutes' hard +paddling the boats were within a quarter of a mile of each other, and +the courses which they were respectively taking seemed likely to +bring them together at about a quarter of a mile from the shore. +There were three Indian canoes, and these kept well together. So +close did the race appear that Harold expected every moment to see +Peter sweep the head of the canoe round and make a stern chase of it +by running down the lake. This Peter had no intention of doing. The +canoes, he saw, traveled as fast as his own and could each spare a +man to fire occasionally, while he and his companions would be +obliged to continue paddling. Better accustomed to judge distances +than Harold, he was sure, at the speed at which they were going, he +would be able to pass somewhat ahead of his foes. + +"Row all you know, Harold," he said. "Now, chief, send her along." + +Harold had been rowing to the utmost of his strength, but he felt by +the way the canoe quivered at every stroke that his companions were +only now putting out their extreme strength. The boat seemed to fly +through the water, and he began to think for the first time that the +canoe would pass ahead of their pursuers. The latter were clearly +also conscious of the fact, for they now turned their boats' heads +more toward the shore, so that the spot where the lines would meet +would be close to the shore itself. The canoes were now within two +hundred yards of each other. The Indians were nearer to the shore, +but the oblique line that they were following would give them about +an equal distance to row to the point for which both were making. +Harold could not see that there was the slightest difference in the +rate at which they were traveling. It seemed to him that the four +canoes would all arrive precisely at the same moment at the land, +which was now some five or six hundred yards distant. + +Another two minutes' paddling, and when the canoes were but seventy +or eighty yards apart, Peter, with a sweep with his paddle, turned +the boat's head nearly half round and made obliquely for the shore, +so throwing his pursuers almost astern of him. The shore was but +three hundred yards distant; they were but fifty ahead of their +pursuers. The latter gave a loud yell at seeing the change in the +position in the chase. They had, of course, foreseen the possibility +of such a movement, but had been powerless to prevent it. But they +were prepared, for on the instant one man in each canoe dropped his +paddle and, standing up, fired. It is a difficult thing to take aim +when standing in a canoe dancing under the vigorous strokes of three +paddlers. It was the more difficult since the canoes were at the +moment sweeping round to follow the movement of the chase. The three +balls whistled closely round the canoe, but no one was hit. + +The loss of three paddlers for even so short a time checked the pace +of the canoes. The Indians saw that they could not hope to overtake +their foes, whose canoe was now but a few lengths from shore. They +dropped their paddles, and each man seized his rifle. Another moment, +and the nine pieces would have poured their fire into the canoe about +fifty yards ahead of them, when from the bushes on the shore three +puffs of smoke shot out, and three of the Indians fell, one of them +upsetting his boat in his fall. A yell of surprise and dismay broke +from them, the guns were thrown down, the paddles grasped again, and +the heads of the canoes turned from the shore. The Indians in the +overturned boat did not wait to right it, but scrambled into the +other canoes, and both were soon paddling at the top of their speed +from the shore, not without further damage, for the guns in the +bushes again spoke out, and Peter and the Seneca added their fire the +instant they leaped from the boat to shore, and another of the +Indians was seen to fall. Harold was too breathless when he reached +the bank to be able to fire. He raised his gun, but his hands +trembled with the exertion that he had undergone, and the beating of +his heart and his short, panting breath rendered it impossible for +him to take a steady aim. A minute later Jake burst his way through +the bushes. + +"Ah, Massa Harold!" he exclaimed. "Bress de Lord dat we was here! +What a fright you hab giben me, to be sure! We hab been watching you +for a long time. Ephraim and de redskin dey say dey saw little spot +far out on lake, behind all dose boats; den dey say other boats set +off in chase. For a long time Jake see nothing about dat, but at last +he see dem. Den we hurry along de shore, so as to get near de place +to where de boats row; ebery moment me tink dat dey catch you up. +Ephraim say no, bery close thing, but he tink you come along first, +but dat we must shoot when dey come close. We stand watch for some +time, den Ephraim say dat you no able to get to dat point. You hab to +turn along de shore, so we change our place and run along, and sure +'nough de boat's head turns, and you come along in front of us. Den +we all shoot, and the redskins dey tumble over." + +"Well, Jake, it is fortunate indeed that you were on the spot, for +they could scarcely have missed all of us. Besides, even if we had +got to shore safely, they would have followed us, and the odds +against us would have been heavy." + +"That ar war a close shave, Peter," Ephraim said; "an all-fired close +shave I call it." + +"It war, Ephraim, and no mistake." + +"Why didn't yer head down along the lake?" + +"Because I got news that the colonists air going to attack St. John's +to-morrow, and I want to get to the fort in time to put 'em on their +guard. Besides, both sides of the lake are sure to be full of hostile +Injuns. Those canoes paddled as fast as we did, and in the long run +might have worn us out." + +"Did you have a fight on the lake two nights ago? Me and the redskin +thought we heard firing." + +"We had a skirmish with 'em," Peter said; "a pretty sharp shave it +war, too, but we managed to slip away from them. Altogether we've had +some mighty close work, I can tell yer, and I thought more than once +as we were going to be wiped out." + +While they were speaking the men had already started at a steady pace +through the woods, away from the lake, having first drawn up the +canoe and carefully concealed it. + +It was late at night when they reached Fort St. John. A message was +at once dispatched to a party of the Senecas who were at their +village, about sixteen miles away. They arrived in the morning and, +together with a portion of the garrison, moved out and took their +place in the wooded and marshy ground between the fort and the river. +Scouts were sent along the Sorrel, and these returned about one +o'clock, saying that a large number of boats were coming down the +lake from Isle-aux-Noix. It had been determined to allow the +colonists to land without resistance, as the commander of the fort +felt no doubt of his ability, with the assistance of his Indian +allies, to repulse their attack. Some twelve hundred men were landed, +and these at once began to advance toward the fort, lead by their two +generals, Schuyler and Montgomery. Scarcely had they entered the +swamp, when from every bush a fire was opened upon them. The invaders +were staggered, but pushed forward, in a weak and undecided way, as +far as a creek which intercepted their path. In vain General +Montgomery endeavored to encourage them to advance. They wavered and +soon began to fall back, and in an hour from the time of their +landing they were again gathered on the bank of the river. Here they +threw up a breastwork, and, as his numbers were greatly inferior, the +British officer in command thought it unadvisable to attack them. +After nightfall the colonists took to their boats and returned to +Isle-aux-Noix, their loss in this their first attempt at the invasion +of Canada being nine men. + +A day or two later the Indians again attempted to induce General +Carleton to permit them to cross the frontier and carry the war into +the American settlements, and upon the general's renewed refusal they +left the camp in anger and remained from that time altogether aloof +from the contest. + +St. John's was now left with only its own small garrison. Captain +Wilson was ordered to fall back with his company to Montreal, it +being considered that the garrison of St. John's was sufficient to +defend that place for a considerable time. As soon as the Indians had +marched away, having sent word to the colonists that they should take +no further part in the fight, Montgomery--who was now in command, +Schuyler having fallen sick--landed the whole of the force and +invested the fort. An American officer, Ethan Allen, had been sent +with a party to try to raise the colonists in rebellion in the +neighborhood of Chamblee. He had with him 30 Americans and was joined +by 80 Canadians. Dazzled by the success which had attended the +surprise of Ticonderoga, he thought to repeat the stroke by the +conquest of Montreal. He crossed the river in the night about three +miles below the city. Peter and some other scouts, who had been +watching his movements, crossed higher up and brought the news, and +36 men of the Twenty-sixth Regiment, Captain Wilson's company, and +200 or 300 loyal Canadians, the whole under the command of Major +Campbell, attacked Ethan Allen. He was speedily routed and, with 38 +of his men, taken prisoner. The siege of St. John's made but little +progress. The place was well provisioned, and the Americans encamped +in the low, swampy ground around it suffered much from ill health. +The men were mutinous and insolent, the officers incapable and +disobedient. So far the invasion of Canada, of which such great +things had been hoped by the Americans, appeared likely to turn out a +complete failure. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +QUEBEC. + +General Carleton, seeing that Montgomery's whole force was retained +idle before St. John's, began to hope that the winter would come to +his assistance before the invaders had made any serious progress. +Unfortunately he had not reckoned on the utter incapacity of the officer +in command of Fort Chamblee. Major Stopford of the Seventh Regiment had +160 men and a few artillerymen, and the fort was strong and well +provided with provisions. American spies had found the inhabitants +around the place favorable to the Americans. Major Brown was sent down +by Montgomery with a small detachment, and, being joined by the +inhabitants, sat down before the fort. They had only two six-pounders, +and could have effected nothing had the fort been commanded by a man of +bravery and resources. Such was not the character of its commander, who, +after a siege of only a day and a half, surrendered the place with all +its stores, which were of inestimable value to the invaders, who were +upon the edge of giving up the siege of the fort; their ammunition being +entirely exhausted; but the six tons of gunpowder, the seventeen cannon, +mortars, and muskets which fell into their hands enabled them to carry +on the siege of St. John's with renewed vigor. There was no excuse +whatever for the conduct of Major Stopford in allowing these stores to +fall into the hands of the Americans; as, even had he not possessed the +courage to defend the fort, he might, before surrendering, have thrown +the whole of the ammunition into the river, upon which there was a safe +sally-port, where he could have carried on the operation entirely +unmolested by the enemy. The colors of the Seventh Regiment were +captured and sent to Congress as the first trophy of the war. + +The siege of St. John's was now pushed on by Montgomery with vigor. +Colonel Maclean, with 800 Indians and Canadians, attempted to relieve +it, crossing the St. Lawrence in small boats. On nearing the other bank, +they were received by so heavy a fire by the Americans posted there that +they were obliged to retire without effecting a landing. Provisions and +ammunition were now running short in St. John's, there was no hope +whatever of relief from the outside, and the officer commanding was +therefore obliged to surrender on November 14, after a gallant defense. + +As there were only some fifty or sixty regulars in Montreal, General +Carleton was unable to defend that town, and, upon the news of the fall +of St. John's, he at once retired to Quebec, and Montreal was occupied +by the Americans. In the meantime another expedition had been dispatched +by the Americans under Arnold. This officer, with 1500 men, had started +for Quebec from a point 130 miles north of Boston. Suffering enormous +fatigue and hardship, the force made its way up the river; past rapids, +cataracts, and through swamps they dragged and carried their boats and +stores. They followed the bed of the river up to its source, and then, +crossing the watershed, descended the Chaudiere and Duloup rivers on to +the St. Lawrence, within a few miles of Quebec. + +This was a wonderful march--one scarcely equaled in the annals of +military history. Crossing the St. Lawrence in canoes, Arnold encamped +with his little force upon the heights of Abraham. Such a daring +attempt could not have been undertaken had not the Americans been aware +of the extreme weakness of the garrison at Quebec, which consisted only +of 50 men of the Seventh Regiment, 240 of the Canadian militia, a +battalion of seamen from the ships-of-war, under the command of Captain +Hamilton of the _Lizard_, 250 strong, and the colonial volunteers, +under Colonel Maclean. + +The fortifications were in a ruinous condition. It was fortunate that +Colonel Maclean, who had come from the Sorrel, upon the surrender of St. +John's, by forced marches, arrived on the very day on which Arnold +appeared before the city. Directly he arrived Arnold attacked the city +at the gate of St. Louis, but was sharply repulsed. He then desisted +from active operations and awaited the arrival of Montgomery, who was +marching down from Montreal. The flotilla in which Carleton was +descending the river was attacked by the Americans, who came down the +Sorrel, and was captured, with all the troops and military stores which +it was bringing down. General Carleton himself escaped in a small boat +under cover of night, and reached Quebec. + +Captain Wilson's company had been attached to the command of Colonel +Maclean, and with it arrived in Quebec in safety. + +Upon the arrival of Montgomery with his army the city was summoned to +surrender. A strong party in the town were favorable to the invaders, +but General Carleton treated the summons with contempt, and turned +all the inhabitants who refused to join in the defense of the city +outside the town. + +The winter had now set in in earnest, and the difficulties of the +besiegers were great. Arnold's force had been much weakened by the +hardships that they had undergone, Montgomery's by desertions; the +batteries which they erected were overpowered by the fire of the +defenders, and the siege made no progress whatever. The men became +more and more disaffected and mutinous. Many of them had nearly served +the time for which they had enlisted, and Montgomery feared that they +would leave him when their engagement came to an end. He in vain +tempted the besieged to make a sally. Carleton was so certain that +success would come by waiting that he refused to allow himself to +hazard it by a sortie. + +The weather was fighting for him, and the besiegers had before them only +the alternatives of taking the place by storm or abandoning the siege +altogether. They resolved upon a storm. It was to take place at daybreak +on December 31. Montgomery determined to make four attacks--two false +and two real ones. Colonel James Livingstone, with 200 Canadians, was to +appear before St. John's gate, and a party under Colonel Brown were to +feign a movement against the upper town, and from high ground there were +to send up rockets as the signal for the real attacks to commence--that +led by Montgomery from the south and that under Arnold from the +northwest--both against the lower town. + +The false attacks were made too soon, the rockets being fired half an +hour before the main columns reached their place of attack. The British +were not deceived; but, judging these attacks to be feints, left but a +small party to oppose them and marched the bulk of their forces down +toward the lower town. Their assistance, however, came too late, for, +before they arrived, the fate of the attack was already decided. The +Americans advanced under circumstances of great difficulty. A furious +wind, with cutting hail, blew in their faces; the ground was slippery +and covered with snow. + +Half an hour before the English supports arrived on the spot Montgomery, +with his leading company, reached the first barricade, which was +undefended; passing through this, they pressed on toward the next. The +road leading to it was only wide enough for five or six persons abreast. +On one side was the river, on the other a steep cliff; in front was a +log hut with loop-holes for musketry, and a battery of two +three-pounders. It was held by a party of 30 Canadians and 8 militiamen +under John Coffin, with 9 sailors under Bairnsfeather, the captain of +the transport, to work the guns. Montgomery, with 60 men, pushed on at a +run to carry the battery; but, when within fifty yards Bairnsfeather +discharged his pieces, which were loaded with grape-shot, with deadly +aim. Montgomery, his aid-de-camp Macpherson, Lieutenant Cheeseman, and +10 others fell dead at the first discharge, and with them the soul of +the expedition fled. The remaining officers endeavored to get the men to +advance, but none would do so, and they fell back without losing another +man. So completely cowed were they that they would not even carry off +the bodies of their general and his companions. These were brought into +Quebec next day and buried with the honors of war by the garrison. + +The force under Arnold was far stronger than that under Montgomery. The +Canadian guard appointed to defend the first barrier fled at the +approach, but the small body of sailors fought bravely and were all +killed or wounded. Arnold was shot through the leg and disabled. Morgan, +who commanded the advanced companies, led his men on and carried the +second barrier after an obstinate resistance. They were attacking the +third when Maclean with his men from the upper town arrived. The British +then took the offensive, and drove the enemy back, and a party, going +round, fell upon their rear. Fifty were killed in Arnold's column, 400 +taken prisoners, and the rest retreated in extreme disorder. + +Thus ended the assault upon Quebec--an assault which was all but +hopeless from the first, but in which Americans showed but little valor +and determination. In fact, throughout the war, it may be said that the +Americans, when fighting on the defensive behind trees and +intrenchments, fought stubbornly; but that they were feeble in attack +and wholly incapable of standing against British troops in the open. + +It would now have been easy for Carleton to have sallied out and taken +the offensive, but he preferred holding Quebec quietly. He might have +easily driven the Americans from their position before the walls; but, +with the handful of troops under his orders, he could have done nothing +toward carrying on a serious campaign in the open. + +Until spring came, and the rivers were opened, no re-enforcements could +reach him from England, while the Americans could send any number of +troops into Canada. Carleton, therefore, preferred to wait quietly +within the walls of Quebec, allowing the winter, hardships, and disunion +to work their natural effects upon the invaders. + +Arnold sent to Washington to demand 10,000 more troops, with siege +artillery. Several regiments were sent forward, but artillery could not +be spared. Eight regiments entered Canada, but they found that, instead +of meeting, as they had expected, an enthusiastic reception from the +inhabitants, the population was now hostile to them. The exactions of +the invading army had been great, and the feeling in favor of the +English was now all but universal. + +On May 5 two frigates and a sloop-of-war made their way up the river +to Quebec. The Americans endeavored to embark their sick and +artillery above the town. Re-enforced by the marines, the garrison +sallied out and attacked the enemy, who fled with precipitation, +leaving their provisions, cannon, five hundred muskets, and two +hundred sick behind them. The British pursued them until they reached +the mouth of the Sorrel. + +The arrival of the fleet from England brought news of what had taken +place since Captain Wilson's company had marched from Boston, a short +time after the battle of Bunker's Hill. Immediately after the battle the +colonists had sent two deputies, Penn and Lee, with a petition to +Parliament for the restoration of peace. This petition was supported by +a strong body in Parliament. The majority, however, argued that, from +the conduct of the Americans, it was clear that they aimed at +unconditional, unqualified, and total independence. In all their +proceedings they had behaved as if entirely separated from Great +Britain. Their professions and petition breathed peace and moderation; +their actions and preparations denoted war and defiance; every attempt +that could be made to soften their hostility had been in vain; their +obstinacy was inflexible; and the more England had given in to their +wishes, the more insolent and overbearing had their demands become. The +stamp tax had been repealed, but their ill will had grown rather than +abated. The taxations on imports had been entirely taken off save on one +small item; but, rather than pay this, they had accumulated arms and +ammunition, seized cannon belonging to the king, and everywhere prepared +for armed resistance. Only two alternatives remained for the British +nation to adopt--either to coerce the colonists to submission or to +grant them their entire independence. + +These arguments were well founded. The concessions which had been made +had but encouraged the colonists to demand more. No good whatever would +have come from entering into negotiation; there remained but the two +alternatives. It would have been far better had Parliament, instead of +deciding on coercion, withdrawn altogether from the colonies, for +although hitherto the Americans had shown no great fighting qualities, +it was clear that so small an army as England could spare could not +permanently keep down so vast a country if the people were determined +upon independence. They might win every battle,--might overpower every +considerable force gathered against them,--but they could only enforce +the king's authority over a mere fractional portion of so great an area. +England, however, was unaccustomed to defeat; her spirit in those days +was proud and high; and by a large majority Parliament voted for the +continuance of the war. The next step taken was one unworthy of the +country. It tended still further to embitter the war, and it added to +the strength of the party in favor of the colonists at home. Attempts +were made by the government to obtain the services of large numbers of +foreign troops. Negotiations were entered into with Russia, Holland, +Hesse, and other countries. Most of these proved ineffectual, but a +considerable number of troops was obtained from Hesse. + +The news of these proceedings excited the Americans to renewed efforts. +The force under Washington was strengthened, and he took possession of +Dorchester Heights, commanding the town of Boston. A heavy cannonade +was opened on the city. The British guns answered it, but the American +position gave them an immense advantage. General Howe, who was in +command, at first thought of attempting to storm the heights, but the +tremendous loss sustained at the battle of Bunker's Hill deterred him +from the undertaking. His supineness during the past four months had +virtually lost the American colonies to England. He had under his +command 8000 troops, who could have routed, with ease, the +undisciplined levies of Washington. Instead of leading his men out +against the enemy, he had suffered them to be cooped up for months in +the city, and had failed to take possession of the various heights +commanding the town. Had he done this Boston might have resisted a +force many times as strong as that which advanced against it, and there +was now nothing left for the English but to storm the heights with +enormous loss or to evacuate the city. + +The first was the alternative which had been chosen when the Americans +seized Bunker's Hill; the second was that which was now adopted. + +Having adopted this resolution, Howe carried it out in a manner which +would in itself be sufficient to condemn him as a military leader. +Nothing was done to destroy the vast stores of arms and ammunition, and +two hundred and fifty pieces of cannon were left for the colonists to +use against England. No steps were taken to warn ships arriving from +England of the surrender of the town. The consequence was that, in +addition to the vast amount of stores captured in the town, numbers of +the British storeships fell into the hands of the Americans--among them +a vessel which, in addition to carbines, bayonets, gun-carriages, and +other stores, had on board more than seventy tons of powder, while +Washington's whole stock was all but exhausted. + +But worse even than this hurried and unnecessary abandonment of vast +munitions of war was the desertion of the loyalist population. Boston +was full of loyalists, among whom were many of the wealthier and +better-born persons in the colony, who, from the commencement of the +troubles had left their homes, their fortunes, and their families to +rally round the standard of their sovereign. The very least that Howe +could have done for these loyal men would have been to have entered into +some terms of capitulation with Washington, whereby they might have been +permitted to depart to their homes and to the enjoyment of their +property. Nothing of the sort was attempted, and the only choice offered +to a loyalist was to remain in the town, exposed to certain insult and +ill treatment, perhaps to death, at the hands of the rebels, or to leave +in the transports for England or Halifax and to be landed here penniless +and starving. + +Howe's conduct in this was on a piece with his behavior throughout the +campaign; but he was little, if at all, inferior to the other generals, +who vied with each other in incapacity and folly. Never in the whole +history of England were her troops led by men so inefficient, so +sluggish, and so incapable as those who commanded her armies in the +American Revolutionary War. + +The first ships from England which arrived at Quebec were followed, a +few days later, by the _Niger_ and _Triton_, convoy transports, with +troops. The British now took the offensive in earnest. From the west +Captain Forster marched from Detroit, with 40 men of the Eighth +Regiment, 100 Canadians, and some Indians, against a pass called the +Cedars, situated fifteen leagues above Montreal. This was held by 400 +men with two cannon. As soon as the British force opened fire the +Americans surrendered. The following day Forster's force, advancing, +came upon 140 men under Major Sherbourne, who were marching to +re-enforce the garrison at the Cedars. These were forced to retreat and +100 of them taken prisoners. + +Arnold, with 700 men, advanced against the British force. The British +officer, fearing that in case of an attack the Indians with him might +massacre the prisoners, released the whole of them, 474 in number, under +the promise that an equal number of British prisoners should be +returned. This engagement was shamefully broken by the Americans, who +raised a number of frivolous excuses, among others that prisoners taken +by the British were ill treated--an accusation which excited the +indignation of the prisoners themselves, some of whom wrote to members +of Congress, stating that nothing could be kinder or more courteous than +the treatment which they received. + +While Forster was advancing toward Montreal from the west, Carleton +was moving up against the Americans at Sorrel from Quebec. At the +death of Montgomery, Wooster had taken the command of the main +American force. He had been succeeded by Thompson, but the latter +dying of smallpox, Sullivan took his place. The new commander +determined to take the offensive against the English, and dispatched a +force of about 2000 men to attack General Fraser, who held a post at a +place called Three Rivers. + +A Canadian peasant brought news to General Fraser of the approach of the +Americans, and as he had received re-enforcements from below he +determined to anticipate their attack. His movements were completely +successful. Some of the Americans fought well, but the rest dispersed +with but little resistance. Two hundred were killed and 150 taken +prisoners. The rest succeeded in returning to Sorrel. + +The main body of the British army now came up the river in their ships, +and, as they approached Sorrel, Sullivan broke up his camp and +retreated. At the same time Arnold, who commanded at Montreal, evacuated +the town and joined Sullivan's army at St. John's. + +Had the English pushed forward with any energy the whole of the American +army of invasion would have fallen into their hands. They were +completely broken in spirits, suffering terribly from sickness, and were +wholly incapable of making any defense. Burgoyne, who commanded the +advance of the English army, moved forward very slowly, and the +Americans were enabled to take to their boats and cross, first to +Isle-aux-Noix and then to Crown Point. An American historian, who saw +them after they landed, says: "At the sight of so much privation and +distress I wept until I had no more power to weep. I did not look into a +tent or hut in which I did not find either a dead or dying man. Of about +5000 men full half were invalids. In little more than two months they +had lost by desertion and death more than 5000 men." + +Captain Wilson and his company were not present with the advance of the +British troops. General Howe, after evacuating Boston, had sailed with +his army to Halifax, there to wait until a large body of re-enforcements +should be sent in the spring from England. General Carleton had, in his +dispatches, mentioned favorably the services which the little company of +loyalists from Boston had performed, and Lord Howe wrote requesting that +the company should be sent down by ship to Halifax, as he was about to +sail from New York to undertake operations on a large scale, and should +be glad to have with him a body of men accustomed to scouting and +acquainted with the country. Accordingly, the company was embarked in a +transport and reached Halifax early in June. On the 11th they sailed +with the army and arrived at Sandy Hook on the 29th. On July 3 the army +landed on Staten Island, opposite Long Island, and soon afterward Lord +Howe, brother of General Howe, arrived with the main army from England, +raising the total force to nearly 30,000 men. It consisted of two +battalions of light infantry, two of grenadiers, the Fourth, Fifth, +Tenth, Seventeenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-third, Twenty-seventh, +Thirty-fifth, Thirty-eighth, Fortieth, Forty-second, Forty-third, +Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty-ninth, Fifty-second, Fifty-fifth, +Sixty-third, and Sixty-fourth regiments of foot, part of the Forty-sixth +and Seventy-first regiments, and the Seventeenth Regiment of light +dragoons. There were, besides, two battalions of volunteers from New +York, each 1000 strong. Had this force arrived, as it should have done, +three months earlier, it might have achieved great things; but the delay +had enabled the Americans to make extensive preparations to meet the +coming storm. + +Lord Howe brought with him a communication from Parliament, giving him +and his brother full power to treat with the Americans on any terms +which they might think fit. Upon his arrival Lord Howe addressed a +letter to Dr. Franklin, informing him of the nature of his +communication, expressing hopes that he would find in America the same +disposition for peace that he brought with him, and requesting his aid +to accomplish the desired end. Dr. Franklin, in answer, informed Lord +Howe that, "prior to the consideration of any proposition for friendship +or peace, it would be required that Great Britain should acknowledge the +independence of America, should defray the expense of the war, and +indemnify, the colonists for all damages committed." + +After such a reply as this Lord Howe had no alternative but to commence +hostilities, which he did by landing the army in Gravesend Bay, Long +Island. The enemy offered no opposition to the landing, but retreated at +once, setting fire to all the houses and granaries, and taking up a +position on the wooded heights which commanded the line by which the +English must advance. + +The American main force, 15,000 strong, was posted on a peninsula +between Mill Creek and Wallabout Bay, and had constructed a strong line +of intrenchments across the end of the peninsula. The intrenchments were +strengthened by abattis and flanked by strong redoubts. Five thousand +remained to guard this post, and 10,000, under General Puttenham, +advanced to hold the line of wooded hills which run across the island. + +In the center of the plain, at the foot of these hills, stood the +village of Flatbush. + +The Hessian division of the British army, under General De Heister, +advanced against this, while General Clinton, with the right wing of the +English army, moved forward to attack the enemy's left. + +This force marched at nine o'clock at night on August 26; General Sir +William Howe himself accompanied it. The line of hills trended away +greatly to the left, and the enemy had neglected to secure the passes +over the hills on this flank; consequently, at nine o'clock in the +morning, the British passed the range of hills without resistance, and +occupied Bedford in its rear. Had Sir William Howe now pushed on +vigorously, the whole of Puttenham's force must have been captured. + +In the meantime the Hessians from Flatbush attacked the center of the +Americans, and after a warm engagement, routed them and drove them into +the woods with a loss of three pieces of cannon. + +On the British left General Grant also advanced, and at midnight carried +a strong pass on the enemy's left. Retiring, they held a still stronger +position further back and offered a fierce resistance until the fires at +Bedford showed that the English had obtained a position almost in their +rear, when they retreated precipitately. + +[Illustration: Sketch of the British Position on Long Island.] + +The victory was a complete one, but it had none of the consequences +which would have attended it had the English pushed forward with +energy after turning the American left. Six pieces of cannon were +captured and 2000 men killed or taken prisoners. The English lost 70 +killed and 230 wounded. + +So impetuously did the English attack that even Sir William Howe +admitted that they could have carried the intrenchments. He alleges he +did not permit them to do so, because he intended to take the position +by regular approaches and wished therefore to avoid the loss of life +which an immediate assault would have occasioned. On the 27th and 28th +regular approaches were commenced, but on the 29th, under cover of a +fog, the Americans embarked in boats and succeeded in carrying the whole +of their force, without the loss of a man, across to the mainland. + +The escape of this body of men was disgraceful in the extreme to the +English commanders. They had a great fleet at their disposal, and had +they placed a couple of frigates in the East River, between Long Island +and New York, the escape would have been impossible, and General +Washington and his army of 15,000 men must have been taken prisoners. +Whether this misfortune would have proved conclusive of the war it is +now too late to speculate; but so splendid an opportunity was never +before let slip by an English general, and the negligence was the more +inexcusable inasmuch as the fleet of boats could be seen lying alongside +of the American position. Their purpose must have been known, and they +could at any moment have been destroyed by the guns of a ship-of-war +taking up its position outside them. + +Lord Howe dispatched the American General Sullivan, who had been taken +prisoner on Long Island, to Congress, repeating his desire to treat. A +committee of three members accordingly waited on Lord Howe, who informed +them that it was the most ardent wish of the king and the government of +Great Britain to put an end to the dissatisfaction between the mother +country and the colonists. To accomplish this desire every act of +Parliament which was considered obnoxious to the colonists should +undergo a revisal, and every just cause of complaint should be removed, +if the colonists would declare their willingness to submit to the +authority of the British government. The committee replied that it was +not America which had separated herself from Great Britain, but Great +Britain had separated herself from America. The latter had never +declared herself independent until the former had made war upon her, and +even if Congress were willing to place America in her former situation, +it could not do so, as the Declaration of Independence had been made in +consequence of the congregated voice of the whole people, by whom alone +it could be abolished. The country was determined not to return under +the domination of England. + +The negotiations were therefore broken off. Lord Howe published a +declaration to the people of America, giving the answer of the committee +to his offer of reconciliation. He acquainted them with the fact that +the parent country was willing to receive into its bosom and protection +all who might be willing to return to their former obedience. In taking +this step, Lord Howe was convinced that a majority of the inhabitants of +America were still willing to enter into an accommodation of the +differences between the two powers, and the conviction was not ill +founded. The declaration, however, produced but little effect, for the +dominant section, that resolved to break off all connection with +England, had acquired the sole management of affairs, and no offers +which could possibly have been made would have been accepted by them. + +Convinced that all further negotiations would be ineffectual, Lord Howe +prepared to carry his army across from Long Island to New York, where +the American army had taken up their post after the retreat from Long +Island. The armies were separated by the East River, with a breadth of +about thirteen hundred yards. A cannonade was kept up for several days. +On September 13 some ships-of-war were brought up to cover the passage. +Washington, seeing the preparations, began to evacuate the city and to +abandon the strong intrenchments which he had thrown up. At eleven +o'clock on the morning of the 15th the men-of-war opened a heavy fire, +and Clinton's division, consisting of 4000 men in eighty-four boats, +sailed up the river, landed on Manhattan Island at a place called Kipp's +Bay, and occupied the heights of Inclenberg, the enemy abandoning their +intrenchments at their approach. General Washington rode toward Kipp's +Bay to take command of the troops stationed there, but found the men who +had been posted at the lines running away, and the brigades which should +have supported them flying in every direction, heedless of the exertions +of their generals. + +Puttenham's division of 4000 men was still in the lower city, and would +be cut off unless the British advance should be checked. Washington +therefore made the greatest efforts to rally the fugitives and to get +them to make a stand to check the advancing enemy, but in vain; for, as +soon as even small bodies of redcoats were seen advancing, they broke +and fled in panic. + +Howe, as usual, delayed giving orders for an advance, and thus permitted +the whole of Puttenham's brigade, who were cut off and must have been +taken prisoners, to escape unharmed. And thus, with comparatively little +loss, the Americans drew off, leaving behind them only a few heavy +cannon and some bayonets and stores. + +So rapid had been their flight at the approach of the English that only +fifteen were killed, two men falling on the English side. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON. + +The Americans, finding that they were not pursued, rallied from their +panic and took up a position at Harlem and Kingsbridge. So great was the +disorganization among them that had the British advanced at once they +would have taken the place with scarcely any loss, strong as it was by +nature and by the intrenchments which Washington had prepared. Great +numbers deserted, disputes broke out between the troops of the various +States, insubordination prevailed, and the whole army was utterly +disheartened by the easy victories which the British had obtained over +them. Washington reported the cowardice of his troops to Congress, who +passed a law inflicting the punishment of death for cowardice. + +Before leaving New York the Americans had made preparations for burning +the whole town, but the speediness of their retreat prevented the +preparations being carried into effect. Fire was set to it in several +places and a third of the town was destroyed. + +The position taken up by the enemy was so strong that it was determined +to operate in the rear. Some redoubts were thrown up to cover New York +during the absence of the main part of the British force. + +A portion of the British army was landed at a point threatening the +retreat of the Americans, and a series of skirmishes of no great +importance took place. The enemy fell back from their most advanced +works, but no general move was undertaken, although, as the numbers on +both sides were about even and the superior fighting powers of the +English had been amply demonstrated, there could have been no doubt as +to the result of a general battle. Lord Howe, however, wasted the time +in a series of petty movements, which, although generally successful, +had no influence upon the result and served only to enable the Americans +to recover from the utter depression which had fallen upon them after +the evacuation of Long Island and the loss of New York. + +Gradually the Americans fell back across a country so swampy and +difficult that it was now no longer possible to bring on a general +action. Their retreat had the effect of isolating the important +positions of Kingsbridge and Fort Washington. The latter post was of the +utmost importance, inasmuch as it secured the American intercourse with +the Jersey shore. The fortifications were very strong and stood upon +rising and open ground. It was garrisoned by 3000 of the best American +troops under the command of Colonel Magaw. Washington was gradually +withdrawing his army, and had already given orders that Fort Washington +should be evacuated; but General Lee, who was second in command, so +strongly urged that it should be retained that, greatly against his own +judgment, he was obliged to consent to its being defended, especially as +Colonel Magaw insisted that the fort could stand a siege. On the night +of November 14 the British passed some troops across the creek, and Lord +Howe summoned the place to surrender on pain of the garrison being put +to the sword. Magaw had upon the previous day received large numbers of +re-enforcements, and replied that he should defend the fort. Soon after +daybreak on the 16th the artillery opened on both sides. Five thousand +Hessians, under the command of General Knyphausen, moved up the hill, +penetrated some of the advanced works of the enemy, and took post within +a hundred yards of the fort. The second division, consisting of the +guards and light infantry, with two battalions of Hessians and the +Thirty-third Regiment, landed at Island Creek, and after some stiff +fighting forced the enemy from the rocks and trees up the steep and +rugged mountain. The third and fourth divisions fought their way up +through similar defenses. So steep was the hill that the assailants +could only climb it by grasping the trees and bushes, and so obstinate +was the defense that the troops were sometimes mixed up together. + +The bravery and superior numbers of the British troops bore down all +resistance, and the whole of the four divisions reached their places +round the fort. They then summoned it to surrender, and its commander, +after half an hour's consideration, seeing the impossibility of +resisting the assault which was threatened, opened the gates. + +Upon the English side about 800 men were killed and wounded, of whom the +majority were Hessians. These troops fought with extreme bravery. The +American loss, owing to their superior position, was about 150 killed +and wounded, but the prisoners taken amounted to over 3000. + +On the 18th Lord Howe landed a strong body on the Jersey shore under +Lord Cornwallis, who marched to Fort Lee and surprised it. A deserter +had informed the enemy of his approach and the garrison had fled in +disorder, leaving their tents, provisions, and military stores behind +them. Lord Cornwallis, pushing forward with great energy, drove the +Americans out of New Jersey. Another expedition occupied Rhode Island. + +Cold weather now set in and the English went into winter quarters. Their +success had been complete, without a single check, and had they been led +vigorously the army of Washington might on two occasions have been +wholly destroyed. In such a case the moderate portion of the population +of the colonies would have obtained a hearing, and a peace honorable to +both parties might have been arrived at. + +The advantage gained by the gallantry of the British troops was, +however, entirely neutralized by the lethargy and inactivity of their +general, and the colonists had time given them to recover from the alarm +which the defeat of their troops had given them, to put another army in +the field, and to prepare on a great scale for the following campaign. + +The conduct of General Howe in allowing Washington's army to retire +almost unmolested was to the officers who served under him +unaccountable. His arrangements for the winter were even more singularly +defective. Instead of concentrating his troops he scattered them over a +wide extent of country at a distance too great to support each other, +and thus left it open to the enemy to crush them in detail. + +General Howe now issued a proclamation offering a free pardon to all who +surrendered, and great numbers of colonists came in and made their +submission. Even in Philadelphia the longing for peace was so strong +that General Washington was obliged to send a force there to prevent the +town from declaring for England. + +During the operations which had taken place since the landing of the +British troops on Long Island Captain Wilson's company had taken but +little part in the operations. All had been straightforward work and +conducted on the principles of European warfare. The services of the +volunteers as scouts had not, therefore, been called into requisition. +The success which at first attended the expedition had encouraged +Captain Wilson to hope, for the first time since the outbreak of the +Revolution, that the English might obtain such decisive successes that +the colonists would be willing to accept some propositions of peace such +as those indicated by Lord Howe--a repeal of all obnoxious laws, freedom +from any taxation except that imposed by themselves, and a recognition +of the British authority. When he saw that Lord Howe, instead of +actively utilizing the splendid force at his disposal, frittered it away +in minor movements and allowed Washington to withdraw with his beaten +army unmolested, his hopes again faded, and he felt that the colonists +would in the long run succeed in gaining all that they contended for. + +When the army went into winter quarters the company was ordered to take +post on the Delaware. There were four frontier posts, at Trenton, +Bordentown, White Horse, and Burlington. Trenton, opposite to which lay +Washington with the main body of his army, was held by only 1200 +Hessians, and Bordentown, which was also on the Delaware, was, like +Trenton, garrisoned by these troops. No worse choice could have been +made. The Hessians were brave soldiers, but their ignorance of the +language and of the country made them peculiarly unsuitable troops for +outpost work, as they were unable to obtain any information. As +foreigners, too, they were greatly disliked by the country people. + +Nothing was done to strengthen these frontier posts, which were left +wholly without redoubts or intrenchments into which the garrison could +withdraw in case of attack. + +Captain Wilson's little company were to act as scouts along the line of +frontier. Their headquarters were fixed at Bordentown, where Captain +Wilson obtained a large house for their use. Most of the men were at +home at work of this kind, and Peter Lambton, Ephraim, and the other +frontiersmen were dispatched from time to time in different directions +to ascertain the movements and intentions of the enemy. Harold asked +his father to allow him, as before, to accompany Peter. The inactivity +of a life at a quiet little station was wearisome, and with Peter he +was sure of plenty of work, with a chance of adventure. The life of +exercise and activity which he had led for more than a year had +strengthened his muscles and widened his frame, and he was now able to +keep up with Peter, however long and tiresome the day's work might be. +Jake, too, was of the party. He had developed into an active soldier, +and although he was but of little use for scouting purposes, even Peter +did not object to his accompanying him, for the negro's unfailing good +temper and willingness to make himself useful had made him a favorite +with the scout. + +The weather was now setting in exceedingly cold. The three men had more +than once crossed the Delaware in a canoe and scouted in the very heart +of the enemy's country. They were now sitting by the bank, watching some +drifting ice upon the river. + +"There won't be many more passages of the river by water," Peter +remarked. "Another ten days, and it'll be frozen across." + +"Then we can cross on foot, Peter." + +"Yes, we can do that," the scout said, "and so can the enemy. Ef their +general has got any interprise with him, and ef he can get them chaps as +he calls soldiers to fight, he'll be crossing over one of these nights +and capturing the hull of them Hessians at Trenton. What General Howe +means by leaving 'em there is more nor I can think; he might as well +have sent so many babies. The critters can fight, and fight well, too, +and they're good soldiers; but what's the good of 'em in a frontier +post? They know nothing of the country; they can't speak to the people, +nor ask no questions, nor find out nothing about what's doing the other +side of the river. They air no more than mere machines. What was wanted +was two or three battalions of light troops, who would make friends with +the country people and larn all that's doing opposite. If the Americans +are sharp they'll give us lots of trouble this winter, and you'll find +there won't be much sitting quiet for us at Bordentown. Fortunately +Bordentown and Trenton aint far apart, and one garrison ought to be able +to arrive to the assistance of the other before it's overpowered. We +shall see. Now, I propose that we cross again to-night and try and find +out what the enemy's doing. Then we can come back and manage for you to +eat your Christmas dinner with yer father, as you seem to have bent yer +mind upon that, though why it matters about dinner one day more than +another is more nor I can see." + +That night the three scouts crossed the river in the canoe. Avoiding all +houses, they kept many miles straight on beyond the river and lay down +for a few hours before morning dawned; then they turned their faces the +other way and walked up to the first farmhouse they saw. + +"Can we have a drink of milk?" the hunter asked. + +"You can," the farmer replied, "and some breakfast if you like to pay +for it. At first I was glad to give the best I had to those who came +along, but there have been such numbers going one way and the other, +either marching to join the army or running away to return to their +homes, that I should be ruined if I gave to all comers." + +"We're ready to pay," Peter said, drawing some money from his pocket. + +"Then come in and sit down." + +In a few minutes an excellent breakfast was put before them. + +"You are on your way to join the army, of course?" the farmer asked. + +"Jest that," Peter replied. "We think it's about our time to do a little +shooting, though I don't suppose there'll be much done till the spring." + +"I don't know," the farmer said. "I should not be surprised if the +general wakes up them Germans when the Delaware gets frozen. I heard +some talk about it from some men who came past yesterday. Their time was +expired, they said, and they were going home. I hear, too, that they are +gathering a force down near Mount Holly, and I reckon that they are +going to attack Bordentown." + +"Is that so?" Peter asked. "In that case we might as well tramp in that +direction. It don't matter a corn-shuck to us where we fight, so as it's +soon. We've come to help lick these British, and we means to do it." + +"Ah!" the farmer said, "I have heard that sentiment a good many times, +but I have not seen much come of it yet. So far, it seems to me as the +licking has been all the other way." + +"That's so," Peter agreed. "But everyone knows that the Americans are +just the bravest people on the face of the habitable arth. I reckon +their dander's not fairly up yet; but when they begin in arnest you'll +see what they'll do." + +The farmer gave a grunt which might mean anything. He had no strong +sympathies either way, and the conduct of the numerous deserters and +disbanded men who had passed through his neighborhood had been far from +impressing him favorably. + +"I don't pretend to be strong either for the Congress or the king. I +don't want to be taxed, but I don't see why the colonists should not pay +something toward the expenses of the government; and now that Parliament +seems willing to give all we ask for, I don't see what we want to go on +fighting for." + +"Waal!" Peter exclaimed in a tone of disgust, "you're one of the +half-hearted ones." + +"I am like the great majority of the people of this country. We are of +English stock and we don't want to break with the Old Country; but the +affairs have got into the hands of the preachers, and the newspaper men, +and the chaps that want to push themselves forward and make their pile +out of the war. As I read it, it's just the civil war in England over +again. We were all united at the first against what we considered as +tyranny on the part of the Parliament, and now we have gone setting up +demands which no one dreamed of at first and which most of us object to +now, only we have no longer the control of our own affairs." + +"The great heart of this country beats for freedom," Peter Lambton said. + +"Pooh!" said the farmer contemptuously. "The great heart of the country +wants to work its farms and do its business quietly. The English general +has made fair offers, which might well be accepted; and as for freedom, +there was no tyranny greater than that of the New England States. As +long as they managed their own affairs there was neither freedom of +speech nor religion. No, sir; what they call freedom was simply the +freedom to make everyone else do and think like the majority." + +"Waal, we won't argue it out," Peter said, "for I'm not good at +argument, and I came here to fight and not to talk. Besides, I want +to get to Mount Holly in time to jine in this battle, so I guess +we'll be moving." + +Paying for the breakfast, they started at once in the direction of Mount +Holly, which lay some twenty-five miles away. As they approached the +place early in the afternoon they overtook several men going in the same +direction. They entered into conversation with them, but could only +learn that some 450 of the militia from Philadelphia and the counties of +Gloucester and Salem had arrived on the spot. The men whom they had +overtaken were armed countrymen who were going to take a share in the +fight on their own account. + +Entering the place with the others, Peter found that the information +given him was correct. + +"We better be out of this at once," he said to Harold, "and make for +Bordentown." + +"You don't think that there is much importance in the movement," Harold +said as they tramped along. + +"There aint no importance whatever," Peter said, "and that's what I want +to tell 'em. They're never thinking of attacking the two thousand +Hessians at Bordentown with that ragged lot." + +"But what can they have assembled them for within twelve miles of the +place?" Harold asked. + +"It seems to me," the hunter replied, "that it's jest a trick to draw +the Germans out from Bordentown and so away from Trenton. At any rate, +it's well that the true account of the force here should be known. +These things gets magnified, and they may think that there's a hull +army here." + +It was getting dusk when they entered Bordentown, and Harold was glad +when he saw the little town, for since sunset on the evening before they +had tramped nearly sixty miles. The place seemed singularly quiet. They +asked the first person they met what had become of the troops, and they +were told that Colonel Donop, who commanded, had marched an hour before +with his whole force of 2000 men toward Mount Holly, leaving only 80 men +in garrison at Bordentown. + +"We are too late," Harold said. "They have gone by the road and we kept +straight through the woods and so missed them." + +"Waal, I hope no harm 'ill come of it. I suppose they mean to attack at +daylight, and in course that rabble will run without fighting. I hope, +when the colonel sees as how thar's no enemy ther worth speaking of, +he'll march straight back again." + +Unfortunately this was not the case. The militia, according to their +orders, at once dispersed when their outposts told them of the approach +of the British, but the German officer, instead of returning instantly, +remained for two days near Mount Holly, and so gave time to Washington +to carry out his plans. + +Captain Wilson's company had gone out with the force, and Peter and his +companions had the house to themselves that night. Harold slept late, +being thoroughly fatigued by his long march the day before, carrying his +rifle, blanket, and provisions. Peter woke him at last. + +"Now, young un, you've had a good sleep; it's eleven o'clock. I'm off to +Trenton to see what's doing there. Will you go with me, or will you stop +here on the chance of eating your dinner with your father?" + +"Oh, it's Christmas Day," Harold said, stretching. "Well, what do you +think, Peter--are they likely to come back or not?" + +"They ought to be back, there's no doubt about that, but whether they +will or not is a different affair altogether. I've never seed them hurry +themselves yet, not since the war began; things would have gone a good +deal better if they had; but time never seems of no consequence to them. +They marched twelve miles last night, and I reckon it's likely they'll +halt to-day and won't be back till to-morrow. I feel oneasy in my mind +about the whole affair, for I can't see a single reason for the enemy +sending that weak force to Mount Holly, unless it was to draw away the +troops from here, and the only motive there could be for that would be +because they intended to attack Trenton." + +"Very well, Peter, I will go with you." + +Accompanied by Jake they set out at once for Trenton. On arriving there +they found no particular signs of vigilance. Since the Hessians had +reached Trenton their discipline had much relaxed. A broad river +separated them from the enemy, who were known to be extremely +discontented and disorganized. They had received instruction on no +account to cross the river to attack the colonials, and the natural +consequence of this forced inactivity had manifested itself. Discipline +was lax, and but a slight watch was kept on the movements of the enemy +across the stream. Ignorant of the language of the people, they were +incapable of distinguishing between those who were friendly and those +who were hostile to the Crown, and they behaved as if in a conquered +country; taking such necessaries as they required without payment, and +even sending parties to a considerable distance on plundering +expeditions. + +Peter, on his arrival, proceeded to the headquarters of Colonel Rhalle, +who was in command--an officer of great bravery and energy. One of his +officers was able to speak English, and to him Peter reported the +departure of the force from Bordentown, of which Colonel Rhalle was +already aware, and the weakness of the American force at Mount Holly. +He stated, also, his own belief that it was merely a feint to draw off +Colonel Donop, and that preparatory to an attack on Trenton. The +officer treated the information lightly, and pointing to the mass of +ice floating down the river asked whether it would be possible for +boats to cross. + +"When the river freezes," he said, "there may be some chance of attack. +Till then we are absolutely safe." + +Peter, shaking his head, rejoined his companions and told them of the +manner in which his advice had been received. + +"But it would be difficult to cross the river," Harold said. "Look at +the masses of ice on the water." + +"It would be difficult," the hunter admitted, "but not by no manner of +means impossible. Determined men could do it. Waal, I've done my duty +and can do no more. Ef the night passes off quietly we'll cross again +before daybreak and go right into the Yankee camp and see what they're +up to. Now, Harold, you can take it easy till nightfall; there's naught +to be learned till then, and as we shall be on foot all night ye may as +well sleep to-day." + +Returning to a spot on the banks of the river at a short distance from +the town, they made a fire, on which Jake cooked some steaks of +venison they had procured. After smoking a pipe, the hunter set the +example by stretching himself on the ground near the fire and going to +sleep. Used as he was to night marches, he had acquired the faculty of +going to sleep at any hour at will. Jake and Harold were some time +before they followed his example, but they too were at last asleep. At +sunset they were on their feet again, and after taking supper +proceeded along the river. + +The night passed off quietly, and Harold became convinced that his +companion's fears were unfounded. Toward morning he suggested that it +was time to be crossing the river. + +"I'm not going yet," the hunter said. "Before I start we'll go down to +Trenton Ferry, a mile below the town. Ef they come over at all, it's +likely enough to be there. There'll be time then to get back and cross +before it's light; It's six o'clock now." + +They kept along the road by the river until they were within a quarter +of a mile of the ferry. Presently they saw a dark mass ahead. + +"Jerusalem!" Peter exclaimed. "There they are." + +They immediately discharged their rifles and ran back at full speed to +the outposts, which were but a quarter of a mile from the town. The +Americans had also pressed forward at full speed, and the outposts, who +had been alarmed by the discharge of the rifles, were forced at once to +abandon the post and to run into the town, whither they had, on hearing +the rifles, already sent in one of their number with the news. Here all +was in confusion. The Hessian leader was trying to collect his troops, +who were hurrying in from their quarters, but many of them thought more +of storing their plunder away in the wagons than of taking their places +in the ranks. + +Washington had crossed with 2500 men and a few field-pieces, and upon +gaining the Jersey side had divided his troops into two detachments, one +of which marched by the river side, the other by an upper road. Hurrying +forward they surrounded the town, and placing their field-pieces in the +road, opened fire on the astonished Hessians. Rhalle had by this time +succeeded in assembling the greater part of his force and charged the +Americans with his usual courage. He received, however, a mortal wound +as he advanced. His troops immediately lost heart, and finding their +retreat cut off at once surrendered. A body of Hessian light horse +succeeded in making their escape. The casualties were few on either +side, but 1000 prisoners were taken. Two other divisions of the +Americans had attempted to cross, the one at Bordentown, the other at +Mackenzie's Ferry, but both had failed, owing to the quantity of +floating ice. Washington retired across the Delaware the same afternoon. + +The consequences of this success were great. The spirits of the +Americans, which had fallen to the lowest ebb in consequence of the +uninterrupted series of defeats, rose greatly. They found that the +British were not invincible, and that, if unable to oppose them in great +battles, they might at least inflict heavy losses on them and weary them +out with skirmishes and surprises. The greatest joy reigned throughout +the various States; fresh levies were ordered; the voices of the +moderate party, which had been gaining strength, were silenced, and the +determination to continue the war vigorously was in the ascendency. + +The lesson given at Trenton was wholly lost upon the English +commander-in-chief. Instead of at once ordering General Leslie to +advance from Princeton and to hold the enemy in check by reoccupying and +fortifying Trenton, he allowed Colonel Donop to abandon Bordentown and +to fall back to Princeton--thus laying it open to Washington to cross +the Delaware again and carry the war into New Jersey. Washington, after +waiting eight days, seeing the indecision and ineptitude of the British +general, again crossed with 4000 men and occupied Trenton. + +Peter Lambton and his two companions were not among the prisoners +taken at Trenton. On entering the town Harold was about to join the +Hessians assembling under Colonel Rhalle, but Peter gave a violent tug +to his coat. + +"Come along, young un!" he said. "The darned fools have let themselves +be caught in a trap and they'll find there's no way out of it. In ten +minutes the Americans will be all round the place, and as I don't wish +to spend a year or two in a Yankee prison at present, I'm going to make +tracks at once. Fighting aren't no good now. Men who'll let 'emselves +be caught in a trap like this'll never be able to cut their way out of +it. Come on!" + +Much against his will Harold yielded to Peter's wishes, and the three +kept straight on through the town by the river side and issued into the +country beyond before the Americans had surrounded it. A minute or two +after leaving the town the light horse galloped past. + +"There are some more out of the hole, and I reckon that's about all. +There, do you hear the guns? The Yanks have brought their artillery +over--I reckon the fight won't last long." + +For two or three minutes there was a roar of musketry; then this +suddenly ceased. + +"I thought as much," Peter said. "They've surrendered. If they had only +kept together and fought well, they should have cut their way through +the enemy. Lord! what poor things regular soldiers are in the dark! A +frontiersman would just as soon fight in the dark as in the light; but +here are the men who climbed up the hill to Fort Washington--and that +was no child's play--no better nor a pack of women when they're attacked +half-asleep and half-awake, just as day is breaking." + +The three comrades walked to Bordentown, which, they were relieved to +find, had not been attacked. A few miles beyond this place they met +Colonel Donop marching back at full speed with his corps, having +received the news of the disaster at Trenton from the horsemen who had +fled. They joined their company and marched to Princeton. + +A fortnight later Lord Cornwallis, with the forces at Brunswick, under +General Grant, advanced to Princeton and then moved forward to attack +the army at Trenton. General Washington on his approach retired from the +town and, crossing a rivulet at the back of it, took post on some high +ground there, with the apparent intention of defending himself against +an attack. It was late in the afternoon, and a heavy cannonade was kept +up till night-time. Lord Cornwallis determined to attack next morning. +At two in the morning Washington retired suddenly, leaving his fires +burning. Quitting the main road he made a long circuit through Allentown +and marched with all speed toward Princeton, which place he intended to +surprise. When Lord Cornwallis advanced he had left the Seventeenth, +Fortieth, and Fifty-fifth regiments there. + +On arriving at Trenton he had sent word back for the Seventeenth and +Fifty-fifth to advance to Maidenhead, a village halfway between +Princeton and Trenton. Colonel Mawhood, who commanded, marched at +daylight, but scarcely had he started when he met Washington advancing +with his army. The morning was foggy, and it was at first supposed that +the enemy were a body of British troops marching back to Princeton, but +it was soon found that the force was a hostile one. Its strength could +not be seen on account of the fog, and he determined to engage it. +Possessing himself of some high ground, he sent his wagons back to +Princeton and ordered the Fortieth Regiment to come out to his +assistance. + +As the Americans advanced, the artillery on both sides opened fire. The +leading columns of the colonists soon showed signs of disorder. The +Seventeenth Regiment fixed bayonets and with great gallantry charged the +enemy in front of them, driving them back with considerable slaughter; +and so far did they advance that they were separated from the other +battalions, and cutting their way through the American force the +regiment pursued its march to Maidenhead. The Fortieth and Fifty-fifth +fought stoutly, but were unable to make their way through the American +force, and fell back to Brunswick, while the Americans occupied +Princeton. At daybreak Lord Cornwallis discovered the retreat of the +American army, and being apprehensive for the safety of Brunswick, where +great stores of the army were accumulated, marched with all haste toward +that town. + +Brigadier Matthew, the officer commanding there, on hearing of the +approach of the enemy, at once dispatched the store wagons toward the +rear and drew up his small command to defend the place to the last. The +gallant resistance before Princeton had delayed the Americans so long +that the van of the army of Cornwallis was already close to their rear +as they approached Brunswick. Seeing this, Washington abandoned his +design on that town and crossed the Millstone River, breaking down the +bridge at Kingston to stop pursuit. + +Washington now overran East and West Jersey, penetrated into Essex +County, and making himself master of the country opposite to Staten +Island, thus regained almost all the district which the English had +taken from him in the autumn. + +All this greatly heightened the spirit and courage of the Americans, +while the loyalists and the English troops were disheartened and +disgusted at seeing an army of 30,000 fine troops kept inactive, while +the enemy, with but 4000 men, who were wholly incapable of opposing an +equal number of English troops, were allowed to wander unchecked, to +attack and harass the English pickets, and to utilize the whole of the +resources of their country. Had General Howe entertained a fixed desire +to see English authority overthrown in America he could not have acted +in a manner more calculated to carry those wishes into effect. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +A TREACHEROUS PLANTER. + +It must not be supposed that the whole of the time was spent in scouting +and fighting. Between the armies lay a band of no man's land. Here, as +elsewhere, the people of the country were divided in their opinions, but +generally made very little display of these, whatever they might be. It +is true that, as a rule, non-combatants were but little interfered with; +still, a warm and open display of sympathy with one side or the other +was likely to be attended by the loss of cattle and damage to crops when +the other party got the upper hand. In some other States feeling ran +much higher. In the Carolinas the royalists were most cruelly +persecuted. Their property was destroyed and they were, in many cases, +shot down without mercy; but generally, throughout the colonies, a +considerable latitude of opinion was allowed. This was especially so in +the zone between the armies in the Jerseys. None could tell what the +positions of the armies a week hence might be, and any persecution +inflicted by the one party might lead to retaliation upon a shift of +positions a few weeks later. A general toleration therefore reigned. + +Next to Peter Lambton, Harold's greatest friend in the corps was a young +man named Harvey. He was of good family and belonged to New York. Being +a strong loyalist, he had, like many other gentlemen, enlisted for +service under the old flag. He had, naturally, many acquaintances among +the county families, and Harold often accompanied him in his visits to +one or other of them. + +During the winter, when things were quiet, the duties of the scouts were +light, and it was the habit among them that one-third should be on +outpost duty at a time, the rest being free to move about as they liked. +The scouts had no fixed order of position. They went out alone or in +twos or threes, as it pleased them, their duty simply being to watch +everything that was going on along the enemy's line of outposts, to +bring the earliest news of any intended movements, and to prevent +dashing parties of the enemy's horsemen from making raids into or behind +the British lines. They were not, of course, expected to check bodies of +cavalry starting on a raid, but simply to obtain information of their +having left their lines and of the direction taken, and then to hurry +back to the British posts, whence a force of cavalry would be sent out +to intercept or check the invaders. Many dashing exploits were performed +by the cavalry on both sides in the way of getting behind their +opponents' quarters, cutting off provision trains, attacking small +posts, and carrying off straggling parties. + +One of the houses to which Harold used most frequently to accompany his +friend Harvey was situated nearly halfway between the rival armies, and +was about eight miles from either. The owner--Mr. Jackson--was a man of +considerable wealth, and the house was large and well appointed. He had, +before the troubles began, a fine business as a lawyer in New York; but, +as the outbreak of hostilities put a stop to all business of a legal +kind in that city, he had retired to his country house. Although himself +born in England, he professed to be entirely neutral, but his family +were undisguisedly loyal. It consisted of his wife and two daughters, +girls of seventeen and eighteen years old. + +When the English army advanced to the neighborhood of his property Mr. +Jackson was always ready to offer his hospitality to the officers of the +corps which might be stationed near him, and he similarly opened his +house to the Americans when they, in turn, advanced as the British +turned back. Being, as he always made a point of saying, perfectly +neutral in the struggle, he was glad to meet gentlemen, irrespective of +the opinions they held. The line taken by Mr. Jackson was the one which +was very largely pursued among the inhabitants of the country houses and +farms scattered over what was, throughout the war, a debatable land. So +frequent were the changes of the position of the armies that none could +say who might be in possession in a week's time, and it was, therefore, +an absolute necessity for those who wished to live unmolested to abstain +from any stronger show of partisanship. + +As is always the case in struggles of this kind, the female population +were more enthusiastic in their partisanship and more pronounced in +their opinions than the men; and although, upon the arrival of a troop +of cavalry or a detachment of foot belonging to the other side, the +master of the house would impartially offer what hospitality he was +capable of, it was not difficult to perceive, by the warmth or coldness +of the female welcome, what were the private sentiments of the family. + +Harold was not long in discovering, from the frequency with which Harvey +proposed an excursion to the Jacksons' and from his conduct there, that +Isabelle, the eldest daughter, was the object which mainly attracted +him. The families had long been friends, and Harvey, although now +serving as a simple scout, was of a position equal to her own. The +friends were always cordially received by Mr. Jackson, and Harold was +soon as intimate there as his comrade. They usually left their quarters +a little before dusk and started back late at night. Often as Mr. +Jackson pressed them to stay, they never accepted his invitation. + +The scouts, from their activity and ubiquitousness, were the +_betes-noirs_ of the Americans, whose most secret plans were constantly +detected and foiled by the sagacity and watchfulness of these men, whose +unerring rifles made frequent gaps in the ranks of the officers. They +therefore spared no pains, whenever there was a chance, of killing or +capturing any of these most troublesome foes, and Harvey and Harold knew +that a report of their presence at the Jacksons' would suffice to bring +a party of horsemen from the American lines. Their visits, therefore, +were always made after dark, and at irregular intervals, and, in spite +of their inclination to the contrary they made a point of returning at +night to their quarters. + +Other visitors were often present at the Jacksons', the sons and +daughters of neighbors, and there was generally music and singing, and +sometimes the young people stood up for a dance. + +The scouts wore no regular uniform, although there was a general +similarity in their attire, which was that of an ordinary backwoods +hunter. When off duty they were allowed to dress as they pleased, and at +Mr. Jackson's the two friends were attired in the ordinary dress of +colonists of position. At these little gatherings political subjects +were never discussed, and a stranger spending an evening there would not +have dreamed that the house stood between two hostile armies; that at +any moment a party of horsemen belonging to one side or other might dash +into the courtyard, and that even those laughing and talking pleasantly +together might be of opinions diametrically opposed. + +Harvey and Harold were introduced to visitors simply as friends from New +York, and, although the suspicions as to their character and position +might be strong, no one thought of asking questions. + +"I do not like that fellow Chermside," Harvey said one night, as he and +his friend were returning to their quarters. + +They were mounted; for, although when on duty the scouts worked on foot, +many of them, who were men of property, kept horses which they used when +not engaged. Harvey had two horses, and one of these was always at +Harold's service. + +"I am not surprised you don't like him," Harold replied with a laugh, +"and I imagine the dislike is mutual. When two gentlemen are paying +attentions to one young lady they seldom appreciate each other's merits +very cordially." + +"I don't think it is entirely that," Harvey laughed. "Isabella and I +understand each other, and I have no fear of his rivalry; but I do not +like him." + +"I do not think I like him myself," Harold said more seriously; "and yet +I do not know why I should not. When he has been there alone with us and +the family, he has frequently used expressions showing his strong +leaning toward the loyalists' side." + +"I don't put much faith in that," Harvey said. "He knows how strongly +Mr. Jackson and the girls lean toward the Crown, and would say anything +that he thought would please Isabelle. I have spoken to her and she +thinks that he is sincere; in fact, she has rather a good opinion of +him. However, we shall see. It was rather curious that that party of +Morgan's cavalry should have ridden up the other night and searched the +house two hours after we left. You see, we had agreed to sleep there +that night, and only changed our minds after the others had all left, +when we remembered that we were both for duty early next morning. It +might have been a coincidence, of course, but it had an ugly look. I +think Mr. Jackson thought so, too, for he did not ask us to stop +to-night; anyhow, I wish Chermside's plantation was not so near this and +that he did not drop in so often." + +A week later they paid another visit. When dinner was over Harold +was chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Harvey was sitting at the +piano, where the eldest girl was playing, and the younger was +looking out of window. + +"We are going to have another fall of snow," she said. "There is not a +star to be seen. Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. + +"What is it, my dear?" Mr. Jackson asked. + +"There is a rocket gone up from the woods." + +"A rocket!" Mr. Jackson repeated. + +"Yes, papa; there are the stars falling now." + +"That is a curious thing," Mr. Jackson said, while the others went +to the window. They stood watching for some minutes, but nothing +was to be seen. + +"I do not like that rocket," Mr. Jackson said as they left the window. +"It means something. It can only be a signal. People don't let off +rockets for amusement nowadays. Did you meet anyone on the road?" + +"No, sir," Harvey said, "not a soul." + +"I do not like it," their host repeated. "It means mischief of some sort +or other. I do not wish to seem inhospitable, but my advice to you is, +get on your horses at once and ride to your quarters. You are on duty +to-morrow, and you told me you would pass near here on your way toward +the enemy's lines. You might look in as you go past and hear whether +anything came of it. If I mistake not, we shall have another visit from +Morgan's horse this evening." + +Much against their inclination the young men followed Mr. +Jackson's advice. + +The next day they, with Peter and Jake, stopped at the house as +they passed. + +"I was right," their host said, as the two young men entered. "An hour +after you left twenty of Morgan's horse rode up here. They would not +take my word that we were alone, but searched the house from top to +bottom, and were evidently greatly disappointed at finding no one. I +have been making inquiries this morning and find that all the servants +were in the house at the time my daughter saw the rocket, so I hope that +I have no traitor here. Still, it is clear that someone must be keeping +watch over your movements." + +"Have you asked, sir," Harvey said, after a pause, "whether anyone came +after we had arrived?" + +"I do not see how anyone could come, but I will ask." + +He rang the bell and a negro servant appeared. + +"Did anyone come to the house yesterday, Caesar, after these gentleman +came--any beggar or peddler, or anyone of that sort?" + +"No, sir; no one came except Massa Chermside. He get off his horse and +ask if you, hab any visitors. I said that Massa Harvey and Massa Wilson +were here. He say he call again another night when the family alone, and +rode off." + +"Just what I expected, sir," Harvey said, when the servant left the +room. "I have always doubted that fellow's honesty." + +"Oh, nonsense!" Mr. Jackson replied. "You must be mad, Harvey. +Chermside's father was an old friend of mine, and I have known the young +fellow since he was a child. I should as soon suspect one of my own +daughters of being capable of such an act of gross treachery as laying a +plot to bring the American cavalry down upon guests of mine. The idea is +preposterous. Bless me, how amused the girls will be at your suspecting +their old playfellow!" + +"I hope I may be mistaken, sir," Harvey said, "but Harold's opinion of +him agrees with mine; and, in talking it over last night, we both put +our finger on him as the man who fired the rocket. Well, now, we must be +pushing on. We are bound for the ford where Morgan's horse must have +come over, and shall hear from our fellows there whether they rode +straight here after crossing, as, if so, there can be no doubt whatever +that the rocket was a signal." + +Upon arriving at the ford they found that Morgan's horse had only +crossed an hour before the time at which they arrived at Mr. Jackson's. +One of the scouts had instantly taken word to the nearest cavalry +outpost, but the enemy had recrossed the river before these had arrived +on the spot. + +After three days on duty at the front, the party returned to their +lines, and the next time that the young men rode out to their friends +they took with them Jake and Peter, to whom they related the +circumstances. + +The scouts proceeded on foot and separated from the others a mile before +reaching the house, having arranged that Peter should scout round it, +while Jake should proceed to the plantation of Mr. Chermside and keep a +sharp lookout there. + +They had arranged with Mr. Jackson that no mention of the rocket should +be made to anyone, however intimate with the family. + +"I am glad to see you again," the host said, as they entered the room +where the family were assembled, "although I own that these two raids of +Morgan's horse have made me uneasy. The girls have been immensely amused +at your suspicions of young Chermside." + +"How could you think such a thing?" Isabelle said. "He was here on the +following evening, and was as indignant as we were at the thought of +treachery being at work. He quite agreed with us that the coming of the +Yankees could hardly have been accidental." + +"You said nothing about the rocket, I hope?" Harvey asked. + +"No, we kept quite silent about that, as you made such a point of it; +but it seemed ridiculous with him. But I shall be in a fright, now, +every time you come." + +"We have brought two of our men with us," Harvey said, "and they are +scouting round, so we shall hear if another rocket goes up; and, even if +the person who let it up suspects that the last was seen,--as he might +do from our having left so suddenly,--and tries some other plan to warn +the enemy, we can trust our men to fire a shot and so give us warning in +time. We have told the groom not to take the saddles off the horses, as +we may stop but a short time." + +At eight o'clock a disturbance was heard outside, and Jake entered the +room, dragging with him by main force the young planter. + +"What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Jackson asked, as they rose from +their seats in surprise. + +"Me tell you, sar," Jake answered. "Me had orders from Massa Harold to +watch outside ob de house ob dis feller and see what going on dere. +About half an hour after me got dere a nigger come along running from +dis direction. Dat no business of Jake's, so he stood in de trees and +let him pass. He go into de house; five minutes afterward dis feller he +come out and he walk away. Jake follow him bery quiet to see what him +after. He walk more dan a mile, den he get on to de oder side of dat big +hill; den me see him stop, and Jake tink it time to interfere, so he ran +up and catch him. He had put dis ting against a stump of a tree, and had +him pistol in him hand, and was on de point of firing it close to dis +ting, so as to light him." + +As Jake spoke he held out a rocket. Several times while Jake had been +speaking the planter had tried to interrupt him, but each time Jake, who +had not released his hold of him, gave him so violent a shake that he +was fain to be silent. + +"This is a scandalous indignity," he exclaimed furiously when Jake +finished. "What do you mean, sir," he demanded of Harvey, "by setting +this nigger to watch my abode? I will have satisfaction for this +treatment." + +"It seems, sir," Mr. Jackson said, signing to Harvey to be silent, +"that you have been detected in a gross act of treachery. My friends +have suspected you of it, but I indignantly denied it. Could we +believe, I and my family, that you, whom we have known as a child, +would betray our guests to the Americans? Loyalists and republicans are +alike welcome here. I do not ask my friends their opinions. My house is +neutral ground, and I did not think that anyone who used it would have +had the treachery to turn it into a trap; still less did I imagine you +would do so. These gentlemen would be perfectly within their right did +they take you out and hang you from the nearest tree; but, for my sake, +I trust that they will not do so; but should the American cavalry ever +again visit this house under circumstances which may lead it to be +supposed that they have been brought here to capture my guests, I shall +let them punish you as you deserve. No word of mine will be raised in +your favor. Now, sir, go, and never again enter this house, where the +loathing and contempt that I feel for you will, I know, be shared by +the ladies of my family." + +At a nod from Harold Jake released his hold of the captive, who, without +a word, turned and left the room. + +Not a word was spoken for a minute or two after he had left. The +youngest girl was the first to speak. + +"The wretch!" she exclaimed. "To think that Herbert Chermside should +turn out such a mean traitor! Papa, I would have let them hang him at +once. It would have served him right. Now he may do us all harm." + +"I do not know that you are not right, Ada," Mr. Jackson replied +gravely. "I am far from saying that I acted wisely. Young Chermside has +many friends among the Americans, and it is possible that he may work us +harm. However, my position as a neutral is well established. Officers on +both sides have at times been welcomed here, and his report, therefore, +that our friends here are often with us can do us no harm. Henceforth he +must be regarded as an enemy, and there will always be danger in these +visits. So long as the American outposts are within an hour's ride he +can have the road watched; and, although he is not likely to venture +upon signaling with rockets, he may send or take word on horseback. A +bonfire, too, might be lit at the other side of the hill to call them +over. Altogether you will never be safe from home except when you have a +strong body of your own troops between this and the river." + +"I am glad to say," Harvey said, "that in consequence of the news of +Morgan's raids on this side a body of 200 infantry and a troop of +cavalry are to move to-morrow and take up their position by the ford, so +we shall be safe from any surprise from that direction." + +"I am very glad to hear it," Mr. Jackson said. "It will relieve me of a +great anxiety. But pray be watchful when you are in this neighborhood. +You have made a bitter enemy, and, after what he has proved himself +capable of, we cannot doubt that he would hesitate at nothing. I +understand," he went on with a smile toward his eldest daughter, "what +is at the bottom of his conduct, and, as I have long suspected his hopes +in that quarter, I am not surprised that he is somewhat hostile to you. +Still, I never for a moment deemed him capable of this." + +The next day Mr. Jackson learned that his neighbor had left his +plantation, and had told his servants that he was not likely to return +for some time. + +Shortly after this a series of bad luck attended the doings of the +British scouts. Several parties were killed or captured by the enemy, +and they were constantly baffled by false reports, while the Americans +appeared to forestall all their movements. It was only when enterprises +were set on foot and carried out by small bodies that they were ever +successful, anything like combined action by the orders of the officers +constantly turning out ill. + +"There must be a traitor somewhere," Peter said upon the return of a +party from an attempt which, although it promised well, had been +frustrated, to carry off a number of cattle from one of the American +depots. "It aint possible that this can be all sheer bad luck. It aint +no one in our company, I'll be bound. We aint had any new recruits +lately, and there aint a man among us whom I could not answer for. There +must be a black sheep in Gregory's or Vincent's corps. The enemy seem up +to every move, and, between us, we have lost more than thirty men in the +last few weeks. There aint no doubt about it--there's a traitor +somewhere and he must be a clever one, and he must have pals with him, +or he couldn't send news of what we are doing so quickly. It beats me +altogether, and the men are all furious." + +"I've been talking with some of our men," Peter said a few days +afterward, "and we agree that we are bound to get to the bottom of this +matter. We're sartin sure that the traitor don't belong to us. What we +propose is this, that the hull of us shall go up together, without +saying a word to a soul, and scatter ourselves along the river at all +the points where a chap going with a message to the enemy would be +likely to cross. The night we go out we'll get the three captains all to +give orders to their men for an expedition, so that whoever it is that +sends messages from here would be sure to send over word to the Yankees; +and it'll be hard if we don't ketch him. What do you say?" + +"I think the plan is a very good one," Harold answered. "If you like, I +will go with my father and ask Gregory and Vincent to send their men." + +Captain Wilson at once went to these officers. They were as much +irritated and puzzled as were their men by the failures which had taken +place, and agreed that, next evening, an order should be issued for the +men of the three corps to act in combination, and to allow it to leak +out that they intended to surprise an American post situated near the +river, twenty-one miles distant. Captain Wilson's scouts, instead of +going with the others, were to act on their own account. + +On the day arranged, as soon as it became dark, the forty scouts quietly +left their quarters in small parties and made their way toward the +river, striking it at the point where a messenger would be likely to +cross upon his way to give warning to the American post of the attack +intended to be made upon it. They took post along the river, at a +distance of fifty or sixty yards apart, and silently awaited the result. +Several hours passed and no sound broke the stillness of the woods. An +hour before dawn Peter Lambton heard a slight crack, as that of a +breaking twig. It was some distance back in the woods, but it seemed to +him, by the direction, that the man who caused it would strike the river +between himself and Jake, who was stationed next to him. He noiselessly +stole along toward the point. Another slight sound afforded him a sure +indication of the direction in which the man, whoever he might be, was +approaching. He hastened his steps, and a minute later a negro issued +from the wood close to him. He stood for an instant on the river bank +and was about to plunge in, when Peter threw his arms around him. + +Although taken by surprise, the negro struggled desperately and would +have freed himself from the grip of the old scout had not Jake run up +instantly to his comrade's assistance. In a minute the negro was bound +and two shots were then fired, the concerted signal by which it would be +known along the line that a capture had been effected. In a few minutes +the whole body was assembled. The negro, who refused to answer any +questions, was carried far back into the woods and a fire was lighted. + +"Now, nigger," Peter said, taking, as captor, the lead in the matter, +"jest tell us right away where you was going and who sent you." + +The negro was silent. + +"Now, look ye here, darky, you're in the hands of men who are no +jokers. Ef you tell us at once who put ye on to this trick no harm will +happen to you; but ef ye don't we'll jest burn the skin off your body, +bit by bit." + +Still the negro was silent. + +"Half a dozen of yez," Peter said, "as have got iron ramrods shove them +into the fire. We'll soon find this nigger's tongue." + +Not a word was spoken until the ramrods were heated red-hot. + +"Now," Peter said, "two of yez clap your ramrods against this +darky's flanks." + +The negro struggled as the men approached him, and gave a terrific yell +as the hot iron was applied to his sides. + +"I will tell you, sars--oh! have mercy upon me and I will tell you +eberything!" + +"I thought," Peter said grimly, "that you'd find a tongue soon enough. +Now, then, who sent you?" + +"My massa," the negro answered. + +"And who is your master?" + +The negro was again silent, but as, at a nod from Peter, the men again +raised the ramrods, he blurted out: + +"Massa Chermside." + +The name was known to many of the scouts, and a cry of anger broke +from them. + +"I thought as much," Harvey said. "I suspected that scoundrel was at the +bottom of it all along. Where is he?" he asked the negro. + +"Me not know, sar." + +"You mean you won't say," Peter said. "Try the vartue of them +ramrods again." + +"No, no!" the negro screamed. "Me swear me do not know where him be. You +may burn me to death if you will, but I could not tell you." + +"I think he is speaking the truth," Harvey said. "Wait a minute. Have +you done this before?" he asked the negro. + +"Yes, sar. Eight or ten times me swim de river at night." + +"With messages to the Americans?" + +"Yes, sar; messages to American officers." + +"Have you any written message--any letter?" + +"No, sar, me never take no letter. Me only carry dis." And he took out +from his hair a tiny ball of paper smaller than a pea. + +It was smoothed out, and upon it, were the words, "General Washington." + +"Where I go, sar, I show dem dis, and dey know den dat de message can be +believed." + +"But how do you get the message? How do you see your master?" + +"Master's orders were dat me and two oders were to meet him ebery night, +after it got dark, at a tree a mile from de place where de soldiers are. +Sometimes he no come. When he come he gibs each of us a piece of money +and tell us to carry a message across the river. We start by different +ways, swim across de water in different places, take de message, and +come back to de plantation." + +"A pretty business!" Peter said. "Now you must come back with us to the +post and tell your story to the commanding officer. Then we must see if +we can't lay hands on this rascally master of yours." + +Upon the news being told, the general in command sent a party out, who, +after searching the house and out-buildings of the plantation in vain, +set fire to them and burned them to the ground. The negroes were all +carried away and employed to labor for the army. The town and all the +surrounding villages were searched, but no trace could be obtained of +the missing man. One of the men of Gregory's corps of scouts +disappeared. He had recently joined, but his appearance, as a man with +beard and whiskers, in no way agreed with that of the planter. He might, +however, have been disguised, and his disappearance was in itself no +proof against him, for the scouts were under no great discipline, and +when tired of the service often left without giving notice of their +intention of doing so. It was, moreover, possible that he might have +fallen by an enemy's bullet. + +The strongest proof in favor of the deserter being Chermside was that, +henceforth, the scouts were again as successful as before, often +surprising the enemy successfully. + +Now that the ford nearest Mr. Jackson's was strongly guarded, the young +men had no apprehension of any surprise, although such an event was just +possible, as the cavalry on both sides often made great circuits in +their raids upon each other's country. That Chermside was somewhere in +the neighborhood they believed; having, indeed, strong reason for doing +so, as a rifle was one evening fired at them from the wood as they rode +over, the ball passing between their heads. Pursuit, at the time, was +impossible. But the next day a number of scouts searched the woods +without success. Soon after they heard that Chermside had joined the +Americans and obtained a commission in a body of their irregular horse. + +Harvey was now formally engaged to Isabelle Jackson, and it was settled +that the wedding should take place in the early spring at New York. When +not on duty he naturally spent a good deal of his time there, and Harold +was frequently with him. Since he had been fired at in the woods +Isabelle had been in the highest state of nervous anxiety lest her +lover's enemy should again try to assassinate him, and she begged Harold +always to come over with him, if possible, as the thought of his riding +alone through the wood filled her with anxiety. + +Although he had no order to do so, Jake, whenever he saw Harold and his +friend canter off toward the Jacksons, shouldered his rifle and went out +after them to the house, where, so long as they stayed, he scouted round +and round with the utmost vigilance. Very often Harold was ignorant of +his presence there; but when, after his return, he found, by questioning +him, how he had been employed, he remonstrated with him on such +excessive precaution. + +"Can't be too cautious, massa," Jake said. "You see dat fellow come one +of dese days." + +Jake's presentiment turned out correct. One evening when, with several +friends, the young men were at Mr. Jackson's the sound of the report of +a rifle was heard at a short distance. + +"That must be Jake's rifle!" Harold exclaimed. + +"Quick, Harvey, to your horse!" + +It was too late. As they reached the door a strong party of American +cavalry dashed up to it. + +"Surround the house!" an officer shouted. "Do not let a soul escape!" + +The young men ran upstairs again. + +"We are caught," Harvey said. "Escape is cut off. The Yankee cavalry are +all round the house. Good-by, Isabelle. We shall meet one of these days +again, dear." The girl threw herself into his arms. + +"Be calm, love!" he said. "Do not let this scoundrel have the +satisfaction of triumphing over you." + +A moment later Chermside, accompanied by several soldiers, +entered the room. + +"I am sorry to disturb so pleasant a party," he said in a sneering +voice, "but if Americans choose to entertain the enemies of their +country they must expect these little disagreeables." + +Mr. Jackson abruptly turned his back upon him, and no one else spoke, +although he was personally well known to all. + +"These are the two men," he said to the soldiers--"two of the most +notorious scouts and spies on the frontier. We will take them to +headquarters, where a short shrift and two strong ropes will be +their lot." + +"The less the word spy is in the mouth of such a pitiful traitor as +yourself the better, I should say," Harvey said quietly; and, walking +forward with Harold, he placed himself in the hands of the soldiers. + +No one else spoke. Isabelle had fainted when she heard the threat of +execution against her lover. Ada stood before her with a look of +such anger and contempt on her young face that Chermside fairly +winced under it. + +"To horse!" he said sullenly, and, turning, followed his men and +prisoners downstairs. + +The troop, Harold saw, numbered some 200 sabers. They had with them a +number of riderless horses, whose accouterments showed that they +belonged to an English regiment; most of the men, too, had sacks of +plunder upon their horses. They had evidently made a successful raid, +and had probably attacked a post and surprised and driven off the +horses of a squadron of cavalry, and were now on their return toward +their lines. + +"This is an awkward business, Harold," Harvey said as, in the midst +of their captors, they galloped off from the Jacksons'. "Of course +it's all nonsense about our being hung. Still, I have no wish to see +the inside of a prison, where we may pass years before we are +exchanged. Once handed over to the authorities we shall be safe; but +I shall not feel that we are out of danger so long as we are in this +scoundrel's hands. Fortunately there are officers of superior rank to +himself with the squadron, otherwise I have no doubt at all that he +would hang us at once." + +Such was indeed the case, and Chermside was, at that moment, fuming +intensely at the chance which had thrown his rival in his hands at a +time when he was powerless to carry out his vengeance. He had, indeed, +ventured to suggest that it would be less trouble to hang the prisoners +at once, but the major in command had so strongly rebuked him for the +suggestion that he had at once been silenced. + +"I blush that I should have heard such words from the mouth of an +American officer. It is by such deeds, sir, that our cause is too often +disgraced. We are soldiers fighting for the independence of our +country--not lawless marauders. Had these men been taken in their +civilian dress over on our side of the river they would have been tried +and hung as spies; but they were on neutral ground, and, in fact, in the +rear of their own posts. There is no shadow of defense for such an +accusation. Should I ever hear a similar suggestion I shall at once +report your conduct to General Washington, who will know how to deal +with you." + +"I wonder what has become of Jake," Harold said to his comrade. "I trust +he was not shot down." + +"Not he," Harvey said. "He made off after firing his rifle, you may be +sure, when he saw that there was nothing to be done. The fellow can run +like a hare, and I have no doubt that, by this time, he has either got +back to the village and given the alarm there or has made for the ford. +There are 100 cavalry there now as well as the infantry. Jake will be +there in an hour from the time he started. The dragoons will be in the +saddle five minutes later, and it is just possible they may cut off our +retreat before we have crossed the river. Peter is on duty there, and, +if he happens to be at the post when Jake arrives, he will hurry up with +all the scouts he can collect." + +Jake had taken flight as Harvey supposed. He had, after firing his +rifle, taken to the wood, and had remained near the house long enough to +see which way the cavalry rode when they started. Then he made for the +post at the ford at the top of his speed. It was less than an hour from +starting when he arrived there, and three minutes later the cavalry +trumpets were blowing "To horse!" After giving his message to the +officer in command Jake went into the village, where the sounds of the +trumpet brought all the soldiers into the street. + +"Hullo, Jake! is that you?" a familiar voice asked. "What the tarnal +is up now?" + +Jake hastily related what had taken place. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "This is a bad job. They're making, no +doubt, for Finchley's Ford, fifteen mile down the river. With an hour's +start they're sure to be there before us." + +"What are you going to do, Peter? Are you thinking of running wid +de cavalry?" + +"Thinking of running to the moon!" the scout said contemptuously. "You +can run well, I don't deny, Jake, but you couldn't run fifteen mile with +the dragoons; and, if you could, you'd get there too late. Yer bellows +are going pretty fast already. Now don't stand staring there, but hurry +through the camp and get all our boys together. Tell them to meet by the +water side. Get Gregory and Vincent's men as well as our own. There's +twenty or thirty altogether in the place." + +Without asking a question Jake ran off to carry out the orders, and, in +a few minutes, twenty-four men were collected together on the bank. + +"Now, you fellows," Peter said, "we've got to rescue these two chaps out +of the hands of the Yankees. Them who don't want to jine--and mind you +the venture is a risky one--had better say so at once and stop behind." + +No one moved. + +"What I propose is this: we'll take the ferryboat, which aint no good +to no one, seeing as how the Yankees are on one side of the river and +we the other, and we'll drop down the stream about ten mile. Then we'll +land on their side of the river and strike inland, hiding the boat +under the bushes somewhere. They'll halt for the night when they're +safe across the river. There's five or six hundred of their infantry +camped on the ford. There's two hundred on our side, but the Yankees'll +ride through in the dark and get across before the redcoats are awake. +Now, I propose that, after we've landed, we make a sweep round until we +get near the Yanks' camp. Then the rest'll wait and two or three of +us'll go in and see if we can't get the young fellows out of wherever +they've put 'em. Then we'll jine you and make a running fight of it +back to the boat." + +The others assented. The boat was amply large enough for all, and, +pulling her out into the stream, they dropped down, keeping under +shelter of the trees on the British side. Half an hour after they had +started they heard the faint sound of distant musketry. + +"There," Peter said, "the Yanks are riding through the British camp, +close to the ford." + +A few more shots were heard, and then all was silent. The stream was +swift, for it was swollen by recent rains, and at three in the morning +the boat touched the bank about a mile above the ford. The party +disembarked noiselessly and, fastening the boat to a tree, moved along +toward the camp. + +When they were within four or five hundred yards of the village Peter +chose Jake and two others of his band, and, telling the rest to remain +where they were, ready for action, he struck inland. He made a _detour_ +and came in at the back of the camp. + +Here there were no sentries, as the only danger to be apprehended was +upon the side of the river. Peter therefore entered boldly. In front of +the principal house a sentry was walking up and down, and he, in the +free-and-easy manner usual in the American army, gladly entered into +conversation with the newcomers. + +"All pretty quiet about here?" Peter asked. "We're from the West, and +have jest come down to do a little fighting with the Britishers. I +reckon they aint far off now?" + +"They are just across the river," the sentry said. "Have you come far?" + +"We've made something like two hundred mile this week, and mean to have +a day or two's rest before we begin. We've done some Injun fighting, my +mates and me, in our time, and we says to ourselves it was about time we +burned a little powder against the redcoats. Things seem quiet enough +about here. Nothing doing, eh?" + +"Not much," the sentry said; "just skirmishes. Some of our cavalry came +across through the redcoats late to-night. I hear they have got a +quantity of plunder and some fine horses, and they have brought in a +couple of the British scouts." + +"And what have they done with 'em?" Peter asked. "Strung 'em up, +I suppose." + +"No, no; we aint fighting Indians now; we don't hang our prisoners. No, +they are safe under guard over there in the cavalry camp, and will be +taken to headquarters to-morrow." + +"Waal," Peter said, stretching himself, "I feel mighty tired and shall +jest look for a soft place for an hour's sleep before morning." + +So saying he sauntered away, and the sentry resumed his walk. + +Peter and his three companions now moved off toward the spot where, as +the sentry had indicated, the cavalry were encamped. They were not in +tents, but were sleeping wrapped up in their blankets. Two tents had +been erected, lent probably by the infantry on the spot. One was much +larger than the other, and sentries were placed before each. They had +some difficulty in making their way, for the night was dark, and the +cavalry had picketed their horses without order or regularity. In their +search they had to use great caution to avoid stumbling over the +sleeping men, but at last they saw the tents faintly against the sky. +They crawled cautiously up. There were two sentries on the smaller tent. + +"Now, Jake," Peter whispered, "you're the blackest and so had better do +the trick. Don't cut a hole in the tent, for they'd be safe to hear the +canvas tear. Crawl under. It's been put up in haste and aint likely to +be pinned down very tight. They're safe to be bound, and when you've cut +the cords and given them time to get the use of their feet, then crawl +along and jine us." + +Jake did as he was instructed. One of the sentries was pacing up and +down before the entrance, the other making a circuit round the tent. The +circle was a somewhat large one to avoid stumbling over the tent ropes. +Jake, watching his opportunity, had no difficulty in crawling up and +squeezing himself under the canvas before the sentry returned. + +"Hush!" he whispered, as he let the canvas fall behind him. "It's Jake." + +Both the captives were fast asleep. Jake, feeling about in the darkness, +found them, one after the other, and, putting his hands on their mouths +to prevent them making an exclamation, he woke them, and soon cut the +cords with which they were bound hand and foot. Then in whispers he told +them what had happened. They chafed their limbs to produce circulation, +for they had been tightly tied, and then, one by one, they crawled out +of the tent. + +Harvey went first and was safely across before the sentry returned. +Harold followed; but, as he went, in his hurry he struck a tent rope. + +"What's that?" the sentry in front asked sharply. "Bill, was that you?" + +"No," his comrade replied. "Something's up. Look into the tent." + +And, so saying, he ran round behind, while the sentry in front rushed +into the tent and, kicking about with his feet, soon found that it +was empty. + +Jake, on hearing the exclamation, at once crawled from the tent; but, as +he did so, the sentry, running round, saw him and leveled his rifle. +Before he could fire a shot was heard and the man fell dead. + +Jake started to his feet and joined his friends. The other sentry also +discharged his rifle, and the whole camp awoke and sprang to their feet. +The horses, alarmed at the sudden tumult, plunged and kicked; men +shouted and swore, everyone asking what was the matter. Then loud cries +were heard that the sentry was shot and the prisoners had escaped. + +Running closely together and knocking down all who stood in their way, +the fugitives hurried in the darkness until at the edge of the camp, and +then started at full speed. + +The trumpets were now sounding to horse, and several shots were fired +after them. Many of the horses had not been unsaddled, and mounted men +at once dashed off. Several had seen the little party rush away, and the +horsemen were speedily on their track. The six men ran at the top of +their speed and were soon close to their hidden friends. + +"This way! this way! I see them!" shouted a voice, which Harold and +Harvey recognized as that of their enemy, who, a minute later, galloped +up with half a dozen troopers. It was not until he was within a few +yards that his figure was clearly discernible; then Peter Lambton's +rifle flashed out, and the planter fell from his horse with a bullet in +his brain. + +Jake and the other two men also fired, and the horsemen, astonished at +their number, reined in their horses to await the coming up of more of +their comrades. + +In another minute the fugitives were with their friends, and, at a rapid +trot, the whole ran up the river bank toward the spot where they had +hidden their boat. + +The country was covered with brushwood and forest and, as the cavalry, +now swollen to a considerable force, advanced, they were greeted by so +heavy a fire that, astonished at this strong force of foes upon their +side of the river, and not knowing how numerous they might be, they +halted and waited for the infantry to come up. Long before the enemy +were prepared to advance against the unknown foe the scouts reached +their boat and crossed safely to the other side. + +Shortly after this adventure Mr. Jackson and his family moved for the +winter to New York, where, soon after their arrival, the wedding +between Harvey and Isabella took place, the former retiring from the +corps of scouts. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA. + +During the course of the spring of 1777 a large number of loyal +colonists had volunteered their services. They had been embodied into +battalions, and when the army prepared to take the field they were +placed in garrisons in New York and other places, thus permitting the +employment of the whole of the British force in the field. The Americans +had occupied themselves in strongly fortifying the more defensible +positions, especially those in a mountain tract of country called the +Manor of Courland. This was converted into a sort of citadel, where +large quantities of provisions, forage, and stores of all kinds were +collected. About fifty miles from New York, up the North River, was a +place called Peekskill, which served as a port to the Manor of Courland. +The country was so difficult and mountainous that General Howe shrank +from engaging his army in it. He determined, however, to attack and +destroy Peekskill, and a party of 500 men, under the command of Colonel +Bird of the Fifteenth Regiment, were sent up the river in two transports +to destroy it. The garrison, consisting of 800 men, set fire to the +place and withdrew without firing a shot. The British completed the +destruction of the stores and returned to New York. + +A little later 2000 men were sent on a similar expedition against the +town of Danbury, another place on the confines of Courland Manor, where +great stores had also been collected. They proceeded up the East River +and landed at Camp's Point. They started on foot at ten o'clock at +night, and after a ten hours' march arrived at eight o'clock at Danbury. +The enemy evacuated the place on their approach, and the English set +fire to the great magazines filled with stores of all kinds. + +The news of the march of the English had spread rapidly, and the enemy +assembled from all quarters and posted themselves under the command of +General Arnold at a town called Ridgefield, through which the English +would have to pass on their return. Here they threw up intrenchments. It +was late in the afternoon when the English, fatigued with the long +march, arrived at this spot. They did not hesitate, but when the +Americans opened fire they boldly assailed the intrenchments and carried +them with the bayonet. They were unable to march further, and lying down +so as to form an oblong square, slept till morning. All night the +Americans continued to come up in great force, and in the morning as the +troops advanced a terrible fire was opened upon them from the houses and +stone walls in which the country abounded. The British had to fight +every foot of their way. General Wooster had brought up some +field-artillery on the side of the Americans. Gradually the column +fought its way forward until it arrived within half a mile of Camp's +Point. Here two strong bodies of the enemy barred their way. The column +was by this time greatly exhausted; the men had had no real rest for +three days and two nights, and several dropped on the road with fatigue. +Brigadier General Erskine picked out 400 of those who were in the best +condition and attacked the two bodies of the enemy with such vigor that +he put them utterly to flight, and the column, again advancing, reached +their destination without further molestation. Nearly 200 men, including +10 officers, were killed and wounded on the part of the British; the +loss of the Americans was still greater, and General Wooster and some +field officers were among the slain. + +Many other skirmishes took place with varied success. The Americans at +Bondwick, seven miles from Brunswick, 1200 in number, were surprised and +routed by Cornwallis, while on the other hand the American Colonel Meigs +carried out a most dashing expedition by crossing to Long Island and +destroying a quantity of stores at a place called Sag Harbor, burning a +dozen brigs and sloops which lay there, taking 90 prisoners, and +returning safely across the Sound. + +In June Washington with 8000 men was encamped in a strong position at +Middlebrook. General Howe, although he had 30,000 men, hesitated to +attack him here. By a feigned retreat he succeeded in drawing General +Washington from his stronghold and inflicted a decisive defeat on 3000 +of his men. Washington fell back to his position in the mountains, and +General Howe retired altogether from Jersey and withdrew his troops to +Staten Island. A dashing feat was executed at this time by Colonel +Barton of the American army. Learning that General Prescott, who +commanded at Rhode Island, had his headquarters at a distance of a mile +from his troops, he crossed from the mainland in two boats, seized the +general in his bed, and carried him off through the British fleet. The +object of this dashing enterprise was to obtain a general to exchange +for the American General Lee, who had been captured by the British. + +General Howe, in June, again marched against Washington and again fell +back without doing anything. Had he, instead of thus frittering away his +strength, marched to the Delaware, crossed that river, and advanced +against Philadelphia, Washington would have been forced to leave his +stronghold and either fight in the open or allow that important city to +fall into the hands of the English. + +General Howe now embarked his army in transports. Had he sailed up the +North River to Albany he would have effected a junction with General +Burgoyne's army, which was advancing from Canada, and with the united +force could have marched through America from end to end as he chose. +Instead of doing so he sailed down to Chesapeake Bay and there +disembarked the whole army, which had been pent up in transports from +July 3 to August 24. Not till September 11 did they advance in earnest +toward Philadelphia. The Americans thus had ample time to take up a +strong position and fortify it. This they did on the other side of +Brandywine Creek. Under cover of a cannonade the British advanced, +mastered the fort, and carried the intrenchments. General Sullivan, with +a considerable force, had now arrived, accompanied by General Washington +himself. He took up his position a short distance from the Brandywine, +his artillery well placed and his flanks covered with woods. + +The following afternoon the British attacked. The Americans fought well, +but the British were not to be denied, and rushing forward drove the +enemy from their position into the woods in their rear. Here they made a +stand and were only dislodged after a desperate resistance. The greater +portion of them fled in all directions. Washington himself, with his +guns and a small force, retreated eight miles from Chester and then +marched by Derby to Philadelphia. Here he waited three days rallying his +troops, and then, having recruited his stores from the magazines, +marched away. + +All this time the British remained inactive on the ground they had won. +In the battle the Americans lost 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +prisoners. Several guns were also taken. The British lost 100 killed and +400 wounded. + +On September 20 they advanced toward Philadelphia. The American General +Wayne had concealed himself in the woods with 1500 men, with the +intention of harassing the rear of the British army. News of this having +been obtained, Major General Grey was dispatched at once to surprise +him; he ordered his men not to load, but to rely wholly on the bayonet. +The success of the expedition was complete. General Wayne's outpost was +surprised and the British troops rushed into his encampment. Three +hundred of the Americans were killed or wounded and 100 taken prisoners. +The rest escaped through the woods. On the English side 1 officer was +killed and 7 privates killed and wounded. + +The capture of Philadelphia was an important advantage to the British, +but it could not be thoroughly utilized until the fleet could come up +the river to the town. The American Congress, which had sat at +Philadelphia until General Howe approached the town, had taken extensive +measures for rendering the passage impracticable. Three rows of +chevaux-de-frise, composed of immense beams of timber bolted and +fastened together and stuck with iron spikes, were sunk across the +channel, and these lines were protected by batteries. At these forts +were fourteen large rowboats, each carrying a heavy cannon, two floating +batteries carrying nine guns each, and a number of fireships and rafts. + +The forts commanding the chevaux-de-frise were abandoned on the +approach of the British, and Captain Hammond of the _Roebuck_ +succeeded, in spite of the opposition of the enemy's boats and +batteries, in making an opening through the chevaux-de-frise +sufficiently wide for the fleet to pass. + +Large numbers of troops having been sent away from Germantown, a place +seven miles from Philadelphia, where the main body of the British army +were posted, General Washington determined to attempt the surprise of +that position. For this purpose he re-enforced his army by drawing 1500 +troops from Peekskill and 1000 from Virginia, and at daybreak on October +4, under cover of a thick fog, he made an attack on the troops posted at +the head of the village. + +Half of the British force lay on one side of the village, and half on +the other, and had the attack upon the place succeeded the British army +would have been cut in two. The village was held by the Fortieth +Regiment, who, fighting obstinately, were driven back among the houses. +The Americans were pushing forward in five heavy columns, when +Lieutenant Colonel Musgrave, who commanded the Fortieth, threw himself +into a large stone house. Here he offered a desperate resistance, and so +impeded the advance of the enemy that time was given for the rest of the +British troops to get under arms. + +General Washington ordered a whole brigade of infantry to attack the +house and turned four guns against it. Colonel Musgrave and his men +resisted desperately and held the post until Major General Grey, with +the Third Brigade, and Brigadier General Agnew, with the Fourth Brigade, +came up and attacked the enemy with great spirit. The engagement was for +some time very hot. At length a part of the right wing fell upon the +enemy's flank, and the Americans retired with great precipitation. The +fog was so dense that no pursuit could be attempted. + +On the part of the English 600 were killed and wounded. The loss of the +Americans amounted to between 200 and 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +taken prisoners. General Howe had on the previous night been acquainted +with the intention of General Washington to attack the place, and had he +taken the proper measures to have received them the American army would +have been destroyed. He took no measures whatever, gave no warning to +the army, and suffered the camp to be taken by surprise. + +After this battle the fleet and army united, cleared away the +chevaux-de-frise across the Delaware, and took the forts commanding them +after some hard fighting. + +The passage of the Delaware being thus opened and the water +communication secured, the army went to their winter quarters at +Philadelphia. + +Captain Wilson, and his son had taken no part in any of these +operations, as a short time after the capture of Harold and Harvey by +the American cavalry the company had been disbanded. The men, when they +entered the service, had volunteered for a year. This time already had +been greatly exceeded--twenty months had passed since the battle of +Bunker's Hill--and although the men were willing to continue to give +their services so long as it appeared to them that there was a prospect +of a favorable termination of the war, no such hope any longer remained +in their minds. The great army which England had sent over had done +nothing toward restoring the king's authority in the colonies, and if, +after a year's fighting, its outposts were still within a few miles of +New York, how could it be expected or even hoped that it could ever +subdue a country containing hundreds of thousands of square miles? The +retreat from the Delaware and the virtual handing over of New Jersey +again to Washington was the finishing stroke which decided the +volunteers to demand their discharge, according to the terms of their +engagement. Except during the Canadian campaign they had had but little +fighting, nor in such a warfare as that which General Howe was carrying +on was there much scope for their services. Many of the gentlemen who +formed the majority of the company, and who for the most part had +friends and connections in England, sailed for that country; some had +left wives and families on their estates when they took up arms; and +most of them, despairing of the final success of the war, had instructed +their agents to sell these estates for any sum that they would fetch; +others--among them Captain Wilson--now followed their example. It was +but a mere tithe of the value of the property that was obtained, for +money was scarce in the colonies, and so many had sold out and gone to +England, rather than take part on one side or the other of the +fratricidal strife, that land and houses fetched but nominal prices. + +Mrs. Wilson had long since gone to England, and her husband, having made +arrangements for the disposal of his property, now determined to join +her. Fortunately he possessed means, irrespective of his estate in +America. This had come to him through his wife, and his own fortune and +the money obtained by the sale of his commission had remained invested +in English securities. While determined on this course for himself, he +left it to his son to choose his own career. Harold was now nearly +eighteen, and his life of adventure and responsibility had made a man of +him. His father would have preferred that he should have returned with +him to England, but Harold finally decided upon remaining. In war men's +passions become heated, the original cause of quarrel sinks into +comparative insignificance, and the desire for victory, the +determination to resist, and a feeling of something like individual +hatred for the enemy become predominant motives of the strife. + +This was especially the case in the American war. On both sides there +were many circumstances which heightened the passions of the combatants. +The loyalists in the English ranks had been ruined by the action of +their opponents--many had been reduced from wealth to poverty, and each +man felt a deep passion of resentment at what he regarded his personal +grievance. Then, too, the persistent misrepresentations both of facts +and motives on the part of the American writers and speakers added to +the irritation. The loyalists felt that there were vast numbers +throughout the colonies who agreed with them and regarded Congress as a +tyrannical faction rather than the expression of the general will. In +this, no doubt, they were to some extent mistaken, for by this time the +vast majority of the people had joined heart and soul in the conflict. +Men's passions had become so stirred up that it was difficult for any to +remain neutral; and although there were still large numbers of loyalists +throughout the States, the vast bulk of the people had resolved that the +only issue of the contest was complete and entire separation from the +mother country. + +Harold had now entered passionately into the struggle. He was in +constant contact with men who had been ruined by the war. He heard only +one side of the question, and he was determined, so long as England +continued the struggle, to fight on for a cause which he considered +sacred. He was unable to regard the prospects of success as hopeless; he +saw the fine army which England had collected; he had been a witness of +the defeat of the Americans whenever they ventured to stand the shock of +the British battalions; and in spite of the unsatisfactory nature of the +first campaign, he could not bring himself to believe that such an army +could fail. + +When the company was disbanded he decided to continue to serve as a +scout, but, sharing in the general disgust in the army at the incapacity +of General Howe, he determined to take ship again for Canada and take +service under General Burgoyne, who was preparing with a well-appointed +army to invade the States from that side. + +When he communicated his determination to Peter Lambton the latter at +once agreed to accompany him. + +"I've gone into this business," the hunter said, "and I mean to see it +through. Settling down don't suit me. I aint got any friends at New +York, and I'd be miserable just loafing about all day doing nothing. No, +I'll see this business out to the end, and I'd much rather go with you +than anyone else." + +Jake was of the same opinion. Accustomed all his life to obey orders and +to the life on his master's plantation, he would not have known what to +do if left to his own devices. Captain Wilson pointed out to him that he +could easily obtain work on the wharves of New York or as a laborer on a +farm, but Jake would not listen to the proposal and was hurt at the +thought that he could leave his young master's side as long as Harold +continued in the war. + +Accordingly, the day after Captain Wilson sailed for England the three +comrades embarked in a ship for Halifax, whence another vessel took them +to Quebec. They then sailed up the river to Montreal and took service as +scouts in General Burgoyne's army. + +For political reasons General Burgoyne had been appointed to the command +of the expedition which had been, prepared, and General Carleton, +naturally offended at being passed over, at once resigned the +governorship. His long residence in Canada, his knowledge of the +country, of the manners of its inhabitants and the extent of its +resources, and his acquaintance with the character of the Indians, +rendered him far more fit for command than was General Burgoyne. In +military knowledge and experience, too, he was his superior, and had he +retained a command the fate of the expedition would probably have been +very different. + +The army under General Burgoyne consisted of 7173 men, exclusive of +artillerymen. Of these about half were Germans. The Canadians were +called upon to furnish men sufficient to occupy the woods on the +frontier and to provide men for the completion of the fortifications at +Sorrel, St. John's, Chamblee, and Isle-aux-Noix, to furnish horses and +carts for carriage, and to make roads when necessary. A naval force was +to go forward with him on the lake. The Indian question had again to be +decided. Several tribes volunteered to join the British. General +Burgoyne hesitated, as General Carleton had done before, to accept their +services, and only did so finally on the certainty that if he refused +their offers they would join the Americans. He resolved to use them as +little as possible. He knew that their object in all wars was murder and +destruction, and although he wished to conquer the Americans, he did not +desire to exterminate them. + +On June 16, 1777, General Burgoyne advanced from St. John's. The naval +force had preceded the army and opened a way for its advance. The troops +were carried in a flotilla of boats, and under the protection of the +fleet passed Lake Champlain and landed at Crown Point. + +Harold and his companions had joined the army a fortnight previously, +and as they crossed the lake with the fleet they could not but +remember their last expedition there. At Crown Point they were joined +by 1000 Indians, who marched round the lake, and at this place General +Burgoyne gave them a great feast and afterward made a speech to them, +exhorting them to abstain from all cruelty, to avoid any ill-treatment +of unarmed combatants, and to take as prisoners all combatants who +fell into their hands. + +But while thus exhorting the Indians to behave with humanity and +moderation, the general took a most ill-judged step, which not only +did the English cause great harm, but was used by the Americans with +much effect as a proof of the cruel way in which England warred +against the colonists. He issued a proclamation threatening to punish +with the utmost severity all who refused to attach themselves to the +British cause, and at the same time he magnified the ferocity of the +Indians; pointing out with great emphasis their eagerness to butcher +those who continued hostile to the mother country, whose interests +they had espoused. + +This proclamation was naturally construed by the Americans as a threat +to deliver over to the tender mercies of the Indians to slay, scalp, and +destroy all who ventured to resist the authority of the king. + +The Americans had fallen back on the approach of the British, and upon +the landing being effected, the scouts were instantly sent forward. + +Among the Indians who had joined at Crown Point were the Senecas--among +them their old friend Deer Tail. + +The scouts received no particular orders and were free to regulate their +own movements. Their duty was to reconnoiter the country ahead and to +bring in any information they might gather as to numbers and positions +of the enemy. + +Finding that Peter and his companions were about to start, Deer Tail +said that, instead of waiting for the feast, he would take five of his +warriors and accompany them. + +It was at Ticonderoga that the Americans had prepared to make their +first stand. The place lies on the western shore of the lake a few miles +to the northward of the narrow inlet uniting Lake Champlain to Lake +George. It was to reconnoiter the fort that the party now set out. News +had been brought that the Americans had been executing great additional +works, and the British general was anxious to learn the nature of these +before he advanced. + +It was certain that the enemy would on their side have sent out scouts +to ascertain the movements of the royal army, and the party proceeded +with the greatest care. They marched in the usual fashion--in Indian +file; the Seneca chief led the way, followed by one of his braves; then +came Peter, Harold, and Jake; the other Senecas marched in the rear. + +When they came within a few miles of the fort their progress was marked +with profound caution. Not a word was spoken, their tread was noiseless, +and the greatest pains were taken to avoid stepping on a twig or dried +stick. The three scouts when they left St. John's had abandoned their +boots and had taken to Indian moccasins. Several times slight murmurs +were heard in the forest, and once a party of four American frontiersmen +were seen in the wood. The party halted and crouched in the bushes. The +Senecas turned toward Peter as if asking if an attack should be made, +but the latter shook his head. A single shot would have been heard far +away in the woods and their further progress would have been arrested. +Their object now was not to fight, but to penetrate close to the +American intrenchments. + +When the enemy had passed on the party continued its way. As they neared +the fort the caution observed increased. Several times they halted, +while the Seneca, with one of his braves, crawled forward to see that +all was clear. At last they stood on the edge of a great clearing. +Before them, just within gunshot range, stood the fort of Ticonderoga. +Peter Lambton was well acquainted with it, and beyond the fact that the +space around had been cleared of all trees and the stockades and +earthworks repaired, little change could be seen. + +As he was gazing the Indian touched his shoulder and pointed to a high +hill on the opposite side of the narrow straits. This had been cleared +of trees and on the top a strong fort had been erected. Many cannon were +to be seen along its crest, the roofs of huts, and a large number of +men. Halfway up the hill was another battery and a third, still lower +down, to sweep the landing. + +"They've been working hard," the hunter said, "and the army'll have a +mighty tough job before it. What do you think of that, Harold?" + +"It is a very strong position," Harold said, "and will cost us a +tremendous number of men to take it. The fort cannot be attacked till +that hill has been carried, for its guns completely command all this +clearing." + +For some time they stood gazing at the works, standing well back +among the trees, so as to be screened from all observation. At last +Harold said: + +"Look at that other hill behind. It is a good bit higher than that which +they have fortified and must be within easy range both of it and the +fort. I don't see any works there--do you?" + +Peter and the Seneca chief both gazed long and earnestly at the hill and +agreed that they could see no fortification there. + +"It won't do to have any doubt about it," Peter said. "We must go round +and have a look at it." + +"We shall have to cross the river," Harold remarked. + +"Ay, cross it we must," Peter said. "That hill's got to be inspected." + +They withdrew into the wood again and made a circuitous deviation till +they came down upon the river, two miles above Ticonderoga. They could +not reach the water itself, as a road ran along parallel with it and the +forest was cleared away for some distance. A number of men could be seen +going backward and forward on the road. + +Having made their observations, the scouts retired again into a thick +part of the forest and waited till nightfall. + +"How are we to get across?" Harold asked Peter. "It's a good long swim, +and we could not carry our muskets and ammunition across." + +"Easy enough," the scout said. "Didn't you notice down by the road a +pile of planks? I suppose a wagon has broke down there, and the planks +have been turned out and nobody has thought anything more about 'em. +We'll each take a plank, fasten our rifle and ammunition on it, and swim +across; there won't be any difficulty about that. Then, when we've seen +what's on the top of that 'ere hill, we'll tramp round to the other end +of the lake. I heard that the army was to advance half on each side, so +we'll meet 'em coming." + +When it was perfectly dark they left their hiding place and crossed the +clearing to the spot where Peter had seen the planks. Each took one of +them and proceeded to the river side. Peter, Harold, and Jake divested +themselves of some of their clothes and fastened these with their rifles +and ammunition to the planks. To the Indians the question of getting wet +was one of entire indifference, and they did not even take off their +hunting shirts. Entering the water the party swam noiselessly across to +the other side, pushing their planks before them. On getting out they +carried the planks for some distance, as their appearance by the water's +edge might excite a suspicion on the part of the Americans that the +works had been reconnoitered. + +After hiding the planks in the bushes they made their way to Sugar Hill, +as the eminence was called. The ascent was made with great +circumspection, the Indians going on first. No signs of the enemy were +met with, and at last the party stood on the summit of the hill. It was +entirely unoccupied by the Americans. + +"Well, my fine fellows," laughed the scout, "I reckon ye've been doing a +grist of work, and ye might jest as well have been sitting down quietly +smoking yer pipes. What on arth possessed ye to leave this hill +unguarded?" + +In point of fact General St. Clair, who commanded the Americans, had +perceived that his position was commanded from this spot. He had only +3000 men under him, and he considered this number too small to hold +Ticonderoga, Mount Independence, and Sugar Hill. The two former posts +could afford no assistance to the garrison of a fort placed on Sugar +Hill, and that place must therefore fall if attacked by the British. On +the other hand, he hoped that, should the attention of the English not +be called to the importance of the position by the erection of works +upon it, it might be overlooked, and that General Burgoyne on his +arrival might at once attack the position which he had prepared with so +much care. + +Having ascertained that the hill was unoccupied, Peter proposed at once +to continue the march. Harold suggested to him that it would be better +to wait until morning, as from their lofty position they would be able +to overlook the whole of the enemy's lines of defense and might obtain +information of vital importance to the general. Peter saw the advantage +of the suggestion. Two of the Indians were placed on watch, and the rest +of the party lay down to sleep. At daybreak they saw that the delay had +been fully justified, for they had now a view of the water which +separated Ticonderoga from Mount Independence, and perceived that the +Americans had made a strong bridge of communication between these posts. +Twenty-two piers had been sunk at equal distances, and between them +boats were placed, fastened with chains to the piers. A strong bridge of +planks connected the whole. On the Lake Champlain side of the bridge a +boom, composed of great trees fastened together with double chains, had +been placed. Thus, not only had communication been established across +the stream, but an effectual barrier erected to the passage of the +fleet. Fully satisfied with the result of their investigations, the +party set out on their return. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +THE SETTLER'S HUT. + +Before starting they stood for a minute or two looking over the forest +which they were to traverse. To Harold's eyes all appeared quiet and +still. Here and there were clearings where settlers had established +themselves; but, with these exceptions, the forest stretched away like a +green sea. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "We'll have all our work to get through +safely; eh, chief?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"What makes you say so?" Harold asked in surprise. "I see nothing." + +Peter looked at him reproachfully. + +"I'm downright ashamed of ye, lad. You should have been long enough in +the woods by this time to know smoke when you see it. Why, there it is +curling up from the trees in a dozen--ay, in a score of places. There +must be hundreds of men out scouting or camping in them woods." + +Harold looked fixedly again at the forests, but even now he could not +detect the signs which were so plain to the scout. + +"You may call me as blind as a bat, Peter," he said with a laugh, "but I +can see nothing. Looking hard I imagine I can see a light mist here and +there, but I believe it is nothing but fancy." + +"It's clear enough to me, lad, and to the redskins. What do you +say, chief?" + +"Too much men," the Seneca replied sententiously. + +For another minute or two he and Peter stood watching the forest, and +then in a few words consulted together as to the best line to follow to +avoid meeting the foe who, to their eyes, swarmed in the forest. + +"It's mighty lucky," the hunter said as they turned to descend the hill, +which was covered with trees to its very summit, "that they're white men +and not redskins out in the woods, there. I don't say that there's not +many frontiersmen who know the way of the woods as well as the redskins. +I do myself, and when it comes to fighting we can lick 'em on their own +ground; but in scouting we aint nowhere--not the best of us. The redskin +seems to have an instinct more like that of an animal than a man. I +don't say as he can smell a man a mile off as a dog can do, but he seems +to know when the enemy's about; his ears can hear noises which we can't; +his eyes see marks on the ground when the keenest-sighted white man sees +nothing. If that wood was as full of redskins as it is of whites to-day, +our sculps wouldn't be worth a charge of powder." + +"You are not going to follow the shores of the lake, I suppose?" +Harold asked. + +"No," Peter said. "They'll be as thick as peas down there, watching for +the first sight of our fleet. No, we must just keep through the woods +and be as still and as silent as if the trees had ears. You'd best look +to the priming of yer piece before we goes further, for it's likely +enough you'll have to use it before the day's done, and a miss-fire +might cost you yer life. Tell that nigger of yourn that he's not to open +his mouth again till I gives him leave." + +With a long stealthy tread the party descended the mountain and took +their way through the woods. Every hundred yards or so they stopped and +listened intently. When any noise, even of the slightest kind, was +heard, all dropped to the ground until the chief had scouted round and +discovered the way was clear. Once or twice they heard the sound of +men's voices and a distant laugh, but they passed on without seeing +those who uttered them. + +Presently they again heard voices, this time raised as if in angry +dispute. The Seneca would, as before, have made a long _detour_ to avoid +them, but Peter said. + +"Let's have a squint at what's going on, chief." + +With redoubled caution they again advanced until they stood at the edge +of the clearing. It was a patch of land some hundred yards wide, and +extending from the shore of the lake nearly a quarter of a mile inland. +In the center stood a log hut, neatly and carefully built. A few flowers +grew around the house, and the whole bore signs of greater neatness and +comfort than was usual in the cabins of the backwood settlers. + +The point where the party had reached the edge of the wood was +immediately opposite the house. Near it stood a group of some twenty +men, one of whom, apparently their leader, was gesticulating angrily as +he addressed a man who stood facing him. + +"I tell ye, ye're a darned royalist--ye're a traitor to the country, and +I've a mind to hang ye and all belonging to ye to the nearest bough." + +"I tell you," the man answered calmly, but in the still air every word +he said could be heard by those at the edge of the forest, "I hae +naething to do with the trouble ane way or the ither. I am a quiet +settler, whose business only is to mak a hame for my wife and bairn; +but, if you ask me to drink success to the Congress and confusion to the +king's troops, I tell you I willna do it; not even if you are brutal +enough, but this I canna believe possible, to carry your threats into +execution. I hae served my time in a king's regiment. With the bounty I +received instead o' pension on my discharge I settled here wi' my wife +and bairn, and no one shall say that Duncan Cameron was a traitor to his +king. We do no harm to anyone; we tak no part for or against you; we +only ask to be allowed to live in peace." + +"That ye shall not," the man said. "The king's troops have got Injuns +with 'em, and they're going to burn and kill all those who won't take +part with 'em. It's time we should show 'em as we can play at that game, +too. Now ye've either got to swear to be faithful to the States of +America or up you go." + +"I canna swear," the settler said firmly. "You may kill me if you will, +but, if you are men, you will nae harm my wife and girl." + +"We'll just do to you as the redskins'll do to our people," the man +said. "We'll make a sweep of the hull lot of you. Here, you fellows, +fetch the woman and girl out of the house and then set a light to it." + +Four or five men entered the house. A minute later screams were heard +and a woman and child were dragged out. The settler sprang toward them, +but three or four men seized him. + +"Now," the man said, stepping toward the house, "we'll show 'em a +bonfire." + +As he neared the door a crack of a rifle was heard and the ruffian fell +dead in his tracks. A yell of astonishment and rage broke from his +followers. + +"Jerusalem, youngster! you've got us into a nice fix. Howsomever, since +you've begun it, here goes." + +And the rifle of the hunter brought down another of the Americans. +These, following the first impulse of a frontiersman when attacked, fled +for shelter to the house, leaving the settler, with his wife and +daughter, standing alone. + +"Ye'd best get out of the way," Peter shouted, "or ye may get a bit of +lead that wasn't intended for ye." + +Catching up his child, Cameron ran toward the forest, making for the +side on which his unknown friends were placed, but keeping down toward +the lake, so as to be out of their line of fire. + +"Make down to 'em, Harold," Peter said. "Tell 'em they'd best go to some +neighbor's and stop there for a day or two. The army'll be here +to-morrow or next day. Be quick about it, and come back as fast as ye +can. I tell ye we're in a hornets' nest, and it'll be as much as we can +do to get out of it." + +A scattering fire was now being exchanged between the redskins behind +the shelter of the trees and the Americans firing from the windows of +the log house. Harold was but two or three minutes absent. + +"All right, Peter!" he exclaimed, as he rejoined them. + +"Come along, then," the hunter said. "Now, chief, let's make up round +the top of this clearing and then foot it." + +The chief at once put himself at the head of the party, and the nine men +strode away again through the forest. It was no longer silent. Behind +them the occupants of the hut were still keeping up a brisk fire toward +the trees, while from several quarters shouts could be heard, and more +than once the Indian war-whoop rose in the forest. + +"That's just what I was afeared of," Peter muttered. "There's some of +those darned varmint with 'em. We might have found our way through the +whites, but the redskins'll pick up our trail as sartin as if we were +driving a wagon through the woods." + +Going along at a swinging, noiseless trot the party made their way +through the forest. Presently a prolonged Indian whoop was heard in the +direction from which they had come. Then there were loud shouts and the +firing ceased. + +"One of the red reptiles has found our trail," Peter said. "He's with a +party of whites, and they've shouted the news to the gang in the +clearing. Waal, we may, calculate we've got thirty on our trail, and, as +we can hear them all round, it'll be a sarcumstance if we git out with +our sculps." + +As they ran they heard shouts from those behind, answered by others on +both flanks. Shots, too, were fired as signals to call the attention of +other parties. Several times the Seneca chief stopped and listened +attentively, and then changed his course as he heard suspicious noises +ahead. Those behind them were coming up, although still at some distance +in the rear. They could hear the sound of breaking trees and bushes as +their pursuers followed them in a body. + +"Ef it was only the fellows behind," Peter said, "we could leave them +easy enough, but the wood seems alive with the varmint." + +It was evident the alarm had spread through the forest, and that the +bands scattered here and there were aware that an enemy was in their +midst. The dropping fire, which the pursuers kept up, afforded an +indication as to the direction in which they were making, and the +ringing war-whoop of the hostile Indians conveyed the intelligence still +more surely. + +Presently there was a shout a short distance ahead, followed by the +sound of a rifle ball as it whizzed close to Harold's head and buried +itself in a tree that he was passing. In a moment each of the party had +sheltered behind a tree. + +"It's of no use, chief," Peter said. "We'll have the hull pack from +behind upon us in five minutes. We must run for it and take our chances +of being hit." + +Swerving somewhat from their former line, they again ran on; bullets +whisked round them, but they did not pause to fire a shot in return. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed, as the trees in front of them opened and +they found themselves on the edge of another clearing. It was +considerably larger than that which they had lately left, being three +hundred yards across, and extending back from the lake fully half a +mile. As in the previous case, a log hut stood in the center, some two +hundred yards back from the lake. + +"There's nothing for it, chief," Peter said. "We must take to the house +and fight it out there. There's a hull gang of fellows in the forest +ahead, and they'll shoot us down if we cross the clearing." + +Without a moment's hesitation the party rushed across the clearing to +the hut. Several shots were fired as they dashed across the open, but +they gained the place of refuge in safety. The hut was deserted. It had +probably belonged to royalists, for its rough furniture lay broken on +the ground; boxes and cupboards had been forced open, and the floor was +strewn with broken crockery and portions of wearing apparel. + +Harold looked round. Several of the party were bleeding from +slight wounds. + +"Now to the windows," Peter said as he barred the door. "Pile up bedding +and anything else that ye can find against the shutters, and keep +yerselves well under cover. Don't throw away a shot; we'll want all our +powder, I can tell ye. Quickly, now--there aint no time to be lost." + +While some began carrying out his instructions below, others bounded +upstairs and scattered themselves through the upper rooms. There were +two windows on each side of the house--one at each end. Disregarding the +latter, Peter and Harold took post at the windows looking toward the +forest from which they had just come. The chief and another Indian +posted themselves to watch the other side. At first no one was to be +seen. The party who had fired at them as they ran across the open had +waited for the coming up of the strong band who were following, before +venturing to show themselves. The arrival of the pursuers was heralded +by the opening of a heavy fire toward the house. As the assailants kept +themselves behind trees, no reply was made, and the defenders occupied +themselves by piling the bedding against the shutters, which they had +hastily closed. Loop-holes had been left in the walls when the hut was +first built; the moss with which they were filled up was torn out, and +each man took his post at one of these. As no answering shot came from +the house the assailants became bolder, and one or two ventured to show +themselves from, behind shelter. In a moment Harold and Peter, whose +rifles would carry more truly and much further than those of the +Indians, fired. + +"Two wiped out!" Peter said, as the men fell, and shouts of anger arose +from the woods. "That'll make them careful." + +This proof of the accuracy of the aim of the besieged checked their +assailants, and for some time they were very careful not to expose +themselves. From both sides of the forest a steady fire was maintained. +Occasionally an answering shot flashed out from the house when one of +the enemy incautiously showed an arm or a part of his body from behind +the trees, and it was seldom the rifles were fired in vain. Four or five +of the Americans were shot through the head as they leaned forward to +fire, and after an hour's exchange of bullets the attack ceased. + +"What are they going to do now?" Harold asked. + +"I expect they're going to wait till nightfall," Peter said. "There's no +moon, and they'll be able to work up all round the house. Then they'll +make a rush at the door and lower windows. We'll shoot down a good many +on 'em, and then they'll burst their way in or set fire to the hut, and +there'll be an end of it. That's what'll happen." + +"And you think there is no way of making our way out?" Harold asked. + +"It's a mighty poor chance, if there's one at all," the hunter replied. +"I should say by the fire there must be nigh a hundred of 'em now, and +it's likely that, by nightfall, there'll be three times as many. As soon +as it gets dusk they'll creep out from the woods and form a circle round +the house and gradually work up to it. Now let's cook some vittles; +we've had nothing to eat this morning yet, and it must be nigh eleven +o'clock. I don't see why we should be starved, even if we have got to be +killed to-night." + +One of the party was left on watch on each side of the house, and the +others gathered in the room below, where a fire was lit and the strips +of dried deer flesh which they carried were soon frying over it. Harold +admired the air of indifference with which his companions set about +preparing the meat. Everyone was aware of the desperate nature of the +position, but no allusion was made to it. The negro had caught the +spirit of his companions, but his natural loquacity prevented his +imitating their habitual silence. + +"Dis bad affair, Massa Harold," he said. "We jess like so many coons up +in tree, wid a whole pack ob dogs round us, and de hunters in de +distance coming up wid de guns. Dis chile reckon dat some ob dem hunters +will get hit hard before dey get us. Jake don't care one bit for +himself, massa, but he bery sorry to see you in such a fix." + +"It can't be helped, Jake," Harold said as cheerfully as he could. "It +was my firing that shot which got us into it, and yet I cannot blame +myself. We could not stand by and see those ruffians murder a woman +and child." + +"Dat's so, Massa Harold; dere was no possinbility of seeing dat. I +reckon dat when dose rascals come to climb de stairs dey'll find it are +bery hard work." + +"I don't think they will try, Jake. They are more likely to heap +brushwood against the door and windows and set it alight, and then shoot +us down as we rush out. This hut is not like the one I had to defend +against the Iroquois. That was built to repel Indians' attacks; this is +a mere squatter's hut." + +After the meal was over Peter and the Seneca chief went upstairs, looked +through the loop-holes, and talked long and earnestly together; then +they rejoined the party below. + +"The chief and I are of opinion," Peter said to Harold, "that it are of +no manner of use our waiting to be attacked here. They'd burn us out to +a sartinty; we should have no show of a fight at all. Anything's better +than that. Now, what we propose is that, directly it gets fairly dark, +we'll all creep out and make for the lake. Even if they have formed +their circle round us, they aint likely to be as thick there as they are +on the other side. What they'll try to do, in course, is to prevent our +taking to the forest; and there'll be such a grist of 'em that I don't +believe one of us would get through alive if we tried it. Now they'll +not be so strong toward the lake, and we might break through to the +water. I don't say as there's much chance of our getting away, for I +tell you fairly that I don't believe that there's any chance at all; but +the chief, here, and his braves don't want their sculps to hang in the +wigwams of the Chippewas, and I myself, ef I had the choice, would +rather be drownded than shot down. It don't make much difference; but, +of the two, I had rather. Ef we can reach the lake, we can swim out of +gunshot range. I know you can swim like a fish, and so can Jake, and the +Indians swim as a matter of course. Ef we dive at first we may get off; +it'll be so dark they won't see us with any sartainty beyond fifty +yards. When we're once fairly out in the lake we can take our chance." + +"And is there a chance, Peter? Although, if there is none, I quite agree +with you that I would rather be drowned than shot down. If one were sure +of being killed by the first shot that would be the easiest death; but +if we were only wounded they would probably hang us in the morning." + +"That's so," the hunter said. "Waal, I can hardly say that there's a +chance, and yet I can't say as how there aint. In the first place, they +may have some canoes and come out after us; there's pretty safe to be +some along the shore here. The settlers would have had 'em for fishing." + +"But what chance will that give us?" Harold asked. + +"Waal," the hunter replied, "I reckon in that case as our chance is a +fair one. Ef we dive and come up close alongside we may manage to upset +one of 'em, and, in that case, we might get off. That's one chance. Then +ef they don't come out in canoes, we might swim three or four miles down +the lake and take to land. They couldn't tell which way to go and would +have to scatter over a long line. It's just possible as we might land +without being seen. Once in the woods and we'd be safe. So you see, we +have two chances. In course we must throw away our rifles and ammunition +before we come to the water." + +"At any rate," Harold said, "the plan is a hopeful one, and I agree with +you that it is a thousand times better to try it than it is to stop here +with the certainty of being shot down before morning." + +The afternoon passed quietly. A few shots were fired occasionally from +the wood, and taunting shouts were heard of the fate which awaited them +when night approached. + +A vigilant watch was kept from the upper windows, but Peter thought that +it was certain the enemy would make no move until it became perfectly +dark, although they would establish a strong cordon all round the +clearing in case the besieged should try and break out. Harold trembled +with impatience to be off as the night grew darker and darker. It seemed +to him that at any moment the assailants might be narrowing the circle +round the house, and, had he been a leader, he would have given the word +long before the scout made a move. + +At last Peter signaled that the time had come. It was perfectly dark +when the bars were noiselessly removed from the door and the party stole +out. Everything seemed silent, but the very stillness made the danger +appear more terrible. Peter had impressed upon Harold and Jake the +necessity for moving without making the slightest noise. As soon as they +left the house the whole party dropped on their hands and knees. Peter +and the Seneca chief led the way; two of the braves came next; Harold +and Jake followed; the remaining Indians crawled in the rear. Peter had +told his comrades to keep as close as possible to the Indians in front +of them, and, grasping their rifles, they crept along the ground. As +they led the way Peter and the Seneca carefully removed from before them +every dried twig and threw it on one side. + +The distance to be traversed from the hut to the water was about two +hundred yards, and half of this was passed over before they encountered +any obstacle. Then suddenly there was an exclamation, and Peter and the +Seneca sprang to their feet, as they came in contact with two men +crawling in the opposite direction. They were too close to use their +rifles, but a crushing blow from the Seneca's tomahawk cleft down the +man in front of him, while Peter drew his long knife from its sheath and +buried it in the body of his opponent. + +The others had also leaped to their feet, and each, as he did so, fired +at the dark figures which rose around them. They had the advantage of +the surprise; several scattered shots answered their volley, then, with +their rifles clubbed, they rushed forward. For a moment there was a +hand-to-hand fight. Harold had just struck down a man opposite to him +when another sprang upon him; so sudden was the attack that he fell from +the shock. But in an instant Jake buried his knife between his +opponent's shoulders and dragged Harold to his feet. + +"Run for your life, Massa Harold. De whole gang's upon us!" + +And indeed the instant the first shot broke the silence of the woods a +babel of sounds arose from the whole circuit of the clearing; shouts and +yells burst out from hundreds of throats. There was no further use for +concealment, and from all sides the men who had been advancing to the +attack rushed in the direction where the conflict was taking place. This +lasted but a few seconds. As Peter had expected, the line was thinner +toward the lake than upon the other sides, and the rush of nine men had +broken through it. Shouts were heard from the woods on either side +extending down to the water, showing that the precaution had been taken +by the assailants of leaving a portion of their force to guard the line +of forest should the defenders break through the circle. + +At headlong speed the little band rushed down to the water's side, +dropped their ammunition pouches by its edge, threw their rifles a few +yards into the water, to be recovered, perhaps, on some future occasion, +and then dived in. The nearest of the pursuers were some thirty yards +behind when they neared the water's edge. Swimming as far under water as +they could hold their breath, each came to the surface for an instant, +and then again dived. Momentarily as they showed themselves they heard +the rattle of musketry behind, and the bullets splashed thickly on the +water. The night, however, was so dark that the fire could only be a +random one. Until far out from the shore they continued diving and then +gathered together. + +"We're pretty well out of range, now," Peter said, "and quite out of +sight of the varmints. Now we can wait a bit and see what they do next." + +The enemy were still keeping up a heavy fire from the shore, hallooing +and shouting to each other as they fancied they caught a glimpse of +their enemies. + +"There must be two or three hundred of 'em," Peter said. "We've fooled +'em nicely, so far." + +By the crashing of the bushes the fugitives could hear strong parties +making their way along the shore in either direction. An hour passed, +during which the fugitives floated nearly opposite the clearing. + +"Hullo!" Peter exclaimed presently. "There's a canoe coming along the +lake. I expect they got it from Cameron's." + +As he spoke a canoe appeared round the point. Two men were standing up +holding blazing torches; two others paddled; while two, rifle in hand, +sat by them. Almost at the same moment another canoe, similarly manned, +pushed out from the shore immediately opposite. + +"I wish we had known of that canoe," Peter said; "it would have saved us +a lot of trouble; but we had no time for looking about. I suspected them +settlers must have had one laid up somewheres. Now," he went on, "let's +make our plans. The canoes are sure to keep pretty nigh each other. +They'll most likely think as we've gone down the lake and'll not be +looking very sharply after us at present. It'll never do to let 'em pass +us. Now Jake and I and two of the Injuns will take one canoe, and the +chief and three of his braves the other. We must move round so as to get +between 'em and the shore, and then dive and come up close to 'em. Now, +Harold, do you swim out a bit further and then make a splash so as to +call their attention. Do it once or twice till you see that they've got +their eyes turned that way. Then be very quiet, so as to keep 'em +watching for another sound. That'll be our moment for attacking 'em." + +They waited till the two canoes joined each other and paddled slowly out +from the shore. Then the eight swimmers started off to make their +_detour_, while Harold swam quietly further out into the lake. The +canoes were about three hundred yards from shore and were paddling very +slowly, the occupants keeping a fixed look along the lake. There was +perfect quiet on the shore now, and when Harold made a slight splash +with his hand upon the water he saw that it was heard. Both canoes +stopped rowing, the steerers in each case giving them a steer so that +they lay broadside to the land, giving each man a view over the lake. +They sat as quiet as if carved in stone. Again Harold made a splash, but +this time a very slight one, so slight that it could hardly reach the +ears of the listeners. + +A few words were exchanged by the occupants of the boats. + +"They are further out on the lake, Bill," one said. + +"I am not sure," another answered. "I rather think the sound was further +down. Listen again." + +Again they sat motionless. Harold swam with his eyes fixed upon them. +Every face was turned his way and none was looking shoreward. Then, +almost at the same instant there was a shout from both boats. The men +with torches seemed to lose their balance. The lights described a half +circle through the air and were extinguished. A shout of astonishment +broke from the occupants, mingled with the wild Seneca war-yell, and he +knew that both canoes were upset. + +There was a sound of a desperate struggle going on. Oaths and wild cries +rose from the water. Heavy blows were struck, while from the shore arose +loud shouts of dismay and rage. In two minutes all was quiet on the +water. Then came Peter's shout: + +"This way, Harold! We'll have the canoes righted and bailed in a minute. +The varmin's all wiped out." + +With a lightened heart Harold swam toward the spot. The surprise had +been a complete success. The occupants of the canoes, intent only upon +the pursuit and having no fear of attack--for they knew that the +fugitives must have thrown away their rifles--were all gazing intently +out on the lake, when, close to each canoe on the shore side, four heads +rose from out of the water. In an instant eight hands had seized the +gunwales, and, before the occupants were aware of their danger, the +canoes were upset. + +Taken wholly by surprise, the Americans were no match for their +assailants. The knives of the latter did their work before the +frontiersmen had thoroughly grasped what had happened. Two or three, +indeed, had made a desperate fight, but they were no match for their +opponents, and the struggle was quickly over. + +On Harold reaching the canoes he found them already righted and half +emptied of water. The paddles were picked up, and, in a few minutes, +with a derisive shout of adieu to their furious enemy on the shore, the +two canoes paddled out into the lake. When they had attained a distance +of about half a mile from the shore they turned the boats heads and +paddled north. In three hours they saw lights in the wood. + +"There's the troops," Peter said. "Soldiers are never content unless +they're making fires big enough to warn every redskin within fifty miles +that they're coming." + +As they approached the shore the challenge from the English sentinel +came over the water: + +"Who comes there?" + +"Friends," Peter replied. + +"Give the password." + +"How on arth am I to give the password," Peter shouted back, "when we've +been three days away from the camp?" + +"If you approach without the password I fire," the sentinel said. + +"I tell ye," Peter shouted, "we're scouts with news for the general." + +"I can't help who you are," the sentinel said. "I have got my orders." + +"Pass the word along for an officer," Harold shouted. "We have +important news." + +The sentry called to the one next him, and so the word was passed along +the line. In a few minutes an officer appeared on the shore, and, after +a short parley, the party were allowed to land, and Peter and Harold +were at once conducted to the headquarters of General Burgoyne. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +SARATOGA. + +"What is your report?" asked General Burgoyne, as the scouts were +conducted into his tent. + +"We have discovered, sir, that the Americans have strongly fortified +Mount Independence, which faces Ticonderoga, and have connected the two +places by a bridge across the river, which is protected by a strong +boom. Both positions are, however, overlooked by Sugar Hill, and this +they have entirely neglected to fortify. If you were to seize this they +would have to retire at once." + +The general expressed his satisfaction at the news and gave orders that +steps should be taken to seize Sugar Hill immediately. He then +questioned the scouts as to their adventures and praised them highly for +their conduct. + +The next day the army advanced, and at nightfall both divisions were in +their places, having arrived within an hour or two of each other from +the opposite sides of the lake. Sugar Hill was seized the same night, +and a strong party were set to work cutting a road through the trees. +The next morning the enemy discovered the British at work erecting a +battery on the hill, and their general decided to evacuate both +Ticonderoga and Mount Independence instantly. Their baggage, provisions, +and stores were embarked in two hundred boats and sent up the river. The +army started to march by the road. + +The next morning the English discovered that the Americans had +disappeared. Captain Lutwych immediately set to work to destroy the +bridge and boom, whose construction had taken the Americans nearly +twelve months' labor. By nine in the morning a passage was effected, and +some gunboats passed through in pursuit of the enemy's convoy. They +overtook them near Skenesborough, engaged and captured many of their +largest craft, and obliged them to set several others on fire, together +with a large number of their boats and barges. + +A few hours afterward a detachment of British troops in gunboats came up +the river to Skenesborough. The cannon on the works which the Americans +had erected there opened fire, but the troops were landed, and the enemy +at once evacuated their works, setting fire to their store-houses and +mills. While these operations had been going on by water Brigadier +General Fraser, at the head of the advance corps of grenadiers and light +infantry, pressed hard upon the division of the enemy which had retired +by the Hubberton Road, and overtook them at five o'clock in the morning. + +The division consisted of fifteen hundred of the best colonial troops +under the command of Colonel Francis. They were posted on strong ground +and sheltered by breastworks composed of logs and old trees. General +Fraser's detachment was inferior in point of numbers to that of the +defenders of the position, but as he expected a body of the German +troops under General Reidesel to arrive immediately, he at once attacked +the breastworks. The Americans defended their post with great resolution +and bravery. The re-enforcements did not arrive so soon as was expected, +and for some time the British made no way. + +General Reidesel, hearing the fire in front, pushed forward at full +speed with a small body of troops. Among these was the band, which he +ordered to play. + +The enemy, hearing the music and supposing that the whole of the +German troops had come up, evacuated the position and fell back +with precipitation. Colonel Francis and many others were killed and +two hundred taken prisoners. On the English side 120 men were +killed and wounded. + +The enemy from Skenesborough were pursued by Colonel Hill, with the +Ninth Regiment, and were overtaken near Fort Anne. Finding how small was +the force that pursued them in comparison to their own, they took the +offensive. A hot engagement took place, and after three hours' fighting +the Americans were repulsed with great slaughter and forced to retreat +after setting fire to Fort Anne and Fort Edward. + +In these operations the British captured 148 guns, with large quantities +of stores. At Fort Edward General Schuyler was joined by General St. +Clair, but even with this addition the total American strength did not +exceed forty-four hundred. + +Instead of returning from Skenesborough to Ticonderoga, whence he might +have sailed with his army up to Lake George, General Burgoyne proceeded +to cut his way through the woods to the lake. The difficulties of the +passage were immense: swamps and morasses had to be passed, bridges had +to be constructed over creeks, ravines, and gulleys. The troops worked +with great vigor and spirit. Major General Phillips had returned to Lake +George and transported the artillery, provisions, and baggage to Fort +George and thence by land to a point on the Hudson River, together with +a large number of boats for the use of the army in their intended +descent to Albany. + +So great was the labor entailed by this work that it was not until July +30 that the army arrived on the Hudson River. The delay of three weeks +had afforded the enemy time to recover their spirits and recruit their +strength. General Arnold arrived with a strong re-enforcement, and a +force was detached to check the progress of Colonel St. Leger, who was +coming down from Montreal by way of Lake Ontario and the Mohawk River to +effect a junction with General Burgoyne. + +General Burgoyne determined to advance at once. The army was already +suffering from want of transportation, and he decided to send a body of +troops to Bennington, twenty-four miles to the eastward of the Hudson +River, where the Americans had large supplies collected. Instead of +sending light infantry he dispatched six hundred Germans--the worst +troops he could have selected for this purpose, as they were very +heavily armed and marched exceedingly slowly. Several of the officers +remonstrated with him, but with his usual infatuated obstinacy he +maintained his disposition. + +On approaching Bennington Colonel Baum, who commanded the Germans, found +that a very strong force was gathered there. He sent back for +re-enforcements, and five hundred more Germans, under Lieutenant Colonel +Breyman, were dispatched to his assistance. Long, however, before these +slowly moving troops could arrive Colonel Baum was attacked by the enemy +in vastly superior numbers. The Germans fought with great bravery and +several times charged the Americans and drove them back. Fresh troops +continued to come up on the enemy's side, and the Germans, having lost a +large number of men, including their colonel, were forced to retreat +into the woods. The enemy then advanced against Colonel Breyman, who was +ignorant of the disaster that had befallen Baum, and with his detachment +had occupied twenty-four hours in marching sixteen miles. The Germans +again fought well, but after a gallant resistance were obliged to fall +back. In these two affairs they lost six hundred men. + +In the meantime Colonel St. Leger had commenced his attack upon Fort +Stanwix, which was defended by seven hundred men. The American General +Herkimer advanced with one thousand men to its relief. Colonel St. +Leger detached Sir John Johnson with a party of regulars and a number +of Indians, who had accompanied him, to meet them. The enemy advanced +incautiously and fell into an ambush. A terrible fire was poured into +them, and the Indians then rushed down and attacked them hand to hand. +The Americans, although taken by surprise, fought bravely and +succeeded in making their retreat, leaving four hundred killed and +wounded behind them. + +Colonel St. Leger had no artillery which was capable of making any +impression on the defenses of the fort. Its commander sent out a man +who, pretending to be a deserter, entered the British camp and informed +Colonel St. Leger that General Burgoyne had been defeated and his army +cut to pieces, and that General Arnold, with two thousand men, was +advancing to raise the siege. Colonel St. Leger did not credit the news, +but it created a panic among the Indians, the greater portion of whom at +once retired without orders, and St. Leger, having but a small British +force with him, was compelled to follow their example, leaving his +artillery and stores behind him. + +On September 13 General Burgoyne, having with immense labor collected +thirty days' provisions on the Hudson, crossed the river by a bridge of +boats and encamped on the heights of Saratoga. His movements had been +immensely hampered by the vast train of artillery which he took with +him. In an open country a powerful force of artillery is of the greatest +service to an army, but in a campaign in a wooded and roadless country +it is of little utility and enormously hampers the operations of an +army. Had General Burgoyne, after the capture of Ticonderoga, pressed +forward in light order without artillery, he could unquestionably have +marched to New York without meeting with any serious opposition, but the +six weeks' delay had enabled the Americans to collect a great force to +oppose them. + +On the 19th, as the army were advancing to Stillwater, five thousand of +the enemy attacked the British right. They were led by General Arnold +and fought with great bravery and determination. The brunt of the battle +fell on the Twentieth, Twenty-fourth, and Sixty-second regiments. For +four hours the fight continued without any advantage on either side, and +at nightfall the Americans drew off, each side having lost about six +hundred men. After the battle of Stillwater the whole of the Indians +with General Burgoyne left him and returned to Canada. + +Hampered with his great train of artillery, unprovided with +transportation, in the face of a powerful enemy posted in an exceedingly +strong position, General Burgoyne could neither advance nor retreat. The +forage was exhausted and the artillery horses were dying in great +numbers. He had hoped that Sir William Howe would have sailed up the +Hudson and joined him, but the English commander-in-chief had taken his +army down to Philadelphia. Sir Henry Clinton, who commanded at New York, +endeavored with a small force at his command to make a diversion by +operating against the American posts on the Hudson River, but this was +of no utility. + +Burgoyne's army was now reduced to little more than five thousand men, +and he determined to fall back upon the lakes. Before doing this, +however, it would be necessary to dislodge the Americans from their +posts on his left. Leaving the camp under the command of General +Hamilton, Burgoyne advanced with fifteen hundred men against them. But +scarcely had the detachment started when the enemy made a furious attack +on the British left. Major Ackland, with the grenadiers, was posted +here, and for a time defended himself with great bravery. The light +infantry and Twenty-fourth were sent to their assistance, but, +overpowered by numbers, the left wing was forced to retreat into their +intrenchments. These the enemy, led by General Arnold, at once attacked +with great impetuosity. For a long time the result was doubtful, and it +was not until the American leader was wounded that the attack ceased. In +the meantime the intrenchments defended by the German troops under +Colonel Breyman had also been attacked. Here the fight was obstinate, +but the German intrenchments were carried, Colonel Breyman killed, and +his troops retreated with the loss of all their baggage and artillery. +Two hundred prisoners fell into the hands of the Americans. + +That night the British army was concentrated on the heights above the +hospital. General Gates, who commanded the Americans, moved his army so +as to entirely inclose the British, and the latter, on the night of +October 8, retired to Saratoga, being obliged to leave all their sick +and wounded in the hospital. These were treated with the greatest +kindness by the Americans. An attempt was now made to retreat to Fort +George or Fort Edward, but the Americans had taken up positions on each +road and fortified them with cannon. + +Only about thirty-five hundred fighting men now remained, of whom but +one-half were British, and scarcely eight days' provisions were left. +The enemy, four times superior in point of numbers, held every line of +retreat and eluded every attempt of the British to force them to a +general engagement. + +The position was hopeless, and on October 13 a council of war was held +and it was determined to open negotiations for a surrender. Two days +were spent in negotiations, and it was finally agreed that the army +should lay down its arms and that it should be marched to Boston, and +there allowed to sail for England on condition of not serving again in +North America during the contest. The Canadians were to be allowed to +return at once to their own country. On the 16th the army laid down its +arms. It consisted of thirty-five hundred fighting men and six hundred +sick and nearly two thousand boatmen, teamsters, and other +non-effectives. + +Never did a general behave with greater incompetence than that +manifested by General Burgoyne from the day of his leaving Ticonderoga, +and the disaster which befell his army was entirely the result of +mismanagement, procrastination, and faulty generalship. + +Had Harold remained with the army until its surrender his share in the +war would have been at an end, for the Canadians, as well as all others +who laid down their arms, gave their word of honor not to serve again +during the war. He had, however, with Peter Lambton and Jake, +accompanied Colonel Baum's detachment on its march to Bennington. +Scouting in front of the column, they had ascertained the presence of +large numbers of the enemy, and had, by hastening back with the news, +enabled the German colonel to make some preparations for resistance +before the attack was made upon him. During the fight that ensued the +scouts, posted behind trees on the German left, had assisted them to +repel the attack from that quarter, and when the Germans gave way they +effected their escape into the woods and managed to rejoin the army. + +They had continued with it until it moved to the hospital heights after +the disastrous attack by the Americans on their camp. General Burgoyne +then sent for Peter Lambton, who was, he knew, one of his most active +and intelligent scouts. + +"Could you make your way through the enemy's lines down to +Ticonderoga?" he asked. + +"I could try, general," Peter said. "Me and the party who work with me +could get through if anyone could, but more nor that I can't say. The +Yanks are swarming around pretty thick, I reckon; but if we have luck we +might make a shift to get through." + +"I have hopes," the general said, "that another regiment, for which I +asked General Carleton, has arrived there. Here is a letter to General +Powell, who is in command, to beg him to march with all his available +force and fall upon the enemy posted on our line of communication. +Unless the new regiment has reached him he will not have a sufficient +force to attempt this, but, if this has come up, he may be able to do +so. He is to march in the lightest order and at full speed, so as to +take the enemy by surprise. Twelve hours before he starts you will bring +me back news of his coming, and I will move out to meet him. His +operations in their rear will confuse the enemy and enable me to operate +with a greater chance of success. I tell you this because, if you are +surrounded and in difficulties, you may have to destroy my dispatch. You +can then convey my instructions by word of mouth to General Powell if +you succeed in getting through." + +Upon leaving headquarters Peter joined his friends. + +"It's a risksome business," he went on, after informing them of the +instructions he had received, "but I don't know as it's much more +risksome than stopping here. It don't seem to me that this army is like +to get out of the trap into which their general has led 'em. Whatever he +wanted to leave the lakes for is more nor I can tell. However, +generaling aint my business, and I wouldn't change places with the old +man to-day, not for a big sum of money. Now, chief, what do you say? +How's this 'ere business to be carried out?" + +The Seneca, with the five braves who had from the first accompanied +them, were now the only Indians with the British army. The rest of the +redskins, disgusted with the dilatory progress of the army and +foreseeing inevitable disaster, had all betaken themselves to their +homes. They were, moreover, angered at the severity with which the +English general had endeavored to suppress their tendency to acts of +cruelty on the defenseless settlers. The redskin has no idea of +civilized warfare. His sole notion of fighting is to kill, burn, and +destroy, and the prohibition of all irregular operations and of the +infliction of unnecessary suffering was, in his eyes, an act of +incomprehensible weakness. The Seneca chief remained with the army +simply because his old comrade did so. He saw that there was little +chance of plunder, but he and his braves had succeeded in fair fight in +obtaining many scalps, and would, at least, be received with high honor +on their return to their tribe. + +A long discussion took place between the chief and Peter before they +finally decided upon the best course to be pursued. They were ignorant +of the country and of the disposition of the enemy's force, and could +only decide to act upon general principles. They thought it probable +that the Americans would be most thickly posted upon the line between +the British army and the lakes, and their best chance of success would +therefore be to make their way straight ahead for some distance, and +then, when they had penetrated the American lines, to make a long +_detour_ round to the lakes. + +Taking four days' provisions with them they started when nightfall had +fairly set in. It was intensely dark, and in the shadows of the woods +Harold was unable to see his hand before him. The Indians appeared to +have a faculty of seeing in the dark, for they advanced without the +slightest pause or hesitation and were soon in the open country. The +greatest vigilance was now necessary. Everywhere they could hear the low +hum which betokens the presence of many men gathered together. Sometimes +a faint shout came to their ears, and for a long distance around the +glow in the sky told of many fires. The party now advanced with the +greatest caution, frequently halting while the Indians went on ahead to +scout; and more than once they were obliged to alter their direction as +they came upon bodies of men posted across their front. At last they +passed through the line of sentinels, and, avoiding all the camps, +gained the country in the Americans' rear. + +They now struck off to the right, and by daybreak were far round beyond +the American army, on their way to Ticonderoga. They had walked for +fifteen hours when they halted, and it was not until late in the +afternoon that they continued their journey. They presently struck the +road which the army had cut in its advance, and keeping parallel with +this through the forest they arrived the next morning at Fort Edward. A +few hours' rest here and they continued their march to Ticonderoga. This +place had been attacked by the Americans a few days previously, but the +garrison had beaten off the assailants. + +On the march they had seen many bodies of the enemy moving along the +road, but their approach had in every case been detected in time to take +refuge in the forest. On entering the fort Peter at once proceeded to +General Powell's quarters and delivered the dispatch with which he had +been intrusted. The general read it. + +"No re-enforcements have arrived," the general said, "and the force here +is barely sufficient to defend the place. It would be madness for me to +set out on such a march with the handful of troops at my disposal." + +He then questioned Peter concerning the exact position of the army, and +the latter had no hesitation in saying that he thought the whole force +would be compelled to lay down their arms unless some re-enforcements +reached them from below. + +This, however, was not to be. General Clinton captured Forts Montgomery +and Clinton, the latter a very strong position, defended with great +resolution by four hundred Americans. The Seventh and Twenty-sixth +regiments and a company of grenadiers attacked on one side, the +Sixty-third Regiment on the other. They had no cannon to cover their +advance and had to cross ground swept by ten pieces of artillery. In no +event during the war did the British fight with more resolution. +Without firing a shot they pressed forward to the foot of the works, +climbed over each other's shoulders on to the walls, and drove the +enemy back. The latter discharged one last volley into the troops and +then laid down their arms. Notwithstanding the slaughter effected by +this wanton fire after all possibility of continuing a resistance was +over, quarter was given and not one of the enemy was killed after the +fort was taken. The British loss was 140 killed and wounded; 300 +Americans were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. The fleet attacked +the American squadron on the river and entirely destroyed it. Beyond +sending a flying squadron up the river to destroy the enemy's boats and +stores of provisions, nothing further could be done to effect a +diversion in favor of General Burgoyne. + +Four days after Harold's arrival at Ticonderoga the news of the +surrender of General Burgoyne reached the place. Upon the following day +he suggested to Peter Lambton that they should visit the clearing of the +ex-soldier Cameron and see whether their interference had saved him and +his family. Upon arriving at the spot whence Harold had fired the shot +which had brought discovery upon them, they saw a few charred stumps +alone remaining of the snug house which had stood there. In front of it, +upon the stump of a tree, Cameron himself was sitting in an attitude of +utter depression. + +They walked across the clearing to the spot, but although the sound of +their footsteps must have reached his ear, the man did not look up until +Harold touched him on the shoulder. + +"What has happened?" he asked. "Who has done this ruin?" + +The man still remained with his head bent down, as if he had not heard +the question. + +"We had hoped that you had escaped," Harold went on. "We were hidden in +the wood when we saw those ruffians drive your wife and daughter out, +and it was the shot from my rifle that killed their leader and brought +them down on us; and a narrow escape we had of it; but we hoped that we +had diverted them from their determination to kill you and your family." + +Cameron looked up now. + +"I thank ye, sir," he said. "I thank ye wi' a' my hairt for your +interference on our behalf. I heerd how closely ye were beset that +night and how ye escaped. They thought nae mair o' us, and when the +royal army arrived the next day we were safe; but ye might as weel ha' +let the matter gang on--better, indeed, for then I should be deed +instead o' suffering. This wark," and he pointed toward the remains of +the house, "is redskin deviltry. A fortnight sin' a band o' Indians +fell upon us. I was awa'. They killed my wife and burned my house and +ha' carried off my bairn." + +"Who were they?" Harold asked. + +"I dinna ken," Cameron replied; "but a neebor o' mine whose place they +attacked, and whom they had scalped and left for deed, told me that they +were a band o' the Iroquois who had come down from Lake Michigan and +advanced wi' the British. He said that they, with the other redskins, +desairted when their hopes o' plunder were disappointed, and that on +their way back to their tribes they burned and ravaged every settlement +they cam' across. My neebor was an old frontiersman; he had fought +against the tribe and knew their war-cry. He deed the next day. He was +mair lucky than I am." + +"The tarnal ruffians!" Peter exclaimed; "the murdering varmints! And to +think of 'em carrying off that purty little gal of yours! I suppose by +this time they're at their old game of plundering and slaying on the +frontier. It's naught to them which side they fight on; scalps and +plunder is all they care for." + +The unfortunate settler had sat down again on the log, the picture of a +broken-hearted man. Harold drew Peter a short distance away. + +"Look here. Peter," he said. "Now Burgoyne's army has surrendered and +winter is close at hand, it is certain that there will be no further +operations here, except perhaps that the Americans will recapture the +place. What do you say to our undertaking an expedition on our own +account to try and get back this poor fellow's daughter? I do not know +whether the Seneca would join us, but we three--of course I count +Jake--and the settler might do something. I have an old grudge against +these Iroquois myself, as you have heard; and for aught I know they may +long ere this have murdered my cousins." + +"The Seneca will jine," Peter said, "willing enough. There's an old feud +between his tribe and the Iroquois. He'll jine fast enough. But mind, +youngster, this aint no child's play; it aint like fighting them +American clodhoppers. We'll have to deal with men as sharp as ourselves, +who can shoot as well, hear as well, see as well, who are in their own +country, and who are a hundred to one against us. We've got hundreds and +hundreds of miles to travel afore we gets near 'em. It's a big job; but +if, when ye thinks it all over, you're ready to go, Peter Lambton aint +the man to hold back. As you say, there's naught to do this winter, and +we might as well be doing this as anything else." + +The two men then went back to the settler. + +"Cameron," Harold said, "it is of no use sitting here grieving. Why not +be up in pursuit of those who carried off your daughter?" + +The man sprang to his feet. + +"In pursuit!" he cried fiercely; "in pursuit! Do ye think Donald Cameron +wad be sitting here quietly if he kenned where to look for his +daughter--where to find the murderers o' his wife? But what can I do? +For three days after I cam' back and found what had happened I was just +mad. I couldna think nor rest, nor do aught but throw mysel' on the +ground and pray to God to tak' me. When at last I could think, it was +too late. It wad hae mattered naething to me that they were a hundred to +one. If I could ha' killed but one o' them I wad ha' died happy; but +they were gone, and how could I follow them--how could I find them? Tell +me where to look, mon--show me the way; and if it be to the ends o' the +airth I will go after them." + +"We will do more, than that," Harold said. "My friend and myself have +still with us the seven men who were with us when we were here before. +Five are Senecas, the other a faithful negro who would go through fire +and water for me. There is little chance of our services being required +during the winter with the British army. We, are interested in you and +in the pretty child we saw here, and, if you will, we will accompany you +in the search for her. Peter Lambton knows the country well, and if +anyone could lead you to your child and rescue her from those who +carried her off, he is the man." + +"Truly!" gasped the Scotchman. "And will ye truly gang wi' me to find +my bairn? May the guid God o' heaven bless you!" and the tears ran down +his cheeks. + +"Git your traps together at once, man," Peter said. "Let's go straight +back to the fort; then I'll set the matter before the chief, who will, I +warrant me, be glad enough to jine the expedition. It's too late to +follow the track of the red varmints; our best plan will be to make +straight for the St. Lawrence; to take a boat if we can git one; if not, +two canoes; and to make up the river and along the Ontario. Then we must +sell our boat, cross to Erie, and git fresh canoes and go on by Detroit +into Lake Huron, and so up in the country of these reptiles. We shall +have no difficulty, I reckon, in discovering the whereabout of the tribe +which has been away on this expedition." + +The Scotchman took up the rifle. + +"I am ready," he said, and without another word the party started +for the fort. + +Upon their arrival there a consultation was held with the Seneca. The +prospect of an expedition against his hereditary foes filled him with +delight, and three of his braves also agreed to accompany them. Jake +received the news with the remark: + +"All right, Massa Harold. It make no odds to dis chile whar he goes. You +say de word--Jake ready." + +Half an hour sufficed for making the preparations, and they at once +proceeded to the point where they had hidden the two canoes on the night +when they joined General Burgoyne before his advance upon Ticonderoga. +These were soon floating on the lake, and they started to paddle to the +mouth of the Sorrel, down this river into the St. Lawrence, and thence +to Montreal. Their rifles they had recovered from the lake upon the day +following that on which Ticonderoga was first captured; Deer Tail having +dispatched to the spot two of his braves, who recovered them without +difficulty, by diving, and brought them back to the fort. + +At Montreal they stayed but a few hours. An ample supply of ammunition +was purchased and provisions sufficient for the voyage; and then, +embarking in the two canoes, they started up the St. Lawrence. It was +three weeks later when they arrived at Detroit, which was garrisoned by +a British force. Here they heard that there had been continuous troubles +with the Indians on the frontier; that a great many farms and +settlements had been destroyed, and numbers of persons murdered. + +Their stay at Detroit was a short one. Harold obtained no news of his +cousins, but there were so many tales told of Indian massacres that he +was filled with apprehension on their account. His worst apprehensions +were justified when the canoes at length came within sight of the +well-remembered clearing. Harold gave a cry as he saw that the farmhouse +no longer existed. The two canoes were headed toward shore, and their +occupants disembarked and walked toward the spot where the house had +stood. The site was marked by a heap of charred embers. The outhouses +had been destroyed, and a few fowls were the only living things to be +seen in the fields. + +"This here business must have taken place some time ago," Peter said, +breaking the silence. "A month, I should say, or p'r'aps more." + +For a time Harold was too moved to speak. The thought of his kind +cousins and their brave girl all murdered by the Indians filled him with +deep grief. At last he said: + +"What makes you think so, Peter?" + +"It's easy enough to see as it was after the harvest, for ye see the +fields is all clear. And then there's long grass shooting up through the +ashes. It would take a full month, p'r'aps six weeks, afore it would do +that. Don't you think so, chief?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"A moon," he said. + +"Yes, about a month," replied Peter. "The grass grows quick after +the rains." + +"Do you think that it was a surprise, Peter?" + +"No man can tell," the hunter answered. "If we had seen the place soon +afterward we might have told. There would have been marks of blood. Or +if the house had stood we could have told by the bullet-holes and the +color of the splintered wood how it happened and how long back. As it +is, not even the chief can give ye an idea." + +"Not an attack," the Seneca said; "a surprise." + +"How on arth do you know that, chief?" the hunter exclaimed in +surprise, and he looked round in search of some sign which would have +enabled the Seneca to have given so confident an opinion. "You must be +a witch, surely." + +"A chief's eyes are not blind," the redskin answered, with a +slight smile of satisfaction at having for once succeeded when his +white comrade was at fault. "Let my friend look up the hill--two +dead men there." + +Harold looked in the direction in which the chief pointed, but could see +nothing. The hunter exclaimed: + +"There's something there, chief, but even my eyes couldn't tell they +were bodies." + +The party proceeded to the spot and found two skeletons. A few remnants +of clothes lay around, but the birds had stripped every particle of +flesh from the bones. There was a bullet in the forehead of one skull; +the other was cleft with a sharp instrument. + +"It's clear enough," the hunter said, "there's been a surprise. Likely +enough the hull lot was killed without a shot being fired in defense." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +RESCUED! + +Harold was deeply touched at the evidences of the fate which had +befallen the occupants of his cousin's plantation. + +"If there are any more of these to be found," pointing to their remains, +"we might learn for a certainty whether the same fate befell them all." + +The Seneca spoke a word to his followers and the four Indians spread +themselves over the clearing. One more body was found--it was lying down +near the water as if killed in the act of making for the canoe. + +"The others are probably there," Peter said, pointing to the ruins. "The +three hands was killed in the fields, and most likely the attack was +made at the same moment on the house. I'm pretty sure it was so, for the +body by the water lies face downward, with his head toward the lake. He +was no doubt shot from behind as he was running. There must have been +Injuns round the house then, or he would have made for that instead of +the water." + +The Seneca touched Peter on the shoulder and pointed toward the farm. A +figure was seen approaching. As it came nearer they could see that he +was a tall man, dressed in the deerskin shirt and leggings usually worn +by hunters. As he came near Harold gave an exclamation: + +"It is Jack Pearson!" + +"It are Jack Pearson," the hunter said, "but for the moment I can't +recollect ye, though yer face seems known. Why!" he exclaimed in changed +tones, "it's that boy Harold growed into a man." + +"It is," Harold replied, grasping the frontiersman's hand. + +"And ye may know me, too," Peter Lambton said, "though it's twenty year +since we fought side by side against the Mohawks." + +"Why, old hoss, are you above ground still?" the hunter exclaimed +heartily. "I'm glad to see you again, old friend. And what are you doing +here, you and Harold and these Senecas? For they is Senecas, sure +enough. I've been in the woods for the last hour, and have been puzzling +myself nigh to death. I seed them Injuns going about over the clearing +sarching, and for the life of me I couldn't think what they were +a-doing. Then I seed 'em gathered down here, with two white men among +'em, so I guessed it was right to show myself." + +"They were searching to see how many had fallen in this terrible +business," Harold said, pointing to the ruins. The hunter shook his +head. + +"I'm afeared they've all gone under. I were here a week afterward; it +were just as it is now. I found the three hands lying killed and sculped +in the fields; the others, I reckon, is there. I has no doubt at all +about Bill Welch and his wife, but it may be that the gal has been +carried off." + +"Do you think so?" Harold exclaimed eagerly. "If so, we may find her, +too, with the other." + +"What other?" Pearson, asked. + +Harold gave briefly an account of the reason which had brought them to +the spot and of the object they had in view. + +"You can count me in," Pearson said. "There's just a chance that Nelly +Welch may be in their hands still; and in any case I'm longing to draw a +bead on some of the varmints to pay 'em for this," and he looked round +him, "and a hundred other massacres round this frontier." + +"I'm glad to hear ye say so," Peter replied. "I expected as much of ye, +Jack. I don't know much of this country, having only hunted here for a +few weeks with a party of Delawares twenty year afore the Iroquois moved +so far west." + +"I know pretty nigh every foot of it," Jack Pearson said. "When the +Iroquois were quiet I used to do a deal of hunting in their country. It +are good country for game." + +"Well! shall we set out at once?" Harold asked, impatient to be off. + +"We can't move to-night," Pearson answered; and Harold saw that Peter +and the Indians agreed with him. + +"Why not?" he asked. "Every hour is of importance." + +"That's so," Peter said, "but there's no going out on the lake to-night. +In half an hour we'll have our first snowstorm, and by morning it will +be two foot deep." + +Harold turned his eyes toward the lake and saw what his companions had +noticed long before. The sky was overcast and a thick bank of hidden +clouds was rolling up across the lake, and the thick mist seemed to hang +between the clouds and the water. + +"That's snow," Peter said. "It's late this year, and I'd give my pension +if it was a month later." + +"That's so," Pearson said. "Snow aint never pleasant in the woods, but +when you're scouting round among Injuns it are a caution. We'd best make +a shelter afore it comes on." + +The two canoes were lifted from the water, unloaded, and turned bottom +upward; a few charred planks, which had formed part of the roof of the +outhouses, were brought and put up to form a sort of shelter. A fire was +lit and a meal prepared. By this time the snow had begun to fall. After +the meal was over pipes were lit and the two hunters earnestly talked +over their plans, the Seneca chief throwing in a few words occasionally; +the others listened quietly. The Indians left the matter in the hands of +their chief, while Harold and Cameron knew that the two frontiersmen did +not need any suggestion from them. As to Jake, the thought of asking +questions never entered his mind. He was just at present less happy than +usual, for the negro, like most of his race, hated cold, and the +prospect of wandering through the woods in deep snow made him shudder +as he crouched close to the great fire they had built. + +Peter and Jack Pearson were of opinion that it was exceedingly +probable that the Welches had been destroyed by the very band which +had carried off little Janet Cameron. The bodies of Indians who had +been on the war-path with the army had retired some six weeks before, +and it was about that time, Pearson said, that the attack on the +settlements had been made. + +"I heard some parties of redskins who had been with the British +troops had passed through the neighborhood, and there was reports +that they were greatly onsatisfied with the results of the campaign. +As likely as not some of that band may have been consarned in the +attack on this place three year ago, and, passing nigh it, may have +determined to wipe out that defeat. An Injun never forgives. Many of +their braves fell here, and they could scarcely bring a more welcome +trophy back to their villages than the scalps of Welch and his men." + +"Now, the first thing to do," Peter said, "is to find out what +particular chief took his braves with him to the war; then we've got +to find his village; and there likely enough we'll find Cameron's +daughter and maybe the girl from here. How old was she?" + +"About fifteen," Pearson said, "and a fine girl, and a pretty girl, +too. I dun know," he went on after a pause, "which of the chiefs took +part in the war across the lakes, but I suspect it were War Eagle. +There's three great chiefs, and the other two were trading on the +frontier. It was War Eagle who attacked the place afore, and would be +the more likely to attack it again if he came anywheres near it. He +made a mess of it afore and 'd be burning to wipe out his failure if +he had a chance." + +"Where is his place?" + +"His village is the furthest of them all from here. He lives up near +the falls of Sault Ste. Marie, betwixt Lakes Superior and Huron. It's +a village with nigh three hundred wigwams." + +"It aint easy to see how it's to be done. We must make to the north +shore of the lake. There'll be no working down here through the +woods; but it's a pesky difficult job--about as hard a one as ever I +took part in." + +"It is that," Pearson said; "it can't be denied. To steal two white +girls out of a big Injun village aint a easy job at no time; but with +the snow on the ground it comes as nigh to an impossibility as +anything can do." + +For another hour or two they talked over the route they should take +and their best mode of proceeding. Duncan Cameron sat and listened +with an intent face to every word. Since he had joined them he had +spoken but seldom; his whole soul was taken up with the thought of +his little daughter. He was ever ready to do his share and more than +his share of the work of paddling and at the portages, but he never +joined in the conversation; and of an evening, when the others sat +round the fire, he would move away and pace backward and forward in +anxious thought until the fire burned low and the party wrapped +themselves in their blankets and went off to sleep. + +All the time the conversation had been going on the snow had fallen +heavily, and before it was concluded the clearing was covered deep +with the white mantle. There was little wind, and the snow fell +quietly and noiselessly. At night the Indians lay down round the +fire, while the white men crept under the canoes and were soon fast +asleep. In the morning it was still snowing, but about noon it +cleared up. It was freezing hard, and the snow glistened as the sun +burst through the clouds. The stillness of the forest was broken now +by sharp cracking sounds as boughs of trees gave way under the weight +of the snow; in the open it lay more than two feet deep. + +"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we're off the better." + +"I'll come in my own canoe," Pearson said. "One of the Injuns can +come with me and we'll keep up with the rest." + +"There is room for you in the other canoes," Harold said. + +"Plenty of room," the hunter answered. "But you see, Harold, the more +canoes the better. There aint no saying how close we may be chased, +and by hiding up the canoes at different places we give ourselves so +much more chance of being able to get to one or the other. They're +all large canoes, and at a pinch any one of them might hold the hull +party, with the two gals throwed in. But," he added to Harold in a +low voice, "don't you build too much on these gals, Harold. I +wouldn't say so while that poor fellow's listening, but the chance is +a desperate poor one, and I think we'll be mighty lucky ef we don't +leave all our scalps in that 'ere redskin village." The traps were +soon placed in the canoes, and just as the sun burst out the three +boats started. It was a long and toilsome journey. Stormy weather set +in, and they were obliged to wait for days by the lake till its +surface calmed. On these occasions they devoted themselves to hunting +and killed several deer. They knew that there were no Indian villages +near, and in such weather it would be improbable that any redskins +would be in the woods. They were enabled, therefore, to fire without +fear of the reports betraying their presence. The Senecas took the +opportunity of fabricating snowshoes for the whole party, as these +would be absolutely necessary for walking in the woods. Harold, Jake, +and Duncan Cameron at once began to practice their use. The negro was +comical in the extreme in his first attempts, and shouted so loudly +with laughter each time that he fell head foremost into the snow that +Peter said to him angrily: + +"Look-a-here, Jake; it's dangerous enough letting off a rifle at a +deer in these woods, but it has to be done because we must lay in a +supply of food; but a musket-shot is a mere whisper to yer shouting. +Thunder aint much louder than you laughing--it shakes the hull place +and might be heard from here well-nigh to Montreal. Ef you can't keep +that mouth of your'n shut, ye must stop up the idee of learning to use +them shoes and must stop in the canoe while we're scouting on shore." + +Jake promised to amend, and from this time when he fell in the soft +snow-wreaths he gave no audible vent to his amusement; but a pair of +great feet, with the snow-shoes attached, could be seen waving above +the surface until he was picked up and righted again. + +Harold soon learned, and Cameron went at the work with grim +earnestness. No smile ever crossed his face at his own accidents or +at the wild vagaries of Jake, which excited silent amusement even +among the Indians. In a short time the falls were less frequent, and +by the time they reached the spot where they were determined to cross +the lake at the point where Lakes Huron and Michigan join, the three +novices were able to make fair progress in the snow-shoes. + +The spot fixed upon was about twelve miles from the village of War +Eagle, and the canoes were hidden at distances of three miles apart. +First Pearson, Harold, and Cameron disembarked; Jake, Peter, and one +of the Indians alighted at the next point; and the Seneca chief and +two of his followers proceeded to the spot nearer to the Indian +village. Each party as they landed struck straight into the woods, to +unite at a point eight miles from the lake and as many from the +village. The hunters had agreed that, should any Indians come across +the tracks, less suspicion would be excited than would have been the +case were they found skirting the river, as it might be thought that +they were made by Indians out hunting. + +Harold wondered how the other parties would find the spot to which +Pearson had directed them, but in due time all arrived at the +rendezvous. After some search a spot was found where the underwood +grew thickly, and there was an open place in the center of the clump. +In this the camp was established. It was composed solely of a low +tent of about two feet high, made of deer's hides sewed together, and +large enough to shelter them all. The snow was cleared away, sticks +were driven into the frozen ground, and strong poles laid across +them; the deerskin was then laid flat upon these. The top was little +higher than the general level of the snow, an inch or two of snow was +scattered over it, and to anyone passing outside the bushes the tent +was completely invisible. + +The Indians now went outside the thicket and with great care +obliterated, as far as possible, the marks upon the snow. This could +not be wholly done, but it was so far complete that the slightest +wind which would send a drift over the surface would wholly conceal +all traces of passage. + +They had, before crossing the lake, cooked a supply of food +sufficient for some days. Intense as was the cold outside, it was +perfectly warm in the tent. The entrance as they crept into it was +closed with a blanket, and in the center a lamp composed of deer's +fat in a calabash with a cotton wick gave a sufficient light. + +"What is the next move?" Harold asked. + +"The chief 'll start, when it comes dusk, with Pearson," Peter said. +"When they git close to the village he'll go in alone. He'll paint +Iroquois before he goes." + +"Cannot we be near at hand to help them in case of a necessity," +Harold asked. + +"No," Peter said. "It wouldn't be no good at all. Ef it comes to +fighting they're fifty to one, and the lot of us would have no more +chance than two. If they're found out, which aint likely, they must +run for it, and they can get over the snow a deal faster than you +could, to say nothing of Cameron and Jake. They must shift for +themselves and 'll make straight for the nearest canoe. In the forest +they must be run down sooner or later, for their tracks would be +plain. No, they must go alone." + +When night came on the Seneca produced his paints, and one of his +followers marked his face and arms with the lines and flourishes in +use by the Iroquois; then without a word of adieu he took his rifle +and glided out from the tent, followed by Pearson. Peter also put on +his snow-shoes and prepared to follow. + +"I thought you were going to stay here, Peter." + +"No, I'm going halfway with 'em. I'll be able to hear the sound of a +gun. Then, ef they're trapped, we must make tracks for the canoes at +once, for after following 'em to the lake they're safe to take up +their back track to see where they've come from; so, ef I hear a gun, +I'll make back here as quick as I can come." + +When the three men had started silence fell on the tent. The redskins +at once lay down to sleep, and Jake followed their example. Harold +lay quiet thinking over the events which had happened to him in the +last three years, while Cameron lay with his face turned toward the +lamp with a set, anxious look on his face. Several times he crawled +to the entrance and listened when the crack made by some breaking +bough came to his ear. Hours passed and at last Harold dozed off, but +Cameron's eyes never closed until about midnight the blanket at the +entrance moved and Peter entered. + +"Hae ye seen the ithers?" Cameron exclaimed. + +"No, and were not likely to," Peter answered. "It was all still to +the time I came away, and afore I moved I was sure they must have +left the village. They won't come straight back, bless ye; they'll go +'way in the opposite direction and make a sweep miles round. They may +not be here for hours yet; not that there's much chance of their +tracks being traced. It has not snowed for over a week, and the snow +round the village must be trampled thick for a mile and more, with +the squaws coming and going for wood and the hunters going out on the +chase. I've crossed a dozen tracks or more on my way back. Ef it +wasn't for that we daren't have gone at all, for ef the snow was new +fallen the sight of fresh tracks would have set the first Injun that +come along a-wondering; and when a redskin begins to wonder he sets +to to ease his mind at once by finding out all about it, ef it takes +him a couple of days' sarch to do so. No, you can lie down now for +some hours. They won't be here till morning." + +So saying, the scout set the example by wrapping himself up and going +to sleep, but Cameron's eyes never closed until the blanket was drawn +on one side again and in the gray light of the winter morning the +Seneca and Pearson crawled into the tent. + +"What news?" Harold asked, for Cameron was too agitated to speak. + +"Both gals are there," Pearson answered. + +An exclamation of thankfulness broke from Harold. A sob of joy issued +from the heart of the Scotchman, and for a few minutes his lips moved +as he poured forth his silent thankfulness to God. + +"Waal, tell us all about it," Peter said. "I can ask the chief any +questions afterward." + +"We went on straight enough to the village," the hunter began. "It +are larger than when I saw it last, and War Eagle's influence in the +tribe must have increased. I didn't expect to find no watch, the +redskins having, so far as they knew, no enemies within five hundred +mile of 'em. There was a lot of fires burning and plenty of redskins +moving about among 'em. We kept on till we got quite close, and then +we lay up for a time below a tree at the edge of the clearing. There +were a sight too many of 'em about for the Seneca to go in yet +awhile. About half an hour arter we got there we saw two white gals +come outen one of the wigwams and stand for a while to warm +theirselves by one of the fires. The tallest of the two, well-nigh a +woman, was Nelly Welch. I knew her, in course. The other was three or +four years younger, with yaller hair over her shoulders. Nelly seemed +quiet and sad-like, but the other 'peared more at home--she laughed +with some of the redskin gals and even jined in their play. You see," +he said, turning to Cameron, "she'd been captured longer and +children's spirits soon rise again. Arter a while they went back to +the wigwam. When the fires burned down and the crowd thinned, and +there was only a few left sitting in groups round the embers, the +Seneca started. For a long time I saw nothing of him, but once or +twice I thought I saw a figure moving among the wigwams. Presently +the fires burned quite down and the last Injun went off. I had begun +to wonder what the chief was doing, when he stood beside me. We made +tracks at once and have been tramping in a long circle all night. The +chief can tell ye his part of the business hisself." + +"Well, chief, what have you found out?" Peter asked. + +The Indian answered in his native tongue, which Peter interpreted +from time to time for the benefit of his white companions: + +"When Deer Tail left the white hunter he went into the village. It +was no use going among the men, and he went round by the wigwams and +listened to the chattering of the squaws. The tribe were all well +contented, for the band brought back a great deal of plunder which +they had picked up on their way back from the army. They had lost no +braves and everyone was pleased. The destruction of the settlement of +the white man who had repulsed them before was a special matter for +rejoicing. The scalps of the white man and his wife are in the +village. War Eagle's son, Young Elk, is going to marry the white +girl. There are several of the braves whose heads have been turned by +the white skin and her bright eyes, but Young Elk is going to have +her. There have been great feastings and rejoicings since the return +of the warriors, but they are to be joined tomorrow by Beaver's band, +and then they will feast again. When all was quiet I went to the +wigwam where the white girls are confined. An old squaw and two of +War Eagle's daughters are with them. Deer Tail had listened while +they prepared for rest and knew on which side of the wigwam the tall +white maiden slept. He thought that she would be awake. Her heart +would be sad and sleep would not come to her soon, so he crept round +there and cut a slit in the skin close to where she lay. He put his +head in at the hole and whispered, 'Do not let the white girl be +afraid; it is a friend. Does she hear him?' She whispered, 'Yes.' +'Friends are near,' he said. 'The young warrior Harold, whom she +knows, and others, are at hand to take her away. The Iroquois will be +feasting to-morrow night. When she hears the cry of a night-owl let +her steal away with her little white sister and she will find her +friends waiting.' Then Deer Tail closed the slit and stole away to +his friend the white hunter. I have spoken." + +"Jest what I expected of you, chief," Peter said warmly. "I thought +as how you'd manage to git speech with 'em somehow. If there's a +feast to-night, it's hard ef we don't manage to get 'em off." + +"I suppose we must lie still all day, Peter." + +"You must so," the hunter said. "Not a soul must show his nose +outside the tent except that one of the redskins'll keep watch to be +sure that no straggler has come across our tracks and followed 'em +up. Ef he was to do that, he might bring the hull gang down on us. +Ye'd best get as much sleep as ye can, for ye don't know when ye may +get another chance." + +At nightfall the whole party issued from the tent and started toward +the Indian village. All arrangements had been made. It was agreed +that Pearson and the Seneca should go up to the village, the former +being chosen because he was known to Nelly. Peter and one of the +redskins were to take post a hundred yards further back, ready to +give assistance in case of alarm, while the rest were to remain about +half a mile distant. Cameron had asked that he might go with the +advance party, but upon Peter pointing out to him that his +comparatively slow rate of progression in snow-shoes would, in case +of discovery, lead to the recapture of the girls, he at once agreed +to the decision. If the flight of the girls was discovered soon after +leaving the camp, it was arranged that the Seneca and Peter should +hurry at once with them to the main body, while the other two Indians +should draw off their pursuers in another direction. In the event of +anything occurring to excite the suspicion of the Indians before +there was a chance of the girls being brought safely to the main +body, they were to be left to walk quietly back to camp, as they had +nothing to fear from the Indians. Peter and the Seneca were then to +work round by a circuitous route to the boat, where they were to be +joined by the main body, and to draw off until another opportunity +offered for repeating the attempt. + +It was eight o'clock in the evening when Pearson and the Seneca +approached the village. The fires were burning high, and seated round +them were all the warriors of the tribe. A party were engaged in a +dance representing the pursuit and defeat of an enemy. The women were +standing in an outer circle, clapping their hands and raising their +voices in loud cries of applause and excitement as the dance became +faster and faster. The warriors bounded high, brandishing their +tomahawks. A better time could not have been chosen for the evasion +of the fugitives. Nelly Welch stood close to a number of Indian +girls, but slightly behind them. She held the hand of little Janet +Cameron. + +Although she appeared to share in the interest of the Indians in the +dance, a close observer would have had no difficulty in perceiving +that Nelly was preoccupied. She was, indeed, intently listening for +the signal. She was afraid to move from among the others lest her +absence should be at once detected, but so long as the noise was +going on she despaired of being able to hear the signal agreed upon. +Presently an Indian brave passed close to her, and as he did so +whispered in her ear in English, "Behind your wigwam--friends there." +Then he passed on and moved round the circle as if intending to take +his seat at another point. + +The excitement of the dance was momentarily increasing, and the +attention of the spectators was riveted to the movements of the +performers. Holding Janet's hand, Nelly moved noiselessly away from +the place where she had been standing. The movement was unnoticed, as +she was no longer closely watched, a flight in the depth of winter +appearing impossible. She kept round the circle till no longer +visible from the spot she had left. Then, leaving the crowd, she made +her way toward the nearest wigwams. Once behind these the girls stole +rapidly along under their shelter until they stood behind that which +they usually inhabited. Two figures were standing there. They +hesitated for a moment, but one of them advanced. + +"Jack Pearson!" Nelly exclaimed, with a low cry of gladness. + +"Jest that same, Nelly, and right glad to see you. But we've no time +for greeting now; the hull tribe may be after us in another five +minutes. Come along, pretty," he said, turning to Janet. "You'll find +somebody ye know close at hand." + +Two minutes later the child was in her father's arms, and after a +moment's rapturous greeting between father and child and a very +delighted one between Nelly Welch and her Cousin Harold, the flight +was continued. + +"How long a start do you think we may have?" + +"Half an hour, maybe. The women may be some time afore they miss her, +and they'll sarch for her everywhere afore they give the alarm, as +they'll be greatly blamed for their carelessness." + +There had been a pause in the flight for a few seconds when the +Seneca and Pearson arrived with the girls at the point where Peter +and the other Indian were posted, two hundred yards from the camp. Up +to this point the snow was everywhere thickly trampled, but as the +camp was left further behind the footprints would naturally become +more scarce. Here Pearson fastened to the girls' feet two pairs of +large moccasins; inside these wooden soles had been placed. They +therefore acted to some extent like snowshoes and prevented the +girls' feet from sinking deeply, while the prints which they left +bore no resemblance to their own. They were strapped on the wrong +way, so that the marks would seem to point toward the village rather +than away from it. Both girls protested that they should not be able +to get along fast in these encumbrances, but one of the men posted +himself on either side of each and assisted them along, and as the +moccasins were very light, even with the wooden soles inside, they +were soon able to move with them at a considerable pace. + +Once united the whole party kept along at the top of their speed. +Peter Lambton assisted Cameron with Janet, and the girl, half-lifted +from the ground, skimmed over the surface like a bird, only touching +the snow here and there with the moccasins. Nelly Welch needed no +assistance from Harold or Pearson. During the long winters she had +often practiced on snow-shoes, and was consequently but little +encumbered with the huge moccasins, which to some extent served the +same purpose. + +They had been nearly half an hour on their way when they heard a +tremendous yell burst from the village. + +"They've missed you," Peter said. "Now it's a fair race. We've got a +good start and 'll git more, for they'll have to hunt up the traces +very carefully, and it may be an hour, perhaps more, before they +strike upon the right one. Ef the snow had been new fallen we should +have had 'em arter us in five minutes; but even a redskin's eye will +be puzzled to find out at night one track among such hundreds." + +"I have but one fear," Pearson said to Harold. + +"What is that?" + +"I'm afeared that without waiting to find the tracks they may send +off half a dozen parties to the lake. They'll be sure that friends +have taken the gals away, and will know that their only chance of +escape is by the water. On land we should be hunted down to a +certainty, and the redskins, knowing that the gals could not travel +fast, will not hurry in following up the trail. So I think they'll at +once send off parties to watch the lake, and 'll like enough make no +effort to take up the trail till to-morrow morning." + +This was said in a low whisper, for although they were more than two +miles from the village it was necessary to move as silently as +possible. + +"You had best tell the others what you think, Pearson. It may make a +difference in our movements." + +A short halt was called, and the Seneca and Peter quite agreed with +Pearson's idea. + +"We'd best make for the canoe that's furthest off. When the redskins +find the others, which they're pretty sure to do, for they'll hunt +every bush, they're likely to be satisfied and to make sure they'll +ketch us at one or the other." + +This much decided upon, they continued their flight, now less +rapidly, but in perfect silence. Speed was less an object than +concealment. The Indians might spread, and a party might come across +them by accident. If they could avoid this, they were sure to reach +their canoe before morning and unlikely to find the Indians there +before them. + +It was about twelve miles to the spot where they had hidden the +canoe, and although they heard distant shouts and whoops ringing +through the forest, no sound was heard near them. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +THE ISLAND REFUGE. + +The night was intensely cold and still and the stars shone brightly +through the bare boughs overhead. + +"Are you sure you are going all right?" Nelly asked Harold. "It is so +dark here that it seems impossible to know which way we are going." + +"You can trust the Indians," Harold said. "Even if there was not a star +to be seen they could find their way by some mysterious instinct. How +you are grown, Nelly! Your voice does not seem much changed, and I am +longing to see your face." + +"I expect you are more changed than I am, Harold," the girl answered. +"You have been going through so much since we last met, and you seem +to have grown so tall and big. Your voice has changed very much, too; +it is the voice of a man. How in the world did you find us here?" + +Pearson had gone on ahead to speak to the Seneca, but he now joined +them again. + +"You mustn't talk," he said. "I hope there's no redskins within five +miles of us now, but there's never any saying where they may be." + +There was, Harold thought, a certain sharpness in the hunter's voice, +which told of a greater anxiety than would be caused by the very +slight risk of the quietly spoken words being heard by passing +redskins, and he wondered what it could be. + +They were now, he calculated, within a mile of the hiding place where +they had left the boat, and they had every reason for believing that +none of the Indians would be likely to have followed the shore so +far. That they would be pursued and that, in so heavily laden a +canoe, they would have great difficulty in escaping, he was well +aware, but he relied on the craft of the hunters and Senecas for +throwing their pursuers off the trail. + +All at once the trees seemed to open in front, and in a few minutes +the party reached the river. A cry of astonishment and of something +akin to terror broke from Harold. As far as the eye could reach the +lake was frozen. Their escape was cut off. + +"That's jest what I've been expecting," Pearson said. "The ice had +begun to form at the edge when we landed, and three days and nights +of such frost as we've had since was enough to freeze Ontario. What +on arth's to be done?" + +No one answered. Peter and the redskins had shared Pearson's anxiety, +but to Harold and Cameron the disappointment was a terrible one; as +to Jake, he left all the thinking to be done by the others. Harold +stood gazing helplessly on the expanse of ice which covered the +water. It was not a smooth sheet, but was rough and broken, as if, +while it had been forming, the wind had broken the ice up into cakes +again and again, while the frost as often had bound them together. + +They had struck the river within a few hundred yards of the place +where the canoe was hidden, and, after a short consultation between +the Seneca chief, Peter Lambton, and Pearson, moved down toward that +spot. + +"What are you thinking of doing?" Harold asked when they gathered +round the canoe. + +"We're going to load ourselves with the ammunition and deer's flesh," +Peter said, "and make for a rocky island which lies about a mile off +here. I noticed it as we landed. There's nothing to do but to fight +it out to the last there. It are a good place for defense, for the +redskins won't like to come out across the open, and, even covered by +a dark night, they'd show on this white surface." + +"Perhaps they won't trace us." + +"Not trace us!" the trapper repeated scornfully. "Why, when daylight +comes, they'll pick up our track and follow it as easy as you could +that of a wagon across the snow." + +They were just starting when Harold gave a little exclamation. + +"What is it, lad?" + +"A flake of snow fell on my face." + +All looked up. The stars had disappeared. Another flake and another +fell on the upturned faces of the party. + +"Let's thank the great God," Peter said quietly. "There's a chance +for our lives yet. Half an hour's snow and the trail 'll be lost." + +Faster and faster the snowflakes came down. Again the leaders +consulted. + +"We must change our plans, now," Peter said, turning to the others. +"So long as they could easily follow our tracks it mattered nothing +that they'd find the canoe here; but now it's altogether different. +We must take it along with us." + +The weight of the canoe was very small. The greater part of its +contents had already been removed. There was a careful look round to +see that nothing remained on the bank; then four of the men lifted it +on their shoulders, and the whole party stepped out upon the ice. The +snow was now falling heavily, and to Harold's eyes there was nothing +to guide them in the direction they were following. Even the Indians +would have been at a loss had not the Seneca, the instant the snow +began to fall, sent on one of his followers at full speed toward the +island. Harold wondered at the time what his object could be as the +Indian darted off across the ice, but now he understood. Every minute +or two the low hoot of an owl was heard, and toward this sound the +party directed their way through the darkness and snow. + +So heavy was the fall that the island rose white before them as they +reached it. It was of no great extent--some twenty or thirty yards +across, and perhaps twice that length. It rose steeply from the water +to a height of from ten to fifteen feet. The ground was rough and +broken, and several trees and much brushwood grew in the crevices of +the rock. + +The Seneca and the hunters made a rapid examination of the island, +and soon fixed upon the spot for their camp. Toward one end the +island was split in two, and an indentation ran some distance up into +it. Here a clear spot was found some three or four feet above the +level of the water. It was completely hidden by thick bushes from the +sight of anyone approaching by water. There the canoe was turned +over, and the girls, who were both suffering from the intense cold, +were wrapped up in blankets and placed under its shelter. The camp +was at the lower end of the island and would, therefore, be entirely +hidden from view of Indians gathered upon the shore. In such a +snowstorm light would be invisible at a very short distance, and +Peter did not hesitate to light a fire in front of the canoe. + +For three hours the snow continued to fall. The fire had been +sheltered by blankets stretched at some distance above it. Long +before the snow ceased it had sunk down to a pile of red embers. A +small tent had now been formed of blankets for the use of the girls; +brushwood had been heaped over this, and upon the brushwood snow had +been thrown, the whole making a shelter which would be warm and +comfortable in the bitterest weather. A pile of hot embers was placed +in this little tent until it was thoroughly heated; blankets were +then spread, and the girls were asked to leave the shelter of the +canoe and take their place there. + +The canoe itself was now raised on four sticks three feet from the +ground; bushes were laid round it and snow piled on, thus forming the +walls of which the canoe was the roof. All this was finished long +before the snow had ceased falling, and this added a smooth white +surface all over, so that, to a casual eye, both tent and hut looked +like two natural ridges of the ground. They were a cheerful party +which assembled in the little hut. The remainder of the embers of the +fire had been brought in, and, intense as was the cold outside, it +was warm and comfortable within. Tea was made and pipes filled, and +they chatted some time before going to sleep. + +Duncan Cameron was like a man transfigured. His joy and thankfulness +for the recovery of his daughter were unbounded. Harold's pleasure, +too, at the rescue of his cousin was very great, and the others were +all gratified at the success of their expedition. It was true that +the Indians had as yet gained no scalps, but Harold had promised them +before starting that, should the expedition be successful, they +should be handsomely rewarded. + +"We mustn't reckon as we are safe yet," Peter said in answer to one +of Harold's remarks. "The redskins aint going to let us slip through +their fingers so easy as all that. They've lost our trail and have +nothing but their senses to guide 'em, but an Injun's senses aint +easily deceived in these woods. Ef this snow begins again and keeps +on for two or three days they may be puzzled; but ef it stops they'll +cast a circle round their camp at a distance beyond where we could +have got before the snow ceased, and ef they find no new trails +they'll know that we must be within that circle. Then, as to the +boats, when they find as we don't come down to the two as they've +discovered, and that we've not made off by land, they'll guess as +there was another canoe hidden somewhere, and they'll sarch high and +low for it. Waal, they won't find it; and then they'll suppose that +we may have taken to the ice, and they'll sarch that. Either they'll +git to open water or to the other side. Ef there's open water +anywhere within a few miles they may conclude that we've carried a +canoe, launched it there, and made off. In that case, when they've +sarched everywhere, they may give it up. Ef there aint no such open +water, they'll sarch till they find us. It aint likely that this +island will escape 'em. With nine good rifles here we can hold the +place against the hull tribe, and as they'd show up against the snow, +they can no more attack by night than by day." + +"I don't think our food will hold out beyond seven or eight days," +Harold said. + +"Jest about that," Peter answered; "but we can cut a hole in the ice +and fish, and can hold out that way, if need be, for weeks. The wust +of it is that the ice aint likely to break up now until the spring. I +reckon our only chance is to wait till we git another big snowstorm +and then to make off. The snow will cover our trail as fast as we +make it, and, once across to the other shore, we may git away from +the varmints. But I don't disguise from you, Harold, that we're in a +very awk'ard trouble, and that it 'll need all the craft of the +chief, here, and all the experience of Pearson and me to get us out +of it." + +"The guid God has been vera merciful to us sae far," Duncan Cameron +said; "he will surely protect us to the end. Had he na sent the snow +just when he did, the savages could hae followed our trail at once; +it was a miracle wrought in our favor. He has aided us to rescue the +twa bairns frae the hands of the Indians, and we may surely trust in +his protection to the end. My daughter and her friend hae, I am very +sure, before lying down to sleep, entreated his protection. Let us a' +do the same." + +And the old soldier, taking off his cap, prayed aloud to God to heed +and protect them. + +Harold and the frontiersmen also removed their caps and joined in the +prayer, and the Senecas looked on, silent and reverent, at an act of +worship which was rare among their white companions. + +As Peter was of opinion that there was no chance whatever of any +search on the part of the Indians that night, and therefore there was +no need to set a watch, the whole party wrapped themselves up in +their blankets and were soon asleep. + +When Harold woke next morning it was broad daylight. The Senecas had +already been out and had brought news that a strong party of Indians +could be seen moving along the edge of the forest, evidently +searching for a canoe. One of the Indians was placed on watch, and +two or three hours later he reported that the Indians were now +entirely out of sight and were, when last seen, scouting along the +edge of the forest. + +"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we git another snowstorm the better. +Ef we'd been alone we could have pushed on last night, but the gals +was exhausted and would soon have died of the cold. Now, with a fresh +start they'd do. Ef we can't cross the lake I calculate that we're +about thirty mile from a p'int on the north shore below the falls of +Ste. Marie, and we could land there and strike across through the +woods for the settlement. It'd be a terrible long journey round the +north of Huron, but we must try it ef we can't get across." + +"But we could go off by night, surely," Harold said, "even if there +is no fresh snow." + +"We could do that," Peter replied; "no doubt of it. But ef they were +to find our track the next day, ay, or within three days, they'd +follow us and overtake us afore we got to the settlements. Ef we was +alone, it'd be one thing; but with the gals it'd be another +altogether. No, we must stop here till a snowstorm comes, even if we +have to stop for a month. There's no saying how soon some of them +Injuns may be loafing round, and we daren't leave a trail for 'em to +take up." + +They had scarcely ceased speaking when a low call from the Indian +placed on watch summoned the chief to his side. A minute later the +latter rejoined the group below and said a few words to Peter. + +"Jest as I thought!" the latter grumbled, rising with his rifle +across his arm. "Here are some of the varmints coming out this 'ere +way. Likely enough it's a party of young braves jest scouting about +on their own account, to try and get honor by discovering us when +their elders have failed. It would have been better for them to have +stopped at home." + +The party now crept up to the top of the rock, keeping carefully +below its crest. + +"Ef you show as much as a hair above the top line," Peter said, +"they'll see you, sartin." + +"Would it not be well," Harold asked, "for one of us to show himself? +There is no possibility of further concealment, and if they go off +without any of them being killed the others might be less bitter +against us than they would if they had lost some of their tribe." + +Peter laughed scornfully. + +"Ye haven't had much to do with Injuns, lad, but I should have +thought you'd have had better sense nor that. Haven't these Injuns +been a-murdering and a-slaying along the frontier all the summer, +falling on defenseless women and children? Marcy and pity aint in +their natur, and, fight or no fight, our scalps will dry in their +wigwams if they get us into their power. They know that we can shoot +and mean to, and that 'll make 'em careful of attacking us, and every +hour is important. Now," he said to the others, "each of you cover a +man and fire straight through your sights when I gives the word. +There's others watching 'em, you may be sure, and ef the whole five +go down together, it'll make 'em think twice afore they attack us +again." + +Peering between some loose rocks, so that he could see without +exposing his head above the line, Harold watched the five Indians +approaching. They had evidently some doubts as to the wisdom of the +course they were pursuing, and were well aware that they ran a +terrible risk standing there in the open before the rifles of those +concealed, should the fugitives be really there. Nevertheless, the +hope of gaining distinction and the fear of ridicule from those +watching them on shore, should they turn back with their mission +unaccomplished, inspired them with resolution. When within three +hundred yards of the island they halted for a long time. They stood +gazing fixedly; but, although no signs of life could be perceived, +they were too well versed in Indian warfare to gain any confidence +from the apparent stillness. Throwing themselves flat on the snow and +following each other in single line, by which means their bodies were +nearly concealed from sight in the track which their leader made +through the light, yielding snow, they made a complete circuit of the +island. They paused for some time opposite the little forked entrance +in which the camp was situated, but apparently saw nothing, for they +kept round until they completed the circuit. + +When they reached the point from which they had started there was, +apparently, a short consultation among them. Then they continued +their course in the track that they had before made until they +reached a spot facing the camp. Then they changed order, and, still +prone in the snow, advanced abreast toward the island. + +"The varmints have guessed that, if we are here, this is the place +where we'd be hid," Peter whispered in Harold's ear. + +As the Indians made their circuit the party in the island had changed +their position so as always to keep out of sight. They were now on +the top of the island, which was a sort of rough plateau. The girls +had been warned, when they left them, to remain perfectly quiet in +their shelter whatever noise they might hear. Peter and the Seneca +watched the Indians through holes which they had made with their +ramrods through a bank of snow. The others remained flat in the +slight depression behind it. At the distance of one hundred and fifty +yards the Indians stopped. + +"The varmints see something!" Peter said. "Maybe they can make out +the two snow heaps through the bushes; maybe they can see some of our +footsteps in the snow. They're going to fire!" he exclaimed. "Up, +lads! They may send a bullet into the hut whar the gals is hid." + +In an instant the line of men sprang to their feet. The Indians, +taken by surprise at the sudden appearance of a larger number of +enemies than they expected, fired a hasty volley and then sprang to +their feet and dashed toward the shore. But they were deadly rifles +which covered them. Peter, Harold, and Pearson could be trusted not +to miss even a rapidly moving object at that distance, and the men +were all good shots. Not in regular order, but as each covered his +man, the rifles were discharged. Four out of the five Indians fell, +and an arm of the fifth dropped useless by his side; however, he +still kept on. The whites reloaded rapidly, and Harold was about to +fire again when Pearson put his hand on his shoulder. + +"Don't fire! We've shown them that we can shoot straight. It's jest +as well at present that they shouldn't know how far our rifles will +carry." + +The four Senecas dashed out across the snow and speedily returned, +each with a scalp hanging at his belt. + +A loud yell of anger and lamentation had risen from the woods +skirting the shore as the Indians fell, but after this died away deep +silence reigned. + +"What will be their next move?" Cameron asked Peter, as they gathered +again in their low hut, having placed one of the Indians on watch. + +"We'll hear nothing of 'em till nightfall," Peter said. "Their first +move, now they know as we're here, will be to send off to fetch up +all the tribe who're in search of us. When it comes on dark they'll +send scouts outside of us on the ice to see as we don't escape--not +that they'd much mind ef we did, for they could track us through the +snow and come up with us whenever they chose. No, they may be sure +we'll stay where we are. It may be they'll attack us to-night, maybe +not. It'd be a thing more risksome than redskins often undertake to +cross the snow under the fire of nine rifles. I aint no doubt they'd +try and starve us out, for they must know well enough that we can +have no great store of provisions. But they know as well as we do +that, if another snowstorm comes on, we might slip away from 'em +without leaving a foot-mark behind. It's jest that thought as may +make 'em attack." + +"Well, we can beat them off, if they do," Harold said confidently. + +"Waal, we may and we may not," the scout answered. "Anyhow we can +kill a grist of 'em afore they turn us out on this 'ere island." + +"That's sartin enough," Pearson put in; "but they're a strong tribe, +and ef they can harden their hearts and make a rush it's all up with +us. I allow that it's contrary to their custom, but when they see no +other way to do with, they may try." + +"I suppose if they do try a rush," Harold said, "they will do it +against this end of the island?" + +"Yes, you may bet your money on that," the scout answered. "In other +places the rock goes pretty nigh straight up from the water, but here +it's an easy landing. Being so close to 'em they're sure to know all +about it; but even if they didn't, the chap that got away would tell +'em. I don't much expect an attack to-night--the bands won't be back +yet. They'll have a grand palaver to-night, and there'll be a big +talk afore they decide what is best to be done; so I think we're safe +for to-night. To-morrow we'll set to work and build a shelter for the +pretty ones up above, where they'll be safe from stray shots. Then +we'll throw up a breastwork with loose rocks on the top of the slope +round this cove, so as to give it to 'em hot when they land." + +"You have plenty of powder?" Harold asked. + +"Dollops," Peter replied; "more'n we could fire away if we was +besieged here for a month." + +"Then you could spare me twenty pounds or so?" + +"We could spare you a whole keg if you like; we've got three full. +But what are you thinking of now, young un?" + +"I was thinking," Harold answered, "of forming a line of holes, say +three feet apart, in the ice across the mouth of the cove. If we were +to charge them with powder and lay a train between them, we could, +when the first dozen or so have passed the line, fire the train and +break up the ice. This would prevent the others following, and give +them such a bad scare that they would probably make off, and we could +easily deal with those who had passed the line before we fired it." + +"That's a good idea of yours, lad. A fust-rate idea. The ice must be +a foot thick by this time, and ef you put in your charges eight +inches and tamp 'em well down you'll shiver the ice for a long way +round. The idea is a fust-rate one." + +Pearson and Cameron assisted in the work, and the Indians, when Peter +had explained the plan to them, gave deep gutteral exclamations of +surprise and approval. The process of blasting was one wholly unknown +to them. + +"I will mak' the holes," Cameron said. "I hae seen a deal of blasting +when I was in the army. I can heat the end of a ramrod in a fire and +hammer it into the shape of a borer." + +"A better way than that, Cameron," Harold said, "will be to heat the +end of a ramrod white-hot. You will melt holes in the ice in half the +time it would take you to bore them. That was what I was thinking of +doing." + +"Right you are, lad!" Pearson said. "Let's set about it at once." + +A large fire was now lighted outside the hut, for there was no longer +any occasion for secrecy. The ends of three or four of the ramrods +were placed in the fire, and two lines of holes were bored in the ice +across the mouth of the little cove. These lines were twelve feet +apart, and they calculated that the ice between them would be +completely broken up, even if the fractures did not extend a good way +beyond the lines. The holes were of rather larger diameter than the +interior of a gun barrel. It was found that the ice was about fifteen +inches thick, and the holes were taken down ten inches. Three or four +charges of powder were placed in each; a stick of a quarter of an +inch in diameter was then placed in each hole, and pounded ice was +rammed tightly in around it until the holes were filled up, a few +drops of water being poured in on the top, so as to freeze the whole +into a solid mass. There was no fear of the powder being wetted, for +the frost was intense. Then the sticks were withdrawn and the holes +left filled with powder. With the heated ramrods little troughs were +sunk half an inch deep, connecting the tops of the holes; lines of +powder were placed in these trenches; narrow strips of skin were laid +over them, and the snow was then thrown on again. The two lines of +trenches were connected at the ends at the shore, so that they could +be fired simultaneously. + +While the men were occupied with this work the girls had cooked some +venison steaks and made some cakes. + +It was just nightfall when they had finished, and all sat down and +enjoyed a hearty meal. Peter and one of the Senecas undertook the +watch for half the night, when they were to be relieved by Pearson +and the chief. The early part of the night passed off quietly, but an +hour before morning the party were aroused by the sharp crack of two +rifles. Seizing their arms, all rushed out. + +"What is it, Pearson?" + +"Two of their scouts," Pearson answered, pointing to two dark bodies +on the snow at a distance of about one hundred yards. "I suppose they +wanted to see ef we was on the watch. We made 'em out almost as soon +as they left the shore, but we let 'em come on until we was sartin of +our aim. There aint no more about as we can see, so ye can all turn +in again for another hour or two." + +There was no fresh alarm before morning, and, when the sun rose, it +shone over a wide expanse of snow, unbroken save where lay the bodies +of the two Indians--whose scalps already hung at the belt of the +Seneca--and those of their four comrades who had fallen in the first +attack. + +The day passed quietly. Toward the afternoon two Indians were seen +approaching from the shore. They were unarmed and held their hands +aloft as a sign of amity. Peter and Pearson at once laid down their +guns, left the island, and advanced to meet them. They were Indian +chiefs of importance. + +"Why have my white brothers stolen in at night upon the village of +War Eagle and slain his young men?" + +"It is what you have been doing all last year, chief," Pearson, who +spoke the dialect better than Peter, replied. "But we injured no one. +We didn't kill women and children, as your warriors have done in the +white villages. We only came to take what you had stolen from us, and +ef your young men have been killed it's only because they tried to +attack us." + +"The white men must see," the chief said, "that they cannot get away. +The water is hard, and their canoe will not swim in it. The snow is +deep, and the tender feet cannot walk through it. My warriors are +very numerous, and the white men cannot fight their way through them. +The white settlements are very far away, and their friends cannot +reach them; and it will be many months before the water softens, and +long before that the white men will have eaten their moccasins." + +"Waal, chief," Pearson said, "we're in a tight hole, I grant you; but +I'm far from allowing that we aint no chances left to us yet. What do +you propose? I suppose you've some proposition to make." + +"Let the white men leave behind them their guns and their powder and +the maidens they have taken from War Eagle's camp; then let them go +in peace. They shall not be harmed." + +Pearson gave a short laugh. + +"War Eagle must think the white men are foolish. What's to prevent +the red warriors from taking all our scalps when our arms are in +their hands?" + +"The word of a great chief," War Eagle said. "War Eagle never lies." + +"You may not lie, chief," Pearson said bluntly, "but I've known many +a treaty broken afore now. You and your people may not touch us, but +there's other redskins about, and I wouldn't give a beaver's skin for +our sculps ef we were to take the back trail to the settlements +without arms in our hands. Besides that, we've among us the father of +the gal who was stole far away off from Lake Champlain, and a +relative of hers whose parents you've killed down on the lake. Ef we +were to agree to give up our arms, it stands to reason it aint likely +they'd agree to give up the gals. No, no, chief; your terms aren't +reasonable. But I tell ye what we will do; ef you'll give us your +word that neither you nor your tribe'll molest us in our retreat +we'll go back to the settlements, and 'll engage that, when we get +back there, we'll send you nine of the best rifles money can buy, +with plenty of powder and ball, and blankets and such like." + +The chief waved his hand in contemptuous refusal of the terms. + +"There are six of my young men's scalps at your girdles, and their +places are empty. War Eagle has spoken." + +"Very well, chief," Pearson said. "Ef nothing but sculps will content +you, to fighting it must come; but I warn you that your tribe'll lose +a good many more afore they get ours." + +So saying, without another word, they separated, each party making +their way back to their friends. + +"What on earth can he have proposed such terms as those for?" Harold +asked, when Pearson had related what had taken place between him and +the chief. "He must have known we should not accept them." + +"I expect," Pearson said, "he wanted to see who we were and to judge +what sort of spirit we had. It may be, too, that there was a party +among the tribe who had no stomachs for the job of attacking this +place, and so he was obliged to make a show of offering terms to +please 'em; but he never meant as they should be accepted. No, I take +it they'll wait a few days to see what hunger'll do. They must be +pretty sure that we've not a very large supply of food." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +THE GREAT STORM. + +"Let us overhaul our packages," Harold said, "and see what provisions +we have left. It would be as well to know how we stand." + +It was found that they had a sufficient supply of flour to last, with +care, for a fortnight. The meal was nearly exhausted; of tea they had +an abundance; the sugar was nearly out, and they had three bottles of +spirits. + +"Could we not make the flour last more than the fourteen days by +putting ourselves on half rations?" Harold asked. + +"We might do that," Peter said, "but I tell you the rations would be +small even for fourteen days. We've calkilated according to how much +we eat when we've plenty of meat, but without meat it'd be only a +starvation ration to each. Fortunately we've fish-hooks and lines, +and by making holes in the ice we can get as many fish as we like. +Waal, we can live on them alone, if need be, and an ounce or two of +flour, made into cakes, will be enough to go with 'em. That way the +flour would last us pretty nigh two months. I don't say that, if the +wust comes to the wust, we might not hold on right to the spring on +fish. The lake's full of 'em, and some of 'em have so much oil in 'em +that they're nigh as good as meat." + +"Do you think, Peter, that if the Indians make one great attack and +are beaten off they will try again?" + +"No one can say," Peter answered. "Injun natur' can't never be +calkilated on. I should say if they got a thundering beating they +aint likely to try again; but there's never no saying." + +"The sooner they attack and get it o'er the better," Cameron said. "I +hae na slept a wink the last twa nights. If I doze off for a moment I +wake up, thinking I hear their yells. I am as ready to fight as ony +o' you when the time comes, but the thought o' my daughter, here, +makes me nervous and anxious. What do you say, Jake?" + +"It all de same to Jake, Massa Cameron. Jake sleeps bery sound, but +he no like de tought ob eating nothing but fish for five or six +months. Jake neber bery fond ob fish." + +"You'll like it well enough when you get used to it, Jake," Pearson +said. "It's not bad eating on a pinch, only you want to eat a sight +of it to satisfy you. Well, let's see how the fish'll bite." + +Four holes were cut in the ice at a short distance apart. The hooks +were attached to strong lines and baited with deer's flesh, and soon +the fishing began. The girls took great interest in the proceeding. +Nelly was an adept at the sport, having generally caught the fish for +the consumption of the household at home. She took charge of one of +the lines, Harold of another, while Jake and one of the Senecas +squatted themselves by the other holes. There had been some +discussion as to whether the fishing should take place on the side of +the island facing the shore or behind the rocks, but the former was +decided upon. This was done because all were anxious that the +expected attack should take place as soon as possible, and the event +was likely to be hastened when the Indians saw that they were +provided with lines and were thus able to procure food for a +considerable time. + +It was soon manifest that, if they could live upon fish, they need +feel no uneasiness as to its supply. Scarcely had the lines been let +down than fish were fast to them. Harold and the other men soon had +trout, from three to six pounds, lying on the ice beside them, but +Nelly was obliged to call Pearson to her assistance, and the fish, +when brought to the surface, was found to be over twenty pounds in +weight. An hour's fishing procured them a sufficient supply for a +week's consumption. There was no fear as to the fish keeping, for in +a very short time after being drawn from the water they were frozen +stiff and hard. They were hung up to some boughs near the huts, and +the party were glad enough to get into shelter again, for the cold +was intense. + +As before, the early part of the night passed quietly; but toward +morning Peter, who was on watch, ran down and awakened the others. + +"Get your shooting-irons and hurry up," he said. "The varmints are +coming this time in arnest." + +In a minute everyone was at the post assigned to him. A number of +dark figures could be seen coming over the ice. + +"There's nigh two hundred of 'em," Peter said. "War Eagle has brought +the whole strength of his tribe." + +Contrary to their usual practice the Indians did not attempt to crawl +up to the place they were about to attack, but advanced at a run +across the ice. The defenders lost not a moment in opening fire, for +some of their rifles would carry as far as the shore. + +"Shoot steady," Peter said. "Don't throw away a shot." + +Each man loaded and fired as quickly as he could, taking a steady +aim, and the dark figures which dotted the ice behind the advancing +Indians showed that the fire was an effectual one. The Indians did +not return a shot. Their chief had, no doubt, impressed upon them the +uselessness of firing against men lying in shelter, and had urged +them to hurry at the top of their speed to the island and crush the +whites in a hand-to-hand fight. + +It was but three or four minutes from the time the first shot was +fired before they were close to the island. They made, as Peter had +expected, toward the little cove, which was indeed the only place at +which a landing could well be effected. Harold ran down and hid +himself in a bush at the spot where the train terminated, carrying +with him a glowing brand from the fire. + +"War Eagle means to have our sculps this time," Peter said to +Pearson. "I never seed an uglier rush. White men couldn't have done +better." + +The Indians had run in scattered order across the ice, but they +closed up as they neared the cove. As they rushed toward it four fell +beneath the shots of half the defenders, and another four a few +seconds later from a volley by the other section. + +In a wonderfully short time the first were ready again, and the +Indians wavered at the slaughter and opened fire upon the breastwork, +behind which the defenders were crouching. Those behind pressed on, +and, with terrific yells, the mass of Indians bounded forward. + +Harold had remained inactive, crouching behind the bush. He saw the +head of the dark mass rush past him and then applied the brand to the +train. + +There was a tremendous explosion. Yells and screams rent the air, and +in an instant a dark line of water, twenty feet wide, stretched +across the mouth of the cove. + +In this were pieces of floating ice and numbers of Indians struggling +and yelling. Some made only a faint struggle before they sank, while +others struck out for the side furthest from the island. + +The main body of the Indians, appalled by the explosion, checked +themselves in their course and at once took to flight; some, unable +to check their impetus, fell into the water upon the wounded wretches +who were struggling there. Those who had crossed stood irresolute, +and then, turning, leaped into the water. As they struggled to get +out on the opposite side the defenders maintained a deadly fire upon +them, but, in two or three minutes, the last survivor had scrambled +out, and all were in full flight toward the shore. + +"I think we've seen the last of the attacks," Peter said, as they +came down from their breastwork and joined Harold in the cove. "That +was a first-rate notion of yours, lad. Ef it hadn't been for that we +should have been rubbed out, sure enough; another minute and we'd +have gone down. They were in arnest and no mistake; they'd got steam +up and was determined to finish with us at once, whatever it cost +'em." + +The instant the attack had ceased Cameron had hastened to the hut +where the girls were lying, to assure them that all danger was over +and that the Indians were entirely defeated. In an hour a fresh skim +of ice had formed across the streak of water, but, as through its +clear surface many of the bodies of the Indians could be seen, the +men threw snow over it, to spare the girls the unpleasantness of such +a sight every time they went out from the cove. The bodies of all the +Indians who had fallen near the island were also covered with snow. +Those nearer the shore were carried off by the Iroquois in their +retreat. + +"I suppose, Peter," Harold said as they sat round the fire that +evening, "you have been in quite as awkward scrapes as this before +and have got out all right?" + +"Why, this business aint nothing to that affair we had by Lake +Champlain. That were as bad a business, when we was surrounded in +that log hut, as ever I went through--and I've been through a good +many. Pearson and me nigh got our har raised more nor once in that +business of Pontiac's. He were a great chief and managed to get up +the biggest confederation agin us that's ever been known. It were +well for us that that business didn't begin a few years earlier when +we was fighting the French; but you see, so long as we and they was +at war the Indians hoped as we might pretty well exterminate each +other, and then they intended to come in and finish off whoever got +the best of it. Waal, the English they drove the French back and +finally a treaty was made in Europe by which the French agreed to +clear out. + +"It was jest about this time as Pontiac worked upon the tribes to lay +aside their own quarrels and jine the French in fighting agin us. He +got the Senecas, and the Delawares, and the Shawnees, the Wyandots, +and a lot of other tribes from the lakes and the hull country between +the Niagara River and the Mississippi. + +"Jack Pearson and me, we happened to be with the Miamis when the +bloody belt which Pontiac were sending round as a signal for war +arrived at the fort there. Jack and me knew the redskins pretty well, +and saw by their manner as something unusual had happened. I went to +the commandant of the fort and told him as much. He didn't think much +of my news. The soldier chaps always despises the redskins till they +see 'em come yelling along with their tomahawks, and then as often as +not it's jest the other way. Howsumdever, he agreed at last to pay +any amount of trade goods I might promise to the Miamis if the news +turned out worth finding out. I discovered that a great palaver was +to be held that evening at the chief's village, which was a mile away +from the fort. + +"I'd seen a good deal of the Miamis and had fought with 'em against +the Shawnees, so I could do as much with 'em as most. Off Pearson and +I goes to the chief; and I says to him, 'Look ye here, chief, I've +good reasons to believe you've got a message from Pontiac and that it +means trouble. Now don't you go and let yourself be led away by him. +I've heard rumors that he's getting up a great confederation agin the +English. But I tell you, chief, if all the redskins on this continent +was to jine together, they couldn't do nothing agin the English. I +don't say as you mightn't wipe out a number of little border forts, +for no doubt you might; but what would come of it? England would send +out as many men as there are leaves in the forest, who would scorch +up the redskin nations as a fire on the prairie scorches up the +grass. I tell yer, chief, no good can come on it. Don't build yer +hopes on the French; they've acknowledged that they're beaten and are +all going out of the country. It'd be best for you and your people to +stick to the English. They can reward their friends handsomely, and +ef you jine with Pontiac, sooner or later trouble and ruin will come +upon you. Now I can promise you, in the name of the officer of the +fort, a good English rifle for yerself and fifty guns for your braves +and ten bales of blankets ef yer'll make a clean breast of it, and +first tell us what deviltry Pontiac is up to and next jine us +freely--or anyway hold aloof altogether from this conspiracy till yer +see how things is going.' + +"Waal, the chief he thought the matter over and said he'd do his best +at the palaver that night, but till that was over, and he knew what +the council decided on, he couldn't tell me what the message was. I +was pretty well satisfied, for Prairie Dog were a great chief in his +tribe, and I felt pretty sartin he'd git the council to go the way he +wanted. I told him I'd be at the fort and that the governor would +expect a message after the council was over. + +"It was past midnight when the chief came with four of his braves. He +told us that the tribe had received a bloody belt from Pontiac and a +message that the Mingoes and Delawares, the Wyandots and Shawnees +were going to dig up the hatchet against the whites, and calling upon +him and his people to massacre the garrison of the fort and then +march to jine Pontiac, who was about to fall upon Detroit and Fort +Pitt. They were directed to send the belt on to the tribes on the +Wabash, but they loved the English and were determined to take no +part against them; so they delivered the belt to their friend the +white commander, and hoped that he'd tell the great king in England +that the Miamis were faithful to him. The governor highly applauded +their conduct and said he'd send the news to the English governor at +New York, and at once ordered the presents which I promised to be +delivered to the chief for himself and his braves. When they'd gone +he said: + +"'You were right, Peter. This news is important indeed, and it's +clear that a terrible storm's about to bust upon the frontier. +Whether the Miamis will keep true is doubtful; but now I'm on my +guard they'll find it difficult to take the fort. But the great thing +is to carry the news of what's happened to Detroit, to put them on +their guard. Will you and Pearson start at once?' + +"In course we agreed, though it was clear that the job was a risksome +one, for it wouldn't be no easy matter to journey through the woods +with the hull redskin tribes on the war-path. + +"The commander wanted me to carry the belt with me, but I said, 'I +might jest as well carry my death warrant to the first redskins as I +come across.' Major Gladwin, who commanded at Detroit, knew me, and I +didn't need to carry any proof of my story. So, afore the Miamis had +been gone half an hour, Jack and me took the trail for Detroit. We +had got a canoe hid on the lake a few miles away, and we was soon on +board. The next morning we seed a hull fleet of canoes coming down +the lake. We might have made a race with 'em, but being fully manned +the chances was as they'd have cut us off, and seeing that at present +war had not been declared, we judged it best to seem as if we weren't +afeared. So we paddles up to 'em and found as they were a lot of +Wyandots whose hunting-grounds lay up by Lake Superior. In course I +didn't ask no questions as to whar they was going, but jest mentioned +as we was on our way down to Detroit. 'We're going that way, too,' +the chief said, 'and 'll be glad to have our white brothers with us.' +So we paddled along together until, about noon, they landed. Nothing +was said to us as how we were prisoners, but we could see as how we +was jest as much captives as ef we'd been tied with buckskin ropes. + +"Jack and me talked it over and agreed as it was no manner o' use +trying to make our escape, but that as long as they chose to treat us +as guests we'd best seem perfectly contented and make no show of +considering as they was on the war-path; although, seeing as they had +no women or children with 'em, a baby could have known as they were +up to no good. + +"The next morning they started again at daybreak, and after paddling +some hours landed and hid away their canoes and started on foot. +Nothing was said to us, but we saw as we was expected to do as they +did. We went on till we was within ten mile of Detroit and then we +halted. I thought it were best to find out exactly how we stood, so +Jack and I goes up to the chief and says that as we was near Detroit +we would jest say good-by to him and tramp in. + +"'Why should my white brothers hurry?' he said. 'It is not good for +them to go on alone, for the woods are very full of Indians.' 'But,' +I said, 'the hatchet's buried between the whites and the redskins, so +there's no danger in the woods.' The chief waved his hand. 'My white +brothers have joined the Wyandots, and they will tarry with them +until they go into Detroit. There are many redskins there, and there +will be a grand palaver. The Wyandots will be present.' + +"Jack and me made no signs of being dissatisfied, but the position +weren't a pleasant one, I can tell you. Here was the redskins +a-clustering like bees around Detroit, ready to fall upon the +garrison and massacre 'em, and we, who was the only men as knew of +the danger, was prisoners among the redskins. It was sartin, too, +that though they mightn't take our lives till they had attacked the +garrison, they was only keeping us for the pleasure of torturing us +quietly arterward. The situation was plain enough; the question was, +what were to be done? There was about sixty of the varmints around us +sitting by their fires and looking as ef they didn't even know as we +was there, but we knew as sharp eyes was watching us and that, afore +we'd gone five yards, the hull lot would be on our track. + +"Jack and me didn't say much to each other, for we knew how closely +we was watched and didn't want 'em to think as we was planning our +escape, so after a few words we sat down by one of the fires till it +got time to lie down for the night; but we had both been a-thinking. +We saw, when we lay down, that the Injuns lay pretty well around us, +while two on 'em, with their rifles ready to hand, sat down by a fire +close by and threw on some logs, as if they intended to watch all +night. + +"It was a goodish-size clearing as they'd chose for a camping-ground, +and we should have had to run some distance afore we got to the +shelter of the trees. The moon too was up, and it were well-nigh as +light as day, and anxious as we was to git away, we agreed that there +were no chance of sliding off, but that it'd be better to wait till +next day. + +"When we woke our guns was gone. We complained to the chief, who said +coldly that his young men would carry the guns and give 'em back to +us when we got to Detroit. It were no use saying more, for he might +at any moment have ordered us to be bound, and it were better to keep +the use of our legs as long as we could. + +"For two days we stayed there, not seeing the shadow of a chance of +gitting away. Several redskin runners come in and spoke to the chief, +and we got more and more anxious to be off. We was still allowed to +walk about, provided we didn't go near the edge of the clearing; +whenever we went that way two Injuns, who kept guard by turns over +us, shouted to us to go no furder. + +"The third morning, after a runner had come in, the chief gave the +word for a move and we set out. We saw they wasn't taking the direct +line to Detroit, although still going in that direction, and after +two hours' marching through the woods we got down on to the Detroit +River. Here was a big encampment, and some three or four hundred +Shawnees and Delawares was gathered here. A chief come up to us as we +entered the open. He gave an order to the Wyandots, and in a minute +we was bound hand and foot, carried to a small wigwam, and chucked +down inside like two logs of wood. + +"After a little talk Jack and I agreed as after all we had a better +chance of escaping now than when we was watched by a hull tribe, and +we concluded that there weren't no time to be lost. The Wyandots had +no doubt been brought up in readiness to strike the blow, and even if +we'd known nothing about the belt we'd have been, sure that mischief +was intended when these three bands of red varmints had gathered so +close to the fort. It was sartin we couldn't do nothing till night, +but we both strained our cords as much as possible to get 'em to +stretch a bit and give us a better chance of slipping out of 'em. No +one come near us for some time, and as we could hear the sound of +voices we guessed that a great council was taking place, and we +agreed at once to loosen the knots, so as to be in readiness for +work, as like enough they'd put a sentry over us at night. + +"It was a risky thing to try, for we might be disturbed at any +minute. Still we thought it were our only chance, so Jack set to work +with his teeth at my knots and in a quarter of an hour had loosened +them; then I undone his. We unbound our thongs and then fastened 'em +up again so that to the eye they looked jest the same as before but +really with a jerk they'd fall off. + +"I must teach you how to do that, Harold, some time; ye may find it +of use. The knots was tied up as tightly as before, and it would have +needed a close examination to see that we was not tied as tight as +ever. Not a word was spoken and, we was as quiet as mice, for we +could hear two redskins talking outside. You may guess we was pretty +slick about it; and I don't know as ever I felt so thankful as when +we laid ourselves down again, jest as we had been throwed, without +the slit in the tent having opened and a red face peered in. + +"A quarter of an hour later a redskin come in and looked at us. +Seeing, as it seemed to him, as we hadn't moved, he went out again. +Jest before nightfall two on 'em came in together, rolled us over, +and looked at the knots; they found as these was all right; then one +sat down jest in the door of the tent and the other took his place +outside. We waited some hours. + +"At last the fires burned low and the camp got quiet. We knew it was +well-nigh hopeless to wait for 'em all to be asleep, for redskin +natur' is a restless one, and especially when there's anything on +hand they'll turn out two or three times in the night to smoke their +pipes by the fires, and they'd be the more restless since, as we'd +seen, there was only four or five wigwams and all would be sleeping +on the ground. At last I thought the time were come and gave Jack a +nudge, and we both sat up. + +"It were a ticklish moment, young un, I can tell ye, for we knew that +it were scarce possible to get off without the alarm being raised. Ef +the wigwam had stood close to the edge of the forest it would have +been compar'tively easy, for once among the trees we might have hoped +to have outrun 'em, though the moon was so pesky bright; but +unfortunately it was built not far from the river, and we should have +to cross the hull clearing to gain the woods. The chances weren't +good, I can tell you, but it was clear as we had to try 'em. We had +purposely moved about pretty often, so that our movements would not +attract the attention of the Injun now. It didn't take a minute to +slip out of the cords, which, tight as they looked, really were not +fastened at all, there being two loose double ends between our arms +and our bodies. We could see the outside sentry through the open +door, and we waited till he turned his back and looked out on the +river. Then suddenly I gripped the redskin sitting at the entrance by +the neck with both my hands, pretty tight, as you may reckon, and +Jack ketched his knife from his belt and buried it in his body. + +"That was soon over, and not a sound made as would have startled a +mouse. Then, standing up, I made a spring on to the sentry, while +Jack used his knife as before. We let him drop softly down and +prepared to bolt, when of a sudden the war-whoop sounded not twenty +feet away. One of the redskins, finding the ground hard, I suppose, +was strolling up to speak to the sentry when he saw us tackle him. +For a moment he were too much surprised to holler, but when he did he +gave a yell as brought the hull tribe to their feet. Jack had taken +up the sentry's rifle. + +"'Ye'd better have held yer tongue,' he said as he leveled on the +redskin, and before the whoop was out of his lips the bullet hit him +and he went down like a log. It didn't need to look round to see as +there was no chance of getting to the trees, for two hundred redskins +was between us and them. 'We must take to the river, Jack,' I said. +It were but thirty yards away. I expected every moment, as we run, to +hear the rifle bullets whistle round us, but I guess Pontiac had +given orders that no gun was to be fired lest it might be heard at +the fort. Anyhow, not a shot was fired and we got down safe to the +bank." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +THE SCOUT'S STORY. + +"Luckily enough there was a canoe lying close at our feet. 'Shove it +out, Jack,' says I, 'and then keep along the bank.' We gave it a +shove with all our strength and sent it dancing out into the river. +Then we dived in and swum down close under the bank. There was bushes +growing all along, and we came up each time under 'em. The redskins +was some little distance behind us as we reached the river, and in +course thought we had throwed ourselves flat in the canoe. In a +minute or two they got another and paddled off to it, and we soon +heard the shout they raised when they found it was empty. By this +time we was a hundred yards below the spot where we had taken to the +water, and knowing as they would be off along the bank and would find +us in no time, we scrambled straight up and made for the trees. + +"We was within fifty yards of the edge of the forest, and none of the +redskins was near us, as the hull body had clustered down at the spot +where we had jumped in. We hadn't fairly set foot on the bank afore +they saw us and, with a whoop--which sometimes wakes me even now in +my sleep and makes me sit up with the sweat on my forehead--they +started. I could run faster then than I can now, and ye may guess I +went my best. We plunged into the trees and went as hard as we could +foot it, the redskins being fifty or sixty yards behind. + +"Our hope was to find a place with a thickish underwood. It was +darker a deal under the trees than in the clearing, still it was not +dark enough to hide us from redskin eyes. We run straight, for we +knew they could see us, and arter about four hundred yards we come +upon a place where the undergrowth grew thick. Here we began to dodge +'em, turning now one way and now another, keeping always low in the +bushes. They had lost us by sight now, but there was so many of 'em +that we pretty nigh despaired of getting through. Some of 'em had +tried to follow us, but the best part had run straight on for a bit, +and then, when sure they had headed us, scattered right and left, so +that they were ahead of us now as well as on our traces, and we could +hear 'em shouting all round us, so we did the only thing there was to +be done and made the best of our way back to the clearing, keeping +low and taking good care not to cross any patch where the moonlight +through the trees fell on the ground. + +"It were lucky for us that it was a camp of braves. Had it been an +ordinary redskin encampment there would have been squaws, and boys, +and wuss still, dogs, who would have seed us the moment we got back; +but being all braves on the war-path the hull gang had started arter +us, and not a soul had remained in the clearing. We did not rest +there long, you may be sure, but made straight down to the water. +There we picked out a canoe, crossed the river, and got into the +shade of the trees the other side. Then we kept along down it till we +got close to the fort of Detroit. + +"We could see a good many smoldering fires out afore it, and guessed +that a strong body of redskins, pretending to be friends, had camped +there. We made round 'em and reached the gate of the fort safe. The +sentries wouldn't let us in, but when a sergeant was fetched it +turned out as he knew us, seeing that we had been scouting out from +thar in the summer. Pretty thankful we was when the gate closed arter +us. Our news would keep, so we waited till morning afore we saw the +major, and then told him the whole history of the matter, and how +Pontiac had raised all the tribes east of the Mississippi against us. + +"We found that Pontiac had been into the camp with fifty of his +warriors three days afore, professing great friendship, and had said +that in two or three days he would call again and pay a formal visit. + +"Detroit then was but a trading post, defended by a stockade twenty +feet high and twelve hundred yards in circumference. About fifty +houses of traders and storekeepers stood within it. The garrison was +composed of 120 men of the Eighteenth Regiment and 8 officers. They +had three guns--two six-pounders, and a three-pounder--and three +mortars, but their carriages was so old and rotten that they was of +no real service. Two vessels, mounting some small guns, lay in the +river off the fort. The governor was a good soldier, but he was +naturally startled at hearing that there was something like a +thousand redskins in the woods round; but he said that now he had +warning he was not afraid of 'em. A messenger was sent off in a canoe +to carry the tidings east and to ask for re-enforcements, and the +traders was all told to get their arms ready. + +"At eight o'clock in the morning Pontiac was seen a-coming with three +hundred warriors. There had been no declaration of war, and the +redskins was supposed to be friendly, so the major didn't like to be +the first to commence hostilities, as folks who knew nothing of it +might likely enough have raised an outcry about massacring the poor +Injuns. Howsumever, he called all the troops under arms and disposed +'em behind the houses. The traders, too, with their rifles, were +drawn up ready. The gates was opened when Pontiac arrived, and he and +his warriors entered. They had left their rifles behind them, as they +pretended that their mission was a peaceful one, but they had all got +their tomahawks and knives under their blankets. They advanced in a +body toward where Major Gladwin and his officers was standing in +front of his quarters. + +"Jack and me and two or three scouts who happened to be in the fort +stood just behind, careless like, with our rifles, so that, in case +of any sudden attack, we could keep them back for a moment or two. I +noticed that Pontiac carried in his hand a wampum belt. I noticed it +because it was green on one side and white on the other, and it +turned out arterward that when he twisted that belt with two hands it +was to be the signal for an attack. + +"Pontiac spoke soft for a time. He was a fine redskin; that can't be +denied. He was a Catawba by birth, but had been adopted into the +tribe of Ottawas and had risen to be their chief. He were a great +brave and one of the best speakers I ever heard. He was a wise chief, +as you may guess by the way he got all the tribes to lay aside their +private quarrels and make common cause against us. I watched him +close. He kept his eyes on the major and spoke as cool and as calm as +if he had nothing on his mind; but I could see the warrior glancing +about, wondering, no doubt, what had become of the soldiers. +Presently the chief changed his tone and began to pretend as he was +in a rage at some grievance or other. + +"The major jest put his whistle to his lips, and in a moment from +behind the houses the soldiers and traders marched out, rifle in +hand. You never saw a more disgusted crew than them redskins. I'll do +Pontiac justice to say that he never so much as moved, but jest went +on talking as if he hadn't noticed the troops at all. The major +answered him in the same way, and after half an hour's talk the +redskins went out again without so much as a knife having been shown. +Major Gladwin gave Jack and me papers testifying as how we had saved +Detroit from destruction, and sent an account of it to Governor +Amherst, and to this day Jack and me draws special pensions for that +'ere business, besides what we earned as British scouts." + +"That was an adventure, Peter!" Harold said. "They did not take +Detroit after all, did they?" + +"No; we beat 'em off handsome when +they tried it. Then they laid siege to Fort Pitt and tried very hard +there, too, but the place held out till some troops who had come up +marched out from here and raised the siege. At some of the little +places they succeeded. Lots of settlers was massacred. At Fort +Sandusky Ensign Paulli and the garrison was massacred by a party of +Hurons and Ottawas who come in as friends. This was on the same day +as they had intended to do for us at Detroit. + +"At St. Joseph's an English ensign with fourteen soldiers was killed +by the Pottawatomies, but nowhere did Pontiac obtain any real +successes. The French in Illinois were preparing to leave, and he +couldn't git no assistance from them. After the siege of Fort Pitt +was raised peace was patched up again. Pontiac's confederacy, finding +as they hadn't got none of the successes he promised 'em, was +beginning to break up, and the English saw no chance of doing any +good by hunting the redskins among the forests, so both parties was +willing for peace. + +"Pontiac never gave any more trouble, and some years arterward, +coming into one of the towns, he was killed by an Injun who had a +private grudge agin' him. And now I'm longing for a quiet pipe, and +you'd better turn in. There's no saying whether we'll have a quiet +night of it." + +A fortnight passed without further incident. Then the sky became +overcast, and Peter and the Indians agreed that snow would soon fall. +All hands were at once set to work to make up their stores into +packages. The deerskins and blankets were tied in bundles; besides +these there were only two kegs of powder and about two hundred pounds +of frozen fish. + +Harold was in high glee at the thought that their imprisonment was to +come to an end, although there was no doubt that the attempt would be +a hazardous one, as the backwoodsmen were sure that the instant the +snow began to fall the Indians would be out in great numbers round +the island, to prevent the defenders taking advantage of the storm. + +Several times Harold observed the two backwoodsmen talking with the +Seneca chief and looking at the sky, and he thought that their +countenances expressed some anxiety. + +"What is it, Peter?" he asked at length. "Don't you think we shall +have a snowstorm?" + +"We may have snow," Peter said, "but I think it's more than a +snowstorm that's coming. The clouds are flying past very fast, and it +seems to me as ef we're in for a big gale of wind." + +"But that will drift the snow and cover our footsteps almost as well +as a snowstorm," Harold said. + +"Yes, it 'll do all that," the scout answered. + +"What is the objection to it, Peter?" + +"In the first place, lad, ef it don't snow we may stop where we are, +for there'd be no chance of getting through the Injuns unless it +snowed so thick you couldn't see five feet away. It'll be difficult +enough, anyhow. There'll be four or five hundred of the varmints out, +for they'll bring even their boys with 'em, so as to form a pretty +close line round the island. Our only chance'll be for the Senecas to +go first, and to silence, afore they can give the alarm, any they +might meet on our line. That might be done in a heavy snowstorm, but +without snow it would be impossible. In the next place, even if we +got through 'em, we'd have to carry our canoe." + +"Why?" Harold asked, surprised. "What good could the canoe be to us, +with the lake frozen hard?" + +"You see, the wind is on the shore here, lad, and when it does blow +on these lakes it blows fit to take the har off your head. It's as +much as a man can do to make way agin' it, and I doubt whether the +gals could face it, even with our help. As to carrying a canoe in its +teeth, it couldn't be done." + +"But why carry the canoe at all, Peter? That's what I cannot +understand." + +"Waal, you see, lad, the force of the wind acting on sech a big sheet +of ice will move it, and like enough you'd see it piled up in a bank +forty feet high on this side of the lake, and there'll be a strip of +clear water half a mile wide on the other. That's why we must take +the canoe." + +Harold was silent. In the face of such a probability it was clear +that they must encumber themselves with the canoe. + +The prevision of the scout proved well founded. Before evening the +wind was blowing with tremendous force. Small flakes of snow were +driven before it, inflicting stinging blows on the face and eyes of +those who ventured out of shelter. As it became dark the lookout +announced that he could, see large numbers of Indians starting from +the shore at some distance to the right and left of them, showing +that the redskins were fully alive to the possibility of the garrison +of the island taking advantage of the storm, which would hide their +trail, to effect their escape. + +Every hour the fury of the gale increased, and it was unanimously +agreed that until it diminished it would be impossible for the girls, +and for men carrying a canoe, to face it. + +Two men were placed on watch at the mouth of the cove, where mines +similar to the first had been sunk in the ice in a semicircle some +little distance outside that before exploded. This precaution had +been taken on the day succeeding the great repulse of the enemy, +although the scouts felt assured that the attempt would not be +repeated. But it was thought possible that the Indians might toward +morning, if they found the whites did not attempt to pass them, take +advantage of the storm to attempt a surprise. + +After it became dark Cameron and Harold, as was their custom, went +into the girls' hut to chat until it was time to turn in. The +deerskin and blankets had again been unrolled, and the covering of +snow kept the interior warm in spite of the storm without. + +"What is that noise?" Nelly asked in a pause of the conversation. + +"I don't know," Harold answered. "I have heard it for some time." + +All were silent, intent upon listening. Even above the fury of the +gale a dull grinding sound, with occasional crashes, could be heard. + +"I think it must be the ice," Harold said. "I will go out and see." + +On issuing from the hut he was for a time blinded by the force of the +wind and the flying particles of snow. The din was tremendous. He +made his way with difficulty in the teeth of the storm to the edge of +the rocks. Then he started in surprise. A great bank of cakes and +fragments of ice was heaped up against the wall of the rock, crashing +and grinding against each other as they were pressed onward by fresh +additions from beyond. Already the bank was nearly level with the top +of the rock, and some of the vast blocks, two feet in thickness, had +been thrust on to it. The surface of the lake beyond was no longer a +brilliant white. Every particle of snow had been swept away and the +dull gray of the rough ice lay unbroken. + +He made his way at once to the hut of the men, and just as he reached +the entrance Peter (who had also been out to reconnoiter) came up, +and before Harold had turned to speak he put his head into the hut. + +"Turn out!" he said. "I tell ye we're in a fix. This aint no common +gale. I don't know as ever I've been in a worse one." + +"What's the use of turning out?" Pearson asked. "We can't do nothing, +and it's warmer here a sight than it is outside." + +"I tell ye ye've got to go. The ice is breaking up fast and it's +level with the top of the island already. Unless I'm mistaken +there'll be forty foot of ice piled over this island afore an hour." + +This was, indeed, alarming news. And in a minute the occupants of the +hut were all in the open air. + +"You can call in your scouts, Seneca. There aint no fear of an attack +to-night. No mortal soul--not even an Injun--could stand the force of +the wind out on the lake." + +A very short examination sufficed to show the truth of Peter's +anticipations. + +Already the upper part of the bank was sliding over the rock, and it +was clear that in a very short time the whole would be covered. + +"What is to be done, Peter?" Harold shouted. + +"We must take to the canoe. There's clear water on the other side." + +Harold crossed the island and saw that what Peter said was correct. A +broad strip of black water stretched away in the darkness toward the +shore. The whole ice-sheet was moving bodily before the wind, and as +the island stood up in its course the ice to windward of it was +forced up over it, while under its lee the lake was clear. Not a +moment was lost. The canoe was got out, carried over the rocks, and +carefully lowered into the water under shelter of the island. All the +stores and provisions were lowered into it. A deerskin was spread on +the bottom, and the girls, having been helped down into the boat, +were told to lie down and were then covered with blankets. The men +wrapped themselves up in skins and blankets and took their places in +the canoe, the four Indians taking paddles. + +Quickly as the preparations had been made, there were but a few feet +of the island uncovered by the ice, as the last man descended into +the boat and they pushed off and, after a couple of strokes, lay with +the boat's head facing toward the island at a distance of fifty yards +from it. Although somewhat sheltered from the wind, the Indians were +obliged to paddle hard to maintain their position. Harold wondered at +first that they had not kept closer to the island, but he soon +understood their reason for keeping at a distance. The massive blocks +of ice, pressed forward by, the irresistible force behind, began to +shoot from the top of the island into the water, gliding far on +beneath the surface with the impetus of the fall, and then shooting +up again with a force which would have destroyed the canoe at once +had they touched it. + +Soon a perfect cataract of ice was falling. Peter and Pearson took +their places on each side of the bow of the canoe, with poles to push +off the pieces as they drifted before the gale toward the shore. The +work required the utmost strength and care. One touch from the +sharp-edged blocks would have ripped open the side of the bark canoe +like a knife, and in the icy cold water, encumbered by floating +fragments of ice, even the best swimmer could not have gained the +solid ice. The peril was great, and it needed all the strength and +activity of the white men and the skill of the paddlers to avoid the +danger which momentarily threatened them. So quickly did the blocks +float down upon them that Pearson thought it might be impossible to +avoid them all. The skins, therefore, were hung round the boat, +dropping some inches into the water, and these, although they could +not have prevented the boat from being stove in, by the larger +fragments, yet protected its sides from the contact of the smaller +ones. + +For upward of an hour the struggle continued, and Harold felt +something like despair at the thought of a long night passed in such +a struggle. Presently sounds like the booming of cannon were heard +above the gale. + +"What is that?" he shouted to the Seneca chief, next to whom he was +sitting. + +"Ice break up," the chief replied. "Break up altogether." + +This proved to be the case. As the ice was driven away from the +further side of the lake the full force of the wind played upon the +water there, and as the streak widened a heavy sea soon got up. The +force of the swell extended under the ice, aiding the effect of the +wind above, and the vast sheet began to break up. The reports +redoubled in strength, and frequently the ice was seen to heave and +swell. Then, with a sound like thunder, it broke and great cakes were +forced one on the top of another, and soon, instead of a level plain +of ice, a chaos of blocks were tossing about on the waves. + +Harold watched the change with anxiety. No longer was the channel on +either side marked by regular defined lines, but floating pieces +encroached upon it, and, looking toward the shore, the channel +appeared to be altogether lost. The danger was overwhelming, but the +Indians, paddling with increased strength, urged the boat forward +until within a few yards of the island. + +A few minutes before such an approach would have assured the +immediate destruction of the boat. But Harold saw with surprise that, +almost simultaneously with the breaking up of the ice-sheet, the fall +of blocks from the island had ceased. A moment's reflection showed +him the reason of this phenomenon. With the break-up of the ice-field +the pressure from behind had suddenly ceased. No longer were the +blocks piled on the island pushed forward by the tremendous pressure +of the ice-field. The torrent was stayed and they could approach the +island with safety. As soon as they were assured that this was so the +canoe was brought close to the rocks. + +Pearson leaped ashore, climbed the rocks and the ice piled twenty +feet above them, and with his pole convinced himself that at this +point there were no loose blocks likely to fall. Having satisfied +himself on this head, he descended again and took his place in the +boat. This was moored by a rope a few feet long to a bush growing +from a fissure in the rock close to the water's edge. He and Peter +remained on watch with their poles, to fend off any pieces of ice +which might be brought round by the waves, while the rest of the +crew, wrapping themselves up in their blankets, lay down at the +bottom of the boat. + +The next morning the storm still raged, and the lake presented the +appearance of an angry sea. Sheltered under the lee of the island, +the party were protected from its effects, although the light canoe +rose and fell on the heavy swell. The ice had wholly disappeared from +the lake, the pieces having been ground to atoms against each other +in the storm. Along the line of shore there was a great bank of ice +as high as the tree-tops. + +"The ways of the Lord are won'erful," Duncan Cameron said. "The storm +which threatened to be our destruction has proved our salvation. When +it abates we shall be able to paddle down the lake without fear of +interruption." + +"Yes," Peter said, "the varmints are not likely to follow us. In the +first place, unless they thought of taking their canoes into the +forest when the storm first began, which aint likely, as they was +a-thinking only of cutting off our escape, they'd 've been smashed +into tinder. In the second place, they couldn't ketch us if they had +canoes, for, as we've eight paddles, counting them we made out of the +seats when we was on shore, we'd be able to laugh at 'em. And lastly, +they've had such a taste of the quality of our rifles that, even if +they had a dozen canoes on hand, I doubt if they'd care to attack us. +No, sir; when this storm's over we have nothing to do but paddle down +to the settlements at the other end of the lake." + +Toward the afternoon the storm abated, and next morning the sun was +shining brilliantly and the waves had gone down sufficiently to +enable the canoe to start on her voyage. + +"Now, boys," Pearson said cheerfully, "ef ye don't want to git froze +up again you'd best be sharp, for I can tell ye about thirty-six +hours of this weather and the lake'll be solid again." + +Five minutes later the canoe with its eight sturdy paddlers started +on its way, speeding like an arrow from the ice-covered island which +had done them such good service in their greatest need. + +"Now, Jake," Peter said, "the more strength you put into that paddle +of yourn the sooner you'll have a piece of meat atween your jaws." + +The negro grinned. + +"Don't talk ob him, Massa Peter; don't say a word about him until I +see him. Fish bery good when dere's noting else to eat, but Jake +never want to see him again. He hab eat quite enough for the rest ob +his life." + +Cameron, who was not accustomed to the use of the paddle, sat in the +stern with the two girls; but the others were all used to the +exercise, and the boat literally bounded along at each stroke from +the sinewy arms, and by nightfall they had reached the opposite +shore. After some hours' work together two of them had rested, and +from that time they took it by turns, six paddles being kept +constantly going. + +Without any adventure they arrived safely at the end of the lake. The +clearing where Nelly had lived so long, and where her father and +mother had been killed, was passed in the night, much to Harold's +satisfaction, as he was afraid that she would have been terribly +upset at the many sad memories which the sight of the place could not +but call up. On their way down they had seen many gaps in the forest +caused by the gale, but it was not until they reached their landing +place that the full effect of its destructive force was visible. +Several scows and other boats lay wrecks upon the shore, every house +in the little village was leveled to the ground, the orchards were +ruined, palings and fences torn down, and the whole place strewn with +fragments. + +A few people were moving among the ruins. They gazed with a dull +apathy upon the new-comers, apparently dazed by the misfortune that +had befallen them. Harold learned, on questioning them, that +twenty-seven persons had been killed and the majority of the +survivors more or less seriously injured. With the exception of the +few whom they saw, about all the survivors had been taken off to the +town in boats down the river, or in wagons lent by neighbors whose +villages, sheltered in the woods, had escaped the ravages of the +gale. After a few hours' halt, having obtained meat and other stores, +they proceeded on their way to Detroit. + +Here Nelly had several friends, who had long believed her to have +fallen at the massacre at the farm. By them she was gladly received, +and she took up her abode in a family with some daughters of her own +age. Harold found that there was a considerable sum of money in the +bank in her father's name, and from this, after a consultation with +her, a sum of money sufficient to provide the Seneca and his +followers with blankets, powder, and Indian finery for years was +drawn and bestowed upon them. + +A day or two afterward the Indians left for their own country, highly +gratified with the success of the expedition and proud of the +numerous scalps which hung from each of their girdles. + +Harold learned that there was but little fighting going on along the +Canadian frontier. The winter had set in again with extreme severity; +the St. Lawrence would be frozen, and he would have no means of +leaving Canada; he was therefore well content to settle down until +the spring at Detroit, where he received numerous and hearty +invitations to stay, for any time, from the various friends of his +cousins. Jake, of course, remained with him. Peter went up to +Montreal, where he had some relatives residing; Harold promising to +call for him on his way East in the spring. Pearson, after a few +days' stay in Detroit, started again with a comrade on a hunting +expedition. Cameron and his daughter also spent the winter at +Detroit. + +The months passed very pleasantly to Harold. Since the war began he +had had no period of rest or quiet, and he now entered with zest into +the various amusements, sleighing, and dancing, which helped to while +away the long winter in America. He also joined in many hunting +parties, for in those days game abounded up to the very edge of the +clearings. Moose were abundant, and the hunt of these grand deer was +full of excitement. Except when the snow is on the ground these +animals can defy their pursuers, but the latter with their snowshoes +go lightly over the frozen snow, in which the moose sink heavily. + +There were many discussions as to the future of Nelly. Several of her +friends would gladly have adopted her as a member of their family, +but Harold warmly urged that she should go to England and take up her +abode with his mother, who was her nearest relative, and Nelly, +somewhat to the surprise of her friends, finally agreed to this +proposal. A purchaser was readily found for the farm, which was an +excellent one, and the proceeds of the sale, with the amount of +savings in the bank, gave her a little fortune of some twenty-five +hundred pounds. + +When the spring came and the navigation of the lake was open, Harold, +Nelly, the Camerons, and Jake started in a ship for Montreal. There +they were joined by Peter and sailed down to Quebec, where Nelly and +the Camerons took passage for England. Very deep was the gratitude +which Duncan expressed to the friends who had restored his daughter +to him. He had had enough of the colonies, and intended to spend the +rest of his life among his own people in Scotland. Harold, Peter, and +Jake sailed to join the English army in the South. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH. + +After the surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga the English +Parliament made another effort to obtain peace, and passed an act +renouncing all rights to tax the colonists and yielding every point +as to which they had been in dispute. Commissioners were sent over +with full authority to treat, and had the colonists been ready +nominally to submit to England, a virtual independence, similar to +that possessed by Canada and the Australian colonies at the present +time, would have been granted. As a very large body of the Americans +had from the first been desirous of coming to terms, and as the +paralyzed state of trade caused great and general distress, it is +probable that these terms might have been accepted had it not been +for the intervention of France. That power had all along encouraged +the rebellion. She had smarted under the loss of Canada, and although +her rule in her own colonies was far more arbitrary than that of +England in America, she was glad to assist in any movement which +could operate to the disadvantage of this country. Hitherto, +nominally she had remained neutral, but now, fearing that the offers +of the English would induce the colonists to make peace, she came +forward, recognized their independence, and engaged herself to +furnish a large fleet for their assistance. + +The colonists joyfully accepted the offer, seeing that the +intervention of France in the struggle would completely alter its +conditions. Heretofore the British had been enabled to send over men +and stores at will, but were they blockaded by a French fleet their +difficulties would be immensely increased. + +As there had been no cause of quarrel between England and France, +this agreement was an act of wanton hostility on the part of the +latter. On obtaining information of the signature of the treaty +between France and the colonies, the English ambassador was recalled +from Paris and both countries prepared vigorously for war. + +The first result was that the English deemed it prudent to evacuate +Philadelphia and retreat to New York. Washington endeavored to cut +off their retreat, and a battle took place at Freehold Court House, +in which the Americans were worsted. Washington drew off his army, +and the British army continued its march to New York without further +opposition. Early in May the French sent off a fleet of twelve ships +of the line and six frigates, carrying a large number of troops +commanded by Count D'Estaing. An English fleet, under Admiral Byron, +was lying at Portsmouth, and this sailed on June 9 in pursuit; for it +was not until that time that information was received of the intended +destination of the French fleet. + +D'Estaing reached the American coast upon the very day on which the +English army re-entered New York, and after making a demonstration +before that town the French fleet sailed for Rhode Island to expel +the British troops, under Sir Robert Pigott, who held it. + +Lord Howe sailed with the fleet from New York to give battle to that +of D'Estaing. For two days the fleets maneuvered in sight of each +other. Howe, being inferior in force, wished to gain the +weather-gauge before fighting. Failing to do this, on the third day +he offered battle, but a tremendous storm prevented the engagement +and dispersed both fleets. The French vessels retired to Boston and +the English to New York. + +Taking advantage of the departure of the French fleet, Sir Robert +attacked the American force, which had crossed to Rhode Island to act +with the French, and drove them from it. While crossing the Atlantic +the fleet under Admiral Byron had met with a tremendous storm, which +had entirely dispersed it, and the vessels arrived singly at New +York. When their repairs were completed the whole set out to give +battle to the French, but D'Estaing, finding that by the junction of +the two English fleets he was now menaced by a superior force, sailed +away to the West Indies. + +After his departure an expedition was sent down along the coast to +Georgia and East Florida. This met with great success. Savannah was +captured and the greater part of South Carolina was occupied. The +majority of the inhabitants joyfully welcomed the troops and many +companies of volunteers were raised. + +Harold had arrived in New York early in the spring. He had been +offered a commission, but he preferred remaining with his two +comrades in the position of scout. In this way he had far greater +independence, and while enjoying pay and rations sufficient for his +maintenance, he was to a great extent master of his own movements. At +an earlier period of the war he was offered by General Howe a +commission in the army, and his father would have been glad had he +accepted it. Harold, however, although determined to fight until the +struggle between the colonists and the mother country came to an end +one way or the other, had no great liking for the life of an officer +in the regular army, but had resolved at the conclusion of the war to +settle down upon a farm on the lakes--a life for which he felt far +more fitted than for the strict discipline and regularity of that of +an officer in the army. + +As, with the exception of the attack by the French fleet and American +army upon Rhode Island, both parties remained quiet all through the +summer of 1778, the year passed uneventfully to him, and the duties +of the scouts were little more than nominal. During the winter +fighting went on in the Carolinas and Georgia with varied success. + +In the spring of 1779 Harold and his comrades were, with a party of +scouts, sent down to Georgia, where constant skirmishes were going on +and the services of a body of men accustomed to outpost duty were +required. They were landed in May and joined General Prevost's force +on the island of St. John, situated close to the mainland and +connected with it by a bridge of boats, at the end of which on the +mainland a post had been erected. Shortly afterward General Prevost +left for Savannah, taking with him most of the troops, which were +carried away in the sloops which had formed the bridge of boats. On +the American side General Lincoln commanded a considerable army, +which had been dispatched by Congress to drive the English from that +State and the Carolinas. + +Lieutenant Colonel Maitland, who commanded the post on the mainland, +was left with only a flat-boat to keep up his communication with the +island. He had under his command the first battalion of the +Seventy-first Highlanders, now much weakened in numbers, part of a +Hessian regiment, some provincial volunteers, and a detachment of +artillery, the whole not exceeding 500 effective men. Hearing that +General Lincoln was advancing against him, Colonel Maitland sent all +his sick, baggage, and horses across to the island, and placed the +post as far as possible in a defensive position. Most of the scouts +who had come down from New York had accompanied General Prevost to +Savannah, but Harold, with Peter Lambton, Jake, and three or four +others, had been ordered to remain with Colonel Maitland, and were +sent out to reconnoiter when the enemy were known to be approaching. + +"This is something like our old work, Peter, upon Lake Champlain," +Harold said, as with his two comrades he took his way in the +direction from which the enemy were advancing. + +"Ay, lad, but they've none of the redskins with 'em, and there'll be +no great difficulty in finding out all about 'em. Besides, we've got +Jake with us, and jest about here Jake can do better nor we can. +Niggers swarm all over the country and are as ready to work for one +side as the other, jest as their masters go. All Jake has got to do +is to dress himself as a plantation nigger and stroll into their +camp. No question will be asked him, as he will naturally be taken +for a slave on some neighboring estate. What do you say, Jake?" + +Jake at once assented, and when they approached the enemy he left his +comrades and carried their plan into execution. He was away six +hours, and returned saying that the enemy were 5000 strong, with +eight pieces of artillery. + +"We must hurry back," Peter said. "Them are big odds agin' us. Ef all +our troops was regulars, I don't say as they might not hold the +place; but I don't put much count on the Germans, and the colonists +aint seen no fighting. However, Colonel Maitland seems a first-rate +officer. He has been real sharp in putting the place into a state of +defense, and I reckon ef the Yankees thinks as they're going to eat +us up without trouble they'll be mistaken." + +Jake reported that the enemy were on the point of marching forward, +and the scouts hurried back to give Colonel Maitland news of their +coming. + +It was late in the afternoon when they reached the post. + +"At what time do you think they will arrive here?" the colonel asked, +when Jake had made his report. "Dey be pretty close by dark, for +sure," Jake replied. + +"But I don't think, sir," Peter added, "they'll attack before +morning. They wouldn't be likely to try it in the dark, not knowing +the nature of the place." + +The commander was of the same opinion, but to prevent the possibility +of surprise he placed pickets at some distance round the fort, the +scouts being, of course, of the party. + +The night passed quietly, but at seven in the morning Peter, Harold, +and Jake, who were at some distance in advance of the others, saw the +enemy approaching. They fired their pieces and fell back upon the +outposts. Their position was rather to the right of the line of +defense. The pickets were about to fall back when 70 men, being two +companies of the Seventy-first under Captain Campbell, were sent out +to feel the enemy. + +"We're going to have a skirmish," Peter said. "I know these +Highlanders. Instead of jest firing a bit and then falling back, +they'll be sticking here and fighting as if they thought they could +lick the hull army of the Yankees." + +It was as Peter predicted. The Highlanders took post behind a hedge +and maintained a desperate resistance to the advance of the enemy. +Harold and his comrades for some time fought with them. + +"It's time for us to be out of this," Peter said presently. "Let's +jest get back to the fort." + +"We cannot fall back till they do, Peter." + +"I don't see that," Peter said. "We're scouts, and I don't see no +advantage in our chucking away our lives because these hot-headed +Highlanders choose to do so. Peter Lambton's ready to do a fair share +of fighting, but when he's sure that fighting aint no good, then he +goes." + +And suiting the action to the word, Peter rose from his recumbent +position and began to make his way back to the camp, taking advantage +of every bit of cover. + +Harold could not help laughing. For an instant he remained +irresolute, and then, seeing the overwhelming forces with which the +enemy were approaching, he called to Jake and followed Peter's +example. So obstinately did the Highlanders fight that they did not +retreat until all their officers were killed or wounded, and only 11 +men out of the two companies succeeded in regaining the camp. + +The whole force of the enemy now advanced against the works, and +halting at a distance of three hundred yards opened a tremendous fire +from their cannon on the intrenchments. The defenders replied, but so +overwhelming was the force of the assailants that the Hessians +abandoned the portion of the works committed to them and fell back. + +The enemy pressed forward and had already gained the foot of the +abattis, when Colonel Maitland brought up a portion of the +Seventy-first upon the right, and these gallant troops drove the +Americans back with slaughter. Colonel Maitland and his officers then +threw themselves among the Hessians and succeeded in rallying them +and bringing them back to the front. The provincial volunteers had +also fought with great bravery. They had for a time been pressed +backward, but finally maintained their position. + +The Americans, finding that all their efforts to carry the post were +unavailing, fell back to the forest. On the English side the loss +amounted to 129. The Americans fought in the open and suffered much +more heavily. + +The position of matters was suddenly changed by the arrival of Count +D'Estaing with a fleet of forty-one ships-of-war off the coast. The +American general, Lincoln, at once proposed to him to undertake a +combined movement to force the English to quit Georgia. The arrival +of the French fleet was wholly unexpected, and the _Experiment_, a +frigate of fifty guns, commanded by Sir James Wallace, having two or +three ships under his convoy, fell in with them off the mouth of the +Savannah River. Although the _Experiment_ had been much crippled by a +gale through which she had recently passed, Sir James Wallace would +not haul down his flag and opposed a desperate resistance to the +whole of the French fleet, and did not surrender until the +_Experiment_ was completely dismasted and riddled with shot. + +Upon the news that the French fleet was off the mouth of the river, +Captain Henry, who commanded the little squadron of four small +English ships, fell back to Savannah after removing all the buoys +from the river. He landed his guns from the ships and mounted them on +the batteries, and the marines and blue-jackets were also put on +shore to assist in the defense. Two of the brigs of war were sunk +across the channel below the town to prevent the French frigates +coming up. A boom was laid across above the town to prevent +fire-rafts from being sent down. + +D'Estaing landed the French troops at the mouth of the river, and, +marching to the town, summoned General Prevost to surrender. The +English commander, who had sent off a messenger to Colonel Maitland, +ordering him to march instantly to his assistance with the force +under him, which now amounted to 800 men, asked for twenty-four hours +before giving an answer. D'Estaing, who knew that General Lincoln was +close at hand, made sure that Prevost would surrender without +resistance, and so granted the time asked for. Before its expiration +Colonel Maitland, after a tremendous march, arrived at the town. As +the French commanded the mouth of the river he had been obliged to +transport his troops in boats through the marshes by a little creek, +which for two miles was so shallow that the troops were forced to +wade waist-deep, dragging the boats by main force through the mud. + +Upon the arrival of this re-enforcement General Prevost returned an +answer to Count D'Estaing that the town would be defended to the +last. Some time was spent by the enemy in landing and bringing up +heavy artillery from the ships, and the French and Americans did not +begin their works against the town until September 23. The garrison +had utilized the time thus afforded to them to erect new defenses. +The allied force of the assailants consisted of more than 10,000 +Americans and 5000 French troops, while the garrison, including +regulars, provincial corps, sailors, militia, and volunteers, did not +exceed 2500. + +Nevertheless, they did not allow the enemy to carry on their work +without interruption. Several sorties were made. The first of these, +under Major Graham of the Sixteenth Regiment, reached the lines of +the enemy and threw them into confusion. Large re-enforcements came +up to their assistance, and as Graham's detachment fell back upon the +town, the enemy incautiously pursued it so close up to the British +lines that both artillery and musketry were brought to bear upon +them, and they lost a large number of men before they could regain +their works. On the morning of October 4 the batteries of the +besiegers opened fire with fifty-three pieces of heavy artillery and +fourteen mortars. General Prevost sent in a request to Count +D'Estaing that the women and children might be permitted to leave the +town and embark on board vessels lying in the river, there to await +the issue of the fight; but the French commander refused the request +in a letter couched in insulting terms. + +The position of Savannah was naturally strong. The river protected +one of its sides and a deep swamp, partially flooded by it, covered +another. The other two were open to the country, which in front of +them was for several miles level and clear of wood. The works which +had been thrown up on these sides were extremely strong. When the +French first landed there were but ten pieces of cannon upon the +fortifications, but so incessantly did the garrison work that before +the conclusion of the siege nearly one hundred pieces of artillery +were mounted on the redoubts and batteries erected round the town. +Upon the side of the swamp there was not much fear of attack, but +three redoubts were erected to prevent a surprise from this +direction. The defense on the right face of the town was conducted +by Colonel Maitland. The defense on the left, consisting of two +strong redoubts and several batteries, was commanded by Lieutenant +Colonel Cruger. In the center were several strong works, of which +General Prevost himself took the special supervision. The whole +British line, except where the swamp rendered no such defense +necessary, was surrounded by a thick abattis. The French fire made +no sensible impression upon the English defenses, and finding that +the British artillery equaled his own, D'Estaing determined to +discontinue the attack by regular approaches and to carry the place +by storm. His position was a perilous one. He had already spent a +long time before the place, and at any moment the English fleet might +arrive from the West Indies and attack his fleet, which was weakened +by the men and guns which had been landed to carry on the siege. He +therefore determined to risk an assault rather than remain longer +before the town. To facilitate the attack an officer with 5 men on +October 8 advanced to the abattis and set fire to it. The wood, +however, was still green, and the flames were easily extinguished. + +The attack was fixed for the following morning. Bodies of the +American militia were to feign attacks upon the center and left, +while a strong force of the combined armies was to make a real attack +in two columns upon the right. The troops composing the two columns +consisted of 3500 French soldiers and 950 Americans. The principal +force, commanded by Count D'Estaing in person, assisted by General +Lincoln, was to attack the Springfield redoubt, which was situated at +the extreme right of the British central line of defense and close to +the edge of the swamp. The other column, under the command of Count +Dillon, was to move silently along the margin of the swamp, pass the +three redoubts, and get into the rear of the British lines. + +The troops were in motion long before daylight. The attempt to burn +the abattis had excited the suspicion of the English that an assault +might be intended, and accordingly pickets were thrown out in front +of the intrenchments and the scouts were ordered to keep a sharp +watch among the trees which grew in and near the swamp. + +Harold with his friends had accompanied Colonel Maitland's column in +its march to Savannah and had labored vigorously at the defenses, +being especially occupied in felling trees and chopping wood for the +abattis. Before daybreak they heard the noise made by the advance of +the enemy's columns through the wood and hurried back to the +Springfield redoubt, where the garrison at once stood to arms. In +this redoubt were a corps of provincial dismounted dragoons, +supported by the South Carolina regiment. + +Just as daylight appeared the column led by Count D'Estaing advanced +toward the Springfield redoubt, but the darkness was still so intense +that it was not discovered until within a very short distance of the +works. Then a blaze of musketry opened upon it, while a destructive +cross-fire was poured in from the adjoining batteries. So heavy was +the fire that the head of the column was almost swept away. The +assailants kept on with great bravery until they reached the redoubt; +here a desperate hand-to-hand contest took place. Captain Tawse fell +with many of his men, and for a moment a French and an American +standard were planted upon the parapet; nevertheless the defenders +continued to cling to the place and every foot was desperately +contested. + +At this moment Colonel Maitland, with the grenadiers of the Sixtieth +Regiment and the marines, advanced and fell upon the enemy's column, +already shaken by the obstinate resistance it had encountered and by +its losses by the fire from the batteries. The movement was decisive. +The assailants were driven headlong from the redoubt and retreated, +leaving behind them 637 of the French troops killed and wounded and +264 of the Americans. + +In the mean time the column commanded by Count Dillon mistook its way +in the darkness and was entangled in the swamp, from which it was +unable to extricate itself until it was broad daylight and it was +fully exposed to the view of the garrison and to the fire from the +British batteries. This was so hot and so well directed that the +column was never able even to form, far less to penetrate into the +rear of the British lines. + +When the main attack was repulsed Count Dillon drew off his column, +also. No pursuit was ordered as, although the besiegers had suffered +greatly, they were still three times more numerous than the garrison. + +A few days afterward the French withdrew their artillery and +re-embarked on board ship. + +The siege of Savannah cost the allies 1500 men, while the loss of the +garrison was only 120. The pleasure of the garrison at their +successful defense was marred by the death of Colonel Maitland, who +died from the effects of the unhealthy climate and of the exertions +he had made. + +A few days after the raising of the siege the French fleet was +dispersed by a tempest, and Count D'Estaing, with the majority of the +ships under his command, returned to France. + +During the course of this year there were many skirmishes round New +York, but nothing of any great importance took place. Sir Henry +Clinton, who was in supreme command, was unable to undertake any +offensive operations on a large scale, for he had not received the +re-enforcements from home which he had expected. England, indeed, had +her hands full, for in June Spain joined France and America in the +coalition against her and declared war. Spain was at that time a +formidable marine power, and it needed all the efforts that could be +made by the English government to make head against the powerful +fleets which the combined nations were able to send to sea against +them. It was not only in Europe that the Spaniards were able to give +effective aid to the allies. They were still a power on the American +continent, and created a diversion, invading West Florida and +reducing and capturing the town and fort of Mobile. + +In the spring of 1780 Sir Henry Clinton sent down an expedition under +the command of Lord Cornwallis to capture Charleston and reduce the +State of South Carolina. This town was extremely strongly fortified. +It could only be approached by land on one side, while the water, +which elsewhere defended it, was covered by the fire of numerous +batteries of artillery. The water of the bay was too shallow to admit +of the larger men-of-war passing, and the passage was defended by +Fort Moultrie, a very formidable work. Admiral Arbuthnot, with the +_Renown, Romulus, Roebuck, Richmond, Blonde, Raleigh_, and _Virginia_ +frigates, with a favorable wind and tide ran the gantlet of Fort +Moultrie, succeeded in passing up without great loss, and co-operated +on the sea face with the attack of the army on the land side. + +A force was landed on Sullivan's Island, on which Fort Moultrie +stood, and the fort, unprepared for an attack in this direction, was +obliged to surrender. The American cavalry force which had been +collected for the relief of the town was defeated by the English +under General Tarleton. The trenches were pushed forward with great +vigor, and the batteries of the third parallel opened at short range +on the town with great execution. The advances were pushed forward at +the ditch, when the garrison, seeing that further resistance was +impossible, surrendered. Five thousand prisoners were taken, 1000 +American and French seamen, and ten French and American ships-of-war. + +With the fall of Charleston all resistance ceased in South Carolina. +The vast majority of the inhabitants made their submission to the +British government and several loyalist regiments were raised. + +Colonel Tarleton, with 170 cavalry and 100 mounted infantry, was +dispatched against an American force under Colonel Burford, +consisting of 350 infantry, a detachment of cavalry, and two guns, +which had taken post on the border of North Carolina. Tarleton came +up with him, and after a sharp action the Americans were entirely +defeated. One hundred and thirteen were killed on the spot and 207 +made prisoners, of whom 103 were badly wounded. + +For some months the irregular operations were continued, the +Americans making frequent incursions into the Carolinas. The British +troops suffered greatly from the extreme heat and the unhealthiness +of the climate. + +In August the American General Gates advanced toward Camden, and Lord +Cornwallis also moved out to that town, which was held by a British +garrison. The position there was not hopeful. Nearly 800 were sick, +and the total number of effectives was under 2000, of whom 500 were +provincials. The force under General Gates amounted to 6000 men, +exclusive of the corps of Colonel Sumpter, 1000 strong, which were +maneuvering to cut off the English retreat. Cornwallis could not fall +back on Charleston without abandoning the sick and leaving all his +magazines and stores in the hands of the enemy, besides which a +retreat would have involved the abandonment of the whole State with +the exception of Charleston. He therefore decided upon giving battle +to the enemy, who were posted at Rugeley's Mills, a few miles +distant, leaving the defense of Camden to Major M'Arthur, with some +provincials and convalescent soldiers and a detachment of the +Sixty-third Regiment, which was expected to arrive during the night. + +The army marched in the following order: The first division, +commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Webster, consisting of four companies +of light infantry and the Twenty-third and Thirty-third regiments, +preceded by an advanced guard of 40 cavalry. The second division, +consisting of provincial troops and two battalions of the +Seventy-first Regiment, followed as a reserve. The dragoons of the +legion formed the rear guard. The force marched at ten o'clock on the +night of August 16, intending to attack at daybreak the next morning, +but it happened that at the very same hour in which the British set +out, General Gates, with his force, was starting from Rugeley's Mills +with the intention of attacking Camden in the morning. + +At two o'clock in the night the advanced guards of the two armies met +and fired into each other. In the confusion some prisoners were taken +on both sides, and the generals, finding that the two armies were +face to face, halted and waited till morning. Lord Cornwallis placed +Webster's division on the right; the second division, which was under +the command of Lord Rawdon, on the left; the battalion known as the +Volunteers of Ireland were on the right of Lord Rawdon's division and +communicated with the Thirty-third Regiment on the left of Webster. +In the front line were two six-pounders and two three-pounders under +the command of Lieutenant Macleod, R. A. The Seventy-first, with two +six-pounders, was in reserve, one battalion being placed behind each +wing. The dragoons were held in reserve, to charge in the event of a +favorable opportunity. + +The flanks of the English position were covered by swamps, which +somewhat narrowed the ground and prevented the Americans from +utilizing fully their great superiority of numbers. The Americans +were also formed in two lines. + +Soon after daybreak Lord Cornwallis ordered Colonel Webster to +advance and charge the enemy. So fiercely did the English regiments +attack that the Virginia and North Carolina troops who opposed them +quickly gave way, threw down their arms, and fled. General Gates and +General Casswell in vain attempted to rally them. They ran like a +torrent and spread through the woods in every direction. Lord Rawdon +began the action on the left with no less vigor and spirit than Lord +Cornwallis on the right, but here and in the center the contest was +more obstinately maintained by the Americans. + +[Illustration: Plan of the Battle Fought Near Camden, August 16th, +1780.] + +Their reserves were brought up, and the artillery did considerable +execution. Their left flank was, however, exposed by the flight of +the troops of Carolina and Virginia, and the light infantry and +Twenty-third Regiment were halted in the pursuit, and, wheeling +around, came upon the flank of the enemy, who, after a brave +resistance of nearly three-quarters of an hour, were driven into +total confusion and forced to give way on both sides. Their rout was +continued by the cavalry, who continued their pursuit twenty-two +miles from the field of action. + +Between eight and nine hundred of the enemy were killed and about +1000, many of whom were wounded, were taken prisoners. Among these +were Major General Baron de Kalb and Brigadier General Rutherford. +All the baggage, stores, and camp packages, a number of colors, and +several pieces of cannon were taken. General Gates, finding himself +unable to rally the militia, fled first to Charlotte, 90 miles from +the seat of action, and then to Hillsborough, 180 from Camden. +General Gist, alone of all the American commanders, was able to keep +together about 100 men, who, flying across the swamp on their right, +through which they could not be pursued by the cavalry, made their +escape in a body. The loss of the British troops amounted to 69 +killed, 245 wounded, and 11 missing. The loss of the Americans in +killed, wounded, and prisoners exceeded the number of British regular +troops engaged by at least 300. It was one of the most decisive +victories ever won. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +IN AN AMERICAN PRISON. + +Upon the morning after the victory of Camden Lord Cornwallis +dispatched Colonel Tarleton with the light infantry and the German +legion, 350 men in all, to attack Colonel Sumpter, who, with 800 men +and two pieces of cannon, had, upon hearing late at night of General +Gates' defeat, marched away at all speed. Thinking himself out of +danger he halted at midday to rest his men. The British came upon +them by surprise. One hundred and fifty were killed or wounded and +300 made prisoners. The rest scattered as fugitives. Two guns, one +thousand stand of arms, and all the stores and baggage were taken, +and 250 prisoners, some of them British soldiers and the rest loyal +militiamen, whom Sumpter had captured near Camden, were released. + +Lord Cornwallis, after obtaining supplies for his troops and taking +steps for the pacification of the State, was about to move forward +into North Carolina, when he received news of the destruction of a +column under Major Fergusson. This officer, with a detachment of 150 +British regulars and 800 provincials, was attacked by 5000 mounted +partisans, most of them border men accustomed to forest fighting. +Fergusson took up a position on a hill called King's Mountain. This +from its height would have been a good position for defense, but +being covered with wood it offered great opportunities for the +assailants, who dismounted and fought behind trees in accordance with +the tactics taught them in Indian warfare. Again and again the +English charged with the bayonet, each time driving their assailants +back, but these instantly recommenced their destructive fire from +their shelter behind the trees. In little over an hour from the +commencement of the fight 150 of the defenders were killed and many +more wounded. Still they repulsed every attack until their commander +fell dead; then the second in command, judging further resistance in +vain, surrendered. + +On the news of this misfortune Lord Cornwallis fell back, as the +western frontiers of South Carolina were now exposed to the +incursions of the band which had defeated Fergusson. In the retreat +the army suffered terribly. It rained for several days without +intermission. The soldiers had no tents, and the water was everywhere +over their shoes. The continued rains filled the rivers and creeks +prodigiously and rendered the roads almost impassable. The climate +was most unhealthy, and for many days the troops were without rum. +Sometimes the army had beef and no bread, sometimes bread and no +beef. For five days it was supported on Indian corn, which was +collected in the fields, five ears being served out as a daily +allowance to each two soldiers. They had to cook it as they could, +and this was generally done by parching it over the fire. One of the +officers of the quartermaster's department found some of the loyal +militia grating their corn. This was done by breaking up a canteen +and punching holes in the bottom with their bayonets, thus making a +kind of rasp. The idea was communicated to the adjutant general and +afterward adopted for the army. + +The soldiers supported their hardships and privations cheerfully, as +their officers were no better provided than themselves and the fare +of Lords Cornwallis and Rawdon was the same as their own. + +The toilsome march came to an end at last, and the army had rest +after its labors. The only other incident of importance which +occurred was an action between a force under Colonel Tarleton and one +of considerably superior strength under General Sumpter, strongly +posted on a commanding position. The British attack was repulsed, but +General Sumpter, being badly wounded, was carried off the field +during the night, and the force under his command at once dispersed. + +No other event occurred, and the army passed its time in winter +quarters till the spring of 1781. During this winter the enemies of +Great Britain were re-enforced by the accession of the Dutch. At this +time the efforts which England was called upon to make were indeed +great. In Europe France, Spain, and Holland were banded against her; +in India our troops were waging a desperate war with Hyder Ali; while +they were struggling to retain their hold on their American colonies. +Here, indeed, the operations had for the last two years languished. +The re-enforcements which could be spared were extremely small, and +although the British had almost uniformly defeated the Americans in +every action in which there was any approach to equality between the +forces engaged, they were unable to do more than hold the ground on +which they stood. Victorious as they might be, the country beyond the +reach of their rifles swarmed with their enemies, and it became +increasingly clear to all impartial observers that it was impossible +for an army which in all did not amount to more than 20,000 men to +conquer a continent in arms against them. + +Harold was not present at the later events of the campaign of 1780. +He and Jake had been with the column of Major Fergusson. Peter +Lambton had not accompanied him, having received a bullet wound in +the leg in a previous skirmish, which, although not serious, had +compelled him to lay up for a time. + +"Me no like de look ob dis affair, Massa Harold," Jake said, as the +Americans opened fire upon the troops gathered at the top of King's +Mountain. "Dese chaps no fools; dey all backwoodsmen; dey know how to +fight de redskins; great hunters all ob dem." + +"Yes," Harold agreed, "they are formidable opponents, Jake. I do not +like the look of things. These men are all accustomed to fighting in +the woods, while our men have no idea of it. Their rifles are +infinitely superior to these army muskets, and every man of them can +hit a deer behind the shoulder at the distance of 150 yards, while at +that distance most of our men would miss a haystack." + +The scouts and a few of the provincials who had been accustomed to +forest warfare, took up their position behind trees and fought the +advancing enemy in their own way. The mass of the defenders, however, +were altogether puzzled by the stealthy approach of their foes, who +advanced from tree to tree, seldom showing as much as a limb to the +fire of the defenders, and keeping up a deadly fire upon the crowd of +soldiers. + +Had there been time for Major Fergusson, before being attacked, to +have felled a circle of trees and made a breastwork round the top of +the hill, the result might have been different. Again and again the +British gallantly charged down with the bayonet, but the assailants, +as they did so, glided away among the trees after firing a shot or +two into the advancing troops, and retreated a hundred yards or so, +only to recommence their advance as soon as the defenders retired +again to their position. The loss of the assailants was very slight, +the few who fell being for the most part killed by the rifles of the +scouts. + +"It am no use, Massa Harold," Jake said. "Jest look how dem poor +fellows am being shot down. It's all up wid us dis time." + +When upon the fall of Major Fergusson his successor in command +surrendered the post, the defenders were disarmed. The Kentucky men, +accustomed only to warfare against Indians, had no idea of the usages +of war and treated the prisoners with great brutality. Ten of the +loyalist volunteers of Carolina they hung at once upon trees. There +was some discussion as to the disposal of the rest. The border men, +having accomplished their object, were anxious to disperse at once to +their homes. Some of them proposed that they should rid themselves of +all further trouble by shooting them all. This was overruled by the +majority. Presently the prisoners were all bound, their hands being +tied behind them, and a hundred of the border men surrounded them and +ordered them to march across the country. + +Jake and several other negroes who were among the captives were +separated from the rest, and, being put up at auction, were sold as +slaves. Jake fell to the bid of a tall Kentuckian who, without a +word, fastened a rope round his neck, mounted his horse, and started +for his home. The guards conducted the white prisoners to Woodville, +eighty miles from the scene of the fight. This distance was +accomplished in two days' march. Many of the unfortunate men, unable +to support the fatigue, fell and were shot by their guards; the rest +struggled on, utterly exhausted, until they arrived at Woodville, +where they were handed over to a strong force of militia gathered +there. They were now kindly treated, and by more easy marches were +taken to Richmond, in Virginia, where they were shut up in prison. +Here were many English troops, for the Americans, in spite of the +terms of surrender, had still retained as prisoners the troops of +General Burgoyne. + +Several weeks passed without incident. The prisoners were strongly +guarded and were placed in a building originally built for a jail and +surrounded by a very high wall. Harold often discussed with some of +his fellow-captives the possibility of escape. The windows were all +strongly barred, and even should the prisoners break through these +they would only find themselves in the courtyard. There would then be +a wall thirty feet high to surmount, and at the corners of this wall +the Americans had built sentry-boxes, in each of which two men were +stationed night and day. Escape, therefore, seemed next to +impossible. + +The sentries guarding the prison and at the gates were furnished by +an American regiment stationed at Richmond. The wardens in the prison +were, for the most part, negroes. The prisoners were confined at +night in separate cells; in the daytime they were allowed, in parties +of fifty, to walk for two hours in the courtyard. There were several +large rooms in which they sat and took their meals, two sentries with +loaded muskets being stationed in each room. Thus, although +monotonous, there was little to complain of; their food, if coarse, +was plentiful, and the prisoners passed the time in talk, playing +cards, and in such games as their ingenuity could invent. + +One day when two of the negro wardens entered with, the dinners of +the room to which Harold belonged, the latter was astounded at +recognizing in one of them his faithful companion Jake. It was with +difficulty that he suppressed an exclamation of gladness and +surprise. Jake paid no attention to him, but placed the great tin +dish heaped up with yams, which he was carrying, upon the table, and, +with an unmoved face, left the room. A fortnight passed without a +word being exchanged between them. Several times each day Harold saw +the negro, but the guards were always present, and although, when he +had his back to the latter, Jake sometimes indulged in a momentary +grin or a portentous wink, no further communication passed between +them. + +One night at the end of that time Harold, when on the point of going +to sleep, thought he heard a noise as of his door gently opening. It +was perfectly dark, and, after listening for a moment he laid his +head down again, thinking that he had been mistaken, when he heard +close to the bed the words in a low voice: + +"Am you asleep, Massa Harold?" + +"No, Jake," he exclaimed directly. "Ah, my good fellow! how have you +got here?" + +"Dat were a bery easy affair," Jake said. "Me tell you all about it." + +"Have you shut the door again, Jake? There is a sentry coming along +the passage every five minutes." + +"Me shut him, massa, but dere aint no fastening on dis side, so Jake +will sit down wid him back against him." + +Harold got up and partly dressed himself and then sat down by the +side of his follower. + +"No need to whisper," Jake said. "De walls and de doors bery thick; +no one hear. But de sentries on de walls hear if we talk too loud." + +The windows were without glass, which was in those days an expensive +article in America, and the mildness of the climate of Virginia +rendered glass a luxury rather than a necessity. Confident that even +the murmur of their voices would not be overheard if they spoke in +their usual way, Jake and Harold were enabled to converse +comfortably. + +"Well, massa," Jake said, "my story am not a long one. Dat man dat +bought me he rode in two days someting like one hundred miles. It wor +a lucky ting dat Jake had tramp on his feet de last four years, else +soon enough he tumble down, and den de rope round him neck hang him. +Jake awful footsore and tired when he git to de end ob dat journey. +De Kentucky man he lib in a clearing not far from a village. He had +two oder slaves; dey hoe de ground and work for him. He got grown-up +son, who look after dem while him fader away fighting. Dey not afraid +ob de niggers running away, because dere plenty redskin not far away, +and nigger scalp jest as good as white man's. De oder way dere wor +plenty ob villages, and dey tink nigger git caught for sure if he try +to run away. Jake make up his mind he not stop dere bery long. De +Kentuckian was a bery big, strong man, but not so strong as he was +ten years ago, and Jake tink he more dan a match for him. Jake pretty +strong himself, massa?" + +"I should think you were, Jake," Harold said. "There are not many +men, white or black, who can lift as great a weight as you can." + +"For a week Jake work bery hard. Dat Kentuckian hab a way ob always +carrying his rifle about on his arm, and as long as he do dat dere no +chance ob a fair fight. De son he always hab a stick, and he mighty +free wid it. He hit Jake seberal times, and me say to him once, +'Young man, you better mind what you do.' Me suppose dat he not like +de look dat I gib him. He speak to his fader, and he curse and swear +awful, and stand wid de rifle close by and tell dat son ob his to +larrup Jake. Dat he do, massa, for some time. Jake not say noting, +but he make a note ob de affair in his mind. De bery next day de son +go away to de village to buy some tings he want. De fader he come out +and watch me at work; he curse and swear as usual; he call me lazy +hound and swear he cut de flesh from my back; presently he come quite +close and shake him fist in Jake's face. Dat was a foolish ting to +do. So long as he keep bofe him hands on de gun he could say what he +like quite safe, but when he got one hand up lebel wid Jake's nose, +dat different ting altogether. Jake throw up his hand and close wid +him. De gun tumble down and we wrastle and fight. He strong man for +sure, but Jake jest a little stronger. We roll ober and ober on de +ground for some minutes; at last Jake git de upper hand and seize de +white man by de t'roat, and he pretty quick choke him life out. Den +he pick up de gun and wait for de son; when he come back he put a +bullet t'rough him. Den he go to de hut and git food and powder and +ball and start into de woods. De oder niggers dey take no part in de +affair. Dey look on while the skirmish lasts, but not interfere one +way or oder. When it ober me ask dem if dey like to go wid me, but +dey too afraid ob de redskins; so Jake start by himse'f. Me hab +plenty ob practice in de woods and no fear ob meeting redskins, +except when dey on de warpath. De woods stretch a bery long way all +ober de country, and Jake trabel in dem for nigh t'ree weeks. He +shoot deer and manage bery well; see no redskin from the first day to +de last; den he come out into de open country again, hundreds ob +miles from de place where he kill dat Kentuckian. He leab his gun +behind now and trabel for Richmond, where he hear dat de white +prisoners was kept. He walk all night and at day sleep in de woods or +de plantations, and eat ears ob corn. At last he git to Richmond. Den +he gib out dat him massa wanted him to fight on de side ob de English +and dat he run away. He go to de prison and offer to work dere. Dey +tink him story true, and as he had no massa to claim him dey say he +State property, and work widout wages like de oder niggers here; dey +all forfeited slaves whose massas had jined de English. Dese people +so pore dey can't afford to pay white man, so dey take Jake as +warden, and by good luck dey put him in to carry de dinner to de bery +room where Massa Harold was." + +"And have you the keys to lock us up?" + +"No, massa, de niggers only cook de dinners and sweep de prison and +de yard, and do dat kind ob job; de white wardens--dere's six ob +dem--dey hab de keys." + +"Then how did you manage to get here, Jake?" + +"Dat not bery easy matter, Massa Harold. Most ob de wardens drink +like fish; but de head man, him dat keep de keys, he not drink. For +some time Jake not see him way, but one night when he lock up de +prisoners he take Jake round wid him, and Jake carried de big bunch +ob keys--one key to each passage. When he lock up de doors here and +hand de key to Jake to put on de bunch agin, Jake pull out a hair ob +him head and twist it round de ward ob de key so as to know him agin. +Dat night me git a piece ob bread and work him up wid some oil till +he quite like putty, den me steal to de chief warden's room, and dere +de keys hang up close to him bed. Jake got no shoes on, and he stole +up bery silent. He take down de bunch ob keys and carry dem off. He +git to quiet place and strike a light, and search t'rough de keys +till he find de one wid de hair round it; den he take a deep +impression ob him wid de bread; den he carry back the keys and hang +'em up. Jake not allowed to leabe de prison. We jest as much +prisoners as de white men, so he not able to go out to git a key +made; but in de storeroom dere's all sorts ob tools, and he git hold +ob a fine file; den he look about among de keys in de doors ob all de +storerooms and places which wor not kept locked up. At last he find a +key jest de right size, and dough de wards were a little different +dey was ob de right shape. Jake set to work and filled off de knobs +and p'ints which didn't agree wid de shape in de bread. Dis morning, +when you was all out in de yard, me come up quietly and tried de key +and found dat it turned de lock quite easy. Wid a fedder and some oil +me oil de lock and de key till it turned widout making de least, +noise. Den to-night me waited till de sentry come along de corridor, +and den Jake slip along and here he is." + +"Capital, Jake!" Harold said. "And now what is the next thing to do? +Will it be possible to escape through the prison?" + +"No, Massa Harold, dere am t'ree doors from de prison into de yard +and dere's a sentry outside ob each, and de main guard ob twenty men +are down dere, too. No possible to git out ob doors widout de alarm +being given." + +"With the file, Jake, we might cut through the bars." + +"We might cut t'rough de bars and git down into de courtyard; dat +easy enough, massa. Jake could git plenty ob rope from de storeroom, +but we hab de oder wall to climb." + +"You must make a rope-ladder for that, Jake." + +"What sort ob a ladder dat, massa?" + +Harold explained to him how it should be made. + +"When you have finished it, Jake, you should twist strips of any sort +of stuff, cotton or woolen, round and round each of the wooden steps, +so that it will make no noise touching the wall as we climb it. Then +we want a grapnel." + +"Me no able to make dat, massa." + +"Not a regular grapnel, Jake, but you might manage something which +would do." + +"What sort ob ting?" Jake asked. + +Harold sat for some time in thought. + +"If the wall were not so high it would be easy enough, Jake, for we +could do it by fastening the rope within about three inches of the +end of a pole six feet long and three inches thick. That would never +pull over the wall, but it is too high to throw the pole over." + +"Jake could t'row such a stick as dat ober easy enough, massa--no +difficulty about dat; but me no see how a stick like dat balance +massa's weight." + +"It would not balance it, Jake, but the pull would be a side pull and +would not bring the stick over the wall. If it were only bamboo it +would be heavy enough." + +"Bery well, Massa Harold; if you say so, dat's all right. Jake can +git de wood easy enough; dere's plenty ob pieces among de firewood +dat would do for us." + +"Roll it with strips of stuff the same way as the ladder steps, so as +to prevent it making a noise when it strikes the wall. In addition to +the ladder we shall want a length of rope long enough to go from this +window to the ground, and another length of thin rope more than twice +the height of the wall." + +"Bery well, Massa Harold, me understand exactly what's wanted; but +it'll take two or t'ree days to make de ladder, and me can only work +ob a night." + +"There is no hurry, Jake; do not run any risk of being caught. We must +choose a dark and windy night. Bring two files with you, so that we can +work together, and some oil." + +"All right, massa. Now me go." + +"Shut the door quietly, Jake, and do not forget to lock it behind +you," Harold said, as Jake stole noiselessly from the cell. + +A week passed without Jake's again visiting Harold's cell. On the +seventh night the wind had got up and whistled around the jail, and +Harold, expecting that Jake would take advantage of the opportunity, +sat down on his bed without undressing, and awaited his coming. It +was but half an hour after the door had been locked for the night +that it quietly opened again. + +"Here me am, sar, wid eberyting dat's wanted; two files and some oil, +de rope-ladder, de short rope for us to slide down, and de long thin +rope and de piece ob wood six feet long and thick as de wrist." + +They at once set to work with the files, and in an hour had sawn +through two bars, making a hole sufficiently wide for them to pass. +The rope was then fastened to a bar, Harold took off his shoes and +put them in his pocket and then slid down the rope into the +courtyard. With the other rope Jake lowered the ladder and pole to +him and then slid down himself. Harold had already tied to the pole, +at four inches from one end, a piece of rope some four feet long, so +as to form a loop about half that length. The thin rope was put +through the loop and drawn until the two ends came together. + +Noiselessly they stole across the yard until they reached the +opposite wall. The night was a very dark one, and although they could +make out the outline of the wall above them against the skyline, the +sentry-boxes at the corners were invisible. Harold now took hold of +the two ends of the rope, and Jake, stepping back a few yards from +the wall, threw the pole over it. Then Harold drew upon the rope +until there was a check, and he knew that the pole was hard up +against the edge of the wall. He tied one end of the rope-ladder to +an end of the double cord and then hauled steadily upon the other. +The rope running through the loop drew the ladder to the top of the +wall. All this was done quickly and without noise. + +"Now, Jake, do you go first," Harold said. "I will hold the rope +tight below, and do you put part of your weight on it as you go up. +When you get to the top, knot it to the loop and sit on the wall +until I come up." + +In three minutes they were both on the wall, the ladder was hauled up +and dropped on the outside, while the pole was shifted to the inside +of the wall; then they descended the ladder and made across the +country. + +"Which way we go, massa?" Jake asked. + +"I have been thinking it over," Harold replied, "and have decided on +making for the James River. We shall be there before morning and can +no doubt find a boat. We can guide ourselves by the stars, and when +we get into the woods the direction of the wind will be sufficient." + +The distance was about twenty miles, but although accustomed to +scouting at night, they would have had difficulty in making their way +through the woods by morning had they not struck upon a road leading +in the direction in which they wanted to go. + +Thus it was still some hours before daylight when they reached the +James River. They had followed the road all the way, and at the point +where it reached the bank there was a village of considerable size, +and several fishermen's boats were moored alongside. Stepping into +one of these, they unloosed the head-rope and pushed out into the +stream. The boat was provided with a sail. The mast was soon stepped +and the sail hoisted. + +Neither Harold nor Jake had had much experience in boat-sailing, but +the wind was with them and the boat ran rapidly down the river, and +before daylight they were many miles from their point of starting. +The banks of the James River are low and swampy, and few signs of +human habitation were seen from the stream. It widened rapidly as +they descended and became rougher and rougher. They therefore steered +into a sheltered spot behind a sharp bend of the river and anchored. + +In the locker they found plenty of lines and bait, and, setting to +work, had soon half a dozen fine fish at the bottom of the boat. They +pulled up the kedge and rowed to shore and soon made a fire, finding +flint and steel in the boat. The fish were broiled over the fire upon +sticks. The boat was hauled in under some overhanging bushes, and, +stretching themselves in the bottom, Harold and Jake were soon fast +asleep. + +The sun was setting when they woke. + +"What you going to do, sar?" Jake asked. "Are you tinking ob +trabeling by land or ob sailing to New York?" + +"Neither, Jake," Harold answered. "I am thinking of sailing down the +coast inside the line of keys to Charleston. The water there is +comparatively smooth, and as we shall be taken for fishermen it is +not likely that we shall be overhauled. We can land occasionally and +pick a few ears of corn to eat with our fish, and as there is +generally a breeze night and morning, however still and hot the day, +we shall be able to do it comfortably. I see that there is an iron +plate here which has been used for making a fire and cooking on +board, so we will lay in a stock of dry wood before we start." + +The journey was made without any adventure. While the breeze lasted +they sailed; when it fell calm they fished, and when they had +obtained a sufficient supply for their wants they lay down and slept +under the shade of their sail stretched as an awning. Frequently they +passed within hail of other fishing-boats, generally manned by +negroes. But beyond a few words as to their success, no questions +were asked. They generally kept near the shore, and when they saw any +larger craft they either hauled the boat up or ran into one of the +creeks in which the coast abounds. It was with intense pleasure that +at last they saw in the distance the masts of the shipping in +Charleston harbor. + +Two hours later they landed. They fastened the boat to the wharf and +made their way into the town unquestioned. As they were walking along +the principal street they saw a well-known figure sauntering +leisurely toward them. His head was bent down and he did not notice, +them until Harold hailed him with a shout of "Halloo, Peter, old +fellow! How goes it?" + +Peter, although not easily moved or excited, gave a yell of delight +which astonished the passers-by. + +"Ah, my boy!" he exclaimed, "this is a good sight for my old eyes. +Here have I been a-fretting and a-worrying myself for the last three +months, and cussing my hard luck that I was not with you in that +affair on King's Mountain. At first, when I heard of it, I says to +myself, 'The young un got out of it somehow. He aint going to be +caught asleep.' Waal, I kept on hoping and hoping you'd turn up, till +at last I couldn't deceive myself no longer and was forced to +conclude that you'd either been rubbed out or taken prisoner. About a +month ago we got from the Yankees a list of the names of them they'd +captured, and glad I was to see yours among 'em. As I thought as how +you weren't likely to be out as long as the war lasted, I was +a-thinking of giving it up and going to Montreal and settling down +there. It was lonesome like without you, and I missed Jake's laugh, +and altogether things didn't seem natural like. Jake, I'm glad to see +ye. Your name was not in the list, but I thought it likely enough +they might have taken you and set you to work, and made no account of +ye." + +"That is just what they did; but he got away after settling his score +with his new master, and then made for Richmond, where I was in +prison; then he got me loose, and here we are. But it is a long +story, and I must tell it you at leisure." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA. + +The fishing-boat was disposed of for a few pounds, and Harold and +Jake were again fitted out in the semi-uniform worn by the scouts. On +December 13, the very day after their arrival, a considerable +detachment of troops, under General Leslie, arrived, and on the 19th +marched, 1500 strong, to join Lord Cornwallis. Harold and his mates +accompanied them, and the united army proceeded northwest, between +the Roanoke and Catawba rivers. Colonel Tarleton was detached with a +force of 1000 men, consisting of light and German legion infantry, a +portion of the Seventh Regiment and of the first battalion of the +Seventy-first, 350 cavalry, and two field-pieces. His orders were to +pursue and destroy a force of some 800 of the enemy under General +Morgan. The latter, finding himself pressed, drew up his troops for +action near a place called the Cowpens. Then ensued the one action in +the whole war in which the English, being superior in numbers, +suffered a severe defeat. + +Tarleton, confident of victory, led his troops to the attack without +making any proper preparations for it. The infantry advanced bravely, +and, although the American infantry held the ground for a time with +great obstinacy, they drove them back and the victory appeared to be +theirs. Tarleton now sent orders to his cavalry to pursue, as his +infantry were too exhausted, having marched at a rapid pace all +night, to do so. The order was not obeyed, and Major Washington, who +commanded the American cavalry, advanced to cover his infantry. These +rallied behind their shelter and fell upon the disordered British +infantry. Thus suddenly attacked when they believed that victory was +in their hands, the English gave way and were driven back. A panic +seized them and a general rout ensued. Almost the whole of them were +either killed or taken prisoners. + +Tarleton in vain endeavored to induce his German legion cavalry to +charge; they stood aloof and at last fled in a body through the +woods. Their commander and 14 officers remained with Tarleton, and +with these and 40 men of the Seventeenth Regiment of dragoons he +charged the whole body of the American cavalry and drove them back +upon the infantry. + +No partial advantage, however brilliant, could retrieve the +misfortune of the day. All was already lost, and Tarleton retreated +with his gallant little band to the main army under Lord Cornwallis, +twenty-five miles from the scene of action. The British infantry were +all killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, with the exception of a +small detachment which had been left in the rear, and who fell back +hastily as soon as the news of the result of the action reached them. +The legion cavalry returned to camp without the loss of a man. + +The defeat at Cowpens had a serious influence on the campaign. It +deprived Lord Cornwallis of the greater portion of his light +infantry, who were of the greatest utility in a campaign in such a +country, while the news of the action had an immense influence in +raising the spirits of the colonists. Hitherto they had uniformly met +with ill success when they opposed the British with forces even +approaching an equality of strength. In spite of their superior arms +and superior shooting, they were unable to stand the charge of the +British infantry, who had come almost to despise them as foes in the +field. The unexpected success urged them to fresh exertions and +brought to their side vast numbers of waverers. + +General Morgan, who was joined by General Greene, attempted to +prevent Cornwallis passing the fords of the Catawba. It was not till +February 1 that the river had fallen sufficiently to render a passage +possible. Colonel Webster was sent with his division to one of the +principal fords, with orders to open a cannonade there and make a +feint of crossing, while the general himself moved toward a smaller +and less-known ford. General Davidson, with 300 Americans, was +watching this point, but the brigade of guards were ordered to +commence the passage and were led by their light infantry companies +under Colonel Hall. The river was five hundred yards across, and the +stream so strong that the men, marching in fours, had to support one +another to enable them to withstand its force. The ford took a sharp +turn in the middle of the river. + +The night being dark, the guards were not perceived until they had +reached this point, when the enemy immediately opened fire upon them. +The guide at once fled, without his absence being noticed until it +was too late to stop him. Colonel Hall, not knowing of the bend in +the ford, led his men straight forward toward the opposite bank, and +although their difficulties were much increased by the greater depth +of water through which they had to pass, the mistake was really the +means of saving them from much loss, as the Americans were assembled +to meet them at the head of the ford, and would have inflicted a +heavy loss upon them as they struggled in the stream. They did not +perceive the change in the direction of the column's march until too +late, and the guards, on landing, met them as they came on and +quickly routed and dispersed them. The British lost 4 killed, among +whom was Colonel Hall, and 36 wounded. + +The rest of the division then crossed. Colonel Tarleton, with the +cavalry, was sent against 500 of the Americans who had fallen back +from the various fords, and, burning with the desire to retrieve the +defeat of the Cowpens, the legion horse charged the enemy with such +fury that they were completely routed, 50 of them being killed. + +Morgan and Greene withdrew their army through the Roanoke River, +hotly pursued by the English. For a few days the British army +remained at Hillsborough, but no supplies of food sufficient for its +maintenance could be found there, so it again fell back. General +Greene, being re-enforced by a considerable force, now determined to +fight, and accordingly advanced and took up a position near Guilford +Court House. + +[Illustration: Battle of Guilford Fought on the 16th of March 1781.] + +The American force consisted of 4243 infantry and some 3000 +irregulars--for the most part backwoodsmen from the frontier--while +the British force amounted to 1445, exclusive of their cavalry, who, +however, took little part in the fight. About four miles from +Guilford the advanced guards of the army met and a sharp fight +ensued--the Americans, under Colonel Lee, maintaining their ground +stanchly until the Twenty-third Regiment came up to the assistance of +Tarleton, who commanded the advance. + +The main American force was posted in an exceedingly strong position. +Their first line was on commanding ground, with open fields in front; +on their flanks were woods, and a strong fence ran along in front of +their line. The second line was posted in a wood three hundred yards +in rear of the first, while four hundred yards behind were three +brigades drawn up in the open ground round Guilford Court House. +Colonel Washington, with two regiments of dragoons and one of +riflemen, formed a reserve for the right flank; Colonel Lee, with his +command, was in reserve on the left. + +As soon as the head of the British column appeared in sight two guns +upon the road opened fire upon them and were answered by the English +artillery. While the cannonade continued the British formed in order +of attack. The Seventy-first, with a provincial regiment, supported +by the first battalion of the guards, formed the right; the +Twenty-third and Thirty-third, led by Colonel Webster, with the +grenadiers and second battalion of guards, formed the left. The light +infantry of the guards and the cavalry were in reserve. + +When the order was given to advance the line moved forward in perfect +steadiness, and at 150 yards the enemy opened fire. The English did +not fire a shot till within 80 yards, when they poured in a volley +and charged with the bayonet. The first line of the enemy at once +fell back upon the second; here a stout resistance was made. Posted +in the woods and sheltering themselves behind trees, they kept up for +some time a galling fire which did considerable execution. General +Leslie brought up the right wing of the first battalion of guards +into the front line and Colonel Webster called up the second +battalion. The enemy's second line now fell back on their third, +which was composed of their best troops, and the struggle was a very +obstinate one. + +The Americans, from their vastly superior numbers, occupied so long a +line of ground that the English commanders, in order to face them, +were obliged to leave large gaps between the different regiments. +Thus it happened that Webster, who with the Thirty-third Regiment, +the light infantry, and the second battalion of guards turned toward +the left, found himself separated from the rest of the troops by the +enemy, who pushed in between him and the Twenty-third. These again +were separated from the guards. The ground was very hilly, the wood +exceedingly thick, and the English line became broken up into +regiments separated from each other, each fighting on its own account +and ignorant of what was going on in other parts of the field. + +The second battalion of guards was the first that broke through the +wood into the open grounds of Guilford Court House. They immediately +attacked a considerable force drawn up there, routed them, and took +their two cannon with them; but, pursuing them with too much ardor +and impetuosity toward the woods in the rear, were thrown into +confusion by a heavy fire from another body of troops placed there, +and being instantly charged by Washington's dragoons, were driven +back with great slaughter and the cannon were retaken. + +At this moment the British guns, advancing along the road through the +wood, issued into the open and checked the pursuit of the Americans +by a well-directed fire. The Seventy-first and the Twenty-third now +came through the wood. The second battalion of guards rallied and +again advanced, and the enemy were quickly repulsed and put to +flight. The two guns were recaptured, with two others. + +Colonel Webster, with the Thirty-third, returned across the ravine +through which he had driven the enemy opposed to him, and rejoined +the rest of the force. The Americans drew off in good order. The +Twenty-third and Twenty-first pursued with the cavalry for a short +distance and were then recalled. The fight was now over on the center +and left, but on the right heavy firing was still going on. Here +General Leslie, with the first battalion of guards and a Hessian +regiment, had been greatly impeded by the excessive thickness of the +woods, which rendered it impossible to charge with the bayonet. As +they struggled through the thicket the enemy swarmed around them, so +that they were at times engaged in front, flanks, and rear. The enemy +were upon an exceedingly steep rise, and lying along the top of this +they poured such a heavy fire into the guards that these suffered +exceedingly; nevertheless they struggled up to the top and drove the +front line back, but found another far more numerous drawn up behind. +As the guards struggled up to the crest they were received by a +tremendous fire on their front and flanks and suffered so heavily +that they fell into confusion. The Hessian regiment, which had +suffered but slightly, advanced in compact order to the left of the +guards, and, wheeling to the right, took the enemy in the flank with +a very heavy fire. Under cover of this the guards re-formed and moved +forward to join the Hessians and complete the repulse of the enemy +opposed to them. They were again attacked both in the flank and the +rear, but at last they completely dispersed the troops surrounding +them and the battle came to an end. + +This battle was one of the most obstinate and well-contested +throughout the war, and the greatest credit is due to the British, +who drove the enemy, three times their own number, from the ground +chosen by them and admirably adapted to their mode of warfare. + +The loss, as might have been expected, was heavy, amounting to 93 +killed and 413 wounded--nearly a third of the force engaged. Between +two and three hundred of the enemy's dead were found on the field of +battle, and a great portion of their army was disbanded. The +sufferings of the wounded on the following night were great. A +tremendous rain fell, and the battle had extended over so large an +area that it was impossible to find and collect them. The troops had +had no food during the day and had marched several miles before they +came into action. Nearly 50 of the wounded died during the night. + +Decisive as the victory was, its consequences were slight. Lord +Cornwallis was crippled by his heavy loss, following that which the +force had suffered at the Cowpens. The two battles had diminished the +strength of his little force by fully half. Provisions were difficult +to obtain, and the inhabitants, some of whom had suffered greatly +upon previous occasions for their loyal opinions, seeing the weakness +of the force and the improbability of its being enabled to maintain +itself, were afraid to lend assistance or to show their sympathy, as +they would be exposed on its retreat to the most cruel persecutions +by the enemy. + +Three days after the battle Lord Cornwallis retired, leaving 70 of +the wounded, who were unable to move, under the protection of a flag +of truce. From Guilford Court House he moved his troops to +Wilmington, in North Carolina, a seaport where he hoped to obtain +provisions and stores, especially clothing and shoes. + +General Greene, left unmolested after his defeat, reassembled his +army, and receiving re-enforcements, marched at full speed to attack +Lord Rawdon at Camden, thinking that he would, with his greatly +superior force, be able to destroy him in his isolated situation. The +English commander fortified his position and the American general +drew back and encamped on Hobkirk Hill, two miles distant, to await +the coming of his heavy baggage and cannon, together with some +re-enforcements. Lord Rawdon determined to take the initiative, and +marching out with his whole force of 900 men, advanced to the attack. +The hill was covered at its foot by a deep swamp, but the English +marched round this and stormed the position. The Americans made an +obstinate resistance, but the English climbed the hill with such +impetuosity, in spite of the musketry and grape-shot of the enemy, +that they were forced to give way. Several times they returned to the +attack, but were finally driven off in confusion. One hundred +prisoners were taken, and Lord Rawdon estimated that 400 of the enemy +were killed and wounded. The American estimate was considerably +lower, and as the Americans fought with all the advantage of +position, while the English were exposed during their ascent to a +terrible fire, which they were unable to return effectively, it is +probable that the American loss, including the wounded, was inferior +to that of the English, whose casualties amounted to 258. + +Harold and his companions did not take part either in the battle of +Guilford Court House or in that of Hobkirk Hill, having been attached +to the fort known as Ninety-six, because a milestone with these +figures upon it stood in the village. The force here was under the +command of Lieutenant Colonel Cruger, who had with him 150 men of a +provincial corps known as Delancey's, 200 of the second battalion of +the New Jersey volunteers, and 200 local loyalists. The post was far +advanced, but so long as Lord Rawdon remained at Camden its position +was not considered to be dangerous. The English general, however, +after winning the battle of Hobkirk Hill, received news of the +retirement of Lord Cornwallis toward Wilmington, and seeing that he +would thereby be exposed to the whole of the American forces in South +Carolina and would infallibly be cut off from Charleston, he +determined to retire upon that port. Before falling back he sent +several messengers to Colonel Cruger, acquainting him of his +intention. But so well were the roads guarded by the enemy that none +of the messengers reached Ninety-six. + +Colonel Cruger, being uneasy at the length of time which had elapsed +since he had received any communication, sent Harold and the two +scouts out with instructions to make their way toward the enemy's +lines and, if possible, to bring in a prisoner. This they had not +much difficulty in doing. Finding out the position of two parties of +the Americans, they placed themselves on the road between them. No +long time elapsed before an American officer came along. A shot from +Peter's rifle killed his horse, and before the officer could recover +his feet, he was seized by the scouts. They remained hidden in the +wood during the day and at night returned with their prisoner to +Ninety-six, thirty miles distant, avoiding all villages where +resistance could be offered by hostile inhabitants. + +From the prisoner Colonel Cruger learned that Lord Rawdon had +retreated from Camden and that he was therefore entirely isolated. +The position was desperate, but he determined to defend the post to +the last, confident that Lord Rawdon would, as soon as possible, +undertake an expedition for his release. + +The whole garrison was at once set to work, stockades were erected, +earthworks thrown up, a redoubt--formed of casks filled with +earth--constructed, and the whole strengthened by ditches and +abattis. Blockhouses were erected in the village to enable the troops +to fire over the stockades, and covered communications made between +various works. The right of the village was defended by a regular +work called the Star. To the left was a work commanding a rivulet +from which the place drew its supply of water. + +Colonel Cruger offered the volunteers, who were a mounted corps, +permission to return to Charleston, but they refused to accept the +offer, and, turning their horses into the woods, determined to share +the fate of the garrison. In making this offer the colonel was +influenced partly by motives of policy, as the stock of provisions +was exceedingly scanty, and he feared that they would not last if the +siege should be a long one. Besides this, he feared that, as had +already too often happened, should the place fall, even the solemn +engagement of the terms of the surrender would not be sufficient to +protect the loyalists against the vengeance of their countrymen. + +On May 21 General Greene, with his army, appeared in sight of the +place and encamped in a wood within cannon-shot of the village. He +lost no time, and in the course of the night threw up two works +within seventy paces of the fortifications. The English commander did +not suffer so rash and disdainful a step to pass unpunished. The +scouts, who were outside the works, brought in news of what was being +done, and also that the working parties were protected by a strong +force. + +The three guns which constituted the entire artillery of the +defenders were moved noiselessly to the salient angle of the Star +opposite the works, and at eleven o'clock in the morning these +suddenly opened fire, aided by musketry from the parapets. The +covering force precipitately retreated, and 30 men sallied out from +the fort, carried the intrenchments, and bayoneted their defenders. +Other troops followed, the works were destroyed, and the intrenching +tools carried into the fort. General Greene, advancing with his whole +army, arrived only in time to see the last of the sallying party +re-enter the village. + +"I call that a right-down good beginning," Peter Lambton said, in +great exultation. "There's nothing like hitting a hard blow at the +beginning of the fight. It raises your spirits and makes t'other chap +mighty cautious. You'll see next time they'll begin their works at a +much more respectful distance." + +Peter was right. The blow checked the impetuosity of the American +general, and on the night of the 23d he opened his trenches at a +distance of four hundred yards. Having so large a force, he was able +to push forward with great rapidity, although the garrison made +several gallant sorties to interfere with the work. + +On June 3 the second parallel was completed. A formal summons was +sent to the British commander to surrender. This document was couched +in the most insolent language and contained the most unsoldierlike +threats of the consequences which would befall the garrison and its +commander if he offered further resistance. Colonel Cruger sent back +a verbal answer that he was not frightened by General Greene's +menaces and that he should defend the post until the last. + +The American batteries now opened with a heavy cross-fire, which +enfiladed several of the works. They also pushed forward a sap +against the Star fort and erected a battery, composed of gabions, +thirty-six yards only from the abattis and raised forty feet high so +as to overlook the works of the garrison. The riflemen posted on its +top did considerable execution and prevented the British guns being +worked during the day. + +The garrison tried to burn the battery by firing heated shot into it, +but from want of proper furnaces they were unable to heat the shot +sufficiently, and the attempt failed. They then protected their +parapets as well as they could by sand-bags with loop-holes, through +which the defenders did considerable execution with their rifles. + +Harold and his two comrades, whose skill with their weapons was +notorious, had their post behind some sand-bags immediately facing +the battery, and were able completely to silence the fire of its +riflemen, as it was certain death to show a head above its parapet. + +The enemy attempted to set fire to the houses of the village by +shooting blazing arrows into them, a heavy musketry and artillery +fire being kept up to prevent the defenders from quenching the +flames. These succeeded, however, in preventing any serious +conflagration, but Colonel Cruger ordered at once that the whole of +the houses should be unroofed. Thus the garrison were for the rest of +the siege without protection from the rain and night air, but all +risk of a fire, which might have caused the consumption of their +stores, was avoided. + +While the siege had been going on the town of Augusta had fallen, and +Lieutenant Colonel Lee, marching thence to re-enforce General Greene, +brought with him the British prisoners taken there. With a scandalous +want of honorable feeling he marched these prisoners along in full +sight of the garrison, with all the parade of martial music, and +preceded by a British standard reversed. + +If the intention was to discourage the garrison it failed entirely in +its effect. Fired with indignation at so shameful a sight, they +determined to encounter every danger and endure every hardship rather +than fall into the hands of an enemy capable of disgracing their +success by so wanton an insult to their prisoners. + +The Americans, strengthened by the junction of the troops who had +reduced Augusta, began to make approaches against the stockaded fort +on the left of the village, which kept open the communication of the +garrison with their water supply. The operations on this side were +intrusted to Colonel Lee, while General Greene continued to direct +those against the Star. + +On the night of June 9 a sortie was made by two strong parties of the +defenders. That to the right entered the enemy's trenches and +penetrated to a battery of four guns, which nothing but the want of +spikes and hammers prevented them from destroying. Here they +discovered the mouth of a mine intended to be carried under one of +the defenses of the Star. + +The division on the left fell in with the covering party of the +Americans, killed a number of them, and made their commanding officer +a prisoner. + +On the 12th Colonel Lee determined to attempt a storm of the stockade +on the left, and sent forward a sergeant and six men, with lighted +combustibles, to set fire to the abattis. The whole of them were +killed before effecting their purpose. A number of additional cannon +now arrived from Augusta, and so heavy and incessant a fire was +opened upon the stockade from three batteries that on the 17th it was +no longer tenable, and the garrison evacuated it in the night. + +The suffering of the garrison for want of water now became extreme. +With great labor a well had been dug in the fort, but no water was +found, and none could be procured except from the rivulet within +pistol-shot of the enemy. In the day nothing could be done, but at +night negroes, whose bodies in the darkness were not easily +distinguished from the tree-stumps which surrounded them, went out +and at great risk brought in a scanty supply. The position of the +garrison became desperate. Colonel Cruger, however, was not +discouraged, and did his best to sustain the spirits of his troops by +assurances that Lord Rawdon was certain to attempt to relieve the +place as soon as he possibly could do so. + +At length one day, to the delight of the garrison, an American +royalist rode right through the pickets under the fire of the enemy +and delivered a verbal message from Lord Rawdon to the effect that he +had passed Orangeburg and was on his march to raise the siege. + +Lord Rawdon had been forced to remain at Charleston until the arrival +of three fresh regiments from Ireland enabled him to leave that place +in safety and march to the relief of Ninety-six. His force amounted +to 1800 infantry and 150 cavalry. General Greene had also received +news of Lord Rawdon's movements, and, finding from his progress that +it would be impossible to reduce the fort by regular approaches +before his arrival, he determined to hazard an assault. + +The American works had been pushed up close to the forts, and the +third parallel had been completed, and a mine and two trenches +extended within a few feet of the ditch. On the morning of June 18 a +heavy cannonade was begun from all the American batteries. The Whole +of the batteries and trenches were lined with riflemen, whose fire +prevented the British from showing their heads, above the parapets. +At noon two parties of the enemy advanced under cover of their +trenches and made a lodgment in the ditch. These were followed by +other parties with hooks to drag down the sand-bags and tools to +overthrow the parapet. They were exposed to the fire of the +block-houses in the village, and Major Green, the English officer who +commanded the Star fort, had his detachment in readiness behind the +parapet to receive the enemy when they attempted to storm. + +As the main body of Americans did not advance beyond the third +parallel and contented themselves with supporting the parties in the +ditch with their fire, the commander of the fort resolved to inflict +a heavy blow. Two parties, each 30 strong, under the command of +Captains Campbell and French, issued from the sally-port in the rear, +entered the ditch, and, taking opposite directions, charged the +Americans who had made the lodgment with such impetuosity that they +drove everything before them until they met. The bayonet alone was +used and the carnage was great--two-thirds of those who entered the +trenches were either killed or wounded. + +General Greene, finding it useless any longer to continue the +attempt, called off his troops, and on the following day raised the +siege and marched away with all speed, having lost at least 300 men +in the siege. Of the garrison 27 were killed and 58 wounded. + +On the 21st Lord Rawdon arrived at Ninety-six and, finding that it +would be hopeless for him to attempt to overtake the retreating +enemy, who were marching with great speed, he drew off the garrison +of Ninety-six and fell back toward the coast. + +A short time afterward a sharp fight ensued between a force under +Colonel Stewart and the army of General Greene. The English were +taken by surprise and were at first driven back, but they recovered +from their confusion and renewed the fight with great spirit, and +after a desperate conflict the Americans were repulsed. Two cannon +and 60 prisoners were taken; among the latter Colonel Washington, who +commanded the reserve. The loss on both sides was about equal, as 250 +of the British troops were taken prisoners at the first outset. The +American killed considerably exceeded our own. Both, parties claimed +the victory; the Americans because they had forced the British to +retreat; the British because they had ultimately driven the Americans +from the field and obliged them to retire to a strong position seven +miles in the rear This was the last action of the war in South +Carolina. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +THE END OF THE STRUGGLE. + +Being unable to obtain any supplies at Wilmington, Lord Cornwallis +determined to march on into Virginia and to effect a junction with +the British force under General Arnold operating there. Arnold +advanced to Petersburg and Cornwallis effected a junction with him on +May 20. The Marquis de la Fayette, who commanded the colonial forces +here, fell back. Just at this time the Count de Grasse, with a large +French fleet, arrived off the coast, and, after some consultation +with General Washington, determined that the French fleet and the +whole American army should operate together to crush the forces under +Lord Cornwallis. + +The English were hoodwinked by reports that the French fleet was +intended to operate against New York, and it was not until they +learned that the Count de Grasse had arrived with twenty-eight ships +of the line at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay that the true object +of the expedition was seen. A portion of the English fleet +encountered them, but after irregular actions, lasting over five +days, the English drew off and retired to New York. The +commander-in-chief then attempted to effect a diversion, in order to +draw off some of the enemy who were surrounding Cornwallis. The fort +of New London was stormed after some desperate fighting, and great +quantities of ammunition and stores and fifty pieces of cannon taken. +General Washington did not allow his attention to be distracted. +Matters were in a most critical condition, for although to the +English the prospect of ultimate success appeared slight indeed, the +Americans were in a desperate condition. Their immense and +long-continued efforts had been unattended with any material success. +It was true that the British troops held no more ground now than they +did at the end of the first year of the war, but no efforts of the +colonists had succeeded in wresting that ground from them. The people +were exhausted and utterly disheartened. Business of all sorts was at +a standstill. Money had ceased to circulate, and the credit of +Congress stood so low that its bonds had ceased to have any value +whatever. The soldiers were unpaid, ill fed, and mutinous. If on the +English side it seemed that the task of conquering was beyond them, +the Americans were ready to abandon the defense from sheer +exhaustion. It was then of paramount necessity to General Washington +that a great and striking success should be obtained to animate the +spirits of the people. + +Cornwallis, seeing the formidable combination which the French and +Americans were making to crush him, sent message after message to New +York to ask for aid from the commander-in-chief, and received +assurances from him that he would at once sail with 4000 troops to +join him. Accordingly, in obedience to his orders, Lord Cornwallis +fortified himself at Yorktown. + +On September 28 the combined army of French and Americans, consisting +of 7000 of the former and 12,000 of the latter, appeared before +Yorktown and the post at Gloucester. Lord Cornwallis had 5960 men, +but so great had been the effects of the deadly climate in the autumn +months that only 4017 men were reported as fit for duty. + +The enemy at once invested the town and opened their trenches against +it. From their fleet they had drawn an abundance of heavy artillery, +and on October 9 their batteries opened a tremendous fire upon the +works. Each day they pushed their trenches closer, and the British +force was too weak, in comparison with the number of its assailants, +to venture upon sorties. The fire from the works was completely +overpowered by that of the enemy, and the ammunition was nearly +exhausted. Day after day passed and still the promised re-enforcements +did not arrive. Lord Cornwallis was told positively that the fleet +would set sail on October 8, but it came not, nor did it leave port +until the 19th, the day on which Lord Cornwallis surrendered. + +On the 16th, finding that he must either surrender or break through, +he determined to cross the river and fall on the French rear with his +whole force and then turn northward and force his way through +Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the Jerseys. In the night the light +infantry, the greater part of the guards, and part of the +Twenty-third were embarked in boats and crossed to the Gloucester +side of the river before midnight. At this critical moment a violent +storm arose which prevented the boats returning. The enemy's fire +reopened at daybreak, and the engineer and principal officers of the +army gave it as their opinion that it was impossible to resist +longer. Only one eight-inch shell and a hundred small ones remained. +The defenses had in many places tumbled to ruins, and no effectual +resistance could be opposed to an assault. + +Accordingly Lord Cornwallis sent out a flag of truce and arranged +terms of surrender. On the 24th the fleet and re-enforcements arrived +off the mouth of the Chesapeake. Had they left New York at the time +promised, the result of the campaign would have been different. + +The army surrendered as prisoners of war until exchanged, the +officers with liberty to proceed on parole to Europe and not to serve +until exchanged. The loyal Americans were embarked on the _Bonito_, +sloop of war, and sent to New York in safety, Lord Cornwallis having +obtained permission to send off the ship without her being searched, +with as many soldiers on board as he should think fit, so that they +were accounted for in any further exchange. He was thus enabled to +send off such of the inhabitants and loyalist troops as would have +suffered from the vengeance of the Americans. + +The surrender of Lord Cornwallis' army virtually ended the war. The +burden entailed on the people in England by the great struggle +against France, Spain, Holland, and America, united in arms against +her, was enormous. So long as there appeared any chance of recovering +the colony the English people made the sacrifices required of them, +but the conviction that it was impossible for them to wage a war with +half of Europe and at the same time to conquer a continent had been +gaining more and more in strength. Even the most sanguine were +silenced by the surrender of Yorktown, and a cry arose throughout the +country that peace should at once be made. + +As usual under the circumstances, a change of ministry took place. +Negotiations for peace were at once commenced, and the war terminated +in the acknowledgment of the entire independence of the United States +of America. + +Harold with his companions had fallen back to Charleston with Lord +Rawdon after the relief of Ninety-six, and remained there until the +news arrived that the negotiations were on foot and that peace was +now certain. Then he took his discharge and sailed at once for +England, accompanied by Jake; Peter Lambton taking a passage to +Canada to carry out his intention of settling at Montreal. + +Harold was now past twenty-two, and his father and mother did not +recognize him when, without warning, he arrived at their residence in +Devonshire. It was six years since his mother had seen him, when she +sailed from Boston before its surrender in 1776. + +For a year he remained quiet at home, and then carried out his plan +of returning to the American continent and settling in Canada. + +Accompanied by Jake, he sailed for the St. Lawrence and purchased a +snug farm on its banks, near the spot where it flows from Lake +Ontario. + +He greatly improved it, built a comfortable house upon it, and two +years later returned to England, whence he brought back his Cousin +Nelly as his wife. + +Her little fortune was used in adding to the farm, and it became one +of the largest and best managed in the country. Peter Lambton +found Montreal too crowded for him and settled down on the estate, +supplying it with fish and game so long as his strength enabled him +to go about, and enjoying the society of Jack Pearson, who had +married and established himself on a farm close by. As years went +on and the population increased the property became very valuable, +and Harold, before he died, was one of the wealthiest and most +respected men in the colony. So long as his mother lived he and his +wife paid occasional visits to England, but after her death his +family and farm had so increased that it was inconvenient to leave +them; his father therefore returned with him to Canada and ended his +life there. Jake lived to a good old age and was Harold's faithful +friend and right-hand man to the last. + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of True to the Old Flag, by G. A. 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Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7128d06 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #8859 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/8859) diff --git a/old/7oflg10.txt b/old/7oflg10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2cd2351 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/7oflg10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11651 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of True to the Old Flag, by G. A. Henty +#22 in our series by G. A. Henty + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: True to the Old Flag + A Tale of the American War of Independence + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: September, 2005 [EBook #8859] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 15, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG *** + + + + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG + +A TALE OF THE AMERICAN WAR +OF INDEPENDENCE + + + + +By +G. A. HENTY + +Author Of "With Clive In India," "The Dragon And The Raven," +"With Lee In Virginia," "By England's Aid," "In The Reign Of Terror," +"With Wolfe In Canada," "Captain Bayley's Heir," Etc. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + +I. A FRONTIER FARM + +II. AN INDIAN RAID + +III. THE REDSKIN ATTACK + +IV. THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON + +V. BUNKER'S HILL + +VI. SCOUTING + +VII. IN THE FOREST + +VIII. QUEBEC + +IX. THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON + +X. A TREACHEROUS PLANTER + +XI. THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA + +XII. THE SETTLER'S HUT + +XIII. SARATOGA + +XIV. RESCUED! + +XV. THE ISLAND REFUGE + +XVI. THE GREAT STORM + +XVII. THE SCOUT'S STORY + +XVIII. THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH + +XIX. IN AN AMERICAN PRISON + +XX. THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA + +XXI. THE END OF THE STRUGGLE + + + + +PREFACE. + + +MY DEAR LADS: + +You have probably been accustomed to regard the war between England +and her colonies in America as one in which we were not only beaten +but, to some extent, humiliated. Owing to the war having been an +unsuccessful one for our arms, British writers have avoided the +subject, and it has been left for American historians to describe. +These, writing for their own countrymen, and drawing for their facts +upon gazettes, letters, and other documents emanating from one side +only, have, naturally, and no doubt insensibly, given a very strong +color to their own views of the events, and English writers have been +too much inclined to accept their account implicitly. There is, +however, another and very different side to the story, and this I +have endeavored to show you. The whole of the facts and details +connected with the war can be relied upon as accurate. They are drawn +from the valuable account of the struggle written by Major Steadman, +who served under Howe, Clinton, and Cornwallis, and from other +authentic contemporary sources. You will see that, although +unsuccessful,--and success was, under the circumstances, a sheer +impossibility,--the British troops fought with a bravery which was +never exceeded, and that their victories in actual conflict vastly +outnumbered their defeats. Indeed, it may be doubted whether in any +war in which this country has been engaged have our soldiers +exhibited the qualities of endurance and courage to a higher degree. + +Yours very sincerely, + +G. A. HENTY. + + + + + + +TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +A FRONTIER FARM. + + +"Concord, March 1, 1774. + +"MY DEAR COUSIN: I am leaving next week with my husband for England, +where we intend to pass some time visiting his friends. John and I +have determined to accept the invitation you gave us last summer for +Harold to come and spend a few months with you. His father thinks +that a great future will, ere many years, open in the West, and that +it is therefore well the boy should learn something of frontier life. +For myself, I would rather that he stayed quietly at home, for he is +at present over-fond of adventure; but as my husband is meditating +selling his estate here and moving West, it is perhaps better for him. + +"Massachusetts is in a ferment, as indeed are all the Eastern States, +and the people talk openly of armed resistance against the +Government. My husband, being of English birth and having served in +the king's army, cannot brook what he calls the rebellious talk which +is common among his neighbors, and is already on bad terms with many +around us. I myself am, as it were, a neutral. As an American woman, +it seems to me that the colonists have been dealt with somewhat +hardly by the English Parliament, and that the measures of the latter +have been high-handed and arbitrary. Upon the other hand, I naturally +incline toward my husband's views. He maintains that, as the king's +army has driven out the French, and gives protection to the colony, +it is only fair that the colonists should contribute to its expenses. +The English ask for no contributions toward the expense of their own +country, but demand that, at least, the expenses of the protection of +the colony shall not be charged upon the heavily taxed people at +home. As to the law that the colony shall trade only with the mother +country, my husband says that this is the rule in the colonies of +Spain, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands, and that the people +here, who can obtain what land they choose and till it without rent, +should not grumble at paying this small tax to the mother country. +However it be, I fear that troubles will come, and, this place being +the head and focus of the party hostile to England, my husband, +feeling himself out of accord with all his neighbors, saying a few +loyal gentlemen like himself, is thinking much and seriously of +selling our estate here and of moving away into the new countries of +the West, where he will be free from all the disputation and +contentious talk which occupies men's time here. + +"Indeed, cousin, times have sadly changed since you were staying here +with us five years ago. Then our life was a peaceful and quiet one; +now there is nothing but wrangling and strife. The dissenting clergy +are, as my husband says was the case in England before the great +civil war, the fomenters of this discontent. There are many +busybodies who pass their time in stirring up the people by violent +harangues and seditious writings; therefore everyone takes one side +or the other, and there is neither peace nor comfort in life. + +"Accustomed as I have always been to living in ease and affluence, I +dread, somewhat, the thought of a life on the Indian frontier. One +has heard so many dreadful stories of Indian fights and massacres +that I tremble a little at the prospect; but I do not mention this to +John, for as other women are, like yourself, brave enough to support +these dangers, I would not appear a coward in his eyes. You will see, +cousin, that, as this prospect is before us, it is well that Harold +should learn the ways of a frontier life. Moreover, John does not +like the thought of leaving him here while we are in England; for, as +he says, the boy might learn to become a rebel in his absence; +therefore, my dear cousin, we have resolved to send him to you. An +opportunity offers, in the fact that a gentleman of our acquaintance +is, with his family, going this week West, with the intention of +settling there, and he will, he tells us, go first to Detroit, whence +he will be able to send Harold forward to your farm. The boy himself +is delighted at the thought, and promises to return an accomplished +backwoodsman. John joins me in kind love to yourself and your +husband, and believe me to remain, + +"Your Affectionate Cousin, + +"MARY WILSON." + + +Four months after the date of the above letter a lad some fifteen +years old was walking with a man of middle age on the shores of Lake +Huron. Behind them was a large clearing of about a hundred acres in +extent; a comfortable house, with buildings for cattle, stood at a +distance of some three hundred yards from the lake; broad fields of +yellow corn waved brightly in the sun; and from the edge of the +clearing came the sound of a woodsman's ax, showing that the +proprietor was still enlarging the limits of his farm. Surrounding +the house, at a distance of twenty yards, was a strong stockade some +seven feet in height, formed of young trees, pointed at the upper +end, squared, and fixed firmly in the ground. The house itself, +although far more spacious and comfortable than the majority of +backwood farmhouses, was built in the usual fashion, of solid logs, +and was evidently designed to resist attack. + +William Welch had settled ten years before on this spot, which was +then far removed from the nearest habitation. It would have been a +very imprudent act, under ordinary circumstances, to have established +himself in so lonely a position, so far removed from the possibility +of assistance in case of attack. He settled there, however, just +after Pontiac, who was at the head of an alliance of all the Indian +tribes of those parts, had, after the long and desperate siege of +Fort Pitt, made peace with us upon finding that his friends, the +French, had given up all thought of further resistance to the +English, and had entirely abandoned the country. Mr. Welch thought, +therefore, that a permanent peace was likely to reign on the +frontier, and that he might safely establish himself in the charming +location he had pitched upon, far removed from the confines of +civilization. + +The spot was a natural clearing of some forty acres in extent, +sloping down to the water's edge, and a more charming site could +hardly have been chosen. Mr. Welch had brought with him three farm +laborers from the East, and, as time went on, he extended the +clearing by cutting down the forest giants which bordered it. + +But in spite of the beauty of the position, the fertility of the +soil, the abundance of his crops, and the advantages afforded by the +lake, both from its plentiful supply of fish and as a highway by +which he could convey his produce to market, he had more than once +regretted his choice of location. It was true that there had been no +Indian wars on a large scale, but the Indians had several times +broken out in sudden incursions. Three times he had been attacked, +but, fortunately, only by small parties, which he had been enabled to +beat off. Once, when a more serious danger threatened him, he had +been obliged to embark, with his wife and child and his more valuable +chattels, in the great scow in which he carried his produce to +market, and had to take refuge in the settlements, to find, on his +return, his buildings destroyed and his farm wasted. At that time he +had serious thoughts of abandoning his location altogether, but the +settlements were extending rapidly toward him, and, with the prospect +of having neighbors before long and the natural reluctance to give up +a place upon which he had expended so much toil, he decided to hold +on; hoping that more quiet times would prevail, until other settlers +would take up land around him. + +The house had been rebuilt more strongly than before. He now employed +four men, and had been unmolested since his return to his farm, three +years before the date of this story. Already two or three locations +had been taken up on the shores of the lake beyond him, a village had +grown up thirty-five miles away, and several settlers had established +themselves between that place and his home. + +"So you are going out fishing this morning, Harold?" Mr. Welch said. +"I hope you will bring back a good supply, for the larder is low. I +was looking at you yesterday, and I see that you are becoming a +first-rate hand at the management of a canoe." + +"So I ought to be," the boy said, "considering that for nearly three +months I have done nothing but shoot and fish." + +"You have a sharp eye, Harold, and will make a good backwoodsman one +of these days. You can shoot nearly as well as I can now. It is lucky +that I had a good stock of powder and lead on hand; firing away by +the hour together, as you do, consumes a large amount of ammunition. +See, there is a canoe on the lake; it is coming this way, too. There +is but one man in it; he is a white, by his clothes." + +For a minute or two they stood watching the boat, and then, seeing +that its course was directed toward the shore, they walked down to +the edge of the lake to meet it. + +"Ah, Pearson! is that you?" Mr. Welch asked. "I thought I knew your +long, sweeping stroke at a distance. You have been hunting, I see; +that is a fine stag you have got there. What is the news?" + +"About as bad as can be, Master Welch," the hunter said. "The +Iroquois have dug up the tomahawk again and are out on the war-path. +They have massacred John Brent and his family. I heard a talk of it +among some hunters I met ten days since in the woods. They said that +the Iroquois were restless and that their chief, War Eagle, one of +the most troublesome varmints on the whole frontier, had been +stirring 'em up to war. He told 'em, I heard, that the pale-faces +were pushing further and further into the Injun woods, and that, +unless they drove 'em back, the redskin hunting grounds would be +gone. I hoped that nothing would come of it, but I might have known +better. When the redskins begin to stir there's sure to be mischief +before they're quiet again." + +The color had somewhat left Mr. Welch's cheeks as the hunter spoke. + +"This is bad news, indeed, Pearson," he said gravely. "Are you sure +about the attack on the Brents?" + +"Sartin sure," the hunter said. "I met their herder; he had been down +to Johnson's to fetch a barrel of pork. Just when he got back he +heard the Injun yells and saw smoke rising in the clearing, so he +dropped the barrel and made tracks. I met him at Johnson's, where he +had just arrived. Johnson was packing up with all haste and was going +to leave, and so I said I would take my canoe and come down the lake, +giving you all warning on the way. I stopped at Burns' and Hooper's. +Burns said he should clear out at once, but Hooper talked about +seeing it through. He's got no wife to be skeary about, and reckoned +that, with his two hands, he could defend his log hut. I told him I +reckoned he would get his har raised if the Injuns came that way; +but, in course, that's his business." + +"What do you advise, Pearson? I do not like abandoning this farm to +the mercy of the redskins." + +"It would be a pity, Master Welch, that's as true as Gospel. It's the +likeliest clearing within fifty miles round, and you've fixed the +place up as snug and comfortable as if it were a farm in the old +provinces. In course the question is what this War Eagle intends to +do. His section of the tribe is pretty considerable strong, and +although at present I aint heard that any others have joined, these +Injuns are like barrels of gunpowder: when the spark is once struck +there's no saying how far the explosion may spread. When one band of +'em sees as how another is taking scalps and getting plunder and +honor, they all want to be at the same work. I reckon War Eagle has +got some two hundred braves who will follow him; but when the news +spreads that he has begun his work, all the Iroquois, to say nothing +of the Shawnees, Delawares, and other varmint, may dig up the +hatchet. The question is what War Eagle's intentions are. He may make +a clean sweep down, attacking all the outlying farms and waiting till +he is joined by a lot more of the red reptiles before attacking the +settlements. Then, on the other hand, he may think himself strong +enough to strike a blow at Gloucester and some other border villages +at once. In that case he might leave the outlying farms alone, as the +news of the burning of these would reach the settlements and put 'em +on their guard, and he knows, in course, that if he succeeds there he +can eat you all up at his leisure." + +"The attack upon Brent's place looks as if he meant to make a clean +sweep down," Mr. Welch said. + +"Well," the hunter continued thoughtfully, "I don't know as I sees it +in that light. Brent's place was a long way from any other. He might +have wished to give his band a taste of blood, and so raise their +spirits, and he might reasonably conclude that naught would be known +about it for days, perhaps weeks to come. Then, again, the attack +might have been made by some straggling party without orders. It's a +dubious question. You've got four hands here, I think, and yourself. +I have seen your wife shoot pretty straight with a rifle, so she can +count as one, and as this young un, here, has a good idea, too, with +his shooting-iron, that makes six guns. Your place is a strong one, +and you could beat off any straggling party. My idea is that War +Eagle, who knows pretty well that the place would make a stout fight, +won't waste his time by making a regular attack upon it. You might +hold out for twenty-four hours; the clearing is open and there aint +no shelter to be had. He would be safe to lose a sight of men, and +this would be a bad beginning, and would discourage his warriors +greatly. No, I reckon War Eagle will leave you alone for the present. +Maybe he will send a scout to see whether you are prepared; it's as +likely as not that one is spying at us somewhere among the trees now. +I should lose no time in driving in the animals and getting well in +shelter. When they see you are prepared they will leave you alone; at +least, for the present. Afterward there's no saying--that will depend +on how they get on at the settlements. If they succeed there and get +lots of booty and plenty of scalps, they may march back without +touching you; they will be in a hurry to get to their villages and +have their feasts and dancing. If they are beaten off at the +settlements I reckon they will pay you a visit for sure; they won't +go back without scalps. They will be savage like, and won't mind +losing some men for the sake of having something to brag about when +they get back. And now, Master Welch, I must be going on, for I want +to take the news down to the settlements before War Eagle gets there, +and he may be ahead of me now, for aught I know. I don't give you no +advice as to what you had best do; you can judge the circumstances as +well as I can. When I have been to the settlements and put them on +their guard, maybe I shall be coming back again, and, in that case, +you know Jack Pearson's rifle is at your disposal. You may as well +tote this stag up to the house. You won't be doing much hunting just +for the present, and the meat may come in handy." + +The stag was landed, and a minute later the canoe shot away from +shore under the steady stroke of the hunter's powerful arms. Mr. +Welch at once threw the stag over his shoulders and, accompanied by +Harold, strode away toward the house. On reaching it he threw down +the stag at the door, seized a rope which hung against the wall, and +the sounds of a large bell, rung in quick, sharp strokes, summoned +the hands from the fields. The sound of the woodman's ax ceased at +once, and the shouts of the men, as they drove the cattle toward the +house, rose on the still air. + +"What is the matter, William?" Mrs. Welch asked as she ran from the +house. + +"I have bad news, my dear. The Indians are out again, and I fear we +may have trouble before us. We must hope that they will not come in +this direction, but must be prepared for the worst. Wait till I see +all the hands and beasts in the stockade, and then we can talk the +matter over quietly." + +In a few minutes the hands arrived, driving before them the horses +and cattle. + +"What is it, boss?" they asked. "Was that the alarm bell sure +enough?" + +"The Indians are out again," Mr. Welch said, "and in force. They have +massacred the Brents and are making toward the settlements. They may +come this way or they may not; at any rate, we must be prepared for +them. Get the beasts into the sheds, and then do you all take scythes +and set to work to cut down that patch of corn, which is high enough +to give them shelter; there's nothing else which will cover them +within a hundred yards of the house. Of course you will take your +rifles with you and keep a sharp lookout; but they will have heard +the bell, if they are in the neighborhood, and will guess that we +are on the alert, so they are not likely to attempt a surprise. Shut +one of the gates and leave the other ajar, with the bar handy to put +up in case you have to make a run for it. Harold will go up to the +lookout while you are at work." + +Having seen that all was attended to, Mr. Welch went into the house, +where his wife was going about her work as usual, pale, but quiet and +resolute. + +"Now, Jane," he said, "sit down, and I will tell you exactly how +matters stand, as far as Pearson, who brought the news, has told me. +Then you shall decide as to the course we had better take." + +After he had told her all that Pearson had said, and the reasons for +and against expecting an early attack, he went on: + +"Now, it remains for you, my dear, to decide whether we shall stay +and defend the place till the last against any attack that may be +made, or whether we shall at once embark in the scow and make our way +down to the settlements." + +"What do you think, William?" his wife asked. + +"I scarcely know, myself," he answered; "but, if I had quite my own +way, I should send you and Nelly down to the settlements in the scow +and fight it out here with the hands." + +"You certainly will not have your own way in that," his wife said. +"If you go of course I go; if you stay I stay. I would a thousand +times rather go through a siege here, and risk the worst, than go +down to Gloucester and have the frightful anxiety of not knowing what +was happening here. Besides, it is very possible, as you say, that +the Indians may attack the settlement itself. Many of the people +there have had no experience in Indian war, and the redskins are +likely to be far more successful in their surprise there than they +would be here. If we go we should have to leave our house, our barns, +our stacks, and our animals to the mercy of the savages. Your capital +is pretty nearly all embarked here now, and the loss of all this +would be ruin to us. At any rate, William, I am ready to stay here +and to risk what may come if you are. A life on the frontier is +necessarily a life of danger, and if we are to abandon everything and +to have to commence life afresh every time the Indians go on the +war-path, we had better give it up at once and return to +Massachusetts." + +"Very well, my dear," her husband said gravely. "You are a true +frontiersman's wife; you have chosen as I should have done. It is a +choice of evils; but God has blessed and protected us since we came +out into the wilderness--we will trust and confide in him now. At any +rate," he went on more cheerfully, "there is no fear of the enemy +starving us out. We got in our store of provisions only a fortnight +since, and have enough of everything for a three-months' siege. There +is no fear of our well failing us; and as for ammunition, we have +abundance. Seeing how Harold was using powder and ball, I had an +extra supply when the stores came in the other day. There is plenty +of corn in the barn for the animals for months, and I will have the +corn which the men are cutting brought in as a supply of food for the +cows. It will be useful for another purpose, too; we will keep a heap +of it soaked with water and will cover the shingles with it in case +of attack. It will effectually quench their fire arrows." + +The day passed off without the slightest alarm, and by nightfall the +patch of corn was cleared away and an uninterrupted view of the +ground for the distance of a hundred yards from the house was +afforded. When night fell two out of the four dogs belonging to the +farm were fastened out in the open, at a distance of from seventy to +eighty yards of the house, the others being retained within the +stockade. The garrison was divided into three watches, two men being +on the alert at a time, relieving each other every three hours. Mr. +Welch took Harold as his companion on the watch. The boy was greatly +excited at the prospect of a struggle. He had often read of the +desperate fights between the frontier settlers and the Indians, and +had longed to take a share in the adventurous work. He could scarcely +believe that the time had come and that he was really a sharer in +what might be a desperate struggle. + +The first watch was set at nine, and at twelve Mr. Welch and Harold +came on duty. The men they relieved reported that all was silent in +the woods, and that they had heard no suspicious cries of any kind. +When the men had returned to their room Mr. Welch told Harold that he +should take a turn round the stockade and visit the dogs. Harold was +to keep watch at the gate, to close it after he went out, to put up +the bar, and to stand beside it ready to open it instantly if called +upon. + +Then the farmer stepped out into the darkness and, treading +noiselessly, at once disappeared from Harold's sight. The latter +closed the gate, replaced the heavy bar, and stood with one hand on +this and the other holding his rifle, listening intently. Once he +thought he heard a low growling from one of the dogs, but this +presently ceased, and all was quiet again. The gate was a solid one, +formed of strong timbers placed at a few inches apart and bolted to +horizontal bars. + +Presently he felt the gate upon which his hand rested quiver, as if +pressure was applied from without. His first impulse was to say, "Is +that you?" but Mr. Welch had told him that he would give a low +whistle as he approached the gate; he therefore stood quiet, with his +whole attention absorbed in listening. Without making the least stir +he peered through the bars and made out two dark figures behind them. +After once or twice shaking the gate, one took his place against it +and the other sprang upon his shoulders. + +Harold looked up and saw a man's head appear against the sky. Dim as +was the light, he could see that it was no European head-gear, a long +feather or two projecting from it. In an instant he leveled his rifle +and fired. There was a heavy fall and then all was silent. Harold +again peered through the bars. The second figure had disappeared, and +a black mass lay at the foot of the gate. + +In an instant the men came running from the house, rifles in hand. + +"What is it?" they exclaimed. "Where is Mr. Welch?" + +"He went out to scout round the house, leaving me at the gate," +Harold said. "Two men, I think Indians, came up; one was getting over +the gate when I shot him. I think he is lying outside--the other has +disappeared." + +"We must get the master in," one of the men said. "He is probably +keeping away, not knowing what has happened. Mr. Welch," he shouted, +"it is all safe here, so far as we know; we are all on the lookout to +cover you as you come up." + +Immediately a whistle was heard close to the gate. This was +cautiously opened a few inches, and was closed and barred directly +Mr. Welch entered. + +Harold told him what had happened. + +"I thought it was something of the sort. I heard Wolf growl and felt +sure that it was not at me. I threw myself down and crept up to him +and found him shot through the heart with an Indian arrow. I was +crawling back to the house when I heard Harold's shot. Then I waited +to see if it was followed by the war-whoop, which the redskins would +have raised at once, on finding that they were discovered, had they +been about to attack in force. Seeing that all was quiet, I +conjectured that it was probably an attempt on the part of a spy to +discover if we were upon the alert. Then I heard your call and at +once came on. I do not expect any attack to-night now, as these +fellows must have been alone; but we will all keep watch till the +morning. You have done very well, Harold, and have shown yourself a +keen watchman. It is fortunate that you had the presence of mind +neither to stir nor to call out when you first heard them; for, had +you done so, you would probably have got an arrow between your ribs, +as poor Wolf has done." + +When it was daylight, and the gate was opened, the body of an Indian +was seen lying without; a small mark on his forehead showed where +Harold's bullet had entered; death being instantaneous. His war-paint +and the embroidery of his leggings showed him at once to be an +Iroquois. Beside him lay his bow, with an arrow which had evidently +been fitted to the string for instant work. Harold shuddered when he +saw it and congratulated himself on having stood perfectly quiet. A +grave was dug a short distance away, the Indian was buried, and the +household proceeded about their work. + +The day, as was usual in households in America, was begun with +prayer, and the supplications of Mr. Welch for the protection of God +over the household were warm and earnest. The men proceeded to feed +the animals; these were then turned out of the inclosure, one of the +party being always on watch in the little tower which they had +erected for that purpose some ten or twelve feet above the roof of +the house. From this spot a view was obtainable right over the +clearing to the forest which surrounded it on three sides. The other +hands proceeded to cut down more of the corn, so as to extend the +level space around the house. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +AN INDIAN RAID. + +That day and the next passed quietly. The first night the man who was +on watch up to midnight remarked to Mr. Welch, when he relieved him, +that it seemed to him that there were noises in the air. + +"What sort of noises, Jackson--calls of night-birds or animals? If +so, the Indians are probably around us." + +"No," the man said; "all is still round here, but I seem to feel the +noise rather than hear it. I should say that it was firing, very many +miles off." + +"The night is perfectly still, and the sound of a gun would be heard +a long way." + +"I cannot say that I have heard a gun; it is rather a tremble in the +air than a sound." + +When the man they had relieved had gone down and all was still again, +Mr. Welch and Harold stood listening intently. + +"Jackson was right," the farmer said; "there is something in the air. +I can feel it rather than hear it. It is a sort of murmur no louder +than a whisper. Do you hear it, Harold?" + +"I seem to hear something," Harold said. "It might be the sound of +the sea a very long way off, just as one can hear it many miles from +the coast, on a still night at home. What do you think it is?" + +"If it is not fancy," Mr. Welch replied, "and I do not think that we +should all be deceived, it is an attack upon Gloucester." + +"But Gloucester is thirty-five miles away," Harold answered. + +"It is," Mr. Welch replied; "but on so still a night as this sounds +can be heard from an immense distance. If it is not this, I cannot +say what it is." + +Upon the following night, just as Mr. Welch's watch was at an end, a +low whistle was heard near the gate. + +"Who is there?" Mr. Welch at once challenged. + +"Jack Pearson, and the sooner you open the gate the better. There's +no saying where these red devils may be lying round." + +Harold and the farmer instantly ran down and opened the gate. + +"I should advise you to stop down here," the hunter said as they +replaced the bars. "If you did not hear me you certainly would not +hear the redskins, and they'd all be over the palisade before you had +time to fire a shot. I'm glad to see you safe, for I was badly +skeared lest I should find nothing but a heap of ashes here." + +The next two men now turned out, and Mr. Welch led his visitor into +the house and struck a light. + +"Halloo, Pearson! you must have been in a skirmish," he said, seeing +that the hunter's head was bound up with a bloodstained bandage. + +"It was all that," Pearson said, "and wuss. I went down to Gloucester +and told 'em what I had heard, but the darned fools tuk it as quiet +as if all King George's troops with fixed bayonets had been camped +round 'em. The council got together and palavered for an hour, and +concluded that there was no chance whatever of the Iroquois venturing +to attack such a powerful place as Gloucester. I told 'em that the +redskins would go over their stockade at a squirrel's jump, and that +as War Eagle alone had at least 150 braves, while there warn't more +than 50 able-bodied men in Gloucester and all the farms around it, +things would go bad with 'em if they didn't mind. But bless yer, they +knew more than I did about it. Most of 'em had moved from the East +and had never seen an Injun in his war-paint. Gloucester had never +been attacked since it was founded nigh ten years ago, and they +didn't see no reason why it should be attacked now. There was a few +old frontiersmen like myself among 'em who did their best to stir 'em +up, but it was no manner of good. When the council was over we put +our heads together, and just went through the township a-talking to +the women, and we hadn't much difficulty in getting up such a skear +among 'em that before nightfall every one of 'em in the farms around +made their husbands move into the stockade of the village. + +"When the night passed off quietly most of the men were just as +savage with us as if it had been a false alarm altogether. I p'inted +out that it was not because War Eagle had left 'em alone that night +that he was bound to do so the next night or any night after. But in +spite of the women they would have started out to their farms the +fust thing in the morning, if a man hadn't come in with the news that +Carter's farm had been burned and the whole of the people killed and +scalped. As Carter's farm lay only about fifteen miles off this gave +'em a skear, and they were as ready now to believe in the Injuns as I +had tried to make 'em the night before. Then they asked us old hands +to take the lead and promised to do what we told 'em, but when it +came to it their promises were not worth the breath they had spent +upon 'em. There were eight or ten houses outside the stockade, and in +course we wanted these pulled down; but they wouldn't hear of it. +Howsomever, we got 'em to work to strengthen the stockades, to make +loop-holes in the houses near 'em, to put up barricades from house to +house, and to prepare generally for a fight. We divided into three +watches. + +"Well, just as I expected, about eleven o'clock at night the Injuns +attacked. Our watch might just as well have been asleep for any good +they did, for it was not till the redskins had crept up to the +stockade all round and opened fire between the timbers on 'em that +they knew that they were near. I'll do 'em justice to say that they +fought stiff enough then, and for four hours they held the line of +houses; every redskin who climbed the stockade fell dead inside it. +Four fires had been lighted directly they attacked to enable us to +keep 'em from scaling the stockade, but they showed us to the enemy, +of course. + + "The redskins took possession of the houses which we had wanted to +pull down, and precious hot they made it for us. Then they shot such +showers of burning arrows into the village that half of the houses +were soon alight. We tried to get our men to sally out and to hold +the line of stockade, when we might have beaten 'em off if all the +village had been burned down; but it were no manner of good; each man +wanted to stick to his wife and family till the last. As the flames +went up every man who showed himself was shot down, and when at last +more than half our number had gone under the redskins brought up +fagots, piled 'em against the stockade outside, and then the hull +tribe came bounding over. Our rifles were emptied, for we couldn't +get the men to hold their fire, but some of us chaps as knew what was +coming gave the redskins a volley as they poured in. + +"I don't know much as happened after that. Jack Robins and Bill +Shuter, who were old pals of mine, and me made up our minds what to +do, and we made a rush for a small gate that there was in the +stockade, just opposite where the Injuns came in. We got through safe +enough, but they had left men all round. Jack Robins he was shot +dead. Bill and I kept straight on. We had a grapple with some of the +redskins; two or three on 'em went down, and Bill and I got through +and had a race for it till we got fairly into the forest. Bill had a +ball in the shoulder, and I had a clip across the head with a +tomahawk. We had a council, and Bill went off to warn some of the +other settlements and I concluded to take to the water and paddle +back to you, not knowing whether I should find that the redskins had +been before me. I thought anyway that I might stop your going down to +Gloucester, and that if there was a fight you would be none the worse +for an extra rifle." + +Mr. Welch told the hunter of the visit of the two Indian spies two +nights before. + +"Waal," the hunter said, "I reckon for the present you are not likely +to be disturbed. The Injuns have taken a pile of booty and something +like two hundred scalps, counting the women and children, and they +moved off at daybreak this morning in the direction of Tottenham, +which I reckon they'll attack tonight. Howsomever, Bill has gone on +there to warn 'em, and after the sack of Gloucester the people of +Tottenham won't be caught napping, and there are two or three old +frontiersmen who have settled down there, and War Eagle will get a +hot reception if he tries it. As far as his band is concerned, you're +safe for some days. The only fear is that some others of the tribe, +hurrying up at hearing of his success, may take this place as they go +past. And now I guess I'll take a few hours' sleep. I haven't closed +an eye for the last two nights." + +A week passed quietly. Pearson, after remaining two days, again went +down the lake to gather news, and returned a day later with the +intelligence that almost all the settlements had been deserted by +their inhabitants. The Indians were out in great strength and had +attacked the settlers at many points along the frontier, committing +frightful devastations. + +Still another week passed, and Mr. Welch began to hope that his +little clearing had been overlooked and forgotten by the Indians. The +hands now went about their work as usual, but always carried arms +with them, while one was constantly stationed on the watch-tower. +Harold resumed his fishing; never, however, going out of sight of the +house. Sometimes he took with him little Nelly Welch; it being +considered that she was as safe in the canoe as she was in the house, +especially as the boat was always in sight, and the way up from the +landing to the house was under cover of the rifles of the defenders; +so that, even in case of an attack, they would probably be able to +make their way back. + +One afternoon they had been out together for two or three hours; +everything looked as quiet and peaceable as usual; the hands were in +the fields near the house, a few of the cows grazing close to the +gate. Harold had been successful in his fishing and had obtained as +many fish as he could carry. He stepped out from the canoe, helped +Nelly to land, slung his rifle across his back, and picked up the +fish, which were strung on a withe passed through their gills. + +He had made but a few steps when a yell arose, so loud and terrible +that for a moment his heart seemed to stop beating. Then from the +cornfields leaped up a hundred dark figures; then came the sharp +crack of rifles, and two of the hands dashed down at full speed +toward the house. One had fallen. The fourth man was in the +watch-tower. The surprise had been complete. The Indians had made +their way like snakes through the long corn, whose waving had been +unperceived by the sentinel, who was dozing at his post, half-asleep +in the heat of the sun. Harold saw in a moment that it was too late +for him to regain the house; the redskins were already nearer to it +than he was. + +"Now, Nelly! into the boat again--quick!" he said. "We must keep out +of the way till it's all over." + +Nelly was about twelve years old, and her life in the woods had given +her a courage and quickness beyond her years. Without wasting a +moment on cries or lamentations, she sprang back into the canoe. +Harold took his place beside her, and the light craft darted rapidly +out into the lake. Not until he was some three or four hundred yards +from the shore did Harold pause to look round. Then, when he felt he +was out of gunshot distance, he ceased paddling. The fight was raging +now around the house; from loop-holes and turret the white puffs of +smoke darted angrily out. The fire had not been ineffectual, for +several dark forms could be seen lying round the stockade, and the +bulk of the Indians, foiled in their attempt to carry the place at a +rush, had taken shelter in the corn and kept up a scattering fire +round the house, broken only on the side facing the lake, where there +was no growing crop to afford them shelter. + +"They are all right now," Harold said cheerfully. + +"Do not be anxious, Nelly; they will beat them off, Pearson is a host +in himself. I expect he must have been lying down when the attack was +made. I know he was scouting round the house all night. If he had +been on the watch, those fellows would never have succeeded in +creeping up so close unobserved." + +"I wish we were inside," Nelly said, speaking for the first time. "If +I were only with them, I should not mind." + +"I am sure I wish we were," Harold agreed. "It is too hard being +useless out here when such a splendid fight is going on. Ah! they +have their eyes on us!" he exclaimed as a puff of smoke burst out +from some bushes near the shore and a ball came skipping along on the +surface of the water, sinking, however, before it reached it. + +"Those Indian muskets are no good," Harold said contemptuously, "and +the trade powder the Indians get is very poor stuff; but I think that +they are well within range of my rifle." + +The weapon which Harold carried was an English rifle of very perfect +make and finish, which his father had given him on parting. + +"Now," he said, "do you paddle the canoe a few strokes nearer the +shore, Nelly. We shall still be beyond the range of that fellow. He +will fire again and I shall see exactly where he is lying." + +Nelly, who was efficient in the management of a canoe, took the +paddle, and dipping it in the water the boat moved slowly toward the +shore. Harold sat with his rifle across his knees, looking intently +over the bows of the boat toward the bush from which the shot had +come. + +"That's near enough, Nelly," he said. + +The girl stopped paddling, and the hidden foe, seeing that they did +not mean to come nearer the shore, again fired. Harold's rifle was in +an instant against his shoulder; he sat immovable for a moment and +then fired. + +Instantly a dark figure sprang from the bush, staggered +a few steps up the slope, and then fell headlong. + +"That was a pretty good shot," Harold said. "Your father told me, +when I saw a stag's horns above a bush, to fire about two feet behind +them and eighteen inches lower. I fired a foot below the flash, and I +expect I hit him through the body. I had the sight at three hundred +yards and fired a little above it. Now, Nelly, paddle out again. +See!" he said, "there is a shawl waving from the top of the tower. +Put your hat on the paddle and wave it." + +"What are you thinking of doing, Harold?" the girl asked presently. + + "That is just what I have been asking myself for the last ten +minutes," Harold replied. "It is quite clear that as long as the +siege is kept up we cannot get back again, and there is no saying how +long it may last. The first thing is, what chance is there of their +pursuing us? Are there any other canoes on the lake within a short +distance?" + +"They have one at Braithwaite's," the girl said, "four miles off; but +look, there is Pearson's canoe lying by the shore." + +"So there is!" Harold exclaimed. "I never thought of that. I expect +the Indians have not noticed it. The bank is rather high where it is +lying. They are sure to find it, sooner or later. I think, Nelly, the +best plan would be to paddle back again so as to be within the range +of my rifle while still beyond the reach of theirs. I think I can +keep them from using the boat until it is dark." + +"But after it is dark, Harold?" + +"Well, then, we must paddle out into the lake so as to be well out of +sight. When it gets quite dark we can paddle in again and sleep +safely anywhere a mile or two from the house." + +An hour passed without change. Then Nelly said: "There is a movement +in the bushes near the canoe." Presently an arm was extended and +proceeded to haul the canoe toward the shore by its head-rope. As it +touched the bank an Indian rose from the bushes and was about to step +in, while a number of puffs of smoke burst out along the shore and +the bullets skipped over the water toward the canoe, one of them +striking it with sufficient force to penetrate the thin bark a few +inches above the water's edge. Harold had not moved, but as the +savage stepped into the canoe he fired, and the Indian fell heavily +into the water, upsetting the canoe as he did so. + +A yell of rage broke from his comrades. + +"I don't think they will try that game again as long as it is +daylight," Harold said. "Paddle a little further out again, Nelly. If +that bullet had hit you it would have given you a nasty blow, though +I don't think it would have penetrated; still we may as well avoid +accidents." + +After another hour passed the fire round the house ceased. + +"Do you think the Indians have gone away?" Nelly asked. + +"I am afraid there is no chance of that," Harold said. "I expect they +are going to wait till night and then try again. They are not fond of +losing men, and Pearson and your father are not likely to miss +anything that comes within their range as long as daylight lasts." + +"But after dark, Harold?" + +"Oh, they will try all sorts of tricks; but Pearson is up to them +all. Don't you worry about them, dear." + +The hours passed slowly away until at last the sun sank and the +darkness came on rapidly. So long as he could see the canoe, which +just floated above the water's edge, Harold maintained his position; +then taking one paddle, while Nelly handled the other, he sent the +boat flying away from the shore out into the lake. For a quarter of +an hour they paddled straight out. By this time the outline of the +shore could be but dimly perceived. Harold doubted whether it would +be possible to see the boat from shore, but in order to throw the +Indians off the scent, should this be the case, he turned the boat's +head to the south and paddled swiftly until it was perfectly dark. + +"I expect they saw us turn south," he said to Nelly. "The redskins +have wonderful eyes; so, if they pursue at all, they will do it in +that direction. No human being, unless he borrowed the eyes of an +owl, could see us now, so we will turn and paddle the other way." + +For two hours they rowed in this direction. + +"We can go in to shore now," Harold said at last. "We must be seven +or eight miles beyond the house." + +The distance to the shore was longer than they expected, for they had +only the light of the stars to guide them and neither had any +experience in night traveling. They had made much further out into +the lake than they had intended. At length the dark line of trees +rose in front of them, and in a few minutes the canoe lay alongside +the bank and its late occupants were stretched on a soft layer of +moss and fallen leaves. + +"What are we going to do to-morrow about eating?" Nelly asked. + +"There are four or five good-sized fish in the bottom of the canoe," +Harold replied. "Fortunately we caught more than I could carry, and I +intended to make a second trip from the house for these. I am afraid +we shall not be able to cook them, for the Indians can see smoke any +distance. If the worst comes to the worst we must eat them raw, but +we are sure to find some berries in the wood to-morrow. Now, dear, +you had better go to sleep as fast as you can; but first let us kneel +down and pray God to protect us and your father and mother." + + The boy and girl knelt in the darkness and said their simple +prayers. Then they lay down, and Harold was pleased to hear in a few +minutes the steady breathing which told him that his cousin was +asleep. It was a long time before he followed her example. During the +day he had kept up a brave front and had endeavored to make the best +of their position, but now that he was alone he felt the full weight +of the responsibility of guiding his companion through the extreme +danger which threatened them both. He felt sure that the Indians +would prolong the siege for some time, as they would be sure that no +re-enforcements could possibly arrive in aid of the garrison. +Moreover, he by no means felt so sure as he had pretended to his +companion of the power of the defenders of the house to maintain a +successful resistance to so large a number of their savage foes. In +the daylight he felt certain they could beat them off, but darkness +neutralizes the effect both of superior arms and better marksmanship. +It was nearly midnight before he lay down with the determination to +sleep, but scarcely had he done so when he was aroused by an outburst +of distant firing. Although six or seven miles from the scene of the +encounter, the sound of each discharge came distinct to the ear along +the smooth surface of the lake, and he could even hear, mingled with +the musketry fire, the faint yells of the Indians. For hours, as it +seemed to him, he sat listening to the distant contest, and then he, +unconsciously to himself, dozed off to sleep, and awoke with a start, +to find Nelly sitting up beside him and the sun streaming down +through the boughs. He started to his feet. + +"Bless me!" he exclaimed, "I did not know that I had been asleep. It +seems but an instant ago that I was listening"--and here he checked +himself--"that is, that I was wide awake, and here we are in broad +daylight." + +Harold's first care was to examine the position of the canoe, and he +found that fortunately it had touched the shore at a spot where the +boughs of the trees overhead drooped into the water beyond it, so +that it could not be seen by anyone passing along the lake. This was +the more fortunate as he saw, some three miles away, a canoe with +three figures on board. For a long distance on either side the boughs +of the trees drooped into the water, with only an opening here and +there such as that through which the boat had passed the night +before. + +"We must be moving, Nelly. Here are the marks where we scrambled up +the bank last night. If the Indians take it into their heads to +search the shore both ways, as likely enough they may do, they will +be sure to see them. In the first place let us gather a stock of +berries, and then we will get into the boat again and paddle along +under this arcade of boughs till we get to some place where we can +land without leaving marks of our feet. If the Indians find the place +where we landed here, they will suppose that we went off again before +daylight." + +For some time they rambled in the woods and succeeded in gathering a +store of berries and wild fruit. Upon these Nelly made her breakfast, +but Harold's appetite was sufficiently ravenous to enable him to fall +to upon the fish, which, he declared, were not so bad, after all. +Then they took their places in the canoe again and paddled on for +nearly a mile. + + "See, Harold!" Nelly exclaimed as she got a glimpse through the +boughs into the lake, "there is another canoe. They must have got the +Braithwaite boat. We passed their place coming here, you know. I +wonder what has happened there." + +"What do you think is best to do, Nelly?" Harold asked. "Your opinion +is just as good as mine about it. Shall we leave our canoe behind, +land, and take to the woods, or shall we stop quietly in the canoe in +shelter here, or shall we take to the lake and trust to our speed to +get away? in which case, you know, if they should come up I could +pick them off with my gun before they got within reach. + +"I don't think that would do," the girl said, shaking her head. "You +shoot very well, but it is not an easy thing to hit a moving object +if you are not accustomed to it, and they paddle so fast that if you +miss them once they would be close alongside--at any rate we should +be within reach of their guns--before you could load again. They +would be sure to catch us, for although we might paddle nearly as +fast for a time, they would certainly tire us out. Then, as to +waiting here in the canoe, if they came along on foot looking for us +we should be in their power. It is dreadful to think of taking to the +woods with Indians all about, but I really think that would be our +safest plan." + +"I think so too, Nelly, if we can manage to do it without leaving a +track. We must not go much further, for the trees are getting thinner +ahead and we should be seen by the canoes." + +Fifty yards further Harold stopped paddling. + +"Here is just the place, Nelly." + +At this point a little stream of three or four feet wide emerged into +the lake; Harold directed the boat's head toward it. The water in the +stream was but a few inches deep. + +"Now, Nelly," he said, "we must step out into the water and walk up +it as far as we can go--it will puzzle even the sharpest redskin to +find our track then." + +They stepped into the water, Harold taking the head-rope of the canoe +and towing the light boat--which, when empty, did not draw more than +two inches of water--behind him. He directed Nelly to be most careful +as she walked not to touch any of the bushes, which at times nearly +met across the stream. + +"A broken twig or withered leaf would be quite enough to tell the +Indians that we came along this way," he said. "Where the bushes are +thick you must manage to crawl under them. Never mind about getting +wet--you will soon dry again." + +Slowly and cautiously they made their way up the stream for nearly a +mile. It had for some distance been narrowing rapidly, being only fed +by little rills from the surrounding swamp land. Harold had so far +looked in vain for some spot where they could land without leaving +marks of their feet. Presently they came to a place where a great +tree had fallen across the stream. + +"This will do, Nelly," Harold said. "Now, above all things you must +be careful not to break off any of the moss or bark. You had better +take your shoes off; then I will lift you on to the trunk and you can +walk along it without leaving a mark." + +It was hard work for Nelly to take off her drenched boots, but she +managed at last. Harold lifted her on to the trunk and said: + +"Walk along as far as you can and get down as lightly as possible on +to a firm piece of ground. It rises rapidly here and is, I expect, a +dry soil where the upper end of the tree lies." + +"How are you going to get out, Harold?" + +"I can swing myself up by that projecting root." + +Before proceeding to do so Harold raised one end of the canoe and +placed it on the trunk of the tree; then, having previously taken off +his shoes, he swung himself on to the trunk; hauling up the light +bark canoe and taking especial pains that it did not grate upon the +trunk, he placed it on his head and followed Nelly along the tree. He +found, as he had expected, that the ground upon which the upper end +lay was firm and dry. He stepped down with great care, and was +pleased to see, as he walked forward, that no trace of a footmark was +left. + +"Be careful, Nelly," he exclaimed when he joined her, "not to tread +on a stick or disturb a fallen leaf with your feet, and above all to +avoid breaking the smallest twig as you pass. Choose the most open +ground, as that is the hardest." + +In about a hundred yards they came upon a large clump of bushes. + +"Now, Nelly, raise those lower boughs as gently and as carefully as +you can. I will push the canoe under. I don't think the sharpest +Indian will be able to take up our track now." + +Very carefully the canoe was stowed away, and when the boughs were +allowed to fall in their natural position it was completely hidden +from sight to every passer-by. Harold took up the fish, Nelly had +filled her apron with the berries, and carrying their shoes--for they +agreed that it would be safer not to put them on--they started on +their journey through the deep forest. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +THE REDSKIN ATTACK. + +Mr. Welch was with the men, two or three hundred yards away from the +house, when the Indians suddenly sprang out and opened fire. One of +the men fell beside him; the farmer stooped to lift him, but saw that +he was shot through the head. Then he ran with full speed toward the +house, shouting to the hands to make straight for the gate, +disregarding the cattle. Several of these, however, alarmed at the +sudden outburst of fire and the yells of the Indians, made of their +own accord for the stables as their master rushed up at full speed. +The Indians were but fifty or sixty yards behind when Mr. Welch +reached his gate. They had all emptied their pieces, and after the +first volley no shots had been fired save one by the watchman on the +lookout. Then came the crack of Pearson's rifle just as Mr. Welch +shut the gate and laid the bar in its place. Several spare guns had +been placed in the upper chambers, and three reports rang out +together, for Mrs. Welch had run upstairs at the first alarm to take +her part in the defense. + +In another minute the whole party, now six in all, were gathered in +the upper room. + +"Where are Nelly and Harold?" Mr. Welch exclaimed. "I saw the canoe +close to the shore just before the Indians opened fire," the watchman +answered. + +"You must have been asleep," Pearson said savagely. "Where were your +eyes to let them redskins crawl up through the corn without seeing +'em? With such a crowd of 'em the corn must have been a-waving as if +it was blowing a gale. You ought to have a bullet in yer ugly +carkidge, instead of its being in yer mate's out there." + +While this conversation was going on no one had been idle. Each took +up his station at a loop-hole, and several shots were fired whenever +the movement of a blade of corn showed the lurking place of an +Indian. + +The instant the gate had been closed War Eagle had called his men +back to shelter, for he saw that all chance of a surprise was now +over, and it was contrary to all redskin strategy to remain for one +moment unnecessarily exposed to the rifles of the whites. The farmer +and his wife had rushed at once up into the lookout as the Indians +drew off and, to their joy, saw the canoe darting away from shore. + +"They are safe for the present, thank God!" Mr. Welch said. "It is +providential indeed that they had not come a little further from the +shore when the redskins broke out. Nothing could have saved them, had +they fairly started for the house." + +"What will they do, William?" asked his wife anxiously. + +"I cannot tell you, my dear. I do not know what I should do myself +under the circumstances. However, the boy has got a cool head on his +shoulders, and you need not be anxious for the present. Now let us +join the others. Our first duty is to take our share in the defense +of the house. The young ones are in the hands of God. We can do +nothing for them." "Well?" Pearson asked, looking round from his +loop-hole as the farmer and his wife descended into the room, which +was a low garret extending over the whole of the house. "Do you see +the canoe?" + +"Yes, it has got safely away," William Welch said; "but what the lad +will do now is more than I can say." + +Pearson placed his rifle against the wall. "Now keep your eyes +skinned," he said to the three farm hands. + +"One of yer's done mischief enough this morning already, and you'll +get your har raised, as sure as you're born, unless you look out +sharp. Now," he went on, turning to the Welches, "let us go down and +talk this matter over. The Injuns may keep on firing, but I don't +think they'll show in the open again as long as it's light enough for +us to draw bead on 'em. Yes," he went on, as he looked through a +loop-hole in the lower story over the lake, "there they are, just out +of range." + +"What do you think they will do?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +The hunter was silent for a minute. + +"It aint a easy thing to say what they ought to do, much less what +they will do; it aint a good outlook anyway, and I don't know what I +should do myself. The whole of the woods on this side of the lake are +full of the darned red critters. There's a hundred eyes on that canoe +now, and, go where they will, they'll be watched." + +"But why should they not cross the lake and land on the other side?" +Mr. Welch said. + +"If you and I were in that canoe," the hunter answered, "that's about +what we should do; but, not to say that it's a long row for 'em, they +two young uns would never get across; the Injuns would have 'em +before they had been gone an hour. There's my canoe lying under the +bushes; she'd carry four, and would go three feet to their two." + +"I had forgotten about that," William Welch said, and then added, +after a pause: "The Indians may not find it." + +"You needn't hope that," the hunter answered; "they have found it +long before this. I don't want to put you out of heart; but I tell ye +ye'll see them on the water before many minutes have passed." + +"Then they are lost," Mrs. Welch said, sinking down in her chair and +bursting into tears. + +"They air in God's hands, ma'am," the hunter said, "and it's no use +trying to deceive you." + +"Would it be of any use," William Welch asked, after a pause, "for me +to offer the redskins that my wife and I will go out and put +ourselves in their hands if they will let the canoe go off without +pursuit?" + +"Not it," the hunter replied decidedly. "You would be throwing away +your own lives without saving theirs, not to mention, although that +doesn't matter a straw, the lives of the rest of us here. It will be +as much as we can do, when they attack us in earnest, to hold this +place with six guns, and with only four the chance would be worth +nothing. But that's neither here nor there. You wouldn't save the +young ones if you gave yourselves up. You can't trust the word of an +Injun on the war-path, and if they went so far as not to kill 'em +they would carry 'em off; and, after all, I aint sure as death aint +better for 'em than to be brought up as Injuns. There," he said, +stopping suddenly as a report of a musket sounded at some little +distance off, "the Injuns are trying their range against 'em. Let's +go up to the lookout." + +The little tower had a thick parapet of logs some three feet high, +and, crouching behind this, they watched the canoe. "He's coming +nearer in shore, and the girl has got the paddle," Pearson muttered. +"What's he doing now?" A puff of smoke was seen to rise near the +border of the lake; then came the sharp crack of Harold's rifle. They +saw an Indian spring from the bushes and fall dead. + +"Well done, young un!" Pearson exclaimed. "I told yer he'd got his +head screwed on the right way. He's keeping just out of range of +their guns, and that piece of his can carry twice as far as theirs. I +reckon he's thought of the canoe, and means to keep 'em from using +it. I begins to think, Mr. Welch, that there's a chance for 'em yet. +Now let's talk a little to these red devils in the corn." + +For some little time Pearson and William Welch turned their attention +to the Indians, while the mother sat with her eyes fixed upon the +canoe. + +"He is coming closer again," she exclaimed presently. + +"He's watching the canoe, sure enough," Pearson said. Then came the +volley along the bushes on the shore, and they saw an Indian rise to +his feet. + +"That's just where she lies!" Pearson exclaimed; "he's getting into +it. There! well done, young un." + +The sudden disappearance of the Indian and the vengeful yell of the +hidden foe told of the failure of the attempt. + +"I think they're safe, now, till nightfall. The Injuns won't care +about putting themselves within range of that 'ere rifle again." + +Gradually the fire of the Indians ceased, and the defenders were able +to leave the loop-holes. Two of the men went down and fastened up the +cattle, which were still standing loose in the yard inside the +stockade; the other set to to prepare a meal, for Mrs. Welch could +not take her eyes off the canoe. + +The afternoon seemed of interminable length. Not a shot was fired. +The men, after taking their dinner, were occupied in bringing some +great tubs on to the upper story and filling them to the brim with +water from the well. This story projected two feet beyond the one +below it, having been so built in order that, in case of attack, the +defenders might be able to fire down upon any foe who might cross the +stockade and attack the house itself; the floor boards over the +projecting portion were all removable. The men also brought a +quantity of the newly cut corn to the top of the house, first +drenching it with water. + +The sun sank, and as dusk was coming on the anxious watchers saw the +canoe paddle out far into the lake. + +"An old frontiersman couldn't do better," Pearson exclaimed. "He's +kept them out of the canoe as long as daylight lasted; now he has +determined to paddle away and is making down the lake," he went on +presently. "It's a pity he turned so soon, as they can see the course +he's taking." + +They watched until it was completely dark; but, before the light +quite faded, they saw another canoe put out from shore and start in +the direction taken by the fugitives. + +"Will they catch them, do you think?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +"No, ma'am," Pearson said confidently. "The boy's got sense enough to +have changed his course after it gets dark, though whether he'll make +for shore or go out toward the other side is more than I can say. You +see, they'll know that the Injuns are all along this side of the +lake; but then, on the other hand, they'll be anxious about us and +'ll want to keep close at hand. Besides, the lad knows nothing of the +other side; there may be Injuns there, for aught he knows, and it's a +skeary thing for a young un to take to the forest, especially with a +gal in his charge. There aint no saying what he'll do. And now we've +got to look after ourselves; don't let us think about 'em at present. +The best thing as we can do for them, as well as for ourselves, is to +hold this here place. If they live they'll come back to it sooner or +later, and it 'll be better for 'em to find it standing, and you here +to welcome 'em, than to get back to a heap of ruins and some dead +bodies." + +"When will the redskins attack, do you think?" the farmer asked. + +"We may expect 'em any time, now," the hunter answered. "The Injuns' +time of attack is generally just before dawn, but they know well +enough they aint likely to ketch us asleep any time, and, as they +know exactly what they have got to do they'll gain nothing by +waiting. I wish we had a moon; if we had, we might keep 'em out of +the stockade. But there--it's just as well it's dark, after all; for, +if the moon was up, the young ones would have no chance of getting +away." + +The garrison now all took their places at the loop-holes, having +first carried the wet fodder to the roof and spread it over the +shingles. There was nothing to do now but to wait. The night was so +dark that they could not see the outline of the stockade. Presently a +little spark shot through the air, followed by a score of others. Mr. +Welch had taken his post on the tower, and he saw the arrows whizzing +through the air, many of them falling on the roof. The dry grass +dipped in resin, which was tied round the arrow-heads, was instantly +extinguished as the arrows fell upon the wet corn, and a yell arose +from the Indians. + +The farmer descended and told the others of the failure of the +Indians' first attempt. + +"That 'ere dodge is a first-rate un," Pearson said. "We're safe from +fire, and that's the only thing we've got to be afeared on. You'll +see 'em up here in a few minutes." + +Everything was perfectly quiet. Once or twice the watchers thought +that they could hear faint sounds, but could not distinguish their +direction. After half an hour's anxious waiting a terrible yell was +heard from below, and at the doors and windows of the lower rooms +came the crashing blows of tomahawks. + +The boards had already been removed from the flooring above, and the +defenders opened a steady fire into the dark mass that they could +faintly make out clustered round the windows and doors. At Pearson's +suggestion the bullets had been removed from the guns and heavy +charges of buckshot had been substituted for them, and yells of pain +and surprise rose as they fired. A few shots were fired up from +below, but a second discharge from the spare guns completed the +effect from the first volley. The dark mass broke up and, in a few +seconds, all was as quiet as before. + +Two hours passed, and then slight sounds were heard. "They've got the +gate opened, I expect," Pearson said. "Fire occasionally at that; if +we don't hit 'em the flashes may show us what they're doing." + +It was as he had expected. The first discharge was followed by a cry, +and by the momentary light they saw a number of dark figures pouring +in through the gate. Seeing that concealment was no longer possible, +the Indians opened a heavy fire round the house; then came a crashing +sound near the door. + +"Just as I thought," Pearson said. "They're going to try to burn us +out." + +For some time the noise continued, as bundle after bundle of dried +wood was thrown down by the door. The garrison were silent; for, as +Pearson said, they could see nothing, and a stray bullet might enter +at the loop-holes if they placed themselves there, and the flashes of +the guns would serve as marks for the Indians. + +Presently two or three faint lights were seen approaching. + +"Now," Pearson said, "pick 'em off as they come up. You and I'll take +the first man, Welch. You fire just to the right of the light, I will +fire to the left; he may be carrying the brand in either hand." + +They fired together, and the brand was seen to drop to the ground. +The same thing happened as the other two sparks of light approached; +then it was again quiet. Now a score of little lights flashed through +the air. + +"They're going to light the pile with their flaming arrows," Pearson +said. "War Eagle is a good leader." + +Three or four of the arrows fell on the pile of dry wood. A moment +later the flames crept up and the smoke of burning wood rolled up +into the room above. A yell of triumph burst from the Indians, but +this changed into one of wrath as those above emptied the contents of +one of the great tubs of water on to the pile of wood below them. The +flames were instantly extinguished. + +"What will they do next?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +"It's like enough," Pearson replied, "that they'll give the job up +altogether. They've got plenty of plunder and scalps at the +settlements, and their attacking us here in such force looks as if +the hull of 'em were on their way back to their villages. If they +could have tuk our scalps easy they would have done it; but War Eagle +aint likely to risk losing a lot of men when he aint sartin of +winning, after all. He has done good work as it is, and has quite +enough to boast about when he gets back. If he were to lose a heap of +his braves here it would spoil the success of his expedition. No, I +think as he will give it up now." + +"He will be all the more anxious to catch the children," Mrs. Welch +said despondently. + +"It can't be denied, ma'am, as he will do his best that way," Pearson +answered. "It all depends, though, on the boy. I wish I was with him +in that canoe. Howsomever, I can't help thinking as he will +sarcumvent 'em somehow." + +The night passed without any further attack. By turns half the +garrison watched while the other lay down, but there was little sleep +taken by any. With the first gleam of daylight Mrs. Welch and her +husband were on the lookout. + +"There's two canoes out on the lake," Pearson said. "They're paddling +quietly; which is which I can't say." + +As the light became brighter Pearson pronounced, positively, that +there were three men in one canoe and four in the other. + +"I think they're all Injuns," he said. "They must have got another +canoe somewhere along the lake. Waal, they've not caught the young +uns yet." + +"The boats are closing up to each other," Mrs. Welch said. "They're +going to have a talk, I reckon. Yes, one of 'em's turning and going +down the lake, while the other's going up. I'd give a heap to know +where the young uns have got to." + +The day passed quietly. An occasional shot toward the house showed +that the Indians remained in the vicinity and, indeed, dark forms +could be seen moving about in the distant parts of the clearing. + +"Will it be possible," the farmer asked Pearson, when night again +fell, "to go out and see if we can discover any traces of them?" + +"Worse than no use," Pearson said positively. "We should just lose +our har without doing no good whatever. If the Injuns in these +woods--and I reckon altogether there's a good many hundred of +'em--can't find 'em, ye may swear that we can't. That's just what +they're hoping, that we'll be fools enough to put ourselves outside +the stockade. They'll lie close round all night, and a weasel +wouldn't creep through 'em. Ef I thought there was jest a shadow of +chance of finding them young uns I'd risk it; but there's no +chance--not a bit of it." + +A vigilant watch was again kept up all night, but all was still and +quiet. The next morning the Indians were still round them. + +"Don't ye fret, ma'am!" Pearson said, as he saw how pale and wan Mrs. +Welch looked in the morning light. "You may bet your last shilling +that they're not caught 'em." + +"Why are you so sure?" Mrs. Welch asked. "They may be dead by this +time." + +"Not they, ma'am! I'm as sartin as they're living and free as I am +that I'm standing here. I know these Injuns' ways. Ef they had caught +'em they'd jest have brought 'em here and would have fixed up two +posts, jest out of rifle range, and would have tied them there and +offered you the choice of giving up this place and your scalps or of +seeing them tortured and burned under your eyes. That's their way. +No, they aint caught 'em alive, nor they aint caught 'em dead +neither; for, ef they had they'd have brought their scalps to have +shown yer. No, they've got away, though it beats me to say how. I've +only got one fear, and that is that they might come back before the +Injuns have gone. Now I tell ye what we had better do--we better keep +up a dropping fire all night and all day to-morrow, and so on, until +the redskins have gone. Ef the young uns come back across the lake at +night, and all is quiet, they'll think the Injuns have taken +themselves off; but, if they hear firing still going on, they'll know +well enough that they're still around the house." + +William Welch at once agreed to this plan, and every quarter of an +hour or so all through the night a few shots were fired. The next +morning no Indians could be seen, and there was a cessation of the +dropping shots which had before been kept up at the house. + +"They may be in hiding," Pearson said in the afternoon, "trying to +tempt us out; but I'm more inclined to think as how they've gone. I +don't see a blade of that corn move; I've had my eyes fixed on it for +the last two hours. It are possible, of course, that they're there, +but I reckon not. I expect they've been waiting, ever since they gave +up the attack, in hopes that the young uns would come back; but now, +as they see that we're keeping up a fire to tell them as how they're +still round us, they've given it up and gone. When it gets dark +to-night I'll go out and scout round." + +At ten o'clock at night Pearson dropped lightly from the stockade on +the side opposite to the gate, as he knew that, if the Indians were +there, this would be the point that they would be watching; then, +crawling upon his stomach, he made his way slowly down to the lake. +Entering the water and stooping low, he waded along the edge of the +bushes for a distance of a mile; then he left the water and struck +into the forest. Every few minutes he could hear the discharge of the +rifles at the house; but, as before, no answering shots were heard. +Treading very cautiously, he made a wide _detour_ and then came down +again on the clearing at the end furthest from the lake, where the +Indians had been last seen moving about. All was still. Keeping among +the trees and moving with great caution, he made his way, for a +considerable distance, along the edge of the clearing; then he +dropped on his hands and knees and entered the cornfield, and for two +hours he crawled about, quartering the ground like a dog in search of +game. Everywhere he found lines where the Indians had crawled along +to the edge nearest to the house, but nowhere did he discover a sign +of life. Then, still taking great care, he moved down toward the +house and made a circuit of it a short distance outside the stockade; +then he rose to his feet. + +"Yer may stop shooting," he shouted. "The pesky rascals are gone." +Then he walked openly up to the gate; it was opened at once by +William Welch. + +"Are you sure they have gone?" he asked. + +"Sure as gospel," he answered, "and they've been gone twenty-four +hours at least." + +"How do you know that?" + +"Easy enough. I found several of their cooking places in the woods; +the brands were out, and even under the ashes the ground was cold, so +they must have been out for a long time. I could have walked straight +on to the house, then, but I thought it safer to make quite sure by +searching everywhere, for they might have moved deeper into the +forest, and left a few men on guard here, in case the young uns +should come back. But it aint so; they've gone, and there aint a +living soul anywhere nigh the clearing. The young uns can come back +now, if they will, safely enough." + +Before doing anything else the farmer assembled the party together in +the living room, and there solemnly offered up thanks to God for +their deliverance from danger, and implored his protection for the +absent ones. When this was over he said to his wife: + +"Now, Jane; you had better lie down and get a few hours' sleep. It is +already two o'clock, and there is no chance whatever of their +returning tonight, but I shall go down to the lake and wait till +morning. Place candles in two of the upper windows. Should they be +out on the lake they will see them and know that the Indians have not +taken the house." + +Morning came, without any signs of the absent ones. At daybreak +Pearson went out to scout in the woods, and returned late in the +afternoon with the news that the Indians had all departed, and that, +for a distance of ten miles at least, the woods were entirely free. + +When it became dark the farmer again went down to the lake and +watched until two, when Pearson took his place. Mr. Welch was turning +to go back to the house when Pearson placed his hand on his shoulder. + +"Listen!" he said; and for a minute the men stood immovable. + +"What was it?" the farmer asked. + +"I thought I heard the stroke of a paddle," Pearson said; "it might +have been the jump of a fish. There! there it is again!" He lay down +and put his ear close to the water. "There's a canoe in the lake to +the north'ard. I can hear the strokes of the paddle plainly." + +Mr. Welch could hear nothing. Some minutes passed, then Pearson +exclaimed: + +"There! I saw a break in the water over there! There it is!" he said, +straining his eyes in the darkness. "That's a canoe, sure enough, +although they have ceased paddling. It's not a mile away." + +Then he rose to his feet and shouted "Halloo!" at the top of his +voice. An answering shout faintly came back across the water. He +again hailed loudly, and this time the answer came in a female voice. + +"It's them, sure enough. I can swear to Nelly's voice." + +William Welch uncovered his head and, putting his hand before his +face, returned fervent thanks to God for the recovery of his child. +Then he dashed off at full speed toward the house. Before he reached +it however, he met his wife running down to meet him, the shouts +having informed her that something was seen. Hand in hand they ran +down to the water's edge. The canoe was now swiftly approaching. The +mother screamed: + +"Nelly! is that you?" + +"Mamma! mamma!" came back in the girl's clear tones. + +With a low cry of gladness Mrs. Welch fell senseless to the ground. +The strain which she had for four days endured had been terrible, and +even the assurances of Pearson had failed to awaken any strong +feeling of hope in her heart. She had kept up bravely and had gone +about her work in the house with a pale, set face, but the unexpected +relief was too much for her. Two minutes later the bow of the canoe +grated on the shore, and Nelly leaped into her father's arms. + +"Where is mamma?" she exclaimed. "She is here, my dear, but she has +fainted. The joy of your return has been too much for her." + +Nelly knelt beside her mother and raised her head, and the farmer +grasped Harold's hand. + +"My brave boy," he said, "I have to thank you for saving my child's +life. God bless you!" + +He dipped his hat in the lake and sprinkled water in his wife's face. +She soon recovered and, a few minutes afterward, the happy party +walked up to the house, Mrs. Welch being assisted by her husband and +Pearson. The two young ones were soon seated at a table, ravenously +devouring food, and, when their hunger was satisfied, they related +the story of their adventures, the whole of the garrison being +gathered round to listen. After relating what had taken place up to +the time of their hiding the canoe, Harold went on: + +"We walked about a quarter of a mile until we came to a large clump +of underwood. We crept in there, taking great pains not to break a +twig or disturb a leaf. The ground was, fortunately, very dry, and I +could see that our footprints had not left the smallest marks. There +we have lain hid ever since. We had the fish and the berries, and, +fortunately, the fruit was ripe and juicy and quenched our thirst +well enough, and we could, sometimes, hear the firing by day, and +always at night. On the day we took refuge we heard the voices of the +Indians down toward the lake quite plainly, but we have heard nothing +of them since. Last night we heard the firing up to the middle of the +night, and then it suddenly stopped. To-day I crept out and went down +to the lake to listen; but it seemed that everything was still. Nelly +was in a terrible way, and was afraid that the house had been taken +by the Indians, but I told her that could not be, for that there +would certainly have been a tremendous lot of firing at last, whereas +it stopped, after a few shots, just as it had been going on so long. +Our provisions were all gone and Nelly was getting very bad for want +of water. I, of course, got a drink at the lake this morning. So we +agreed that, if everything was still again to-night, we would go back +to the place where we had hidden the canoe, launch it, and paddle +here. Everything was quiet, so we came along as we had arranged. When +I saw the lights in the windows I made sure all was right: still it +was a great relief when I heard the shout from the shore. I knew, of +course, that it wasn't a redskin's shout. Besides, Indians would have +kept quiet till we came alongside." + +Very hearty were the commendations bestowed on the boy for his +courage and thoughtfulness. + +"You behaved like an old frontiersman," Pearson said. "I couldn't +have done better myself. You only made one blunder from the time you +set out from shore." + +"What was that?" Harold asked. + +"You were wrong to pick the berries. The redskins, of course, would +find where you had landed, they'd see the marks where you lay down, +and would know that you had paddled away again. Had it not been for +their seeing the tracks you made in picking the berries they might +have, supposed you had started before daybreak, and had gone out of +sight across the lake; but them marks would have shown 'em that you +did not take to your canoe until long after the sun was up, and +therefore that you couldn't have made across the lake without their +seeing you, but must either have landed or be in your canoe under +shelter of the trees somewhere along the shore. It's a marvel to me +that they didn't find your traces, however careful you were to +conceal 'em. But that's the only error you made, and I tell you, +young un, you have a right to be proud of having outwitted a hull +tribe of redskins." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON. + +Harold remained for four months longer with his cousin. The Indians +had made several attacks upon settlements at other points of the +frontier, but they had not repeated their incursion in the +neighborhood of the lake. The farming operations had gone on +regularly, but the men always worked with their rifles ready to their +hand. Pearson had predicted that the Indians were not likely to +return to that neighborhood. Mr. Welch's farm was the only one along +the lake that had escaped, and the loss the Indians had sustained in +attacking it had been so heavy that they were not likely to make an +expedition in that quarter, where the chances of booty were so small +and the certainty of a desperate resistance so great. + +Other matters occurred which rendered the renewal of the attack +improbable. The news was brought by a wandering hunter that a quarrel +had arisen between the Shawnees and the Iroquois, and that the latter +had recalled their braves from the frontier to defend their own +villages in case of hostilities breaking out between them and the +rival tribe. + +There was no occasion for Harold to wait for news from home, for his +father had, before starting, definitely fixed the day for his return, +and when that time approached Harold started on his eastward journey, +in order to be at home about the date of their arrival. Pearson took +him in his canoe to the end of the lake and accompanied him to the +settlement, whence he was able to obtain a conveyance to Detroit. +Here he took a passage in a trading boat and made his way by water to +Montreal, thence down through Lake Champlain and the Hudson River to +New York, and thence to Boston. + +The journey had occupied him longer than he expected, and Mr. and +Mrs. Wilson were already in their home at Concord when he arrived. +The meeting was a joyful one. His parents had upon their return home +found letters from Mr. Welch and his wife describing the events which +had happened at the farm, speaking in the highest terms of the +courage and coolness in danger which Harold had displayed, and giving +him full credit for the saving of their daughter's life. + +Upon the day after Harold's return two gentlemen called upon Captain +Wilson and asked him to sign the agreement which a number of +colonists had entered into to resist the mother country to the last. +This Captain Wilson positively refused to do. + +"I am an Englishman," he said, "and my sympathies are wholly with my +country. I do not say that the whole of the demands of England are +justifiable. I think that Parliament has been deceived as to the +spirit existing here. But I consider that it has done nothing +whatever to justify the attitude of the colonists. The soldiers of +England have fought for you against French and Indians and are still +stationed here to protect you. The colonists pay nothing for their +land; they pay nothing toward the expenses of the government of the +mother country; and it appears to me to be perfectly just that people +here, free as they are from all the burdens that bear so heavily on +those at home, should at least bear the expense of the army stationed +here. I grant that it would have been far better had the colonists +taxed themselves to pay the extra amount, instead of the mother +country taxing them; but this they would not do. Some of the +colonists paid their quota, others refused to do so, and this being +the case, it appears to me that England is perfectly justified in +laying on a tax. Nothing could have been fairer than the tax that she +proposed. The stamp-tax would in no way have affected the poorer +classes in the colonies. It would have been borne only by the rich +and by those engaged in such business transactions as required +stamped documents. I regard the present rebellion as the work of a +clique of ambitious men who have stirred up the people by incendiary +addresses and writings. There are, of course, among them a large +number of men--among them, gentlemen, I place you--who +conscientiously believe that they are justified in doing nothing +whatever for the land which gave them or their ancestors birth; who +would enjoy all the great natural wealth of this vast country without +contributing toward the expense of the troops to whom it is due that +they enjoy peace and tranquility. Such, gentlemen, are not my +sentiments. You consider it a gross hardship that the colonists are +compelled to trade only with the mother country. I grant that it +would be more profitable and better for us had we an open trade with +the whole world; but in this England only acts as do all other +countries toward their colonies. France, Spain, Portugal, and the +Netherlands all monopolize the trade of their colonies; all, far more +than does England, regard their colonies as sources of revenue. I +repeat, I do not think that the course that England has pursued +toward us has been always wise, but I am sure that nothing that she +has done justifies the spirit of disaffection and rebellion which is +ripe throughout these colonies." + +"The time will come, sir," one of the gentlemen said, "when you will +have reason to regret the line which you have now taken." + +"No, sir," Captain Wilson said haughtily. "The time may come when the +line that I have taken may cost me my fortune, and even my life, but +it will never cause me one moment's regret that I have chosen the +part of a loyal English gentleman." + +When the deputation had departed Harold, who had been a wondering +listener to the conversation, asked his father to explain to him the +exact position in which matters stood. + +It was indeed a serious one. The success of England, in her struggle +with France for the supremacy of North America had cost her a great +deal of money. At home the burdens of the people were extremely +heavy. The expense of the army and navy was great, and the ministry, +in striving to lighten the burdens of the people, turned their eyes +to the colonies. They saw in America a population of over two million +people, subjects of the king, like themselves, living free from rent +and taxes on their own land and paying nothing whatever to the +expenses of the country. They were, it is true, forced to trade with +England, but this obligation was set wholly at naught. A gigantic +system of smuggling was carried on. The custom-house officials had no +force at their disposal which would have enabled them to check these +operations, and the law enforcing a trade with England was virtually +a dead letter. + +Their first step was to strengthen the naval force on the American +coast and by additional vigilance to put some sort of check on the +wholesale smuggling which prevailed. This step caused extreme +discontent among the trading classes of America, and these set to +work vigorously to stir up a strong feeling of disaffection against +England. The revenue officers were prevented, sometimes by force, +from carrying out their duties. + +After great consideration the English government came to the +conclusion that a revenue sufficient to pay a considerable proportion +of the cost of the army in America might be raised by means of a +stamp-tax imposed upon all legal documents, receipts, agreements, and +licenses--a tax, in fact, resembling that on stamps now in use in +England. The colonists were furious at the imposition of this tax. A +Congress, composed of deputies from each State, met, and it was +unanimously resolved that the stamp-tax should not be paid. Meetings +were everywhere held, at which the strongest and most treasonable +language was uttered, and such violent threats were used against the +persons employed as stamp-collectors that these, in fear of their +lives, resigned their posts. + +The stamp-tax remained uncollected and was treated by the colonists +as if it were not in existence. + +The whole of the States now began to prepare for war. The Congress +was made permanent, the militia drilled and prepared for fighting, +and everywhere the position grew more and more strained. +Massachusetts was the headquarters of disaffection, and here a total +break with the mother country was openly spoken of. At times the more +moderate spirits attempted to bring about a reconciliation between +the two parties. Petitions were sent to the Houses of Parliament, and +even at this time had any spirit of wisdom prevailed in England the +final consequences might have been prevented. Unfortunately the +majority in Parliament were unable to recognize that the colonists +had any rights upon their side. Taxation was so heavy at home that +men felt indignant that they should be called upon to pay for the +keeping up of the army in America, to which the untaxed colonists, +with their free farms and houses, would contribute nothing. The plea +of the colonists that they were taxed by a chamber in which they were +unrepresented was answered by the statement that such was also the +case with Manchester, Leeds, and many other large towns which were +unrepresented in Parliament. + +In England neither the spirit nor the strength of the colonists was +understood. Men could not bring themselves to believe that these +would fight rather than submit, still less that if they did fight it +would be successfully. They ignored the fact that the population of +the States was one-fourth as large as that of England; that by far +the greater proportion of that population were men trained, either in +border warfare or in the chase, to the use of the rifle; that the +enormous extent of country offered almost insuperable obstacles to +the most able army composed of regular troops, and that the vast +forests and thinly populated country were all in favor of a +population fighting as guerrillas against trained troops. Had they +perceived these things the English people would have hesitated before +embarking upon such a struggle, even if convinced, as assuredly the +great majority were convinced, of the fairness of their demands. It +is true that even had England at this point abandoned altogether her +determination to raise taxes in America the result would probably +have been the same. The spirit of disaffection in the colony had gone +so far that a retreat would have been considered as a confession of +weakness, and separation of the colonists from the mother country +would have happened ere many years had elapsed. As it was, Parliament +agreed to let the stamp-tax drop, and in its place established some +import duties on goods entering the American ports. + +The colonists, however, were determined that they would submit to no +taxation whatever. The English government, in its desire for peace, +abandoned all the duties with the exception of that on tea; but even +this concession was not sufficient to satisfy the colonists. These +entered into a bond to use no English goods. A riot took place at +Boston, and the revenue officers were forced to withdraw from their +posts. Troops were dispatched from England and the House of Commons +declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion. + +It must not be supposed that the colonists were by any means +unanimous in their resistance to England. There were throughout the +country a large number of gentlemen, like Captain Wilson, wholly +opposed to the general feeling. New York refused to send members to +the Congress, and in many other provinces the adhesion given to the +disaffected movement was but lukewarm. It was in the New England +provinces that the spirit of rebellion was hottest. These States had +been peopled for the most part by Puritans--men who had left England +voluntarily, exiling themselves rather than submit to the laws and +religion of the country, and among them, as among a portion of the +Irish population of America at the present time, the feeling of +hatred against the government of England was, in a way, hereditary. + +So far but few acts of violence had taken place. Nothing could be +more virulent than the language of the newspapers of both parties +against their opponents, but beyond a few isolated tumults the peace +had not been broken. It was the lull before the storm. The great +majority of the New England colonists were bent upon obtaining +nothing short of absolute independence; the loyalists and the English +were as determined to put down any revolt by force. + +The Congress drilled, armed, and organized; the English brought over +fresh troops and prepared for the struggle. It was December when +Harold returned home to his parents, and for the next three months +the lull before the storm continued. + +The disaffected of Massachusetts had collected a large quantity of +military stores at Concord. These General Gage, who commanded the +troops at Boston, determined to seize and destroy, seeing that they +could be collected only for use against the Government, and on the +night of April 19 the grenadier and light infantry companies of the +various regiments, 800 strong, under command of Lieutenant Colonel +Smith of the Tenth Regiment, and Major Pitcairne of the Marines, +embarked in boats and were conveyed up Charles River as far as a +place called Phipps' Farm. There they landed at midnight, having a +day's provisions in their haversacks, and started on their march to +Concord, twenty miles distant from Boston. + +The design had been discovered by some of the revolutionary party in +the town, and two of their number were dispatched on horseback to +rouse the whole country on the way to Concord, where the news arrived +at two o'clock in the morning. + +Captain Wilson and his household were startled from sleep by the +sudden ringing of the alarm-bells, and a negro servant, Pompey, who +had been for many years in their service, was sent down into the +town, which lay a quarter of a mile from the house, to find out what +was the news. He returned in half an hour. + +"Me tink all de people gone mad, massa. Dey swarming out of deir +houses and filling de streets, all wid guns on deir shoulders, all de +while shouting and halloing 'Down wid de English! Down wid de +redcoats! dey shan't have our guns; dey shan't take de cannon and de +powder.' Dere were ole Massa Bill Emerson, the preacher, wid his gun +in his hands, shouting to de people to stand firm and to fight till +de last; dey all shout, 'We will!' Dey bery desperate; me fear great +fight come on." + +"What are you going to do, father?" Harold asked. + +"Nothing, my boy. If, as it is only too likely, this is the beginning +of a civil war, I have determined to offer my services to the +government. Great numbers of loyalists have sent in their names +offering to serve if necessary, and from my knowledge of drill I +shall, of course, be useful. To-day I can take no active part in the +fight, but I shall take my horse and ride forward to meet the troops +and warn the commanding officer that resistance will be attempted +here." + +"May I go with you, father?" + +"Yes, if you like, my boy. Pompey, saddle two horses at once. You are +not afraid of being left alone, Mary?" he said, turning to his wife. +"There is no chance of any disturbance here. Our house lies beyond +the town, and whatever takes place will be in Concord. When the +troops have captured the guns and stores they will return." + +Mrs. Wilson said she was not frightened and had no fear whatever of +being left alone. The horses were soon brought round, and Captain +Wilson and his son mounted and rode off at full speed. They made a +_detour_ to avoid the town, and then, gaining the highroad, went +forward at full speed. The alarm had evidently been given all along +the line. At every village the bells were ringing, the people were +assembling in the streets, all carrying arms, while numbers were +flocking in from the farmhouses around. Once or twice Captain Wilson +was stopped and asked where he was going. + +"I am going to tell the commander of the British force, now marching +hither, that if he advances there will be bloodshed--that it will be +the beginning of civil war. If he has orders to come at all hazards, +my words will not stop him; if it is left to his discretion, possibly +he may pause before he brings on so dire a calamity." + +It was just dawn when Captain Wilson and Harold rode into Lexington, +where the militia, 130 strong, had assembled. Their guns were loaded +and they were ready to defend the place, which numbered about 700 +inhabitants. + +Just as Captain Wilson rode in a messenger ran up with the news that +the head of the British column was close at hand. Some of the militia +had dispersed to lie down until the English arrived. John Parker, who +commanded them, ordered the drums to beat and the alarm-guns to be +fired, and his men drew up in two ranks across the road. + +"It is too late now, Harold," Captain Wilson said. "Let us get out of +the line of fire." + +The British, hearing the drums and the alarm-guns, loaded, and the +advance company came on at the double. Major Pitcairne was at their +head and shouted to the militia to lay down their arms. + +It is a matter of dispute, and will always remain one, as to who +fired the first shot. The Americans assert that it was the English; +the English say that as they advanced several shots were fired at +them from behind a stone wall and from some of the adjoining houses, +which wounded one man and hit Major Pitcairne's horse in two places. + +The militia disregarded Major Pitcairne's orders to lay down their +arms. The English fired; several of the militia were killed, nine +wounded, and the rest dispersed. There was no further fighting and +the English marched on, unopposed, to Concord. + +As they approached the town the militia retreated from it. The +English took possession of a bridge behind the place and held this +while the troops were engaged in destroying the ammunition and +gun-carriages. Most of the guns had been removed and only two +twenty-four pounders were taken. In destroying the stores by fire the +court-house took flames. At the sight of this fire the militia and +armed countrymen advanced down the hill toward the bridge. The +English tried to pull up the planks, but the Americans ran forward +rapidly. The English guard fired; the colonists returned the fire. +Some of the English were killed and wounded and the party fell back +into the town. Half an hour later Colonel Smith, having performed the +duty that he was sent to do, resumed the homeward march with the +whole of his troops. + +Then the militiamen of Concord, with those from many villages around +and every man in the district capable of bearing arms, fell upon the +retiring English. + +The road led through several defiles, and every tree, every rock, +every depression of ground was taken advantage of by the Americans. +Scarcely a man was to be seen, but their deadly fire rained thick +upon the tired troops. This they vainly attempted to return, but they +could do nothing against an invisible foe, every man of whom +possessed a skill with his rifle far beyond that of the British +soldier. Very many fell and the retreat was fast becoming a rout, +when, near Lexington, the column met a strong re-enforcement which +had been sent out from Boston. This was commanded by Lord Percy, who +formed his detachment into square, in which Colonel Smith's party, +now so utterly exhausted that they were obliged to lie down for some +time, took refuge. When they were rested the whole force moved +forward again toward Boston, harassed the whole way by the Americans, +who from behind stone walls and other places of shelter kept up an +incessant fire upon both flanks, as well as in the front and rear, +against which the troops could do nothing. At last the retreating +column safely arrived at Boston, spent and worn out with fatigue. +Their loss was 65 men killed, 136 wounded, 49 missing. + +Such was the beginning of the war of independence. Many American +writers have declared that previous to that battle there was no +desire for independence on the part of the colonists, but this is +emphatically contradicted by the language used at the meetings and in +the newspapers which have come down to us. The leaders may not have +wished to go so far--may not have intended to gain more than an +entire immunity from taxation and an absolute power for the colonists +to manage their own affairs. But experience has shown that when the +spark of revolution is once lighted, when resistance to the law has +once commenced, things are carried to a point far beyond that dreamed +of by the first leaders. + +Those who commenced the French Revolution were moderate men who +desired only that some slight check should be placed on the arbitrary +power of the king--that the people should be relieved in some slight +degree from the horrible tyranny of the nobles, from the misery and +wretchedness in which they lived. These just demands increased step +by step until they culminated in the Reign of Terror and the most +horrible scenes of bloodshed and massacre of modern times. + +Men like Washington and Franklin and Adams may have desired only that +the colonists should be free from imperial taxation, but the popular +voice went far beyond this. Three years earlier wise counsels in the +British Parliament might have averted a catastrophe and delayed for +many years the separation of the colonies from their mother country. +At the time the march began from Boston to Concord the American +colonists stood virtually in armed rebellion. The militia throughout +New England were ready to fight. Arms, ammunition, and military +stores were collected in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. The cannon +and military stores belonging to the Crown had been carried off by +the people, forty cannon being seized in Rhode Island alone. Such +being the case, it is nonsense to speak of the fray at Lexington as +the cause of the Revolutionary War. It was but the spark in the +powder. The magazine was ready and primed, the explosion was +inevitable, and the fight at Lexington was the accidental incident +which set fire to it. + +The efforts of American writers to conceal the real facts of the +case, to minimize the rebellious language, the violent acts of the +colonists, and to make England responsible for the war because a body +of troops were sent to seize cannon and military stores intended to +be used against them are so absurd, as well as so untrue, that it is +astonishing how wide a credence such statements have received. + +From an eminence at some distance from the line of retreat Captain +Wilson and his son watched sorrowfully the attack upon the British +troops. When at last the combatants disappeared from sight through +one of the defiles Captain Wilson turned his horse's head homeward. + +"The die is cast," he said to his wife as she met him at the door. +"The war has begun, and I fear it can have but one termination. The +colonists can place forces in the field twenty times as numerous as +any army that England can spare. They are inferior in drill and in +discipline, but these things, which are of such vast consequence in a +European battlefield, matter but little in such a country as this. +Skill with the rifle and knowledge of forest warfare are far more +important. In these points the colonists are as superior to the +English soldiers as they are in point of numbers. Nevertheless, my +dear, my duty is plain. I am an Englishman and have borne his +Majesty's commission, and I must fight for the king. Harold has +spoken to me as we rode home together, and he wishes to fight by my +side. I have pointed out to him that as he was born here he can +without dishonor remain neutral in the struggle. He, however, insists +that as a royal subject of the king he is entitled to fight for him. +He saw to-day many lads not older than himself in the rebel ranks, +and he has pleaded strongly for permission to go with me. To this I +have agreed. Which would you prefer, Mary--to stay quietly here, +where I imagine you would not be molested on account of the part I +take, or will you move into Boston and stop with your relations there +until the struggle has ended one way or the other?" + +As Mrs. Wilson had frequently talked over with her husband the course +that he would take in the event of civil war actually breaking out, +the news that he would at once offer his services to the British +authorities did not come as a shock upon her. Even the question of +Harold accompanying his father had been talked over; and although her +heart bled at the thought of husband and son being both engaged in +such a struggle, she agreed to acquiesce in any decision that Harold +might arrive at. He was now nearly sixteen, and in the colonies a lad +of this age is, in point of independence and self-reliance, older +than an English boy. Harold, too, had already shown that he possessed +discretion and coolness as well as courage, and although now that the +moment had come Mrs. Wilson wept passionately at the thought of their +leaving her, she abstained from saying any word to dissuade them from +the course they had determined upon. When she recovered from her fit +of crying she said that she would accompany them at once to Boston, +as in the first place their duties might for some time lie in that +city, and that in any case she would obtain far more speedy news +there of what was going on throughout the country than she would at +Concord. She would, too, be living among her friends and would meet +with many of the same convictions and opinions as her husband's, +whereas in Concord the whole population would be hostile. + +Captain Wilson said that there was no time to be lost, as the whole +town was in a tumult. He therefore advised her to pack up such +necessary articles as could be carried in the valises, on the horses' +backs. + +Pompey and the other servants were to pack up the most valuable +effects and to forward them to a relation of Mrs. Wilson's who lived +about three miles from Boston. There they would be in safety and +could be brought into the town, if necessary. Pompey and two other +old servants were to remain in charge of the house and its contents. +Jake, an active young negro some twenty-three or twenty-four years +old, who was much attached to Harold, whose personal attendant and +companion he had always been, was to accompany them on horseback, as +was Judy, Mrs. Wilson's negro maid. + +As evening fell the five horses were brought round, and the party +started by a long and circuitous route, by which, after riding for +nearly forty miles, they reached Boston at two o'clock next morning. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +BUNKER'S HILL. + +The excitement caused by the news of the fight at Concord was intense +and, as it spread through the colonies, the men everywhere rushed to +arms. The fray at Lexington was represented as a wanton outrage, and +the fact wholly ignored that the colonists concerned in it were drawn +up in arms to oppose the passage of the king's troops, who were +marching on their legitimate duty of seizing arms and ammunition +collected for the purpose of warring against the king. The colonial +orators and newspaper writers affirmed then, as they have affirmed +since, that, up to the day of Lexington, no one had a thought of +firing a shot against the Government. A more barefaced misstatement +was never made. Men do not carry off cannon by scores, and accumulate +everywhere great stores of warlike ammunition, without a thought of +fighting. The colonists commenced the war by assembling in arms to +oppose the progress of British troops obeying the orders of the +Government. It matters not a whit on which side the first shot was +fired. American troops have, many times since that event, fired upon +rioters in the streets, under circumstances no stronger than those +which brought on the fight at Lexington. + +From all parts of New England the militia and volunteers poured in, +and in three days after the fight, twenty thousand armed men were +encamped between the rivers Mystic and Roxburgh, thus besieging +Boston. They at once set to work throwing up formidable earthworks, +the English troops remaining within their intrenchments across the +neck of land joining Boston with the mainland. + +The streets of Boston were crowded with an excited populace when +Captain Wilson and his party rode into it at two in the morning. No +one thought of going to bed, and all were excited to the last degree +at the news of the battle. All sorts of reports prevailed. On the +colonial side it was affirmed that the British, in their retreat, had +shot down women and children; while the soldiers affirmed that the +colonists had scalped many of their number who fell in the fight. The +latter statement was officially made by Lord Percy in his report of +the engagement. + +Captain Wilson rode direct to the house of his wife's friends. They +were still up, and were delighted to see Mary Wilson, for such +exaggerated reports had been received of the fight that they were +alarmed for her safety. They belonged to the moderate party, who saw +that there were faults on both sides and regretted bitterly both the +obstinacy of the English Parliament in attempting to coerce the +colonists and the determination of the latter to oppose, by force of +arms, the legitimate rights of the mother country. + +Until the morning the events of the preceding day were talked over; a +few hours' repose was then taken, after which Captain Wilson went to +the headquarters of General Gage and offered his services. Although +Boston was the headquarters of the disaffected party, no less than +two hundred men came forward as volunteers in the king's service, and +Captain Wilson was at once appointed to the command of a company of +fifty men. Before leaving the army he had taken part in several +expeditions against the Indians, and his knowledge of forest warfare +rendered him a valuable acquisition. Boston was but poorly +provisioned, and, as upon the day when the news of Lexington reached +New York two vessels laden with flour for the use of the troops at +Boston were seized by the colonists and many other supplies cut off, +the danger of the place being starved out was considerable. General +Gage, therefore, offered no opposition to the exit from the city of +those who wished to avoid the horror of a siege, and a considerable +portion of the population made their way through to the rebel lines. +Every day brought news of fresh risings throughout the country; the +governors of the various provinces were powerless; small garrisons of +English troops were disarmed and made prisoners; and the fortress of +Ticonderoga, held only by fifty men, was captured by the Americans +without resistance. In one month after the first shot was fired the +whole of the American colonies were in rebellion. + +The news was received in England with astonishment and sorrow. Great +concessions had been made by Parliament, but the news had reached +America too late to avoid hostilities. Public opinion was divided; +many were in favor of granting at once all that the colonists +demanded, and many officers of rank and position resigned their +commissions rather than fight against the Americans. The division, +indeed, was almost as general and complete as it had been in the time +of our own civil war. In London the feeling in favor of the colonists +was strong, but in the country generally the determination to repress +the rising was in the ascendant. The colonists had, with great +shrewdness, dispatched a fast-sailing ship to Europe upon the day +following the battle of Lexington, giving their account of the +affair, and representing it as a massacre of defenseless colonists by +British troops; and the story thus told excited a sympathy which +would not, perhaps, have been extended to them had the real facts of +the case been known. Representatives from all the colonies met at +Philadelphia to organize the national resistance; but as yet, +although many of the bolder spirits spoke of altogether throwing off +allegiance to England, no resolution was proposed to that effect. + +For the first six weeks after his arrival at Boston, Captain Wilson +was engaged in drilling his company. Harold was, of course, attached +to it, and entered with ardor upon his duties. Captain Wilson did not +attempt to form his men into a band of regular soldiers; accuracy of +movement and regularity of drill would be of little avail in the +warfare in which they were likely to be engaged. Accuracy in +shooting, quickness in taking cover, and steadiness in carrying out +any general orders were the principal objects to be attained. Most of +the men had already taken part in frontier warfare. The majority of +them were gentlemen--Englishmen who, like their captain, had come out +from home and purchased small estates in the country. The discipline, +therefore, was not strict, and, off duty, all were on terms of +equality. + +Toward the end of May and beginning of June considerable +re-enforcements arrived from England, and, as a step preparatory to +offensive measures, General Gage, on June 12, issued a proclamation +offering, in his Majesty's name, a free pardon to all who should +forthwith lay down their arms, John Hancock and General Adams only +excepted, and threatening with punishment all who should delay to +avail themselves of the offer. This proclamation had no effect +whatever. + +Near the peninsula of Boston, on the north, and separated from it by +the Charles River, which is navigable and about the breadth of the +Thames at London Bridge, is another neck of land called the Peninsula +of Charlestown. On the north bank, opposite Boston, lies the town of +Charlestown, behind which, in the center of the peninsula, rises an +eminence called Bunker's Hill. Bunker's Hill is sufficiently high to +overlook any part of Boston and near enough to be within cannon-shot. +This hill was unoccupied by either party, and about this time the +Americans, hearing that General Gage had come to a determination to +fortify it, resolved to defeat his resolution by being the first to +occupy it. + +About nine in the evening of June 16 a detachment from the colonial +army, one thousand strong, under the command of Colonel Prescott, +moved along the Charlestown road and took up a position on a shoulder +of Bunker's Hill, which was known as Breed's Hill, just above the +town of Charlestown. They reached this position at midnight. Each man +carried a pick and shovel, and all night they worked vigorously in +intrenching the position. Not a word was spoken, and the watch on +board the men-of-war in the harbor were ignorant of what was going on +so near at hand. At daybreak the alarm was given, and the _Lively_ +opened a cannonade upon the redoubt. A battery of guns was placed on +Copp's Hill, behind Boston, distant twelve hundred yards from the +works, and this, also, opened fire. The Americans continued their +work, throwing up fresh intrenchments; and, singularly, only one man +was killed by the fire from the ships and redoubt. A breastwork was +carried down the hill to the flat ground which, intersected by +fences, stretched away to the Mystic. By nine o'clock they had +completed their intrenchments. + +Prescott sent off for re-enforcements, but there was little harmony +among the colonial troops. Disputes between the contingents of the +various provinces were common; there was no head of sufficient +authority to enforce his orders upon the whole; and a long delay took +place before the re-enforcements were sent forward. + +In the meantime the English had been preparing to attack the +position. The Fifth, Thirty-eighth, Forty-third, and Fifty-second +regiments, with ten companies of the grenadiers and ten of the light +infantry, with a proportion of field artillery, embarked in boats, +and, crossing the harbor, landed on the outward side of the +peninsula, near the Mystic, with a view of outflanking the American +position and surrounding them. The force was under the command of +Major General Howe, under whom was Brigadier General Piggott. + +Upon seeing the strength of the American position, General Howe +halted, and sent back for further re-enforcements. The Americans +improved the time thus given them by forming a breastwork in front of +an old ditch. Here there was a post-and-rail fence. They ran up +another by the side of this and filled the space between the two with +the new-mown hay, which, cut only the day before, lay thickly over +the meadows. + +[Illustration: Plan of the Action at Bunkers Hill, on the 17th of +June 1775.] + +Two battalions were sent across to re-enforce Howe, while large +re-enforcements, with six guns, arrived to the assistance of +Prescott. The English had now a force consisting, according to +different authorities, of between 2000 and 2500 men. The colonial +force is also variously estimated, and had the advantage both in +position and in the protection of their intrenchments, while the +British had to march across open ground. As individual shots the +colonists were immensely superior, but the British had the advantages +given by drill and discipline. + +The English lines advanced in good order, steadily and slowly, the +artillery covering them by their fire. Presently the troops opened +fire, but the distance was too great and they did but little +execution. Encumbered with their knapsacks they ascended the steep +hill toward the redoubt with difficulty, covered, as it was, by grass +reaching to the knees. The colonists did not fire a shot until the +English line had reached a point about one hundred and fifty yards +from the intrenchments. Then Prescott gave the order, and from the +redoubt and the long line of intrenchments flanking it flashed a line +of fire. Each man had taken a steady aim with his rifle resting on +the earthwork before him, and so deadly was the fire that nearly the +whole front line of the British fell. For ten minutes the rest stood +with dogged courage, firing at the hidden foe, but these, sheltered +while they loaded and only exposing themselves momentarily while they +raised their heads above the parapets to fire, did such deadly +execution that the remnant of the British fell back to the foot of +the hill. + +While this force, which was under the command of General Pigott, had +been engaged, another division under Howe himself moved against the +rail fence. The combat was a repetition of that which had taken place +on the hill. Here the Americans reserved their fire until the enemy +were close; then, with their muskets resting on the rails, they +poured in a deadly fire, and, after in vain trying to stand their +ground, the troops fell back to the shore. + +Captain Wilson was standing with Harold on Copp's Hill watching the +engagement. + +"What beautiful order they go in!" Harold said, looking admiringly at +the long lines of red-coated soldiers. + +"It is very pretty," Captain Wilson said sadly, "and may do in +regular warfare; but I tell you, Harold, that sort of thing won't do +here. There is scarce a man carrying a gun behind those intrenchments +who cannot with certainty hit a bull's-eye at one hundred and fifty +yards. It is simply murder, taking the men up in regular order +against such a foe sheltered by earthworks." + +At this moment the long line of fire darted out from the American +intrenchments. + +"Look there!" Captain Wilson cried in a pained voice. "The front line +is nearly swept away! Do you see them lying almost in an unbroken +line on the hillside? I tell you, Harold, it is hopeless to look for +success if we fight in this way. The bravest men in the world could +not stand such a fire as that." + +"What will be done now?" Harold asked as the men stood huddled upon +the shore. + +"They will try again," Captain Wilson said. "Look at the officers +running about among them and getting them into order." + +In a quarter of an hour the British again advanced both toward the +redoubt and the grass fence. As before the Americans withheld their +fire, and this time until the troops were far closer than before, and +the result was even more disastrous. Some of the grenadier and light +infantry companies who led lost three-fourths, others nine-tenths of +their men. Again the British troops recoiled from that terrible fire. +General Howe and his officers exerted themselves to the utmost to +restore order when the troops again reached the shore, and the men +gallantly replied to their exhortations. Almost impossible as the +task appeared, they prepared to undertake it for the third time. This +time a small force only was directed to move against the grass fence, +while the main body, under Howe, were to attack the redoubt on the +hill. + +Knapsacks were taken off and thrown down, and each man nerved himself +to conquer or die. The ships in the harbor prepared the way by +opening a heavy cannonade. General Clinton, who was watching the +battle from Copp's Hill, ran down to the shore, rowed across the +harbor, and put himself at the head of two battalions. Then, with +loud cheers, the troops again sprang up the ascent. The American +ammunition was running short, many of the men not having more than +three or four rounds left, and this time they held their fire until +the British troops were within twenty yards. These had not fired a +shot, the order being that there was to be no pause, but that the +redoubt was to be carried with the bayonet. For a moment they wavered +when the deadly volley was poured in upon them. Then, with a cheer, +they rushed at the intrenchments. All those who first mounted were +shot down by the defenders, but the troops would not be denied, and, +pouring over the earthworks leaped down upon the enemy. + +For a few minutes there was a hand-to-hand fight, the Americans using +the butt-ends of their muskets, the English their bayonets. The +soldiers were exhausted with the climb up the hill and their exertions +under a blazing sun, and the great majority of the defenders of the +redoubt were, therefore, enabled to retreat unharmed, as, fresh and +active, they were able to outrun their tired opponents, and as the +balls served out to the English field-pieces were too large, the +artillery were unable to come into action. + +The colonists at the rail fence maintained their position against the +small force sent against them till the main body at the redoubt had +made their escape. The British were unable to continue the pursuit +beyond the isthmus. + +In the whole history of the British army there is no record of a more +gallant feat than the capture of Bunker's Hill, and few troops in the +world would, after two bloody repulses, have moved up the third time +to assail such a position, defended by men so trained to the use of +the rifle. Ten hundred and fifty-four men, or nearly half their +number, were killed and wounded, among whom were 83 officers. In few +battles ever fought was the proportion of casualties to the number +engaged so great. The Americans fought bravely, but the extraordinary +praise bestowed upon them for their valor appears misplaced. Their +position was one of great strength, and the absence of drill was of +no consequence whatever in such an engagement. They were perfectly +sheltered from the enemy's fire while engaged in calmly shooting him +down, and their loss, up to the moment when the British rushed among +them, was altogether insignificant. Their casualties took place after +the position was stormed and on their retreat along the peninsula, +and amounted in all to 145 killed and captured and 304 wounded. It +may be said that both sides fought well; but, from the circumstances +under which they fought, the highest credit is due to the victors. + +The battle, however, though won by the English, was a moral triumph +for the Americans, and the British Parliament should at once have +given up the contest. It was, from the first, absolutely certain that +the Americans, with their immense superiority in numbers, could, if +they were only willing to fight, hold their vast country against the +British troops, fighting with a base thousands of miles away. The +battle of Bunker's Hill showed that they were so willing--that they +could fight sternly and bravely: and this point once established, it +was little short of madness for the English government to continue +the contest. They had not even the excuse of desiring to wipe out the +dishonor of a defeat. Their soldiers had won a brilliant victory and +had fought with a determination and valor never exceeded, and England +could have afforded to say, "We will fight no more. If you, the +inhabitants of a vast continent, are determined to go alone, are +ready to give your lives rather than remain in connection with us, go +and prosper. We acknowledge we cannot subdue a nation in arms." + +From the height of Copp's Hill it could be seen that the British had +suffered terribly. Captain Wilson was full of enthusiasm when he saw +the success of the last gallant charge of the English soldiers, but +he said to Harold: + +"It is a disastrous victory. A few such battles as these and the +English army in America would cease to exist." + +But although they were aware that the losses were heavy they were not +prepared for the truth. The long grass had hidden from view many of +those who fell, and when it was known that nearly half of those +engaged were killed or wounded the feeling among the English was akin +to consternation. + +The generalship of the British was wholly unworthy of the valor of +the troops. There would have been no difficulty in placing some of +the vessels of light draught so far up the Mystic as to outflank the +intrenchments held by the colonists. Indeed, the British troops might +have been landed further up the Mystic, in which case the Americans +must have retreated instantly to avoid capture. Lastly, the troops, +although fighting within a mile of their quarters, were encumbered +with three days' provisions and their knapsacks, constituting, with +their muskets and ammunition, a load of 125 pounds. This was, indeed, +heavily handicapping men who had, under a blazing sun, to climb a +steep hill, with grass reaching to their knees, and intersected by +walls and fences. + +American writers describe the defenders of the position as inferior +in numbers to the assailants, but it is due to the English to say +that their estimate of the number of the defenders of the +intrenchments differs very widely from this. General Gage estimated +them as being fully three times as numerous as the British troops. It +is probable that the truth lies between the two accounts. + +Captain Wilson returned with Harold, greatly dispirited, to his +house. + +"The lookout is dreadfully bad," he said to his wife, after +describing the events of the day. "So far as I can see there are but +two alternatives--either peace or a long and destructive war with +failure at its end. It is even more hopeless trying to conquer a vast +country like this, defended by irregulars, than if we had a trained +and disciplined army to deal with. In that case two or three signal +victories might bring the war to a conclusion; but fighting with +irregulars, a victory means nothing beyond so many of the enemy +killed. There are scarcely any cannon to take, no stores or magazines +to capture. When the enemy is beaten he disperses, moves off, and in +a couple of days gathers again in a fresh position. The work has no +end. There are no fortresses to take, no strategical positions to +occupy, no great roads to cut. The enemy can march anywhere, attack +and disperse as he chooses, scatter, and re-form when you have passed +by. It is like fighting the wind." + +"Well, John, since it seems so hopeless, cannot you give it up? Is it +too late?" + +"Altogether too late, Mary, and if I were free tomorrow I would +volunteer my services again next day. It is not any the less my duty +to fight in my country's cause because I believe the cause to be a +losing one. You must see that yourself, dear. If England had been +sure to win without my aid, I might have stood aloof. It is because +everyone's help is needed that such services as I can render are due +to her. A country would be in a bad way whose sons were only ready to +fight when their success was a certainty." + +The Congress determined now to detach Canada from the English side +and prepared a force for the invasion of that colony, where the +British had but few regular troops. + +Captain Wilson was one morning summoned to headquarters. On his +return he called together four or five of the men best acquainted +with the country. These had been in their early days hunters or +border scouts, and knew every foot of the forest and lakes. + +"I have just seen the general," Captain Wilson said. "A royalist +brought in news last night that the rebels are raising a force +intended to act against Montreal. They reckon upon being joined by a +considerable portion of the Canadians, among whom there is, +unfortunately, a good deal of discontent. We have but two regiments +in the whole colony. One of these is at Quebec. The rebels, +therefore, will get the advantage of surprise, and may raise the +colony before we are in a condition to resist. General Howe asked me +to take my company through the woods straight to Montreal. We should +be landed a few miles up the coast at night. I suppose some of you +know the country well enough to be able to guide us." + +Several of the men expressed their ability to act as guides. + +"I've fought the Injuns through them woods over and over again," said +one of them, a sinewy, weather-beaten man of some sixty years old, +who was known as Peter Lambton. He had for many years been a scout +attached to the army and was one of the most experienced hunters on +the frontier. He was a tall, angular man, except that he stooped +slightly, the result of a habit of walking with the head bent forward +in the attitude of listening. The years which had passed over him had +had no effect upon his figure. He walked with a long, noiseless +tread, like that of an Indian, and was one of the men attached to his +company in whom, wisely, Captain Wilson had made no attempt to +instill the very rudiments of drill. It was, the captain thought, +well that the younger men should have such a knowledge of drill as +would enable them to perform simple maneuvers, but the old hunters +would fight in their own way--a way infinitely better adapted for +forest warfare than any that he could teach them. Peter and some of +his companions were in receipt of small pensions, which had been +bestowed upon them for their services with the troops. Men of this +kind were not likely to take any lively interest in the squabbles as +to questions of taxation, but when they found that it was coming to +fighting they again offered their services to the government as a +matter of course. Some were attached to the regular troops as scouts, +while others were divided among the newly raised companies of +loyalists. + +Peter Lambton had for the last four years been settled at Concord. +During the war with the French he had served as a scout with the +regiment to which Captain Wilson belonged, and had saved that +officer's life when with a portion of his company, he was surrounded +and cut off by hostile Indians. A strong feeling of friendship had +sprung up between them, and when, four years before, there had been a +lull in the English fighting on the frontier, Peter had retired on +his pension and the savings which he had made during his many years' +work as a hunter, and had located himself in a cottage on Captain +Wilson's estate. It was the many tales told him by the hunter of his +experiences in Indian warfare that had fired Harold with a desire for +the life of a frontier hunter, and had given him such a knowledge of +forest life as had enabled him to throw off the Indians from his +trail. On Harold's return the old hunter had listened with extreme +interest to the story of his adventures and had taken great pride in +the manner in which he had utilized his teachings. Peter made his +appearance in the city three days after the arrival of Captain Wilson +there. + +"I look upon this here affair as a favorable occurrence for Harold," +he said to Captain Wilson. "The boy has lots of spirits, but if it +had not been for this he might have grown up a regular town +greenhorn, fit for nothing but to walk about in a long coat and to +talk pleasant to women; but this 'll jest be the making of him. With +your permission, cap, I'll take him under my charge and teach him to +use his eyes and his ears, and I reckon he'll turn out as good an +Injun fighter as you'll see on the frontier." + +"But it is not Indians that we are going to fight Peter," Captain +Wilson said. "I heartily wish it was." + +"It 'll be the same thing," Peter said; "not here, in course; there +'ll be battles between the regulars and the colonists, regular +battles like that at Quebec, where both parties was fools enough to +march about in the open and get shot down by hundreds. I don't call +that fighting; that's jest killing, and there aint no more sense in +it than in two herd of buffalo charging each other on the prairie. +But there 'll be plenty of real fighting--expeditions in the woods +and Injun skirmishes, for you'll be sure that the Injuns'll join in, +some on one side and some on the other; it aint in their nature to +sit still in their villages while powder's being burned. A few months +of this work will make a man of him, and he might have a worse +teacher than Peter Lambton. You jest hand him over to my care, cap, +and I'll teach him all I know of the ways of the woods, and I tell +yer there aint no better kind of edication for a young fellow. He +larns to use the senses God has given him, to keep his head when +another man would lose his presence of mind, to have the eye of a +hawk and the ear of a hound, to get so that he scarcely knows what it +is to be tired or hungry, to be able to live while other men would +starve, to read the signs of the woods like a printed book, and to be +in every way a man and not a tailor's figure." + +"There is a great deal in what you say, old friend," Captain Wilson +answered, "and such a training cannot but do a man good. I wish with +all my heart that it had been entirely with red foes that the +fighting was to be done. However, that cannot be helped, and as he is +to fight he could not be in better hands than yours. So long as we +remain here I shall teach him what drill I can with the rest of the +company, but when we leave this town and the work really begins, I +shall put him in your charge to learn the duties of a scout." + +The young negro Jake had also enlisted, for throughout the war the +negroes fought on both sides, according to the politics of their +masters. There were only two other negroes in the company, and +Captain Wilson had some hesitation in enlisting them, but they made +good soldiers. In the case of Jake, Captain Wilson knew that he was +influenced in his wish to join solely by his affection for Harold, +and the lad's father felt that in the moment of danger the negro +would be ready to lay down his life for him. + +There was great satisfaction in the band when they received news that +they were at last about to take the field. The long inaction had been +most wearisome to them, and they knew that any fighting that would +take place round Boston would be done by the regular troops. Food, +too, was very scarce in town, and they were heartily weary of the +regular drill and discipline. They were, then, in high spirits as +they embarked on board the _Thetis_ sloop-of-war and sailed from +Boston harbor. + +It was a pitiful parting between Mrs. Wilson and her husband and son. +It had been arranged that she should sail for England in a ship that +was leaving in the following week and should there stay with her +husband's family, from whom she had a warm invitation to make their +home her own until the war was over. + +The _Thetis_ ran out to sea. As soon as night fell her bow was turned +to land again, and about midnight the anchor was let fall near the +shore some twenty miles north of Boston. The landing was quickly +effected, and with three days' provisions in their knapsacks the +little party started on their march. + +One of the scouts who had come from that neighborhood led them by +paths which avoided all villages and farms. At daybreak they +bivouacked in a wood and at nightfall resumed the march. By the next +morning they had left the settlements behind, and entered a belt of +swamp and forest extending west to the St. Lawrence. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +SCOUTING. + +A party of six men were seated around a fire in the forest which +covered the slopes of the northern shore of Lake Champlain. The spot +had been chosen because a great tree had fallen, bringing down +several others in its course, and opening a vista through which a +view could be obtained of the surface of the lake. The party +consisted of Peter Lambton, Harold, Jake, Ephraim Potter, another old +frontiersman, and two Indians. + +The company under Captain Wilson had made its way safely to the St. +Lawrence after undergoing considerable hardships in the forest. They +had been obliged to depend entirely on what game they could shoot and +such fish as they could catch in the rivers whose course they +followed. They had, however, reached Montreal without loss, and there +they found that General Carleton had in all about 500 regulars and +about 200 volunteers who had recently been engaged. + +It was clear that if the people of Canada were as hostile to the +connection with England as were those of the other colonies, the +little force at the disposal of the English general could do nothing +to defend the colony against the strong force which the Americans +were collecting for its invasion. Fortunately this was not the case. +Although the Canadians were of French descent and the province had +been wrested by arms from France, they for the most part preferred +being under English rule to joining the insurgent colonies. They had +been in no way oppressed by England, their property had been +respected, and above all things no attempt had ever been made to +interfere with their religion. In the New England provinces the hard +Puritan spirit of the early fathers had never ceased to prevail. +Those who had fled from England to obtain freedom of worship had been +intolerant persecutors of all religion different from their own. The +consequence was that the priests of Canada were wholly opposed to any +idea of union with the insurgent colonists. Their influence over the +people was great, and although these still objected to the English +rule and would have readily taken up arms against it under other +circumstances, they had too little sympathy with the New Englanders +to join in their movement, which, if successful, would have placed +Canada under the rule of the United States instead of that of +England. + +The upper classes of Canadians were almost to a man loyal to the +English connection. They had been well treated and enjoyed a greater +state of independence than had been the case under French rule. +Moreover, they were for the most part descended from old French +families, and their sympathies were entirely opposed to popular +insurrection. Thus, when Captain Wilson and his party reached +Montreal, they found that, in spite of the paucity of English troops +under the command of General Carleton, the position was not so bad as +had been feared by General Gage. It was possible, and indeed +probable, that Upper Canada might fall into the hands of the +Americans, and that even Quebec itself might be captured; but unless +the people joined the Americans the success of the latter would be +but temporary. With the spring the navigation of the river would be +open and re-enforcements would arrive from England. The invaders +would then be at a disadvantage. Separated from home by a wide tract +of forest-covered country, they would have the greatest difficulty in +transporting artillery, ammunition, and stores, and, fighting as an +army in invasion, they would be placed in a very different position +to that occupied by the colonists fighting on their own ground. It +was probable that for a time the tide of invasion would succeed. + +The Indians of the Five Nations, as those dwelling near the British +frontier at this point were called, had volunteered their services to +the general to cross the frontier to recapture Ticonderoga and Crown +Point, which had been seized by the Americans, and to carry the war +into the colonies. But General Carleton, an exceedingly humane and +kind-hearted man, shrank from the horrors that such a warfare would +entail upon the colonists. He accepted the services of the Indians as +far as the absolute defense of Canada from invasion, but refused to +allow them to cross the frontier. + +On the arrival of Captain Wilson with his little force he was ordered +to march at once to the fort of St. John's, which was held by a party +of regular troops. + +On arriving at that place the two scouts had been sent down toward +Lake Champlain to watch the proceedings of the enemy. Harold had +obtained leave from his father to accompany the scouts, and Jake had +been permitted to form one of the party. Peter Lambton had grumbled a +little at this last addition to the number. He knew Jake's affection +for his young master, and the great strength of the negro would have +rendered him useful in a hand-to-hand fight, but he was altogether +unaccustomed to forest work, and his habit of bursting into fits of +laughter on the smallest provocation, as is the manner of his race, +enraged the scout to the last degree. Indeed, he had not left the +fort above an hour when he turned savagely on the negro. + +"Look-ee here," he said, "if that's the way ye're a-going on, the +sooner ye turns yer face and tramps back to the fort the better. When +you were at Concord it done no harm to make as much noise as a +jackass braying whenever you opened that mouth of yours, but it won't +do in the forests. It would cost us our har and your wool ef yer were +to make that noise with the enemy anywhere within fifteen miles of +yer. I aint a-going, if I knows it, to risk my sculp on such a +venture as this; still less I aint a-going to see this young chap's +life thrown away. His father hez put him in my charge, and I aint +a-going to see him sacrificed in no such way. So ye've got to make up +yer mind; yer have got to keep that mouth of yours shut tight or +yer've got to tramp back to the fort." + +Jake gave many promises of silence, and although at first he often +raised his voice to a point far exceeding that considered by the +hunters safe in the woods, he was each time checked by such a savage +growl on the part of Peter, or by a punch in the ribs from Harold, +that he quickly fell into the ways of the others and never spoke +above a loud whisper. + +At a short distance from the fort they were joined by the two +Indians, who were also out on a scouting expedition on their own +account. They had previously been well known both to Peter and +Ephraim. They were warriors of the Seneca tribe, one of the Five +Nations. They had now been for two days on the north shore of Lake +Champlain. They were sitting round a fire eating a portion of a deer +which had been shot by Harold that morning. So far they had seen +nothing of the enemy. They knew that 3000 men, under Schuyler and +Montgomery, had marched to the other end of the lake. The colonists +had been sending proclamations across the frontier to the +inhabitants, saying that they were coming as friends to free them +from the yoke of England and calling upon them to arise and strike +for freedom. They were also in negotiation with some of the chiefs of +the Five Nations and with other Indian tribes to induce them to join +with them. + +"I propose," Peter said when the meal was finished and he had lighted +his pipe, "to go down the lake and see what they're doing. Deer Tail +here tells me that he knows where there's a canoe. He, Harold, and me +will go and reconnoiter a bit; the other three had best wait here +till we comes back with news. In course, chief," he continued to the +other Indian, after explaining to him in his own language what he +intended to do, "you'll be guided by circumstances--you can see a +long way down the lake, and ef anything should lead you to think that +we're in trouble, you can take such steps as may seem best to you. +It's mighty little I should think of the crowd of colonists; but ef, +as you say, a number of the warriors of the Five Nations, indignant +at the rejection, of their offers by the English general, have gone +down and joined the colonists, it'll be a different affair +altogether." + +The Elk, as the second Seneca chief was called, nodded his assent. In +a few words Peter told Harold what had been arranged. Jake looked +downcast when he heard that he was not to accompany his master, but +as he saw the latter had, since leaving the fort, obeyed without +questioning every suggestion of the scout, he offered no +remonstrance. + +A quarter of an hour later Peter rose, Deer Tail followed his +example, and Harold at once took up his rifle and fell in in their +steps. There was but little talk in the woods, and the matter having +been settled, it did not enter the mind either of Peter or of the +Indian to say a word of adieu to their comrades. Harold imitated +their example, but gave a nod and a smile to Jake as he started. + +Half an hour's tramp took them to the shore of the lake. Here they +halted for a minute while the Indian closely examined the locality. +With the wonderful power of making their way straight through the +forest to the required spot, which seems to be almost an instinct +among Indians, Deer Tail had struck the lake within two hundred yards +of the point which he aimed at. He led the way along the shore until +he came to a spot where a great maple had fallen into the lake; here +he turned into the forest again, and in fifty yards came to a clump +of bushes; these he pushed aside and pointed to a canoe which was +lying hidden among them. Peter joined him, the two lifted the boat +out, placed it on their shoulders, and carried it to the lake. There +were three paddles in it. Peter motioned Harold to take his place in +the stern and steer, while he and the Indian knelt forward and put +their paddles in the water. + +"Keep her along on the right shore of the lake, about fifty yards +from the trees. There's no fear of anyone lurking about near this +end." + +The canoe was light and well made, and darted quickly over the water +under the strokes of the two paddlers. It was late in the afternoon +when they started, and before they had gone many miles darkness had +fallen. The canoe was run in close to shore, where she lay in the +shadow of the trees until morning. Just as the sun rose the redskin +and Peter simultaneously dipped their paddles in the water and sent +the canoe under the arches of the trees. They had at the same instant +caught sight of four canoes making their way along the lake. + +"Them's Injuns," Peter whispered. "They're scouting to see if the +lake's free. If the general could have got a couple of gunboats up +the Sorrel the enemy could never have crossed the lake, and it would +have given them a month's work to take their guns round it. It's +lucky we were well under the trees or we should have been seen. What +had we best do, Deer Tail?" + +For two or three minutes the scouts conversed together in the Indian +tongue. + +"The Seneca agrees with me," Peter said. "It's like enough there are +Injuns scouting along both shores. We must lay up here till +nightfall. Ef we're seen they'd signal by smoke, and we should have +them canoes back again in no time. By their coming I expect the +expedition is starting, but it won't do to go back without being sure +of it." + +The canoe was paddled to a spot where the bushes grew thickly by the +bank. It was pushed among these, and the three, after eating some +cooked deer's flesh which they had brought with them, prepared to +pass the day. + +"The Seneca and I'll keep watch by turns," the scout said. "We'll +wake you if we want ye." + +Harold was by this time sufficiently accustomed to the ways of the +woods to obey orders at once without offering to take his turn at +watching, as his inclination led him to do, and he was soon sound +asleep. It was late in the afternoon when he was awoke by the scout +touching him. + +"There's some critters coming along the bank," he said in a whisper. +"They aint likely to see us, but it's best to be ready." + +Harold sat up in the canoe, rifle in hand, and, listening intently, +heard a slight sound such as would be produced by the snapping of a +twig. Presently he heard upon the other side of the bushes, a few +yards distant, a few low words in the Indian tongue. He looked at his +companions. They were sitting immovable, each with his rifle directed +toward the sound, and Harold thought it would fare badly with any of +the passers if they happened to take a fancy to peer through the +bushes. The Indians had, however, no reason for supposing that there +were any enemies upon the lake, and they consequently passed on +without examining more closely the thicket by the shore. Not until it +was perfectly dark did Peter give the sign for the continuance of the +journey. This time, instead of skirting the lake, the canoe was +steered out toward its center. For some time they paddled, and then +several lights were seen from ahead. + +"I thought so," the scout said. "They've crossed to the Isle La Motte +and they're making as many fires as if they war having a sort of +picnic at home. We must wait till they burns out, for we daren't go +near the place with the water lit up for two or three hundred yards +round. It won't be long, for I reckon it must be past eleven o'clock +now." + +The fires were soon seen to burn down. The paddles were dipped in the +water and the canoe approached the island. + +"I'd give something," Peter said, "to know whether there's any +redskins there. Ef there are, our chance of landing without being +seen aint worth talking of; ef there aint we might land a hull fleet; +at any rate we must risk it. Now, Harold, the chief and me'll land +and find out how many men there are here, and, ef we can, how long +they're likely to stop. You keep the canoe about ten yards from +shore, in the shadow of the trees, and be ready to move close the +instant you hear my call. I'll jest give the croak of a frog. The +instant we get in you paddle off without a word. Ef ye hears any +shouts and judges as how we've been seen, ye must jest act upon the +best of yer judgment." + +The boat glided noiselessly up to the shore. All was still there, the +encampment being at the other side of the island. The two scouts, red +and white, stepped noiselessly on to the land. Harold backed the +canoe a few paces with a quick stroke upon the paddle, and seeing +close to him a spot where a long branch of a tree dipped into the +water, he guided the canoe among the foliage and there sat without +movement, listening almost breathlessly. + +Ere many minutes had elapsed he heard footsteps coming along the +shore. They stopped when near him. Three or four minutes passed +without the slightest sound, and then a voice said, in tones which +the speaker had evidently tried to lower, but which were distinctly +audible in the canoe: + +"I tell yer, redskin, it seems to me as how you've brought us here on +a fool's errand. I don't see no signs of a canoe, and it aint likely +that the British would be along the lake here, seeing as how there's +a score of canoes with your people in them scouting ahead." + +"I heard canoe," another voice said, "first at other end of the +island and then coming along here." + +"And ef yer did," the first speaker said, "likely enough it was one +of the canoes of your people." + +"No," the Indian answered. "If canoe come back with news, would have +come straight to fires." + +"Well, it aint here, anyway," the first speaker said, "and I don't +believe yer ever heard a canoe at all. It's enough to make a man +swear to be called up jest as we were making ourselves comfortable +for the night on account of an Injun's fancies. I wonder at the +general's listening to them. However, we've got our orders to go +round the island and see ef there's any canoe on either shore; so +we'd better be moving, else we shall not get to sleep before +morning." + +Harold held his breath as the group passed opposite to him. +Fortunately the trunk of the tree grew from the very edge of the +water, and there were several bushes growing round it, so that at +this point the men had to make a slight _detour_ inland. Harold felt +thankful indeed that he had taken the precaution of laying his canoe +among the thick foliage, for although the night was dark it would +have been instantly seen had it been lying on the surface of the +lake. Even as it was, a close inspection might have detected it, but +the eyes of the party were fixed on the shore, as it was there, if at +all, that they expected to find an empty canoe lying. + +Harold was uneasy at the discovery that there were still some +redskins on the island. It was possible, of course, that the one he +had heard might be alone as a scout, but it was more likely that +others of the tribe were also there. + +After landing, Peter and the Seneca made their way across the island +to the side facing the American shore. Creeping cautiously along, +they found a large number of flat-bottomed boats, in which the +Americans had crossed from the mainland, and which were, Peter +thought, capable of carrying 2000 men. They now made their way toward +the spot where the forces were encamped. The fires had burned low, +but round a few of them men were still sitting and talking. Motioning +to the Seneca to remain quiet, Peter sauntered cautiously out on to +the clearing where the camp was formed. He had little fear of +detection, for he wore no uniform, and his hunter's dress afforded no +index to the party to which he was attached. + +A great portion of the Americans were still in their ordinary attire, +it having been impossible to furnish uniforms for so great a number +of men as had been suddenly called to arms throughout the colonies. + +From the arbors of boughs which had been erected in all directions, +he judged that the force had been already some days upon the island. +But large numbers of men were sleeping in the open air, and picking +his way cautiously among them, he threw himself down at a short +distance from one of the fires by which three or four men were +sitting. + +For some time they talked of camp matters, the shortness of food, and +want of provisions. + +"It is bad here," one said presently; "it will be worse when we move +forward. Schuyler will be here tomorrow with the rest of the army, +and we are to move down to Isle-aux-Noix, at the end of the lake, and +I suppose we shall land at once and march against St. John's. There +are only a couple of hundred Britishers there, and we shall make +short work of them." + +"The sooner the better, I say," another speaker remarked. "I am ready +enough to fight, but I hate all this waiting about. I want to get +back to my farm again." + +"You are in a hurry, you are," the other said. "You don't suppose we +are going to take Canada in a week's time, do you. Even if the +Canadians join us, and by what I hear that aint so sartin after all, +we shall have to march down to Quebec, and that's no child's play. I +know the country there. It is now September 4. Another month and the +winter will be upon us, and a Canadian winter is no joke, I can tell +you." + +"The more reason for not wasting any more time," the other one +grumbled. "If Montgomery had his way we should go at them quickly +enough, but Schuyler is always delaying. He has kept us waiting now +since the 17th of last month. We might have been halfway to Quebec by +this time." + +"Yes," the other said, "if the Britishers had run away as we came; +but we have got St. John's and Fort Chamblee to deal with, and they +may hold out some time. However, the sooner we begin the job the +sooner it will be over, and I am heartily glad that we move tomorrow." + +Peter had now obtained the information he required, and rising to +his feet again, with a grumbling remark as to the hardness of the +ground, he sauntered away toward the spot where he had left the +Indian. Just as he did so a tall figure came out from an arbor close +by. A fire was burning just in front, and Peter saw that he was a +tall and handsome man of about forty years of age. He guessed at once +that he was in the presence of the colonial leader. + +"You are, like myself," the newcomer said, "unable to sleep, I +suppose?" + +"Yes, general," Peter answered. "I found I could not get off, and so +I thought I'd stretch my legs in the wood a bit. They're lying so +tarnal thick down there by the fires, one can't move without treading +on 'em." + +"Which regiment do you belong to?" + +"The Connecticut," Peter replied, for he knew by report that a +regiment from this province formed part of the expedition. + +"As good men as any I have," the general said cordially. "Their only +fault is that they are in too great a hurry to attack the enemy." + +"I agree with the rest, general," Peter said. "It's dull work wasting +our time here when we're wanted at home. I enlisted for six months, +and the sooner the time's up the better, say I." + +"You have heard nothing moving?" the general asked. "One of the +Chippewas told me that he heard a canoe out in the lake. Ah! here he +is." + +At that moment five or six men, headed by an Indian, issued from the +wood close by. It was too late for Peter to try to withdraw, but he +stepped aside a pace or two as the party approached. + +"Well, have you found anything?" the general asked. + +"No find," the Chippewa said shortly. + +"I don't believe as there ever was a canoe there," the man who +followed him said. "It was jest a fancy of the Injun's." + +"No fancy," the Indian asserted angrily. "Canoe there. No find." + +"It might have been one of our own canoes," Montgomery said in a +conciliatory tone. "The Indians are seldom mistaken. Still, if no one +has landed it matters not either way." + +"Only as we have had a tramp for nothing," the colonist said. +"However, there's time for a sleep yet. Hullo!" he exclaimed as his +eye fell on Peter Lambton. "What, Peter! Why, how did you get here? +Why, I thought as how----General," he exclaimed, sharply turning to +Montgomery, "this man lives close to me at Concord. He's a royalist, +he is, and went into Boston and joined the corps they got up there!" + +"Seize him!" Montgomery shouted, but it was too late. + +As the man had turned to speak to the general, Peter darted into the +wood. The Chippewa, without waiting to hear the statement of the +colonist, at once divined the state of things, and uttering his +war-whoop dashed after the fugitive. Two or three of the colonists +instantly followed, and a moment later three or four Indians who had +been lying on the ground leaped up and darted like phantoms into the +wood. + +The general no sooner grasped the facts than he shouted an order for +pursuit, and a number of the men most accustomed to frontier work at +once followed the first party of pursuers. Others would have done the +same, but Montgomery shouted that no more should go, as they would +only be in the others' way, and there could not be more than two or +three spies on the island. + +After the Chippewa's first war-cry there was silence for the space of +a minute in the forest. Then came a wild scream, mingled with another +Indian yell; a moment later the leading pursuers came upon the body +of the Chippewa. His skull had been cleft with a tomahawk and the +scalp was gone. + +As they were clustered round the body two or three of the Indians ran +up. They raised the Indian wail as they saw their comrade and with +the rest took up the pursuit. + +Peter and the Seneca were now far among the trees, and as their +pursuers had nothing to guide them, they reached the spot where they +had left the canoe unmolested. + +On the signal being given, Harold instantly paddled to the shore. Not +a word was spoken until the canoe was well out in the lake. +Occasional shots were heard on shore as the pursuers fired at objects +which they thought were men. Presently a loud Indian cry rose from +the shore. + +"They see us," Peter said. "We're out of shot and can take it easy." +The redskin said a few words. "You're right, chief. The chief says," +he explained to Harold, "that as there are redskins on the island +they have probably some canoes. The moon's jest getting up beyond +that hill, and it'll be light enough to see us half across the lake. +It would not matter if the water was free; but what with Injuns +prowling along the shores and out on the lake, we shall have to use +our wits to save our har. Look!" he exclaimed two or three minutes +later as two columns of bright flame at a short distance from them +shot up at the end of the island. "They're Injun signals. As far as +they can be seen Injuns will know that there are enemies on the lake. +Now, paddle your hardest, Harold, and do you, chief, keep your eyes +and your ears open for sights and sounds." + +Under the steady strokes of the three paddles the bark canoe sped +rapidly over the water. When the moon was fairly above the edge of +the hill they halted for a moment and looked back. The two columns of +fire still blazed brightly on the island, which was now three miles +astern, and two dark spots could be seen on the water about halfway +between them and it. + +"You can paddle, my lads," Peter Lambton said to the distant foes, +"but you'll never ketch us. I wouldn't heed you if it weren't for the +other varmint ahead." + +He stood up in the canoe and looked anxiously over the lake. + +"It's all clear as far as I can see at present," he said. + +"Can't we land, Peter, and make our way back on foot?" + +"Bless you," Peter said, "there aint a native along the shore there +but has got his eye on this canoe. We might as well take her straight +back to the island as try to land. Better; for we should get a few +hours before they tried and shot us there, while the Injuns would not +give us a minute. No, we must just keep to the water; and now paddle +on again, but take it quietly. It's no odds to let them varmints +behind gain on us a little. You needn't think about them. When the +danger comes we shall want every ounce of our strength." + + For half an hour they paddled steadily on. The pursuing canoes were +now less than a mile behind them. + +"I'd give a good deal," muttered the scout, "for a few black clouds +over the moon; we'd make for shore then and risk it. It will be +getting daylight before long. Ah!" he exclaimed, pausing suddenly as +the chief stopped rowing, "a canoe on each side is rowing out to cut +us off." + +Harold was now paddling forward, while the scout had the place at the +stern. The former was surprised to feel the canoe shooting off from +its former course at right angles toward the shore; then, curving +still more round, they began to paddle back along the lake. The +canoes which had been pursuing them were nearly abreast of each +other. They had embarked from opposite sides of the island, but they +had been gradually drawing together, although still some distance +apart, when Peter turned his canoe. Seeing his maneuver, both turned +to head him off, but by so doing they occupied an entirely different +position in relation to each other, one canoe being nearly half a +mile nearer to them than the other. + +"Take it easy," Peter said. "These varmints will cut us off and we've +got to fight, but we can cripple the one nearest to us before the +other comes up." + +The boats were now darting over the water in a line which promised to +bring the leading canoe almost in collision with that of Peter. When +within two hundred yards of each other Peter ceased rowing. + +"Now," he said, "Harold, see if you can pick one of them fellows off. +It's no easy matter, traveling at the pace they are. You fire first." + +Harold took a steady aim and fired. A yell of derision told that he +had missed. The Indians stopped paddling. There was a flash and a +ball struck the canoe. At the same moment Peter fired. + +"There's one down!" he exclaimed. + +The Seneca fired, but without result; and the three unwounded Indians +in the canoe--for it had contained four men--replied with a volley. + +Harold felt a burning sensation, as if a hot iron passed across his +arm. + +"Hit, boy?" Peter asked anxiously as he gave a short exclamation. + +"Nothing to speak of," Harold replied. + +"The varmints are lying by, waiting for' the other canoe. Paddle +straight at 'em." + +The Indians at once turned the boat and paddled to meet their +companions, who were fast approaching. + +"Now," Peter exclaimed, "we've got 'em in a line--a steady aim this +time." + +The three rifles spoke out; one of the Indians fell into the boat and +the paddle of another was struck from his grasp. + +"Now," the scout shouted, "paddle away! We've got 'em all fairly +behind us." + +Day broke just as they were again abreast of the island. One canoe +was following closely, two others were a mile and a half behind, +while the one with which they had been engaged had made for the +shore. + +"What do you mean to do?" Harold asked Peter. + +"I mean to run as close as I can round the end of the island, and +then make for the place where they must have embarked on the +mainland. They may have seen the signal fires there, but will not +know what has been going on. So now row your best. We must leave the +others as far behind as possible." + +For the first time since they started the three paddlers exerted +themselves to the utmost. They had little fear that there were any +more canoes on the island, for, had there been, they would have +joined in the chase. It was only necessary to keep so far from the +end of the island as would take them out of reach of the fire. +Several shots were discharged as they passed, but these fell short as +the canoe shot along at its highest rate of speed, every stroke +taking it further from its nearest pursuer. + +At the end of an hour's paddling this canoe was a mile and a half +behind. Its rowers had apparently somewhat abated their speed in +order to allow the other two boats to draw up to them, for the result +of the encounter between their comrades and the fugitives had not +been of a nature to encourage them to undertake a single-handed +contest with them. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +IN THE FOREST. + +"See, Peter!" Harold exclaimed; "there is a whole fleet of boats +ahead." + +"I sees 'em," Peter said, "and have seed 'em for the last quarter of +an hour. It's Schuyler, with the rest of what they calls their army. +Steer a little out of the course; we must pass close by 'em. They +won't suspect nothing wrong and will suppose we are merely carrying a +message." + +In half an hour they were abreast of the flotilla, consisting of +flatboats laden with troops. With them were two or three Indian +canoes. Peter steered so as to pass at a distance of a hundred and +fifty yards. They rowed less strongly now, but still vigorously. +There was a shout from the boat. + +"All well on the island?" + +"All well," Peter shouted back, waving his hand, and without further +word the canoe passed on. "There! do you hear that?" Peter exclaimed. +"They're firing shots from the canoes to call their attention. The +chances are they won't hear them, for the rattle of their oars and +the talking and the row they're making are enough to drown the sound +of a cannon. Now put it on again as hard as you can. Another hour +will take us to the landing place." + +They could see, when the flotilla came up to the pursuing boats, that +the canoes which accompanied it turned their heads and joined in the +pursuit, but they were now near three miles ahead and there was no +chance whatever of their being overtaken. They slackened their speed +slightly as they approached the land, and rowed up to the landing +place without any signs of extraordinary haste. A few men were +loitering about. + +"What's the news from the island?" one asked as they landed. + +"All well there," Peter said. + +"Did you see anything of Schuyler?" + +"Yes, we met him about halfway across." + +"What have you come for?" + +"General Montgomery says that no spare flints have been sent over for +the firelocks." + +"I'll swear that some went," one of the men exclaimed, "for I packed +a sack of them myself in one of the boats." + +"I s'pose they have been mislaid," Peter said. "Perhaps some of the +stores have got heaped over 'em. Ef you are quite sartin, we have had +our journey for nothing." + +"As sartin as life," the man replied. "I'll swear to the sackful of +flints; and tarnation heavy they was, too." + +"Well, then, I need not trouble about it further," Peter said. "We'll +take a rest and paddle back in an hour or two. Was there any marks on +the sack, so as I may tell the general how to look for it?" + +"Marks!" the man repeated. "Why, it had 'Flints' written on it in big +black letters six inches long. It must turn up, anyhow. They'll find +it when they come to shift the stores." + +Then, accompanied by his two companions, Peter strolled quietly +through the little village. Stopping at a small store, he purchased +some flour and tea; then he followed the road inland and was soon out +of sight of the village; he stopped for a moment and then shook his +head. + +"It's no use trying to hide our trail here," he said. "The road's an +inch thick in dust, and do what we will they'll be able to see where +we turn off. It's our legs as we have got to trust to for a bit. +We've got a good half hour's start of the canoes; they were a long +three miles behind when we struck the shore." + +Leaving the road, he led the way with a long, swinging stride across +the cultivated land. Twenty minutes' walk took them into the forest, +which extended from the shore of the lake many miles inland. + +"Take off your boots, Harold," he said as he entered the wood. "Them +heels will leave marks that a redskin could pick up at a run. Now +tread, as near as you can, in the exact spot where the Seneca has +trodden before you. He'll follow in my track, and you may be sure +that I'll choose the hardest bits of ground I can come across. There, +the varmints are on shore!" + +As he spoke an angry yell rose from the distant village. At a long, +steady pace, which taxed to the utmost Harold's powers as a walker, +they kept their way through the woods, not pursuing a straight +course, but turning, winding, and zigzagging every few minutes. +Harold could not but feel impatient at what seemed to him such a loss +of time, especially when a yell from the edge of the wood told that +the Indians had traced them thus far--showed, too, that they were far +nearer than before. But, as Peter, afterward explained to him, all +this turning and winding made it necessary for the Indians to follow +every step, as they would an animal, to guess the direction they had +taken. The weather had been dry and the ground was hard; therefore +the most experienced trapper would be obliged to proceed very slowly +on the trail and would frequently be for a time at fault; whereas, +had they continued in a straight line, the Indians could have +followed at a run, contenting themselves with seeing the trail here +and there. They came across two or three little streams running down +toward the lake. These they followed, in some cases up, in others +down, for a considerable distance, leaving the bed where the bushes +grew thick and hid the marks of their feet as they stepped out from +the water. Harold would gladly have gone at a run, but Peter never +quickened his pace. He knew that the Indians could not pick up the +trail at a rate faster than that at which they were going, and that +great delay would be caused at each of the little streams, as it +would be uncertain whether they had passed up or down. + +As the time passed the Indian yells, which had, when they first +entered the wood, sounded so alarmingly near, died away, and a +perfect stillness reigned in the forest. It was late in the afternoon +before Peter halted. + +"We can rest now," he said. "It'll be hours before the critters can +be here. Now let us have some tea." + +He began to look for some dried sticks. Harold offered to assist. + +"You sit down," the scout said. "A nice sort of fire we should get +with sticks of your picking up! Why, we should have a smoke that +would bring all the Injuns in the woods on to us. No, the sticks as +the Seneca and me'll pick up won't give as much smoke as you can put +in a teacup; but I wouldn't risk even that if we was nigh the lake, +for it might be seen by any redskins out in a canoe. But we are miles +back from the lake, and there aint no other open space where they +could get a view over the tree-tops." + +Harold watched the Indian and the scout collecting dry leaves and +sticks, and took particular notice, for future use, of the kinds +which they selected. A light was struck with a flint and steel, and +soon a bright blaze sprang up, without, so far as Harold could see, +the slightest smoke being given off. Then the hunter produced some +food from his wallet, and a tin pot. He had at the last spring they +passed filled a skin which hung on his shoulder with water, and this +was soon boiling over the fire. A handful of tea was thrown in and +the pot removed. Some flour, mixed with water, was placed on a small +iron plate, which was put on the red-hot ashes. A few cakes were +baked, and with these, the cold venison, and the tea an ample meal +was made. + +After nearly an hour's halt they again proceeded on their way. A +consultation had taken place between Peter and the Seneca as to the +best course to be pursued. They could, without much difficulty or +risk, have continued the way through the woods beyond the lake, but +it was important that they should reach the other side by the evening +of the following day, to give warning of the intended attack by the +Americans. There were, they knew, other redskins in the woods besides +those on their trail, and the nearer they approached the shore the +greater the danger. They had determined that they would at all +hazards endeavor to obtain another canoe and cross the lake. Until +nightfall they continued their course, and then, knowing that their +trail could no longer be followed, they made down to the lake. They +were many miles distant from it, and Harold was completely worn out +when at last he saw a gleam of water through the trees. He was not +yet to rest. Entering the lake, they began wading through it at a few +feet from the edge. + +After an hour's walking thus they entered the bushes, which thickly +covered the shore, and made their way through these until they came +to a spot sufficiently open for them to lie down; and Harold, +wrapping himself in the blanket which he carried over his shoulder, +was sound asleep in less than a minute. When he woke the sun was +shining brightly. + +"Get up, youngster! We're in luck," the scout said. "Here's a canoe +with two of the varmints making toward the shore. By the way they're +going they'll land not far off." + +The scout led the way, crawling on his hands and knees, to the +water's edge, to where the Seneca was sitting watching the canoe +through a cover of green leaves. The course that the boat was taking +would lead it to a point some three hundred yards from where they +were sitting. + +"We shall have no difficulty in managing them," Harold said, and +grasped his rifle eagerly. + +"Not too fast," Peter said. "The chances are that the varmints have +friends on shore. Like enough they have been out fishing." + +The shore formed a slight sweep at this point, and the bushes in +which they were hidden occupied the point at one extremity. In the +center of the little bay there was a spot clear from bushes; to this +the canoe was directed. As it approached the shore two other Indians +appeared at the water's edge. One of them asked a question, and in +reply a paddler held up a large bunch of fish. + +"Just as I thought. Like enough there are a dozen of them there," +said Peter. + +On reaching the shore the men sprang out, taking their fish with +them. The canoe was fastened by its head-rope to the bushes, and the +Indians moved a short distance inland. + +"There is their smoke," Peter said, indicating a point some thirty +feet from the lake, but so slight was it that, even when it was +pointed out to him, Harold could hardly make out the light mist +rising from among the bushes. Presently he looked round for the +Seneca, but the Indian had disappeared. + +"He's gone scouting," Peter said in answer to Harold's question. "Ef +there are only four of them it would be an easy job, but I expect +there's more of the red varmints there." + +In ten minutes the Seneca returned as noiselessly as he had gone. He +opened his hand and all the fingers twice; the third time he showed +only three fingers. + +"Thirteen," Peter said. "Too many of them even for a sudden +onslaught." + +The Indian said a few words to Peter; the latter nodded, and Deer +Tail again quietly stole away. + +"He's going to steal the boat," Peter said. "It's a risky job, for +where it lies it can be seen by 'em as they sit. Now, you and me must +be ready with our shooting irons to cover him, if need be. Ef he's +found out before he gets the boat he'll take to the woods and lead +them away from us; but ef he's fairly in the boat, then we must do +our best for him. Ef the wust comes to the wust, I reckon we can hold +these bushes agin 'em for some time; but in the end I don't disguise +from ye, youngster, they'll beat us." + +Harold now sat intently watching the canoe. It seemed an age to him +before he saw a hand emerge from the bushes and take hold of the +head-rope. The motion given to the canoe was so slight as to be +almost imperceptible; it seemed as if it was only drifting gently +before the slight breeze which was creeping over the surface of the +lake. Half its length had disappeared from the open space, when an +Indian appeared by the edge of the water. He looked at the canoe, +looked over the lake, and withdrew again. The hand had disappeared in +the bushes on his approach. The movement of the canoe, slight as it +was, had caught his eye, but, satisfied that it was caused only by +the wind, he had returned to his fire again. The hand appeared again +through the bushes, and the canoe was drawn along until hidden from +the sight of those sitting by the fire. Again the watchful Indian +appeared, but the boat was lying quietly by the bushes at the full +length of its head-rope. He stooped down to see that this was +securely fastened and again retired. Harold held his breath, +expecting that every moment the presence of the Seneca would be +discovered. Scarcely had the Indian disappeared than the Seneca +crawled out from the bushes. With a sweep of his knife he cut the +rope of the canoe and noiselessly entered it, and as he did so gave a +shove with his foot, which sent it dancing along the shore toward the +spot where Harold and his companion were hidden. Then he seized the +paddle, and in half a dozen strokes brought it within reach of them. +Harold and Peter stepped into it; as they did so there was a sudden +shout. The Indian had again strolled down to look at the canoe, whose +movements, slight as they had been, had appeared suspicious to him. +He now, to his astonishment, saw it at the point with two white men +and an Indian on board. He had left his gun behind him and, uttering +his war-cry, bounded back for it. + +"Round the p'int, quick!" Peter exclaimed. "They'll riddle us in the +open." + +Two strokes took the canoe round the projecting point of bushes, and +she then darted along the shore, driven by the greatest efforts of +which the three paddlers were capable. Had the shore been open the +Indians would have gained upon them, but they were unable to force +their way through the thick bushes at anything like the rate at which +the canoe was flying over the water. The first start was upward of a +hundred yards, and this was increased by fifty before the Indians, +arriving at the point, opened fire. The distance was beyond anything +like an accurate range with Indian guns. Several bullets struck the +water round the canoe. + +"Now steer out," Peter said as the firing suddenly ceased. "They're +making a _detour_ among the bushes, and 'll come down ahead of us if +we keep near the shore." + +Two or three more shots were fired, but without effect, and the canoe +soon left the shore far behind. + +"Now," Peter said, "I think we're safe. It's not likely they've +another canoe anywhere near on this side, as most of 'em would have +gone with the expedition. Ef the firing has been heard it will not +attract much attention, being on this side, and I see nothing in the +way of a boat out in the lake. Still, these redskins' eyes can see +'most any distance. Now, chief," he went on to the Indian in his +native language, "the young un and I'll lie down at the bottom of the +boat; do you paddle quietly and easily, as ef you were fishing. The +canoe with a single Indian in it will excite no suspicion, and even +ef you see other canoes, you had better keep on in that way unless +you see that any of 'em are intending to overhaul you." + +The chief nodded assent. Peter and Harold stretched themselves at +full length in the canoe, and the Indian paddled quietly and steadily +on. For an hour not a word was spoken in the canoe. Harold several +times dozed off to sleep. At last the Seneca spoke: + +"Many boats out on water--American army." + +Harold was about to raise his head to look out when Peter exclaimed: +"Lie close, Harold! Ef a head were shown now it would be wuss than ef +we had sat up all the time. We know there are Injun canoes with the +flats, and they may be watching us now. We may be a long way off, but +there's no saying how far a redskin's eyes can carry. Can you see +where they are going to, chief?" he asked the Seneca. "Are they +heading for Isle-aux-Noix, as we heard 'em say they were going to +do?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"Going to island." + +"Then," Peter said, "the sooner we're across the lake the better." + +The Seneca again spoke, and after a consultation with Peter laid in +his paddle. + +"What is he doing now?" Harold asked. + +"Our coarse lies pretty near the same way as theirs," Peter said. +"The island is but a short distance from the shore, near the mouth of +the Sorrel, so where we're going would take us right across their +line. We fooled them yesterday, but are not likely to do it again +to-day. So the chief has stopped paddling and makes as if he were +fishing. I doubt whether it will succeed, for he would hardly be +fishing so far out. But we'll soon see. It's better so than to turn +and paddle in any other direction, as that would be sure to excite +their suspicions." + +The fleet of boats had already passed the spot where the canoe would +have crossed had she been going directly across the lake when she was +first seen, and was therefore now ahead of it. The great flotilla +kept on as if the canoe with its single occupant in its rear had not +excited suspicion. The Seneca, however, knew that sharp eyes must be +upon him. The manner in which the canoe had baffled pursuit the day +before must have inflicted a severe blow upon the pride of the +Indians, and although, having driven them off the lake, they could +have no reason for suspecting that their foes could have obtained a +fresh canoe, the Seneca knew that their vigilance would not sleep for +a moment. Therefore, although bending over the side of the canoe as +if watching his lines, his eyes were never off the boats. + +"There are canoes making for the shore both ways," he said at last. +"It is time that my white brother should take the paddle." + +Peter and Harold at once sat up in the boat and looked round the +lake, which at this point was about ten miles wide. The canoe was +four miles from the eastern side; the flotilla was a mile further up +the lake and the same distance nearer to the western shore. Four or +five canoes were detaching themselves from the flotilla, apparently +rowing direct for the shore. It would have been easy for the canoe to +have regained the eastern side long before she could have been cut +off, but here they might find the Chippewas. The Indians whose boat +they had taken would assuredly follow along the shores of the lake in +hopes that something might occur to drive them back. Besides, had +they landed there, they would be unable to carry in time the news of +the approaching attack upon St. John's. For the same reason it was +important to land up the lake near the Canadian end. + +Peter rapidly took in the situation. He saw that it was possible, and +only just possible, to reach the shore at a point opposite to that at +which they now were before the hostile canoes could cut them off from +it. If they headed them there they would be obliged to run down to +the other end of the lake before effecting a landing, while he could +not calculate on being able to beat all the canoes, most of which +carried four paddlers, who would strain every nerve to retrieve their +failure of the previous day. + +Not a word was spoken as the boat darted through the water. Harold, +unaccustomed to judge distances, could form no idea whether the +distant canoes would or would not intercept them. At present both +seemed to him to be running toward the shore on nearly parallel +courses, and the shorter distance that the Indians would have to row +seemed to place them far ahead. The courses, however, were not +parallel, as the Indians were gradually turning their canoes to +intercept the course of that which they were pursuing. As the minutes +went by and the boats converged more and more toward the same point, +Harold saw how close the race would be. After twenty minutes' hard +paddling the boats were within a quarter of a mile of each other, and +the courses which they were respectively taking seemed likely to +bring them together at about a quarter of a mile from the shore. +There were three Indian canoes, and these kept well together. So +close did the race appear that Harold expected every moment to see +Peter sweep the head of the canoe round and make a stern chase of it +by running down the lake. This Peter had no intention of doing. The +canoes, he saw, traveled as fast as his own and could each spare a +man to fire occasionally, while he and his companions would be +obliged to continue paddling. Better accustomed to judge distances +than Harold, he was sure, at the speed at which they were going, he +would be able to pass somewhat ahead of his foes. + +"Row all you know, Harold," he said. "Now, chief, send her along." + +Harold had been rowing to the utmost of his strength, but he felt by +the way the canoe quivered at every stroke that his companions were +only now putting out their extreme strength. The boat seemed to fly +through the water, and he began to think for the first time that the +canoe would pass ahead of their pursuers. The latter were clearly +also conscious of the fact, for they now turned their boats' heads +more toward the shore, so that the spot where the lines would meet +would be close to the shore itself. The canoes were now within two +hundred yards of each other. The Indians were nearer to the shore, +but the oblique line that they were following would give them about +an equal distance to row to the point for which both were making. +Harold could not see that there was the slightest difference in the +rate at which they were traveling. It seemed to him that the four +canoes would all arrive precisely at the same moment at the land, +which was now some five or six hundred yards distant. + +Another two minutes' paddling, and when the canoes were but seventy +or eighty yards apart, Peter, with a sweep with his paddle, turned +the boat's head nearly half round and made obliquely for the shore, +so throwing his pursuers almost astern of him. The shore was but +three hundred yards distant; they were but fifty ahead of their +pursuers. The latter gave a loud yell at seeing the change in the +position in the chase. They had, of course, foreseen the possibility +of such a movement, but had been powerless to prevent it. But they +were prepared, for on the instant one man in each canoe dropped his +paddle and, standing up, fired. It is a difficult thing to take aim +when standing in a canoe dancing under the vigorous strokes of three +paddlers. It was the more difficult since the canoes were at the +moment sweeping round to follow the movement of the chase. The three +balls whistled closely round the canoe, but no one was hit. + +The loss of three paddlers for even so short a time checked the pace +of the canoes. The Indians saw that they could not hope to overtake +their foes, whose canoe was now but a few lengths from shore. They +dropped their paddles, and each man seized his rifle. Another moment, +and the nine pieces would have poured their fire into the canoe about +fifty yards ahead of them, when from the bushes on the shore three +puffs of smoke shot out, and three of the Indians fell, one of them +upsetting his boat in his fall. A yell of surprise and dismay broke +from them, the guns were thrown down, the paddles grasped again, and +the heads of the canoes turned from the shore. The Indians in the +overturned boat did not wait to right it, but scrambled into the +other canoes, and both were soon paddling at the top of their speed +from the shore, not without further damage, for the guns in the +bushes again spoke out, and Peter and the Seneca added their fire the +instant they leaped from the boat to shore, and another of the +Indians was seen to fall. Harold was too breathless when he reached +the bank to be able to fire. He raised his gun, but his hands +trembled with the exertion that he had undergone, and the beating of +his heart and his short, panting breath rendered it impossible for +him to take a steady aim. A minute later Jake burst his way through +the bushes. + +"Ah, Massa Harold!" he exclaimed. "Bress de Lord dat we was here! +What a fright you hab giben me, to be sure! We hab been watching you +for a long time. Ephraim and de redskin dey say dey saw little spot +far out on lake, behind all dose boats; den dey say other boats set +off in chase. For a long time Jake see nothing about dat, but at last +he see dem. Den we hurry along de shore, so as to get near de place +to where de boats row; ebery moment me tink dat dey catch you up. +Ephraim say no, bery close thing, but he tink you come along first, +but dat we must shoot when dey come close. We stand watch for some +time, den Ephraim say dat you no able to get to dat point. You hab to +turn along de shore, so we change our place and run along, and sure +'nough de boat's head turns, and you come along in front of us. Den +we all shoot, and the redskins dey tumble over." + +"Well, Jake, it is fortunate indeed that you were on the spot, for +they could scarcely have missed all of us. Besides, even if we had +got to shore safely, they would have followed us, and the odds +against us would have been heavy." + +"That ar war a close shave, Peter," Ephraim said; "an all-fired close +shave I call it." + +"It war, Ephraim, and no mistake." + +"Why didn't yer head down along the lake?" + +"Because I got news that the colonists air going to attack St. John's +to-morrow, and I want to get to the fort in time to put 'em on their +guard. Besides, both sides of the lake are sure to be full of hostile +Injuns. Those canoes paddled as fast as we did, and in the long run +might have worn us out." + +"Did you have a fight on the lake two nights ago? Me and the redskin +thought we heard firing." + +"We had a skirmish with 'em," Peter said; "a pretty sharp shave it +war, too, but we managed to slip away from them. Altogether we've had +some mighty close work, I can tell yer, and I thought more than once +as we were going to be wiped out." + +While they were speaking the men had already started at a steady pace +through the woods, away from the lake, having first drawn up the +canoe and carefully concealed it. + +It was late at night when they reached Fort St. John. A message was +at once dispatched to a party of the Senecas who were at their +village, about sixteen miles away. They arrived in the morning and, +together with a portion of the garrison, moved out and took their +place in the wooded and marshy ground between the fort and the river. +Scouts were sent along the Sorrel, and these returned about one +o'clock, saying that a large number of boats were coming down the +lake from Isle-aux-Noix. It had been determined to allow the +colonists to land without resistance, as the commander of the fort +felt no doubt of his ability, with the assistance of his Indian +allies, to repulse their attack. Some twelve hundred men were landed, +and these at once began to advance toward the fort, lead by their two +generals, Schuyler and Montgomery. Scarcely had they entered the +swamp, when from every bush a fire was opened upon them. The invaders +were staggered, but pushed forward, in a weak and undecided way, as +far as a creek which intercepted their path. In vain General +Montgomery endeavored to encourage them to advance. They wavered and +soon began to fall back, and in an hour from the time of their +landing they were again gathered on the bank of the river. Here they +threw up a breastwork, and, as his numbers were greatly inferior, the +British officer in command thought it unadvisable to attack them. +After nightfall the colonists took to their boats and returned to +Isle-aux-Noix, their loss in this their first attempt at the invasion +of Canada being nine men. + +A day or two later the Indians again attempted to induce General +Carleton to permit them to cross the frontier and carry the war into +the American settlements, and upon the general's renewed refusal they +left the camp in anger and remained from that time altogether aloof +from the contest. + +St. John's was now left with only its own small garrison. Captain +Wilson was ordered to fall back with his company to Montreal, it +being considered that the garrison of St. John's was sufficient to +defend that place for a considerable time. As soon as the Indians had +marched away, having sent word to the colonists that they should take +no further part in the fight, Montgomery--who was now in command, +Schuyler having fallen sick--landed the whole of the force and +invested the fort. An American officer, Ethan Allen, had been sent +with a party to try to raise the colonists in rebellion in the +neighborhood of Chamblee. He had with him 30 Americans and was joined +by 80 Canadians. Dazzled by the success which had attended the +surprise of Ticonderoga, he thought to repeat the stroke by the +conquest of Montreal. He crossed the river in the night about three +miles below the city. Peter and some other scouts, who had been +watching his movements, crossed higher up and brought the news, and +36 men of the Twenty-sixth Regiment, Captain Wilson's company, and +200 or 300 loyal Canadians, the whole under the command of Major +Campbell, attacked Ethan Allen. He was speedily routed and, with 38 +of his men, taken prisoner. The siege of St. John's made but little +progress. The, place was well provisioned, and the Americans encamped +in the low, swampy ground around it suffered much from ill health. +The men were mutinous and insolent, the officers incapable and +disobedient. So far the invasion of Canada, of which such great +things had been hoped by the Americans, appeared likely to turn out a +complete failure. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +QUEBEC. + +General Carleton, seeing that Montgomery's whole force was retained +idle before St. John's, began to hope that the winter would come to +his assistance before the invaders had made any serious progress. +Unfortunately he had not reckoned on the utter incapacity of the officer +in command of Fort Chamblee. Major Stopford of the Seventh Regiment had +160 men and a few artillerymen, and the fort was strong and well +provided with provisions. American spies had found the inhabitants +around the place favorable to the Americans. Major Brown was sent down +by Montgomery with a small detachment, and, being joined by the +inhabitants, sat down before the fort. They had only two six-pounders, +and could have effected nothing had the fort been commanded by a man of +bravery and resources. Such was not the character of its commander, who, +after a siege of only a day and a half, surrendered the place with all +its stores, which were of inestimable value to the invaders, who were +upon the edge of giving up the siege of the fort; their ammunition being +entirely exhausted; but the six tons of gunpowder, the seventeen cannon, +mortars, and muskets which fell into their hands enabled them to carry +on the siege of St. John's with renewed vigor. There was no excuse +whatever for the conduct of Major Stopford in allowing these stores to +fall into the hands of the Americans; as, even had he not possessed the +courage to defend the fort, he might, before surrendering, have thrown +the whole of the ammunition into the river, upon which there was a safe +sally-port, where he could have carried on the operation entirely +unmolested by the enemy. The colors of the Seventh Regiment were +captured and sent to Congress as the first trophy of the war. + +The siege of St. John's was now pushed on by Montgomery with vigor. +Colonel Maclean, with 800 Indians and Canadians, attempted to relieve +it, crossing the St. Lawrence in small boats. On nearing the other bank, +they were received by so heavy a fire by the Americans posted there that +they were obliged to retire without effecting a landing. Provisions and +ammunition were now running short in St. John's, there was no hope +whatever of relief from the outside, and the officer commanding was +therefore obliged to surrender on November 14, after a gallant defense. + +As there were only some fifty or sixty regulars in Montreal, General +Carleton was unable to defend that town, and, upon the news of the fall +of St. John's, he at once retired to Quebec, and Montreal was occupied +by the Americans. In the meantime another expedition had been dispatched +by the Americans under Arnold. This officer, with 1500 men, had started +for Quebec from a point 130 miles north of Boston. Suffering enormous +fatigue and hardship, the force made its way up the river; past rapids, +cataracts, and through swamps they dragged and carried their boats and +stores. They followed the bed of the river up to its source, and then, +crossing the watershed, descended the Chaudiere and Duloup rivers on to +the St. Lawrence, within a few miles of Quebec. + +This was a wonderful march--one scarcely equaled in the annals of +military history. Crossing the St. Lawrence in canoes, Arnold encamped +with his little force upon the heights of Abraham. Such a daring +attempt could not have been undertaken had not the Americans been aware +of the extreme weakness of the garrison at Quebec, which consisted only +of 50 men of the Seventh Regiment, 240 of the Canadian militia, a +battalion of seamen from the ships-of-war, under the command of Captain +Hamilton of the _Lizard_, 250 strong, and the colonial volunteers, +under Colonel Maclean. + +The fortifications were in a ruinous condition. It was fortunate that +Colonel Maclean, who had come from the Sorrel, upon the surrender of St. +John's, by forced marches, arrived on the very day on which Arnold +appeared before the city. Directly he arrived Arnold attacked the city +at the gate of St. Louis, but was sharply repulsed. He then desisted +from active operations and awaited the arrival of Montgomery, who was +marching down from Montreal. The flotilla in which Carleton was +descending the river was attacked by the Americans, who came down the +Sorrel, and was captured, with all the troops and military stores which +it was bringing down. General Carleton himself escaped in a small boat +under cover of night, and reached Quebec. + +Captain Wilson's company had been attached to the command of Colonel +Maclean, and with it arrived in Quebec in safety. + +Upon the arrival of Montgomery with his army the city was summoned to +surrender. A strong party in the town were favorable to the invaders, +but General Carleton treated the summons with contempt, and turned +all the inhabitants who refused to join in the defense of the city +outside the town. + +The winter had now set in in earnest, and the difficulties of the +besiegers were great. Arnold's force had been much weakened by the +hardships that they had undergone, Montgomery's by desertions; the +batteries which they erected were overpowered by the fire of the +defenders, and the siege made no progress whatever. The men became +more and more disaffected and mutinous. Many of them had nearly served +the time for which they had enlisted, and Montgomery feared that they +would leave him when their engagement came to an end. He in vain +tempted the besieged to make a sally. Carleton was so certain that +success would come by waiting that he refused to allow himself to +hazard it by a sortie. + +The weather was fighting for him, and the besiegers had before them only +the alternatives of taking the place by storm or abandoning the siege +altogether. They resolved upon a storm. It was to take place at daybreak +on December 31. Montgomery determined to make four attacks--two false +and two real ones. Colonel James Livingstone, with 200 Canadians, was to +appear before St. John's gate, and a party under Colonel Brown were to +feign a movement against the upper town, and from high ground there were +to send up rockets as the signal for the real attacks to commence--that +led by Montgomery from the south and that under Arnold from the +northwest--both against the lower town. + +The false attacks were made too soon, the rockets being fired half an +hour before the main columns reached their place of attack. The British +were not deceived; but, judging these attacks to be feints, left but a +small party to oppose them and marched the bulk of their forces down +toward the lower town. Their assistance, however, came too late, for, +before they arrived, the fate of the attack was already decided. The +Americans advanced under circumstances of great difficulty. A furious +wind, with cutting hail, blew in their faces; the ground was slippery +and covered with snow. + +Half an hour before the English supports arrived on the spot Montgomery, +with his leading company, reached the first barricade, which was +undefended; passing through this, they pressed on toward the next. The +road leading to it was only wide enough for five or six persons abreast. +On one side was the river, on the other a steep cliff; in front was a +log hut with loop-holes for musketry, and a battery of two +three-pounders. It was held by a party of 30 Canadians and 8 militiamen +under John Coffin, with 9 sailors under Bairnsfeather, the captain of +the transport, to work the guns. Montgomery, with 60 men, pushed on at a +run to carry the battery; but, when within fifty yards Bairnsfeather +discharged his pieces, which were loaded with grape-shot, with deadly +aim. Montgomery, his aid-de-camp Macpherson, Lieutenant Cheeseman, and +10 others fell dead at the first discharge, and with them the soul of +the expedition fled. The remaining officers endeavored to get the men to +advance, but none would do so, and they fell back without losing another +man. So completely cowed were they that they would not even carry off +the bodies of their general and his companions. These were brought into +Quebec next day and buried with the honors of war by the garrison. + +The force under Arnold was far stronger than that under Montgomery. The +Canadian guard appointed to defend the first barrier fled at the +approach, but the small body of sailors fought bravely and were all +killed or wounded. Arnold was shot through the leg and disabled. Morgan, +who commanded the advanced companies, led his men on and carried the +second barrier after an obstinate resistance. They were attacking the +third when Maclean with his men from the upper town arrived. The British +then took the offensive, and drove the enemy back, and a party, going +round, fell upon their rear. Fifty were killed in Arnold's column, 400 +taken prisoners, and the rest retreated in extreme disorder. + +Thus ended the assault upon Quebec--an assault which was all but +hopeless from the first, but in which Americans showed but little valor +and determination. In fact, throughout the war, it may be said that the +Americans, when fighting on the defensive behind trees and +intrenchments, fought stubbornly; but that they were feeble in attack +and wholly incapable of standing against British troops in the open. + +It would now have been easy for Carleton to have sallied out and taken +the offensive, but he preferred holding Quebec quietly. He might have +easily driven the Americans from their position before the walls; but, +with the handful of troops under his orders, he could have done nothing +toward carrying on a serious campaign in the open. + +Until spring came, and the rivers were opened, no re-enforcements could +reach him from England, while the Americans could send any number of +troops into Canada. Carleton, therefore, preferred to wait quietly +within the walls of Quebec, allowing the winter, hardships, and disunion +to work their natural effects upon the invaders. + +Arnold sent to Washington to demand 10,000 more troops, with siege +artillery. Several regiments were sent forward, but artillery could not +be spared. Eight regiments entered Canada, but they found that, instead +of meeting, as they had expected, an enthusiastic reception from the +inhabitants, the population was now hostile to them. The exactions of +the invading army had been great, and the feeling in favor of the +English was now all but universal. + +On May 5 two frigates and a sloop-of-war made their way up the river +to Quebec. The Americans endeavored to embark their sick and +artillery above the town. Re-enforced by the marines, the garrison +sallied out and attacked the enemy, who fled with precipitation, +leaving their provisions, cannon, five hundred muskets, and two +hundred sick behind them. The British pursued them until they reached +the mouth of the Sorrel. + +The arrival of the fleet from England brought news of what had taken +place since Captain Wilson's company had marched from Boston, a short +time after the battle of Bunker's Hill. Immediately after the battle the +colonists had sent two deputies, Penn and Lee, with a petition to +Parliament for the restoration of peace. This petition was supported by +a strong body in Parliament. The majority, however, argued that, from +the conduct of the Americans, it was clear that they aimed at +unconditional, unqualified, and total independence. In all their +proceedings they had behaved as if entirely separated from Great +Britain. Their professions and petition breathed peace and moderation; +their actions and preparations denoted war and defiance; every attempt +that could be made to soften their hostility had been in vain; their +obstinacy was inflexible; and the more England had given in to their +wishes, the more insolent and overbearing had their demands become. The +stamp tax had been repealed, but their ill will had grown rather than +abated. The taxations on imports had been entirely taken off save on one +small item; but, rather than pay this, they had accumulated arms and +ammunition, seized cannon belonging to the king, and everywhere prepared +for armed resistance. Only two alternatives remained for the British +nation to adopt--either to coerce the colonists to submission or to +grant them their entire independence. + +These arguments were well founded. The concessions which had been made +had but encouraged the colonists to demand more. No good whatever would +have come from entering into negotiation; there remained but the two +alternatives. It would have been far better had Parliament, instead of +deciding on coercion, withdrawn altogether from the colonies, for +although hitherto the Americans had shown no great fighting qualities, +it was clear that so small an army as England could spare could not +permanently keep down so vast a country if the people were determined +upon independence. They might win every battle,--might overpower every +considerable force gathered against them,--but they could only enforce +the king's authority over a mere fractional portion of so great an area. +England, however, was unaccustomed to defeat; her spirit in those days +was proud and high; and by a large majority Parliament voted for the +continuance of the war. The next step taken was one unworthy of the +country. It tended still further to embitter the war, and it added to +the strength of the party in favor of the colonists at home. Attempts +were made by the government to obtain the services of large numbers of +foreign troops. Negotiations were entered into with Russia, Holland, +Hesse, and other countries. Most of these proved ineffectual, but a +considerable number of troops was obtained from Hesse. + +The news of these proceedings excited the Americans to renewed efforts. +The force under Washington was strengthened, and he took possession of +Dorchester Heights, commanding the town of Boston. A heavy cannonade +was opened on the city. The British guns answered it, but the American +position gave them an immense advantage. General Howe, who was in +command, at first thought of attempting to storm the heights, but the +tremendous loss sustained at the battle of Bunker's Hill deterred him +from the undertaking. His supineness during the past four months had +virtually lost the American colonies to England. He had under his +command 8000 troops, who could have routed, with ease, the +undisciplined levies of Washington. Instead of leading his men out +against the enemy, he had suffered them to be cooped up for months in +the city, and had failed to take possession of the various heights +commanding the town. Had he done this Boston might have resisted a +force many times as strong as that which advanced against it, and there +was now nothing left for the English but to storm the heights with +enormous loss or to evacuate the city. + +The first was the alternative which had been chosen when the Americans +seized Bunker's Hill; the second was that which was now adopted. + +Having adopted this resolution, Howe carried it out in a manner which +would in itself be sufficient to condemn him as a military leader. +Nothing was done to destroy the vast stores of arms and ammunition, and +two hundred and fifty pieces of cannon were left for the colonists to +use against England. No steps were taken to warn ships arriving from +England of the surrender of the town. The consequence was that, in +addition to the vast amount of stores captured in the town, numbers of +the British storeships fell into the hands of the Americans--among them +a vessel which, in addition to carbines, bayonets, gun-carriages, and +other stores, had on board more than seventy tons of powder, while +Washington's whole stock was all but exhausted. + +But worse even than this hurried and unnecessary abandonment of vast +munitions of war was the desertion of the loyalist population. Boston +was full of loyalists, among whom were many of the wealthier and +better-born persons in the colony, who, from the commencement of the +troubles had left their homes, their fortunes, and their families to +rally round the standard of their sovereign. The very least that Howe +could have done for these loyal men would have been to have entered into +some terms of capitulation with Washington, whereby they might have been +permitted to depart to their homes and to the enjoyment of their +property. Nothing of the sort was attempted, and the only choice offered +to a loyalist was to remain in the town, exposed to certain insult and +ill treatment, perhaps to death, at the hands of the rebels, or to leave +in the transports for England or Halifax and to be landed here penniless +and starving. + +Howe's conduct in this was on a piece with his behavior throughout the +campaign; but he was little, if at all, inferior to the other generals, +who vied with each other in incapacity and folly. Never in the whole +history of England were her troops led by men so inefficient, so +sluggish, and so incapable as those who commanded her armies in the +American Revolutionary War. + +The first ships from England which arrived at Quebec were followed, a +few days later, by the _Niger_ and _Triton_, convoy transports, with +troops. The British now took the offensive in earnest. From the west +Captain Forster marched from Detroit, with 40 men of the Eighth +Regiment, 100 Canadians, and some Indians, against a pass called the +Cedars, situated fifteen leagues above Montreal. This was held by 400 +men with two cannon. As soon as the British force opened fire the +Americans surrendered. The following day Forster's force, advancing, +came upon 140 men under Major Sherbourne, who were marching to +re-enforce the garrison at the Cedars. These were forced to retreat and +100 of them taken prisoners. + +Arnold, with 700 men, advanced against the British force. The British +officer, fearing that in case of an attack the Indians with him might +massacre the prisoners, released the whole of them, 474 in number, under +the promise that an equal number of British prisoners should be +returned. This engagement was shamefully broken by the Americans, who +raised a number of frivolous excuses, among others that prisoners taken +by the British were ill treated--an accusation which excited the +indignation of the prisoners themselves, some of whom wrote to members +of Congress, stating that nothing could be kinder or more courteous than +the treatment which they received. + +While Forster was advancing toward Montreal from the west, Carleton +was moving up against the Americans at Sorrel from Quebec. At the +death of Montgomery, Wooster had taken the command of the main +American force. He had been succeeded by Thompson, but the latter +dying of smallpox, Sullivan took his place. The new commander +determined to take the offensive against the English, and dispatched a +force of about 2000 men to attack General Fraser, who held a post at a +place called Three Rivers. + +A Canadian peasant brought news to General Fraser of the approach of the +Americans, and as he had received re-enforcements from below he +determined to anticipate their attack. His movements were completely +successful. Some of the Americans fought well, but the rest dispersed +with but little resistance. Two hundred were killed and 150 taken +prisoners. The rest succeeded in returning to Sorrel. + +The main body of the British army now came up the river in their ships, +and, as they approached Sorrel, Sullivan broke up his camp and +retreated. At the same time Arnold, who commanded at Montreal, evacuated +the town and joined Sullivan's army at St. John's. + +Had the English pushed forward with any energy the whole of the American +army of invasion would have fallen into their hands. They were +completely broken in spirits, suffering terribly from sickness, and were +wholly incapable of making any defense. Burgoyne, who commanded the +advance of the English army, moved forward very slowly, and the +Americans were enabled to take to their boats and cross, first to +Isle-aux-Noix and then to Crown Point. An American historian, who saw +them after they landed, says: "At the sight of so much privation and +distress I wept until I had no more power to weep. I did not look into a +tent or hut in which I did not find either a dead or dying man. Of about +5000 men full half were invalids. In little more than two months they +had lost by desertion and death more than 5000 men." + +Captain Wilson and his company were not present with the advance of the +British troops. General Howe, after evacuating Boston, had sailed with +his army to Halifax, there to wait until a large body of re-enforcements +should be sent in the spring from England. General Carleton had, in his +dispatches, mentioned favorably the services which the little company of +loyalists from Boston had performed, and Lord Howe wrote requesting that +the company should be sent down by ship to Halifax, as he was about to +sail from New York to undertake operations on a large scale, and should +be glad to have with him a body of men accustomed to scouting and +acquainted with the country. Accordingly, the company was embarked in a +transport and reached Halifax early in June. On the 11th they sailed +with the army and arrived at Sandy Hook on the 29th. On July 3 the army +landed on Staten Island, opposite Long Island, and soon afterward Lord +Howe, brother of General Howe, arrived with the main army from England, +raising the total force to nearly 30,000 men. It consisted of two +battalions of light infantry, two of grenadiers, the Fourth, Fifth, +Tenth, Seventeenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-third, Twenty-seventh, +Thirty-fifth, Thirty-eighth, Fortieth, Forty-second, Forty-third, +Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty-ninth, Fifty-second, Fifty-fifth, +Sixty-third, and Sixty-fourth regiments of foot, part of the Forty-sixth +and Seventy-first regiments, and the Seventeenth Regiment of light +dragoons. There were, besides, two battalions of volunteers from New +York, each 1000 strong. Had this force arrived, as it should have done, +three months earlier, it might have achieved great things; but the delay +had enabled the Americans to make extensive preparations to meet the +coming storm. + +Lord Howe brought with him a communication from Parliament, giving him +and his brother full power to treat with the Americans on any terms +which they might think fit. Upon his arrival Lord Howe addressed a +letter to Dr. Franklin, informing him of the nature of his +communication, expressing hopes that he would find in America the same +disposition for peace that he brought with him, and requesting his aid +to accomplish the desired end. Dr. Franklin, in answer, informed Lord +Howe that, "prior to the consideration of any proposition for friendship +or peace, it would be required that Great Britain should acknowledge the +independence of America, should defray the expense of the war, and +indemnify, the colonists for all damages committed." + +After such a reply as this Lord Howe had no alternative but to commence +hostilities, which he did by landing the army in Gravesend Bay, Long +Island. The enemy offered no opposition to the landing, but retreated at +once, setting fire to all the houses and granaries, and taking up a +position on the wooded heights which commanded the line by which the +English must advance. + +The American main force, 15,000 strong, was posted on a peninsula +between Mill Creek and Wallabout Bay, and had constructed a strong line +of intrenchments across the end of the peninsula. The intrenchments were +strengthened by abattis and flanked by strong redoubts. Five thousand +remained to guard this post, and 10,000, under General Puttenham, +advanced to hold the line of wooded hills which run across the island. + +In the center of the plain, at the foot of these hills, stood the +village of Flatbush. + +The Hessian division of the British army, under General De Heister, +advanced against this, while General Clinton, with the right wing of the +English army, moved forward to attack the enemy's left. + +This force marched at nine o'clock at night on August 26; General Sir +William Howe himself accompanied it. The line of hills trended away +greatly to the left, and the enemy had neglected to secure the passes +over the hills on this flank; consequently, at nine o'clock in the +morning, the British passed the range of hills without resistance, and +occupied Bedford in its rear. Had Sir William Howe now pushed on +vigorously, the whole of Puttenham's force must have been captured. + +In the meantime the Hessians from Flatbush attacked the center of the +Americans, and after a warm engagement, routed them and drove them into +the woods with a loss of three pieces of cannon. + +On the British left General Grant also advanced, and at midnight carried +a strong pass on the enemy's left. Retiring, they held a still stronger +position further back and offered a fierce resistance until the fires at +Bedford showed that the English had obtained a position almost in their +rear, when they retreated precipitately. + +[Illustration: Sketch of the British Position on Long Island.] + +The victory was a complete one, but it had none of the consequences +which would have attended it had the English pushed forward with +energy after turning the American left. Six pieces of cannon were +captured and 2000 men killed or taken prisoners. The English lost 70 +killed and 230 wounded. + +So impetuously did the English attack that even Sir William Howe +admitted that they could have carried the intrenchments. He alleges he +did not permit them to do so, because he intended to take the position +by regular approaches and wished therefore to avoid the loss of life +which an immediate assault would have occasioned. On the 27th and 28th +regular approaches were commenced, but on the 29th, under cover of a +fog, the Americans embarked in boats and succeeded in carrying the whole +of their force, without the loss of a man, across to the mainland. + +The escape of this body of men was disgraceful in the extreme to the +English commanders. They had a great fleet at their disposal, and had +they placed a couple of frigates in the East River, between Long Island +and New York, the escape would have been impossible, and General +Washington and his army of 15,000 men must have been taken prisoners. +Whether this misfortune would have proved conclusive of the war it is +now too late to speculate; but so splendid an opportunity was never +before let slip by an English general, and the negligence was the more +inexcusable inasmuch as the fleet of boats could be seen lying alongside +of the American position. Their purpose must have been known, and they +could at any moment have been destroyed by the guns of a ship-of-war +taking up its position outside them. + +Lord Howe dispatched the American General Sullivan, who had been taken +prisoner on Long Island, to Congress, repeating his desire to treat. A +committee of three members accordingly waited on Lord Howe, who informed +them that it was the most ardent wish of the king and the government of +Great Britain to put an end to the dissatisfaction between the mother +country and the colonists. To accomplish this desire every act of +Parliament which was considered obnoxious to the colonists should +undergo a revisal, and every just cause of complaint should be removed, +if the colonists would declare their willingness to submit to the +authority of the British government. The committee replied that it was +not America which had separated herself from Great Britain, but Great +Britain had separated herself from America. The latter had never +declared herself independent until the former had made war upon her, and +even if Congress were willing to place America in her former situation, +it could not do so, as the Declaration of Independence had been made in +consequence of the congregated voice of the whole people, by whom alone +it could be abolished. The country was determined not to return under +the domination of England. + +The negotiations were therefore broken off. Lord Howe published a +declaration to the people of America, giving the answer of the committee +to his offer of reconciliation. He acquainted them with the fact that +the parent country was willing to receive into its bosom and protection +all who might be willing to return to their former obedience. In taking +this step, Lord Howe was convinced that a majority of the inhabitants of +America were still willing to enter into an accommodation of the +differences between the two powers, and the conviction was not ill +founded. The declaration, however, produced but little effect, for the +dominant section, that resolved to break off all connection with +England, had acquired the sole management of affairs, and no offers +which could possibly have been made would have been accepted by them. + +Convinced that all further negotiations would be ineffectual, Lord Howe +prepared to carry his army across from Long Island to New York, where +the American army had taken up their post after the retreat from Long +Island. The armies were separated by the East River, with a breadth of +about thirteen hundred yards. A cannonade was kept up for several days. +On September 13 some ships-of-war were brought up to cover the passage. +Washington, seeing the preparations, began to evacuate the city and to +abandon the strong intrenchments which he had thrown up. At eleven +o'clock on the morning of the 15th the men-of-war opened a heavy fire, +and Clinton's division, consisting of 4000 men in eighty-four boats, +sailed up the river, landed on Manhattan Island at a place called Kipp's +Bay, and occupied the heights of Inclenberg, the enemy abandoning their +intrenchments at their approach. General Washington rode toward Kipp's +Bay to take command of the troops stationed there, but found the men who +had been posted at the lines running away, and the brigades which should +have supported them flying in every direction, heedless of the exertions +of their generals. + +Puttenham's division of 4000 men was still in the lower city, and would +be cut off unless the British advance should be checked. Washington +therefore made the greatest efforts to rally the fugitives and to get +them to make a stand to check the advancing enemy, but in vain; for, as +soon as even small bodies of redcoats were seen advancing, they broke +and fled in panic. + +Howe, as usual, delayed giving orders for an advance, and thus permitted +the whole of Puttenham's brigade, who were cut off and must have been +taken prisoners, to escape unharmed. And thus, with comparatively little +loss, the Americans drew off, leaving behind them only a few heavy +cannon and some bayonets and stores. + +So rapid had been their flight at the approach of the English that only +fifteen were killed, two men falling on the English side. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON. + +The Americans, finding that they were not pursued, rallied from their +panic and took up a position at Harlem and Kingsbridge. So great was the +disorganization among them that had the British advanced at once they +would have taken the place with scarcely any loss, strong as it was by +nature and by the intrenchments which Washington had prepared. Great +numbers deserted, disputes broke out between the troops of the various +States, insubordination prevailed, and the whole army was utterly +disheartened by the easy victories which the British had obtained over +them. Washington reported the cowardice of his troops to Congress, who +passed a law inflicting the punishment of death for cowardice. + +Before leaving New York the Americans had made preparations for burning +the whole town, but the speediness of their retreat prevented the +preparations being carried into effect. Fire was set to it in several +places and a third of the town was destroyed. + +The position taken up by the enemy was so strong that it was determined +to operate in the rear. Some redoubts were thrown up to cover New York +during the absence of the main part of the British force. + +A portion of the British army was landed at a point threatening the +retreat of the Americans, and a series of skirmishes of no great +importance took place. The enemy fell back from their most advanced +works, but no general move was undertaken, although, as the numbers on +both sides were about even and the superior fighting powers of the +English had been amply demonstrated, there could have been no doubt as +to the result of a general battle. Lord Howe, however, wasted the time +in a series of petty movements, which, although generally successful, +had no influence upon the result and served only to enable the Americans +to recover from the utter depression which had fallen upon them after +the evacuation of Long Island and the loss of New York. + +Gradually the Americans fell back across a country so swampy and +difficult that it was now no longer possible to bring on a general +action. Their retreat had the effect of isolating the important +positions of Kingsbridge and Fort Washington. The latter post was of the +utmost importance, inasmuch as it secured the American intercourse with +the Jersey shore. The fortifications were very strong and stood upon +rising and open ground. It was garrisoned by 3000 of the best American +troops under the command of Colonel Magaw. Washington was gradually +withdrawing his army, and had already given orders that Fort Washington +should be evacuated; but General Lee, who was second in command, so +strongly urged that it should be retained that, greatly against his own +judgment, he was obliged to consent to its being defended, especially as +Colonel Magaw insisted that the fort could stand a siege. On the night +of November 14 the British passed some troops across the creek, and Lord +Howe summoned the place to surrender on pain of the garrison being put +to the sword. Magaw had upon the previous day received large numbers of +re-enforcements, and replied that he should defend the fort. Soon after +daybreak on the 16th the artillery opened on both sides. Five thousand +Hessians, under the command of General Knyphausen, moved up the hill, +penetrated some of the advanced works of the enemy, and took post within +a hundred yards of the fort. The second division, consisting of the +guards and light infantry, with two battalions of Hessians and the +Thirty-third Regiment, landed at Island Creek, and after some stiff +fighting forced the enemy from the rocks and trees up the steep and +rugged mountain. The third and fourth divisions fought their way up +through similar defenses. So steep was the hill that the assailants +could only climb it by grasping the trees and bushes, and so obstinate +was the defense that the troops were sometimes mixed up together. + +The bravery and superior numbers of the British troops bore down all +resistance, and the whole of the four divisions reached their places +round the fort. They then summoned it to surrender, and its commander, +after half an hour's consideration, seeing the impossibility of +resisting the assault which was threatened, opened the gates. + +Upon the English side about 800 men were killed and wounded, of whom the +majority were Hessians. These troops fought with extreme bravery. The +American loss, owing to their superior position, was about 150 killed +and wounded, but the prisoners taken amounted to over 3000. + +On the 18th Lord Howe landed a strong body on the Jersey shore under +Lord Cornwallis, who marched to Fort Lee and surprised it. A deserter +had informed the enemy of his approach and the garrison had fled in +disorder, leaving their tents, provisions, and military stores behind +them. Lord Cornwallis, pushing forward with great energy, drove the +Americans out of New Jersey. Another expedition occupied Rhode Island. + +Cold weather now set in and the English went into winter quarters. Their +success had been complete, without a single check, and had they been led +vigorously the army of Washington might on two occasions have been +wholly destroyed. In such a case the moderate portion of the population +of the colonies would have obtained a hearing, and a peace honorable to +both parties might have been arrived at. + +The advantage gained by the gallantry of the British troops was, +however, entirely neutralized by the lethargy and inactivity of their +general, and the colonists had time given them to recover from the alarm +which the defeat of their troops had given them, to put another army in +the field, and to prepare on a great scale for the following campaign. + +The conduct of General Howe in allowing Washington's army to retire +almost unmolested was to the officers who served under him +unaccountable. His arrangements for the winter were even more singularly +defective. Instead of concentrating his troops he scattered them over a +wide extent of country at a distance too great to support each other, +and thus left it open to the enemy to crush them in detail. + +General Howe now issued a proclamation offering a free pardon to all who +surrendered, and great numbers of colonists came in and made their +submission. Even in Philadelphia the longing for peace was so strong +that General Washington was obliged to send a force there to prevent the +town from declaring for England. + +During the operations which had taken place since the landing of the +British troops on Long Island Captain Wilson's company had taken but +little part in the operations. All had been straightforward work and +conducted on the principles of European warfare. The services of the +volunteers as scouts had not, therefore, been called into requisition. +The success which at first attended the expedition had encouraged +Captain Wilson to hope, for the first time since the outbreak of the +Revolution, that the English might obtain such decisive successes that +the colonists would be willing to accept some propositions of peace such +as those indicated by Lord Howe--a repeal of all obnoxious laws, freedom +from any taxation except that imposed by themselves, and a recognition +of the British authority. When he saw that Lord Howe, instead of +actively utilizing the splendid force at his disposal, frittered it away +in minor movements and allowed Washington to withdraw with his beaten +army unmolested, his hopes again faded, and he felt that the colonists +would in the long run succeed in gaining all that they contended for. + +When the army went into winter quarters the company was ordered to take +post on the Delaware. There were four frontier posts, at Trenton, +Bordentown, White Horse, and Burlington. Trenton, opposite to which lay +Washington with the main body of his army, was held by only 1200 +Hessians, and Bordentown, which was also on the Delaware, was, like +Trenton, garrisoned by these troops. No worse choice could have been +made. The Hessians were brave soldiers, but their ignorance of the +language and of the country made them peculiarly unsuitable troops for +outpost work, as they were unable to obtain any information. As +foreigners, too, they were greatly disliked by the country people. + +Nothing was done to strengthen these frontier posts, which were left +wholly without redoubts or intrenchments into which the garrison could +withdraw in case of attack. + +Captain Wilson's little company were to act as scouts along the line of +frontier. Their headquarters were fixed at Bordentown, where Captain +Wilson obtained a large house for their use. Most of the men were at +home at work of this kind, and Peter Lambton, Ephraim, and the other +frontiersmen were dispatched from time to time in different directions +to ascertain the movements and intentions of the enemy. Harold asked +his father to allow him, as before, to accompany Peter. The inactivity +of a life at a quiet little station was wearisome, and with Peter he +was sure of plenty of work, with a chance of adventure. The life of +exercise and activity which he had led for more than a year had +strengthened his muscles and widened his frame, and he was now able to +keep up with Peter, however long and tiresome the day's work might be. +Jake, too, was of the party. He had developed into an active soldier, +and although he was but of little use for scouting purposes, even Peter +did not object to his accompanying him, for the negro's unfailing good +temper and willingness to make himself useful had made him a favorite +with the scout. + +The weather was now setting in exceedingly cold. The three men had more +than once crossed the Delaware in a canoe and scouted in the very heart +of the enemy's country. They were now sitting by the bank, watching some +drifting ice upon the river. + +"There won't be many more passages of the river by water," Peter +remarked. "Another ten days, and it'll be frozen across." + +"Then we can cross on foot, Peter." + +"Yes, we can do that," the scout said, "and so can the enemy. Ef their +general has got any interprise with him, and ef he can get them chaps as +he calls soldiers to fight, he'll be crossing over one of these nights +and capturing the hull of them Hessians at Trenton. What General Howe +means by leaving 'em there is more nor I can think; he might as well +have sent so many babies. The critters can fight, and fight well, too, +and they're good soldiers; but what's the good of 'em in a frontier +post? They know nothing of the country; they can't speak to the people, +nor ask no questions, nor find out nothing about what's doing the other +side of the river. They air no more than mere machines. What was wanted +was two or three battalions of light troops, who would make friends with +the country people and larn all that's doing opposite. If the Americans +are sharp they'll give us lots of trouble this winter, and you'll find +there won't be much sitting quiet for us at Bordentown. Fortunately +Bordentown and Trenton aint far apart, and one garrison ought to be able +to arrive to the assistance of the other before it's overpowered. We +shall see. Now, I propose that we cross again to-night and try and find +out what the enemy's doing. Then we can come back and manage for you to +eat your Christmas dinner with yer father, as you seem to have bent yer +mind upon that, though why it matters about dinner one day more than +another is more nor I can see." + +That night the three scouts crossed the river in the canoe. Avoiding all +houses, they kept many miles straight on beyond the river and lay down +for a few hours before morning dawned; then they turned their faces the +other way and walked up to the first farmhouse they saw. + +"Can we have a drink of milk?" the hunter asked. + +"You can," the farmer replied, "and some breakfast if you like to pay +for it. At first I was glad to give the best I had to those who came +along, but there have been such numbers going one way and the other, +either marching to join the army or running away to return to their +homes, that I should be ruined if I gave to all comers." + +"We're ready to pay," Peter said, drawing some money from his pocket. + +"Then come in and sit down." + +In a few minutes an excellent breakfast was put before them. + +"You are on your way to join the army, of course?" the farmer asked. + +"Jest that," Peter replied. "We think it's about our time to do a little +shooting, though I don't suppose there'll be much done till the spring." + +"I don't know," the farmer said. "I should not be surprised if the +general wakes up them Germans when the Delaware gets frozen. I heard +some talk about it from some men who came past yesterday. Their time was +expired, they said, and they were going home. I hear, too, that they are +gathering a force down near Mount Holly, and I reckon that they are +going to attack Bordentown." + +"Is that so?" Peter asked. "In that case we might as well tramp in that +direction. It don't matter a corn-shuck to us where we fight, so as it's +soon. We've come to help lick these British, and we means to do it." + +"Ah!" the farmer said, "I have heard that sentiment a good many times, +but I have not seen much come of it yet. So far, it seems to me as the +licking has been all the other way." + +"That's so," Peter agreed. "But everyone knows that the Americans are +just the bravest people on the face of the habitable arth. I reckon +their dander's not fairly up yet; but when they begin in arnest you'll +see what they'll do." + +The farmer gave a grunt which might mean anything. He had no strong +sympathies either way, and the conduct of the numerous deserters and +disbanded men who had passed through his neighborhood had been far from +impressing him favorably. + +"I don't pretend to be strong either for the Congress or the king. I +don't want to be taxed, but I don't see why the colonists should not pay +something toward the expenses of the government; and now that Parliament +seems willing to give all we ask for, I don't see what we want to go on +fighting for." + +"Waal!" Peter exclaimed in a tone of disgust, "you're one of the +half-hearted ones." + +"I am like the great majority of the people of this country. We are of +English stock and we don't want to break with the Old Country; but the +affairs have got into the hands of the preachers, and the newspaper men, +and the chaps that want to push themselves forward and make their pile +out of the war. As I read it, it's just the civil war in England over +again. We were all united at the first against what we considered as +tyranny on the part of the Parliament, and now we have gone setting up +demands which no one dreamed of at first and which most of us object to +now, only we have no longer the control of our own affairs." + +"The great heart of this country beats for freedom," Peter Lambton said. + +"Pooh!" said the farmer contemptuously. "The great heart of the country +wants to work its farms and do its business quietly. The English general +has made fair offers, which might well be accepted; and as for freedom, +there was no tyranny greater than that of the New England States. As +long as they managed their own affairs there was neither freedom of +speech nor religion. No, sir; what they call freedom was simply the +freedom to make everyone else do and think like the majority." + +"Waal, we won't argue it out," Peter said, "for I'm not good at +argument, and I came here to fight and not to talk. Besides, I want +to get to Mount Holly in time to jine in this battle, so I guess +we'll be moving." + +Paying for the breakfast, they started at once in the direction of Mount +Holly, which lay some twenty-five miles away. As they approached the +place early in the afternoon they overtook several men going in the same +direction. They entered into conversation with them, but could only +learn that some 450 of the militia from Philadelphia and the counties of +Gloucester and Salem had arrived on the spot. The men whom they had +overtaken were armed countrymen who were going to take a share in the +fight on their own account. + +Entering the place with the others, Peter found that the information +given him was correct. + +"We better be out of this at once," he said to Harold, "and make for +Bordentown." + +"You don't think that there is much importance in the movement," Harold +said as they tramped along. + +"There aint no importance whatever," Peter said, "and that's what I want +to tell 'em. They're never thinking of attacking the two thousand +Hessians at Bordentown with that ragged lot." + +"But what can they have assembled them for within twelve miles of the +place?" Harold asked. + +"It seems to me," the hunter replied, "that it's jest a trick to draw +the Germans out from Bordentown and so away from Trenton. At any rate, +it's well that the true account of the force here should be known. +These things gets magnified, and they may think that there's a hull +army here." + +It was getting dusk when they entered Bordentown, and Harold was glad +when he saw the little town, for since sunset on the evening before they +had tramped nearly sixty miles. The place seemed singularly quiet. They +asked the first person they met what had become of the troops, and they +were told that Colonel Donop, who commanded, had marched an hour before +with his whole force of 2000 men toward Mount Holly, leaving only 80 men +in garrison at Bordentown. + +"We are too late," Harold said. "They have gone by the road and we kept +straight through the woods and so missed them." + +"Waal, I hope no harm 'ill come of it. I suppose they mean to attack at +daylight, and in course that rabble will run without fighting. I hope, +when the colonel sees as how thar's no enemy ther worth speaking of, +he'll march straight back again." + +Unfortunately this was not the case. The militia, according to their +orders, at once dispersed when their outposts told them of the approach +of the British, but the German officer, instead of returning instantly, +remained for two days near Mount Holly, and so gave time to Washington +to carry out his plans. + +Captain Wilson's company had gone out with the force, and Peter and his +companions had the house to themselves that night. Harold slept late, +being thoroughly fatigued by his long march the day before, carrying his +rifle, blanket, and provisions. Peter woke him at last. + +"Now, young un, you've had a good sleep; it's eleven o'clock. I'm off to +Trenton to see what's doing there. Will you go with me, or will you stop +here on the chance of eating your dinner with your father?" + +"Oh, it's Christmas Day," Harold said, stretching. "Well, what do you +think, Peter--are they likely to come back or not?" + +"They ought to be back, there's no doubt about that, but whether they +will or not is a different affair altogether. I've never seed them hurry +themselves yet, not since the war began; things would have gone a good +deal better if they had; but time never seems of no consequence to them. +They marched twelve miles last night, and I reckon it's likely they'll +halt to-day and won't be back till to-morrow. I feel oneasy in my mind +about the whole affair, for I can't see a single reason for the enemy +sending that weak force to Mount Holly, unless it was to draw away the +troops from here, and the only motive there could be for that would be +because they intended to attack Trenton." + +"Very well, Peter, I will go with you." + +Accompanied by Jake they set out at once for Trenton. On arriving there +they found no particular signs of vigilance. Since the Hessians had +reached Trenton their discipline had much relaxed. A broad river +separated them from the enemy, who were known to be extremely +discontented and disorganized. They had received instruction on no +account to cross the river to attack the colonials, and the natural +consequence of this forced inactivity had manifested itself. Discipline +was lax, and but a slight watch was kept on the movements of the enemy +across the stream. Ignorant of the language of the people, they were +incapable of distinguishing between those who were friendly and those +who were hostile to the Crown, and they behaved as if in a conquered +country; taking such necessaries as they required without payment, and +even sending parties to a considerable distance on plundering +expeditions. + +Peter, on his arrival, proceeded to the headquarters of Colonel Rhalle, +who was in command--an officer of great bravery and energy. One of his +officers was able to speak English, and to him Peter reported the +departure of the force from Bordentown, of which Colonel Rhalle was +already aware, and the weakness of the American force at Mount Holly. +He stated, also, his own belief that it was merely a feint to draw off +Colonel Donop, and that preparatory to an attack on Trenton. The +officer treated the information lightly, and pointing to the mass of +ice floating down the river asked whether it would be possible for +boats to cross. + +"When the river freezes," he said, "there may be some chance of attack. +Till then we are absolutely safe." + +Peter, shaking his head, rejoined his companions and told them of the +manner in which his advice had been received. + +"But it would be difficult to cross the river," Harold said. "Look at +the masses of ice on the water." + +"It would be difficult," the hunter admitted, "but not by no manner of +means impossible. Determined men could do it. Waal, I've done my duty +and can do no more. Ef the night passes off quietly we'll cross again +before daybreak and go right into the Yankee camp and see what they're +up to. Now, Harold, you can take it easy till nightfall; there's naught +to be learned till then, and as we shall be on foot all night ye may as +well sleep to-day." + +Returning to a spot on the banks of the river at a short distance from +the town, they made a fire, on which Jake cooked some steaks of +venison they had procured. After smoking a pipe, the hunter set the +example by stretching himself on the ground near the fire and going to +sleep. Used as he was to night marches, he had acquired the faculty of +going to sleep at any hour at will. Jake and Harold were some time +before they followed his example, but they too were at last asleep. At +sunset they were on their feet again, and after taking supper +proceeded along the river. + +The night passed off quietly, and Harold became convinced that his +companion's fears were unfounded. Toward morning he suggested that it +was time to be crossing the river. + +"I'm not going yet," the hunter said. "Before I start we'll go down to +Trenton Ferry, a mile below the town. Ef they come over at all, it's +likely enough to be there. There'll be time then to get back and cross +before it's light; It's six o'clock now." + +They kept along the road by the river until they were within a quarter +of a mile of the ferry. Presently they saw a dark mass ahead. + +"Jerusalem!" Peter exclaimed. "There they are." + +They immediately discharged their rifles and ran back at full speed to +the outposts, which were but a quarter of a mile from the town. The +Americans had also pressed forward at full speed, and the outposts, who +had been alarmed by the discharge of the rifles, were forced at once to +abandon the post and to run into the town, whither they had, on hearing +the rifles, already sent in one of their number with the news. Here all +was in confusion. The Hessian leader was trying to collect his troops, +who were hurrying in from their quarters, but many of them thought more +of storing their plunder away in the wagons than of taking their places +in the ranks. + +Washington had crossed with 2500 men and a few field-pieces, and upon +gaining the Jersey side had divided his troops into two detachments, one +of which marched by the river side, the other by an upper road. Hurrying +forward they surrounded the town, and placing their field-pieces in the +road, opened fire on the astonished Hessians. Rhalle had by this time +succeeded in assembling the greater part of his force and charged the +Americans with his usual courage. He received, however, a mortal wound +as he advanced. His troops immediately lost heart, and finding their +retreat cut off at once surrendered. A body of Hessian light horse +succeeded in making their escape. The casualties were few on either +side, but 1000 prisoners were taken. Two other divisions of the +Americans had attempted to cross, the one at Bordentown, the other at +Mackenzie's Ferry, but both had failed, owing to the quantity of +floating ice. Washington retired across the Delaware the same afternoon. + +The consequences of this success were great. The spirits of the +Americans, which had fallen to the lowest ebb in consequence of the +uninterrupted series of defeats, rose greatly. They found that the +British were not invincible, and that, if unable to oppose them in great +battles, they might at least inflict heavy losses on them and weary them +out with skirmishes and surprises. The greatest joy reigned throughout +the various States; fresh levies were ordered; the voices of the +moderate party, which had been gaining strength, were silenced, and the +determination to continue the war vigorously was in the ascendency. + +The lesson given at Trenton was wholly lost upon the English +commander-in-chief. Instead of at once ordering General Leslie to +advance from Princeton and to hold the enemy in check by reoccupying and +fortifying Trenton, he allowed Colonel Donop to abandon Bordentown and +to fall back to Princeton--thus laying it open to Washington to cross +the Delaware again and carry the war into New Jersey. Washington, after +waiting eight days, seeing the indecision and ineptitude of the British +general, again crossed with 4000 men and occupied Trenton. + +Peter Lambton and his two companions were not among the prisoners +taken at Trenton. On entering the town Harold was about to join the +Hessians assembling under Colonel Rhalle, but Peter gave a violent tug +to his coat. + +"Come along, young un!" he said. "The darned fools have let themselves +be caught in a trap and they'll find there's no way out of it. In ten +minutes the Americans will be all round the place, and as I don't wish +to spend a year or two in a Yankee prison at present, I'm going to make +tracks at once. Fighting aren't no good now. Men who'll let 'emselves +be caught in a trap like this'll never be able to cut their way out of +it. Come on!" + +Much against his will Harold yielded to Peter's wishes, and the three +kept straight on through the town by the river side and issued into the +country beyond before the Americans had surrounded it. A minute or two +after leaving the town the light horse galloped past. + +"There are some more out of the hole, and I reckon that's about all. +There, do you hear the guns? The Yanks have brought their artillery +over--I reckon the fight won't last long." + +For two or three minutes there was a roar of musketry; then this +suddenly ceased. + +"I thought as much," Peter said. "They've surrendered. If they had only +kept together and fought well, they should have cut their way through +the enemy. Lord! what poor things regular soldiers are in the dark! A +frontiersman would just as soon fight in the dark as in the light; but +here are the men who climbed up the hill to Fort Washington--and that +was no child's play--no better nor a pack of women when they're attacked +half-asleep and half-awake, just as day is breaking." + +The three comrades walked to Bordentown, which, they were relieved to +find, had not been attacked. A few miles beyond this place they met +Colonel Donop marching back at full speed with his corps, having +received the news of the disaster at Trenton from the horsemen who had +fled. They joined their company and marched to Princeton. + +A fortnight later Lord Cornwallis, with the forces at Brunswick, under +General Grant, advanced to Princeton and then moved forward to attack +the army at Trenton. General Washington on his approach retired from the +town and, crossing a rivulet at the back of it, took post on some high +ground there, with the apparent intention of defending himself against +an attack. It was late in the afternoon, and a heavy cannonade was kept +up till night-time. Lord Cornwallis determined to attack next morning. +At two in the morning Washington retired suddenly, leaving his fires +burning. Quitting the main road he made a long circuit through Allentown +and marched with all speed toward Princeton, which place he intended to +surprise. When Lord Cornwallis advanced he had left the Seventeenth, +Fortieth, and Fifty-fifth regiments there. + +On arriving at Trenton he had sent word back for the Seventeenth and +Fifty-fifth to advance to Maidenhead, a village halfway between +Princeton and Trenton. Colonel Mawhood, who commanded, marched at +daylight, but scarcely had he started when he met Washington advancing +with his army. The morning was foggy, and it was at first supposed that +the enemy were a body of British troops marching back to Princeton, but +it was soon found that the force was a hostile one. Its strength could +not be seen on account of the fog, and he determined to engage it. +Possessing himself of some high ground, he sent his wagons back to +Princeton and ordered the Fortieth Regiment to come out to his +assistance. + +As the Americans advanced, the artillery on both sides opened fire. The +leading columns of the colonists soon snowed signs of disorder. The +Seventeenth Regiment fixed bayonets and with great gallantry charged the +enemy in front of them, driving them back with considerable slaughter; +and so far did they advance that they were separated from the other +battalions, and cutting their way through the American force the +regiment pursued its march to Maidenhead. The Fortieth and Fifty-fifth +fought stoutly, but were unable to make their way through the American +force, and fell back to Brunswick, while the Americans occupied +Princeton. At daybreak Lord Cornwallis discovered the retreat of the +American army, and being apprehensive for the safety of Brunswick, where +great stores of the army were accumulated, marched with all haste toward +that town. + +Brigadier Matthew, the officer commanding there, on hearing of the +approach of the enemy, at once dispatched the store wagons toward the +rear and drew up his small command to defend the place to the last. The +gallant resistance before Princeton had delayed the Americans so long +that the van of the army of Cornwallis was already close to their rear +as they approached Brunswick. Seeing this, Washington abandoned his +design on that town and crossed the Millstone River, breaking down the +bridge at Kingston to stop pursuit. + +Washington now overran East and West Jersey, penetrated into Essex +County, and making himself master of the country opposite to Staten +Island, thus regained almost all the district which the English had +taken from him in the autumn. + +All this greatly heightened the spirit and courage of the Americans, +while the loyalists and the English troops were disheartened and +disgusted at seeing an army of 30,000 fine troops kept inactive, while +the enemy, with but 4000 men, who were wholly incapable of opposing an +equal number of English troops, were allowed to wander unchecked, to +attack and harass the English pickets, and to utilize the whole of the +resources of their country. Had General Howe entertained a fixed desire +to see English authority overthrown in America he could not have acted +in a manner more calculated to carry those wishes into effect. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +A TREACHEROUS PLANTER. + +It must not be supposed that the whole of the time was spent in scouting +and fighting. Between the armies lay a band of no man's land. Here, as +elsewhere, the people of the country were divided in their opinions, but +generally made very little display of these, whatever they might be. It +is true that, as a rule, non-combatants were but little interfered with; +still, a warm and open display of sympathy with one side or the other +was likely to be attended by the loss of cattle and damage to crops when +the other party got the upper hand. In some other States feeling ran +much higher. In the Carolinas the royalists were most cruelly +persecuted. Their property was destroyed and they were, in many cases, +shot down without mercy; but generally, throughout the colonies, a +considerable latitude of opinion was allowed. This was especially so in +the zone between the armies in the Jerseys. None could tell what the +positions of the armies a week hence might be, and any persecution +inflicted by the one party might lead to retaliation upon a shift of +positions a few weeks later. A general toleration therefore reigned. + +Next to Peter Lambton, Harold's greatest friend in the corps was a young +man named Harvey. He was of good family and belonged to New York. Being +a strong loyalist, he had, like many other gentlemen, enlisted for +service under the old flag. He had, naturally, many acquaintances among +the county families, and Harold often accompanied him in his visits to +one or other of them. + +During the winter, when things were quiet, the duties of the scouts were +light, and it was the habit among them that one-third should be on +outpost duty at a time, the rest being free to move about as they liked. +The scouts had no fixed order of position. They went out alone or in +twos or threes, as it pleased them, their duty simply being to watch +everything that was going on along the enemy's line of outposts, to +bring the earliest news of any intended movements, and to prevent +dashing parties of the enemy's horsemen from making raids into or behind +the British lines. They were not, of course, expected to check bodies of +cavalry starting on a raid, but simply to obtain information of their +having left their lines and of the direction taken, and then to hurry +back to the British posts, whence a force of cavalry would be sent out +to intercept or check the invaders. Many dashing exploits were performed +by the cavalry on both sides in the way of getting behind their +opponents' quarters, cutting off provision trains, attacking small +posts, and carrying off straggling parties. + +One of the houses to which Harold used most frequently to accompany his +friend Harvey was situated nearly halfway between the rival armies, and +was about eight miles from either. The owner--Mr. Jackson--was a man of +considerable wealth, and the house was large and well appointed. He had, +before the troubles began, a fine business as a lawyer in New York; but, +as the outbreak of hostilities put a stop to all business of a legal +kind in that city, he had retired to his country house. Although himself +born in England, he professed to be entirely neutral, but his family +were undisguisedly loyal. It consisted of his wife and two daughters, +girls of seventeen and eighteen years old. + +When the English army advanced to the neighborhood of his property Mr. +Jackson was always ready to offer his hospitality to the officers of the +corps which might be stationed near him, and he similarly opened his +house to the Americans when they, in turn, advanced as the British +turned back. Being, as he always made a point of saying, perfectly +neutral in the struggle, he was glad to meet gentlemen, irrespective of +the opinions they held. The line taken by Mr. Jackson was the one which +was very largely pursued among the inhabitants of the country houses and +farms scattered over what was, throughout the war, a debatable land. So +frequent were the changes of the position of the armies that none could +say who might be in possession in a week's time, and it was, therefore, +an absolute necessity for those who wished to live unmolested to abstain +from any stronger show of partisanship. + +As is always the case in struggles of this kind, the female population +were more enthusiastic in their partisanship and more pronounced in +their opinions than the men; and although, upon the arrival of a troop +of cavalry or a detachment of foot belonging to the other side, the +master of the house would impartially offer what hospitality he was +capable of, it was not difficult to perceive, by the warmth or coldness +of the female welcome, what were the private sentiments of the family. + +Harold was not long in discovering, from the frequency with which Harvey +proposed an excursion to the Jacksons' and from his conduct there, that +Isabelle, the eldest daughter, was the object which mainly attracted +him. The families had long been friends, and Harvey, although now +serving as a simple scout, was of a position equal to her own. The +friends were always cordially received by Mr. Jackson, and Harold was +soon as intimate there as his comrade. They usually left their quarters +a little before dusk and started back late at night. Often as Mr. +Jackson pressed them to stay, they never accepted his invitation. + +The scouts, from their activity and ubiquitousness, were the +_betes-noirs_ of the Americans, whose most secret plans were constantly +detected and foiled by the sagacity and watchfulness of these men, whose +unerring rifles made frequent gaps in the ranks of the officers. They +therefore spared no pains, whenever there was a chance, of killing or +capturing any of these most troublesome foes, and Harvey and Harold knew +that a report of their presence at the Jacksons' would suffice to bring +a party of horsemen from the American lines. Their visits, therefore, +were always made after dark, and at irregular intervals, and, in spite +of their inclination to the contrary they made a point of returning at +night to their quarters. + +Other visitors were often present at the Jacksons', the sons and +daughters of neighbors, and there was generally music and singing, and +sometimes the young people stood up for a dance. + +The scouts wore no regular uniform, although there was a general +similarity in their attire, which was that of an ordinary backwoods +hunter. When off duty they were allowed to dress as they pleased, and at +Mr. Jackson's the two friends were attired in the ordinary dress of +colonists of position. At these little gatherings political subjects +were never discussed, and a stranger spending an evening there would not +have dreamed that the house stood between two hostile armies; that at +any moment a party of horsemen belonging to one side or other might dash +into the courtyard, and that even those laughing and talking pleasantly +together might be of opinions diametrically opposed. + +Harvey and Harold were introduced to visitors simply as friends from New +York, and, although the suspicions as to their character and position +might be strong, no one thought of asking questions. + +"I do not like that fellow Chermside," Harvey said one night, as he and +his friend were returning to their quarters. + +They were mounted; for, although when on duty the scouts worked on foot, +many of them, who were men of property, kept horses which they used when +not engaged. Harvey had two horses, and one of these was always at +Harold's service. + +"I am not surprised you don't like him," Harold replied with a laugh, +"and I imagine the dislike is mutual. When two gentlemen are paying +attentions to one young lady they seldom appreciate each other's merits +very cordially." + +"I don't think it is entirely that," Harvey laughed. "Isabella and I +understand each other, and I have no fear of his rivalry; but I do not +like him." + +"I do not think I like him myself," Harold said more seriously; "and yet +I do not know why I should not. When he has been there alone with us and +the family, he has frequently used expressions showing his strong +leaning toward the loyalists' side." + +"I don't put much faith in that," Harvey said. "He knows how strongly +Mr. Jackson and the girls lean toward the Crown, and would say anything +that he thought would please Isabelle. I have spoken to her and she +thinks that he is sincere; in fact, she has rather a good opinion of +him. However, we shall see. It was rather curious that that party of +Morgan's cavalry should have ridden up the other night and searched the +house two hours after we left. You see, we had agreed to sleep there +that night, and only changed our minds after the others had all left, +when we remembered that we were both for duty early next morning. It +might have been a coincidence, of course, but it had an ugly look. I +think Mr. Jackson thought so, too, for he did not ask us to stop +to-night; anyhow, I wish Chermside's plantation was not so near this and +that he did not drop in so often." + +A week later they paid another visit. When dinner was over Harold +was chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Harvey was sitting at the +piano, where the eldest girl was playing, and the younger was +looking out of window. + +"We are going to have another fall of snow," she said. "There is not a +star to be seen. Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. + +"What is it, my dear?" Mr. Jackson asked. + +"There is a rocket gone up from the woods." + +"A rocket!" Mr. Jackson repeated. + +"Yes, papa; there are the stars falling now." + +"That is a curious thing," Mr. Jackson said, while the others went +to the window. They stood watching for some minutes, but nothing +was to be seen. + +"I do not like that rocket," Mr. Jackson said as they left the window. +"It means something. It can only be a signal. People don't let off +rockets for amusement nowadays. Did you meet anyone on the road?" "No, +sir," Harvey said, "not a soul." + +"I do not like it," their host repeated. "It means mischief of some sort +or other. I do not wish to seem inhospitable, but my advice to you is, +get on your horses at once and ride to your quarters. You are on duty +to-morrow, and you told me you would pass near here on your way toward +the enemy's lines. You might look in as you go past and hear whether +anything came of it. If I mistake not, we shall have another visit from +Morgan's horse this evening." + +Much against their inclination the young men followed Mr. +Jackson's advice. + +The next day they, with Peter and Jake, stopped at the house as +they passed. + +"I was right," their host said, as the two young men entered. "An hour +after you left twenty of Morgan's horse rode up here. They would not +take my word that we were alone, but searched the house from top to +bottom, and were evidently greatly disappointed at finding no one. I +have been making inquiries this morning and find that all the servants +were in the house at the time my daughter saw the rocket, so I hope that +I have no traitor here. Still, it is clear that someone must be keeping +watch over your movements." + +"Have you asked, sir," Harvey said, after a pause, "whether anyone came +after we had arrived?" + +"I do not see how anyone could come, but I will ask." + +He rang the bell and a negro servant appeared. + +"Did anyone come to the house yesterday, Caesar, after these gentleman +came--any beggar or peddler, or anyone of that sort?" + +"No, sir; no one came except Massa Chermside. He get off his horse and +ask if you, hab any visitors. I said that Massa Harvey and Massa Wilson +were here. He say he call again another night when the family alone, and +rode off." + +"Just what I expected, sir," Harvey said, when the servant left the +room. "I have always doubted that fellow's honesty." + +"Oh, nonsense!" Mr. Jackson replied. "You must be mad, Harvey. +Chermside's father was an old friend of mine, and I have known the young +fellow since he was a child. I should as soon suspect one of my own +daughters of being capable of such an act of gross treachery as laying a +plot to bring the American cavalry down upon guests of mine. The idea is +preposterous. Bless me, how amused the girls will be at your suspecting +their old playfellow!" + +"I hope I may be mistaken, sir," Harvey said, "but Harold's opinion of +him agrees with mine; and, in talking it over last night, we both put +our finger on him as the man who fired the rocket. Well, now, we must be +pushing on. We are bound for the ford where Morgan's horse must have +come over, and shall hear from our fellows there whether they rode +straight here after crossing, as, if so, there can be no doubt whatever +that the rocket was a signal." + +Upon arriving at the ford they found that Morgan's horse had only +crossed an hour before the time at which they arrived at Mr. Jackson's. +One of the scouts had instantly taken word to the nearest cavalry +outpost, but the enemy had recrossed the river before these had arrived +on the spot. + +After three days on duty at the front, the party returned to their +lines, and the next time that the young men rode out to their friends +they took with them Jake and Peter, to whom they related the +circumstances. + +The scouts proceeded on foot and separated from the others a mile before +reaching the house, having arranged that Peter should scout round it, +while Jake should proceed to the plantation of Mr. Chermside and keep a +sharp lookout there. + +They had arranged with Mr. Jackson that no mention of the rocket should +be made to anyone, however intimate with the family. + +"I am glad to see you again," the host said, as they entered the room +where the family were assembled, "although I own that these two raids of +Morgan's horse have made me uneasy. The girls have been immensely amused +at your suspicions of young Chermside." + +"How could you think such a thing?" Isabelle said. "He was here on the +following evening, and was as indignant as we were at the thought of +treachery being at work. He quite agreed with us that the coming of the +Yankees could hardly have been accidental." + +"You said nothing about the rocket, I hope?" Harvey asked. + +"No, we kept quite silent about that, as you made such a point of it; +but it seemed ridiculous with him. But I shall be in a fright, now, +every time you come." + +"We have brought two of our men with us," Harvey said, "and they are +scouting round, so we shall hear if another rocket goes up; and, even if +the person who let it up suspects that the last was seen,--as he might +do from our having left so suddenly,--and tries some other plan to warn +the enemy, we can trust our men to fire a shot and so give us warning in +time. We have told the groom not to take the saddles off the horses, as +we may stop but a short time." + +At eight o'clock a disturbance was heard outside, and Jake entered the +room, dragging with him by main force the young planter. + +"What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Jackson asked, as they rose from +their seats in surprise. + +"Me tell you, sar," Jake answered. "Me had orders from Massa Harold to +watch outside ob de house ob dis feller and see what going on dere. +About half an hour after me got dere a nigger come along running from +dis direction. Dat no business of Jake's, so he stood in de trees and +let him pass. He go into de house; five minutes afterward dis feller he +come out and he walk away. Jake follow him bery quiet to see what him +after. He walk more dan a mile, den he get on to de oder side of dat big +hill; den me see him stop, and Jake tink it time to interfere, so he ran +up and catch him. He had put dis ting against a stump of a tree, and had +him pistol in him hand, and was on de point of firing it close to dis +ting, so as to light him." + +As Jake spoke he held out a rocket. Several times while Jake had been +speaking the planter had tried to interrupt him, but each time Jake, who +had not released his hold of him, gave him so violent a shake that he +was fain to be silent. + +"This is a scandalous indignity," he exclaimed furiously when Jake +finished. "What do you mean, sir," he demanded of Harvey, "by setting +this nigger to watch my abode? I will have satisfaction for this +treatment." + +"It seems, sir," Mr. Jackson said, signing to Harvey to be silent, +"that you have been detected in a gross act of treachery. My friends +have suspected you of it, but I indignantly denied it. Could we +believe, I and my family, that you, whom we have known as a child, +would betray our guests to the Americans? Loyalists and republicans are +alike welcome here. I do not ask my friends their opinions. My house is +neutral ground, and I did not think that anyone who used it would have +had the treachery to turn it into a trap; still less did I imagine you +would do so. These gentlemen would be perfectly within their right did +they take you out and hang you from the nearest tree; but, for my sake, +I trust that they will not do so; but should the American cavalry ever +again visit this house under circumstances which may lead it to be +supposed that they have been brought here to capture my guests, I shall +let them punish you as you deserve. No word of mine will be raised in +your favor. Now, sir, go, and never again enter this house, where the +loathing and contempt that I feel for you will, I know, be shared by +the ladies of my family." + +At a nod from Harold Jake released his hold of the captive, who, without +a word, turned and left the room. + +Not a word was spoken for a minute or two after he had left. The +youngest girl was the first to speak. + +"The wretch!" she exclaimed. "To think that Herbert Chermside should +turn out such a mean traitor! Papa, I would have let them hang him at +once. It would have served him right. Now he may do us all harm." + +"I do not know that you are not right, Ada," Mr. Jackson replied +gravely. "I am far from saying that I acted wisely. Young Chermside has +many friends among the Americans, and it is possible that he may work us +harm. However, my position as a neutral is well established. Officers on +both sides have at times been welcomed here, and his report, therefore, +that our friends here are often with us can do us no harm. Henceforth he +must be regarded as an enemy, and there will always be danger in these +visits. So long as the American outposts are within an hour's ride he +can have the road watched; and, although he is not likely to venture +upon signaling with rockets, he may send or take word on horseback. A +bonfire, too, might be lit at the other side of the hill to call them +over. Altogether you will never be safe from home except when you have a +strong body of your own troops between this and the river." + +"I am glad to say," Harvey said, "that in consequence of the news of +Morgan's raids on this side a body of 200 infantry and a troop of +cavalry are to move to-morrow and take up their position by the ford, so +we shall be safe from any surprise from that direction." + +"I am very glad to hear it," Mr. Jackson said. "It will relieve me of a +great anxiety. But pray be watchful when you are in this neighborhood. +You have made a bitter enemy, and, after what he has proved himself +capable of, we cannot doubt that he would hesitate at nothing. I +understand," he went on with a smile toward his eldest daughter, "what +is at the bottom of his conduct, and, as I have long suspected his hopes +in that quarter, I am not surprised that he is somewhat hostile to you. +Still, I never for a moment deemed him capable of this." + +The next day Mr. Jackson learned that his neighbor had left his +plantation, and had told his servants that he was not likely to return +for some time. + +Shortly after this a series of bad luck attended the doings of the +British scouts. Several parties were killed or captured by the enemy, +and they were constantly baffled by false reports, while the Americans +appeared to forestall all their movements. It was only when enterprises +were set on foot and carried out by small bodies that they were ever +successful, anything like combined action by the orders of the officers +constantly turning out ill. + +"There must be a traitor somewhere," Peter said upon the return of a +party from an attempt which, although it promised well, had been +frustrated, to carry off a number of cattle from one of the American +depots. "It aint possible that this can be all sheer bad luck. It aint +no one in our company, I'll be bound. We aint had any new recruits +lately, and there aint a man among us whom I could not answer for. There +must be a black sheep in Gregory's or Vincent's corps. The enemy seem up +to every move, and, between us, we have lost more than thirty men in the +last few weeks. There aint no doubt about it--there's a traitor +somewhere and he must be a clever one, and he must have pals with him, +or he couldn't send news of what we are doing so quickly. It beats me +altogether, and the men are all furious." + +"I've been talking with some of our men," Peter said a few days +afterward, "and we agree that we are bound to get to the bottom of this +matter. We're sartin sure that the traitor don't belong to us. What we +propose is this, that the hull of us shall go up together, without +saying a word to a soul, and scatter ourselves along the river at all +the points where a chap going with a message to the enemy would be +likely to cross. The night we go out we'll get the three captains all to +give orders to their men for an expedition, so that whoever it is that +sends messages from here would be sure to send over word to the Yankees; +and it'll be hard if we don't ketch him. What do you say?" + +"I think the plan is a very good one," Harold answered. "If you like, I +will go with my father and ask Gregory and Vincent to send their men." + +Captain Wilson at once went to these officers. They were as much +irritated and puzzled as were their men by the failures which had taken +place, and agreed that, next evening, an order should be issued for the +men of the three corps to act in combination, and to allow it to leak +out that they intended to surprise an American post situated near the +river, twenty-one miles distant. Captain Wilson's scouts, instead of +going with the others, were to act on their own account. + +On the day arranged, as soon as it became dark, the forty scouts quietly +left their quarters in small parties and made their way toward the +river, striking it at the point where a messenger would be likely to +cross upon his way to give warning to the American post of the attack +intended to be made upon it. They took post along the river, at a +distance of fifty or sixty yards apart, and silently awaited the result. +Several hours passed and no sound broke the stillness of the woods. An +hour before dawn Peter Lambton heard a slight crack, as that of a +breaking twig. It was some distance back in the woods, but it seemed to +him, by the direction, that the man who caused it would strike the river +between himself and Jake, who was stationed next to him. He noiselessly +stole along toward the point. Another slight sound afforded him a sure +indication of the direction in which the man, whoever he might be, was +approaching. He hastened his steps, and a minute later a negro issued +from the wood close to him. He stood for an instant on the river bank +and was about to plunge in, when Peter threw his arms around him. + +Although taken by surprise, the negro struggled desperately and would +have freed himself from the grip of the old scout had not Jake run up +instantly to his comrade's assistance. In a minute the negro was bound +and two shots were then fired, the concerted signal by which it would be +known along the line that a capture had been effected. In a few minutes +the whole body was assembled. The negro, who refused to answer any +questions, was carried far back into the woods and a fire was lighted. + +"Now, nigger," Peter said, taking, as captor, the lead in the matter, +"jest tell us right away where you was going and who sent you." + +The negro was silent. + +"Now, look ye here, darky, you're in the hands of men who are no +jokers. Ef you tell us at once who put ye on to this trick no harm will +happen to you; but ef ye don't we'll jest burn the skin off your body, +bit by bit." + +Still the negro was silent. + +"Half a dozen of yez," Peter said, "as have got iron ramrods shove them +into the fire. We'll soon find this nigger's tongue." + +Not a word was spoken until the ramrods were heated red-hot. + +"Now," Peter said, "two of yez clap your ramrods against this +darky's flanks." + +The negro struggled as the men approached him, and gave a terrific yell +as the hot iron was applied to his sides. + +"I will tell you, sars--oh! have mercy upon me and I will tell you +eberything!" + +"I thought," Peter said grimly, "that you'd find a tongue soon enough. +Now, then, who sent you?" + +"My massa," the negro answered. + +"And who is your master?" + +The negro was again silent, but as, at a nod from Peter, the men again +raised the ramrods, he blurted out: + +"Massa Chermside." + +The name was known to many of the scouts, and a cry of anger broke +from them. + +"I thought as much," Harvey said. "I suspected that scoundrel was at the +bottom of it all along. Where is he?" he asked the negro. + +"Me not know, sar." + +"You mean you won't say," Peter said. "Try the vartue of them +ramrods again." + +"No, no!" the negro screamed. "Me swear me do not know where him be. You +may burn me to death if you will, but I could not tell you." + +"I think he is speaking the truth," Harvey said. "Wait a minute. Have +you done this before?" he asked the negro. + +"Yes, sar. Eight or ten times me swim de river at night." + +"With messages to the Americans?" + +"Yes, sar; messages to American officers." + +"Have you any written message--any letter?" + +"No, sar, me never take no letter. Me only carry dis." And he took out +from his hair a tiny ball of paper smaller than a pea. + +It was smoothed out, and upon it, were the words, "General Washington." + +"Where I go, sar, I show dem dis, and dey know den dat de message can be +believed." + +"But how do you get the message? How do you see your master?" + +"Master's orders were dat me and two oders were to meet him ebery night, +after it got dark, at a tree a mile from de place where de soldiers are. +Sometimes he no come. When he come he gibs each of us a piece of money +and tell us to carry a message across the river. We start by different +ways, swim across de water in different places, take de message, and +come back to de plantation." + +"A pretty business!" Peter said. "Now you must come back with us to the +post and tell your story to the commanding officer. Then we must see if +we can't lay hands on this rascally master of yours." + +Upon the news being told, the general in command sent a party out, who, +after searching the house and out-buildings of the plantation in vain, +set fire to them and burned them to the ground. The negroes were all +carried away and employed to labor for the army. The town and all the +surrounding villages were searched, but no trace could be obtained of +the missing man. One of the men of Gregory's corps of scouts +disappeared. He had recently joined, but his appearance, as a man with +beard and whiskers, in no way agreed with that of the planter. He might, +however, have been disguised, and his disappearance was in itself no +proof against him, for the scouts were under no great discipline, and +when tired of the service often left without giving notice of their +intention of doing so. It was, moreover, possible that he might have +fallen by an enemy's bullet. + +The strongest proof in favor of the deserter being Chermside was that, +henceforth, the scouts were again as successful as before, often +surprising the enemy successfully. + +Now that the ford nearest Mr. Jackson's was strongly guarded, the young +men had no apprehension of any surprise, although such an event was just +possible, as the cavalry on both sides often made great circuits in +their raids upon each other's country. That Chermside was somewhere in +the neighborhood they believed; having, indeed, strong reason for doing +so, as a rifle was one evening fired at them from the wood as they rode +over, the ball passing between their heads. Pursuit, at the time, was +impossible. But the next day a number of scouts searched the woods +without success. Soon after they heard that Chermside had joined the +Americans and obtained a commission in a body of their irregular horse. + +Harvey was now formally engaged to Isabelle Jackson, and it was settled +that the wedding should take place in the early spring at New York. When +not on duty he naturally spent a good deal of his time there, and Harold +was frequently with him. Since he had been fired at in the woods +Isabelle had been in the highest state of nervous anxiety lest her +lover's enemy should again try to assassinate him, and she begged Harold +always to come over with him, if possible, as the thought of his riding +alone through the wood filled her with anxiety. + +Although he had no order to do so, Jake, whenever he saw Harold and his +friend canter off toward the Jacksons, shouldered his rifle and went out +after them to the house, where, so long as they stayed, he scouted round +and round with the utmost vigilance. Very often Harold was ignorant of +his presence there; but when, after his return, he found, by questioning +him, how he had been employed, he remonstrated with him on such +excessive precaution. + +"Can't be too cautious, massa," Jake said. "You see dat fellow come one +of dese days." + +Jake's presentiment turned out correct. One evening when, with several +friends, the young men were at Mr. Jackson's the sound of the report of +a rifle was heard at a short distance. + +"That must be Jake's rifle!" Harold exclaimed. + +"Quick, Harvey, to your horse!" + +It was too late. As they reached the door a strong party of American +cavalry dashed up to it. + +"Surround the house!" an officer shouted. "Do not let a soul escape!" + +The young men ran upstairs again. + +"We are caught," Harvey said. "Escape is cut off. The Yankee cavalry are +all round the house. Good-by, Isabelle. We shall meet one of these days +again, dear." The girl threw herself into his arms. + +"Be calm, love!" he said. "Do not let this scoundrel have the +satisfaction of triumphing over you." + +A moment later Chermside, accompanied by several soldiers, +entered the room. + +"I am sorry to disturb so pleasant a party," he said in a sneering +voice, "but if Americans choose to entertain the enemies of their +country they must expect these little disagreeables." + +Mr. Jackson abruptly turned his back upon him, and no one else spoke, +although he was personally well known to all. + +"These are the two men," he said to the soldiers--"two of the most +notorious scouts and spies on the frontier. We will take them to +headquarters, where a short shrift and two strong ropes will be +their lot." + +"The less the word spy is in the mouth of such a pitiful traitor as +yourself the better, I should say," Harvey said quietly; and, walking +forward with Harold, he placed himself in the hands of the soldiers. + +No one else spoke. Isabelle had fainted when she heard the threat of +execution against her lover. Ada stood before her with a look of +such anger and contempt on her young face that Chermside fairly +winced under it. + +"To horse!" he said sullenly, and, turning, followed his men and +prisoners downstairs. + +The troop, Harold saw, numbered some 200 sabers. They had with them a +number of riderless horses, whose accouterments showed that they +belonged to an English regiment; most of the men, too, had sacks of +plunder upon their horses. They had evidently made a successful raid, +and had probably attacked a post and surprised and driven off the +horses of a squadron of cavalry, and were now on their return toward +their lines. + +"This is an awkward business, Harold," Harvey said as, in the midst +of their captors, they galloped off from the Jacksons'. "Of course +it's all nonsense about our being hung. Still, I have no wish to see +the inside of a prison, where we may pass years before we are +exchanged. Once handed over to the authorities we shall be safe; but +I shall not feel that we are out of danger so long as we are in this +scoundrel's hands. Fortunately there are officers of superior rank to +himself with the squadron, otherwise I have no doubt at all that he +would hang us at once." + +Such was indeed the case, and Chermside was, at that moment, fuming +intensely at the chance which had thrown his rival in his hands at a +time when he was powerless to carry out his vengeance. He had, indeed, +ventured to suggest that it would be less trouble to hang the prisoners +at once, but the major in command had so strongly rebuked him for the +suggestion that he had at once been silenced. + +"I blush that I should have heard such words from the mouth of an +American officer. It is by such deeds, sir, that our cause is too often +disgraced. We are soldiers fighting for the independence of our +country--not lawless marauders. Had these men been taken in their +civilian dress over on our side of the river they would have been tried +and hung as spies; but they were on neutral ground, and, in fact, in the +rear of their own posts. There is no shadow of defense for such an +accusation. Should I ever hear a similar suggestion I shall at once +report your conduct to General Washington, who will know how to deal +with you." + +"I wonder what has become of Jake," Harold said to his comrade. "I trust +he was not shot down." + +"Not he," Harvey said. "He made off after firing his rifle, you may be +sure, when he saw that there was nothing to be done. The fellow can run +like a hare, and I have no doubt that, by this time, he has either got +back to the village and given the alarm there or has made for the ford. +There are 100 cavalry there now as well as the infantry. Jake will be +there in an hour from the time he started. The dragoons will be in the +saddle five minutes later, and it is just possible they may cut off our +retreat before we have crossed the river. Peter is on duty there, and, +if he happens to be at the post when Jake arrives, he will hurry up with +all the scouts he can collect." + +Jake had taken flight as Harvey supposed. He had, after firing his +rifle, taken to the wood, and had remained near the house long enough to +see which way the cavalry rode when they started. Then he made for the +post at the ford at the top of his speed. It was less than an hour from +starting when he arrived there, and three minutes later the cavalry +trumpets were blowing "To horse!" After giving his message to the +officer in command Jake went into the village, where the sounds of the +trumpet brought all the soldiers into the street. + +"Hullo, Jake! is that you?" a familiar voice asked. "What the tarnal +is up now?" + +Jake hastily related what had taken place. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "This is a bad job. They're making, no +doubt, for Finchley's Ford, fifteen mile down the river. With an hour's +start they're sure to be there before us." + +"What are you going to do, Peter? Are you thinking of running wid +de cavalry?" + +"Thinking of running to the moon!" the scout said contemptuously. "You +can run well, I don't deny, Jake, but you couldn't run fifteen mile with +the dragoons; and, if you could, you'd get there too late. Yer bellows +are going pretty fast already. Now don't stand staring there, but hurry +through the camp and get all our boys together. Tell them to meet by the +water side. Get Gregory and Vincent's men as well as our own. There's +twenty or thirty altogether in the place." + +Without asking a question Jake ran off to carry out the orders, and, in +a few minutes, twenty-four men were collected together on the bank. + +"Now, you fellows," Peter said, "we've got to rescue these two chaps out +of the hands of the Yankees. Them who don't want to jine--and mind you +the venture is a risky one--had better say so at once and stop behind." + +No one moved. + +"What I propose is this: we'll take the ferryboat, which aint no good +to no one, seeing as how the Yankees are on one side of the river and +we the other, and we'll drop down the stream about ten mile. Then we'll +land on their side of the river and strike inland, hiding the boat +under the bushes somewhere. They'll halt for the night when they're +safe across the river. There's five or six hundred of their infantry +camped on the ford. There's two hundred on our side, but the Yankees'll +ride through in the dark and get across before the redcoats are awake. +Now, I propose that, after we've landed, we make a sweep round until we +get near the Yanks' camp. Then the rest'll wait and two or three of +us'll go in and see if we can't get the young fellows out of wherever +they've put 'em. Then we'll jine you and make a running fight of it +back to the boat." + +The others assented. The boat was amply large enough for all, and, +pulling her out into the stream, they dropped down, keeping under +shelter of the trees on the British side. Half an hour after they had +started they heard the faint sound of distant musketry. + +"There," Peter said, "the Yanks are riding through the British camp, +close to the ford." + +A few more shots were heard, and then all was silent. The stream was +swift, for it was swollen by recent rains, and at three in the morning +the boat touched the bank about a mile above the ford. The party +disembarked noiselessly and, fastening the boat to a tree, moved along +toward the camp. + +When they were within four or five hundred yards of the village Peter +chose Jake and two others of his band, and, telling the rest to remain +where they were, ready for action, he struck inland. He made a _detour_ +and came in at the back of the camp. + +Here there were no sentries, as the only danger to be apprehended was +upon the side of the river. Peter therefore entered boldly. In front of +the principal house a sentry was walking up and down, and he, in the +free-and-easy manner usual in the American army, gladly entered into +conversation with the newcomers. + +"All pretty quiet about here?" Peter asked. "We're from the West, and +have jest come down to do a little fighting with the Britishers. I +reckon they aint far off now?" + +"They are just across the river," the sentry said. "Have you come far?" + +"We've made something like two hundred mile this week, and mean to have +a day or two's rest before we begin. We've done some Injun fighting, my +mates and me, in our time, and we says to ourselves it was about time we +burned a little powder against the redcoats. Things seem quiet enough +about here. Nothing doing, eh?" + +"Not much," the sentry said; "just skirmishes. Some of our cavalry came +across through the redcoats late to-night. I hear they have got a +quantity of plunder and some fine horses, and they have brought in a +couple of the British scouts." + +"And what have they done with 'em?" Peter asked. "Strung 'em up, +I suppose." + +"No, no; we aint fighting Indians now; we don't hang our prisoners. No, +they are safe under guard over there in the cavalry camp, and will be +taken to headquarters to-morrow." + +"Waal," Peter said, stretching himself, "I feel mighty tired and shall +jest look for a soft place for an hour's sleep before morning." + +So saying he sauntered away, and the sentry resumed his walk. + +Peter and his three companions now moved off toward the spot where, as +the sentry had indicated, the cavalry were encamped. They were not in +tents, but were sleeping wrapped up in their blankets. Two tents had +been erected, lent probably by the infantry on the spot. One was much +larger than the other, and sentries were placed before each. They had +some difficulty in making their way, for the night was dark, and the +cavalry had picketed their horses without order or regularity. In their +search they had to use great caution to avoid stumbling over the +sleeping men, but at last they saw the tents faintly against the sky. +They crawled cautiously up. There were two sentries on the smaller tent. + +"Now, Jake," Peter whispered, "you're the blackest and so had better do +the trick. Don't cut a hole in the tent, for they'd be safe to hear the +canvas tear. Crawl under. It's, been put up in haste and aint likely to +be pinned down very tight. They're safe to be bound, and when you've cut +the cords and given them time to get the use of their feet, then crawl +along and jine us." + +Jake did as he was instructed. One of the sentries was pacing up and +down before the entrance, the other making a circuit round the tent. The +circle was a somewhat large one to avoid stumbling over the tent ropes. +Jake, watching his opportunity, had no difficulty in crawling up and +squeezing himself under the canvas before the sentry returned. + +"Hush!" he whispered, as he let the canvas fall behind him. "It's Jake." + +Both the captives were fast asleep. Jake, feeling about in the darkness, +found them, one after the other, and, putting his hands on their mouths +to prevent them making an exclamation, he woke them, and soon cut the +cords with which they were bound hand and foot. Then in whispers he told +them what had happened. They chafed their limbs to produce circulation, +for they had been tightly tied, and then, one by one, they crawled out +of the tent. + +Harvey went first and was safely across before the sentry returned. +Harold followed; but, as he went, in his hurry he struck a tent rope. + +"What's that?" the sentry in front asked sharply. "Bill, was that you?" + +"No," his comrade replied. "Something's up. Look into the tent." + +And, so saying, he ran round behind, while the sentry in front rushed +into the tent and, kicking about with his feet, soon found that it +was empty. + +Jake, on hearing the exclamation, at once crawled from the tent; but, as +he did so, the sentry, running round, saw him and leveled his rifle. +Before he could fire a shot was heard and the man fell dead. + +Jake started to his feet and joined his friends. The other sentry also +discharged his rifle, and the whole camp awoke and sprang to their feet. +The horses, alarmed at the sudden tumult, plunged and kicked; men +shouted and swore, everyone asking what was the matter. Then loud cries +were heard that the sentry was shot and the prisoners had escaped. + +Running closely together and knocking down all who stood in their way, +the fugitives hurried in the darkness until at the edge of the camp, and +then started at full speed. + +The trumpets were now sounding to horse, and several shots were fired +after them. Many of the horses had not been unsaddled, and mounted men +at once dashed off. Several had seen the little party rush away, and the +horsemen were speedily on their track. The six men ran at the top of +their speed and were soon close to their hidden friends. + +"This way! this way! I see them!" shouted a voice, which Harold and +Harvey recognized as that of their enemy, who, a minute later, galloped +up with half a dozen troopers. It was not until he was within a few +yards that his figure was clearly discernible; then Peter Lambton's +rifle flashed out, and the planter fell from his horse with a bullet in +his brain. + +Jake and the other two men also fired, and the horsemen, astonished at +their number, reined in their horses to await the coming up of more of +their comrades. + +In another minute the fugitives were with their friends, and, at a rapid +trot, the whole ran up the river bank toward the spot where they had +hidden their boat. + +The country was covered with brushwood and forest and, as the cavalry, +now swollen to a considerable force, advanced, they were greeted by so +heavy a fire that, astonished at this strong force of foes upon their +side of the river, and not knowing how numerous they might be, they +halted and waited for the infantry to come up. Long before the enemy +were prepared to advance against the unknown foe the scouts reached +their boat and crossed safely to the other side. + +Shortly after this adventure Mr. Jackson and his family moved for the +winter to New York, where, soon after their arrival, the wedding +between Harvey and Isabella took place, the former retiring from the +corps of scouts. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA. + +During the course of the spring of 1777 a large number of loyal +colonists had volunteered their services. They had been embodied into +battalions, and when the army prepared to take the field they were +placed in garrisons in New York and other places, thus permitting the +employment of the whole of the British force in the field. The Americans +had occupied themselves in strongly fortifying the more defensible +positions, especially those in a mountain tract of country called the +Manor of Courland. This was converted into a sort of citadel, where +large quantities of provisions, forage, and stores of all kinds were +collected. About fifty miles from New York, up the North River, was a +place called Peekskill, which served as a port to the Manor of Courland. +The country was so difficult and mountainous that General Howe shrank +from engaging his army in it. He determined, however, to attack and +destroy Peekskill, and a party of 500 men, under the command of Colonel +Bird of the Fifteenth Regiment, were sent up the river in two transports +to destroy it. The garrison, consisting of 800 men, set fire to the +place and withdrew without firing a shot. The British completed the +destruction of the stores and returned to New York. + +A little later 2000 men were sent on a similar expedition against the +town of Danbury, another place on the confines of Courland Manor, where +great stores had also been collected. They proceeded up the East River +and landed at Camp's Point. They started on foot at ten o'clock at +night, and after a ten hours' march arrived at eight o'clock at Danbury. +The enemy evacuated the place on their approach, and the English set +fire to the great magazines filled with stores of all kinds. + +The news of the march of the English had spread rapidly, and the enemy +assembled from all quarters and posted themselves under the command of +General Arnold at a town called Ridgefield, through which the English +would have to pass on their return. Here they threw up intrenchments. It +was late in the afternoon when the English, fatigued with the long +march, arrived at this spot. They did not hesitate, but when the +Americans opened fire they boldly assailed the intrenchments and carried +them with the bayonet. They were unable to march further, and lying down +so as to form an oblong square, slept till morning. All night the +Americans continued to come up in great force, and in the morning as the +troops advanced a terrible fire was opened upon them from the houses and +stone walls in which the country abounded. The British had to fight +every foot of their way. General Wooster had brought up some +field-artillery on the side of the Americans. Gradually the column +fought its way forward until it arrived within half a mile of Camp's +Point. Here two strong bodies of the enemy barred their way. The column +was by this time greatly exhausted; the men had had no real rest for +three days and two nights, and several dropped on the road with fatigue. +Brigadier General Erskine picked out 400 of those who were in the best +condition and attacked the two bodies of the enemy with such vigor that +he put them utterly to flight, and the column, again advancing, reached +their destination without further molestation. Nearly 200 men, including +10 officers, were killed and wounded on the part of the British; the +loss of the Americans was still greater, and General Wooster and some +field officers were among the slain. + +Many other skirmishes took place with varied success. The Americans at +Bondwick, seven miles from Brunswick, 1200 in number, were surprised and +routed by Cornwallis, while on the other hand the American Colonel Meigs +carried out a most dashing expedition by crossing to Long Island and +destroying a quantity of stores at a place called Sag Harbor, burning a +dozen brigs and sloops which lay there, taking 90 prisoners, and +returning safely across the Sound. + +In June Washington with 8000 men was encamped in a strong position at +Middlebrook. General Howe, although he had 30,000 men, hesitated to +attack him here. By a feigned retreat he succeeded in drawing General +Washington from his stronghold and inflicted a decisive defeat on 3000 +of his men. Washington fell back to his position in the mountains, and +General Howe retired altogether from Jersey and withdrew his troops to +Staten Island. A dashing feat was executed at this time by Colonel +Barton of the American army. Learning that General Prescott, who +commanded at Rhode Island, had his headquarters at a distance of a mile +from his troops, he crossed from the mainland in two boats, seized the +general in his bed, and carried him off through the British fleet. The +object of this dashing enterprise was to obtain a general to exchange +for the American General Lee, who had been captured by the British. + +General Howe, in June, again marched against Washington and again fell +back without doing anything. Had he, instead of thus frittering away his +strength, marched to the Delaware, crossed that river, and advanced +against Philadelphia, Washington would have been forced to leave his +stronghold and either fight in the open or allow that important city to +fall into the hands of the English. + +General Howe now embarked his army in transports. Had he sailed up the +North River to Albany he would have effected a junction with General +Burgoyne's army, which was advancing from Canada, and with the united +force could have marched through America from end to end as he chose. +Instead of doing so he sailed down to Chesapeake Bay and there +disembarked the whole army, which had been pent up in transports from +July 3 to August 24. Not till September 11 did they advance in earnest +toward Philadelphia. The Americans thus had ample time to take up a +strong position and fortify it. This they did on the other side of +Brandywine Creek. Under cover of a cannonade the British advanced, +mastered the fort, and carried the intrenchments. General Sullivan, with +a considerable force, had now arrived, accompanied by General Washington +himself. He took up his position a short distance from the Brandywine, +his artillery well placed and his flanks covered with woods. + +The following afternoon the British attacked. The Americans fought well, +but the British were not to be denied, and rushing forward drove the +enemy from their position into the woods in their rear. Here they made a +stand and were only dislodged after a desperate resistance. The greater +portion of them fled in all directions. Washington himself, with his +guns and a small force, retreated eight miles from Chester and then +marched by Derby to Philadelphia. Here he waited three days rallying his +troops, and then, having recruited his stores from the magazines, +marched away. + +All this time the British remained inactive on the ground they had won. +In the battle the Americans lost 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +prisoners. Several guns were also taken. The British lost 100 killed and +400 wounded. + +On September 20 they advanced toward Philadelphia. The American General +Wayne had concealed himself in the woods with 1500 men, with the +intention of harassing the rear of the British army. News of this having +been obtained, Major General Grey was dispatched at once to surprise +him; he ordered his men not to load, but to rely wholly on the bayonet. +The success of the expedition was complete. General Wayne's outpost was +surprised and the British troops rushed into his encampment. Three +hundred of the Americans were killed or wounded and 100 taken prisoners. +The rest escaped through the woods. On the English side 1 officer was +killed and 7 privates killed and wounded. + +The capture of Philadelphia was an important advantage to the British, +but it could not be thoroughly utilized until the fleet could come up +the river to the town. The American Congress, which had sat at +Philadelphia until General Howe approached the town, had taken extensive +measures for rendering the passage impracticable. Three rows of +chevaux-de-frise, composed of immense beams of timber bolted and +fastened together and stuck with iron spikes, were sunk across the +channel, and these lines were protected by batteries. At these forts +were fourteen large rowboats, each carrying a heavy cannon, two floating +batteries carrying nine guns each, and a number of fireships and rafts. + +The forts commanding the chevaux-de-frise were abandoned on the +approach of the British, and Captain Hammond of the _Roebuck_ +succeeded, in spite of the opposition of the enemy's boats and +batteries, in making an opening through the chevaux-de-frise +sufficiently wide for the fleet to pass. + +Large numbers of troops having been sent away from Germantown, a place +seven miles from Philadelphia, where the main body of the British army +were posted, General Washington determined to attempt the surprise of +that position. For this purpose he re-enforced his army by drawing 1500 +troops from Peekskill and 1000 from Virginia, and at daybreak on October +4, under cover of a thick fog, he made an attack on the troops posted at +the head of the village. + +Half of the British force lay on one side of the village, and half on +the other, and had the attack upon the place succeeded the British army +would have been cut in two. The village was held by the Fortieth +Regiment, who, fighting obstinately, were driven back among the houses. +The Americans were pushing forward in five heavy columns, when +Lieutenant Colonel Musgrave, who commanded the Fortieth, threw himself +into a large stone house. Here he offered a desperate resistance, and so +impeded the advance of the enemy that time was given for the rest of the +British troops to get under arms. + +General Washington ordered a whole brigade of infantry to attack the +house and turned four guns against it. Colonel Musgrave and his men +resisted desperately and held the post until Major General Grey, with +the Third Brigade, and Brigadier General Agnew, with the Fourth Brigade, +came up and attacked the enemy with great spirit. The engagement was for +some time very hot. At length a part of the right wing fell upon the +enemy's flank, and the Americans retired with great precipitation. The +fog was so dense that no pursuit could be attempted. + +On the part of the English 600 were killed and wounded. The loss of the +Americans amounted to between 200 and 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +taken prisoners. General Howe had on the previous night been acquainted +with the intention of General Washington to attack the place, and had he +taken the proper measures to have received them the American army would +have been destroyed. He took no measures whatever, gave no warning to +the army, and suffered the camp to be taken by surprise. + +After this battle the fleet and army united, cleared away the +chevaux-de-frise across the Delaware, and took the forts commanding them +after some hard fighting. + +The passage of the Delaware being thus opened and the water +communication secured, the army went to their winter quarters at +Philadelphia. + +Captain Wilson, and his son had taken no part in any of these +operations, as a short time after the capture of Harold and Harvey by +the American cavalry the company had been disbanded. The men, when they +entered the service, had volunteered for a year. This time already had +been greatly exceeded--twenty months had passed since the battle of +Bunker's Hill--and although the men were willing to continue to give +their services so long as it appeared to them that there was a prospect +of a favorable termination of the war, no such hope any longer remained +in their minds. The great army which England had sent over had done +nothing toward restoring the king's authority in the colonies, and if, +after a year's fighting, its outposts were still within a few miles of +New York, how could it be expected or even hoped that it could ever +subdue a country containing hundreds of thousands of square miles? The +retreat from the Delaware and the virtual handing over of New Jersey +again to Washington was the finishing stroke which decided the +volunteers to demand their discharge, according to the terms of their +engagement. Except during the Canadian campaign they had had but little +fighting, nor in such a warfare as that which General Howe was carrying +on was there much scope for their services. Many of the gentlemen who +formed the majority of the company, and who for the most part had +friends and connections in England, sailed for that country; some had +left wives and families on their estates when they took up arms; and +most of them, despairing of the final success of the war, had instructed +their agents to sell these estates for any sum that they would fetch; +others--among them Captain Wilson--now followed their example. It was +but a mere tithe of the value of the property that was obtained, for +money was scarce in the colonies, and so many had sold out and gone to +England, rather than take part on one side or the other of the +fratricidal strife, that land and houses fetched but nominal prices. + +Mrs. Wilson had long since gone to England, and her husband, having made +arrangements for the disposal of his property, now determined to join +her. Fortunately he possessed means, irrespective of his estate in +America. This had come to him through his wife, and his own fortune and +the money obtained by the sale of his commission had remained invested +in English securities. While determined on this course for himself, he +left it to his son to choose his own career. Harold was now nearly +eighteen, and his life of adventure and responsibility had made a man of +him. His father would have preferred that he should have returned with +him to England, but Harold finally decided upon remaining. In war men's +passions become heated, the original cause of quarrel sinks into +comparative insignificance, and the desire for victory, the +determination to resist, and a feeling of something like individual +hatred for the enemy become predominant motives of the strife. + +This was especially the case in the American war. On both sides there +were many circumstances which heightened the passions of the combatants. +The loyalists in the English ranks had been ruined by the action of +their opponents--many had been reduced from wealth to poverty, and each +man felt a deep passion of resentment at what he regarded his personal +grievance. Then, too, the persistent misrepresentations both of facts +and motives on the part of the American writers and speakers added to +the irritation. The loyalists felt that there were vast numbers +throughout the colonies who agreed with them and regarded Congress as a +tyrannical faction rather than the expression of the general will. In +this, no doubt, they were to some extent mistaken, for by this time the +vast majority of the people had joined heart and soul in the conflict. +Men's passions had become so stirred up that it was difficult for any to +remain neutral; and although there were still large numbers of loyalists +throughout the States, the vast bulk of the people had resolved that the +only issue of the contest was complete and entire separation from the +mother country. + +Harold had now entered passionately into the struggle. He was in +constant contact with men who had been ruined by the war. He heard only +one side of the question, and he was determined, so long as England +continued the struggle, to fight on for a cause which he considered +sacred. He was unable to regard the prospects of success as hopeless; he +saw the fine army which England had collected; he had been a witness of +the defeat of the Americans whenever they ventured to stand the shock of +the British battalions; and in spite of the unsatisfactory nature of the +first campaign, he could not bring himself to believe that such an army +could fail. + +When the company was disbanded he decided to continue to serve as a +scout, but, sharing in the general disgust in the army at the incapacity +of General Howe, he determined to take ship again for Canada and take +service under General Burgoyne, who was preparing with a well-appointed +army to invade the States from that side. + +When he communicated his determination to Peter Lambton the latter at +once agreed to accompany him. + +"I've gone into this business," the hunter said, "and I mean to see it +through. Settling down don't suit me. I aint got any friends at New +York, and I'd be miserable just loafing about all day doing nothing. No, +I'll see this business out to the end, and I'd much rather go with you +than anyone else." + +Jake was of the same opinion. Accustomed all his life to obey orders and +to the life on his master's plantation, he would not have known what to +do if left to his own devices. Captain Wilson pointed out to him that he +could easily obtain work on the wharves of New York or as a laborer on a +farm, but Jake would not listen to the proposal and was hurt at the +thought that he could leave his young master's side as long as Harold +continued in the war. + +Accordingly, the day after Captain Wilson sailed for England the three +comrades embarked in a ship for Halifax, whence another vessel took them +to Quebec. They then sailed up the river to Montreal and took service as +scouts in General Burgoyne's army. + +For political reasons General Burgoyne had been appointed to the command +of the expedition which had been, prepared, and General Carleton, +naturally offended at being passed over, at once resigned the +governorship. His long residence in Canada, his knowledge of the +country, of the manners of its inhabitants and the extent of its +resources, and his acquaintance with the character of the Indians, +rendered him far more fit for command than was General Burgoyne. In +military knowledge and experience, too, he was his superior, and had he +retained a command the fate of the expedition would probably have been +very different. + +The army under General Burgoyne consisted of 7173 men, exclusive of +artillerymen. Of these about half were Germans. The Canadians were +called upon to furnish men sufficient to occupy the woods on the +frontier and to provide men for the completion of the fortifications at +Sorrel, St. John's, Chamblee, and Isle-aux-Noix, to furnish horses and +carts for carriage, and to make roads when necessary. A naval force was +to go forward with him on the lake. The Indian question had again to be +decided. Several tribes volunteered to join the British. General +Burgoyne hesitated, as General Carleton had done before, to accept their +services, and only did so finally on the certainty that if he refused +their offers they would join the Americans. He resolved to use them as +little as possible. He knew that their object in all wars was murder and +destruction, and although he wished to conquer the Americans, he did not +desire to exterminate them. + +On June 16, 1777, General Burgoyne advanced from St. John's. The naval +force had preceded the army and opened a way for its advance. The troops +were carried in a flotilla of boats, and under the protection of the +fleet passed Lake Champlain and landed at Crown Point. + +Harold and his companions had joined the army a fortnight previously, +and as they crossed the lake with the fleet they could not but +remember their last expedition there. At Crown Point they were joined +by 1000 Indians, who marched round the lake, and at this place General +Burgoyne gave them a great feast and afterward made a speech to them, +exhorting them to abstain from all cruelty, to avoid any ill-treatment +of unarmed combatants, and to take as prisoners all combatants who +fell into their hands. + +But while thus exhorting the Indians to behave with humanity and +moderation, the general took a most ill-judged step, which not only +did the English cause great harm, but was used by the Americans with +much effect as a proof of the cruel way in which England warred +against the colonists. He issued a proclamation threatening to punish +with the utmost severity all who refused to attach themselves to the +British cause, and at the same time he magnified the ferocity of the +Indians; pointing out with great emphasis their eagerness to butcher +those who continued hostile to the mother country, whose interests +they had espoused. + +This proclamation was naturally construed by the Americans as a threat +to deliver over to the tender mercies of the Indians to slay, scalp, and +destroy all who ventured to resist the authority of the king. + +The Americans had fallen back on the approach of the British, and upon +the landing being effected, the scouts were instantly sent forward. + +Among the Indians who had joined at Crown Point were the Senecas--among +them their old friend Deer Tail. + +The scouts received no particular orders and were free to regulate their +own movements. Their duty was to reconnoiter the country ahead and to +bring in any information they might gather as to numbers and positions +of the enemy. + +Finding that Peter and his companions were about to start, Deer Tail +said that, instead of waiting for the feast, he would take five of his +warriors and accompany them. + +It was at Ticonderoga that the Americans had prepared to make their +first stand. The place lies on the western shore of the lake a few miles +to the northward of the narrow inlet uniting Lake Champlain to Lake +George. It was to reconnoiter the fort that the party now set out. News +had been brought that the Americans had been executing great additional +works, and the British general was anxious to learn the nature of these +before he advanced. + +It was certain that the enemy would on their side have sent out scouts +to ascertain the movements of the royal army, and the party proceeded +with the greatest care. They marched in the usual fashion--in Indian +file; the Seneca chief led the way, followed by one of his braves; then +came Peter, Harold, and Jake; the other Senecas marched in the rear. + +When they came within a few miles of the fort their progress was marked +with profound caution. Not a word was spoken, their tread was noiseless, +and the greatest pains were taken to avoid stepping on a twig or dried +stick. The three scouts when they left St. John's had abandoned their +boots and had taken to Indian moccasins. Several times slight murmurs +were heard in the forest, and once a party of four American frontiersmen +were seen in the wood. The party halted and crouched in the bushes. The +Senecas turned toward Peter as if asking if an attack should be made, +but the latter shook his head. A single shot would have been heard far +away in the woods and their further progress would have been arrested. +Their object now was not to fight, but to penetrate close to the +American intrenchments. + +When the enemy had passed on the party continued its way. As they neared +the fort the caution observed increased. Several times they halted, +while the Seneca, with one of his braves, crawled forward to see that +all was clear. At last they stood on the edge of a great clearing. +Before them, just within gunshot range, stood the fort of Ticonderoga. +Peter Lambton was well acquainted with it, and beyond the fact that the +space around had been cleared of all trees and the stockades and +earthworks repaired, little change could be seen. + +As he was gazing the Indian touched his shoulder and pointed to a high +hill on the opposite side of the narrow straits. This had been cleared +of trees and on the top a strong fort had been erected. Many cannon were +to be seen along its crest, the roofs of huts, and a large number of +men. Halfway up the hill was another battery and a third, still lower +down, to sweep the landing. + +"They've been working hard," the hunter said, "and the army'll have a +mighty tough job before it. What do you think of that, Harold?" + +"It is a very strong position," Harold said, "and will cost us a +tremendous number of men to take it. The fort cannot be attacked till +that hill has been carried, for its guns completely command all this +clearing." + +For some time they stood gazing at the works, standing well back +among the trees, so as to be screened from all observation. At last +Harold said: + +"Look at that other hill behind. It is a good bit higher than that which +they have fortified and must be within easy range both of it and the +fort. I don't see any works there--do you?" + +Peter and the Seneca chief both gazed long and earnestly at the hill and +agreed that they could see no fortification there. + +"It won't do to have any doubt about it," Peter said. "We must go round +and have a look at it." + +"We shall have to cross the river," Harold remarked. + +"Ay, cross it we must," Peter said. "That hill's got to be inspected." + +They withdrew into the wood again and made a circuitous deviation till +they came down upon the river, two miles above Ticonderoga. They could +not reach the water itself, as a road ran along parallel with it and the +forest was cleared away for some distance. A number of men could be seen +going backward and forward on the road. + +Having made their observations, the scouts retired again into a thick +part of the forest and waited till nightfall. + +"How are we to get across?" Harold asked Peter. "It's a good long swim, +and we could not carry our muskets and ammunition across." + +"Easy enough," the scout said. "Didn't you notice down by the road a +pile of planks? I suppose a wagon has broke down there, and the planks +have been turned out and nobody has thought anything more about 'em. +We'll each take a plank, fasten our rifle and ammunition on it, and swim +across; there won't be any difficulty about that. Then, when we've seen +what's on the top of that 'ere hill, we'll tramp round to the other end +of the lake. I heard that the army was to advance half on each side, so +we'll meet 'em coming." + +When it was perfectly dark they left their hiding place and crossed the +clearing to the spot where Peter had seen the planks. Each took one of +them and proceeded to the river side. Peter, Harold, and Jake divested +themselves of some of their clothes and fastened these with their rifles +and ammunition to the planks. To the Indians the question of getting wet +was one of entire indifference, and they did not even take off their +hunting shirts. Entering the water the party swam noiselessly across to +the other side, pushing their planks before them. On getting out they +carried the planks for some distance, as their appearance by the water's +edge might excite a suspicion on the part of the Americans that the +works had been reconnoitered. + +After hiding the planks in the bushes they made their way to Sugar Hill, +as the eminence was called. The ascent was made with great +circumspection, the Indians going on first. No signs of the enemy were +met with, and at last the party stood on the summit of the hill. It was +entirely unoccupied by the Americans. + +"Well, my fine fellows," laughed the scout, "I reckon ye've been doing a +grist of work, and ye might jest as well have been sitting down quietly +smoking yer pipes. What on arth possessed ye to leave this hill +unguarded?" + +In point of fact General St. Clair, who commanded the Americans, had +perceived that his position was commanded from this spot. He had only +3000 men under him, and he considered this number too small to hold +Ticonderoga, Mount Independence, and Sugar Hill. The two former posts +could afford no assistance to the garrison of a fort placed on Sugar +Hill, and that place must therefore fall if attacked by the British. On +the other hand, he hoped that, should the attention of the English not +be called to the importance of the position by the erection of works +upon it, it might be overlooked, and that General Burgoyne on his +arrival might at once attack the position which he had prepared with so +much care. + +Having ascertained that the hill was unoccupied, Peter proposed at once +to continue the march. Harold suggested to him that it would be better +to wait until morning, as from their lofty position they would be able +to overlook the whole of the enemy's lines of defense and might obtain +information of vital importance to the general. Peter saw the advantage +of the suggestion. Two of the Indians were placed on watch, and the rest +of the party lay down to sleep. At daybreak they saw that the delay had +been fully justified, for they had now a view of the water which +separated Ticonderoga from Mount Independence, and perceived that the +Americans had made a strong bridge of communication between these posts. +Twenty-two piers had been sunk at equal distances, and between them +boats were placed, fastened with chains to the piers. A strong bridge of +planks connected the whole. On the Lake Champlain side of the bridge a +boom, composed of great trees fastened together with double chains, had +been placed. Thus, not only had communication been established across +the stream, but an effectual barrier erected to the passage of the +fleet. Fully satisfied with the result of their investigations, the +party set out on their return. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +THE SETTLER'S HUT. + +Before starting they stood for a minute or two looking over the forest +which they were to traverse. To Harold's eyes all appeared quiet and +still. Here and there were clearings where settlers had established +themselves; but, with these exceptions, the forest stretched away like a +green sea. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "We'll have all our work to get through +safely; eh, chief?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"What makes you say so?" Harold asked in surprise. "I see nothing." + +Peter looked at him reproachfully. + +"I'm downright ashamed of ye, lad. You should have been long enough in +the woods by this time to know smoke when you see it. Why, there it is +curling up from the trees in a dozen--ay, in a score of places. There +must be hundreds of men out scouting or camping in them woods." + +Harold looked fixedly again at the forests, but even now he could not +detect the signs which were so plain to the scout. + +"You may call me as blind as a bat, Peter," he said with a laugh, "but I +can see nothing. Looking hard I imagine I can see a light mist here and +there, but I believe it is nothing but fancy." + +"It's clear enough to me, lad, and to the redskins. What do you +say, chief?" + +"Too much men," the Seneca replied sententiously. + +For another minute or two he and Peter stood watching the forest, and +then in a few words consulted together as to the best line to follow to +avoid meeting the foe who, to their eyes, swarmed in the forest. + +"It's mighty lucky," the hunter said as they turned to descend the hill, +which was covered with trees to its very summit, "that they're white men +and not redskins out in the woods, there. I don't say that there's not +many frontiersmen who know the way of the woods as well as the redskins. +I do myself, and when it comes to fighting we can lick 'em on their own +ground; but in scouting we aint nowhere--not the best of us. The redskin +seems to have an instinct more like that of an animal than a man. I +don't say as he can smell a man a mile off as a dog can do, but he seems +to know when the enemy's about; his ears can hear noises which we can't; +his eyes see marks on the ground when the keenest-sighted white man sees +nothing. If that wood was as full of redskins as it is of whites to-day, +our sculps wouldn't be worth a charge of powder." + +"You are not going to follow the shores of the lake, I suppose?" +Harold asked. + +"No," Peter said. "They'll be as thick as peas down there, watching for +the first sight of our fleet. No, we must just keep through the woods +and be as still and as silent as if the trees had ears. You'd best look +to the priming of yer piece before we goes further, for it's likely +enough you'll have to use it before the day's done, and a miss-fire +might cost you yer life. Tell that nigger of yourn that he's not to open +his mouth again till I gives him leave." + +With a long stealthy tread the party descended the mountain and took +their way through the woods. Every hundred yards or so they stopped and +listened intently. When any noise, even of the slightest kind, was +heard, all dropped to the ground until the chief had scouted round and +discovered the way was clear. Once or twice they heard the sound of +men's voices and a distant laugh, but they passed on without seeing +those who uttered them. + +Presently they again heard voices, this time raised as if in angry +dispute. The Seneca would, as before, have made a long _detour_ to avoid +them, but Peter said. + +"Let's have a squint at what's going on, chief." + +With redoubled caution they again advanced until they stood at the edge +of the clearing. It was a patch of land some hundred yards wide, and +extending from the shore of the lake nearly a quarter of a mile inland. +In the center stood a log hut, neatly and carefully built. A few flowers +grew around the house, and the whole bore signs of greater neatness and +comfort than was usual in the cabins of the backwood settlers. + +The point where the party had reached the edge of the wood was +immediately opposite the house. Near it stood a group of some twenty +men, one of whom, apparently their leader, was gesticulating angrily as +he addressed a man who stood facing him. + +"I tell ye, ye're a darned royalist--ye're a traitor to the country, and +I've a mind to hang ye and all belonging to ye to the nearest bough." + +"I tell you," the man answered calmly, but in the still air every word +he said could be heard by those at the edge of the forest, "I hae +naething to do with the trouble ane way or the ither. I am a quiet +settler, whose business only is to mak a hame for my wife and bairn; +but, if you ask me to drink success to the Congress and confusion to the +king's troops, I tell you I willna do it; not even if you are brutal +enough, but this I canna believe possible, to carry your threats into +execution. I hae served my time in a king's regiment. With the bounty I +received instead o' pension on my discharge I settled here wi' my wife +and bairn, and no one shall say that Duncan Cameron was a traitor to his +king. We do no harm to anyone; we tak no part for or against you; we +only ask to be allowed to live in peace." + +"That ye shall not," the man said. "The king's troops have got Injuns +with 'em, and they're going to burn and kill all those who won't take +part with 'em. It's time we should show 'em as we can play at that game, +too. Now ye've either got to swear to be faithful to the States of +America or up you go." + +"I canna swear," the settler said firmly. "You may kill me if you will, +but, if you are men, you will nae harm my wife and girl." + +"We'll just do to you as the redskins'll do to our people," the man +said. "We'll make a sweep of the hull lot of you. Here, you fellows, +fetch the woman and girl out of the house and then set a light to it." + +Four or five men entered the house. A minute later screams were heard +and a woman and child were dragged out. The settler sprang toward them, +but three or four men seized him. + +"Now," the man said, stepping toward the house, "we'll show 'em a +bonfire." + +As he neared the door a crack of a rifle was heard and the ruffian fell +dead in his tracks. A yell of astonishment and rage broke from his +followers. + +"Jerusalem, youngster! you've got us into a nice fix. Howsomever, since +you've begun it, here goes." + +And the rifle of the hunter brought down another of the Americans. +These, following the first impulse of a frontiersman when attacked, fled +for shelter to the house, leaving the settler, with his wife and +daughter, standing alone. + +"Ye'd best get out of the way," Peter shouted, "or ye may get a bit of +lead that wasn't intended for ye." + +Catching up his child, Cameron ran toward the forest, making for the +side on which his unknown friends were placed, but keeping down toward +the lake, so as to be out of their line of fire. + +"Make down to 'em, Harold," Peter said. "Tell 'em they'd best go to some +neighbor's and stop there for a day or two. The army'll be here +to-morrow or next day. Be quick about it, and come back as fast as ye +can. I tell ye we're in a hornets' nest, and it'll be as much as we can +do to get out of it." + +A scattering fire was now being exchanged between the redskins behind +the shelter of the trees and the Americans firing from the windows of +the log house. Harold was but two or three minutes absent. + +"All right, Peter!" he exclaimed, as he rejoined them. + +"Come along, then," the hunter said. "Now, chief, let's make up round +the top of this clearing and then foot it." + +The chief at once put himself at the head of the party, and the nine men +strode away again through the forest. It was no longer silent. Behind +them the occupants of the hut were still keeping up a brisk fire toward +the trees, while from several quarters shouts could be heard, and more +than once the Indian war-whoop rose in the forest. + +"That's just what I was afeared of," Peter muttered. "There's some of +those darned varmint with 'em. We might have found our way through the +whites, but the redskins'll pick up our trail as sartin as if we were +driving a wagon through the woods." + +Going along at a swinging, noiseless trot the party made their way +through the forest. Presently a prolonged Indian whoop was heard in the +direction from which they had come. Then there were loud shouts and the +firing ceased. + +"One of the red reptiles has found our trail," Peter said. "He's with a +party of whites, and they've shouted the news to the gang in the +clearing. Waal, we may, calculate we've got thirty on our trail, and, as +we can hear them all round, it'll be a sarcumstance if we git out with +our sculps." + +As they ran they heard shouts from those behind, answered by others on +both flanks. Shots, too, were fired as signals to call the attention of +other parties. Several times the Seneca chief stopped and listened +attentively, and then changed his course as he heard suspicious noises +ahead. Those behind them were coming up, although still at some distance +in the rear. They could hear the sound of breaking trees and bushes as +their pursuers followed them in a body. + +"Ef it was only the fellows behind," Peter said, "we could leave them +easy enough, but the wood seems alive with the varmint." + +It was evident the alarm had spread through the forest, and that the +bands scattered here and there were aware that an enemy was in their +midst. The dropping fire, which the pursuers kept up, afforded an +indication as to the direction in which they were making, and the +ringing war-whoop of the hostile Indians conveyed the intelligence still +more surely. + +Presently there was a shout a short distance ahead, followed by the +sound of a rifle ball as it whizzed close to Harold's head and buried +itself in a tree that he was passing. In a moment each of the party had +sheltered behind a tree. + +"It's of no use, chief," Peter said. "We'll have the hull pack from +behind upon us in five minutes. We must run for it and take our chances +of being hit." + +Swerving somewhat from their former line, they again ran on; bullets +whisked round them, but they did not pause to fire a shot in return. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed, as the trees in front of them opened and +they found themselves on the edge of another clearing. It was +considerably larger than that which they had lately left, being three +hundred yards across, and extending back from the lake fully half a +mile. As in the previous case, a log hut stood in the center, some two +hundred yards back from the lake. + +"There's nothing for it, chief," Peter said. "We must take to the house +and fight it out there. There's a hull gang of fellows in the forest +ahead, and they'll shoot us down if we cross the clearing." + +Without a moment's hesitation the party rushed across the clearing to +the hut. Several shots were fired as they dashed across the open, but +they gained the place of refuge in safety. The hut was deserted. It had +probably belonged to royalists, for its rough furniture lay broken on +the ground; boxes and cupboards had been forced open, and the floor was +strewn with broken crockery and portions of wearing apparel. + +Harold looked round. Several of the party were bleeding from +slight wounds. + +"Now to the windows," Peter said as he barred the door. "Pile up bedding +and anything else that ye can find against the shutters, and keep +yerselves well under cover. Don't throw away a shot; we'll want all our +powder, I can tell ye. Quickly, now--there aint no time to be lost." + +While some began carrying out his instructions below, others bounded +upstairs and scattered themselves through the upper rooms. There were +two windows on each side of the house--one at each end. Disregarding the +latter, Peter and Harold took post at the windows looking toward the +forest from which they had just come. The chief and another Indian +posted themselves to watch the other side. At first no one was to be +seen. The party who had fired at them as they ran across the open had +waited for the coming up of the strong band who were following, before +venturing to show themselves. The arrival of the pursuers was heralded +by the opening of a heavy fire toward the house. As the assailants kept +themselves behind trees, no reply was made, and the defenders occupied +themselves by piling the bedding against the shutters, which they had +hastily closed. Loop-holes had been left in the walls when the hut was +first built; the moss with which they were filled up was torn out, and +each man took his post at one of these. As no answering shot came from +the house the assailants became bolder, and one or two ventured to show +themselves from, behind shelter. In a moment Harold and Peter, whose +rifles would carry more truly and much further than those of the +Indians, fired. + +"Two wiped out!" Peter said, as the men fell, and shouts of anger arose +from the woods. "That'll make them careful." + +This proof of the accuracy of the aim of the besieged checked their +assailants, and for some time they were very careful not to expose +themselves. From both sides of the forest a steady fire was maintained. +Occasionally an answering shot flashed out from the house when one of +the enemy incautiously showed an arm or a part of his body from behind +the trees, and it was seldom the rifles were fired in vain. Four or five +of the Americans were shot through the head as they leaned forward to +fire, and after an hour's exchange of bullets the attack ceased. + +"What are they going to do now?" Harold asked. + +"I expect they're going to wait till nightfall," Peter said. "There's no +moon, and they'll be able to work up all round the house. Then they'll +make a rush at the door and lower windows. We'll shoot down a good many +on 'em, and then they'll burst their way in or set fire to the hut, and +there'll be an end of it. That's what'll happen." + +"And you think there is no way of making our way out?" Harold asked. + +"It's a mighty poor chance, if there's one at all," the hunter replied. +"I should say by the fire there must be nigh a hundred of 'em now, and +it's likely that, by nightfall, there'll be three times as many. As soon +as it gets dusk they'll creep out from the woods and form a circle round +the house and gradually work up to it. Now let's cook some vittles; +we've had nothing to eat this morning yet, and it must be nigh eleven +o'clock. I don't see why we should be starved, even if we have got to be +killed to-night." + +One of the party was left on watch on each side of the house, and the +others gathered in the room below, where a fire was lit and the strips +of dried deer flesh which they carried were soon frying over it. Harold +admired the air of indifference with which his companions set about +preparing the meat. Everyone was aware of the desperate nature of the +position, but no allusion was made to it. The negro had caught the +spirit of his companions, but his natural loquacity prevented his +imitating their habitual silence. + +"Dis bad affair, Massa Harold," he said. "We jess like so many coons up +in tree, wid a whole pack ob dogs round us, and de hunters in de +distance coming up wid de guns. Dis chile reckon dat some ob dem hunters +will get hit hard before dey get us. Jake don't care one bit for +himself, massa, but he bery sorry to see you in such a fix." + +"It can't be helped, Jake," Harold said as cheerfully as he could. "It +was my firing that shot which got us into it, and yet I cannot blame +myself. We could not stand by and see those ruffians murder a woman +and child." + +"Dat's so, Massa Harold; dere was no possinbility of seeing dat. I +reckon dat when dose rascals come to climb de stairs dey'll find it are +bery hard work." + +"I don't think they will try, Jake. They are more likely to heap +brushwood against the door and windows and set it alight, and then shoot +us down as we rush out. This hut is not like the one I had to defend +against the Iroquois. That was built to repel Indians' attacks; this is +a mere squatter's hut." + +After the meal was over Peter and the Seneca chief went upstairs, looked +through the loop-holes, and talked long and earnestly together; then +they rejoined the party below. + +"The chief and I are of opinion," Peter said to Harold, "that it are of +no manner of use our waiting to be attacked here. They'd burn us out to +a sartinty; we should have no show of a fight at all. Anything's better +than that. Now, what we propose is that, directly it gets fairly dark, +we'll all creep out and make for the lake. Even if they have formed +their circle round us, they aint likely to be as thick there as they are +on the other side. What they'll try to do, in course, is to prevent our +taking to the forest; and there'll be such a grist of 'em that I don't +believe one of us would get through alive if we tried it. Now they'll +not be so strong toward the lake, and we might break through to the +water. I don't say as there's much chance of our getting away, for I +tell you fairly that I don't believe that there's any chance at all; but +the chief, here, and his braves don't want their sculps to hang in the +wigwams of the Chippewas, and I myself, ef I had the choice, would +rather be drownded than shot down. It don't make much difference; but, +of the two, I had rather. Ef we can reach the lake, we can swim out of +gunshot range. I know you can swim like a fish, and so can Jake, and the +Indians swim as a matter of course. Ef we dive at first we may get off; +it'll be so dark they won't see us with any sartainty beyond fifty +yards. When we're once fairly out in the lake we can take our chance." + +"And is there a chance, Peter? Although, if there is none, I quite agree +with you that I would rather be drowned than shot down. If one were sure +of being killed by the first shot that would be the easiest death; but +if we were only wounded they would probably hang us in the morning." + +"That's so," the hunter said. "Waal, I can hardly say that there's a +chance, and yet I can't say as how there aint. In the first place, they +may have some canoes and come out after us; there's pretty safe to be +some along the shore here. The settlers would have had 'em for fishing." + +"But what chance will that give us?" Harold asked. + +"Waal," the hunter replied, "I reckon in that case as our chance is a +fair one. Ef we dive and come up close alongside we may manage to upset +one of 'em, and, in that case, we might get off. That's one chance. Then +ef they don't come out in canoes, we might swim three or four miles down +the lake and take to land. They couldn't tell which way to go and would +have to scatter over a long line. It's just possible as we might land +without being seen. Once in the woods and we'd be safe. So you see, we +have two chances. In course we must throw away our rifles and ammunition +before we come to the water." + +"At any rate," Harold said, "the plan is a hopeful one, and I agree with +you that it is a thousand times better to try it than it is to stop here +with the certainty of being shot down before morning." + +The afternoon passed quietly. A few shots were fired occasionally from +the wood, and taunting shouts were heard of the fate which awaited them +when night approached. + +A vigilant watch was kept from the upper windows, but Peter thought that +it was certain the enemy would make no move until it became perfectly +dark, although they would establish a strong cordon all round the +clearing in case the besieged should try and break out. Harold trembled +with impatience to be off as the night grew darker and darker. It seemed +to him that at any moment the assailants might be narrowing the circle +round the house, and, had he been a leader, he would have given the word +long before the scout made a move. + +At last Peter signaled that the time had come. It was perfectly dark +when the bars were noiselessly removed from the door and the party stole +out. Everything seemed silent, but the very stillness made the danger +appear more terrible. Peter had impressed upon Harold and Jake the +necessity for moving without making the slightest noise. As soon as they +left the house the whole party dropped on their hands and knees. Peter +and the Seneca chief led the way; two of the braves came next; Harold +and Jake followed; the remaining Indians crawled in the rear. Peter had +told his comrades to keep as close as possible to the Indians in front +of them, and, grasping their rifles, they crept along the ground. As +they led the way Peter and the Seneca carefully removed from before them +every dried twig and threw it on one side. + +The distance to be traversed from the hut to the water was about two +hundred yards, and half of this was passed over before they encountered +any obstacle. Then suddenly there was an exclamation, and Peter and the +Seneca sprang to their feet, as they came in contact with two men +crawling in the opposite direction. They were too close to use their +rifles, but a crushing blow from the Seneca's tomahawk cleft down the +man in front of him, while Peter drew his long knife from its sheath and +buried it in the body of his opponent. + +The others had also leaped to their feet, and each, as he did so, fired +at the dark figures which rose around them. They had the advantage of +the surprise; several scattered shots answered their volley, then, with +their rifles clubbed, they rushed forward. For a moment there was a +hand-to-hand fight. Harold had just struck down a man opposite to him +when another sprang upon him; so sudden was the attack that he fell from +the shock. But in an instant Jake buried his knife between his +opponent's shoulders and dragged Harold to his feet. + +"Run for your life, Massa Harold. De whole gang's upon us!" + +And indeed the instant the first shot broke the silence of the woods a +babel of sounds arose from the whole circuit of the clearing; shouts and +yells burst out from hundreds of throats. There was no further use for +concealment, and from all sides the men who had been advancing to the +attack rushed in the direction where the conflict was taking place. This +lasted but a few seconds. As Peter had expected, the line was thinner +toward the lake than upon the other sides, and the rush of nine men had +broken through it. Shouts were heard from the woods on either side +extending down to the water, showing that the precaution had been taken +by the assailants of leaving a portion of their force to guard the line +of forest should the defenders break through the circle. + +At headlong speed the little band rushed down to the water's side, +dropped their ammunition pouches by its edge, threw their rifles a few +yards into the water, to be recovered, perhaps, on some future occasion, +and then dived in. The nearest of the pursuers were some thirty yards +behind when they neared the water's edge. Swimming as far under water as +they could hold their breath, each came to the surface for an instant, +and then again dived. Momentarily as they showed themselves they heard +the rattle of musketry behind, and the bullets splashed thickly on the +water. The night, however, was so dark that the fire could only be a +random one. Until far out from the shore they continued diving and then +gathered together. + +"We're pretty well out of range, now," Peter said, "and quite out of +sight of the varmints. Now we can wait a bit and see what they do next." + +The enemy were still keeping up a heavy fire from the shore, hallooing +and shouting to each other as they fancied they caught a glimpse of +their enemies. + +"There must be two or three hundred of 'em," Peter said. "We've fooled +'em nicely, so far." + +By the crashing of the bushes the fugitives could hear strong parties +making their way along the shore in either direction. An hour passed, +during which the fugitives floated nearly opposite the clearing. + +"Hullo!" Peter exclaimed presently. "There's a canoe coming along the +lake. I expect they got it from Cameron's." + +As he spoke a canoe appeared round the point. Two men were standing up +holding blazing torches; two others paddled; while two, rifle in hand, +sat by them. Almost at the same moment another canoe, similarly manned, +pushed out from the shore immediately opposite. + +"I wish we had known of that canoe," Peter said; "it would have saved us +a lot of trouble; but we had no time for looking about. I suspected them +settlers must have had one laid up somewheres. Now," he went on, "let's +make our plans. The canoes are sure to keep pretty nigh each other. +They'll most likely think as we've gone down the lake and'll not be +looking very sharply after us at present. It'll never do to let 'em pass +us. Now Jake and I and two of the Injuns will take one canoe, and the +chief and three of his braves the other. We must move round so as to get +between 'em and the shore, and then dive and come up close to 'em. Now, +Harold, do you swim out a bit further and then make a splash so as to +call their attention. Do it once or twice till you see that they've got +their eyes turned that way. Then be very quiet, so as to keep 'em +watching for another sound. That'll be our moment for attacking 'em." + +They waited till the two canoes joined each other and paddled slowly out +from the shore. Then the eight swimmers started off to make their +_detour_, while Harold swam quietly further out into the lake. The +canoes were about three hundred yards from shore and were paddling very +slowly, the occupants keeping a fixed look along the lake. There was +perfect quiet on the shore now, and when Harold made a slight splash +with his hand upon the water he saw that it was heard. Both canoes +stopped rowing, the steerers in each case giving them a steer so that +they lay broadside to the land, giving each man a view over the lake. +They sat as quiet as if carved in stone. Again Harold made a splash, but +this time a very slight one, so slight that it could hardly reach the +ears of the listeners. + +A few words were exchanged by the occupants of the boats. + +"They are further out on the lake, Bill," one said. + +"I am not sure," another answered. "I rather think the sound was further +down. Listen again." + +Again they sat motionless. Harold swam with his eyes fixed upon them. +Every face was turned his way and none was looking shoreward. Then, +almost at the same instant there was a shout from both boats. The men +with torches seemed to lose their balance. The lights described a half +circle through the air and were extinguished. A shout of astonishment +broke from the occupants, mingled with the wild Seneca war-yell, and he +knew that both canoes were upset. + +There was a sound of a desperate struggle going on. Oaths and wild cries +rose from the water. Heavy blows were struck, while from the shore arose +loud shouts of dismay and rage. In two minutes all was quiet on the +water. Then came Peter's shout: + +"This way, Harold! We'll have the canoes righted and bailed in a minute. +The varmin's all wiped out." + +With a lightened heart Harold swam toward the spot. The surprise had +been a complete success. The occupants of the canoes, intent only upon +the pursuit and having no fear of attack--for they knew that the +fugitives must have thrown away their rifles--were all gazing intently +out on the lake, when, close to each canoe on the shore side, four heads +rose from out of the water. In an instant eight hands had seized the +gunwales, and, before the occupants were aware of their danger, the +canoes were upset. + +Taken wholly by surprise, the Americans were no match for their +assailants. The knives of the latter did their work before the +frontiersmen had thoroughly grasped what had happened. Two or three, +indeed, had made a desperate fight, but they were no match for their +opponents, and the struggle was quickly over. + +On Harold reaching the canoes he found them already righted and half +emptied of water. The paddles were picked up, and, in a few minutes, +with a derisive shout of adieu to their furious enemy on the shore, the +two canoes paddled out into the lake. When they had attained a distance +of about half a mile from the shore they turned the boats heads and +paddled north. In three hours they saw lights in the wood. + +"There's the troops," Peter said. "Soldiers are never content unless +they're making fires big enough to warn every redskin within fifty miles +that they're coming." + +As they approached the shore the challenge from the English sentinel +came over the water: + +"Who comes there?" + +"Friends," Peter replied. + +"Give the password." + +"How on arth am I to give the password," Peter shouted back, "when we've +been three days away from the camp?" + +"If you approach without the password I fire," the sentinel said. + +"I tell ye," Peter shouted, "we're scouts with news for the general." + +"I can't help who you are," the sentinel said. "I have got my orders." + +"Pass the word along for an officer," Harold shouted. "We have +important news." + +The sentry called to the one next him, and so the word was passed along +the line. In a few minutes an officer appeared on the shore, and, after +a short parley, the party were allowed to land, and Peter and Harold +were at once conducted to the headquarters of General Burgoyne. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +SARATOGA. + +"What is your report?" asked General Burgoyne, as the scouts were +conducted into his tent. + +"We have discovered, sir, that the Americans have strongly fortified +Mount Independence, which faces Ticonderoga, and have connected the two +places by a bridge across the river, which is protected by a strong +boom. Both positions are, however, overlooked by Sugar Hill, and this +they have entirely neglected to fortify. If you were to seize this they +would have to retire at once." + +The general expressed his satisfaction at the news and gave orders that +steps should be taken to seize Sugar Hill immediately. He then +questioned the scouts as to their adventures and praised them highly for +their conduct. + +The next day the army advanced, and at nightfall both divisions were in +their places, having arrived within an hour or two of each other from +the opposite sides of the lake. Sugar Hill was seized the same night, +and a strong party were set to work cutting a road through the trees. +The next morning the enemy discovered the British at work erecting a +battery on the hill, and their general decided to evacuate both +Ticonderoga and Mount Independence instantly. Their baggage, provisions, +and stores were embarked in two hundred boats and sent up the river. The +army started to march by the road. + +The next morning the English discovered that the Americans had +disappeared. Captain Lutwych immediately set to work to destroy the +bridge and boom, whose construction had taken the Americans nearly +twelve months' labor. By nine in the morning a passage was effected, and +some gunboats passed through in pursuit of the enemy's convoy. They +overtook them near Skenesborough, engaged and captured many of their +largest craft, and obliged them to set several others on fire, together +with a large number of their boats and barges. + +A few hours afterward a detachment of British troops in gunboats came up +the river to Skenesborough. The cannon on the works which the Americans +had erected there opened fire, but the troops were landed, and the enemy +at once evacuated their works, setting fire to their store-houses and +mills. While these operations had been going on by water Brigadier +General Fraser, at the head of the advance corps of grenadiers and light +infantry, pressed hard upon the division of the enemy which had retired +by the Hubberton Road, and overtook them at five o'clock in the morning. + +The division consisted of fifteen hundred of the best colonial troops +under the command of Colonel Francis. They were posted on strong ground +and sheltered by breastworks composed of logs and old trees. General +Fraser's detachment was inferior in point of numbers to that of the +defenders of the position, but as he expected a body of the German +troops under General Reidesel to arrive immediately, he at once attacked +the breastworks. The Americans defended their post with great resolution +and bravery. The re-enforcements did not arrive so soon as was expected, +and for some time the British made no way. + +General Reidesel, hearing the fire in front, pushed forward at full +speed with a small body of troops. Among these was the band, which he +ordered to play. + +The enemy, hearing the music and supposing that the whole of the +German troops had come up, evacuated the position and fell back +with precipitation. Colonel Francis and many others were killed and +two hundred taken prisoners. On the English side 120 men were +killed and wounded. + +The enemy from Skenesborough were pursued by Colonel Hill, with the +Ninth Regiment, and were overtaken near Fort Anne. Finding how small was +the force that pursued them in comparison to their own, they took the +offensive. A hot engagement took place, and after three hours' fighting +the Americans were repulsed with great slaughter and forced to retreat +after setting fire to Fort Anne and Fort Edward. + +In these operations the British captured 148 guns, with large quantities +of stores. At Fort Edward General Schuyler was joined by General St. +Clair, but even with this addition the total American strength did not +exceed forty-four hundred. + +Instead of returning from Skenesborough to Ticonderoga, whence he might +have sailed with his army up to Lake George, General Burgoyne proceeded +to cut his way through the woods to the lake. The difficulties of the +passage were immense: swamps and morasses had to be passed, bridges had +to be constructed over creeks, ravines, and gulleys. The troops worked +with great vigor and spirit. Major General Phillips had returned to Lake +George and transported the artillery, provisions, and baggage to Fort +George and thence by land to a point on the Hudson River, together with +a large number of boats for the use of the army in their intended +descent to Albany. + +So great was the labor entailed by this work that it was not until July +30 that the army arrived on the Hudson River. The delay of three weeks +had afforded the enemy time to recover their spirits and recruit their +strength. General Arnold arrived with a strong re-enforcement, and a +force was detached to check the progress of Colonel St. Leger, who was +coming down from Montreal by way of Lake Ontario and the Mohawk River to +effect a junction with General Burgoyne. + +General Burgoyne determined to advance at once. The army was already +suffering from want of transportation, and he decided to send a body of +troops to Bennington, twenty-four miles to the eastward of the Hudson +River, where the Americans had large supplies collected. Instead of +sending light infantry he dispatched six hundred Germans--the worst +troops he could have selected for this purpose, as they were very +heavily armed and marched exceedingly slowly. Several of the officers +remonstrated with him, but with his usual infatuated obstinacy he +maintained his disposition. + +On approaching Bennington Colonel Baum, who commanded the Germans, found +that a very strong force was gathered there. He sent back for +re-enforcements, and five hundred more Germans, under Lieutenant Colonel +Breyman, were dispatched to his assistance. Long, however, before these +slowly moving troops could arrive Colonel Baum was attacked by the enemy +in vastly superior numbers. The Germans fought with great bravery and +several times charged the Americans and drove them back. Fresh troops +continued to come up on the enemy's side, and the Germans, having lost a +large number of men, including their colonel, were forced to retreat +into the woods. The enemy then advanced against Colonel Breyman, who was +ignorant of the disaster that had befallen Baum, and with his detachment +had occupied twenty-four hours in marching sixteen miles. The Germans +again fought well, but after a gallant resistance were obliged to fall +back. In these two affairs they lost six hundred men. + +In the meantime Colonel St. Leger had commenced his attack upon Fort +Stanwix, which was defended by seven hundred men. The American General +Herkimer advanced with one thousand men to its relief. Colonel St. +Leger detached Sir John Johnson with a party of regulars and a number +of Indians, who had accompanied him, to meet them. The enemy advanced +incautiously and fell into an ambush. A terrible fire was poured into +them, and the Indians then rushed down and attacked them hand to hand. +The Americans, although taken by surprise, fought bravely and +succeeded in making their retreat, leaving four hundred killed and +wounded behind them. + +Colonel St. Leger had no artillery which was capable of making any +impression on the defenses of the fort. Its commander sent out a man +who, pretending to be a deserter, entered the British camp and informed +Colonel St. Leger that General Burgoyne had been defeated and his army +cut to pieces, and that General Arnold, with two thousand men, was +advancing to raise the siege. Colonel St. Leger did not credit the news, +but it created a panic among the Indians, the greater portion of whom at +once retired without orders, and St. Leger, having but a small British +force with him, was compelled to follow their example, leaving his +artillery and stores behind him. + +On September 13 General Burgoyne, having with immense labor collected +thirty days' provisions on the Hudson, crossed the river by a bridge of +boats and encamped on the heights of Saratoga. His movements had been +immensely hampered by the vast train of artillery which he took with +him. In an open country a powerful force of artillery is of the greatest +service to an army, but in a campaign in a wooded and roadless country +it is of little utility and enormously hampers the operations of an +army. Had General Burgoyne, after the capture of Ticonderoga, pressed +forward in light order without artillery, he could unquestionably have +marched to New York without meeting with any serious opposition, but the +six weeks' delay had enabled the Americans to collect a great force to +oppose them. + +On the 19th, as the army were advancing to Stillwater, five thousand of +the enemy attacked the British right. They were led by General Arnold +and fought with great bravery and determination. The brunt of the battle +fell on the Twentieth, Twenty-fourth, and Sixty-second regiments. For +four hours the fight continued without any advantage on either side, and +at nightfall the Americans drew off, each side having lost about six +hundred men. After the battle of Stillwater the whole of the Indians +with General Burgoyne left him and returned to Canada. + +Hampered with his great train of artillery, unprovided with +transportation, in the face of a powerful enemy posted in an exceedingly +strong position, General Burgoyne could neither advance nor retreat. The +forage was exhausted and the artillery horses were dying in great +numbers. He had hoped that Sir William Howe would have sailed up the +Hudson and joined him, but the English commander-in-chief had taken his +army down to Philadelphia. Sir Henry Clinton, who commanded at New York, +endeavored with a small force at his command to make a diversion by +operating against the American posts on the Hudson River, but this was +of no utility. + +Burgoyne's army was now reduced to little more than five thousand men, +and he determined to fall back upon the lakes. Before doing this, +however, it would be necessary to dislodge the Americans from their +posts on his left. Leaving the camp under the command of General +Hamilton, Burgoyne advanced with fifteen hundred men against them. But +scarcely had the detachment started when the enemy made a furious attack +on the British left. Major Ackland, with the grenadiers, was posted +here, and for a time defended himself with great bravery. The light +infantry and Twenty-fourth were sent to their assistance, but, +overpowered by numbers, the left wing was forced to retreat into their +intrenchments. These the enemy, led by General Arnold, at once attacked +with great impetuosity. For a long time the result was doubtful, and it +was not until the American leader was wounded that the attack ceased. In +the meantime the intrenchments defended by the German troops under +Colonel Breyman had also been attacked. Here the fight was obstinate, +but the German intrenchments were carried, Colonel Breyman killed, and +his troops retreated with the loss of all their baggage and artillery. +Two hundred prisoners fell into the hands of the Americans. + +That night the British army was concentrated on the heights above the +hospital. General Gates, who commanded the Americans, moved his army so +as to entirely inclose the British, and the latter, on the night of +October 8, retired to Saratoga, being obliged to leave all their sick +and wounded in the hospital. These were treated with the greatest +kindness by the Americans. An attempt was now made to retreat to Fort +George or Fort Edward, but the Americans had taken up positions on each +road and fortified them with cannon. + +Only about thirty-five hundred fighting men now remained, of whom but +one-half were British, and scarcely eight days' provisions were left. +The enemy, four times superior in point of numbers, held every line of +retreat and eluded every attempt of the British to force them to a +general engagement. + +The position was hopeless, and on October 13 a council of war was held +and it was determined to open negotiations for a surrender. Two days +were spent in negotiations, and it was finally agreed that the army +should lay down its arms and that it should be marched to Boston, and +there allowed to sail for England on condition of not serving again in +North America during the contest. The Canadians were to be allowed to +return at once to their own country. On the 16th the army laid down its +arms. It consisted of thirty-five hundred fighting men and six hundred +sick and nearly two thousand boatmen, teamsters, and other +non-effectives. + +Never did a general behave with greater incompetence than that +manifested by General Burgoyne from the day of his leaving Ticonderoga, +and the disaster which befell his army was entirely the result of +mismanagement, procrastination, and faulty generalship. + +Had Harold remained with the army until its surrender his share in the +war would have been at an end, for the Canadians, as well as all others +who laid down their arms, gave their word of honor not to serve again +during the war. He had, however, with Peter Lambton and Jake, +accompanied Colonel Baum's detachment on its march to Bennington. +Scouting in front of the column, they had ascertained the presence of +large numbers of the enemy, and had, by hastening back with the news, +enabled the German colonel to make some preparations for resistance +before the attack was made upon him. During the fight that ensued the +scouts, posted behind trees on the German left, had assisted them to +repel the attack from that quarter, and when the Germans gave way they +effected their escape into the woods and managed to rejoin the army. + +They had continued with it until it moved to the hospital heights after +the disastrous attack by the Americans on their camp. General Burgoyne +then sent for Peter Lambton, who was, he knew, one of his most active +and intelligent scouts. + +"Could you make your way through the enemy's lines down to +Ticonderoga?" he asked. + +"I could try, general," Peter said. "Me and the party who work with me +could get through if anyone could, but more nor that I can't say. The +Yanks are swarming around pretty thick, I reckon; but if we have luck we +might make a shift to get through." + +"I have hopes," the general said, "that another regiment, for which I +asked General Carleton, has arrived there. Here is a letter to General +Powell, who is in command, to beg him to march with all his available +force and fall upon the enemy posted on our line of communication. +Unless the new regiment has reached him he will not have a sufficient +force to attempt this, but, if this has come up, he may be able to do +so. He is to march in the lightest order and at full speed, so as to +take the enemy by surprise. Twelve hours before he starts you will bring +me back news of his coming, and I will move out to meet him. His +operations in their rear will confuse the enemy and enable me to operate +with a greater chance of success. I tell you this because, if you are +surrounded and in difficulties, you may have to destroy my dispatch. You +can then convey my instructions by word of mouth to General Powell if +you succeed in getting through." + +Upon leaving headquarters Peter joined his friends. + +"It's a risksome business," he went on, after informing them of the +instructions he had received, "but I don't know as it's much more +risksome than stopping here. It don't seem to me that this army is like +to get out of the trap into which their general has led 'em. Whatever he +wanted to leave the lakes for is more nor I can tell. However, +generaling aint my business, and I wouldn't change places with the old +man to-day, not for a big sum of money. Now, chief, what do you say? +How's this 'ere business to be carried out?" + +The Seneca, with the five braves who had from the first accompanied +them, were now the only Indians with the British army. The rest of the +redskins, disgusted with the dilatory progress of the army and +foreseeing inevitable disaster, had all betaken themselves to their +homes. They were, moreover, angered at the severity with which the +English general had endeavored to suppress their tendency to acts of +cruelty on the defenseless settlers. The redskin has no idea of +civilized warfare. His sole notion of fighting is to kill, burn, and +destroy, and the prohibition of all irregular operations and of the +infliction of unnecessary suffering was, in his eyes, an act of +incomprehensible weakness. The Seneca chief remained with the army +simply because his old comrade did so. He saw that there was little +chance of plunder, but he and his braves had succeeded in fair fight in +obtaining many scalps, and would, at least, be received with high honor +on their return to their tribe. + +A long discussion took place between the chief and Peter before they +finally decided upon the best course to be pursued. They were ignorant +of the country and of the disposition of the enemy's force, and could +only decide to act upon general principles. They thought it probable +that the Americans would be most thickly posted upon the line between +the British army and the lakes, and their best chance of success would +therefore be to make their way straight ahead for some distance, and +then, when they had penetrated the American lines, to make a long +_detour_ round to the lakes. + +Taking four days' provisions with them they started when nightfall had +fairly set in. It was intensely dark, and in the shadows of the woods +Harold was unable to see his hand before him. The Indians appeared to +have a faculty of seeing in the dark, for they advanced without the +slightest pause or hesitation and were soon in the open country. The +greatest vigilance was now necessary. Everywhere they could hear the low +hum which betokens the presence of many men gathered together. Sometimes +a faint shout came to their ears, and for a long distance around the +glow in the sky told of many fires. The party now advanced with the +greatest caution, frequently halting while the Indians went on ahead to +scout; and more than once they were obliged to alter their direction as +they came upon bodies of men posted across their front. At last they +passed through the line of sentinels, and, avoiding all the camps, +gained the country in the Americans' rear. + +They now struck off to the right, and by daybreak were far round beyond +the American army, on their way to Ticonderoga. They had walked for +fifteen hours when they halted, and it was not until late in the +afternoon that they continued their journey. They presently struck the +road which the army had cut in its advance, and keeping parallel with +this through the forest they arrived the next morning at Fort Edward. A +few hours' rest here and they continued their march to Ticonderoga. This +place had been attacked by the Americans a few days previously, but the +garrison had beaten off the assailants. + +On the march they had seen many bodies of the enemy moving along the +road, but their approach had in every case been detected in time to take +refuge in the forest. On entering the fort Peter at once proceeded to +General Powell's quarters and delivered the dispatch with which he had +been intrusted. The general read it. + +"No re-enforcements have arrived," the general said, "and the force here +is barely sufficient to defend the place. It would be madness for me to +set out on such a march with the handful of troops at my disposal." + +He then questioned Peter concerning the exact position of the army, and +the latter had no hesitation in saying that he thought the whole force +would be compelled to lay down their arms unless some re-enforcements +reached them from below. + +This, however, was not to be. General Clinton captured Forts Montgomery +and Clinton, the latter a very strong position, defended with great +resolution by four hundred Americans. The Seventh and Twenty-sixth +regiments and a company of grenadiers attacked on one side, the +Sixty-third Regiment on the other. They had no cannon to cover their +advance and had to cross ground swept by ten pieces of artillery. In no +event during the war did the British fight with more resolution. +Without firing a shot they pressed forward to the foot of the works, +climbed over each other's shoulders on to the walls, and drove the +enemy back. The latter discharged one last volley into the troops and +then laid down their arms. Notwithstanding the slaughter effected by +this wanton fire after all possibility of continuing a resistance was +over, quarter was given and not one of the enemy was killed after the +fort was taken. The British loss was 140 killed and wounded; 300 +Americans were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. The fleet attacked +the American squadron on the river and entirely destroyed it. Beyond +sending a flying squadron up the river to destroy the enemy's boats and +stores of provisions, nothing further could be done to effect a +diversion in favor of General Burgoyne. + +Four days after Harold's arrival at Ticonderoga the news of the +surrender of General Burgoyne reached the place. Upon the following day +he suggested to Peter Lambton that they should visit the clearing of the +ex-soldier Cameron and see whether their interference had saved him and +his family. Upon arriving at the spot whence Harold had fired the shot +which had brought discovery upon them, they saw a few charred stumps +alone remaining of the snug house which had stood there. In front of it, +upon the stump of a tree, Cameron himself was sitting in an attitude of +utter depression. + +They walked across the clearing to the spot, but although the sound of +their footsteps must have reached his ear, the man did not look up until +Harold touched him on the shoulder. + +"What has happened?" he asked. "Who has done this ruin?" + +The man still remained with his head bent down, as if he had not heard +the question. + +"We had hoped that you had escaped," Harold went on. "We were hidden in +the wood when we saw those ruffians drive your wife and daughter out, +and it was the shot from my rifle that killed their leader and brought +them down on us; and a narrow escape we had of it; but we hoped that we +had diverted them from their determination to kill you and your family." + +Cameron looked up now. + +"I thank ye, sir," he said. "I thank ye wi' a' my hairt for your +interference on our behalf. I heerd how closely ye were beset that +night and how ye escaped. They thought nae mair o' us, and when the +royal army arrived the next day we were safe; but ye might as weel ha' +let the matter gang on--better, indeed, for then I should be deed +instead o' suffering. This wark," and he pointed toward the remains of +the house, "is redskin deviltry. A fortnight sin' a band o' Indians +fell upon us. I was awa'. They killed my wife and burned my house and +ha' carried off my bairn." + +"Who were they?" Harold asked. + +"I dinna ken," Cameron replied; "but a neebor o' mine whose place they +attacked, and whom they had scalped and left for deed, told me that they +were a band o' the Iroquois who had come down from Lake Michigan and +advanced wi' the British. He said that they, with the other redskins, +desairted when their hopes o' plunder were disappointed, and that on +their way back to their tribes they burned and ravaged every settlement +they cam' across. My neebor was an old frontiersman; he had fought +against the tribe and knew their war-cry. He deed the next day. He was +mair lucky than I am." + +"The tarnal ruffians!" Peter exclaimed; "the murdering varmints! And to +think of 'em carrying off that purty little gal of yours! I suppose by +this time they're at their old game of plundering and slaying on the +frontier. It's naught to them which side they fight on; scalps and +plunder is all they care for." + +The unfortunate settler had sat down again on the log, the picture of a +broken-hearted man. Harold drew Peter a short distance away. + +"Look here. Peter," he said. "Now Burgoyne's army has surrendered and +winter is close at hand, it is certain that there will be no further +operations here, except perhaps that the Americans will recapture the +place. What do you say to our undertaking an expedition on our own +account to try and get back this poor fellow's daughter? I do not know +whether the Seneca would join us, but we three--of course I count +Jake--and the settler might do something. I have an old grudge against +these Iroquois myself, as you have heard; and for aught I know they may +long ere this have murdered my cousins." + +"The Seneca will jine," Peter said, "willing enough. There's an old feud +between his tribe and the Iroquois. He'll jine fast enough. But mind, +youngster, this aint no child's play; it aint like fighting them +American clodhoppers. We'll have to deal with men as sharp as ourselves, +who can shoot as well, hear as well, see as well, who are in their own +country, and who are a hundred to one against us. We've got hundreds and +hundreds of miles to travel afore we gets near 'em. It's a big job; but +if, when ye thinks it all over, you're ready to go, Peter Lambton aint +the man to hold back. As you say, there's naught to do this winter, and +we might as well be doing this as anything else." + +The two men then went back to the settler. + +"Cameron," Harold said, "it is of no use sitting here grieving. Why not +be up in pursuit of those who carried off your daughter?" + +The man sprang to his feet. + +"In pursuit!" he cried fiercely; "in pursuit! Do ye think Donald Cameron +wad be sitting here quietly if he kenned where to look for his +daughter--where to find the murderers o' his wife? But what can I do? +For three days after I cam' back and found what had happened I was just +mad. I couldna think nor rest, nor do aught but throw mysel' on the +ground and pray to God to tak' me. When at last I could think, it was +too late. It wad hae mattered naething to me that they were a hundred to +one. If I could ha' killed but one o' them I wad ha' died happy; but +they were gone, and how could I follow them--how could I find them? Tell +me where to look, mon--show me the way; and if it be to the ends o' the +airth I will go after them." + +"We will do more, than that," Harold said. "My friend and myself have +still with us the seven men who were with us when we were here before. +Five are Senecas, the other a faithful negro who would go through fire +and water for me. There is little chance of our services being required +during the winter with the British army. We, are interested in you and +in the pretty child we saw here, and, if you will, we will accompany you +in the search for her. Peter Lambton knows the country well, and if +anyone could lead you to your child and rescue her from those who +carried her off, he is the man." + +"Truly!" gasped the Scotchman. "And will ye truly gang wi' me to find +my bairn? May the guid God o' heaven bless you!" and the tears ran down +his cheeks. + +"Git your traps together at once, man," Peter said. "Let's go straight +back to the fort; then I'll set the matter before the chief, who will, I +warrant me, be glad enough to jine the expedition. It's too late to +follow the track of the red varmints; our best plan will be to make +straight for the St. Lawrence; to take a boat if we can git one; if not, +two canoes; and to make up the river and along the Ontario. Then we must +sell our boat, cross to Erie, and git fresh canoes and go on by Detroit +into Lake Huron, and so up in the country of these reptiles. We shall +have no difficulty, I reckon, in discovering the whereabout of the tribe +which has been away on this expedition." + +The Scotchman took up the rifle. + +"I am ready," he said, and without another word the party started +for the fort. + +Upon their arrival there a consultation was held with the Seneca. The +prospect of an expedition against his hereditary foes filled him with +delight, and three of his braves also agreed to accompany them. Jake +received the news with the remark: + +"All right, Massa Harold. It make no odds to dis chile whar he goes. You +say de word--Jake ready." + +Half an hour sufficed for making the preparations, and they at once +proceeded to the point where they had hidden the two canoes on the night +when they joined General Burgoyne before his advance upon Ticonderoga. +These were soon floating on the lake, and they started to paddle to the +mouth of the Sorrel, down this river into the St. Lawrence, and thence +to Montreal. Their rifles they had recovered from the lake upon the day +following that on which Ticonderoga was first captured; Deer Tail having +dispatched to the spot two of his braves, who recovered them without +difficulty, by diving, and brought them back to the fort. + +At Montreal they stayed but a few hours. An ample supply of ammunition +was purchased and provisions sufficient for the voyage; and then, +embarking in the two canoes, they started up the St. Lawrence. It was +three weeks later when they arrived at Detroit, which was garrisoned by +a British force. Here they heard that there had been continuous troubles +with the Indians on the frontier; that a great many farms and +settlements had been destroyed, and numbers of persons murdered. + +Their stay at Detroit was a short one. Harold obtained no news of his +cousins, but there were so many tales told of Indian massacres that he +was filled with apprehension on their account. His worst apprehensions +were justified when the canoes at length came within sight of the +well-remembered clearing. Harold gave a cry as he saw that the farmhouse +no longer existed. The two canoes were headed toward shore, and their +occupants disembarked and walked toward the spot where the house had +stood. The site was marked by a heap of charred embers. The outhouses +had been destroyed, and a few fowls were the only living things to be +seen in the fields. + +"This here business must have taken place some time ago," Peter said, +breaking the silence. "A month, I should say, or p'r'aps more." + +For a time Harold was too moved to speak. The thought of his kind +cousins and their brave girl all murdered by the Indians filled him with +deep grief. At last he said: + +"What makes you think so, Peter?" + +"It's easy enough to see as it was after the harvest, for ye see the +fields is all clear. And then there's long grass shooting up through the +ashes. It would take a full month, p'r'aps six weeks, afore it would do +that. Don't you think so, chief?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"A moon," he said. + +"Yes, about a month," replied Peter. "The grass grows quick after +the rains." + +"Do you think that it was a surprise, Peter?" + +"No man can tell," the hunter answered. "If we had seen the place soon +afterward we might have told. There would have been marks of blood. Or +if the house had stood we could have told by the bullet-holes and the +color of the splintered wood how it happened and how long back. As it +is, not even the chief can give ye an idea." + +"Not an attack," the Seneca said; "a surprise." + +"How on arth do you know that, chief?" the hunter exclaimed in +surprise, and he looked round in search of some sign which would have +enabled the Seneca to have given so confident an opinion. "You must be +a witch, surely." + +"A chief's eyes are not blind," the redskin answered, with a +slight smile of satisfaction at having for once succeeded when his +white comrade was at fault. "Let my friend look up the hill--two +dead men there." + +Harold looked in the direction in which the chief pointed, but could see +nothing. The hunter exclaimed: + +"There's something there, chief, but even my eyes couldn't tell they +were bodies." + +The party proceeded to the spot and found two skeletons. A few remnants +of clothes lay around, but the birds had stripped every particle of +flesh from the bones. There was a bullet in the forehead of one skull; +the other was cleft with a sharp instrument. + +"It's clear enough," the hunter said, "there's been a surprise. Likely +enough the hull lot was killed without a shot being fired in defense." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +RESCUED! + +Harold was deeply touched at the evidences of the fate which had +befallen the occupants of his cousin's plantation. + +"If there are any more of these to be found," pointing to their remains, +"we might learn for a certainty whether the same fate befell them all." + +The Seneca spoke a word to his followers and the four Indians spread +themselves over the clearing. One more body was found--it was lying down +near the water as if killed in the act of making for the canoe. + +"The others are probably there," Peter said, pointing to the ruins. "The +three hands was killed in the fields, and most likely the attack was +made at the same moment on the house. I'm pretty sure it was so, for the +body by the water lies face downward, with his head toward the lake. He +was no doubt shot from behind as he was running. There must have been +Injuns round the house then, or he would have made for that instead of +the water." + +The Seneca touched Peter on the shoulder and pointed toward the farm. A +figure was seen approaching. As it came nearer they could see that he +was a tall man, dressed in the deerskin shirt and leggings usually worn +by hunters. As he came near Harold gave an exclamation: + +"It is Jack Pearson!" + +"It are Jack Pearson," the hunter said, "but for the moment I can't +recollect ye, though yer face seems known. Why!" he exclaimed in changed +tones, "it's that boy Harold growed into a man." + +"It is," Harold replied, grasping the frontiersman's hand. + +"And ye may know me, too," Peter Lambton said, "though it's twenty year +since we fought side by side against the Mohawks." + +"Why, old hoss, are you above ground still?" the hunter exclaimed +heartily. "I'm glad to see you again, old friend. And what are you doing +here, you and Harold and these Senecas? For they is Senecas, sure +enough. I've been in the woods for the last hour, and have been puzzling +myself nigh to death. I seed them Injuns going about over the clearing +sarching, and for the life of me I couldn't think what they were +a-doing. Then I seed 'em gathered down here, with two white men among +'em, so I guessed it was right to show myself." + +"They were searching to see how many had fallen in this terrible +business," Harold said, pointing to the ruins. The hunter shook his +head. + +"I'm afeared they've all gone under. I were here a week afterward; it +were just as it is now. I found the three hands lying killed and sculped +in the fields; the others, I reckon, is there. I has no doubt at all +about Bill Welch and his wife, but it may be that the gal has been +carried off." + +"Do you think so?" Harold exclaimed eagerly. "If so, we may find her, +too, with the other." + +"What other?" Pearson, asked. + +Harold gave briefly an account of the reason which had brought them to +the spot and of the object they had in view. + +"You can count me in," Pearson said. "There's just a chance that Nelly +Welch may be in their hands still; and in any case I'm longing to draw a +bead on some of the varmints to pay 'em for this," and he looked round +him, "and a hundred other massacres round this frontier." + +"I'm glad to hear ye say so," Peter replied. "I expected as much of ye, +Jack. I don't know much of this country, having only hunted here for a +few weeks with a party of Delawares twenty year afore the Iroquois moved +so far west." + +"I know pretty nigh every foot of it," Jack Pearson said. "When the +Iroquois were quiet I used to do a deal of hunting in their country. It +are good country for game." + +"Well! shall we set out at once?" Harold asked, impatient to be off. + +"We can't move to-night," Pearson answered; and Harold saw that Peter +and the Indians agreed with him. + +"Why not?" he asked. "Every hour is of importance." + +"That's so," Peter said, "but there's no going out on the lake to-night. +In half an hour we'll have our first snowstorm, and by morning it will +be two foot deep." + +Harold turned his eyes toward the lake and saw what his companions had +noticed long before. The sky was overcast and a thick bank of hidden +clouds was rolling up across the lake, and the thick mist seemed to hang +between the clouds and the water. + +"That's snow," Peter said. "It's late this year, and I'd give my pension +if it was a month later." + +"That's so," Pearson said. "Snow aint never pleasant in the woods, but +when you're scouting round among Injuns it are a caution. We'd best make +a shelter afore it comes on." + +The two canoes were lifted from the water, unloaded, and turned bottom +upward; a few charred planks, which had formed part of the roof of the +outhouses, were brought and put up to form a sort of shelter. A fire was +lit and a meal prepared. By this time the snow had begun to fall. After +the meal was over pipes were lit and the two hunters earnestly talked +over their plans, the Seneca chief throwing in a few words occasionally; +the others listened quietly. The Indians left the matter in the hands of +their chief, while Harold and Cameron knew that the two frontiersmen did +not need any suggestion from them. As to Jake, the thought of asking +questions never entered his mind. He was just at present less happy than +usual, for the negro, like most of his race, hated cold, and the +prospect of wandering through the woods in deep snow made him shudder +as he crouched close to the great fire they had built. + +Peter and Jack Pearson were of opinion that it was exceedingly +probable that the Welches had been destroyed by the very band which +had carried off little Janet Cameron. The bodies of Indians who had +been on the war-path with the army had retired some six weeks before, +and it was about that time, Pearson said, that the attack on the +settlements had been made. + +"I heard some parties of redskins who had been with the British +troops had passed through the neighborhood, and there was reports +that they were greatly onsatisfied with the results of the campaign. +As likely as not some of that band may have been consarned in the +attack on this place three year ago, and, passing nigh it, may have +determined to wipe out that defeat. An Injun never forgives. Many of +their braves fell here, and they could scarcely bring a more welcome +trophy back to their villages than the scalps of Welch and his men." + +"Now, the first thing to do," Peter said, "is to find out what +particular chief took his braves with him to the war; then we've got +to find his village; and there likely enough we'll find Cameron's +daughter and maybe the girl from here. How old was she?" + +"About fifteen," Pearson said, "and a fine girl, and a pretty girl, +too. I dun know," he went on after a pause, "which of the chiefs took +part in the war across the lakes, but I suspect it were War Eagle. +There's three great chiefs, and the other two were trading on the +frontier. It was War Eagle who attacked the place afore, and would be +the more likely to attack it again if he came anywheres near it. He +made a mess of it afore and 'd be burning to wipe out his failure if +he had a chance." + +"Where is his place?" + +"His village is the furthest of them all from here. He lives up near +the falls of Sault Ste. Marie, betwixt Lakes Superior and Huron. It's +a village with nigh three hundred wigwams." + +"It aint easy to see how it's to be done. We must make to the north +shore of the lake. There'll be no working down here through the +woods; but it's a pesky difficult job--about as hard a one as ever I +took part in." + +"It is that," Pearson said; "it can't be denied. To steal two white +girls out of a big Injun village aint a easy job at no time; but with +the snow on the ground it comes as nigh to an impossibility as +anything can do." + +For another hour or two they talked over the route they should take +and their best mode of proceeding. Duncan Cameron sat and listened +with an intent face to every word. Since he had joined them he had +spoken but seldom; his whole soul was taken up with the thought of +his little daughter. He was ever ready to do his share and more than +his share of the work of paddling and at the portages, but he never +joined in the conversation; and of an evening, when the others sat +round the fire, he would move away and pace backward and forward in +anxious thought until the fire burned low and the party wrapped +themselves in their blankets and went off to sleep. + +All the time the conversation had been going on the snow had fallen +heavily, and before it was concluded the clearing was covered deep +with the white mantle. There was little wind, and the snow fell +quietly and noiselessly. At night the Indians lay down round the +fire, while the white men crept under the canoes and were soon fast +asleep. In the morning it was still snowing, but about noon it +cleared up. It was freezing hard, and the snow glistened as the sun +burst through the clouds. The stillness of the forest was broken now +by sharp cracking sounds as boughs of trees gave way under the weight +of the snow; in the open it lay more than two feet deep. + +"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we're off the better." + +"I'll come in my own canoe," Pearson said. "One of the Injuns can +come with me and we'll keep up with the rest." + +"There is room for you in the other canoes," Harold said. + +"Plenty of room," the hunter answered. "But you see, Harold, the more +canoes the better. There aint no saying how close we may be chased, +and by hiding up the canoes at different places we give ourselves so +much more chance of being able to get to one or the other. They're +all large canoes, and at a pinch any one of them might hold the hull +party, with the two gals throwed in. But," he added to Harold in a +low voice, "don't you build too much on these gals, Harold. I +wouldn't say so while that poor fellow's listening, but the chance is +a desperate poor one, and I think we'll be mighty lucky ef we don't +leave all our scalps in that 'ere redskin village." The traps were +soon placed in the canoes, and just as the sun burst out the three +boats started. It was a long and toilsome journey. Stormy weather set +in, and they were obliged to wait for days by the lake till its +surface calmed. On these occasions they devoted themselves to hunting +and killed several deer. They knew that there were no Indian villages +near, and in such weather it would be improbable that any redskins +would be in the woods. They were enabled, therefore, to fire without +fear of the reports betraying their presence. The Senecas took the +opportunity of fabricating snowshoes for the whole party, as these +would be absolutely necessary for walking in the woods. Harold, Jake, +and Duncan Cameron at once began to practice their use. The negro was +comical in the extreme in his first attempts, and shouted so loudly +with laughter each time that he fell head foremost into the snow that +Peter said to him angrily: + +"Look-a-here, Jake; it's dangerous enough letting off a rifle at a +deer in these woods, but it has to be done because we must lay in a +supply of food; but a musket-shot is a mere whisper to yer shouting. +Thunder aint much louder than you laughing--it shakes the hull place +and might be heard from here well-nigh to Montreal. Ef you can't keep +that mouth of your'n shut, ye must stop up the idee of learning to use +them shoes and must stop in the canoe while we're scouting on shore." + +Jake promised to amend, and from this time when he fell in the soft +snow-wreaths he gave no audible vent to his amusement; but a pair of +great feet, with the snow-shoes attached, could be seen waving above +the surface until he was picked up and righted again. + +Harold soon learned, and Cameron went at the work with grim +earnestness. No smile ever crossed his face at his own accidents or +at the wild vagaries of Jake, which excited silent amusement even +among the Indians. In a short time the falls were less frequent, and +by the time they reached the spot where they were determined to cross +the lake at the point where Lakes Huron and Michigan join, the three +novices were able to make fair progress in the snow-shoes. + +The spot fixed upon was about twelve miles from the village of War +Eagle, and the canoes were hidden at distances of three miles apart. +First Pearson, Harold, and Cameron disembarked; Jake, Peter, and one +of the Indians alighted at the next point; and the Seneca chief and +two of his followers proceeded to the spot nearer to the Indian +village. Each party as they landed struck straight into the woods, to +unite at a point eight miles from the lake and as many from the +village. The hunters had agreed that, should any Indians come across +the tracks, less suspicion would be excited than would have been the +case were they found skirting the river, as it might be thought that +they were made by Indians out hunting. + +Harold wondered how the other parties would find the spot to which +Pearson had directed them, but in due time all arrived at the +rendezvous. After some search a spot was found where the underwood +grew thickly, and there was an open place in the center of the clump. +In this the camp was established. It was composed solely of a low +tent of about two feet high, made of deer's hides sewed together, and +large enough to shelter them all. The snow was cleared away, sticks +were driven into the frozen ground, and strong poles laid across +them; the deerskin was then laid flat upon these. The top was little +higher than the general level of the snow, an inch or two of snow was +scattered over it, and to anyone passing outside the bushes the tent +was completely invisible. + +The Indians now went outside the thicket and with great care +obliterated, as far as possible, the marks upon the snow. This could +not be wholly done, but it was so far complete that the slightest +wind which would send a drift over the surface would wholly conceal +all traces of passage. + +They had, before crossing the lake, cooked a supply of food +sufficient for some days. Intense as was the cold outside, it was +perfectly warm in the tent. The entrance as they crept into it was +closed with a blanket, and in the center a lamp composed of deer's +fat in a calabash with a cotton wick gave a sufficient light. + +"What is the next move?" Harold asked. + +"The chief 'll start, when it comes dusk, with Pearson," Peter said. +"When they git close to the village he'll go in alone. He'll paint +Iroquois before he goes." + +"Cannot we be near at hand to help them in case of a necessity," +Harold asked. + +"No," Peter said. "It wouldn't be no good at all. Ef it comes to +fighting they're fifty to one, and the lot of us would have no more +chance than two. If they're found out, which aint likely, they must +run for it, and they can get over the snow a deal faster than you +could, to say nothing of Cameron and Jake. They must shift for +themselves and 'll make straight for the nearest canoe. In the forest +they must be run down sooner or later, for their tracks would be +plain. No, they must go alone." + +When night came on the Seneca produced his paints, and one of his +followers marked his face and arms with the lines and flourishes in +use by the Iroquois; then without a word of adieu he took his rifle +and glided out from the tent, followed by Pearson. Peter also put on +his snow-shoes and prepared to follow. + +"I thought you were going to stay here, Peter." + +"No, I'm going halfway with 'em. I'll be able to hear the sound of a +gun. Then, ef they're trapped, we must make tracks for the canoes at +once, for after following 'em to the lake they're safe to take up +their back track to see where they've come from; so, ef I hear a gun, +I'll make back here as quick as I can come." + +When the three men had started silence fell on the tent. The redskins +at once lay down to sleep, and Jake followed their example. Harold +lay quiet thinking over the events which had happened to him in the +last three years, while Cameron lay with his face turned toward the +lamp with a set, anxious look on his face. Several times he crawled +to the entrance and listened when the crack made by some breaking +bough came to his ear. Hours passed and at last Harold dozed off, but +Cameron's eyes never closed until about midnight the blanket at the +entrance moved and Peter entered. + +"Hae ye seen the ithers?" Cameron exclaimed. + +"No, and were not likely to," Peter answered. "It was all still to +the time I came away, and afore I moved I was sure they must have +left the village. They won't come straight back, bless ye; they'll go +'way in the opposite direction and make a sweep miles round. They may +not be here for hours yet; not that there's much chance of their +tracks being traced. It has not snowed for over a week, and the snow +round the village must be trampled thick for a mile and more, with +the squaws coming and going for wood and the hunters going out on the +chase. I've crossed a dozen tracks or more on my way back. Ef it +wasn't for that we daren't have gone at all, for ef the snow was new +fallen the sight of fresh tracks would have set the first Injun that +come along a-wondering; and when a redskin begins to wonder he sets +to to ease his mind at once by finding out all about it, ef it takes +him a couple of days' sarch to do so. No, you can lie down now for +some hours. They won't be here till morning." + +So saying, the scout set the example by wrapping himself up and going +to sleep, but Cameron's eyes never closed until the blanket was drawn +on one side again and in the gray light of the winter morning the +Seneca and Pearson crawled into the tent. + +"What news?" Harold asked, for Cameron was too agitated to speak. + +"Both gals are there," Pearson answered. + +An exclamation of thankfulness broke from Harold. A sob of joy issued +from the heart of the Scotchman, and for a few minutes his lips moved +as he poured forth his silent thankfulness to God. + +"Waal, tell us all about it," Peter said. "I can ask the chief any +questions afterward." + +"We went on straight enough to the village," the hunter began. "It +are larger than when I saw it last, and War Eagle's influence in the +tribe must have increased. I didn't expect to find no watch, the +redskins having, so far as they knew, no enemies within five hundred +mile of 'em. There was a lot of fires burning and plenty of redskins +moving about among 'em. We kept on till we got quite close, and then +we lay up for a time below a tree at the edge of the clearing. There +were a sight too many of 'em about for the Seneca to go in yet +awhile. About half an hour arter we got there we saw two white gals +come outen one of the wigwams and stand for a while to warm +theirselves by one of the fires. The tallest of the two, well-nigh a +woman, was Nelly Welch. I knew her, in course. The other was three or +four years younger, with yaller hair over her shoulders. Nelly seemed +quiet and sad-like, but the other 'peared more at home--she laughed +with some of the redskin gals and even jined in their play. You see," +he said, turning to Cameron, "she'd been captured longer and +children's spirits soon rise again. Arter a while they went back to +the wigwam." When the fires burned down and the crowd thinned, and +there was only a few left sitting in groups round the embers, the +Seneca started. For a long time I saw nothing of him, but once or +twice I thought I saw a figure moving among the wigwams. Presently +the fires burned quite down and the last Injun went off. I had begun +to wonder what the chief was doing, when he stood beside me. We made +tracks at once and have been tramping in a long circle all night. The +chief can tell ye his part of the business hisself." + +"Well, chief, what have you found out?" Peter asked. + +The Indian answered in his native tongue, which Peter interpreted +from time to time for the benefit of his white companions: + +"When Deer Tail left the white hunter he went into the village. It +was no use going among the men, and he went round by the wigwams and +listened to the chattering of the squaws. The tribe were all well +contented, for the band brought back a great deal of plunder which +they had picked up on their way back from the army. They had lost no +braves and everyone was pleased. The destruction of the settlement of +the white man who had repulsed them before was a special matter for +rejoicing. The scalps of the white man and his wife are in the +village. War Eagle's son, Young Elk, is going to marry the white +girl. There are several of the braves whose heads have been turned by +the white skin and her bright eyes, but Young Elk is going to have +her. There have been great feastings and rejoicings since the return +of the warriors, but they are to be joined tomorrow by Beaver's band, +and then they will feast again. When all was quiet I went to the +wigwam where the white girls are confined. An old squaw and two of +War Eagle's daughters are with them. Deer Tail had listened while +they prepared for rest and knew on which side of the wigwam the tall +white maiden slept. He thought that she would be awake. Her heart +would be sad and sleep would not come to her soon, so he crept round +there and cut a slit in the skin close to where she lay. He put his +head in at the hole and whispered, 'Do not let the white girl be +afraid; it is a friend. Does she hear him?' She whispered, 'Yes.' +'Friends are near,' he said. 'The young warrior Harold, whom she +knows, and others, are at hand to take her away. The Iroquois will be +feasting to-morrow night. When she hears the cry of a night-owl let +her steal away with her little white sister and she will find her +friends waiting.' Then Deer Tail closed the slit and stole away to +his friend the white hunter. I have spoken." + +"Jest what I expected of you, chief," Peter said warmly. "I thought +as how you'd manage to git speech with 'em somehow. If there's a +feast to-night, it's hard ef we don't manage to get 'em off." + +"I suppose we must lie still all day, Peter." + +"You must so," the hunter said. "Not a soul must show his nose +outside the tent except that one of the redskins'll keep watch to be +sure that no straggler has come across our tracks and followed 'em +up. Ef he was to do that, he might bring the hull gang down on us. +Ye'd best get as much sleep as ye can, for ye don't know when ye may +get another chance." + +At nightfall the whole party issued from the tent and started toward +the Indian village. All arrangements had been made. It was agreed +that Pearson and the Seneca should go up to the village, the former +being chosen because he was known to Nelly. Peter and one of the +redskins were to take post a hundred yards further back, ready to +give assistance in case of alarm, while the rest were to remain about +half a mile distant. Cameron had asked that he might go with the +advance party, but upon Peter pointing out to him that his +comparatively slow rate of progression in snow-shoes would, in case +of discovery, lead to the recapture of the girls, he at once agreed +to the decision. If the flight of the girls was discovered soon after +leaving the camp, it was arranged that the Seneca and Peter should +hurry at once with them to the main body, while the other two Indians +should draw off their pursuers in another direction. In the event of +anything occurring to excite the suspicion of the Indians before +there was a chance of the girls being brought safely to the main +body, they were to be left to walk quietly back to camp, as they had +nothing to fear from the Indians. Peter and the Seneca were then to +work round by a circuitous route to the boat, where they were to be +joined by the main body, and to draw off until another opportunity +offered for repeating the attempt. + +It was eight o'clock in the evening when Pearson and the Seneca +approached the village. The fires were burning high, and seated round +them were all the warriors of the tribe. A party were engaged in a +dance representing the pursuit and defeat of an enemy. The women were +standing in an outer circle, clapping their hands and raising their +voices in loud cries of applause and excitement as the dance became +faster and faster. The warriors bounded high, brandishing their +tomahawks. A better time could not have been chosen for the evasion +of the fugitives. Nelly Welch stood close to a number of Indian +girls, but slightly behind them. She held the hand of little Janet +Cameron. + +Although she appeared to share in the interest of the Indians in the +dance, a close observer would have had no difficulty in perceiving +that Nelly was preoccupied. She was, indeed, intently listening for +the signal. She was afraid to move from among the others lest her +absence should be at once detected, but so long as the noise was +going on she despaired of being able to hear the signal agreed upon. +Presently an Indian brave passed close to her, and as he did so +whispered in her ear in English, "Behind your wigwam--friends there." +Then he passed on and moved round the circle as if intending to take +his seat at another point. + +The excitement of the dance was momentarily increasing, and the +attention of the spectators was riveted to the movements of the +performers. Holding Janet's hand, Nelly moved noiselessly away from +the place where she had been standing. The movement was unnoticed, as +she was no longer closely watched, a flight in the depth of winter +appearing impossible. She kept round the circle till no longer +visible from the spot she had left. Then, leaving the crowd, she made +her way toward the nearest wigwams. Once behind these the girls stole +rapidly along under their shelter until they stood behind that which +they usually inhabited. Two figures were standing there. They +hesitated for a moment, but one of them advanced. + +"Jack Pearson!" Nelly exclaimed, with a low cry of gladness. + +"Jest that same, Nelly, and right glad to see you. But we've no time +for greeting now; the hull tribe may be after us in another five +minutes. Come along, pretty," he said, turning to Janet. "You'll find +somebody ye know close at hand." + +Two minutes later the child was in her father's arms, and after a +moment's rapturous greeting between father and child and a very +delighted one between Nelly Welch and her Cousin Harold, the flight +was continued. + +"How long a start do you think we may have?" + +"Half an hour, maybe. The women may be some time afore they miss her, +and they'll sarch for her everywhere afore they give the alarm, as +they'll be greatly blamed for their carelessness." + +There had been a pause in the flight for a few seconds when the +Seneca and Pearson arrived with the girls at the point where Peter +and the other Indian were posted, two hundred yards from the camp. Up +to this point the snow was everywhere thickly trampled, but as the +camp was left further behind the footprints would naturally become +more scarce. Here Pearson fastened to the girls' feet two pairs of +large moccasins; inside these wooden soles had been placed. They +therefore acted to some extent like snowshoes and prevented the +girls' feet from sinking deeply, while the prints which they left +bore no resemblance to their own. They were strapped on the wrong +way, so that the marks would seem to point toward the village rather +than away from it. Both girls protested that they should not be able +to get along fast in these encumbrances, but one of the men posted +himself on either side of each and assisted them along, and as the +moccasins were very light, even with the wooden soles inside, they +were soon able to move with them at a considerable pace. + +Once united the whole party kept along at the top of their speed. +Peter Lambton assisted Cameron with Janet, and the girl, half-lifted +from the ground, skimmed over the surface like a bird, only touching +the snow here and there with the moccasins. Nelly Welch needed no +assistance from Harold or Pearson. During the long winters she had +often practiced on snow-shoes, and was consequently but little +encumbered with the huge moccasins, which to some extent served the +same purpose. + +They had been nearly half an hour on their way when they heard a +tremendous yell burst from the village. + +"They've missed you," Peter said. "Now it's a fair race. We've got a +good start and 'll git more, for they'll have to hunt up the traces +very carefully, and it may be an hour, perhaps more, before they +strike upon the right one. Ef the snow had been new fallen we should +have had 'em arter us in five minutes; but even a redskin's eye will +be puzzled to find out at night one track among such hundreds." + +"I have but one fear," Pearson said to Harold. + +"What is that?" + +"I'm afeared that without waiting to find the tracks they may send +off half a dozen parties to the lake. They'll be sure that friends +have taken the gals away, and will know that their only chance of +escape is by the water. On land we should be hunted down to a +certainty, and the redskins, knowing that the gals could not travel +fast, will not hurry in following up the trail. So I think they'll at +once send off parties to watch the lake, and 'll like enough make no +effort to take up the trail till to-morrow morning." + +This was said in a low whisper, for although they were more than two +miles from the village it was necessary to move as silently as +possible. + +"You had best tell the others what you think, Pearson. It may make a +difference in our movements." + +A short halt was called, and the Seneca and Peter quite agreed with +Pearson's idea. + +"We'd best make for the canoe that's furthest off. When the redskins +find the others, which they're pretty sure to do, for they'll hunt +every bush, they're likely to be satisfied and to make sure they'll +ketch us at one or the other." + +This much decided upon, they continued their flight, now less +rapidly, but in perfect silence. Speed was less an object than +concealment. The Indians might spread, and a party might come across +them by accident. If they could avoid this, they were sure to reach +their canoe before morning and unlikely to find the Indians there +before them. + +It was about twelve miles to the spot where they had hidden the +canoe, and although they heard distant shouts and whoops ringing +through the forest, no sound was heard near them. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +THE ISLAND REFUGE. + +The night was intensely cold and still and the stars shone brightly +through the bare boughs overhead. "Are you sure you are going all +right?" Nelly asked Harold. "It is so dark here that it seems +impossible to know which way we are going." "You can trust the +Indians," Harold said. "Even if there was not a star to be seen they +could find their way by some mysterious instinct. How you are grown, +Nelly! Your voice does not seem much changed, and I am longing to see +your face." + +"I expect you are more changed than I am, Harold," the girl answered. +"You have been going through so much since we last met, and you seem +to have grown so tall and big. Your voice has changed very much, too; +it is the voice of a man. How in the world did you find us here?" + +Pearson had gone on ahead to speak to the Seneca, but he now joined +them again. + +"You mustn't talk," he said. "I hope there's no redskins within five +miles of us now, but there's never any saying where they may be." + +There was, Harold thought, a certain sharpness in the hunter's voice, +which told of a greater anxiety than would be caused by the very +slight risk of the quietly spoken words being heard by passing +redskins, and he wondered what it could be. + +They were now, he calculated, within a mile of the hiding place where +they had left the boat, and they had every reason for believing that +none of the Indians would be likely to have followed the shore so +far. That they would be pursued and that, in so heavily laden a +canoe, they would have great difficulty in escaping, he was well +aware, but he relied on the craft of the hunters and Senecas for +throwing their pursuers off the trail. + +All at once the trees seemed to open in front, and in a few minutes +the party reached the river. A cry of astonishment and of something +akin to terror broke from Harold. As far as the eye could reach the +lake was frozen. Their escape was cut off. + +"That's jest what I've been expecting," Pearson said. "The ice had +begun to form at the edge when we landed, and three days and nights +of such frost as we've had since was enough to freeze Ontario. What +on arth's to be done?" + +No one answered. Peter and the redskins had shared Pearson's anxiety, +but to Harold and Cameron the disappointment was a terrible one; as +to Jake, he left all the thinking to be done by the others. Harold +stood gazing helplessly on the expanse of ice which covered the +water. It was not a smooth sheet, but was rough and broken, as if, +while it had been forming, the wind had broken the ice up into cakes +again and again, while the frost as often had bound them together. + +They had struck the river within a few hundred yards of the place +where the canoe was hidden, and, after a short consultation between +the Seneca chief, Peter Lambton, and Pearson, moved down toward that +spot. + +"What are you thinking of doing?" Harold asked when they gathered +round the canoe. + +"We're going to load ourselves with the ammunition and deer's flesh," +Peter said, "and make for a rocky island which lies about a mile off +here. I noticed it as we landed. There's nothing to do but to fight +it out to the last there. It are a good place for defense, for the +redskins won't like to come out across the open, and, even covered by +a dark night, they'd show on this white surface." + +"Perhaps they won't trace us." + +"Not trace us!" the trapper repeated scornfully. "Why, when daylight +comes, they'll pick up our track and follow it as easy as you could +that of a wagon across the snow." + +They were just starting when Harold gave a little exclamation. + +"What is it, lad?" + +"A flake of snow fell on my face." + +All looked up. The stars had disappeared. Another flake and another +fell on the upturned faces of the party. + +"Let's thank the great God," Peter said quietly. "There's a chance +for our lives yet. Half an hour's snow and the trail 'll be lost." + +Faster and faster the snowflakes came down. Again the leaders +consulted. + +"We must change our plans, now," Peter said, turning to the others. +"So long as they could easily follow our tracks it mattered nothing +that they'd find the canoe here; but now it's altogether different. +We must take it along with us." + +The weight of the canoe was very small. The greater part of its +contents had already been removed. There was a careful look round to +see that nothing remained on the bank; then four of the men lifted it +on their shoulders, and the whole party stepped out upon the ice. The +snow was now falling heavily, and to Harold's eyes there was nothing +to guide them in the direction they were following. Even the Indians +would have been at a loss had not the Seneca, the instant the snow +began to fall, sent on one of his followers at full speed toward the +island. Harold wondered at the time what his object could be as the +Indian darted off across the ice, but now he understood. Every minute +or two the low hoot of an owl was heard, and toward this sound the +party directed their way through the darkness and snow. + +So heavy was the fall that the island rose white before them as they +reached it. It was of no great extent--some twenty or thirty yards +across, and perhaps twice that length. It rose steeply from the water +to a height of from ten to fifteen feet. The ground was rough and +broken, and several trees and much brushwood grew in the crevices of +the rock. + +The Seneca and the hunters made a rapid examination of the island, +and soon fixed upon the spot for their camp. Toward one end the +island was split in two, and an indentation ran some distance up into +it. Here a clear spot was found some three or four feet above the +level of the water. It was completely hidden by thick bushes from the +sight of anyone approaching by water. There the canoe was turned +over, and the girls, who were both suffering from the intense cold, +were wrapped up in blankets and placed under its shelter. The camp +was at the lower end of the island and would, therefore, be entirely +hidden from view of Indians gathered upon the shore. In such a +snowstorm light would be invisible at a very short distance, and +Peter did not hesitate to light a fire in front of the canoe. + +For three hours the snow continued to fall. The fire had been +sheltered by blankets stretched at some distance above it. Long +before the snow ceased it had sunk down to a pile of red embers. A +small tent had now been formed of blankets for the use of the girls; +brushwood had been heaped over this, and upon the brushwood snow had +been thrown, the whole making a shelter which would be warm and +comfortable in the bitterest weather. A pile of hot embers was placed +in this little tent until it was thoroughly heated; blankets were +then spread, and the girls were asked to leave the shelter of the +canoe and take their place there. + +The canoe itself was now raised on four sticks three feet from the +ground; bushes were laid round it and snow piled on, thus forming the +walls of which the canoe was the roof. All this was finished long +before the snow had ceased falling, and this added a smooth white +surface all over, so that, to a casual eye, both tent and hut looked +like two natural ridges of the ground. They were a cheerful party +which assembled in the little hut. The remainder of the embers of the +fire had been brought in, and, intense as was the cold outside, it +was warm and comfortable within. Tea was made and pipes filled, and +they chatted some time before going to sleep. + +Duncan Cameron was like a man transfigured. His joy and thankfulness +for the recovery of his daughter were unbounded. Harold's pleasure, +too, at the rescue of his cousin was very great, and the others were +all gratified at the success of their expedition. It was true that +the Indians had as yet gained no scalps, but Harold had promised them +before starting that, should the expedition be successful, they +should be handsomely rewarded. + +"We mustn't reckon as we are safe yet," Peter said in answer to one +of Harold's remarks. "The redskins aint going to let us slip through +their fingers so easy as all that. They've lost our trail and have +nothing but their senses to guide 'em, but an Injun's senses aint +easily deceived in these woods. Ef this snow begins again and keeps +on for two or three days they may be puzzled; but ef it stops they'll +cast a circle round their camp at a distance beyond where we could +have got before the snow ceased, and ef they find no new trails +they'll know that we must be within that circle. Then, as to the +boats, when they find as we don't come down to the two as they've +discovered, and that we've not made off by land, they'll guess as +there was another canoe hidden somewhere, and they'll sarch high and +low for it. Waal, they won't find it; and then they'll suppose that +we may have taken to the ice, and they'll sarch that. Either they'll +git to open water or to the other side. Ef there's open water +anywhere within a few miles they may conclude that we've carried a +canoe, launched it there, and made off. In that case, when they've +sarched everywhere, they may give it up. Ef there aint no such open +water, they'll sarch till they find us. It aint likely that this +island will escape 'em. With nine good rifles here we can hold the +place against the hull tribe, and as they'd show up against the snow, +they can no more attack by night than by day." + +"I don't think our food will hold out beyond seven or eight days," +Harold said. + +"Jest about that," Peter answered; "but we can cut a hole in the ice +and fish, and can hold out that way, if need be, for weeks. The wust +of it is that the ice aint likely to break up now until the spring. I +reckon our only chance is to wait till we git another big snowstorm +and then to make off. The. snow will cover our trail as fast as we +make it, and, once across to the other shore, we may git away from +the varmints. But I don't disguise from you, Harold, that we're in a +very awk'ard trouble, and that it 'll need all the craft of the +chief, here, and all the experience of Pearson and me to get us out +of it." + +"The guid God has been vera merciful to us sae far," Duncan Cameron +said; "he will surely protect us to the end. Had he na sent the snow +just when he did, the savages could hae followed our trail at once; +it was a miracle wrought in our favor. He has aided us to rescue the +twa bairns frae the hands of the Indians, and we may surely trust in +his protection to the end. My daughter and her friend hae, I am very +sure, before lying down to sleep, entreated his protection. Let us a' +do the same." + +And the old soldier, taking off his cap, prayed aloud to God to heed +and protect them. + +Harold and the frontiersmen also removed their caps and joined in the +prayer, and the Senecas looked on, silent and reverent, at an act of +worship which was rare among their white companions. + +As Peter was of opinion that there was no chance whatever of any +search on the part of the Indians that night, and therefore there was +no need to set a watch, the whole party wrapped themselves up in +their blankets and were soon asleep. + +When Harold woke next morning it was broad daylight. The Senecas had +already been out and had brought news that a strong party of Indians +could be seen moving along the edge of the forest, evidently +searching for a canoe. One of the Indians was placed on watch, and +two or three hours later he reported that the Indians were now +entirely out of sight and were, when last seen, scouting along the +edge of the forest. + +"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we git another snowstorm the better. +Ef we'd been alone we could have pushed on last night, but the gals +was exhausted and would soon have died of the cold. Now, with a fresh +start they'd do. Ef we can't cross the lake I calculate that we're +about thirty mile from a p'int on the north shore below the falls of +Ste. Marie, and we could land there and strike across through the +woods for the settlement. It'd be a terrible long journey round the +north of Huron, but we must try it ef we can't get across." + +"But we could go off by night, surely," Harold said, "even if there +is no fresh snow." + +"We could do that," Peter replied; "no doubt of it. But ef they were +to find our track the next day, ay, or within three days, they'd +follow us and overtake us afore we got to the settlements. Ef we was +alone, it'd be one thing; but with the gals it'd be another +altogether. No, we must stop here till a snowstorm comes, even if we +have to stop for a month. There's no saying how soon some of them +Injuns may be loafing round, and we daren't leave a trail for 'em to +take up." + +They had scarcely ceased speaking when a low call from the Indian +placed on watch summoned the chief to his side. A minute later the +latter rejoined the group below and said a few words to Peter. + +"Jest as I thought!" the latter grumbled, rising with his rifle +across his arm. "Here are some of the varmints coming out this 'ere +way. Likely enough it's a party of young braves jest scouting about +on their own account, to try and get honor by discovering us when +their elders have failed. It would have been better for them to have +stopped at home." + +The party now crept up to the top of the rock, keeping carefully +below its crest. + +"Ef you show as much as a hair above the top line," Peter said, +"they'll see you, sartin." + +"Would it not be well," Harold asked, "for one of us to show himself? +There is no possibility of further concealment, and if they go off +without any of them being killed the others might be less bitter +against us than they would if they had lost some of their tribe." + +Peter laughed scornfully. + +"Ye haven't had much to do with Injuns, lad, but I should have +thought you'd have had better sense nor that. Haven't these Injuns +been a-murdering and a-slaying along the frontier all the summer, +falling on defenseless women and children? Marcy and pity aint in +their natur, and, fight or no fight, our scalps will dry in their +wigwams if they get us into their power. They know that we can shoot +and mean to, and that 'll make 'em careful of attacking us, and every +hour is important. Now," he said to the others, "each of you cover a +man and fire straight through your sights when I gives the word. +There's others watching 'em, you may be sure, and ef the whole five +go down together, it'll make 'em think twice afore they attack us +again." + +Peering between some loose rocks, so that he could see without +exposing his head above the line, Harold watched the five Indians +approaching. They had evidently some doubts as to the wisdom of the +course they were pursuing, and were well aware that they ran a +terrible risk standing there in the open before the rifles of those +concealed, should the fugitives be really there. Nevertheless, the +hope of gaining distinction and the fear of ridicule from those +watching them on shore, should they turn back with their mission +unaccomplished, inspired them with resolution. When within three +hundred yards of the island they halted for a long time. They stood +gazing fixedly; but, although no signs of life could be perceived, +they were too well versed in Indian warfare to gain any confidence +from the apparent stillness. Throwing themselves flat on the snow and +following each other in single line, by which means their bodies were +nearly concealed from sight in the track which their leader made +through the light, yielding snow, they made a complete circuit of the +island. They paused for some time opposite the little forked entrance +in which the camp was situated, but apparently saw nothing, for they +kept round until they completed the circuit. + +When they reached the point from which they had started there was, +apparently, a short consultation among them. Then they continued +their course in the track that they had before made until they +reached a spot facing the camp. Then they changed order, and, still +prone in the snow, advanced abreast toward the island. + +"The varmints have guessed that, if we are here, this is the place +where we'd be hid," Peter whispered in Harold's ear. + +As the Indians made their circuit the party in the island had changed +their position so as always to keep out of sight. They were now on +the top of the island, which was a sort of rough plateau. The girls +had been warned, when they left them, to remain perfectly quiet in +their shelter whatever noise they might hear. Peter and the Seneca +watched the Indians through holes which they had made with their +ramrods through a bank of snow. The others remained flat in the +slight depression behind it. At the distance of one hundred and fifty +yards the Indians stopped. + +"The varmints see something!" Peter said. "Maybe they can make out +the two snow heaps through the bushes; maybe they can see some of our +footsteps in the snow. They're going to fire!" he exclaimed. "Up, +lads! They may send a bullet into the hut whar the gals is hid." + +In an instant the line of men sprang to their feet. The Indians, +taken by surprise at the sudden appearance of a larger number of +enemies than they expected, fired a hasty volley and then sprang to +their feet and dashed toward the shore. But they were deadly rifles +which covered them. Peter, Harold, and Pearson could be trusted not +to miss even a rapidly moving object at that distance, and the men +were all good shots. Not in regular order, but as each covered his +man, the rifles were discharged. Four out of the five Indians fell, +and an arm of the fifth dropped useless by his side; however, he +still kept on. The whites reloaded rapidly, and Harold was about to +fire again when Pearson put his hand on his shoulder. + +"Don't fire! We've shown them that we can shoot straight. It's jest +as well at present that they shouldn't know how far our rifles will +carry." + +The four Senecas dashed out across the snow and speedily returned, +each with a scalp hanging at his belt. + +A loud yell of anger and lamentation had risen from the woods +skirting the shore as the Indians fell, but after this died away deep +silence reigned. + +"What will be their next move?" Cameron asked Peter, as they gathered +again in their low hut, having placed one of the Indians on watch. + +"We'll hear nothing of 'em till nightfall," Peter said. "Their first +move, now they know as we're here, will be to send off to fetch up +all the tribe who're in search of us. When it comes on dark they'll +send scouts outside of us on the ice to see as we don't escape--not +that they'd much mind ef we did, for they could track us through the +snow and come up with us whenever they chose. No, they may be sure +we'll stay where we are. It may be they'll attack us to-night, maybe +not. It'd be a thing more risksome than redskins often undertake to +cross the snow under the fire of nine rifles. I aint no doubt they'd +try and starve us out, for they must know well enough that we can +have no great store of provisions. But they know as well as we do +that, if another snowstorm comes on, we might slip away from 'em +without leaving a foot-mark behind. It's jest that thought as may +make 'em attack." + +"Well, we can beat them off, if they do," Harold said confidently. + +"Waal, we may and we may not," the scout answered. "Anyhow we can +kill a grist of 'em afore they turn us out on this 'ere island." + +"That's sartin enough," Pearson put in; "but they're a strong tribe, +and ef they can harden their hearts and make a rush it's all up with +us. I allow that it's contrary to their custom, but when they see no +other way to do with, they may try." + +"I suppose if they do try a rush," Harold said, "they will do it +against this end of the island?" + +"Yes, you may bet your money on that," the scout answered. "In other +places the rock goes pretty nigh straight up from the water, but here +it's an easy landing. Being so close to 'em they're sure to know all +about it; but even if they didn't, the chap that got away would tell +'em. I don't much expect an attack to-night--the bands won't be back +yet. They'll have a grand palaver to-night, and there'll be a big +talk afore they decide what is best to be done; so I think we're safe +for to-night. To-morrow we'll set to work and build a shelter for the +pretty ones up above, where they'll be safe from stray shots. Then +we'll throw up a breastwork with loose rocks on the top of the slope +round this cove, so as to give it to 'em hot when they land." + +"You have plenty of powder?" Harold asked. + +"Dollops," Peter replied; "more'n we could fire away if we was +besieged here for a month." + +"Then you could spare me twenty pounds or so?" + +"We could spare you a whole keg if you like; we've got three full. +But what are you thinking of now, young un?" + +"I was thinking," Harold answered, "of forming a line of holes, say +three feet apart, in the ice across the mouth of the cove. If we were +to charge them with powder and lay a train between them, we could, +when the first dozen or so have passed the line, fire the train and +break up the ice. This would prevent the others following, and give +them such a bad scare that they would probably make off, and we could +easily deal with those who had passed the line before we fired it." + +"That's a good idea of yours, lad. A fust-rate idea. The ice must be +a foot thick by this time, and ef you put in your charges eight +inches and tamp 'em well down you'll shiver the ice for a long way +round. The idea is a fust-rate one." + +Pearson and Cameron assisted in the work, and the Indians, when Peter +had explained the plan to them, gave deep gutteral exclamations of +surprise and approval. The process of blasting was one wholly unknown +to them. + +"I will mak' the holes," Cameron said. "I hae seen a deal of blasting +when I was in the army. I can heat the end of a ramrod in a fire and +hammer it into the shape of a borer." + +"A better way than that, Cameron," Harold said, "will be to heat the +end of a ramrod white-hot. You will melt holes in the ice in half the +time it would take you to bore them. That was what I was thinking of +doing." + +"Right you are, lad!" Pearson said. "Let's set about it at once." + +A large fire was now lighted outside the hut, for there was no longer +any occasion for secrecy. The ends of three or four of the ramrods +were placed in the fire, and two lines of holes were bored in the ice +across the mouth of the little cove. These lines were twelve feet +apart, and they calculated that the ice between them would be +completely broken up, even if the fractures did not extend a good way +beyond the lines. The holes were of rather larger diameter than the +interior of a gun barrel. It was found that the ice was about fifteen +inches thick, and the holes were taken down ten inches. Three or four +charges of powder were placed in each; a stick of a quarter of an +inch in diameter was then placed in each hole, and pounded ice was +rammed tightly in around it until the holes were filled up, a few +drops of water being poured in on the top, so as to freeze the whole +into a solid mass. There was no fear of the powder being wetted, for +the frost was intense. Then the sticks were withdrawn and the holes +left filled with powder. With the heated ramrods little troughs were +sunk half an inch deep, connecting the tops of the holes; lines of +powder were placed in these trenches; narrow strips of skin were laid +over them, and the snow was then thrown on again. The two lines of +trenches were connected at the ends at the shore, so that they could +be fired simultaneously. + +While the men were occupied with this work the girls had cooked some +venison steaks and made some cakes. + +It was just nightfall when they had finished, and all sat down and +enjoyed a hearty meal. Peter and one of the Senecas undertook the +watch for half the night, when they were to be relieved by Pearson +and the chief. The early part of the night passed off quietly, but an +hour before morning the party were aroused by the sharp crack of two +rifles. Seizing their arms, all rushed out. + +"What is it, Pearson?" + +"Two of their scouts," Pearson answered, pointing to two dark bodies +on the snow at a distance of about one hundred yards. "I suppose they +wanted to see ef we was on the watch. We made 'em out almost as soon +as they left the shore, but we let 'em come on until we was sartin of +our aim. There aint no more about as we can see, so ye can all turn +in again for another hour or two." + +There was no fresh alarm before morning, and, when the sun rose, it +shone over a wide expanse of snow, unbroken save where lay the bodies +of the two Indians--whose scalps already hung at the belt of the +Seneca--and those of their four comrades who had fallen in the first +attack. + +The day passed quietly. Toward the afternoon two Indians were seen +approaching from the shore. They were unarmed and held their hands +aloft as a sign of amity. Peter and Pearson at once laid down their +guns, left the island, and advanced to meet them. They were Indian +chiefs of importance. + +"Why have my white brothers stolen in at night upon the village of +War Eagle and slain his young men?" + +"It is what you have been doing all last year, chief," Pearson, who +spoke the dialect better than Peter, replied. "But we injured no one. +We didn't kill women and children, as your warriors have done in the +white villages. We only came to take what you had stolen from us, and +ef your young men have been killed it's only because they tried to +attack us." + +"The white men must see," the chief said, "that they cannot get away. +The water is hard, and their canoe will not swim in it. The snow is +deep, and the tender feet cannot walk through it. My warriors are +very numerous, and the white men cannot fight their way through them. +The white settlements are very far away, and their friends cannot +reach them; and it will be many months before the water softens, and +long before that the white men will have eaten their moccasins." + +"Waal, chief," Pearson said, "we're in a tight hole, I grant you; but +I'm far from allowing that we aint no chances left to us yet. What do +you propose? I suppose you've some proposition to make." + +"Let the white men leave behind them their guns and their powder and +the maidens they have taken from War Eagle's camp; then let them go +in peace. They shall not be harmed." + +Pearson gave a short laugh. + +"War Eagle must think the white men are foolish. What's to prevent +the red warriors from taking all our scalps when our arms are in +their hands?" + +"The word of a great chief," War Eagle said. "War Eagle never lies." + +"You may not lie, chief," Pearson said bluntly, "but I've known many +a treaty broken afore now. You and your people may not touch us, but +there's other redskins about, and I wouldn't give a beaver's skin for +our sculps ef we were to take the back trail to the settlements +without arms in our hands. Besides that, we've among us the father of +the gal who was stole far away off from Lake Champlain, and a +relative of hers whose parents you've killed down on the lake. Ef we +were to agree to give up our arms, it stands to reason it aint likely +they'd agree to give up the gals. No, no, chief; your terms aren't +reasonable. But I tell ye what we will do; ef you'll give us your +word that neither you nor your tribe'll molest us in our retreat +we'll go back to the settlements, and 'll engage that, when we get +back there, we'll send you nine of the best rifles money can buy, +with plenty of powder and ball, and blankets and such like." + +The chief waved his hand in contemptuous refusal of the terms. + +"There are six of my young men's scalps at your girdles, and their +places are empty. War Eagle has spoken." + +"Very well, chief," Pearson said. "Ef nothing but sculps will content +you, to fighting it must come; but I warn you that your tribe'll lose +a good many more afore they get ours." + +So saying, without another word, they separated, each party making +their way back to their friends. + +"What on earth can he have proposed such terms as those for?" Harold +asked, when Pearson had related what had taken place between him and +the chief. "He must have known we should not accept them." + +"I expect," Pearson said, "he wanted to see who we were and to judge +what sort of spirit we had. It may be, too, that there was a party +among the tribe who had no stomachs for the job of attacking this +place, and so he was obliged to make a show of offering terms to +please 'em; but he never meant as they should be accepted. No, I take +it they'll wait a few days to see what hunger'll do. They must be +pretty sure that we've not a very large supply of food." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +THE GREAT STORM. + +"Let us overhaul our packages," Harold said, "and see what provisions +we have left. It would be as well to know how we stand." + +It was found that they had a sufficient supply of flour to last, with +care, for a fortnight. The meal was nearly exhausted; of tea they had +an abundance; the sugar was nearly out, and they had three bottles of +spirits. + +"Could we not make the flour last more than the fourteen days by +putting ourselves on half rations?" Harold asked. + +"We might do that," Peter said, "but I tell you the rations would be +small even for fourteen days. We've calkilated according to how much +we eat when we've plenty of meat, but without meat it'd be only a +starvation ration to each. Fortunately we've fish-hooks and lines, +and by making holes in the ice we can get as many fish as we like. +Waal, we can live on them alone, if need be, and an ounce or two of +flour, made into cakes, will be enough to go with 'em. That way the +flour would last us pretty nigh two months. I don't say that, if the +wust comes to the wust, we might not hold on right to the spring on +fish. The lake's full of 'em, and some of 'em have so much oil in 'em +that they're nigh as good as meat." + +"Do you think, Peter, that if the Indians make one great attack and +are beaten off they will try again?" + +"No one can say," Peter answered. "Injun natur' can't never be +calkilated on. I should say if they got a thundering beating they +aint likely to try again; but there's never no saying." + +"The sooner they attack and get it o'er the better," Cameron said. "I +hae na slept a wink the last twa nights. If I doze off for a moment I +wake up, thinking I hear their yells. I am as ready to fight as ony +o' you when the time comes, but the thought o' my daughter, here, +makes me nervous and anxious. What do you say, Jake?" + +"It all de same to Jake, Massa Cameron. Jake sleeps bery sound, but +he no like de tought ob eating nothing but fish for five or six +months. Jake neber bery fond ob fish." + +"You'll like it well enough when you get used to it, Jake," Pearson +said. "It's not bad eating on a pinch, only you want to eat a sight +of it to satisfy you. Well, let's see how the fish'll bite." + +Four holes were cut in the ice at a short distance apart. The hooks +were attached to strong lines and baited with deer's flesh, and soon +the fishing began. The girls took great interest in the proceeding. +Nelly was an adept at the sport, having generally caught the fish for +the consumption of the household at home. She took charge of one of +the lines, Harold of another, while Jake and one of the Senecas +squatted themselves by the other holes. There had been some +discussion as to whether the fishing should take place on the side of +the island facing the shore or behind the rocks, but the former was +decided upon. This was done because all were anxious that the +expected attack should take place as soon as possible, and the event +was likely to be hastened when the Indians saw that they were +provided with lines and were thus able to procure food for a +considerable time. + +It was soon manifest that, if they could live upon fish, they need +feel no uneasiness as to its supply. Scarcely had the lines been let +down than fish were fast to them. Harold and the other men soon had +trout, from three to six pounds, lying on the ice beside them, but +Nelly was obliged to call Pearson to her assistance, and the fish, +when brought to the surface, was found to be over twenty pounds in +weight. An hour's fishing procured them a sufficient supply for a +week's consumption. There was no fear as to the fish keeping, for in +a very short time after being drawn from the water they were frozen +stiff and hard. They were hung up to some boughs near the huts, and +the party were glad enough to get into shelter again, for the cold +was intense. + +As before, the early part of the night passed quietly; but toward +morning Peter, who was on watch, ran down and awakened the others. + +"Get your shooting-irons and hurry up," he said. "The varmints are +coming this time in arnest." + +In a minute everyone was at the post assigned to him. A number of +dark figures could be seen coming over the ice. + +"There's nigh two hundred of 'em," Peter said. "War Eagle has brought +the whole strength of his tribe." + +Contrary to their usual practice the Indians did not attempt to crawl +up to the place they were about to attack, but advanced at a run +across the ice. The defenders lost not a moment in opening fire, for +some of their rifles would carry as far as the shore. + +"Shoot steady," Peter said. "Don't throw away a shot." + +Each man loaded and fired as quickly as he could, taking a steady +aim, and the dark figures which dotted the ice behind the advancing +Indians showed that the fire was an effectual one. The Indians did +not return a shot. Their chief had, no doubt, impressed upon them the +uselessness of firing against men lying in shelter, and had urged +them to hurry at the top of their speed to the island and crush the +whites in a hand-to-hand fight. + +It was but three or four minutes from the time the first shot was +fired before they were close to the island. They made, as Peter had +expected, toward the little cove, which was indeed the only place at +which a landing could well be effected. Harold ran down and hid +himself in a bush at the spot where the train terminated, carrying +with him a glowing brand from the fire. + +"War Eagle means to have our sculps this time," Peter said to +Pearson. "I never seed an uglier rush. White men couldn't have done +better." + +The Indians had run in scattered order across the ice, but they +closed up as they neared the cove. As they rushed toward it four fell +beneath the shots of half the defenders, and another four a few +seconds later from a volley by the other section. + +In a wonderfully short time the first were ready again, and the +Indians wavered at the slaughter and opened fire upon the breastwork, +behind which the defenders were crouching. Those behind pressed on, +and, with terrific yells, the mass of Indians bounded forward. + +Harold had remained inactive, crouching behind the bush. He saw the +head of the dark mass rush past him and then applied the brand to the +train. + +There was a tremendous explosion. Yells and screams rent the air, and +in an instant a dark line of water, twenty feet wide, stretched +across the mouth of the cove. + +In this were pieces of floating ice and numbers of Indians struggling +and yelling. Some made only a faint struggle before they sank, while +others struck out for the side furthest from the island. + +The main body of the Indians, appalled by the explosion, checked +themselves in their course and at once took to flight; some, unable +to check their impetus, fell into the water upon the wounded wretches +who were struggling there. Those who had crossed stood irresolute, +and then, turning, leaped into the water. As they struggled to get +out on the opposite side the defenders maintained a deadly fire upon +them, but, in two or three minutes, the last survivor had scrambled +out, and all were in full flight toward the shore. + +"I think we've seen the last of the attacks," Peter said, as they +came down from their breastwork and joined Harold in the cove. "That +was a first-rate notion of yours, lad. Ef it hadn't been for that we +should have been rubbed out, sure enough; another minute and we'd +have gone down. They were in arnest and no mistake; they'd got steam +up and was determined to finish with us at once, whatever it cost +'em." + +The instant the attack had ceased Cameron had hastened to the hut +where the girls were lying, to assure them that all danger was over +and that the Indians were entirely defeated. In an hour a fresh skim +of ice had formed across the streak of water, but, as through its +clear surface many of the bodies of the Indians could be seen, the +men threw snow over it, to spare the girls the unpleasantness of such +a sight every time they went out from the cove. The bodies of all the +Indians who had fallen near the island were also covered with snow. +Those nearer the shore were carried off by the Iroquois in their +retreat. + +"I suppose, Peter," Harold said as they sat round the fire that +evening, "you have been in quite as awkward scrapes as this before +and have got out all right?" + +"Why, this business aint nothing to that affair we had by Lake +Champlain. That were as bad a business, when we was surrounded in +that log hut, as ever I went through--and I've been through a good +many. Pearson and me nigh got our har raised more nor once in that +business of Pontiac's. He were a great chief and managed to get up +the biggest confederation agin us that's ever been known. It were +well for us that that business didn't begin a few years earlier when +we was fighting the French; but you see, so long as we and they was +at war the Indians hoped as we might pretty well exterminate each +other, and then they intended to come in and finish off whoever got +the best of it. Waal, the English they drove the French back and +finally a treaty was made in Europe by which the French agreed to +clear out. + +"It was jest about this time as Pontiac worked upon the tribes to lay +aside their own quarrels and jine the French in fighting agin us. He +got the Senecas, and the Delawares, and the Shawnees, the Wyandots, +and a lot of other tribes from the lakes and the hull country between +the Niagara River and the Mississippi. + +"Jack Pearson and me, we happened to be with the Miamis when the +bloody belt which Pontiac were sending round as a signal for war +arrived at the fort there. Jack and me knew the redskins pretty well, +and saw by their manner as something unusual had happened. I went to +the commandant of the fort and told him as much. He didn't think much +of my news. The soldier chaps always despises the redskins till they +see 'em come yelling along with their tomahawks, and then as often as +not it's jest the other way. Howsumdever, he agreed at last to pay +any amount of trade goods I might promise to the Miamis if the news +turned out worth finding out. I discovered that a great palaver was +to be held that evening at the chief's village, which was a mile away +from the fort. + +"I'd seen a good deal of the Miamis and had fought with 'em against +the Shawnees, so I could do as much with 'em as most. Off Pearson and +I goes to the chief; and I says to him, 'Look ye here, chief, I've +good reasons to believe you've got a message from Pontiac and that it +means trouble. Now don't you go and let yourself be led away by him. +I've heard rumors that he's getting up a great confederation agin the +English. But I tell you, chief, if all the redskins on this continent +was to jine together, they couldn't do nothing agin the English. I +don't say as you mightn't wipe out a number of little border forts, +for no doubt you might; but what would come of it? England would send +out as many men as there are leaves in the forest, who would scorch +up the redskin nations as a fire on the prairie scorches up the +grass. I tell yer, chief, no good can come on it. Don't build yer +hopes on the French; they've acknowledged that they're beaten and are +all going out of the country. It'd be best for you and your people to +stick to the English. They can reward their friends handsomely, and +ef you jine with Pontiac, sooner or later trouble and ruin will come +upon you. Now I can promise you, in the name of the officer of the +fort, a good English rifle for yerself and fifty guns for your braves +and ten bales of blankets ef yer'll make a clean breast of it, and +first tell us what deviltry Pontiac is up to and next jine us +freely--or anyway hold aloof altogether from this conspiracy till yer +see how things is going.' + +"Waal, the chief he thought the matter over and said he'd do his best +at the palaver that night, but till that was over, and he knew what +the council decided on, he couldn't tell me what the message was. I +was pretty well satisfied, for Prairie Dog were a great chief in his +tribe, and I felt pretty sartin he'd git the council to go the way he +wanted. I told him I'd be at the fort and that the governor would +expect a message after the council was over. + +"It was past midnight when the chief came with four of his braves. He +told us that the tribe had received a bloody belt from Pontiac and a +message that the Mingoes and Delawares, the Wyandots and Shawnees +were going to dig up the hatchet against the whites, and calling upon +him and his people to massacre the garrison of the fort and then +march to jine Pontiac, who was about to fall upon Detroit and Fort +Pitt. They were directed to send the belt on to the tribes on the +Wabash, but they loved the English and were determined to take no +part against them; so they delivered the belt to their friend the +white commander, and hoped that he'd tell the great king in England +that the Miamis were faithful to him. The governor highly applauded +their conduct and said he'd send the news to the English governor at +New York, and at once ordered the presents which I promised to be +delivered to the chief for himself and his braves. When they'd gone +he said: + +"'You were right, Peter. This news is important indeed, and it's +clear that a terrible storm's about to bust upon the frontier. +Whether the Miamis will keep true is doubtful; but now I'm on my +guard they'll find it difficult to take the fort. But the great thing +is to carry the news of what's happened to Detroit, to put them on +their guard. Will you and Pearson start at once?' + +"In course we agreed, though it was clear that the job was a risksome +one, for it wouldn't be no easy matter to journey through the woods +with the hull redskin tribes on the war-path. + +"The commander wanted me to carry the belt with me, but I said, 'I +might jest as well carry my death warrant to the first redskins as I +come across.' Major Gladwin, who commanded at Detroit, knew me, and I +didn't need to carry any proof of my story. So, afore the Miamis had +been gone half an hour, Jack and me took the trail for Detroit. We +had got a canoe hid on the lake a few miles away, and we was soon on +board. The next morning we seed a hull fleet of canoes coming down +the lake. We might have made a race with 'em, but being fully manned +the chances was as they'd have cut us off, and seeing that at present +war had not been declared, we judged it best to seem as if we weren't +afeared. So we paddles up to 'em and found as they were a lot of +Wyandots whose hunting-grounds lay up by Lake Superior. In course I +didn't ask no questions as to whar they was going, but jest mentioned +as we was on our way down to Detroit. 'We're going that way, too,' +the chief said, 'and 'll be glad to have our white brothers with us.' +So we paddled along together until, about noon, they landed. Nothing +was said to us as how we were prisoners, but we could see as how we +was jest as much captives as ef we'd been tied with buckskin ropes. + +"Jack and me talked it over and agreed as it was no manner o' use +trying to make our escape, but that as long as they chose to treat us +as guests we'd best seem perfectly contented and make no show of +considering as they was on the war-path; although, seeing as they had +no women or children with 'em, a baby could have known as they were +up to no good. + +"The next morning they started again at daybreak, and after paddling +some hours landed and hid away their canoes and started on foot. +Nothing was said to us, but we saw as we was expected to do as they +did. We went on till we was within ten mile of Detroit and then we +halted. I thought it were best to find out exactly how we stood, so +Jack and I goes up to the chief and says that as we was near Detroit +we would jest say good-by to him and tramp in. + +"'Why should my white brothers hurry?' he said. 'It is not good for +them to go on alone, for the woods are very full of Indians.' 'But,' +I said, 'the hatchet's buried between the whites and the redskins, so +there's no danger in the woods.' The chief waved his hand. 'My white +brothers have joined the Wyandots, and they will tarry with them +until they go into Detroit. There are many redskins there, and there +will be a grand palaver. The Wyandots will be present.' + +"Jack and me made no signs of being dissatisfied, but the position +weren't a pleasant one, I can tell you. Here was the redskins +a-clustering like bees around Detroit, ready to fall upon the +garrison and massacre 'em, and we, who was the only men as knew of +the danger, was prisoners among the redskins. It was sartin, too, +that though they mightn't take our lives till they had attacked the +garrison, they was only keeping us for the pleasure of torturing us +quietly arterward. The situation was plain enough; the question was, +what were to be done? There was about sixty of the varmints around us +sitting by their fires and looking as ef they didn't even know as we +was there, but we knew as sharp eyes was watching us and that, afore +we'd gone five yards, the hull lot would be on our track. + +"Jack and me didn't say much to each other, for we knew how closely +we was watched and didn't want 'em to think as we was planning our +escape, so after a few words we sat down by one of the fires till it +got time to lie down for the night; but we had both been a-thinking. +We saw, when we lay down, that the Injuns lay pretty well around us, +while two on 'em, with their rifles ready to hand, sat down by a fire +close by and threw on some logs, as if they intended to watch all +night. + +"It was a goodish-size clearing as they'd chose for a camping-ground, +and we should have had to run some distance afore we got to the +shelter of the trees. The moon too was up, and it were well-nigh as +light as day, and anxious as we was to git away, we agreed that there +were no chance of sliding off, but that it'd be better to wait till +next day. + +"When we woke our guns was gone. We complained to the chief, who said +coldly that his young men would carry the guns and give 'em back to +us when we got to Detroit. It were no use saying more, for he might +at any moment have ordered us to be bound, and it were better to keep +the use of our legs as long as we could. + +"For two days we stayed there, not seeing the shadow of a chance of +gitting away. Several redskin runners come in and spoke to the chief, +and we got more and more anxious to be off. We was still allowed to +walk about, provided we didn't go near the edge of the clearing; +whenever we went that way two Injuns, who kept guard by turns over +us, shouted to us to go no furder. + +"The third morning, after a runner had come in, the chief gave the +word for a move and we set out. We saw they wasn't taking the direct +line to Detroit, although still going in that direction, and after +two hours' marching through the woods we got down on to the Detroit +River. Here was a big encampment, and some three or four hundred +Shawnees and Delawares was gathered here. A chief come up to us as we +entered the open. He gave an order to the Wyandots, and in a minute +we was bound hand and foot, carried to a small wigwam, and chucked +down inside like two logs of wood. + +"After a little talk Jack and I agreed as after all we had a better +chance of escaping now than when we was watched by a hull tribe, and +we concluded that there weren't no time to be lost. The Wyandots had +no doubt been brought up in readiness to strike the blow, and even if +we'd known nothing about the belt we'd have been, sure that mischief +was intended when these three bands of red varmints had gathered so +close to the fort. It was sartin we couldn't do nothing till night, +but we both strained our cords as much as possible to get 'em to +stretch a bit and give us a better chance of slipping out of 'em. No +one come near us for some time, and as we could hear the sound of +voices we guessed that a great council was taking place, and we +agreed at once to loosen the knots, so as to be in readiness for +work, as like enough they'd put a sentry over us at night. + +"It was a risky thing to try, for we might be disturbed at any +minute. Still we thought it were our only chance, so Jack set to work +with his teeth at my knots and in a quarter of an hour had loosened +them; then I undone his. We unbound our thongs and then fastened 'em +up again so that to the eye they looked jest the same as before but +really with a jerk they'd fall off. + +"I must teach you how to do that, Harold, some time; ye may find it +of use. The knots was tied up as tightly as before, and it would have +needed a close examination to see that we was not tied as tight as +ever. Not a word was spoken and, we was as quiet as mice, for we +could hear two redskins talking outside. You may guess we was pretty +slick about it; and I don't know as ever I felt so thankful as when +we laid ourselves down again, jest as we had been throwed, without +the slit in the tent having opened and a red face peered in. + +"A quarter of an hour later a redskin come in and looked at us. +Seeing, as it seemed to him, as we hadn't moved, he went out again. +Jest before nightfall two on 'em came in together, rolled us over, +and looked at the knots; they found as these was all right; then one +sat down jest in the door of the tent and the other took his place +outside. We waited some hours. + +"At last the fires burned low and the camp got quiet. We knew it was +well-nigh hopeless to wait for 'em all to be asleep, for redskin +natur' is a restless one, and especially when there's anything on +hand they'll turn out two or three times in the night to smoke their +pipes by the fires, and they'd be the more restless since, as we'd +seen, there was only four or five wigwams and all would be sleeping +on the ground. At last I thought the time were come and gave Jack a +nudge, and we both sat up. + +"It were a ticklish moment, young un, I can tell ye, for we knew that +it were scarce possible to get off without the alarm being raised. Ef +the wigwam had stood close to the edge of the forest it would have +been compar'tively easy, for once among the trees we might have hoped +to have outrun 'em, though the moon was so pesky bright; but +unfortunately it was built not far from the river, and we should have +to cross the hull clearing to gain the woods. The chances weren't +good, I can tell you, but it was clear as we had to try 'em. We had +purposely moved about pretty often, so that our movements would not +attract the attention of the Injun now. It didn't take a minute to +slip out of the cords, which, tight as they looked, really were not +fastened at all, there being two loose double ends between our arms +and our bodies. We could see the outside sentry through the open +door, and we waited till he turned his back and looked out on the +river. Then suddenly I gripped the redskin sitting at the entrance by +the neck with both my hands, pretty tight, as you may reckon, and +Jack ketched his knife from his belt and buried it in his body. + +"That was soon over, and not a sound made as would have startled a +mouse. Then, standing up, I made a spring on to the sentry, while +Jack used his knife as before. We let him drop softly down and +prepared to bolt, when of a sudden the war-whoop sounded not twenty +feet away. One of the redskins, finding the ground hard, I suppose, +was strolling up to speak to the sentry when he saw us tackle him. +For a moment he were too much surprised to holler, but when he did he +gave a yell as brought the hull tribe to their feet. Jack had taken +up the sentry's rifle. + +"'Ye'd better have held yer tongue,' he said as he leveled on the +redskin, and before the whoop was out of his lips the bullet hit him +and he went down like a log. It didn't need to look round to see as +there was no chance of getting to the trees, for two hundred redskins +was between us and them. 'We must take to the river, Jack,' I said. +It were but thirty yards away. I expected every moment, as we run, to +hear the rifle bullets whistle round us, but I guess Pontiac had +given orders that no gun was to be fired lest it might be heard at +the fort. Anyhow, not a shot was fired and we got down safe to the +bank." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +THE SCOUT'S STORY. + +"Luckily enough there was a canoe lying close at our feet. 'Shove it +out, Jack,' says I, 'and then keep along the bank.' We gave it a +shove with all our strength and sent it dancing out into the river. +Then we dived in and swum down close under the bank. There was bushes +growing all along, and we came up each time under 'em. The redskins +was some little distance behind us as we reached the river, and in +course thought we had throwed ourselves flat in the canoe. In a +minute or two they got another and paddled off to it, and we soon +heard the shout they raised when they found it was empty. By this +time we was a hundred yards below the spot where we had taken to the +water, and knowing as they would be off along the bank and would find +us in no time, we scrambled straight up and made for the trees. + +"We was within fifty yards of the edge of the forest, and none of the +redskins was near us, as the hull body Had clustered down at the spot +where we had jumped in. We hadn't fairly set foot on the bank afore +they saw us and, with a whoop--which sometimes wakes me even now in +my sleep and makes me sit up with the sweat on my forehead--they +started. I could run faster then than I can now, and ye may guess I +went my best. We plunged into the trees and went as hard as we could +foot it, the redskins being fifty or sixty yards behind. + +"Our hope was to find a place with a thickish underwood. It was +darker a deal under the trees than in the clearing, still it was not +dark enough to hide us from redskin eyes. We run straight, for we +knew they could see us, and arter about four hundred yards we come +upon a place where the undergrowth grew thick. Here we began to dodge +'em, turning now one way and now another, keeping always low in the +bushes. They had lost us by sight now, but there was so many of 'em +that we pretty nigh despaired of getting through. Some of 'em had +tried to follow us, but the best part had run straight on for a bit, +and then, when sure they had headed us, scattered right and left, so +that they were ahead of us now as well as on our traces, and we could +hear 'em shouting all round us, so we did the only thing there was to +be done and made the best of our way back to the clearing, keeping +low and taking good care not to cross any patch where the moonlight +through the trees fell on the ground. + +"It were lucky for us that it was a camp of braves. Had it been an +ordinary redskin encampment there would have been squaws, and boys, +and wuss still, dogs, who would have seed us the moment we got back; +but being all braves on the war-path the hull gang had started arter +us, and not a soul had remained in the clearing. We did not rest +there long, you may be sure, but made straight down to the water. +There we picked out a canoe, crossed the river, and got into the +shade of the trees the other side. Then we kept along down it till we +got close to the fort of Detroit. + +"We could see a good many smoldering fires out afore it, and guessed +that a strong body of redskins, pretending to be friends, had camped +there. We made round 'em and reached the gate of the fort safe. The +sentries wouldn't let us in, but when a sergeant was fetched it +turned out as he knew us, seeing that we had been scouting out from +thar in the summer. Pretty thankful we was when the gate closed arter +us. Our news would keep, so we waited till morning afore we saw the +major, and then told him the whole history of the matter, and how +Pontiac had raised all the tribes east of the Mississippi against us. + +"We found that Pontiac had been into the camp with fifty of his +warriors three days afore, professing great friendship, and had said +that in two or three days he would call again and pay a formal visit. + +"Detroit then was but a trading post, defended by a stockade twenty +feet high and twelve hundred yards in circumference. About fifty +houses of traders and storekeepers stood within it. The garrison was +composed of 120 men of the Eighteenth Regiment and 8 officers. They +had three guns--two six-pounders, and a three-pounder--and three +mortars, but their carriages was so old and rotten that they was of +no real service. Two vessels, mounting some small guns, lay in the +river off the fort. The governor was a good soldier, but he was +naturally startled at hearing that there was something like a +thousand redskins in the woods round; but he said that now he had +warning he was not afraid of 'em. A messenger was sent off in a canoe +to carry the tidings east and to ask for re-enforcements, and the +traders was all told to get their arms ready. + +"At eight o'clock in the morning Pontiac was seen a-coming with three +hundred warriors. There had been no declaration of war, and the +redskins was supposed to be friendly, so the major didn't like to be +the first to commence hostilities, as folks who knew nothing of it +might likely enough have raised an outcry about massacring the poor +Injuns. Howsumever, he called all the troops under arms and disposed +'em behind the houses. The traders, too, with their rifles, were +drawn up ready. The gates was opened when Pontiac arrived, and he and +his warriors entered. They had left their rifles behind them, as they +pretended that their mission was a peaceful one, but they had all got +their tomahawks and knives under their blankets. They advanced in a +body toward where Major Gladwin and his officers was standing in +front of his quarters. + +"Jack and me and two or three scouts who happened to be in the fort +stood just behind, careless like, with our rifles, so that, in case +of any sudden attack, we could keep them back for a moment or two. I +noticed that Pontiac carried in his hand a wampum belt. I noticed it +because it was green on one side and white on the other, and it +turned out arterward that when he twisted that belt with two hands it +was to be the signal for an attack. + +"Pontiac spoke soft for a time. He was a fine redskin; that can't be +denied. He was a Catawba by birth, but had been adopted into the +tribe of Ottawas and had risen to be their chief. He were a great +brave and one of the best speakers I ever heard. He was a wise chief, +as you may guess by the way he got all the tribes to lay aside their +private quarrels and make common cause against us. I watched him +close. He kept his eyes on the major and spoke as cool and as calm as +if he had nothing on his mind; but I could see the warrior glancing +about, wondering, no doubt, what had become of the soldiers. +Presently the chief changed his tone and began to pretend as he was +in a rage at some grievance or other. + +"The major jest put his whistle to his lips, and in a moment from +behind the houses the soldiers and traders marched out, rifle in +hand. You never saw a more disgusted crew than them redskins. I'll do +Pontiac justice to say that he never so much as moved, but jest went +on talking as if he hadn't noticed the troops at all. The major +answered him in the same way, and after half an hour's talk the +redskins went out again without so much as a knife having been shown. +Major Gladwin gave Jack and me papers testifying as how we had saved +Detroit from destruction, and sent an account of it to Governor +Amherst, and to this day Jack and me draws special pensions for that +'ere business, besides what we earned as British scouts." + +"That was an adventure, Peter!" Harold said. "They did not take +Detroit after all, did they?" "No; we beat 'em off handsome when +they tried it. Then they laid siege to Fort Pitt and tried very hard +there, too, but the place held out till some troops who had come up +marched out from here and raised the siege. At some of the little +places they succeeded. Lots of settlers was massacred. At Fort +Sandusky Ensign Paulli and the garrison was massacred by a party of +Hurons and Ottawas who come in as friends. This was on the same day +as they had intended to do for us at Detroit. + +"At St. Joseph's an English ensign with fourteen soldiers was killed +by the Pottawatomies, but nowhere did Pontiac obtain any real +successes. The French in Illinois were preparing to leave, and he +couldn't git no assistance from them. After the siege of Fort Pitt +was raised peace was patched up again. Pontiac's confederacy, finding +as they hadn't got none of the successes he promised 'em, was +beginning to break up, and the English saw no chance of doing any +good by hunting the redskins among the forests, so both parties was +willing for peace. + +"Pontiac never gave any more trouble, and some years arterward, +coming into one of the towns, he was killed by an Injun who had a +private grudge agin' him. And now I'm longing for a quiet pipe, and +you'd better turn in. There's no saying whether we'll have a quiet +night of it". + +A fortnight passed without further incident. Then the sky became +overcast, and Peter and the Indians agreed that snow would soon fall. +All hands were at once set to work to make up their stores into +packages. The deerskins and blankets were tied in bundles; besides +these there were only two kegs of powder and about two hundred pounds +of frozen fish. + +Harold was in high glee at the thought that their imprisonment was to +come to an end, although there was no doubt that the attempt would be +a hazardous one, as the backwoodsmen were sure that the instant the +snow began to fall the Indians would be out in great numbers round +the island, to prevent the defenders taking advantage of the storm. + +Several times Harold observed the two backwoodsmen talking with the +Seneca chief and looking at the sky, and he thought that their +countenances expressed some anxiety. + +"What is it, Peter?" he asked at length. "Don't you think we shall +have a snowstorm?" + +"We may have snow," Peter said, "but I think it's more than a +snowstorm that's coming. The clouds are flying past very fast, and it +seems to me as ef we're in for a big gale of wind." + +"But that will drift the snow and cover our footsteps almost as well +as a snowstorm," Harold said. + +"Yes, it 'll do all that," the scout answered. + +"What is the objection to it, Peter?" + +"In the first place, lad, ef it don't snow we may stop where we are, +for there'd be no chance of getting through the Injuns unless it +snowed so thick you couldn't see five feet away. It'll be difficult +enough, anyhow. There'll be four or five hundred of the varmints out, +for they'll bring even their boys with 'em, so as to form a pretty +close line round the island. Our only chance'll be for the Senecas to +go first, and to silence, afore they can give the alarm, any they +might meet on our line. That might be done in a heavy snowstorm, but +without snow it would be impossible. In the next place, even if we +got through 'em, we'd have to carry our canoe." + +"Why?" Harold asked, surprised. "What good could the canoe be to us, +with the lake frozen hard?" + +"You see, the wind is on the shore here, lad, and when it does blow +on these lakes it blows fit to take the har off your head. It's as +much as a man can do to make way agin' it, and I doubt whether the +gals could face it, even with our help. As to carrying a canoe in its +teeth, it couldn't be done." + +"But why carry the canoe at all, Peter? That's what I cannot +understand." + +"Waal, you see, lad, the force of the wind acting on sech a big sheet +of ice will move it, and like enough you'd see it piled up in a bank +forty feet high on this side of the lake, and there'll be a strip of +clear water half a mile wide on the other. That's why we must take +the canoe." + +Harold was silent. In the face of such a probability it was clear +that they must encumber themselves with the canoe. + +The prevision of the scout proved well founded. Before evening the +wind was blowing with tremendous force. Small flakes of snow were +driven before it, inflicting stinging blows on the face and eyes of +those who ventured out of shelter. As it became dark the lookout +announced that he could, see large numbers of Indians starting from +the shore at some distance to the right and left of them, showing +that the redskins were fully alive to the possibility of the garrison +of the island taking advantage of the storm, which would hide their +trail, to effect their escape. + +Every hour the fury of the gale increased, and it was unanimously +agreed that until it diminished it would be impossible for the girls, +and for men carrying a canoe, to face it. + +Two men were placed on watch at the mouth of the cove, where mines +similar to the first had been sunk in the ice in a semicircle some +little distance outside that before exploded. This precaution had +been taken on the day succeeding the great repulse of the enemy, +although the scouts felt assured that the attempt would not be +repeated. But it was thought possible that the Indians might toward +morning, if they found the whites did not attempt to pass them, take +advantage of the storm to attempt a surprise. + +After it became dark Cameron and Harold, as was their custom, went +into the girls' hut to chat until it was time to turn in. The +deerskin and blankets had again been unrolled, and the covering of +snow kept the interior warm in spite of the storm without. + +"What is that noise?" Nelly asked in a pause of the conversation. + +"I don't know," Harold answered. "I have heard it for some time." + +All were silent, intent upon listening. Even above the fury of the +gale a dull grinding sound, with occasional crashes, could be heard. + +"I think it must be the ice," Harold said. "I will go out and see." + +On issuing from the hut he was for a time blinded by the force of the +wind and the flying particles of snow. The din was tremendous. He +made his way with difficulty in the teeth of the storm to the edge of +the rocks. Then he started in surprise. A great bank of cakes and +fragments of ice was heaped up against the wall of the rock, crashing +and grinding against each other as they were pressed onward by fresh +additions from beyond. Already the bank was nearly level with the top +of the rock, and some of the vast blocks, two feet in thickness, had +been thrust on to it. The surface of the lake beyond was no longer a +brilliant white. Every particle of snow had been swept away and the +dull gray of the rough ice lay unbroken. + +He made his way at once to the hut of the men, and just as he reached +the entrance Peter (who had also been out to reconnoiter) came up, +and before Harold had turned to speak he put his head into the hut. + +"Turn out!" he said. "I tell ye we're in a fix. This aint no common +gale. I don't know as ever I've been in a worse one." + +"What's the use of turning out?" Pearson asked. "We can't do nothing, +and it's warmer here a sight than it is outside." + +"I tell ye ye've got to go. The ice is breaking up fast and it's +level with the top of the island already. Unless I'm mistaken +there'll be forty foot of ice piled over this island afore an hour." + +This was, indeed, alarming news. And in a minute the occupants of the +hut were all in the open air. + +"You can call in your scouts, Seneca. There aint no fear of an attack +to-night. No mortal soul--not even an Injun--could stand the force of +the wind out on the lake." + +A very short examination sufficed to show the truth of Peter's +anticipations. + +Already the upper part of the bank was sliding over the rock, and it +was clear that in a very short time the whole would be covered. + +"What is to be done, Peter?" Harold shouted. + +"We must take to the canoe. There's clear water on the other side." + +Harold crossed the island and saw that what Peter said was correct. A +broad strip of black water stretched away in the darkness toward the +shore. The whole ice-sheet was moving bodily before the wind, and as +the island stood up in its course the ice to windward of it was +forced up over it, while under its lee the lake was clear. Not a +moment was lost. The canoe was got out, carried over the rocks, and +carefully lowered into the water under shelter of the island. All the +stores and provisions were lowered into it. A deerskin was spread on +the bottom, and the girls, having been helped down into the boat, +were told to lie down and were then covered with blankets. The men +wrapped themselves up in skins and blankets and took their places in +the canoe, the four Indians taking paddles. + +Quickly as the preparations had been made, there were but a few feet +of the island uncovered by the ice, as the last man descended into +the boat and they pushed off and, after a couple of strokes, lay with +the boat's head facing toward the island at a distance of fifty yards +from it. Although somewhat sheltered from the wind, the Indians were +obliged to paddle hard to maintain their position. Harold wondered at +first that they had not kept closer to the island, but he soon +understood their reason for keeping at a distance. The massive blocks +of ice, pressed forward by, the irresistible force behind, began to +shoot from the top of the island into the water, gliding far on +beneath the surface with the impetus of the fall, and then shooting +up again with a force which would have destroyed the canoe at once +had they touched it. + +Soon a perfect cataract of ice was falling. Peter and Pearson took +their places on each side of the bow of the canoe, with poles to push +off the pieces as they drifted before the gale toward the shore. The +work required the utmost strength and care. One touch from the +sharp-edged blocks would have ripped open the side of the bark canoe +like a knife, and in the icy cold water, encumbered by floating +fragments of ice, even the best swimmer could not have gained the +solid ice. The peril was great, and it needed all the strength and +activity of the white men and the skill of the paddlers to avoid the +danger which momentarily threatened them. So quickly did the blocks +float down upon them that Pearson thought it might be impossible to +avoid them all. The skins, therefore, were hung round the boat, +dropping some inches into the water, and these, although they could +not have prevented the boat from being stove in, by the larger +fragments, yet protected its sides from the contact of the smaller +ones. + +For upward of an hour the struggle continued, and Harold felt +something like despair at the thought of a long night passed in such +a struggle. Presently sounds like the booming of cannon were heard +above the gale. + +"What is that?" he shouted to the Seneca chief, next to whom he was +sitting. + +"Ice break up," the chief replied. "Break up altogether." + +This proved to be the case. As the ice was driven away from the +further side of the lake the full force of the wind played upon the +water there, and as the streak widened a heavy sea soon got up. The +force of the swell extended under the ice, aiding the effect of the +wind above, and the vast sheet began to break up. The reports +redoubled in strength, and frequently the ice was seen to heave and +swell. Then, with a sound like thunder, it broke and great cakes were +forced one on the top of another, and soon, instead of a level plain +of ice, a chaos of blocks were tossing about on the waves. + +Harold watched the change with anxiety. No longer was the channel on +either side marked by regular defined lines, but floating pieces +encroached upon it, and, looking toward the shore, the channel +appeared to be altogether lost. The danger was overwhelming, but the +Indians, paddling with increased strength, urged the boat forward +until within a few yards of the island. + +A few minutes before such an approach would have assured the +immediate destruction of the boat. But Harold saw with surprise that, +almost simultaneously with the breaking up of the ice-sheet, the fall +of blocks from the island had ceased. A moment's reflection showed +him the reason of this phenomenon. With the break-up of the ice-field +the pressure from behind had suddenly ceased. No longer were the +blocks piled on the island pushed forward by the tremendous pressure +of the ice-field. The torrent was stayed and they could approach the +island with safety. As soon as they were assured that this was so the +canoe was brought close to the rocks. + +Pearson leaped ashore, climbed the rocks and the ice piled twenty +feet above them, and with his pole convinced himself that at this +point there were no loose blocks likely to fall. Having satisfied +himself on this head, he descended again and took his place in the +boat. This was moored by a rope a few feet long to a bush growing +from a fissure in the rock close to the water's edge. He and Peter +remained on watch with their poles, to fend off any pieces of ice +which might be brought round by the waves, while the rest of the +crew, wrapping themselves up in their blankets, lay down at the +bottom of the boat. + +The next morning the storm still raged, and the lake presented the +appearance of an angry sea. Sheltered under the lee of the island, +the party were protected from its effects, although the light canoe +rose and fell on the heavy swell. The ice had wholly disappeared from +the lake, the pieces having been ground to atoms against each other +in the storm. Along the line of shore there was a great bank of ice +as high as the tree-tops. + +"The ways of the Lord are won'erful," Duncan Cameron said. "The storm +which threatened to be our destruction has proved our salvation. When +it abates we shall be able to paddle down the lake without fear of +interruption." + +"Yes," Peter said, "the varmints are not likely to follow us. In the +first place, unless they thought of taking their canoes into the +forest when the storm first began, which aint likely, as they was +a-thinking only of cutting off our escape, they'd 've been smashed +into tinder. In the second place, they couldn't ketch us if they had +canoes, for, as we've eight paddles, counting them we made out of the +seats when we was on shore, we'd be able to laugh at 'em. And lastly, +they've had such a taste of the quality of our rifles that, even if +they had a dozen canoes on hand, I doubt if they'd care to attack us. +No, sir; when this storm's over we have nothing to do but paddle down +to the settlements at the other end of the lake." + +Toward the afternoon the storm abated, and next morning the sun was +shining brilliantly and the waves had gone down sufficiently to +enable the canoe to start on her voyage. + +"Now, boys," Pearson said cheerfully, "ef ye don't want to git froze +up again you'd best be sharp, for I can tell ye about thirty-six +hours of this weather and the lake'll be solid again." + +Five minutes later the canoe with its eight sturdy paddlers started +on its way, speeding like an arrow from the ice-covered island which +had done them such good service in their greatest need. + +"Now, Jake," Peter said, "the more strength you put into that paddle +of yourn the sooner you'll have a piece of meat atween your jaws." + +The negro grinned. + +"Don't talk ob him, Massa Peter; don't say a word about him until I +see him. Fish bery good when dere's noting else to eat, but Jake +never want to see him again. He hab eat quite enough for the rest ob +his life." + +Cameron, who was not accustomed to the use of the paddle, sat in the +stern with the two girls; but the others were all used to the +exercise, and the boat literally bounded along at each stroke from +the sinewy arms, and by nightfall they had reached the opposite +shore. After some hours' work together two of them had rested, and +from that time they took it by turns, six paddles being kept +constantly going. + +Without any adventure they arrived safely at the end of the lake. The +clearing where Nelly had lived so long, and where her father and +mother had been killed, was passed in the night, much to Harold's +satisfaction, as he was afraid that she would have been terribly +upset at the many sad memories which the sight of the place could not +but call up. On their way down they had seen many gaps in the forest +caused by the gale, but it was not until they reached their landing +place that the full effect of its destructive force was visible. +Several scows and other boats lay wrecks upon the shore, every house +in the little village was leveled to the ground, the orchards were +ruined, palings and fences torn down, and the whole place strewn with +fragments. + +A few people were moving among the ruins. They gazed with a dull +apathy upon the new-comers, apparently dazed by the misfortune that +had befallen them. Harold learned, on questioning them, that +twenty-seven persons had been killed and the majority of the +survivors more or less seriously injured. With the exception of the +few whom they saw, about all the survivors had been taken off to the +town in boats down the river, or in wagons lent by neighbors whose +villages, sheltered in the woods, had escaped the ravages of the +gale. After a few hours' halt, having obtained meat and other stores, +they proceeded on their way to Detroit. + +Here Nelly had several friends, who had long believed her to have +fallen at the massacre at the farm. By them she was gladly received, +and she took up her abode in a family with some daughters of her own +age. Harold found that there was a considerable sum of money in the +bank in her father's name, and from this, after a consultation with +her, a sum of money sufficient to provide the Seneca and his +followers with blankets, powder, and Indian finery for years was +drawn and bestowed upon them. + +A day or two afterward the Indians left for their own country, highly +gratified with the success of the expedition and proud of the +numerous scalps which hung from each of their girdles. + +Harold learned that there was but little fighting going on along the +Canadian frontier. The winter had set in again with extreme severity; +the St. Lawrence would be frozen, and he would have no means of +leaving Canada; he was therefore well content to settle down until +the spring at Detroit, where he received numerous and hearty +invitations to stay, for any time, from the various friends of his +cousins. Jake, of course, remained with him. Peter went up to +Montreal, where he had some relatives residing; Harold promising to +call for him on his way East in the spring. Pearson, after a few +days' stay in Detroit, started again with a comrade on a hunting +expedition. Cameron and his daughter also spent the winter at +Detroit. + +The months passed very pleasantly to Harold. Since the war began he +had had no period of rest or quiet, and he now entered with zest into +the various amusements, sleighing, and dancing, which helped to while +away the long winter in America. He also joined in many hunting +parties, for in those days game abounded up to the very edge of the +clearings. Moose were abundant, and the hunt of these grand deer was +full of excitement. Except when the snow is on the ground these +animals can defy their pursuers, but the latter with their snowshoes +go lightly over the frozen snow, in which the moose sink heavily. + +There were many discussions as to the future of Nelly. Several of her +friends would gladly have adopted her as a member of their family, +but Harold warmly urged that she should go to England and take up her +abode with his mother, who was her nearest relative, and Nelly, +somewhat to the surprise of her friends, finally agreed to this +proposal. A purchaser was readily found for the farm, which was an +excellent one, and the proceeds of the sale, with the amount of +savings in the bank, gave her a little fortune of some twenty-five +hundred pounds. + +When the spring came and the navigation of the lake was open, Harold, +Nelly, the Camerons, and Jake started in a ship for Montreal. There +they were joined by Peter and sailed down to Quebec, where Nelly and +the Camerons took passage for England. Very deep was the gratitude +which Duncan expressed to the friends who had restored his daughter +to him. He had had enough of the colonies, and intended to spend the +rest of his life among his own people in Scotland. Harold, Peter, and +Jake sailed to join the English army in the South. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH. + +After the surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga the English +Parliament made another effort to obtain peace, and passed an act +renouncing all rights to tax the colonists and yielding every point +as to which they had been in dispute. Commissioners were sent over +with full authority to treat, and had the colonists been ready +nominally to submit to England, a virtual independence, similar to +that possessed by Canada and the Australian colonies at the present +time, would have been granted. As a very large body of the Americans +had from the first been desirous of coming to terms, and as the +paralyzed state of trade caused great and general distress, it is +probable that these terms might have been accepted had it not been +for the intervention of France. That power had all along encouraged +the rebellion. She had smarted under the loss of Canada, and although +her rule in her own colonies was far more arbitrary than that of +England in America, she was glad to assist in any movement which +could operate to the disadvantage of this country. Hitherto, +nominally she had remained neutral, but now, fearing that the offers +of the English would induce the colonists to make peace, she came +forward, recognized their independence, and engaged herself to +furnish a large fleet for their assistance. + +The colonists joyfully accepted the offer, seeing that the +intervention of France in the struggle would completely alter its +conditions. Heretofore the British had been enabled to send over men +and stores at will, but were they blockaded by a French fleet their +difficulties would be immensely increased. + +As there had been no cause of quarrel between England and France, +this agreement was an act of wanton hostility on the part of the +latter. On obtaining information of the signature of the treaty +between France and the colonies, the English ambassador was recalled +from Paris and both countries prepared vigorously for war. + +The first result was that the English deemed it prudent to evacuate +Philadelphia and retreat to New York. Washington endeavored to cut +off their retreat, and a battle took place at Freehold Court House, +in which the Americans were worsted. Washington drew off his army, +and the British army continued its march to New York without further +opposition. Early in May the French sent off a fleet of twelve ships +of the line and six frigates, carrying a large number of troops +commanded by Count D'Estaing. An English fleet, under Admiral Byron, +was lying at Portsmouth, and this sailed on June 9 in pursuit; for it +was not until that time that information was received of the intended +destination of the French fleet. + +D'Estaing reached the American coast upon the very day on which the +English army re-entered New York, and after making a demonstration +before that town the French fleet sailed for Rhode Island to expel +the British troops, under Sir Robert Pigott, who held it. + +Lord Howe sailed with the fleet from New York to give battle to that +of D'Estaing. For two days the fleets maneuvered in sight of each +other. Howe, being inferior in force, wished to gain the +weather-gauge before fighting. Failing to do this, on the third day +he offered battle, but a tremendous storm prevented the engagement +and dispersed both fleets. The French vessels retired to Boston and +the English to New York. + +Taking advantage of the departure of the French fleet, Sir Robert +attacked the American force, which had crossed to Rhode Island to act +with the French, and drove them from it. While crossing the Atlantic +the fleet under Admiral Byron had met with a tremendous storm, which +had entirely dispersed it, and the vessels arrived singly at New +York. When their repairs were completed the whole set out to give +battle to the French, but D'Estaing, finding that by the junction of +the two English fleets he was now menaced by a superior force, sailed +away to the West Indies. + +After his departure an expedition was sent down along the coast to +Georgia and East Florida. This met with great success. Savannah was +captured and the greater part of South Carolina was occupied. The +majority of the inhabitants joyfully welcomed the troops and many +companies of volunteers were raised. + +Harold had arrived in New York early in the spring. He had been +offered a commission, but he preferred remaining with his two +comrades in the position of scout. In this way he had far greater +independence, and while enjoying pay and rations sufficient for his +maintenance, he was to a great extent master of his own movements. At +an earlier period of the war he was offered by General Howe a +commission in the army, and his father would have been glad had he +accepted it. Harold, however, although determined to fight until the +struggle between the colonists and the mother country came to an end +one way or the other, had no great liking for the life of an officer +in the regular army, but had resolved at the conclusion of the war to +settle down upon a farm on the lakes--a life for which he felt far +more fitted than for the strict discipline and regularity of that of +an officer in the army. + +As, with the exception of the attack by the French fleet and American +army upon Rhode Island, both parties remained quiet all through the +summer of 1778, the year passed uneventfully to him, and the duties +of the scouts were little more than nominal. During the winter +fighting went on in the Carolinas and Georgia with varied success. + +In the spring of 1779 Harold and his comrades were, with a party of +scouts, sent down to Georgia, where constant skirmishes were going on +and the services of a body of men accustomed to outpost duty were +required. They were landed in May and joined General Prevost's force +on the island of St. John, situated close to the mainland and +connected with it by a bridge of boats, at the end of which on the +mainland a post had been erected. Shortly afterward General Prevost +left for Savannah, taking with him most of the troops, which were +carried away in the sloops which had formed the bridge of boats. On +the American side General Lincoln commanded a considerable army, +which had been dispatched by Congress to drive the English from that +State and the Carolinas. + +Lieutenant Colonel Maitland, who commanded the post on the mainland, +was left with only a flat-boat to keep up his communication with the +island. He had under his command the first battalion of the +Seventy-first Highlanders, now much weakened in numbers, part of a +Hessian regiment, some provincial volunteers, and a detachment of +artillery, the whole not exceeding 500 effective men. Hearing that +General Lincoln was advancing against him, Colonel Maitland sent all +his sick, baggage, and horses across to the island, and placed the +post as far as possible in a defensive position. Most of the scouts +who had come down from New York had accompanied General Prevost to +Savannah, but Harold, with Peter Lambton, Jake, and three or four +others, had been ordered to remain with Colonel Maitland, and were +sent out to reconnoiter when the enemy were known to be approaching. + +"This is something like our old work, Peter, upon Lake Champlain," +Harold said, as with his two comrades he took his way in the +direction from which the enemy were advancing. + +"Ay, lad, but they've none of the redskins with 'em, and there'll be +no great difficulty in finding out all about 'em. Besides, we've got +Jake with us, and jest about here Jake can do better nor we can. +Niggers swarm all over the country and are as ready to work for one +side as the other, jest as their masters go. All Jake has got to do +is to dress himself as a plantation nigger and stroll into their +camp. No question will be asked him, as he will naturally be taken +for a slave on some neighboring estate. What do you say, Jake?" + +Jake at once assented, and when they approached the enemy he left his +comrades and carried their plan into execution. He was away six +hours, and returned saying that the enemy were 5000 strong, with +eight pieces of artillery. + +"We must hurry back," Peter said. "Them are big odds agin' us. Ef all +our troops was regulars, I don't say as they might not hold the +place; but I don't put much count on the Germans, and the colonists +aint seen no fighting. However, Colonel Maitland seems a first-rate +officer. He has been real sharp in putting the place into a state of +defense, and I reckon ef the Yankees thinks as they're going to eat +us up without trouble they'll be mistaken." + +Jake reported that the enemy were on the point of marching forward, +and the scouts hurried back to give Colonel Maitland news of their +coming. + +It was late in the afternoon when they reached the post. + +"At what time do you think they will arrive here?" the colonel asked, +when Jake had made his report. "Dey be pretty close by dark, for +sure," Jake replied. + +"But I don't think, sir," Peter added, "they'll attack before +morning. They wouldn't be likely to try it in the dark, not knowing +the nature of the place." + +The commander was of the same opinion, but to prevent the possibility +of surprise he placed pickets at some distance round the fort, the +scouts being, of course, of the party. + +The night passed quietly, but at seven in the morning Peter, Harold, +and Jake, who were at some distance in advance of the others, saw the +enemy approaching. They fired their pieces and fell back upon the +outposts. Their position was rather to the right of the line of +defense. The pickets were about to fall back when 70 men, being two +companies of the Seventy-first under Captain Campbell, were sent out +to feel the enemy. + +"We're going to have a skirmish," Peter said. "I know these +Highlanders. Instead of jest firing a bit and then falling back, +they'll be sticking here and fighting as if they thought they could +lick the hull army of the Yankees." + +It was as Peter predicted. The Highlanders took post behind a hedge +and maintained a desperate resistance to the advance of the enemy. +Harold and his comrades for some time fought with them. + +"It's time for us to be out of this," Peter said presently. "Let's +jest get back to the fort." + +"We cannot fall back till they do, Peter" + +"I don't see that," Peter said. "We're scouts, and I don't see no +advantage in our chucking away our lives because these hot-headed +Highlanders choose to do so. Peter Lambton's ready to do a fair share +of fighting, but when he's sure that fighting aint no good, then he +goes." + +And suiting the action to the word, Peter rose from his recumbent +position and began to make his way back to the camp, taking advantage +of every bit of cover. + +Harold could not help laughing. For an instant he remained +irresolute, and then, seeing the overwhelming forces with which the +enemy were approaching, he called to Jake and followed Peter's +example. So obstinately did the Highlanders fight that they did not +retreat until all their officers were killed or wounded, and only 11 +men out of the two companies succeeded in regaining the camp. + +The whole force of the enemy now advanced against the works, and +halting at a distance of three hundred yards opened a tremendous fire +from their cannon on the intrenchments. The defenders replied, but so +overwhelming was the force of the assailants that the Hessians +abandoned the portion of the works committed to them and fell back. + +The enemy pressed forward and had already gained the foot of the +abattis, when Colonel Maitland brought up a portion of the +Seventy-first upon the right, and these gallant troops drove the +Americans back with slaughter. Colonel Maitland and his officers then +threw themselves among the Hessians and succeeded in rallying them +and bringing them back to the front. The provincial volunteers had +also fought with great bravery. They had for a time been pressed +backward, but finally maintained their position. + +The Americans, finding that all their efforts to carry the post were +unavailing, fell back to the forest. On the English side the loss +amounted to 129. The Americans fought in the open and suffered much +more heavily. + +The position of matters was suddenly changed by the arrival of Count +D'Estaing with a fleet of forty-one ships-of-war off the coast. The +American general, Lincoln, at once proposed to him to undertake a +combined movement to force the English to quit Georgia. The arrival +of the French fleet was wholly unexpected, and the _Experiment_, a +frigate of fifty guns, commanded by Sir James Wallace, having two or +three ships under his convoy, fell in with them off the mouth of the +Savannah River. Although the _Experiment_ had been much crippled by a +gale through which she had recently passed, Sir James Wallace would +not haul down his flag and opposed a desperate resistance to the +whole of the French fleet, and did not surrender until the +_Experiment_ was completely dismasted and riddled with shot. + +Upon the news that the French fleet was off the mouth of the river, +Captain Henry, who commanded the little squadron of four small +English ships, fell back to Savannah after removing all the buoys +from the river. He landed his guns from the ships and mounted them on +the batteries, and the marines and blue-jackets were also put on +shore to assist in the defense. Two of the brigs of war were sunk +across the channel below the town to prevent the French frigates +coming up. A boom was laid across above the town to prevent +fire-rafts from being sent down. + +D'Estaing landed the French troops at the mouth of the river, and, +marching to the town, summoned General Prevost to surrender. The +English commander, who had sent off a messenger to Colonel Maitland, +ordering him to march instantly to his assistance with the force +under him, which now amounted to 800 men, asked for twenty-four hours +before giving an answer. D'Estaing, who knew that General Lincoln was +close at hand, made sure that Prevost would surrender without +resistance, and so granted the time asked for. Before its expiration +Colonel Maitland, after a tremendous march, arrived at the town. As +the French commanded the mouth of the river he had been obliged to +transport his troops in boats through the marshes by a little creek, +which for two miles was so shallow that the troops were forced to +wade waist-deep, dragging the boats by main force through the mud. + +Upon the arrival of this re-enforcement General Prevost returned an +answer to Count D'Estaing that the town would be defended to the +last. Some time was spent by the enemy in landing and bringing up +heavy artillery from the ships, and the French and Americans did not +begin their works against the town until September 23. The garrison +had utilized the time thus afforded to them to erect new defenses. +The allied force of the assailants consisted of more than 10,000 +Americans and 5000 French troops, while the garrison, including +regulars, provincial corps, sailors, militia, and volunteers, did not +exceed 2500. + +Nevertheless, they did not allow the enemy to carry on their work +without interruption. Several sorties were made. The first of these, +under Major Graham of the Sixteenth Regiment, reached the lines of +the enemy and threw them into confusion. Large re-enforcements came +up to their assistance, and as Graham's detachment fell back upon the +town, the enemy incautiously pursued it so close up to the British +lines that both artillery and musketry were brought to bear upon +them, and they lost a large number of men before they could regain +their works. On the morning of October 4 the batteries of the +besiegers opened fire with fifty-three pieces of heavy artillery and +fourteen mortars. General Prevost sent in a request to Count +D'Estaing that the women and children might be permitted to leave the +town and embark on board vessels lying in the river, there to await +the issue of the fight; but the French commander refused the request +in a letter couched in insulting terms. + +The position of Savannah was naturally strong. The river protected +one of its sides and a deep swamp, partially flooded by it, covered +another. The other two were open to the country, which in front of +them was for several miles level and clear of wood. The works which +had been thrown up on these sides were extremely strong. When the +French first landed there were but ten pieces of cannon upon the +fortifications, but so incessantly did the garrison work that before +the conclusion of the siege nearly one hundred pieces of artillery +were mounted on the redoubts and batteries erected round the town. +Upon the side of the swamp there was not much fear of attack, but +three redoubts were erected to prevent a surprise from this +direction. The defense on the right face of the town was conducted +by Colonel Maitland. The defense on the left, consisting of two +strong redoubts and several batteries, was commanded by Lieutenant +Colonel Cruger. In the center were several strong works, of which +General Prevost himself took the special supervision. The whole +British line, except where the swamp rendered no such defense +necessary, was surrounded by a thick abattis. The French fire made +no sensible impression upon the English defenses, and finding that +the British artillery equaled his own, D'Estaing determined to +discontinue the attack by regular approaches and to carry the place +by storm. His position was a perilous one. He had already spent a +long time before the place, and at any moment the English fleet might +arrive from the West Indies and attack his fleet, which was weakened +by the men and guns which had been landed to carry on the siege. He +therefore determined to risk an assault rather than remain longer +before the town. To facilitate the attack an officer with 5 men on +October 8 advanced to the abattis and set fire to it. The wood, +however, was still green, and the flames were easily extinguished. + +The attack was fixed for the following morning. Bodies of the +American militia were to feign attacks upon the center and left, +while a strong force of the combined armies was to make a real attack +in two columns upon the right. The troops composing the two columns +consisted of 3500 French soldiers and 950 Americans. The principal +force, commanded by Count D'Estaing in person, assisted by General +Lincoln, was to attack the Springfield redoubt, which was situated at +the extreme right of the British central line of defense and close to +the edge of the swamp. The other column, under the command of Count +Dillon, was to move silently along the margin of the swamp, pass the +three redoubts, and get into the rear of the British lines. + +The troops were in motion long before daylight. The attempt to burn +the abattis had excited the suspicion of the English that an assault +might be intended, and accordingly pickets were thrown out in front +of the intrenchments and the scouts were ordered to keep a sharp +watch among the trees which grew in and near the swamp. + +Harold with his friends had accompanied Colonel Maitland's column in +its march to Savannah and had labored vigorously at the defenses, +being especially occupied in felling trees and chopping wood for the +abattis. Before daybreak they heard the noise made by the advance of +the enemy's columns through the wood and hurried back to the +Springfield redoubt, where the garrison at once stood to arms. In +this redoubt were a corps of provincial dismounted dragoons, +supported by the South Carolina regiment. + +Just as daylight appeared the column led by Count D'Estaing advanced +toward the Springfield redoubt, but the darkness was still so intense +that it was not discovered until within a very short distance of the +works. Then a blaze of musketry opened upon it, while a destructive +cross-fire was poured in from the adjoining batteries. So heavy was +the fire that the head of the column was almost swept away. The +assailants kept on with great bravery until they reached the redoubt; +here a desperate hand-to-hand contest took place. Captain Tawse fell +with many of his men, and for a moment a French and an American +standard were planted upon the parapet; nevertheless the defenders +continued to cling to the place and every foot was desperately +contested. + +At this moment Colonel Maitland, with the grenadiers of the Sixtieth +Regiment and the marines, advanced and fell upon the enemy's column, +already shaken by the obstinate resistance it had encountered and by +its losses by the fire from the batteries. The movement was decisive. +The assailants were driven headlong from the redoubt and retreated, +leaving behind them 637 of the French troops killed and wounded and +264 of the Americans. + +In the mean time the column commanded by Count Dillon mistook its way +in the darkness and was entangled in the swamp, from which it was +unable to extricate itself until it was broad daylight and it was +fully exposed to the view of the garrison and to the fire from the +British batteries. This was so hot and so well directed that the +column was never able even to form, far less to penetrate into the +rear of the British lines. + +When the main attack was repulsed Count Dillon drew off his column, +also. No pursuit was ordered as, although the besiegers had suffered +greatly, they were still three times more numerous than the garrison. + +A few days afterward the French withdrew their artillery and +re-embarked on board ship. + +The siege of Savannah cost the allies 1500 men, while the loss of the +garrison was only 120. The pleasure of the garrison at their +successful defense was marred by the death of Colonel Maitland, who +died from the effects of the unhealthy climate and of the exertions +he had made. + +A few days after the raising of the siege the French fleet was +dispersed by a tempest, and Count D'Estaing, with the majority of the +ships under his command, returned to France. + +During the course of this year there were many skirmishes round New +York, but nothing of any great importance took place. Sir Henry +Clinton, who was in supreme command, was unable to undertake any +offensive operations on a large scale, for he had not received the +re-enforcements from home which he had expected. England, indeed, had +her hands full, for in June Spain joined France and America in the +coalition against her and declared war. Spain was at that time a +formidable marine power, and it needed all the efforts that could be +made by the English government to make head against the powerful +fleets which the combined nations were able to send to sea against +them. It was not only in Europe that the Spaniards were able to give +effective aid to the allies. They were still a power on the American +continent, and created a diversion, invading West Florida and +reducing and capturing the town and fort of Mobile. + +In the spring of 1780 Sir Henry Clinton sent down an expedition under +the command of Lord Cornwallis to capture Charleston and reduce the +State of South Carolina. This town was extremely strongly fortified. +It could only be approached by land on one side, while the water, +which elsewhere defended it, was covered by the fire of numerous +batteries of artillery. The water of the bay was too shallow to admit +of the larger men-of-war passing, and the passage was defended by +Fort Moultrie, a very formidable work. Admiral Arbuthnot, with the +_Renown, Romulus, Roebuck, Richmond, Blonde, Raleigh_, and _Virginia_ +frigates, with a favorable wind and tide ran the gantlet of Fort +Moultrie, succeeded in passing up without great loss, and co-operated +on the sea face with the attack of the army on the land side. + +A force was landed on Sullivan's Island, on which Fort Moultrie +stood, and the fort, unprepared for an attack in this direction, was +obliged to surrender. The American cavalry force which had been +collected for the relief of the town was defeated by the English +under General Tarleton. The trenches were pushed forward with great +vigor, and the batteries of the third parallel opened at short range +on the town with great execution. The advances were pushed forward at +the ditch, when the garrison, seeing that further resistance was +impossible, surrendered. Five thousand prisoners were taken, 1000 +American and French seamen, and ten French and American ships-of-war. + +With the fall of Charleston all resistance ceased in South Carolina. +The vast majority of the inhabitants made their submission to the +British government and several loyalist regiments were raised. + +Colonel Tarleton, with 170 cavalry and 100 mounted infantry, was +dispatched against an American force under Colonel Burford, +consisting of 350 infantry, a detachment of cavalry, and two guns, +which had taken post on the border of North Carolina. Tarleton came +up with him, and after a sharp action the Americans were entirely +defeated. One hundred and thirteen were killed on the spot and 207 +made prisoners, of whom 103 were badly wounded. + +For some months the irregular operations were continued, the +Americans making frequent incursions into the Carolinas. The British +troops suffered greatly from the extreme heat and the unhealthiness +of the climate. + +In August the American General Gates advanced toward Camden, and Lord +Cornwallis also moved out to that town, which was held by a British +garrison. The position there was not hopeful. Nearly 800 were sick, +and the total number of effectives was under 2000, of whom 500 were +provincials. The force under General Gates amounted to 6000 men, +exclusive of the corps of Colonel Sumpter, 1000 strong, which were +maneuvering to cut off the English retreat. Cornwallis could not fall +back on Charleston without abandoning the sick and leaving all his +magazines and stores in the hands of the enemy, besides which a +retreat would have involved the abandonment of the whole State with +the exception of Charleston. He therefore decided upon giving battle +to the enemy, who were posted at Rugeley's Mills, a few miles +distant, leaving the defense of Camden to Major M'Arthur, with some +provincials and convalescent soldiers and a detachment of the +Sixty-third Regiment, which was expected to arrive during the night. + +The army marched in the following order: The first division, +commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Webster, consisting of four companies +of light infantry and the Twenty-third and Thirty-third regiments, +preceded by an advanced guard of 40 cavalry. The second division, +consisting of provincial troops and two battalions of the +Seventy-first Regiment, followed as a reserve. The dragoons of the +legion formed the rear guard. The force marched at ten o'clock on the +night of August 16, intending to attack at daybreak the next morning, +but it happened that at the very same hour in which the British set +out, General Gates, with his force, was starting from Rugeley's Mills +with the intention of attacking Camden in the morning. + +At two o'clock in the night the advanced guards of the two armies met +and fired into each other. In the confusion some prisoners were taken +on both sides, and the generals, finding that the two armies were +face to face, halted and waited till morning. Lord Cornwallis placed +Webster's division on the right; the second division, which was under +the command of Lord Rawdon, on the left; the battalion known as the +Volunteers of Ireland were on the right of Lord Rawdon's division and +communicated with the Thirty-third Regiment on the left of Webster. +In the front line were two six-pounders and two three-pounders under +the command of Lieutenant Macleod, R. A. The Seventy-first, with two +six-pounders, was in reserve, one battalion being placed behind each +wing. The dragoons were held in reserve, to charge in the event of a +favorable opportunity. + +The flanks of the English position were covered by swamps, which +somewhat narrowed the ground and prevented the Americans from +utilizing fully their great superiority of numbers. The Americans +were also formed in two lines. + +Soon after daybreak Lord Cornwallis ordered Colonel Webster to +advance and charge the enemy. So fiercely did the English regiments +attack that the Virginia and North Carolina troops who opposed them +quickly gave way, threw down their arms, and fled. General Gates and +General Casswell in vain attempted to rally them. They ran like a +torrent and spread through the woods in every direction. Lord Rawdon +began the action on the left with no less vigor and spirit than Lord +Cornwallis on the right, but here and in the center the contest was +more obstinately maintained by the Americans. + +[Illustration: Plan of the Battle Fought Near Camden, August 16th, +1780.] + +Their reserves were brought up, and the artillery did considerable +execution. Their left flank was, however, exposed by the flight of +the troops of Carolina and Virginia, and the light infantry and +Twenty-third Regiment were halted in the pursuit, and, wheeling +around, came upon the flank of the enemy, who, after a brave +resistance of nearly three-quarters of an hour, were driven into +total confusion and forced to give way on both sides. Their rout was +continued by the cavalry, who continued their pursuit twenty-two +miles from the field of action. + +Between eight and nine hundred of the enemy were killed and about +1000, many of whom were wounded, were taken prisoners. Among these +were Major General Baron de Kalb and Brigadier General Rutherford. +All the baggage, stores, and camp packages, a number of colors, and +several pieces of cannon were taken. General Gates, finding himself +unable to rally the militia, fled first to Charlotte, 90 miles from +the seat of action, and then to Hillsborough, 180 from Camden. +General Gist, alone of all the American commanders, was able to keep +together about 100 men, who, flying across the swamp on their right, +through which they could not be pursued by the cavalry, made their +escape in a body. The loss of the British troops amounted to 69 +killed, 245 wounded, and 11 missing. The loss of the Americans in +killed, wounded, and prisoners exceeded the number of British regular +troops engaged by at least 300. It was one of the most decisive +victories ever won. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +IN AN AMERICAN PRISON. + +Upon the morning after the victory of Camden Lord Cornwallis +dispatched Colonel Tarleton with the light infantry and the German +legion, 350 men in all, to attack Colonel Sumpter, who, with 800 men +and two pieces of cannon, had, upon hearing late at night of General +Gates' defeat, marched away at all speed. Thinking himself out of +danger he halted at midday to rest his men. The British came upon +them by surprise. One hundred and fifty were killed or wounded and +300 made prisoners. The rest scattered as fugitives. Two guns, one +thousand stand of arms, and all the stores and baggage were taken, +and 250 prisoners, some of them British soldiers and the rest loyal +militiamen, whom Sumpter had captured near Camden, were released. + +Lord Cornwallis, after obtaining supplies for his troops and taking +steps for the pacification of the State, was about to move forward +into North Carolina, when he received news of the destruction of a +column under Major Fergusson. This officer, with a detachment of 150 +British regulars and 800 provincials, was attacked by 5000 mounted +partisans, most of them border men accustomed to forest fighting. +Fergusson took up a position on a hill called King's Mountain. This +from its height would have been a good position for defense, but +being covered with wood it offered great opportunities for the +assailants, who dismounted and fought behind trees in accordance with +the tactics taught them in Indian warfare. Again and again the +English charged with the bayonet, each time driving their assailants +back, but these instantly recommenced their destructive fire from +their shelter behind the trees. In little over an hour from the +commencement of the fight 150 of the defenders were killed and many +more wounded. Still they repulsed every attack until their commander +fell dead; then the second in command, judging further resistance in +vain, surrendered. + +On the news of this misfortune Lord Cornwallis fell back, as the +western frontiers of South Carolina were now exposed to the +incursions of the band which had defeated Fergusson. In the retreat +the army suffered terribly. It rained for several days without +intermission. The soldiers had no tents, and the water was everywhere +over their shoes. The continued rains filled the rivers and creeks +prodigiously and rendered the roads almost impassable. The climate +was most unhealthy, and for many days the troops were without rum. +Sometimes the army had beef and no bread, sometimes bread and no +beef. For five days it was supported on Indian corn, which was +collected in the fields, five ears being served out as a daily +allowance to each two soldiers. They had to cook it as they could, +and this was generally done by parching it over the fire. One of the +officers of the quartermaster's department found some of the loyal +militia grating their corn. This was done by breaking up a canteen +and punching holes in the bottom with their bayonets, thus making a +kind of rasp. The idea was communicated to the adjutant general and +afterward adopted for the army. + +The soldiers supported their hardships and privations cheerfully, as +their officers were no better provided than themselves and the fare +of Lords Cornwallis and Rawdon was the same as their own. + +The toilsome march came to an end at last, and the army had rest +after its labors. The only other incident of importance which +occurred was an action between a force under Colonel Tarleton and one +of considerably superior strength under General Sumpter, strongly +posted on a commanding position. The British attack was repulsed, but +General Sumpter, being badly wounded, was carried off the field +during the night, and the force under his command at once dispersed. + +No other event occurred, and the army passed its time in winter +quarters till the spring of 1781. During this winter the enemies of +Great Britain were re-enforced by the accession of the Dutch. At this +time the efforts which England was called upon to make were indeed +great. In Europe France, Spain, and Holland were banded against her; +in India our troops were waging a desperate war with Hyder Ali; while +they were struggling to retain their hold on their American colonies. +Here, indeed, the operations had for the last two years languished. +The re-enforcements which could be spared were extremely small, and +although the British had almost uniformly defeated the Americans in +every action in which there was any approach to equality between the +forces engaged, they were unable to do more than hold the ground on +which they stood. Victorious as they might be, the country beyond the +reach of their rifles swarmed with their enemies, and it became +increasingly clear to all impartial observers that it was impossible +for an army which in all did not amount to more than 20,000 men to +conquer a continent in arms against them. + +Harold was not present at the later events of the campaign of 1780. +He and Jake had been with the column of Major Fergusson. Peter +Lambton had not accompanied him, having received a bullet wound in +the leg in a previous skirmish, which, although not serious, had +compelled him to lay up for a time. + +"Me no like de look ob dis affair, Massa Harold," Jake said, as the +Americans opened fire upon the troops gathered at the top of King's +Mountain. "Dese chaps no fools; dey all backwoodsmen; dey know how to +fight de redskins; great hunters all ob dem." + +"Yes," Harold agreed, "they are formidable opponents, Jake. I do not +like the look of things. These men are all accustomed to fighting in +the woods, while our men have no idea of it. Their rifles are +infinitely superior to these army muskets, and every man of them can +hit a deer behind the shoulder at the distance of 150 yards, while at +that distance most of our men would miss a haystack." + +The scouts and a few of the provincials who had been accustomed to +forest warfare, took up their position behind trees and fought the +advancing enemy in their own way. The mass of the defenders, however, +were altogether puzzled by the stealthy approach of their foes, who +advanced from tree to tree, seldom showing as much as a limb to the +fire of the defenders, and keeping up a deadly fire upon the crowd of +soldiers. + +Had there been time for Major Fergusson, before being attacked, to +have felled a circle of trees and made a breastwork round the top of +the hill, the result might have been different. Again and again the +British gallantly charged down with the bayonet, but the assailants, +as they did so, glided away among the trees after firing a shot or +two into the advancing troops, and retreated a hundred yards or so, +only to recommence their advance as soon as the defenders retired +again to their position. The loss of the assailants was very slight, +the few who fell being for the most part killed by the rifles of the +scouts. + +"It am no use, Massa Harold," Jake said. "Jest look how dem poor +fellows am being shot down. It's all up wid us dis time." + +When upon the fall of Major Fergusson his successor in command +surrendered the post, the defenders were disarmed. The Kentucky men, +accustomed only to warfare against Indians, had no idea of the usages +of war and treated the prisoners with great brutality. Ten of the +loyalist volunteers of Carolina they hung at once upon trees. There +was some discussion as to the disposal of the rest. The border men, +having accomplished their object, were anxious to disperse at once to +their homes. Some of them proposed that they should rid themselves of +all further trouble by shooting them all. This was overruled by the +majority. Presently the prisoners were all bound, their hands being +tied behind them, and a hundred of the border men surrounded them and +ordered them to march across the country. + +Jake and several other negroes who were among the captives were +separated from the rest, and, being put up at auction, were sold as +slaves. Jake fell to the bid of a tall Kentuckian who, without a +word, fastened a rope round his neck, mounted his horse, and started +for his home. The guards conducted the white prisoners to Woodville, +eighty miles from the scene of the fight. This distance was +accomplished in two days' march. Many of the unfortunate men, unable +to support the fatigue, fell and were shot by their guards; the rest +struggled on, utterly exhausted, until they arrived at Woodville, +where they were handed over to a strong force of militia gathered +there. They were now kindly treated, and by more easy marches were +taken to Richmond, in Virginia, where they were shut up in prison. +Here were many English troops, for the Americans, in spite of the +terms of surrender, had still retained as prisoners the troops of +General Burgoyne. + +Several weeks passed without incident. The prisoners were strongly +guarded and were placed in a building originally built for a jail and +surrounded by a very high wall. Harold often discussed with some of +his fellow-captives the possibility of escape. The windows were all +strongly barred, and even should the prisoners break through these +they would only find themselves in the courtyard. There would then be +a wall thirty feet high to surmount, and at the corners of this wall +the Americans had built sentry-boxes, in each of which two men were +stationed night and day. Escape, therefore, seemed next to +impossible. + +The sentries guarding the prison and at the gates were furnished by +an American regiment stationed at Richmond. The wardens in the prison +were, for the most part, negroes. The prisoners were confined at +night in separate cells; in the daytime they were allowed, in parties +of fifty, to walk for two hours in the courtyard. There were several +large rooms in which they sat and took their meals, two sentries with +loaded muskets being stationed in each room. Thus, although +monotonous, there was little to complain of; their food, if coarse, +was plentiful, and the prisoners passed the time in talk, playing +cards, and in such games as their ingenuity could invent. + +One day when two of the negro wardens entered with, the dinners of +the room to which Harold belonged, the latter was astounded at +recognizing in one of them his faithful companion Jake. It was with +difficulty that he suppressed an exclamation of gladness and +surprise. Jake paid no attention to him, but placed the great tin +dish heaped up with yams, which he was carrying, upon the table, and, +with an unmoved face, left the room. A fortnight passed without a +word being exchanged between them. Several times each day Harold saw +the negro, but the guards were always present, and although, when he +had his back to the latter, Jake sometimes indulged in a momentary +grin or a portentous wink, no further communication passed between +them. + +One night at the end of that time Harold, when on the point of going +to sleep, thought he heard a noise as of his door gently opening. It +was perfectly dark, and, after listening for a moment he laid his +head down again, thinking that he had been mistaken, when he heard +close to the bed the words in a low voice: + +"Am you asleep, Massa Harold?" + +"No, Jake," he exclaimed directly. "Ah, my good fellow! how have you +got here?" + +"Dat were a bery easy affair," Jake said. "Me tell you all about it." + +"Have you shut the door again, Jake? There is a sentry coming along +the passage every five minutes." + +"Me shut him, massa, but dere aint no fastening on dis side, so Jake +will sit down wid him back against him." + +Harold got up and partly dressed himself and then sat down by the +side of his follower. + +"No need to whisper," Jake said. "De walls and de doors bery thick; +no one hear. But de sentries on de walls hear if we talk too loud." + +The windows were without glass, which was in those days an expensive +article in America, and the mildness of the climate of Virginia +rendered glass a luxury rather than a necessity. Confident that even +the murmur of their voices would not be overheard if they spoke in +their usual way, Jake and Harold were enabled to converse +comfortably. + +"Well, massa," Jake said, "my story am not a long one. Dat man dat +bought me he rode in two days someting like one hundred miles. It wor +a lucky ting dat Jake had tramp on his feet de last four years, else +soon enough he tumble down, and den de rope round him neck hang him. +Jake awful footsore and tired when he git to de end ob dat journey. +De Kentucky man he lib in a clearing not far from a village. He had +two oder slaves; dey hoe de ground and work for him. He got grown-up +son, who look after dem while him fader away fighting. Dey not afraid +ob de niggers running away, because dere plenty redskin not far away, +and nigger scalp jest as good as white man's. De oder way dere wor +plenty ob villages, and dey tink nigger git caught for sure if he try +to run away. Jake make up his mind he not stop dere bery long. De +Kentuckian was a bery big, strong man, but not so strong as he was +ten years ago, and Jake tink he more dan a match for him. Jake pretty +strong himself, massa?" + +"I should think you were, Jake," Harold said. "There are not many +men, white or black, who can lift as great a weight as you can." + +"For a week Jake work bery hard. Dat Kentuckian hab a way ob always +carrying his rifle about on his arm, and as long as he do dat dere no +chance ob a fair fight. De son he always hab a stick, and he mighty +free wid it. He hit Jake seberal times, and me say to him once, +'Young man, you better mind what you do.' Me suppose dat he not like +de look dat I gib him. He speak to his fader, and he curse and swear +awful, and stand wid de rifle close by and tell dat son ob his to +larrup Jake. Dat he do, massa, for some time. Jake not say noting, +but he make a note ob de affair in his mind. De bery next day de son +go away to de village to buy some tings he want. De fader he come out +and watch me at work; he curse and swear as usual; he call me lazy +hound and swear he cut de flesh from my back; presently he come quite +close and shake him fist in Jake's face. Dat was a foolish ting to +do. So long as he keep bofe him hands on de gun he could say what he +like quite safe, but when he got one hand up lebel wid Jake's nose, +dat different ting altogether. Jake throw up his hand and close wid +him. De gun tumble down and we wrastle and fight. He strong man for +sure, but Jake jest a little stronger. We roll ober and ober on de +ground for some minutes; at last Jake git de upper hand and seize de +white man by de t'roat, and he pretty quick choke him life out. Den +he pick up de gun and wait for de son; when he come back he put a +bullet t'rough him. Den he go to de hut and git food and powder and +ball and start into de woods. De oder niggers dey take no part in de +affair. Dey look on while the skirmish lasts, but not interfere one +way or oder. When it ober me ask dem if dey like to go wid me, but +dey too afraid ob de redskins; so Jake start by himse'f. Me hab +plenty ob practice in de woods and no fear ob meeting redskins, +except when dey on de warpath. De woods stretch a bery long way all +ober de country, and Jake trabel in dem for nigh t'ree weeks. He +shoot deer and manage bery well; see no redskin from the first day to +de last; den he come out into de open country again, hundreds ob +miles from de place where he kill dat Kentuckian. He leab his gun +behind now and trabel for Richmond, where he hear dat de white +prisoners was kept. He walk all night and at day sleep in de woods or +de plantations, and eat ears ob corn. At last he git to Richmond. Den +he gib out dat him massa wanted him to fight on de side ob de English +and dat he run away. He go to de prison and offer to work dere. Dey +tink him story true, and as he had no massa to claim him dey say he +State property, and work widout wages like de oder niggers here; dey +all forfeited slaves whose massas had jined de English. Dese people +so pore dey can't afford to pay white man, so dey take Jake as +warden, and by good luck dey put him in to carry de dinner to de bery +room where Massa Harold was." + +"And have you the keys to lock us up?" + +"No, massa, de niggers only cook de dinners and sweep de prison and +de yard, and do dat kind ob job; de white wardens--dere's six ob +dem--dey hab de keys." + +"Then how did you manage to get here, Jake?" + +"Dat not bery easy matter, Massa Harold. Most ob de wardens drink +like fish; but de head man, him dat keep de keys, he not drink. For +some time Jake not see him way, but one night when he lock up de +prisoners he take Jake round wid him, and Jake carried de big bunch +ob keys--one key to each passage. When he lock up de doors here and +hand de key to Jake to put on de bunch agin, Jake pull out a hair ob +him head and twist it round de ward ob de key so as to know him agin. +Dat night me git a piece ob bread and work him up wid some oil till +he quite like putty, den me steal to de chief warden's room, and dere +de keys hang up close to him bed. Jake got no shoes on, and he stole +up bery silent. He take down de bunch ob keys and carry dem off. He +git to quiet place and strike a light, and search t'rough de keys +till he find de one wid de hair round it; den he take a deep +impression ob him wid de bread; den he carry back the keys and hang +'em up. Jake not allowed to leabe de prison. We jest as much +prisoners as de white men, so he not able to go out to git a key +made; but in de storeroom dere's all sorts ob tools, and he git hold +ob a fine file; den he look about among de keys in de doors ob all de +storerooms and places which wor not kept locked up. At last he find a +key jest de right size, and dough de wards were a little different +dey was ob de right shape. Jake set to work and filled off de knobs +and p'ints which didn't agree wid de shape in de bread. Dis morning, +when you was all out in de yard, me come up quietly and tried de key +and found dat it turned de lock quite easy. Wid a fedder and some oil +me oil de lock and de key till it turned widout making de least, +noise. Den to-night me waited till de sentry come along de corridor, +and den Jake slip along and here he is." + +"Capital, Jake!" Harold said. "And now what is the next thing to do? +Will it be possible to escape through the prison?" + +"No, Massa Harold, dere am t'ree doors from de prison into de yard +and dere's a sentry outside ob each, and de main guard ob twenty men +are down dere, too. No possible to git out ob doors widout de alarm +being given." + +"With the file, Jake, we might cut through the bars." + +"We might cut t'rough de bars and git down into de courtyard; dat +easy enough, massa. Jake could git plenty ob rope from de storeroom, +but we hab de oder wall to climb." + +"You must make a rope-ladder for that, Jake." + +"What sort ob a ladder dat, massa?" + +Harold explained to him how it should be made. + +"When you have finished it, Jake, you should twist strips of any sort +of stuff, cotton or woolen, round and round each of the wooden steps, +so that it will make no noise touching the wall as we climb it. Then +we want a grapnel." + +"Me no able to make dat, massa." + +"Not a regular grapnel, Jake, but you might manage something which +would do." + +"What sort ob ting?" Jake asked. + +Harold sat for some time in thought. + +"If the wall were not so high it would be easy enough, Jake, for we +could do it by fastening the rope within about three inches of the +end of a pole six feet long and three inches thick. That would never +pull over the wall, but it is too high to throw the pole over." + +"Jake could t'row such a stick as dat ober easy enough, massa--no +difficulty about dat; but me no see how a stick like dat balance +massa's weight." + +"It would not balance it, Jake, but the pull would be a side pull and +would not bring the stick over the wall. If it were only bamboo it +would be heavy enough." + +"Bery well, Massa Harold; if you say so, dat's all right. Jake can +git de wood easy enough; dere's plenty ob pieces among de firewood +dat would do for us." + +"Roll it with strips of stuff the same way as the ladder steps, so as +to prevent it making a noise when it strikes the wall. In addition to +the ladder we shall want a length of rope long enough to go from this +window to the ground, and another length of thin rope more than twice +the height of the wall." + +"Bery well, Massa Harold, me understand exactly what's wanted; but +it'll take two or t'ree days to make de ladder, and me can only work +ob a night." being caught. We must choose a dark and windy night. +Bring two files with you, so that we can work together, and some +oil." + +"All right, massa. Now me go." + +"Shut the door quietly, Jake, and do not forget to lock it behind +you," Harold said, as Jake stole noiselessly from the cell. + +A week passed without Jake's again visiting Harold's cell. On the +seventh night the wind had got up and whistled around the jail, and +Harold, expecting that Jake would take advantage of the opportunity, +sat down on his bed without undressing, and awaited his coming. It +was but half an hour after the door had been locked for the night +that it quietly opened again. + +"Here me am, sar, wid eberyting dat's wanted; two files and some oil, +de rope-ladder, de short rope for us to slide down, and de long thin +rope and de piece ob wood six feet long and thick as de wrist." + +They at once set to work with the files, and in an hour had sawn +through two bars, making a hole sufficiently wide for them to pass. +The rope was then fastened to a bar, Harold took off his shoes and +put them in his pocket and then slid down the rope into the +courtyard. With the other rope Jake lowered the ladder and pole to +him and then slid down himself. Harold had already tied to the pole, +at four inches from one end, a piece of rope some four feet long, so +as to form a loop about half that length. The thin rope was put +through the loop and drawn until the two ends came together. + +Noiselessly they stole across the yard until they reached the +opposite wall. The night was a very dark one, and although they could +make out the outline of the wall above them against the skyline, the +sentry-boxes at the corners were invisible. Harold now took hold of +the two ends of the rope, and Jake, stepping back a few yards from +the wall, threw the pole over it. Then Harold drew upon the rope +until there was a check, and he knew that the pole was hard up +against the edge of the wall. He tied one end of the rope-ladder to +an end of the double cord and then hauled steadily upon the other. +The rope running through the loop drew the ladder to the top of the +wall. All this was done quickly and without noise. + +"Now, Jake, do you go first," Harold said. "I will hold the rope +tight below, and do you put part of your weight on it as you go up. +When you get to the top, knot it to the loop and sit on the wall +until I come up." + +In three minutes they were both on the wall, the ladder was hauled up +and dropped on the outside, while the pole was shifted to the inside +of the wall; then they descended the ladder and made across the +country. + +"Which way we go, massa?" Jake asked. + +"I have been thinking it over," Harold replied, "and have decided on +making for the James River. We shall be there before morning and can +no doubt find a boat. We can guide ourselves by the stars, and when +we get into the woods the direction of the wind will be sufficient." + +The distance was about twenty miles, but although accustomed to +scouting at night, they would have had difficulty in making their way +through the woods by morning had they not struck upon a road leading +in the direction in which they wanted to go. + +Thus it was still some hours before daylight when they reached the +James River. They had followed the road all the way, and at the point +where it reached the bank there was a village of considerable size, +and several fishermen's boats were moored alongside. Stepping into +one of these, they unloosed the head-rope and pushed out into the +stream. The boat was provided with a sail. The mast was soon stepped +and the sail hoisted. + +Neither Harold nor Jake had had much experience in boat-sailing, but +the wind was with them and the boat ran rapidly down the river, and +before daylight they were many miles from their point of starting. +The banks of the James River are low and swampy, and few signs of +human habitation were seen from the stream. It widened rapidly as +they descended and became rougher and rougher. They therefore steered +into a sheltered spot behind a sharp bend of the river and anchored. + +In the locker they found plenty of lines and bait, and, setting to +work, had soon half a dozen fine fish at the bottom of the boat. They +pulled up the kedge and rowed to shore and soon made a fire, finding +flint and steel in the boat. The fish were broiled over the fire upon +sticks. The boat was hauled in under some overhanging bushes, and, +stretching themselves in the bottom, Harold and Jake were soon fast +asleep. + +The sun was setting when they woke. + +"What you going to do, sar?" Jake asked. "Are you tinking ob +trabeling by land or ob sailing to New York?" + +"Neither, Jake," Harold answered. "I am thinking of sailing down the +coast inside the line of keys to Charleston. The water there is +comparatively smooth, and as we shall be taken for fishermen it is +not likely that we shall be overhauled. We can land occasionally and +pick a few ears of corn to eat with our fish, and as there is +generally a breeze night and morning, however still and hot the day, +we shall be able to do it comfortably. I see that there is an iron +plate here which has been used for making a fire and cooking on +board, so we will lay in a stock of dry wood before we start." + +The journey was made without any adventure. While the breeze lasted +they sailed; when it fell calm they fished, and when they had +obtained a sufficient supply for their wants they lay down and slept +under the shade of their sail stretched as an awning. Frequently they +passed within hail of other fishing-boats, generally manned by +negroes. But beyond a few words as to their success, no questions +were asked. They generally kept near the shore, and when they saw any +larger craft they either hauled the boat up or ran into one of the +creeks in which the coast abounds. It was with intense pleasure that +at last they saw in the distance the masts of the shipping in +Charleston harbor. + +Two hours later they landed. They fastened the boat to the wharf and +made their way into the town unquestioned. As they were walking along +the principal street they saw a well-known figure sauntering +leisurely toward them. His head was bent down and he did not notice, +them until Harold hailed him with a shout of "Halloo, Peter, old +fellow! How goes it?" + +Peter, although not easily moved or excited, gave a yell of delight +which astonished the passers-by. + +"Ah, my boy!" he exclaimed, "this is a good sight for my old eyes. +Here have I been a-fretting and a-worrying myself for the last three +months, and cussing my hard luck that I was not with you in that +affair on King's Mountain. At first, when I heard of it, I says to +myself, 'The young un got out of it somehow. He aint going to be +caught asleep.' Waal, I kept on hoping and hoping you'd turn up, till +at last I couldn't deceive myself no longer and was forced to +conclude that you'd either been rubbed out or taken prisoner. About a +month ago we got from the Yankees a list of the names of them they'd +captured, and glad I was to see yours among 'em. As I thought as how +you weren't likely to be out as long as the war lasted, I was +a-thinking of giving it up and going to Montreal and settling down +there. It was lonesome like without you, and I missed Jake's laugh, +and altogether things didn't seem natural like. Jake, I'm glad to see +ye. Your name was not in the list, but I thought it likely enough +they might have taken you and set you to work, and made no account of +ye." + +"That is just what they did; but he got away after settling his score +with his new master, and then made for Richmond, where I was in +prison; then he got me loose, and here we are. But it is a long +story, and I must tell it you at leisure." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA. + +The fishing-boat was disposed of for a few pounds, and Harold and +Jake were again fitted out in the semi-uniform worn by the scouts. On +December 13, the very day after their arrival, a considerable +detachment of troops, under General Leslie, arrived, and on the 19th +marched, 1500 strong, to join Lord Cornwallis. Harold and his mates +accompanied them, and the united army proceeded northwest, between +the Roanoke and Catawba rivers. Colonel Tarleton was detached with a +force of 1000 men, consisting of light and German legion infantry, a +portion of the Seventh Regiment and of the first battalion of the +Seventy-first, 350 cavalry, and two field-pieces. His orders were to +pursue and destroy a force of some 800 of the enemy under General +Morgan. The latter, finding himself pressed, drew up his troops for +action near a place called the Cowpens. Then ensued the one action in +the whole war in which the English, being superior in numbers, +suffered a severe defeat. + +Tarleton, confident of victory, led his troops to the attack without +making any proper preparations for it. The infantry advanced bravely, +and, although the American infantry held the ground for a time with +great obstinacy, they drove them back and the victory appeared to be +theirs. Tarleton now sent orders to his cavalry to pursue, as his +infantry were too exhausted, having marched at a rapid pace all +night, to do so. The order was not obeyed, and Major Washington, who +commanded the American cavalry, advanced to cover his infantry. These +rallied behind their shelter and fell upon the disordered British +infantry. Thus suddenly attacked when they believed that victory was +in their hands, the English gave way and were driven back. A panic +seized them and a general rout ensued. Almost the whole of them were +either killed or taken prisoners. + +Tarleton in vain endeavored to induce his German legion cavalry to +charge; they stood aloof and at last fled in a body through the +woods. Their commander and 14 officers remained with Tarleton, and +with these and 40 men of the Seventeenth Regiment of dragoons he +charged the whole body of the American cavalry and drove them back +upon the infantry. + +No partial advantage, however brilliant, could retrieve the +misfortune of the day. All was already lost, and Tarleton retreated +with his gallant little band to the main army under Lord Cornwallis, +twenty-five miles from the scene of action. The British infantry were +all killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, with the exception of a +small detachment which had been left in the rear, and who fell back +hastily as soon as the news of the result of the action reached them. +The legion cavalry returned to camp without the loss of a man. + +The defeat at Cowpens had a serious influence on the campaign. It +deprived Lord Cornwallis of the greater portion of his light +infantry, who were of the greatest utility in a campaign in such a +country, while the news of the action had an immense influence in +raising the spirits of the colonists. Hitherto they had uniformly met +with ill success when they opposed the British with forces even +approaching an equality of strength. In spite of their superior arms +and superior shooting, they were unable to stand the charge of the +British infantry, who had come almost to despise them as foes in the +field. The unexpected success urged them to fresh exertions and +brought to their side vast numbers of waverers. + +General Morgan, who was joined by General Greene, attempted to +prevent Cornwallis passing the fords of the Catawba. It was not till +February 1 that the river had fallen sufficiently to render a passage +possible. Colonel Webster was sent with his division to one of the +principal fords, with orders to open a cannonade there and make a +feint of crossing, while the general himself moved toward a smaller +and less-known ford. General Davidson, with 300 Americans, was +watching this point, but the brigade of guards were ordered to +commence the passage and were led by their light infantry companies +under Colonel Hall. The river was five hundred yards across, and the +stream so strong that the men, marching in fours, had to support one +another to enable them to withstand its force. The ford took a sharp +turn in the middle of the river. + +The night being dark, the guards were not perceived until they had +reached this point, when the enemy immediately opened fire upon them. +The guide at once fled, without his absence being noticed until it +was too late to stop him. Colonel Hall, not knowing of the bend in +the ford, led his men straight forward toward the opposite bank, and +although their difficulties were much increased by the greater depth +of water through which they had to pass, the mistake was really the +means of saving them from much loss, as the Americans were assembled +to meet them at the head of the ford, and would have inflicted a +heavy loss upon them as they struggled in the stream. They did not +perceive the change in the direction of the column's march until too +late, and the guards, on landing, met them as they came on and +quickly routed and dispersed them. The British lost 4 killed, among +whom was Colonel Hall, and 36 wounded. + +The rest of the division then crossed. Colonel Tarleton, with the +cavalry, was sent against 500 of the Americans who had fallen back +from the various fords, and, burning with the desire to retrieve the +defeat of the Cowpens, the legion horse charged the enemy with such +fury that they were completely routed, 50 of them being killed. + +Morgan and Greene withdrew their army through the Roanoke River, +hotly pursued by the English. For a few days the British army +remained at Hillsborough, but no supplies of food sufficient for its +maintenance could be found there, so it again fell back. General +Greene, being re-enforced by a considerable force, now determined to +fight, and accordingly advanced and took up a position near Guilford +Court House. + +[Illustration: Battle of Guilford Fought on the 16th of March 1781.] + +The American force consisted of 4243 infantry and some 3000 +irregulars--for the most part backwoodsmen from the frontier--while +the British force amounted to 1445, exclusive of their cavalry, who, +however, took little part in the fight. About four miles from +Guilford the advanced guards of the army met and a sharp fight +ensued--the Americans, under Colonel Lee, maintaining their ground +stanchly until the Twenty-third Regiment came up to the assistance of +Tarleton, who commanded the advance. + +The main American force was posted in an exceedingly strong position. +Their first line was on commanding ground, with open fields in front; +on their flanks were woods, and a strong fence ran along in front of +their line. The second line was posted in a wood three hundred yards +in rear of the first, while four hundred yards behind were three +brigades drawn up in the open ground round Guilford Court House. +Colonel Washington, with two regiments of dragoons and one of +riflemen, formed a reserve for the right flank; Colonel Lee, with his +command, was in reserve on the left. + +As soon as the head of the British column appeared in sight two guns +upon the road opened fire upon them and were answered by the English +artillery. While the cannonade continued the British formed in order +of attack. The Seventy-first, with a provincial regiment, supported +by the first battalion of the guards, formed the right; the +Twenty-third and Thirty-third, led by Colonel Webster, with the +grenadiers and second battalion of guards, formed the left. The light +infantry of the guards and the cavalry were in reserve. + +When the order was given to advance the line moved forward in perfect +steadiness, and at 150 yards the enemy opened fire. The English did +not fire a shot till within 80 yards, when they poured in a volley +and charged with the bayonet. The first line of the enemy at once +fell back upon the second; here a stout resistance was made. Posted +in the woods and sheltering themselves behind trees, they kept up for +some time a galling fire which did considerable execution. General +Leslie brought up the right wing of the first battalion of guards +into the front line and Colonel Webster called up the second +battalion. The enemy's second line now fell back on their third, +which was composed of their best troops, and the struggle was a very +obstinate one. + +The Americans, from their vastly superior numbers, occupied so long a +line of ground that the English commanders, in order to face them, +were obliged to leave large gaps between the different regiments. +Thus it happened that Webster, who with the Thirty-third Regiment, +the light infantry, and the second battalion of guards turned toward +the left, found himself separated from the rest of the troops by the +enemy, who pushed in between him and the Twenty-third. These again +were separated from the guards. The ground was very hilly, the wood +exceedingly thick, and the English line became broken up into +regiments separated from each other, each fighting on its own account +and ignorant of what was going on in other parts of the field. + +The second battalion of guards was the first that broke through the +wood into the open grounds of Guilford Court House. They immediately +attacked a considerable force drawn up there, routed them, and took +their two cannon with them; but, pursuing them with too much ardor +and impetuosity toward the woods in the rear, were thrown into +confusion by a heavy fire from another body of troops placed there, +and being instantly charged by Washington's dragoons, were driven +back with great slaughter and the cannon were retaken. + +At this moment the British guns, advancing along the road through the +wood, issued into the open and checked the pursuit of the Americans +by a well-directed fire. The Seventy-first and the Twenty-third now +came through the wood. The second battalion of guards rallied and +again advanced, and the enemy were quickly repulsed and put to +flight. The two guns were recaptured, with two others. + +Colonel Webster, with the Thirty-third, returned across the ravine +through which he had driven the enemy opposed to him, and rejoined +the rest of the force. The Americans drew off in good order. The +Twenty-third and Twenty-first pursued with the cavalry for a short +distance and were then recalled. The fight was now over on the center +and left, but on the right heavy firing was still going on. Here +General Leslie, with the first battalion of guards and a Hessian +regiment, had been greatly impeded by the excessive thickness of the +woods, which rendered it impossible to charge with the bayonet. As +they struggled through the thicket the enemy swarmed around them, so +that they were at times engaged in front, flanks, and rear. The enemy +were upon an exceedingly steep rise, and lying along the top of this +they poured such a heavy fire into the guards that these suffered +exceedingly; nevertheless they struggled up to the top and drove the +front line back, but found another far more numerous drawn up behind. +As the guards struggled up to the crest they were received by a +tremendous fire on their front and flanks and suffered so heavily +that they fell into confusion. The Hessian regiment, which had +suffered but slightly, advanced in compact order to the left of the +guards, and, wheeling to the right, took the enemy in the flank with +a very heavy fire. Under cover of this the guards re-formed and moved +forward to join the Hessians and complete the repulse of the enemy +opposed to them. They were again attacked both in the flank and the +rear, but at last they completely dispersed the troops surrounding +them and the battle came to an end. + +This battle was one of the most obstinate and well-contested +throughout the war, and the greatest credit is due to the British, +who drove the enemy, three times their own number, from the ground +chosen by them and admirably adapted to their mode of warfare. + +The loss, as might have been expected, was heavy, amounting to 93 +killed and 413 wounded--nearly a third of the force engaged. Between +two and three hundred of the enemy's dead were found on the field of +battle, and a great portion of their army was disbanded. The +sufferings of the wounded on the following night were great. A +tremendous rain fell, and the battle had extended over so large an +area that it was impossible to find and collect them. The troops had +had no food during the day and had marched several miles before they +came into action. Nearly 50 of the wounded died during the night. + +Decisive as the victory was, its consequences were slight. Lord +Cornwallis was crippled by his heavy loss, following that which the +force had suffered at the Cowpens. The two battles had diminished the +strength of his little force by fully half. Provisions were difficult +to obtain, and the inhabitants, some of whom had suffered greatly +upon previous occasions for their loyal opinions, seeing the weakness +of the force and the improbability of its being enabled to maintain +itself, were afraid to lend assistance or to show their sympathy, as +they would be exposed on its retreat to the most cruel persecutions +by the enemy. + +Three days after the battle Lord Cornwallis retired, leaving 70 of +the wounded, who were unable to move, under the protection of a flag +of truce. From Guilford Court House he moved his troops to +Wilmington, in North Carolina, a seaport where he hoped to obtain +provisions and stores, especially clothing and shoes. + +General Greene, left unmolested after his defeat, reassembled his +army, and receiving re-enforcements, marched at full speed to attack +Lord Rawdon at Camden, thinking that he would, with his greatly +superior force, be able to destroy him in his isolated situation. The +English commander fortified his position and the American general +drew back and encamped on Hobkirk Hill, two miles distant, to await +the coming of his heavy baggage and cannon, together with some +re-enforcements. Lord Rawdon determined to take the initiative, and +marching out with his whole force of 900 men, advanced to the attack. +The hill was covered at its foot by a deep swamp, but the English +marched round this and stormed the position. The Americans made an +obstinate resistance, but the English climbed the hill with such +impetuosity, in spite of the musketry and grape-shot of the enemy, +that they were forced to give way. Several times they returned to the +attack, but were finally driven off in confusion. One hundred +prisoners were taken, and Lord Rawdon estimated that 400 of the enemy +were killed and wounded. The American estimate was considerably +lower, and as the Americans fought with all the advantage of +position, while the English were exposed during their ascent to a +terrible fire, which they were unable to return effectively, it is +probable that the American loss, including the wounded, was inferior +to that of the English, whose casualties amounted to 258. + +Harold and his companions did not take part either in the battle of +Guilford Court House or in that of Hobkirk Hill, having been attached +to the fort known as Ninety-six, because a milestone with these +figures upon it stood in the village. The force here was under the +command of Lieutenant Colonel Cruger, who had with him 150 men of a +provincial corps known as Delancey's, 200 of the second battalion of +the New Jersey volunteers, and 200 local loyalists. The post was far +advanced, but so long as Lord Rawdon remained at Camden its position +was not considered to be dangerous. The English general, however, +after winning the battle of Hobkirk Hill, received news of the +retirement of Lord Cornwallis toward Wilmington, and seeing that he +would thereby be exposed to the whole of the American forces in South +Carolina and would infallibly be cut off from Charleston, he +determined to retire upon that port. Before falling back he sent +several messengers to Colonel Cruger, acquainting him of his +intention. But so well were the roads guarded by the enemy that none +of the messengers reached Ninety-six. + +Colonel Cruger, being uneasy at the length of time which had elapsed +since he had received any communication, sent Harold and the two +scouts out with instructions to make their way toward the enemy's +lines and, if possible, to bring in a prisoner. This they had not +much difficulty in doing. Finding out the position of two parties of +the Americans, they placed themselves on the road between them. No +long time elapsed before an American officer came along. A shot from +Peter's rifle killed his horse, and before the officer could recover +his feet, he was seized by the scouts. They remained hidden in the +wood during the day and at night returned with their prisoner to +Ninety-six, thirty miles distant, avoiding all villages where +resistance could be offered by hostile inhabitants. + +From the prisoner Colonel Cruger learned that Lord Rawdon had +retreated from Camden and that he was therefore entirely isolated. +The position was desperate, but he determined to defend the post to +the last, confident that Lord Rawdon would, as soon as possible, +undertake an expedition for his release. + +The whole garrison was at once set to work, stockades were erected, +earthworks thrown up, a redoubt--formed of casks filled with +earth--constructed, and the whole strengthened by ditches and +abattis. Blockhouses were erected in the village to enable the troops +to fire over the stockades, and covered communications made between +various works. The right of the village was defended by a regular +work called the Star. To the left was a work commanding a rivulet +from which the place drew its supply of water. + +Colonel Cruger offered the volunteers, who were a mounted corps, +permission to return to Charleston, but they refused to accept the +offer, and, turning their horses into the woods, determined to share +the fate of the garrison. In making this offer the colonel was +influenced partly by motives of policy, as the stock of provisions +was exceedingly scanty, and he feared that they would not last if the +siege should be a long one. Besides this, he feared that, as had +already too often happened, should the place fall, even the solemn +engagement of the terms of the surrender would not be sufficient to +protect the loyalists against the vengeance of their countrymen. + +On May 21 General Greene, with his army, appeared in sight of the +place and encamped in a wood within cannon-shot of the village. He +lost no time, and in the course of the night threw up two works +within seventy paces of the fortifications. The English commander did +not suffer so rash and disdainful a step to pass unpunished. The +scouts, who were outside the works, brought in news of what was being +done, and also that the working parties were protected by a strong +force. + +The three guns which constituted the entire artillery of the +defenders were moved noiselessly to the salient angle of the Star +opposite the works, and at eleven o'clock in the morning these +suddenly opened fire, aided by musketry from the parapets. The +covering force precipitately retreated, and 30 men sallied out from +the fort, carried the intrenchments, and bayoneted their defenders. +Other troops followed, the works were destroyed, and the intrenching +tools carried into the fort. General Greene, advancing with his whole +army, arrived only in time to see the last of the sallying party +re-enter the village. + +"I call that a right-down good beginning," Peter Lambton said, in +great exultation. "There's nothing like hitting a hard blow at the +beginning of the fight. It raises your spirits and makes t'other chap +mighty cautious. You'll see next time they'll begin their works at a +much more respectful distance." + +Peter was right. The blow checked the impetuosity of the American +general, and on the night of the 23d he opened his trenches at a +distance of four hundred yards. Having so large a force, he was able +to push forward with great rapidity, although the garrison made +several gallant sorties to interfere with the work. + +On June 3 the second parallel was completed. A formal summons was +sent to the British commander to surrender. This document was couched +in the most insolent language and contained the most unsoldierlike +threats of the consequences which would befall the garrison and its +commander if he offered further resistance. Colonel Cruger sent back +a verbal answer that he was not frightened by General Greene's +menaces and that he should defend the post until the last. + +The American batteries now opened with a heavy cross-fire, which +enfiladed several of the works. They also pushed forward a sap +against the Star fort and erected a battery, composed of gabions, +thirty-six yards only from the abattis and raised forty feet high so +as to overlook the works of the garrison. The riflemen posted on its +top did considerable execution and prevented the British guns being +worked during the day. + +The garrison tried to burn the battery by firing heated shot into it, +but from want of proper furnaces they were unable to heat the shot +sufficiently, and the attempt failed. They then protected their +parapets as well as they could by sand-bags with loop-holes, through +which the defenders did considerable execution with their rifles. + +Harold and his two comrades, whose skill with their weapons was +notorious, had their post behind some sand-bags immediately facing +the battery, and were able completely to silence the fire of its +riflemen, as it was certain death to show a head above its parapet. + +The enemy attempted to set fire to the houses of the village by +shooting blazing arrows into them, a heavy musketry and artillery +fire being kept up to prevent the defenders from quenching the +flames. These succeeded, however, in preventing any serious +conflagration, but Colonel Cruger ordered at once that the whole of +the houses should be unroofed. Thus the garrison were for the rest of +the siege without protection from the rain and night air, but all +risk of a fire, which might have caused the consumption of their +stores, was avoided. + +While the siege had been going on the town of Augusta had fallen, and +Lieutenant Colonel Lee, marching thence to re-enforce General Greene, +brought with him the British prisoners taken there. With a scandalous +want of honorable feeling he marched these prisoners along in full +sight of the garrison, with all the parade of martial music, and +preceded by a British standard reversed. + +If the intention was to discourage the garrison it failed entirely in +its effect. Fired with indignation at so shameful a sight, they +determined to encounter every danger and endure every hardship rather +than fall into the hands of an enemy capable of disgracing their +success by so wanton an insult to their prisoners. + +The Americans, strengthened by the junction of the troops who had +reduced Augusta, began to make approaches against the stockaded fort +on the left of the village, which kept open the communication of the +garrison with their water supply. The operations on this side were +intrusted to Colonel Lee, while General Greene continued to direct +those against the Star. + +On the night of June 9 a sortie was made by two strong parties of the +defenders. That to the right entered the enemy's trenches and +penetrated to a battery of four guns, which nothing but the want of +spikes and hammers prevented them from destroying. Here they +discovered the mouth of a mine intended to be carried under one of +the defenses of the Star. + +The division on the left fell in with the covering party of the +Americans, killed a number of them, and made their commanding officer +a prisoner. + +On the 12th Colonel Lee determined to attempt a storm of the stockade +on the left, and sent forward a sergeant and six men, with lighted +combustibles, to set fire to the abattis. The whole of them were +killed before effecting their purpose. A number of additional cannon +now arrived from Augusta, and so heavy and incessant a fire was +opened upon the stockade from three batteries that on the 17th it was +no longer tenable, and the garrison evacuated it in the night. + +The suffering of the garrison for want of water now became extreme. +With great labor a well had been dug in the fort, but no water was +found, and none could be procured except from the rivulet within +pistol-shot of the enemy. In the day nothing could be done, but at +night negroes, whose bodies in the darkness were not easily +distinguished from the tree-stumps which surrounded them, went out +and at great risk brought in a scanty supply. The position of the +garrison became desperate. Colonel Cruger, however, was not +discouraged, and did his best to sustain the spirits of his troops by +assurances that Lord Rawdon was certain to attempt to relieve the +place as soon as he possibly could do so. + +At length one day, to the delight of the garrison, an American +royalist rode right through the pickets under the fire of the enemy +and delivered a verbal message from Lord Rawdon to the effect that he +had passed Orangeburg and was on his march to raise the siege. + +Lord Rawdon had been forced to remain at Charleston until the arrival +of three fresh regiments from Ireland enabled him to leave that place +in safety and march to the relief of Ninety-six. His force amounted +to 1800 infantry and 150 cavalry. General Greene had also received +news of Lord Rawdon's movements, and, finding from his progress that +it would be impossible to reduce the fort by regular approaches +before his arrival, he determined to hazard an assault. + +The American works had been pushed up close to the forts, and the +third parallel had been completed, and a mine and two trenches +extended within a few feet of the ditch. On the morning of June 18 a +heavy cannonade was begun from all the American batteries. The Whole +of the batteries and trenches were lined with riflemen, whose fire +prevented the British from showing their heads, above the parapets. +At noon two parties of the enemy advanced under cover of their +trenches and made a lodgment in the ditch. These were followed by +other parties with hooks to drag down the sand-bags and tools to +overthrow the parapet. They were exposed to the fire of the +block-houses in the village, and Major Green, the English officer who +commanded the Star fort, had his detachment in readiness behind the +parapet to receive the enemy when they attempted to storm. + +As the main body of Americans did not advance beyond the third +parallel and contented themselves with supporting the parties in the +ditch with their fire, the commander of the fort resolved to inflict +a heavy blow. Two parties, each 30 strong, under the command of +Captains Campbell and French, issued from the sally-port in the rear, +entered the ditch, and, taking opposite directions, charged the +Americans who had made the lodgment with such impetuosity that they +drove everything before them until they met. The bayonet alone was +used and the carnage was great--two-thirds of those who entered the +trenches were either killed or wounded. + +General Greene, finding it useless any longer to continue the +attempt, called off his troops, and on the following day raised the +siege and marched away with all speed, having lost at least 300 men +in the siege. Of the garrison 27 were killed and 58 wounded. + +On the 21st Lord Rawdon arrived at Ninety-six and, finding that it +would be hopeless for him to attempt to overtake the retreating +enemy, who were marching with great speed, he drew off the garrison +of Ninety-six and fell back toward the coast. + +A short time afterward a sharp fight ensued between a force under +Colonel Stewart and the army of General Greene. The English were +taken by surprise and were at first driven back, but they recovered +from their confusion and renewed the fight with great spirit, and +after a desperate conflict the Americans were repulsed. Two cannon +and 60 prisoners were taken; among the latter Colonel Washington, who +commanded the reserve. The loss on both sides was about equal, as 250 +of the British troops were taken prisoners at the first outset. The +American killed considerably exceeded our own. Both, parties claimed +the victory; the Americans because they had forced the British to +retreat; the British because they had ultimately driven the Americans +from the field and obliged them to retire to a strong position seven +miles in the rear This was the last action of the war in South +Carolina. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +THE END OF THE STRUGGLE. + +Being unable to obtain any supplies at Wilmington, Lord Cornwallis +determined to march on into Virginia and to effect a junction with +the British force under General Arnold operating there. Arnold +advanced to Petersburg and Cornwallis effected a junction with him on +May 20. The Marquis de la Fayette, who commanded the colonial forces +here, fell back. Just at this time the Count de Grasse, with a large +French fleet, arrived off the coast, and, after some consultation +with General Washington, determined that the French fleet and the +whole American army should operate together to crush the forces under +Lord Cornwallis. + +The English were hoodwinked by reports that the French fleet was +intended to operate against New York, and it was not until they +learned that the Count de Grasse had arrived with twenty-eight ships +of the line at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay that the true object +of the expedition was seen. A portion of the English fleet +encountered them, but after irregular actions, lasting over five +days, the English drew off and retired to New York. The +commander-in-chief then attempted to effect a diversion, in order to +draw off some of the enemy who were surrounding Cornwallis. The fort +of New London was stormed after some desperate fighting, and great +quantities of ammunition and stores and fifty pieces of cannon taken. +General Washington did not allow his attention to be distracted. +Matters were in a most critical condition, for although to the +English the prospect of ultimate success appeared slight indeed, the +Americans were in a desperate condition. Their immense and +long-continued efforts had been unattended with any material success. +It was true that the British troops held no more ground now than they +did at the end of the first year of the war, but no efforts of the +colonists had succeeded in wresting that ground from them. The people +were exhausted and utterly disheartened. Business of all sorts was at +a standstill. Money had ceased to circulate, and the credit of +Congress stood so low that its bonds had ceased to have any value +whatever. The soldiers were unpaid, ill fed, and mutinous. If on the +English side it seemed that the task of conquering was beyond them, +the Americans were ready to abandon the defense from sheer +exhaustion. It was then of paramount necessity to General Washington +that a great and striking success should be obtained to animate the +spirits of the people. + +Cornwallis, seeing the formidable combination which the French and +Americans were making to crush him, sent message after message to New +York to ask for aid from the commander-in-chief, and received +assurances from him that he would at once sail with 4000 troops to +join him. Accordingly, in obedience to his orders, Lord Cornwallis +fortified himself at Yorktown. + +On September 28 the combined army of French and Americans, consisting +of 7000 of the former and 12,000 of the latter, appeared before +Yorktown and the post at Gloucester. Lord Cornwallis had 5960 men, +but so great had been the effects of the deadly climate in the autumn +months that only 4017 men were reported as fit for duty. + +The enemy at once invested the town and opened their trenches against +it. From their fleet they had drawn an abundance of heavy artillery, +and on October 9 their batteries opened a tremendous fire upon the +works. Each day they pushed their trenches closer, and the British +force was too weak, in comparison with the number of its assailants, +to venture upon sorties. The fire from the works was completely +overpowered by that of the enemy, and the ammunition was nearly +exhausted. Day after day passed and still the promised re-enforcements +did not arrive. Lord Cornwallis was told positively that the fleet +would set sail on October 8, but it came not, nor did it leave port +until the 19th, the day on which Lord Cornwallis surrendered. + +On the 16th, finding that he must either surrender or break through, +he determined to cross the river and fall on the French rear with his +whole force and then turn northward and force his way through +Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the Jerseys. In the night the light +infantry, the greater part of the guards, and part of the +Twenty-third were embarked in boats and crossed to the Gloucester +side of the river before midnight. At this critical moment a violent +storm arose which prevented the boats returning. The enemy's fire +reopened at daybreak, and the engineer and principal officers of the +army gave it as their opinion that it was impossible to resist +longer. Only one eight-inch shell and a hundred small ones remained. +The defenses had in many places tumbled to ruins, and no effectual +resistance could be opposed to an assault. + +Accordingly Lord Cornwallis sent out a flag of truce and arranged +terms of surrender. On the 24th the fleet and re-enforcements arrived +off the mouth of the Chesapeake. Had they left New York at the time +promised, the result of the campaign would have been different. + +The army surrendered as prisoners of war until exchanged, the +officers with liberty to proceed on parole to Europe and not to serve +until exchanged. The loyal Americans were embarked on the _Bonito_, +sloop of war, and sent to New York in safety, Lord Cornwallis having +obtained permission to send off the ship without her being searched, +with as many soldiers on board as he should think fit, so that they +were accounted for in any further exchange. He was thus enabled to +send off such of the inhabitants and loyalist troops as would have +suffered from the vengeance of the Americans. + +The surrender of Lord Cornwallis' army virtually ended the war. The +burden entailed on the people in England by the great struggle +against France, Spain, Holland, and America, united in arms against +her, was enormous. So long as there appeared any chance of recovering +the colony the English people made the sacrifices required of them, +but the conviction that it was impossible for them to wage a war with +half of Europe and at the same time to conquer a continent had been +gaining more and more in strength. Even the most sanguine were +silenced by the surrender of Yorktown, and a cry arose throughout the +country that peace should at once be made. + +As usual under the circumstances, a change of ministry took place. +Negotiations for peace were at once commenced, and the war terminated +in the acknowledgment of the entire independence of the United States +of America. + +Harold with his companions had fallen back to Charleston with Lord +Rawdon after the relief of Ninety-six, and remained there until the +news arrived that the negotiations were on foot and that peace was +now certain. Then he took his discharge and sailed at once for +England, accompanied by Jake; Peter Lambton taking a passage to +Canada to carry out his intention of settling at Montreal. + +Harold was now past twenty-two, and his father and mother did not +recognize him when, without warning, he arrived at their residence in +Devonshire. It was six years since his mother had seen him, when she +sailed from Boston before its surrender in 1776. + +For a year he remained quiet at home, and then carried out his plan +of returning to the American continent and settling in Canada. + +Accompanied by Jake, he sailed for the St. Lawrence and purchased a +snug farm on its banks, near the spot where it flows from Lake +Ontario. + +He greatly improved it, built a comfortable house upon it, and two +years later returned to England, whence he brought back his Cousin +Nelly as his wife. + +Her little fortune was used in adding to the farm, and it became one +of the largest and best managed in the country. Peter Lambton +found Montreal too crowded for him and settled down on the estate, +supplying it with fish and game so long as his strength enabled him +to go about, and enjoying the society of Jack Pearson, who had +married and established himself on a farm close by. As years went +on and the population increased the property became very valuable, +and Harold, before he died, was one of the wealthiest and most +respected men in the colony. So long as his mother lived he and his +wife paid occasional visits to England, but after her death his +family and farm had so increased that it was inconvenient to leave +them; his father therefore returned with him to Canada and ended his +life there. Jake lived to a good old age and was Harold's faithful +friend and right-hand man to the last. + + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of True to the Old Flag, by G. A. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: True to the Old Flag + A Tale of the American War of Independence + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: September, 2005 [EBook #8859] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 15, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG *** + + + + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG + +A TALE OF THE AMERICAN WAR +OF INDEPENDENCE + + + + +By +G. A. HENTY + +Author Of "With Clive In India," "The Dragon And The Raven," +"With Lee In Virginia," "By England's Aid," "In The Reign Of Terror," +"With Wolfe In Canada," "Captain Bayley's Heir," Etc. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER + +I. A FRONTIER FARM + +II. AN INDIAN RAID + +III. THE REDSKIN ATTACK + +IV. THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON + +V. BUNKER'S HILL + +VI. SCOUTING + +VII. IN THE FOREST + +VIII. QUEBEC + +IX. THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON + +X. A TREACHEROUS PLANTER + +XI. THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA + +XII. THE SETTLER'S HUT + +XIII. SARATOGA + +XIV. RESCUED! + +XV. THE ISLAND REFUGE + +XVI. THE GREAT STORM + +XVII. THE SCOUT'S STORY + +XVIII. THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH + +XIX. IN AN AMERICAN PRISON + +XX. THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA + +XXI. THE END OF THE STRUGGLE + + + + +PREFACE. + + +MY DEAR LADS: + +You have probably been accustomed to regard the war between England +and her colonies in America as one in which we were not only beaten +but, to some extent, humiliated. Owing to the war having been an +unsuccessful one for our arms, British writers have avoided the +subject, and it has been left for American historians to describe. +These, writing for their own countrymen, and drawing for their facts +upon gazettes, letters, and other documents emanating from one side +only, have, naturally, and no doubt insensibly, given a very strong +color to their own views of the events, and English writers have been +too much inclined to accept their account implicitly. There is, +however, another and very different side to the story, and this I +have endeavored to show you. The whole of the facts and details +connected with the war can be relied upon as accurate. They are drawn +from the valuable account of the struggle written by Major Steadman, +who served under Howe, Clinton, and Cornwallis, and from other +authentic contemporary sources. You will see that, although +unsuccessful,--and success was, under the circumstances, a sheer +impossibility,--the British troops fought with a bravery which was +never exceeded, and that their victories in actual conflict vastly +outnumbered their defeats. Indeed, it may be doubted whether in any +war in which this country has been engaged have our soldiers +exhibited the qualities of endurance and courage to a higher degree. + +Yours very sincerely, + +G. A. HENTY. + + + + + + +TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +A FRONTIER FARM. + + +"Concord, March 1, 1774. + +"MY DEAR COUSIN: I am leaving next week with my husband for England, +where we intend to pass some time visiting his friends. John and I +have determined to accept the invitation you gave us last summer for +Harold to come and spend a few months with you. His father thinks +that a great future will, ere many years, open in the West, and that +it is therefore well the boy should learn something of frontier life. +For myself, I would rather that he stayed quietly at home, for he is +at present over-fond of adventure; but as my husband is meditating +selling his estate here and moving West, it is perhaps better for him. + +"Massachusetts is in a ferment, as indeed are all the Eastern States, +and the people talk openly of armed resistance against the +Government. My husband, being of English birth and having served in +the king's army, cannot brook what he calls the rebellious talk which +is common among his neighbors, and is already on bad terms with many +around us. I myself am, as it were, a neutral. As an American woman, +it seems to me that the colonists have been dealt with somewhat +hardly by the English Parliament, and that the measures of the latter +have been high-handed and arbitrary. Upon the other hand, I naturally +incline toward my husband's views. He maintains that, as the king's +army has driven out the French, and gives protection to the colony, +it is only fair that the colonists should contribute to its expenses. +The English ask for no contributions toward the expense of their own +country, but demand that, at least, the expenses of the protection of +the colony shall not be charged upon the heavily taxed people at +home. As to the law that the colony shall trade only with the mother +country, my husband says that this is the rule in the colonies of +Spain, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands, and that the people +here, who can obtain what land they choose and till it without rent, +should not grumble at paying this small tax to the mother country. +However it be, I fear that troubles will come, and, this place being +the head and focus of the party hostile to England, my husband, +feeling himself out of accord with all his neighbors, saying a few +loyal gentlemen like himself, is thinking much and seriously of +selling our estate here and of moving away into the new countries of +the West, where he will be free from all the disputation and +contentious talk which occupies men's time here. + +"Indeed, cousin, times have sadly changed since you were staying here +with us five years ago. Then our life was a peaceful and quiet one; +now there is nothing but wrangling and strife. The dissenting clergy +are, as my husband says was the case in England before the great +civil war, the fomenters of this discontent. There are many +busybodies who pass their time in stirring up the people by violent +harangues and seditious writings; therefore everyone takes one side +or the other, and there is neither peace nor comfort in life. + +"Accustomed as I have always been to living in ease and affluence, I +dread, somewhat, the thought of a life on the Indian frontier. One +has heard so many dreadful stories of Indian fights and massacres +that I tremble a little at the prospect; but I do not mention this to +John, for as other women are, like yourself, brave enough to support +these dangers, I would not appear a coward in his eyes. You will see, +cousin, that, as this prospect is before us, it is well that Harold +should learn the ways of a frontier life. Moreover, John does not +like the thought of leaving him here while we are in England; for, as +he says, the boy might learn to become a rebel in his absence; +therefore, my dear cousin, we have resolved to send him to you. An +opportunity offers, in the fact that a gentleman of our acquaintance +is, with his family, going this week West, with the intention of +settling there, and he will, he tells us, go first to Detroit, whence +he will be able to send Harold forward to your farm. The boy himself +is delighted at the thought, and promises to return an accomplished +backwoodsman. John joins me in kind love to yourself and your +husband, and believe me to remain, + +"Your Affectionate Cousin, + +"MARY WILSON." + + +Four months after the date of the above letter a lad some fifteen +years old was walking with a man of middle age on the shores of Lake +Huron. Behind them was a large clearing of about a hundred acres in +extent; a comfortable house, with buildings for cattle, stood at a +distance of some three hundred yards from the lake; broad fields of +yellow corn waved brightly in the sun; and from the edge of the +clearing came the sound of a woodsman's ax, showing that the +proprietor was still enlarging the limits of his farm. Surrounding +the house, at a distance of twenty yards, was a strong stockade some +seven feet in height, formed of young trees, pointed at the upper +end, squared, and fixed firmly in the ground. The house itself, +although far more spacious and comfortable than the majority of +backwood farmhouses, was built in the usual fashion, of solid logs, +and was evidently designed to resist attack. + +William Welch had settled ten years before on this spot, which was +then far removed from the nearest habitation. It would have been a +very imprudent act, under ordinary circumstances, to have established +himself in so lonely a position, so far removed from the possibility +of assistance in case of attack. He settled there, however, just +after Pontiac, who was at the head of an alliance of all the Indian +tribes of those parts, had, after the long and desperate siege of +Fort Pitt, made peace with us upon finding that his friends, the +French, had given up all thought of further resistance to the +English, and had entirely abandoned the country. Mr. Welch thought, +therefore, that a permanent peace was likely to reign on the +frontier, and that he might safely establish himself in the charming +location he had pitched upon, far removed from the confines of +civilization. + +The spot was a natural clearing of some forty acres in extent, +sloping down to the water's edge, and a more charming site could +hardly have been chosen. Mr. Welch had brought with him three farm +laborers from the East, and, as time went on, he extended the +clearing by cutting down the forest giants which bordered it. + +But in spite of the beauty of the position, the fertility of the +soil, the abundance of his crops, and the advantages afforded by the +lake, both from its plentiful supply of fish and as a highway by +which he could convey his produce to market, he had more than once +regretted his choice of location. It was true that there had been no +Indian wars on a large scale, but the Indians had several times +broken out in sudden incursions. Three times he had been attacked, +but, fortunately, only by small parties, which he had been enabled to +beat off. Once, when a more serious danger threatened him, he had +been obliged to embark, with his wife and child and his more valuable +chattels, in the great scow in which he carried his produce to +market, and had to take refuge in the settlements, to find, on his +return, his buildings destroyed and his farm wasted. At that time he +had serious thoughts of abandoning his location altogether, but the +settlements were extending rapidly toward him, and, with the prospect +of having neighbors before long and the natural reluctance to give up +a place upon which he had expended so much toil, he decided to hold +on; hoping that more quiet times would prevail, until other settlers +would take up land around him. + +The house had been rebuilt more strongly than before. He now employed +four men, and had been unmolested since his return to his farm, three +years before the date of this story. Already two or three locations +had been taken up on the shores of the lake beyond him, a village had +grown up thirty-five miles away, and several settlers had established +themselves between that place and his home. + +"So you are going out fishing this morning, Harold?" Mr. Welch said. +"I hope you will bring back a good supply, for the larder is low. I +was looking at you yesterday, and I see that you are becoming a +first-rate hand at the management of a canoe." + +"So I ought to be," the boy said, "considering that for nearly three +months I have done nothing but shoot and fish." + +"You have a sharp eye, Harold, and will make a good backwoodsman one +of these days. You can shoot nearly as well as I can now. It is lucky +that I had a good stock of powder and lead on hand; firing away by +the hour together, as you do, consumes a large amount of ammunition. +See, there is a canoe on the lake; it is coming this way, too. There +is but one man in it; he is a white, by his clothes." + +For a minute or two they stood watching the boat, and then, seeing +that its course was directed toward the shore, they walked down to +the edge of the lake to meet it. + +"Ah, Pearson! is that you?" Mr. Welch asked. "I thought I knew your +long, sweeping stroke at a distance. You have been hunting, I see; +that is a fine stag you have got there. What is the news?" + +"About as bad as can be, Master Welch," the hunter said. "The +Iroquois have dug up the tomahawk again and are out on the war-path. +They have massacred John Brent and his family. I heard a talk of it +among some hunters I met ten days since in the woods. They said that +the Iroquois were restless and that their chief, War Eagle, one of +the most troublesome varmints on the whole frontier, had been +stirring 'em up to war. He told 'em, I heard, that the pale-faces +were pushing further and further into the Injun woods, and that, +unless they drove 'em back, the redskin hunting grounds would be +gone. I hoped that nothing would come of it, but I might have known +better. When the redskins begin to stir there's sure to be mischief +before they're quiet again." + +The color had somewhat left Mr. Welch's cheeks as the hunter spoke. + +"This is bad news, indeed, Pearson," he said gravely. "Are you sure +about the attack on the Brents?" + +"Sartin sure," the hunter said. "I met their herder; he had been down +to Johnson's to fetch a barrel of pork. Just when he got back he +heard the Injun yells and saw smoke rising in the clearing, so he +dropped the barrel and made tracks. I met him at Johnson's, where he +had just arrived. Johnson was packing up with all haste and was going +to leave, and so I said I would take my canoe and come down the lake, +giving you all warning on the way. I stopped at Burns' and Hooper's. +Burns said he should clear out at once, but Hooper talked about +seeing it through. He's got no wife to be skeary about, and reckoned +that, with his two hands, he could defend his log hut. I told him I +reckoned he would get his har raised if the Injuns came that way; +but, in course, that's his business." + +"What do you advise, Pearson? I do not like abandoning this farm to +the mercy of the redskins." + +"It would be a pity, Master Welch, that's as true as Gospel. It's the +likeliest clearing within fifty miles round, and you've fixed the +place up as snug and comfortable as if it were a farm in the old +provinces. In course the question is what this War Eagle intends to +do. His section of the tribe is pretty considerable strong, and +although at present I aint heard that any others have joined, these +Injuns are like barrels of gunpowder: when the spark is once struck +there's no saying how far the explosion may spread. When one band of +'em sees as how another is taking scalps and getting plunder and +honor, they all want to be at the same work. I reckon War Eagle has +got some two hundred braves who will follow him; but when the news +spreads that he has begun his work, all the Iroquois, to say nothing +of the Shawnees, Delawares, and other varmint, may dig up the +hatchet. The question is what War Eagle's intentions are. He may make +a clean sweep down, attacking all the outlying farms and waiting till +he is joined by a lot more of the red reptiles before attacking the +settlements. Then, on the other hand, he may think himself strong +enough to strike a blow at Gloucester and some other border villages +at once. In that case he might leave the outlying farms alone, as the +news of the burning of these would reach the settlements and put 'em +on their guard, and he knows, in course, that if he succeeds there he +can eat you all up at his leisure." + +"The attack upon Brent's place looks as if he meant to make a clean +sweep down," Mr. Welch said. + +"Well," the hunter continued thoughtfully, "I don't know as I sees it +in that light. Brent's place was a long way from any other. He might +have wished to give his band a taste of blood, and so raise their +spirits, and he might reasonably conclude that naught would be known +about it for days, perhaps weeks to come. Then, again, the attack +might have been made by some straggling party without orders. It's a +dubious question. You've got four hands here, I think, and yourself. +I have seen your wife shoot pretty straight with a rifle, so she can +count as one, and as this young un, here, has a good idea, too, with +his shooting-iron, that makes six guns. Your place is a strong one, +and you could beat off any straggling party. My idea is that War +Eagle, who knows pretty well that the place would make a stout fight, +won't waste his time by making a regular attack upon it. You might +hold out for twenty-four hours; the clearing is open and there aint +no shelter to be had. He would be safe to lose a sight of men, and +this would be a bad beginning, and would discourage his warriors +greatly. No, I reckon War Eagle will leave you alone for the present. +Maybe he will send a scout to see whether you are prepared; it's as +likely as not that one is spying at us somewhere among the trees now. +I should lose no time in driving in the animals and getting well in +shelter. When they see you are prepared they will leave you alone; at +least, for the present. Afterward there's no saying--that will depend +on how they get on at the settlements. If they succeed there and get +lots of booty and plenty of scalps, they may march back without +touching you; they will be in a hurry to get to their villages and +have their feasts and dancing. If they are beaten off at the +settlements I reckon they will pay you a visit for sure; they won't +go back without scalps. They will be savage like, and won't mind +losing some men for the sake of having something to brag about when +they get back. And now, Master Welch, I must be going on, for I want +to take the news down to the settlements before War Eagle gets there, +and he may be ahead of me now, for aught I know. I don't give you no +advice as to what you had best do; you can judge the circumstances as +well as I can. When I have been to the settlements and put them on +their guard, maybe I shall be coming back again, and, in that case, +you know Jack Pearson's rifle is at your disposal. You may as well +tote this stag up to the house. You won't be doing much hunting just +for the present, and the meat may come in handy." + +The stag was landed, and a minute later the canoe shot away from +shore under the steady stroke of the hunter's powerful arms. Mr. +Welch at once threw the stag over his shoulders and, accompanied by +Harold, strode away toward the house. On reaching it he threw down +the stag at the door, seized a rope which hung against the wall, and +the sounds of a large bell, rung in quick, sharp strokes, summoned +the hands from the fields. The sound of the woodman's ax ceased at +once, and the shouts of the men, as they drove the cattle toward the +house, rose on the still air. + +"What is the matter, William?" Mrs. Welch asked as she ran from the +house. + +"I have bad news, my dear. The Indians are out again, and I fear we +may have trouble before us. We must hope that they will not come in +this direction, but must be prepared for the worst. Wait till I see +all the hands and beasts in the stockade, and then we can talk the +matter over quietly." + +In a few minutes the hands arrived, driving before them the horses +and cattle. + +"What is it, boss?" they asked. "Was that the alarm bell sure +enough?" + +"The Indians are out again," Mr. Welch said, "and in force. They have +massacred the Brents and are making toward the settlements. They may +come this way or they may not; at any rate, we must be prepared for +them. Get the beasts into the sheds, and then do you all take scythes +and set to work to cut down that patch of corn, which is high enough +to give them shelter; there's nothing else which will cover them +within a hundred yards of the house. Of course you will take your +rifles with you and keep a sharp lookout; but they will have heard +the bell, if they are in the neighborhood, and will guess that we +are on the alert, so they are not likely to attempt a surprise. Shut +one of the gates and leave the other ajar, with the bar handy to put +up in case you have to make a run for it. Harold will go up to the +lookout while you are at work." + +Having seen that all was attended to, Mr. Welch went into the house, +where his wife was going about her work as usual, pale, but quiet and +resolute. + +"Now, Jane," he said, "sit down, and I will tell you exactly how +matters stand, as far as Pearson, who brought the news, has told me. +Then you shall decide as to the course we had better take." + +After he had told her all that Pearson had said, and the reasons for +and against expecting an early attack, he went on: + +"Now, it remains for you, my dear, to decide whether we shall stay +and defend the place till the last against any attack that may be +made, or whether we shall at once embark in the scow and make our way +down to the settlements." + +"What do you think, William?" his wife asked. + +"I scarcely know, myself," he answered; "but, if I had quite my own +way, I should send you and Nelly down to the settlements in the scow +and fight it out here with the hands." + +"You certainly will not have your own way in that," his wife said. +"If you go of course I go; if you stay I stay. I would a thousand +times rather go through a siege here, and risk the worst, than go +down to Gloucester and have the frightful anxiety of not knowing what +was happening here. Besides, it is very possible, as you say, that +the Indians may attack the settlement itself. Many of the people +there have had no experience in Indian war, and the redskins are +likely to be far more successful in their surprise there than they +would be here. If we go we should have to leave our house, our barns, +our stacks, and our animals to the mercy of the savages. Your capital +is pretty nearly all embarked here now, and the loss of all this +would be ruin to us. At any rate, William, I am ready to stay here +and to risk what may come if you are. A life on the frontier is +necessarily a life of danger, and if we are to abandon everything and +to have to commence life afresh every time the Indians go on the +war-path, we had better give it up at once and return to +Massachusetts." + +"Very well, my dear," her husband said gravely. "You are a true +frontiersman's wife; you have chosen as I should have done. It is a +choice of evils; but God has blessed and protected us since we came +out into the wilderness--we will trust and confide in him now. At any +rate," he went on more cheerfully, "there is no fear of the enemy +starving us out. We got in our store of provisions only a fortnight +since, and have enough of everything for a three-months' siege. There +is no fear of our well failing us; and as for ammunition, we have +abundance. Seeing how Harold was using powder and ball, I had an +extra supply when the stores came in the other day. There is plenty +of corn in the barn for the animals for months, and I will have the +corn which the men are cutting brought in as a supply of food for the +cows. It will be useful for another purpose, too; we will keep a heap +of it soaked with water and will cover the shingles with it in case +of attack. It will effectually quench their fire arrows." + +The day passed off without the slightest alarm, and by nightfall the +patch of corn was cleared away and an uninterrupted view of the +ground for the distance of a hundred yards from the house was +afforded. When night fell two out of the four dogs belonging to the +farm were fastened out in the open, at a distance of from seventy to +eighty yards of the house, the others being retained within the +stockade. The garrison was divided into three watches, two men being +on the alert at a time, relieving each other every three hours. Mr. +Welch took Harold as his companion on the watch. The boy was greatly +excited at the prospect of a struggle. He had often read of the +desperate fights between the frontier settlers and the Indians, and +had longed to take a share in the adventurous work. He could scarcely +believe that the time had come and that he was really a sharer in +what might be a desperate struggle. + +The first watch was set at nine, and at twelve Mr. Welch and Harold +came on duty. The men they relieved reported that all was silent in +the woods, and that they had heard no suspicious cries of any kind. +When the men had returned to their room Mr. Welch told Harold that he +should take a turn round the stockade and visit the dogs. Harold was +to keep watch at the gate, to close it after he went out, to put up +the bar, and to stand beside it ready to open it instantly if called +upon. + +Then the farmer stepped out into the darkness and, treading +noiselessly, at once disappeared from Harold's sight. The latter +closed the gate, replaced the heavy bar, and stood with one hand on +this and the other holding his rifle, listening intently. Once he +thought he heard a low growling from one of the dogs, but this +presently ceased, and all was quiet again. The gate was a solid one, +formed of strong timbers placed at a few inches apart and bolted to +horizontal bars. + +Presently he felt the gate upon which his hand rested quiver, as if +pressure was applied from without. His first impulse was to say, "Is +that you?" but Mr. Welch had told him that he would give a low +whistle as he approached the gate; he therefore stood quiet, with his +whole attention absorbed in listening. Without making the least stir +he peered through the bars and made out two dark figures behind them. +After once or twice shaking the gate, one took his place against it +and the other sprang upon his shoulders. + +Harold looked up and saw a man's head appear against the sky. Dim as +was the light, he could see that it was no European head-gear, a long +feather or two projecting from it. In an instant he leveled his rifle +and fired. There was a heavy fall and then all was silent. Harold +again peered through the bars. The second figure had disappeared, and +a black mass lay at the foot of the gate. + +In an instant the men came running from the house, rifles in hand. + +"What is it?" they exclaimed. "Where is Mr. Welch?" + +"He went out to scout round the house, leaving me at the gate," +Harold said. "Two men, I think Indians, came up; one was getting over +the gate when I shot him. I think he is lying outside--the other has +disappeared." + +"We must get the master in," one of the men said. "He is probably +keeping away, not knowing what has happened. Mr. Welch," he shouted, +"it is all safe here, so far as we know; we are all on the lookout to +cover you as you come up." + +Immediately a whistle was heard close to the gate. This was +cautiously opened a few inches, and was closed and barred directly +Mr. Welch entered. + +Harold told him what had happened. + +"I thought it was something of the sort. I heard Wolf growl and felt +sure that it was not at me. I threw myself down and crept up to him +and found him shot through the heart with an Indian arrow. I was +crawling back to the house when I heard Harold's shot. Then I waited +to see if it was followed by the war-whoop, which the redskins would +have raised at once, on finding that they were discovered, had they +been about to attack in force. Seeing that all was quiet, I +conjectured that it was probably an attempt on the part of a spy to +discover if we were upon the alert. Then I heard your call and at +once came on. I do not expect any attack to-night now, as these +fellows must have been alone; but we will all keep watch till the +morning. You have done very well, Harold, and have shown yourself a +keen watchman. It is fortunate that you had the presence of mind +neither to stir nor to call out when you first heard them; for, had +you done so, you would probably have got an arrow between your ribs, +as poor Wolf has done." + +When it was daylight, and the gate was opened, the body of an Indian +was seen lying without; a small mark on his forehead showed where +Harold's bullet had entered; death being instantaneous. His war-paint +and the embroidery of his leggings showed him at once to be an +Iroquois. Beside him lay his bow, with an arrow which had evidently +been fitted to the string for instant work. Harold shuddered when he +saw it and congratulated himself on having stood perfectly quiet. A +grave was dug a short distance away, the Indian was buried, and the +household proceeded about their work. + +The day, as was usual in households in America, was begun with +prayer, and the supplications of Mr. Welch for the protection of God +over the household were warm and earnest. The men proceeded to feed +the animals; these were then turned out of the inclosure, one of the +party being always on watch in the little tower which they had +erected for that purpose some ten or twelve feet above the roof of +the house. From this spot a view was obtainable right over the +clearing to the forest which surrounded it on three sides. The other +hands proceeded to cut down more of the corn, so as to extend the +level space around the house. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +AN INDIAN RAID. + +That day and the next passed quietly. The first night the man who was +on watch up to midnight remarked to Mr. Welch, when he relieved him, +that it seemed to him that there were noises in the air. + +"What sort of noises, Jackson--calls of night-birds or animals? If +so, the Indians are probably around us." + +"No," the man said; "all is still round here, but I seem to feel the +noise rather than hear it. I should say that it was firing, very many +miles off." + +"The night is perfectly still, and the sound of a gun would be heard +a long way." + +"I cannot say that I have heard a gun; it is rather a tremble in the +air than a sound." + +When the man they had relieved had gone down and all was still again, +Mr. Welch and Harold stood listening intently. + +"Jackson was right," the farmer said; "there is something in the air. +I can feel it rather than hear it. It is a sort of murmur no louder +than a whisper. Do you hear it, Harold?" + +"I seem to hear something," Harold said. "It might be the sound of +the sea a very long way off, just as one can hear it many miles from +the coast, on a still night at home. What do you think it is?" + +"If it is not fancy," Mr. Welch replied, "and I do not think that we +should all be deceived, it is an attack upon Gloucester." + +"But Gloucester is thirty-five miles away," Harold answered. + +"It is," Mr. Welch replied; "but on so still a night as this sounds +can be heard from an immense distance. If it is not this, I cannot +say what it is." + +Upon the following night, just as Mr. Welch's watch was at an end, a +low whistle was heard near the gate. + +"Who is there?" Mr. Welch at once challenged. + +"Jack Pearson, and the sooner you open the gate the better. There's +no saying where these red devils may be lying round." + +Harold and the farmer instantly ran down and opened the gate. + +"I should advise you to stop down here," the hunter said as they +replaced the bars. "If you did not hear me you certainly would not +hear the redskins, and they'd all be over the palisade before you had +time to fire a shot. I'm glad to see you safe, for I was badly +skeared lest I should find nothing but a heap of ashes here." + +The next two men now turned out, and Mr. Welch led his visitor into +the house and struck a light. + +"Halloo, Pearson! you must have been in a skirmish," he said, seeing +that the hunter's head was bound up with a bloodstained bandage. + +"It was all that," Pearson said, "and wuss. I went down to Gloucester +and told 'em what I had heard, but the darned fools tuk it as quiet +as if all King George's troops with fixed bayonets had been camped +round 'em. The council got together and palavered for an hour, and +concluded that there was no chance whatever of the Iroquois venturing +to attack such a powerful place as Gloucester. I told 'em that the +redskins would go over their stockade at a squirrel's jump, and that +as War Eagle alone had at least 150 braves, while there warn't more +than 50 able-bodied men in Gloucester and all the farms around it, +things would go bad with 'em if they didn't mind. But bless yer, they +knew more than I did about it. Most of 'em had moved from the East +and had never seen an Injun in his war-paint. Gloucester had never +been attacked since it was founded nigh ten years ago, and they +didn't see no reason why it should be attacked now. There was a few +old frontiersmen like myself among 'em who did their best to stir 'em +up, but it was no manner of good. When the council was over we put +our heads together, and just went through the township a-talking to +the women, and we hadn't much difficulty in getting up such a skear +among 'em that before nightfall every one of 'em in the farms around +made their husbands move into the stockade of the village. + +"When the night passed off quietly most of the men were just as +savage with us as if it had been a false alarm altogether. I p'inted +out that it was not because War Eagle had left 'em alone that night +that he was bound to do so the next night or any night after. But in +spite of the women they would have started out to their farms the +fust thing in the morning, if a man hadn't come in with the news that +Carter's farm had been burned and the whole of the people killed and +scalped. As Carter's farm lay only about fifteen miles off this gave +'em a skear, and they were as ready now to believe in the Injuns as I +had tried to make 'em the night before. Then they asked us old hands +to take the lead and promised to do what we told 'em, but when it +came to it their promises were not worth the breath they had spent +upon 'em. There were eight or ten houses outside the stockade, and in +course we wanted these pulled down; but they wouldn't hear of it. +Howsomever, we got 'em to work to strengthen the stockades, to make +loop-holes in the houses near 'em, to put up barricades from house to +house, and to prepare generally for a fight. We divided into three +watches. + +"Well, just as I expected, about eleven o'clock at night the Injuns +attacked. Our watch might just as well have been asleep for any good +they did, for it was not till the redskins had crept up to the +stockade all round and opened fire between the timbers on 'em that +they knew that they were near. I'll do 'em justice to say that they +fought stiff enough then, and for four hours they held the line of +houses; every redskin who climbed the stockade fell dead inside it. +Four fires had been lighted directly they attacked to enable us to +keep 'em from scaling the stockade, but they showed us to the enemy, +of course. + + "The redskins took possession of the houses which we had wanted to +pull down, and precious hot they made it for us. Then they shot such +showers of burning arrows into the village that half of the houses +were soon alight. We tried to get our men to sally out and to hold +the line of stockade, when we might have beaten 'em off if all the +village had been burned down; but it were no manner of good; each man +wanted to stick to his wife and family till the last. As the flames +went up every man who showed himself was shot down, and when at last +more than half our number had gone under the redskins brought up +fagots, piled 'em against the stockade outside, and then the hull +tribe came bounding over. Our rifles were emptied, for we couldn't +get the men to hold their fire, but some of us chaps as knew what was +coming gave the redskins a volley as they poured in. + +"I don't know much as happened after that. Jack Robins and Bill +Shuter, who were old pals of mine, and me made up our minds what to +do, and we made a rush for a small gate that there was in the +stockade, just opposite where the Injuns came in. We got through safe +enough, but they had left men all round. Jack Robins he was shot +dead. Bill and I kept straight on. We had a grapple with some of the +redskins; two or three on 'em went down, and Bill and I got through +and had a race for it till we got fairly into the forest. Bill had a +ball in the shoulder, and I had a clip across the head with a +tomahawk. We had a council, and Bill went off to warn some of the +other settlements and I concluded to take to the water and paddle +back to you, not knowing whether I should find that the redskins had +been before me. I thought anyway that I might stop your going down to +Gloucester, and that if there was a fight you would be none the worse +for an extra rifle." + +Mr. Welch told the hunter of the visit of the two Indian spies two +nights before. + +"Waal," the hunter said, "I reckon for the present you are not likely +to be disturbed. The Injuns have taken a pile of booty and something +like two hundred scalps, counting the women and children, and they +moved off at daybreak this morning in the direction of Tottenham, +which I reckon they'll attack tonight. Howsomever, Bill has gone on +there to warn 'em, and after the sack of Gloucester the people of +Tottenham won't be caught napping, and there are two or three old +frontiersmen who have settled down there, and War Eagle will get a +hot reception if he tries it. As far as his band is concerned, you're +safe for some days. The only fear is that some others of the tribe, +hurrying up at hearing of his success, may take this place as they go +past. And now I guess I'll take a few hours' sleep. I haven't closed +an eye for the last two nights." + +A week passed quietly. Pearson, after remaining two days, again went +down the lake to gather news, and returned a day later with the +intelligence that almost all the settlements had been deserted by +their inhabitants. The Indians were out in great strength and had +attacked the settlers at many points along the frontier, committing +frightful devastations. + +Still another week passed, and Mr. Welch began to hope that his +little clearing had been overlooked and forgotten by the Indians. The +hands now went about their work as usual, but always carried arms +with them, while one was constantly stationed on the watch-tower. +Harold resumed his fishing; never, however, going out of sight of the +house. Sometimes he took with him little Nelly Welch; it being +considered that she was as safe in the canoe as she was in the house, +especially as the boat was always in sight, and the way up from the +landing to the house was under cover of the rifles of the defenders; +so that, even in case of an attack, they would probably be able to +make their way back. + +One afternoon they had been out together for two or three hours; +everything looked as quiet and peaceable as usual; the hands were in +the fields near the house, a few of the cows grazing close to the +gate. Harold had been successful in his fishing and had obtained as +many fish as he could carry. He stepped out from the canoe, helped +Nelly to land, slung his rifle across his back, and picked up the +fish, which were strung on a withe passed through their gills. + +He had made but a few steps when a yell arose, so loud and terrible +that for a moment his heart seemed to stop beating. Then from the +cornfields leaped up a hundred dark figures; then came the sharp +crack of rifles, and two of the hands dashed down at full speed +toward the house. One had fallen. The fourth man was in the +watch-tower. The surprise had been complete. The Indians had made +their way like snakes through the long corn, whose waving had been +unperceived by the sentinel, who was dozing at his post, half-asleep +in the heat of the sun. Harold saw in a moment that it was too late +for him to regain the house; the redskins were already nearer to it +than he was. + +"Now, Nelly! into the boat again--quick!" he said. "We must keep out +of the way till it's all over." + +Nelly was about twelve years old, and her life in the woods had given +her a courage and quickness beyond her years. Without wasting a +moment on cries or lamentations, she sprang back into the canoe. +Harold took his place beside her, and the light craft darted rapidly +out into the lake. Not until he was some three or four hundred yards +from the shore did Harold pause to look round. Then, when he felt he +was out of gunshot distance, he ceased paddling. The fight was raging +now around the house; from loop-holes and turret the white puffs of +smoke darted angrily out. The fire had not been ineffectual, for +several dark forms could be seen lying round the stockade, and the +bulk of the Indians, foiled in their attempt to carry the place at a +rush, had taken shelter in the corn and kept up a scattering fire +round the house, broken only on the side facing the lake, where there +was no growing crop to afford them shelter. + +"They are all right now," Harold said cheerfully. + +"Do not be anxious, Nelly; they will beat them off, Pearson is a host +in himself. I expect he must have been lying down when the attack was +made. I know he was scouting round the house all night. If he had +been on the watch, those fellows would never have succeeded in +creeping up so close unobserved." + +"I wish we were inside," Nelly said, speaking for the first time. "If +I were only with them, I should not mind." + +"I am sure I wish we were," Harold agreed. "It is too hard being +useless out here when such a splendid fight is going on. Ah! they +have their eyes on us!" he exclaimed as a puff of smoke burst out +from some bushes near the shore and a ball came skipping along on the +surface of the water, sinking, however, before it reached it. + +"Those Indian muskets are no good," Harold said contemptuously, "and +the trade powder the Indians get is very poor stuff; but I think that +they are well within range of my rifle." + +The weapon which Harold carried was an English rifle of very perfect +make and finish, which his father had given him on parting. + +"Now," he said, "do you paddle the canoe a few strokes nearer the +shore, Nelly. We shall still be beyond the range of that fellow. He +will fire again and I shall see exactly where he is lying." + +Nelly, who was efficient in the management of a canoe, took the +paddle, and dipping it in the water the boat moved slowly toward the +shore. Harold sat with his rifle across his knees, looking intently +over the bows of the boat toward the bush from which the shot had +come. + +"That's near enough, Nelly," he said. + +The girl stopped paddling, and the hidden foe, seeing that they did +not mean to come nearer the shore, again fired. Harold's rifle was in +an instant against his shoulder; he sat immovable for a moment and +then fired. + +Instantly a dark figure sprang from the bush, staggered +a few steps up the slope, and then fell headlong. + +"That was a pretty good shot," Harold said. "Your father told me, +when I saw a stag's horns above a bush, to fire about two feet behind +them and eighteen inches lower. I fired a foot below the flash, and I +expect I hit him through the body. I had the sight at three hundred +yards and fired a little above it. Now, Nelly, paddle out again. +See!" he said, "there is a shawl waving from the top of the tower. +Put your hat on the paddle and wave it." + +"What are you thinking of doing, Harold?" the girl asked presently. + + "That is just what I have been asking myself for the last ten +minutes," Harold replied. "It is quite clear that as long as the +siege is kept up we cannot get back again, and there is no saying how +long it may last. The first thing is, what chance is there of their +pursuing us? Are there any other canoes on the lake within a short +distance?" + +"They have one at Braithwaite's," the girl said, "four miles off; but +look, there is Pearson's canoe lying by the shore." + +"So there is!" Harold exclaimed. "I never thought of that. I expect +the Indians have not noticed it. The bank is rather high where it is +lying. They are sure to find it, sooner or later. I think, Nelly, the +best plan would be to paddle back again so as to be within the range +of my rifle while still beyond the reach of theirs. I think I can +keep them from using the boat until it is dark." + +"But after it is dark, Harold?" + +"Well, then, we must paddle out into the lake so as to be well out of +sight. When it gets quite dark we can paddle in again and sleep +safely anywhere a mile or two from the house." + +An hour passed without change. Then Nelly said: "There is a movement +in the bushes near the canoe." Presently an arm was extended and +proceeded to haul the canoe toward the shore by its head-rope. As it +touched the bank an Indian rose from the bushes and was about to step +in, while a number of puffs of smoke burst out along the shore and +the bullets skipped over the water toward the canoe, one of them +striking it with sufficient force to penetrate the thin bark a few +inches above the water's edge. Harold had not moved, but as the +savage stepped into the canoe he fired, and the Indian fell heavily +into the water, upsetting the canoe as he did so. + +A yell of rage broke from his comrades. + +"I don't think they will try that game again as long as it is +daylight," Harold said. "Paddle a little further out again, Nelly. If +that bullet had hit you it would have given you a nasty blow, though +I don't think it would have penetrated; still we may as well avoid +accidents." + +After another hour passed the fire round the house ceased. + +"Do you think the Indians have gone away?" Nelly asked. + +"I am afraid there is no chance of that," Harold said. "I expect they +are going to wait till night and then try again. They are not fond of +losing men, and Pearson and your father are not likely to miss +anything that comes within their range as long as daylight lasts." + +"But after dark, Harold?" + +"Oh, they will try all sorts of tricks; but Pearson is up to them +all. Don't you worry about them, dear." + +The hours passed slowly away until at last the sun sank and the +darkness came on rapidly. So long as he could see the canoe, which +just floated above the water's edge, Harold maintained his position; +then taking one paddle, while Nelly handled the other, he sent the +boat flying away from the shore out into the lake. For a quarter of +an hour they paddled straight out. By this time the outline of the +shore could be but dimly perceived. Harold doubted whether it would +be possible to see the boat from shore, but in order to throw the +Indians off the scent, should this be the case, he turned the boat's +head to the south and paddled swiftly until it was perfectly dark. + +"I expect they saw us turn south," he said to Nelly. "The redskins +have wonderful eyes; so, if they pursue at all, they will do it in +that direction. No human being, unless he borrowed the eyes of an +owl, could see us now, so we will turn and paddle the other way." + +For two hours they rowed in this direction. + +"We can go in to shore now," Harold said at last. "We must be seven +or eight miles beyond the house." + +The distance to the shore was longer than they expected, for they had +only the light of the stars to guide them and neither had any +experience in night traveling. They had made much further out into +the lake than they had intended. At length the dark line of trees +rose in front of them, and in a few minutes the canoe lay alongside +the bank and its late occupants were stretched on a soft layer of +moss and fallen leaves. + +"What are we going to do to-morrow about eating?" Nelly asked. + +"There are four or five good-sized fish in the bottom of the canoe," +Harold replied. "Fortunately we caught more than I could carry, and I +intended to make a second trip from the house for these. I am afraid +we shall not be able to cook them, for the Indians can see smoke any +distance. If the worst comes to the worst we must eat them raw, but +we are sure to find some berries in the wood to-morrow. Now, dear, +you had better go to sleep as fast as you can; but first let us kneel +down and pray God to protect us and your father and mother." + + The boy and girl knelt in the darkness and said their simple +prayers. Then they lay down, and Harold was pleased to hear in a few +minutes the steady breathing which told him that his cousin was +asleep. It was a long time before he followed her example. During the +day he had kept up a brave front and had endeavored to make the best +of their position, but now that he was alone he felt the full weight +of the responsibility of guiding his companion through the extreme +danger which threatened them both. He felt sure that the Indians +would prolong the siege for some time, as they would be sure that no +re-enforcements could possibly arrive in aid of the garrison. +Moreover, he by no means felt so sure as he had pretended to his +companion of the power of the defenders of the house to maintain a +successful resistance to so large a number of their savage foes. In +the daylight he felt certain they could beat them off, but darkness +neutralizes the effect both of superior arms and better marksmanship. +It was nearly midnight before he lay down with the determination to +sleep, but scarcely had he done so when he was aroused by an outburst +of distant firing. Although six or seven miles from the scene of the +encounter, the sound of each discharge came distinct to the ear along +the smooth surface of the lake, and he could even hear, mingled with +the musketry fire, the faint yells of the Indians. For hours, as it +seemed to him, he sat listening to the distant contest, and then he, +unconsciously to himself, dozed off to sleep, and awoke with a start, +to find Nelly sitting up beside him and the sun streaming down +through the boughs. He started to his feet. + +"Bless me!" he exclaimed, "I did not know that I had been asleep. It +seems but an instant ago that I was listening"--and here he checked +himself--"that is, that I was wide awake, and here we are in broad +daylight." + +Harold's first care was to examine the position of the canoe, and he +found that fortunately it had touched the shore at a spot where the +boughs of the trees overhead drooped into the water beyond it, so +that it could not be seen by anyone passing along the lake. This was +the more fortunate as he saw, some three miles away, a canoe with +three figures on board. For a long distance on either side the boughs +of the trees drooped into the water, with only an opening here and +there such as that through which the boat had passed the night +before. + +"We must be moving, Nelly. Here are the marks where we scrambled up +the bank last night. If the Indians take it into their heads to +search the shore both ways, as likely enough they may do, they will +be sure to see them. In the first place let us gather a stock of +berries, and then we will get into the boat again and paddle along +under this arcade of boughs till we get to some place where we can +land without leaving marks of our feet. If the Indians find the place +where we landed here, they will suppose that we went off again before +daylight." + +For some time they rambled in the woods and succeeded in gathering a +store of berries and wild fruit. Upon these Nelly made her breakfast, +but Harold's appetite was sufficiently ravenous to enable him to fall +to upon the fish, which, he declared, were not so bad, after all. +Then they took their places in the canoe again and paddled on for +nearly a mile. + + "See, Harold!" Nelly exclaimed as she got a glimpse through the +boughs into the lake, "there is another canoe. They must have got the +Braithwaite boat. We passed their place coming here, you know. I +wonder what has happened there." + +"What do you think is best to do, Nelly?" Harold asked. "Your opinion +is just as good as mine about it. Shall we leave our canoe behind, +land, and take to the woods, or shall we stop quietly in the canoe in +shelter here, or shall we take to the lake and trust to our speed to +get away? in which case, you know, if they should come up I could +pick them off with my gun before they got within reach. + +"I don't think that would do," the girl said, shaking her head. "You +shoot very well, but it is not an easy thing to hit a moving object +if you are not accustomed to it, and they paddle so fast that if you +miss them once they would be close alongside--at any rate we should +be within reach of their guns--before you could load again. They +would be sure to catch us, for although we might paddle nearly as +fast for a time, they would certainly tire us out. Then, as to +waiting here in the canoe, if they came along on foot looking for us +we should be in their power. It is dreadful to think of taking to the +woods with Indians all about, but I really think that would be our +safest plan." + +"I think so too, Nelly, if we can manage to do it without leaving a +track. We must not go much further, for the trees are getting thinner +ahead and we should be seen by the canoes." + +Fifty yards further Harold stopped paddling. + +"Here is just the place, Nelly." + +At this point a little stream of three or four feet wide emerged into +the lake; Harold directed the boat's head toward it. The water in the +stream was but a few inches deep. + +"Now, Nelly," he said, "we must step out into the water and walk up +it as far as we can go--it will puzzle even the sharpest redskin to +find our track then." + +They stepped into the water, Harold taking the head-rope of the canoe +and towing the light boat--which, when empty, did not draw more than +two inches of water--behind him. He directed Nelly to be most careful +as she walked not to touch any of the bushes, which at times nearly +met across the stream. + +"A broken twig or withered leaf would be quite enough to tell the +Indians that we came along this way," he said. "Where the bushes are +thick you must manage to crawl under them. Never mind about getting +wet--you will soon dry again." + +Slowly and cautiously they made their way up the stream for nearly a +mile. It had for some distance been narrowing rapidly, being only fed +by little rills from the surrounding swamp land. Harold had so far +looked in vain for some spot where they could land without leaving +marks of their feet. Presently they came to a place where a great +tree had fallen across the stream. + +"This will do, Nelly," Harold said. "Now, above all things you must +be careful not to break off any of the moss or bark. You had better +take your shoes off; then I will lift you on to the trunk and you can +walk along it without leaving a mark." + +It was hard work for Nelly to take off her drenched boots, but she +managed at last. Harold lifted her on to the trunk and said: + +"Walk along as far as you can and get down as lightly as possible on +to a firm piece of ground. It rises rapidly here and is, I expect, a +dry soil where the upper end of the tree lies." + +"How are you going to get out, Harold?" + +"I can swing myself up by that projecting root." + +Before proceeding to do so Harold raised one end of the canoe and +placed it on the trunk of the tree; then, having previously taken off +his shoes, he swung himself on to the trunk; hauling up the light +bark canoe and taking especial pains that it did not grate upon the +trunk, he placed it on his head and followed Nelly along the tree. He +found, as he had expected, that the ground upon which the upper end +lay was firm and dry. He stepped down with great care, and was +pleased to see, as he walked forward, that no trace of a footmark was +left. + +"Be careful, Nelly," he exclaimed when he joined her, "not to tread +on a stick or disturb a fallen leaf with your feet, and above all to +avoid breaking the smallest twig as you pass. Choose the most open +ground, as that is the hardest." + +In about a hundred yards they came upon a large clump of bushes. + +"Now, Nelly, raise those lower boughs as gently and as carefully as +you can. I will push the canoe under. I don't think the sharpest +Indian will be able to take up our track now." + +Very carefully the canoe was stowed away, and when the boughs were +allowed to fall in their natural position it was completely hidden +from sight to every passer-by. Harold took up the fish, Nelly had +filled her apron with the berries, and carrying their shoes--for they +agreed that it would be safer not to put them on--they started on +their journey through the deep forest. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +THE REDSKIN ATTACK. + +Mr. Welch was with the men, two or three hundred yards away from the +house, when the Indians suddenly sprang out and opened fire. One of +the men fell beside him; the farmer stooped to lift him, but saw that +he was shot through the head. Then he ran with full speed toward the +house, shouting to the hands to make straight for the gate, +disregarding the cattle. Several of these, however, alarmed at the +sudden outburst of fire and the yells of the Indians, made of their +own accord for the stables as their master rushed up at full speed. +The Indians were but fifty or sixty yards behind when Mr. Welch +reached his gate. They had all emptied their pieces, and after the +first volley no shots had been fired save one by the watchman on the +lookout. Then came the crack of Pearson's rifle just as Mr. Welch +shut the gate and laid the bar in its place. Several spare guns had +been placed in the upper chambers, and three reports rang out +together, for Mrs. Welch had run upstairs at the first alarm to take +her part in the defense. + +In another minute the whole party, now six in all, were gathered in +the upper room. + +"Where are Nelly and Harold?" Mr. Welch exclaimed. "I saw the canoe +close to the shore just before the Indians opened fire," the watchman +answered. + +"You must have been asleep," Pearson said savagely. "Where were your +eyes to let them redskins crawl up through the corn without seeing +'em? With such a crowd of 'em the corn must have been a-waving as if +it was blowing a gale. You ought to have a bullet in yer ugly +carkidge, instead of its being in yer mate's out there." + +While this conversation was going on no one had been idle. Each took +up his station at a loop-hole, and several shots were fired whenever +the movement of a blade of corn showed the lurking place of an +Indian. + +The instant the gate had been closed War Eagle had called his men +back to shelter, for he saw that all chance of a surprise was now +over, and it was contrary to all redskin strategy to remain for one +moment unnecessarily exposed to the rifles of the whites. The farmer +and his wife had rushed at once up into the lookout as the Indians +drew off and, to their joy, saw the canoe darting away from shore. + +"They are safe for the present, thank God!" Mr. Welch said. "It is +providential indeed that they had not come a little further from the +shore when the redskins broke out. Nothing could have saved them, had +they fairly started for the house." + +"What will they do, William?" asked his wife anxiously. + +"I cannot tell you, my dear. I do not know what I should do myself +under the circumstances. However, the boy has got a cool head on his +shoulders, and you need not be anxious for the present. Now let us +join the others. Our first duty is to take our share in the defense +of the house. The young ones are in the hands of God. We can do +nothing for them." "Well?" Pearson asked, looking round from his +loop-hole as the farmer and his wife descended into the room, which +was a low garret extending over the whole of the house. "Do you see +the canoe?" + +"Yes, it has got safely away," William Welch said; "but what the lad +will do now is more than I can say." + +Pearson placed his rifle against the wall. "Now keep your eyes +skinned," he said to the three farm hands. + +"One of yer's done mischief enough this morning already, and you'll +get your har raised, as sure as you're born, unless you look out +sharp. Now," he went on, turning to the Welches, "let us go down and +talk this matter over. The Injuns may keep on firing, but I don't +think they'll show in the open again as long as it's light enough for +us to draw bead on 'em. Yes," he went on, as he looked through a +loop-hole in the lower story over the lake, "there they are, just out +of range." + +"What do you think they will do?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +The hunter was silent for a minute. + +"It aint a easy thing to say what they ought to do, much less what +they will do; it aint a good outlook anyway, and I don't know what I +should do myself. The whole of the woods on this side of the lake are +full of the darned red critters. There's a hundred eyes on that canoe +now, and, go where they will, they'll be watched." + +"But why should they not cross the lake and land on the other side?" +Mr. Welch said. + +"If you and I were in that canoe," the hunter answered, "that's about +what we should do; but, not to say that it's a long row for 'em, they +two young uns would never get across; the Injuns would have 'em +before they had been gone an hour. There's my canoe lying under the +bushes; she'd carry four, and would go three feet to their two." + +"I had forgotten about that," William Welch said, and then added, +after a pause: "The Indians may not find it." + +"You needn't hope that," the hunter answered; "they have found it +long before this. I don't want to put you out of heart; but I tell ye +ye'll see them on the water before many minutes have passed." + +"Then they are lost," Mrs. Welch said, sinking down in her chair and +bursting into tears. + +"They air in God's hands, ma'am," the hunter said, "and it's no use +trying to deceive you." + +"Would it be of any use," William Welch asked, after a pause, "for me +to offer the redskins that my wife and I will go out and put +ourselves in their hands if they will let the canoe go off without +pursuit?" + +"Not it," the hunter replied decidedly. "You would be throwing away +your own lives without saving theirs, not to mention, although that +doesn't matter a straw, the lives of the rest of us here. It will be +as much as we can do, when they attack us in earnest, to hold this +place with six guns, and with only four the chance would be worth +nothing. But that's neither here nor there. You wouldn't save the +young ones if you gave yourselves up. You can't trust the word of an +Injun on the war-path, and if they went so far as not to kill 'em +they would carry 'em off; and, after all, I aint sure as death aint +better for 'em than to be brought up as Injuns. There," he said, +stopping suddenly as a report of a musket sounded at some little +distance off, "the Injuns are trying their range against 'em. Let's +go up to the lookout." + +The little tower had a thick parapet of logs some three feet high, +and, crouching behind this, they watched the canoe. "He's coming +nearer in shore, and the girl has got the paddle," Pearson muttered. +"What's he doing now?" A puff of smoke was seen to rise near the +border of the lake; then came the sharp crack of Harold's rifle. They +saw an Indian spring from the bushes and fall dead. + +"Well done, young un!" Pearson exclaimed. "I told yer he'd got his +head screwed on the right way. He's keeping just out of range of +their guns, and that piece of his can carry twice as far as theirs. I +reckon he's thought of the canoe, and means to keep 'em from using +it. I begins to think, Mr. Welch, that there's a chance for 'em yet. +Now let's talk a little to these red devils in the corn." + +For some little time Pearson and William Welch turned their attention +to the Indians, while the mother sat with her eyes fixed upon the +canoe. + +"He is coming closer again," she exclaimed presently. + +"He's watching the canoe, sure enough," Pearson said. Then came the +volley along the bushes on the shore, and they saw an Indian rise to +his feet. + +"That's just where she lies!" Pearson exclaimed; "he's getting into +it. There! well done, young un." + +The sudden disappearance of the Indian and the vengeful yell of the +hidden foe told of the failure of the attempt. + +"I think they're safe, now, till nightfall. The Injuns won't care +about putting themselves within range of that 'ere rifle again." + +Gradually the fire of the Indians ceased, and the defenders were able +to leave the loop-holes. Two of the men went down and fastened up the +cattle, which were still standing loose in the yard inside the +stockade; the other set to to prepare a meal, for Mrs. Welch could +not take her eyes off the canoe. + +The afternoon seemed of interminable length. Not a shot was fired. +The men, after taking their dinner, were occupied in bringing some +great tubs on to the upper story and filling them to the brim with +water from the well. This story projected two feet beyond the one +below it, having been so built in order that, in case of attack, the +defenders might be able to fire down upon any foe who might cross the +stockade and attack the house itself; the floor boards over the +projecting portion were all removable. The men also brought a +quantity of the newly cut corn to the top of the house, first +drenching it with water. + +The sun sank, and as dusk was coming on the anxious watchers saw the +canoe paddle out far into the lake. + +"An old frontiersman couldn't do better," Pearson exclaimed. "He's +kept them out of the canoe as long as daylight lasted; now he has +determined to paddle away and is making down the lake," he went on +presently. "It's a pity he turned so soon, as they can see the course +he's taking." + +They watched until it was completely dark; but, before the light +quite faded, they saw another canoe put out from shore and start in +the direction taken by the fugitives. + +"Will they catch them, do you think?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +"No, ma'am," Pearson said confidently. "The boy's got sense enough to +have changed his course after it gets dark, though whether he'll make +for shore or go out toward the other side is more than I can say. You +see, they'll know that the Injuns are all along this side of the +lake; but then, on the other hand, they'll be anxious about us and +'ll want to keep close at hand. Besides, the lad knows nothing of the +other side; there may be Injuns there, for aught he knows, and it's a +skeary thing for a young un to take to the forest, especially with a +gal in his charge. There aint no saying what he'll do. And now we've +got to look after ourselves; don't let us think about 'em at present. +The best thing as we can do for them, as well as for ourselves, is to +hold this here place. If they live they'll come back to it sooner or +later, and it 'll be better for 'em to find it standing, and you here +to welcome 'em, than to get back to a heap of ruins and some dead +bodies." + +"When will the redskins attack, do you think?" the farmer asked. + +"We may expect 'em any time, now," the hunter answered. "The Injuns' +time of attack is generally just before dawn, but they know well +enough they aint likely to ketch us asleep any time, and, as they +know exactly what they have got to do they'll gain nothing by +waiting. I wish we had a moon; if we had, we might keep 'em out of +the stockade. But there--it's just as well it's dark, after all; for, +if the moon was up, the young ones would have no chance of getting +away." + +The garrison now all took their places at the loop-holes, having +first carried the wet fodder to the roof and spread it over the +shingles. There was nothing to do now but to wait. The night was so +dark that they could not see the outline of the stockade. Presently a +little spark shot through the air, followed by a score of others. Mr. +Welch had taken his post on the tower, and he saw the arrows whizzing +through the air, many of them falling on the roof. The dry grass +dipped in resin, which was tied round the arrow-heads, was instantly +extinguished as the arrows fell upon the wet corn, and a yell arose +from the Indians. + +The farmer descended and told the others of the failure of the +Indians' first attempt. + +"That 'ere dodge is a first-rate un," Pearson said. "We're safe from +fire, and that's the only thing we've got to be afeared on. You'll +see 'em up here in a few minutes." + +Everything was perfectly quiet. Once or twice the watchers thought +that they could hear faint sounds, but could not distinguish their +direction. After half an hour's anxious waiting a terrible yell was +heard from below, and at the doors and windows of the lower rooms +came the crashing blows of tomahawks. + +The boards had already been removed from the flooring above, and the +defenders opened a steady fire into the dark mass that they could +faintly make out clustered round the windows and doors. At Pearson's +suggestion the bullets had been removed from the guns and heavy +charges of buckshot had been substituted for them, and yells of pain +and surprise rose as they fired. A few shots were fired up from +below, but a second discharge from the spare guns completed the +effect from the first volley. The dark mass broke up and, in a few +seconds, all was as quiet as before. + +Two hours passed, and then slight sounds were heard. "They've got the +gate opened, I expect," Pearson said. "Fire occasionally at that; if +we don't hit 'em the flashes may show us what they're doing." + +It was as he had expected. The first discharge was followed by a cry, +and by the momentary light they saw a number of dark figures pouring +in through the gate. Seeing that concealment was no longer possible, +the Indians opened a heavy fire round the house; then came a crashing +sound near the door. + +"Just as I thought," Pearson said. "They're going to try to burn us +out." + +For some time the noise continued, as bundle after bundle of dried +wood was thrown down by the door. The garrison were silent; for, as +Pearson said, they could see nothing, and a stray bullet might enter +at the loop-holes if they placed themselves there, and the flashes of +the guns would serve as marks for the Indians. + +Presently two or three faint lights were seen approaching. + +"Now," Pearson said, "pick 'em off as they come up. You and I'll take +the first man, Welch. You fire just to the right of the light, I will +fire to the left; he may be carrying the brand in either hand." + +They fired together, and the brand was seen to drop to the ground. +The same thing happened as the other two sparks of light approached; +then it was again quiet. Now a score of little lights flashed through +the air. + +"They're going to light the pile with their flaming arrows," Pearson +said. "War Eagle is a good leader." + +Three or four of the arrows fell on the pile of dry wood. A moment +later the flames crept up and the smoke of burning wood rolled up +into the room above. A yell of triumph burst from the Indians, but +this changed into one of wrath as those above emptied the contents of +one of the great tubs of water on to the pile of wood below them. The +flames were instantly extinguished. + +"What will they do next?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +"It's like enough," Pearson replied, "that they'll give the job up +altogether. They've got plenty of plunder and scalps at the +settlements, and their attacking us here in such force looks as if +the hull of 'em were on their way back to their villages. If they +could have tuk our scalps easy they would have done it; but War Eagle +aint likely to risk losing a lot of men when he aint sartin of +winning, after all. He has done good work as it is, and has quite +enough to boast about when he gets back. If he were to lose a heap of +his braves here it would spoil the success of his expedition. No, I +think as he will give it up now." + +"He will be all the more anxious to catch the children," Mrs. Welch +said despondently. + +"It can't be denied, ma'am, as he will do his best that way," Pearson +answered. "It all depends, though, on the boy. I wish I was with him +in that canoe. Howsomever, I can't help thinking as he will +sarcumvent 'em somehow." + +The night passed without any further attack. By turns half the +garrison watched while the other lay down, but there was little sleep +taken by any. With the first gleam of daylight Mrs. Welch and her +husband were on the lookout. + +"There's two canoes out on the lake," Pearson said. "They're paddling +quietly; which is which I can't say." + +As the light became brighter Pearson pronounced, positively, that +there were three men in one canoe and four in the other. + +"I think they're all Injuns," he said. "They must have got another +canoe somewhere along the lake. Waal, they've not caught the young +uns yet." + +"The boats are closing up to each other," Mrs. Welch said. "They're +going to have a talk, I reckon. Yes, one of 'em's turning and going +down the lake, while the other's going up. I'd give a heap to know +where the young uns have got to." + +The day passed quietly. An occasional shot toward the house showed +that the Indians remained in the vicinity and, indeed, dark forms +could be seen moving about in the distant parts of the clearing. + +"Will it be possible," the farmer asked Pearson, when night again +fell, "to go out and see if we can discover any traces of them?" + +"Worse than no use," Pearson said positively. "We should just lose +our har without doing no good whatever. If the Injuns in these +woods--and I reckon altogether there's a good many hundred of +'em--can't find 'em, ye may swear that we can't. That's just what +they're hoping, that we'll be fools enough to put ourselves outside +the stockade. They'll lie close round all night, and a weasel +wouldn't creep through 'em. Ef I thought there was jest a shadow of +chance of finding them young uns I'd risk it; but there's no +chance--not a bit of it." + +A vigilant watch was again kept up all night, but all was still and +quiet. The next morning the Indians were still round them. + +"Don't ye fret, ma'am!" Pearson said, as he saw how pale and wan Mrs. +Welch looked in the morning light. "You may bet your last shilling +that they're not caught 'em." + +"Why are you so sure?" Mrs. Welch asked. "They may be dead by this +time." + +"Not they, ma'am! I'm as sartin as they're living and free as I am +that I'm standing here. I know these Injuns' ways. Ef they had caught +'em they'd jest have brought 'em here and would have fixed up two +posts, jest out of rifle range, and would have tied them there and +offered you the choice of giving up this place and your scalps or of +seeing them tortured and burned under your eyes. That's their way. +No, they aint caught 'em alive, nor they aint caught 'em dead +neither; for, ef they had they'd have brought their scalps to have +shown yer. No, they've got away, though it beats me to say how. I've +only got one fear, and that is that they might come back before the +Injuns have gone. Now I tell ye what we had better do--we better keep +up a dropping fire all night and all day to-morrow, and so on, until +the redskins have gone. Ef the young uns come back across the lake at +night, and all is quiet, they'll think the Injuns have taken +themselves off; but, if they hear firing still going on, they'll know +well enough that they're still around the house." + +William Welch at once agreed to this plan, and every quarter of an +hour or so all through the night a few shots were fired. The next +morning no Indians could be seen, and there was a cessation of the +dropping shots which had before been kept up at the house. + +"They may be in hiding," Pearson said in the afternoon, "trying to +tempt us out; but I'm more inclined to think as how they've gone. I +don't see a blade of that corn move; I've had my eyes fixed on it for +the last two hours. It are possible, of course, that they're there, +but I reckon not. I expect they've been waiting, ever since they gave +up the attack, in hopes that the young uns would come back; but now, +as they see that we're keeping up a fire to tell them as how they're +still round us, they've given it up and gone. When it gets dark +to-night I'll go out and scout round." + +At ten o'clock at night Pearson dropped lightly from the stockade on +the side opposite to the gate, as he knew that, if the Indians were +there, this would be the point that they would be watching; then, +crawling upon his stomach, he made his way slowly down to the lake. +Entering the water and stooping low, he waded along the edge of the +bushes for a distance of a mile; then he left the water and struck +into the forest. Every few minutes he could hear the discharge of the +rifles at the house; but, as before, no answering shots were heard. +Treading very cautiously, he made a wide _détour_ and then came down +again on the clearing at the end furthest from the lake, where the +Indians had been last seen moving about. All was still. Keeping among +the trees and moving with great caution, he made his way, for a +considerable distance, along the edge of the clearing; then he +dropped on his hands and knees and entered the cornfield, and for two +hours he crawled about, quartering the ground like a dog in search of +game. Everywhere he found lines where the Indians had crawled along +to the edge nearest to the house, but nowhere did he discover a sign +of life. Then, still taking great care, he moved down toward the +house and made a circuit of it a short distance outside the stockade; +then he rose to his feet. + +"Yer may stop shooting," he shouted. "The pesky rascals are gone." +Then he walked openly up to the gate; it was opened at once by +William Welch. + +"Are you sure they have gone?" he asked. + +"Sure as gospel," he answered, "and they've been gone twenty-four +hours at least." + +"How do you know that?" + +"Easy enough. I found several of their cooking places in the woods; +the brands were out, and even under the ashes the ground was cold, so +they must have been out for a long time. I could have walked straight +on to the house, then, but I thought it safer to make quite sure by +searching everywhere, for they might have moved deeper into the +forest, and left a few men on guard here, in case the young uns +should come back. But it aint so; they've gone, and there aint a +living soul anywhere nigh the clearing. The young uns can come back +now, if they will, safely enough." + +Before doing anything else the farmer assembled the party together in +the living room, and there solemnly offered up thanks to God for +their deliverance from danger, and implored his protection for the +absent ones. When this was over he said to his wife: + +"Now, Jane; you had better lie down and get a few hours' sleep. It is +already two o'clock, and there is no chance whatever of their +returning tonight, but I shall go down to the lake and wait till +morning. Place candles in two of the upper windows. Should they be +out on the lake they will see them and know that the Indians have not +taken the house." + +Morning came, without any signs of the absent ones. At daybreak +Pearson went out to scout in the woods, and returned late in the +afternoon with the news that the Indians had all departed, and that, +for a distance of ten miles at least, the woods were entirely free. + +When it became dark the farmer again went down to the lake and +watched until two, when Pearson took his place. Mr. Welch was turning +to go back to the house when Pearson placed his hand on his shoulder. + +"Listen!" he said; and for a minute the men stood immovable. + +"What was it?" the farmer asked. + +"I thought I heard the stroke of a paddle," Pearson said; "it might +have been the jump of a fish. There! there it is again!" He lay down +and put his ear close to the water. "There's a canoe in the lake to +the north'ard. I can hear the strokes of the paddle plainly." + +Mr. Welch could hear nothing. Some minutes passed, then Pearson +exclaimed: + +"There! I saw a break in the water over there! There it is!" he said, +straining his eyes in the darkness. "That's a canoe, sure enough, +although they have ceased paddling. It's not a mile away." + +Then he rose to his feet and shouted "Halloo!" at the top of his +voice. An answering shout faintly came back across the water. He +again hailed loudly, and this time the answer came in a female voice. + +"It's them, sure enough. I can swear to Nelly's voice." + +William Welch uncovered his head and, putting his hand before his +face, returned fervent thanks to God for the recovery of his child. +Then he dashed off at full speed toward the house. Before he reached +it however, he met his wife running down to meet him, the shouts +having informed her that something was seen. Hand in hand they ran +down to the water's edge. The canoe was now swiftly approaching. The +mother screamed: + +"Nelly! is that you?" + +"Mamma! mamma!" came back in the girl's clear tones. + +With a low cry of gladness Mrs. Welch fell senseless to the ground. +The strain which she had for four days endured had been terrible, and +even the assurances of Pearson had failed to awaken any strong +feeling of hope in her heart. She had kept up bravely and had gone +about her work in the house with a pale, set face, but the unexpected +relief was too much for her. Two minutes later the bow of the canoe +grated on the shore, and Nelly leaped into her father's arms. + +"Where is mamma?" she exclaimed. "She is here, my dear, but she has +fainted. The joy of your return has been too much for her." + +Nelly knelt beside her mother and raised her head, and the farmer +grasped Harold's hand. + +"My brave boy," he said, "I have to thank you for saving my child's +life. God bless you!" + +He dipped his hat in the lake and sprinkled water in his wife's face. +She soon recovered and, a few minutes afterward, the happy party +walked up to the house, Mrs. Welch being assisted by her husband and +Pearson. The two young ones were soon seated at a table, ravenously +devouring food, and, when their hunger was satisfied, they related +the story of their adventures, the whole of the garrison being +gathered round to listen. After relating what had taken place up to +the time of their hiding the canoe, Harold went on: + +"We walked about a quarter of a mile until we came to a large clump +of underwood. We crept in there, taking great pains not to break a +twig or disturb a leaf. The ground was, fortunately, very dry, and I +could see that our footprints had not left the smallest marks. There +we have lain hid ever since. We had the fish and the berries, and, +fortunately, the fruit was ripe and juicy and quenched our thirst +well enough, and we could, sometimes, hear the firing by day, and +always at night. On the day we took refuge we heard the voices of the +Indians down toward the lake quite plainly, but we have heard nothing +of them since. Last night we heard the firing up to the middle of the +night, and then it suddenly stopped. To-day I crept out and went down +to the lake to listen; but it seemed that everything was still. Nelly +was in a terrible way, and was afraid that the house had been taken +by the Indians, but I told her that could not be, for that there +would certainly have been a tremendous lot of firing at last, whereas +it stopped, after a few shots, just as it had been going on so long. +Our provisions were all gone and Nelly was getting very bad for want +of water. I, of course, got a drink at the lake this morning. So we +agreed that, if everything was still again to-night, we would go back +to the place where we had hidden the canoe, launch it, and paddle +here. Everything was quiet, so we came along as we had arranged. When +I saw the lights in the windows I made sure all was right: still it +was a great relief when I heard the shout from the shore. I knew, of +course, that it wasn't a redskin's shout. Besides, Indians would have +kept quiet till we came alongside." + +Very hearty were the commendations bestowed on the boy for his +courage and thoughtfulness. + +"You behaved like an old frontiersman," Pearson said. "I couldn't +have done better myself. You only made one blunder from the time you +set out from shore." + +"What was that?" Harold asked. + +"You were wrong to pick the berries. The redskins, of course, would +find where you had landed, they'd see the marks where you lay down, +and would know that you had paddled away again. Had it not been for +their seeing the tracks you made in picking the berries they might +have, supposed you had started before daybreak, and had gone out of +sight across the lake; but them marks would have shown 'em that you +did not take to your canoe until long after the sun was up, and +therefore that you couldn't have made across the lake without their +seeing you, but must either have landed or be in your canoe under +shelter of the trees somewhere along the shore. It's a marvel to me +that they didn't find your traces, however careful you were to +conceal 'em. But that's the only error you made, and I tell you, +young un, you have a right to be proud of having outwitted a hull +tribe of redskins." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON. + +Harold remained for four months longer with his cousin. The Indians +had made several attacks upon settlements at other points of the +frontier, but they had not repeated their incursion in the +neighborhood of the lake. The farming operations had gone on +regularly, but the men always worked with their rifles ready to their +hand. Pearson had predicted that the Indians were not likely to +return to that neighborhood. Mr. Welch's farm was the only one along +the lake that had escaped, and the loss the Indians had sustained in +attacking it had been so heavy that they were not likely to make an +expedition in that quarter, where the chances of booty were so small +and the certainty of a desperate resistance so great. + +Other matters occurred which rendered the renewal of the attack +improbable. The news was brought by a wandering hunter that a quarrel +had arisen between the Shawnees and the Iroquois, and that the latter +had recalled their braves from the frontier to defend their own +villages in case of hostilities breaking out between them and the +rival tribe. + +There was no occasion for Harold to wait for news from home, for his +father had, before starting, definitely fixed the day for his return, +and when that time approached Harold started on his eastward journey, +in order to be at home about the date of their arrival. Pearson took +him in his canoe to the end of the lake and accompanied him to the +settlement, whence he was able to obtain a conveyance to Detroit. +Here he took a passage in a trading boat and made his way by water to +Montreal, thence down through Lake Champlain and the Hudson River to +New York, and thence to Boston. + +The journey had occupied him longer than he expected, and Mr. and +Mrs. Wilson were already in their home at Concord when he arrived. +The meeting was a joyful one. His parents had upon their return home +found letters from Mr. Welch and his wife describing the events which +had happened at the farm, speaking in the highest terms of the +courage and coolness in danger which Harold had displayed, and giving +him full credit for the saving of their daughter's life. + +Upon the day after Harold's return two gentlemen called upon Captain +Wilson and asked him to sign the agreement which a number of +colonists had entered into to resist the mother country to the last. +This Captain Wilson positively refused to do. + +"I am an Englishman," he said, "and my sympathies are wholly with my +country. I do not say that the whole of the demands of England are +justifiable. I think that Parliament has been deceived as to the +spirit existing here. But I consider that it has done nothing +whatever to justify the attitude of the colonists. The soldiers of +England have fought for you against French and Indians and are still +stationed here to protect you. The colonists pay nothing for their +land; they pay nothing toward the expenses of the government of the +mother country; and it appears to me to be perfectly just that people +here, free as they are from all the burdens that bear so heavily on +those at home, should at least bear the expense of the army stationed +here. I grant that it would have been far better had the colonists +taxed themselves to pay the extra amount, instead of the mother +country taxing them; but this they would not do. Some of the +colonists paid their quota, others refused to do so, and this being +the case, it appears to me that England is perfectly justified in +laying on a tax. Nothing could have been fairer than the tax that she +proposed. The stamp-tax would in no way have affected the poorer +classes in the colonies. It would have been borne only by the rich +and by those engaged in such business transactions as required +stamped documents. I regard the present rebellion as the work of a +clique of ambitious men who have stirred up the people by incendiary +addresses and writings. There are, of course, among them a large +number of men--among them, gentlemen, I place you--who +conscientiously believe that they are justified in doing nothing +whatever for the land which gave them or their ancestors birth; who +would enjoy all the great natural wealth of this vast country without +contributing toward the expense of the troops to whom it is due that +they enjoy peace and tranquility. Such, gentlemen, are not my +sentiments. You consider it a gross hardship that the colonists are +compelled to trade only with the mother country. I grant that it +would be more profitable and better for us had we an open trade with +the whole world; but in this England only acts as do all other +countries toward their colonies. France, Spain, Portugal, and the +Netherlands all monopolize the trade of their colonies; all, far more +than does England, regard their colonies as sources of revenue. I +repeat, I do not think that the course that England has pursued +toward us has been always wise, but I am sure that nothing that she +has done justifies the spirit of disaffection and rebellion which is +ripe throughout these colonies." + +"The time will come, sir," one of the gentlemen said, "when you will +have reason to regret the line which you have now taken." + +"No, sir," Captain Wilson said haughtily. "The time may come when the +line that I have taken may cost me my fortune, and even my life, but +it will never cause me one moment's regret that I have chosen the +part of a loyal English gentleman." + +When the deputation had departed Harold, who had been a wondering +listener to the conversation, asked his father to explain to him the +exact position in which matters stood. + +It was indeed a serious one. The success of England, in her struggle +with France for the supremacy of North America had cost her a great +deal of money. At home the burdens of the people were extremely +heavy. The expense of the army and navy was great, and the ministry, +in striving to lighten the burdens of the people, turned their eyes +to the colonies. They saw in America a population of over two million +people, subjects of the king, like themselves, living free from rent +and taxes on their own land and paying nothing whatever to the +expenses of the country. They were, it is true, forced to trade with +England, but this obligation was set wholly at naught. A gigantic +system of smuggling was carried on. The custom-house officials had no +force at their disposal which would have enabled them to check these +operations, and the law enforcing a trade with England was virtually +a dead letter. + +Their first step was to strengthen the naval force on the American +coast and by additional vigilance to put some sort of check on the +wholesale smuggling which prevailed. This step caused extreme +discontent among the trading classes of America, and these set to +work vigorously to stir up a strong feeling of disaffection against +England. The revenue officers were prevented, sometimes by force, +from carrying out their duties. + +After great consideration the English government came to the +conclusion that a revenue sufficient to pay a considerable proportion +of the cost of the army in America might be raised by means of a +stamp-tax imposed upon all legal documents, receipts, agreements, and +licenses--a tax, in fact, resembling that on stamps now in use in +England. The colonists were furious at the imposition of this tax. A +Congress, composed of deputies from each State, met, and it was +unanimously resolved that the stamp-tax should not be paid. Meetings +were everywhere held, at which the strongest and most treasonable +language was uttered, and such violent threats were used against the +persons employed as stamp-collectors that these, in fear of their +lives, resigned their posts. + +The stamp-tax remained uncollected and was treated by the colonists +as if it were not in existence. + +The whole of the States now began to prepare for war. The Congress +was made permanent, the militia drilled and prepared for fighting, +and everywhere the position grew more and more strained. +Massachusetts was the headquarters of disaffection, and here a total +break with the mother country was openly spoken of. At times the more +moderate spirits attempted to bring about a reconciliation between +the two parties. Petitions were sent to the Houses of Parliament, and +even at this time had any spirit of wisdom prevailed in England the +final consequences might have been prevented. Unfortunately the +majority in Parliament were unable to recognize that the colonists +had any rights upon their side. Taxation was so heavy at home that +men felt indignant that they should be called upon to pay for the +keeping up of the army in America, to which the untaxed colonists, +with their free farms and houses, would contribute nothing. The plea +of the colonists that they were taxed by a chamber in which they were +unrepresented was answered by the statement that such was also the +case with Manchester, Leeds, and many other large towns which were +unrepresented in Parliament. + +In England neither the spirit nor the strength of the colonists was +understood. Men could not bring themselves to believe that these +would fight rather than submit, still less that if they did fight it +would be successfully. They ignored the fact that the population of +the States was one-fourth as large as that of England; that by far +the greater proportion of that population were men trained, either in +border warfare or in the chase, to the use of the rifle; that the +enormous extent of country offered almost insuperable obstacles to +the most able army composed of regular troops, and that the vast +forests and thinly populated country were all in favor of a +population fighting as guerrillas against trained troops. Had they +perceived these things the English people would have hesitated before +embarking upon such a struggle, even if convinced, as assuredly the +great majority were convinced, of the fairness of their demands. It +is true that even had England at this point abandoned altogether her +determination to raise taxes in America the result would probably +have been the same. The spirit of disaffection in the colony had gone +so far that a retreat would have been considered as a confession of +weakness, and separation of the colonists from the mother country +would have happened ere many years had elapsed. As it was, Parliament +agreed to let the stamp-tax drop, and in its place established some +import duties on goods entering the American ports. + +The colonists, however, were determined that they would submit to no +taxation whatever. The English government, in its desire for peace, +abandoned all the duties with the exception of that on tea; but even +this concession was not sufficient to satisfy the colonists. These +entered into a bond to use no English goods. A riot took place at +Boston, and the revenue officers were forced to withdraw from their +posts. Troops were dispatched from England and the House of Commons +declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion. + +It must not be supposed that the colonists were by any means +unanimous in their resistance to England. There were throughout the +country a large number of gentlemen, like Captain Wilson, wholly +opposed to the general feeling. New York refused to send members to +the Congress, and in many other provinces the adhesion given to the +disaffected movement was but lukewarm. It was in the New England +provinces that the spirit of rebellion was hottest. These States had +been peopled for the most part by Puritans--men who had left England +voluntarily, exiling themselves rather than submit to the laws and +religion of the country, and among them, as among a portion of the +Irish population of America at the present time, the feeling of +hatred against the government of England was, in a way, hereditary. + +So far but few acts of violence had taken place. Nothing could be +more virulent than the language of the newspapers of both parties +against their opponents, but beyond a few isolated tumults the peace +had not been broken. It was the lull before the storm. The great +majority of the New England colonists were bent upon obtaining +nothing short of absolute independence; the loyalists and the English +were as determined to put down any revolt by force. + +The Congress drilled, armed, and organized; the English brought over +fresh troops and prepared for the struggle. It was December when +Harold returned home to his parents, and for the next three months +the lull before the storm continued. + +The disaffected of Massachusetts had collected a large quantity of +military stores at Concord. These General Gage, who commanded the +troops at Boston, determined to seize and destroy, seeing that they +could be collected only for use against the Government, and on the +night of April 19 the grenadier and light infantry companies of the +various regiments, 800 strong, under command of Lieutenant Colonel +Smith of the Tenth Regiment, and Major Pitcairne of the Marines, +embarked in boats and were conveyed up Charles River as far as a +place called Phipps' Farm. There they landed at midnight, having a +day's provisions in their haversacks, and started on their march to +Concord, twenty miles distant from Boston. + +The design had been discovered by some of the revolutionary party in +the town, and two of their number were dispatched on horseback to +rouse the whole country on the way to Concord, where the news arrived +at two o'clock in the morning. + +Captain Wilson and his household were startled from sleep by the +sudden ringing of the alarm-bells, and a negro servant, Pompey, who +had been for many years in their service, was sent down into the +town, which lay a quarter of a mile from the house, to find out what +was the news. He returned in half an hour. + +"Me tink all de people gone mad, massa. Dey swarming out of deir +houses and filling de streets, all wid guns on deir shoulders, all de +while shouting and halloing 'Down wid de English! Down wid de +redcoats! dey shan't have our guns; dey shan't take de cannon and de +powder.' Dere were ole Massa Bill Emerson, the preacher, wid his gun +in his hands, shouting to de people to stand firm and to fight till +de last; dey all shout, 'We will!' Dey bery desperate; me fear great +fight come on." + +"What are you going to do, father?" Harold asked. + +"Nothing, my boy. If, as it is only too likely, this is the beginning +of a civil war, I have determined to offer my services to the +government. Great numbers of loyalists have sent in their names +offering to serve if necessary, and from my knowledge of drill I +shall, of course, be useful. To-day I can take no active part in the +fight, but I shall take my horse and ride forward to meet the troops +and warn the commanding officer that resistance will be attempted +here." + +"May I go with you, father?" + +"Yes, if you like, my boy. Pompey, saddle two horses at once. You are +not afraid of being left alone, Mary?" he said, turning to his wife. +"There is no chance of any disturbance here. Our house lies beyond +the town, and whatever takes place will be in Concord. When the +troops have captured the guns and stores they will return." + +Mrs. Wilson said she was not frightened and had no fear whatever of +being left alone. The horses were soon brought round, and Captain +Wilson and his son mounted and rode off at full speed. They made a +_détour_ to avoid the town, and then, gaining the highroad, went +forward at full speed. The alarm had evidently been given all along +the line. At every village the bells were ringing, the people were +assembling in the streets, all carrying arms, while numbers were +flocking in from the farmhouses around. Once or twice Captain Wilson +was stopped and asked where he was going. + +"I am going to tell the commander of the British force, now marching +hither, that if he advances there will be bloodshed--that it will be +the beginning of civil war. If he has orders to come at all hazards, +my words will not stop him; if it is left to his discretion, possibly +he may pause before he brings on so dire a calamity." + +It was just dawn when Captain Wilson and Harold rode into Lexington, +where the militia, 130 strong, had assembled. Their guns were loaded +and they were ready to defend the place, which numbered about 700 +inhabitants. + +Just as Captain Wilson rode in a messenger ran up with the news that +the head of the British column was close at hand. Some of the militia +had dispersed to lie down until the English arrived. John Parker, who +commanded them, ordered the drums to beat and the alarm-guns to be +fired, and his men drew up in two ranks across the road. + +"It is too late now, Harold," Captain Wilson said. "Let us get out of +the line of fire." + +The British, hearing the drums and the alarm-guns, loaded, and the +advance company came on at the double. Major Pitcairne was at their +head and shouted to the militia to lay down their arms. + +It is a matter of dispute, and will always remain one, as to who +fired the first shot. The Americans assert that it was the English; +the English say that as they advanced several shots were fired at +them from behind a stone wall and from some of the adjoining houses, +which wounded one man and hit Major Pitcairne's horse in two places. + +The militia disregarded Major Pitcairne's orders to lay down their +arms. The English fired; several of the militia were killed, nine +wounded, and the rest dispersed. There was no further fighting and +the English marched on, unopposed, to Concord. + +As they approached the town the militia retreated from it. The +English took possession of a bridge behind the place and held this +while the troops were engaged in destroying the ammunition and +gun-carriages. Most of the guns had been removed and only two +twenty-four pounders were taken. In destroying the stores by fire the +court-house took flames. At the sight of this fire the militia and +armed countrymen advanced down the hill toward the bridge. The +English tried to pull up the planks, but the Americans ran forward +rapidly. The English guard fired; the colonists returned the fire. +Some of the English were killed and wounded and the party fell back +into the town. Half an hour later Colonel Smith, having performed the +duty that he was sent to do, resumed the homeward march with the +whole of his troops. + +Then the militiamen of Concord, with those from many villages around +and every man in the district capable of bearing arms, fell upon the +retiring English. + +The road led through several defiles, and every tree, every rock, +every depression of ground was taken advantage of by the Americans. +Scarcely a man was to be seen, but their deadly fire rained thick +upon the tired troops. This they vainly attempted to return, but they +could do nothing against an invisible foe, every man of whom +possessed a skill with his rifle far beyond that of the British +soldier. Very many fell and the retreat was fast becoming a rout, +when, near Lexington, the column met a strong re-enforcement which +had been sent out from Boston. This was commanded by Lord Percy, who +formed his detachment into square, in which Colonel Smith's party, +now so utterly exhausted that they were obliged to lie down for some +time, took refuge. When they were rested the whole force moved +forward again toward Boston, harassed the whole way by the Americans, +who from behind stone walls and other places of shelter kept up an +incessant fire upon both flanks, as well as in the front and rear, +against which the troops could do nothing. At last the retreating +column safely arrived at Boston, spent and worn out with fatigue. +Their loss was 65 men killed, 136 wounded, 49 missing. + +Such was the beginning of the war of independence. Many American +writers have declared that previous to that battle there was no +desire for independence on the part of the colonists, but this is +emphatically contradicted by the language used at the meetings and in +the newspapers which have come down to us. The leaders may not have +wished to go so far--may not have intended to gain more than an +entire immunity from taxation and an absolute power for the colonists +to manage their own affairs. But experience has shown that when the +spark of revolution is once lighted, when resistance to the law has +once commenced, things are carried to a point far beyond that dreamed +of by the first leaders. + +Those who commenced the French Revolution were moderate men who +desired only that some slight check should be placed on the arbitrary +power of the king--that the people should be relieved in some slight +degree from the horrible tyranny of the nobles, from the misery and +wretchedness in which they lived. These just demands increased step +by step until they culminated in the Reign of Terror and the most +horrible scenes of bloodshed and massacre of modern times. + +Men like Washington and Franklin and Adams may have desired only that +the colonists should be free from imperial taxation, but the popular +voice went far beyond this. Three years earlier wise counsels in the +British Parliament might have averted a catastrophe and delayed for +many years the separation of the colonies from their mother country. +At the time the march began from Boston to Concord the American +colonists stood virtually in armed rebellion. The militia throughout +New England were ready to fight. Arms, ammunition, and military +stores were collected in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. The cannon +and military stores belonging to the Crown had been carried off by +the people, forty cannon being seized in Rhode Island alone. Such +being the case, it is nonsense to speak of the fray at Lexington as +the cause of the Revolutionary War. It was but the spark in the +powder. The magazine was ready and primed, the explosion was +inevitable, and the fight at Lexington was the accidental incident +which set fire to it. + +The efforts of American writers to conceal the real facts of the +case, to minimize the rebellious language, the violent acts of the +colonists, and to make England responsible for the war because a body +of troops were sent to seize cannon and military stores intended to +be used against them are so absurd, as well as so untrue, that it is +astonishing how wide a credence such statements have received. + +From an eminence at some distance from the line of retreat Captain +Wilson and his son watched sorrowfully the attack upon the British +troops. When at last the combatants disappeared from sight through +one of the defiles Captain Wilson turned his horse's head homeward. + +"The die is cast," he said to his wife as she met him at the door. +"The war has begun, and I fear it can have but one termination. The +colonists can place forces in the field twenty times as numerous as +any army that England can spare. They are inferior in drill and in +discipline, but these things, which are of such vast consequence in a +European battlefield, matter but little in such a country as this. +Skill with the rifle and knowledge of forest warfare are far more +important. In these points the colonists are as superior to the +English soldiers as they are in point of numbers. Nevertheless, my +dear, my duty is plain. I am an Englishman and have borne his +Majesty's commission, and I must fight for the king. Harold has +spoken to me as we rode home together, and he wishes to fight by my +side. I have pointed out to him that as he was born here he can +without dishonor remain neutral in the struggle. He, however, insists +that as a royal subject of the king he is entitled to fight for him. +He saw to-day many lads not older than himself in the rebel ranks, +and he has pleaded strongly for permission to go with me. To this I +have agreed. Which would you prefer, Mary--to stay quietly here, +where I imagine you would not be molested on account of the part I +take, or will you move into Boston and stop with your relations there +until the struggle has ended one way or the other?" + +As Mrs. Wilson had frequently talked over with her husband the course +that he would take in the event of civil war actually breaking out, +the news that he would at once offer his services to the British +authorities did not come as a shock upon her. Even the question of +Harold accompanying his father had been talked over; and although her +heart bled at the thought of husband and son being both engaged in +such a struggle, she agreed to acquiesce in any decision that Harold +might arrive at. He was now nearly sixteen, and in the colonies a lad +of this age is, in point of independence and self-reliance, older +than an English boy. Harold, too, had already shown that he possessed +discretion and coolness as well as courage, and although now that the +moment had come Mrs. Wilson wept passionately at the thought of their +leaving her, she abstained from saying any word to dissuade them from +the course they had determined upon. When she recovered from her fit +of crying she said that she would accompany them at once to Boston, +as in the first place their duties might for some time lie in that +city, and that in any case she would obtain far more speedy news +there of what was going on throughout the country than she would at +Concord. She would, too, be living among her friends and would meet +with many of the same convictions and opinions as her husband's, +whereas in Concord the whole population would be hostile. + +Captain Wilson said that there was no time to be lost, as the whole +town was in a tumult. He therefore advised her to pack up such +necessary articles as could be carried in the valises, on the horses' +backs. + +Pompey and the other servants were to pack up the most valuable +effects and to forward them to a relation of Mrs. Wilson's who lived +about three miles from Boston. There they would be in safety and +could be brought into the town, if necessary. Pompey and two other +old servants were to remain in charge of the house and its contents. +Jake, an active young negro some twenty-three or twenty-four years +old, who was much attached to Harold, whose personal attendant and +companion he had always been, was to accompany them on horseback, as +was Judy, Mrs. Wilson's negro maid. + +As evening fell the five horses were brought round, and the party +started by a long and circuitous route, by which, after riding for +nearly forty miles, they reached Boston at two o'clock next morning. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +BUNKER'S HILL. + +The excitement caused by the news of the fight at Concord was intense +and, as it spread through the colonies, the men everywhere rushed to +arms. The fray at Lexington was represented as a wanton outrage, and +the fact wholly ignored that the colonists concerned in it were drawn +up in arms to oppose the passage of the king's troops, who were +marching on their legitimate duty of seizing arms and ammunition +collected for the purpose of warring against the king. The colonial +orators and newspaper writers affirmed then, as they have affirmed +since, that, up to the day of Lexington, no one had a thought of +firing a shot against the Government. A more barefaced misstatement +was never made. Men do not carry off cannon by scores, and accumulate +everywhere great stores of warlike ammunition, without a thought of +fighting. The colonists commenced the war by assembling in arms to +oppose the progress of British troops obeying the orders of the +Government. It matters not a whit on which side the first shot was +fired. American troops have, many times since that event, fired upon +rioters in the streets, under circumstances no stronger than those +which brought on the fight at Lexington. + +From all parts of New England the militia and volunteers poured in, +and in three days after the fight, twenty thousand armed men were +encamped between the rivers Mystic and Roxburgh, thus besieging +Boston. They at once set to work throwing up formidable earthworks, +the English troops remaining within their intrenchments across the +neck of land joining Boston with the mainland. + +The streets of Boston were crowded with an excited populace when +Captain Wilson and his party rode into it at two in the morning. No +one thought of going to bed, and all were excited to the last degree +at the news of the battle. All sorts of reports prevailed. On the +colonial side it was affirmed that the British, in their retreat, had +shot down women and children; while the soldiers affirmed that the +colonists had scalped many of their number who fell in the fight. The +latter statement was officially made by Lord Percy in his report of +the engagement. + +Captain Wilson rode direct to the house of his wife's friends. They +were still up, and were delighted to see Mary Wilson, for such +exaggerated reports had been received of the fight that they were +alarmed for her safety. They belonged to the moderate party, who saw +that there were faults on both sides and regretted bitterly both the +obstinacy of the English Parliament in attempting to coerce the +colonists and the determination of the latter to oppose, by force of +arms, the legitimate rights of the mother country. + +Until the morning the events of the preceding day were talked over; a +few hours' repose was then taken, after which Captain Wilson went to +the headquarters of General Gage and offered his services. Although +Boston was the headquarters of the disaffected party, no less than +two hundred men came forward as volunteers in the king's service, and +Captain Wilson was at once appointed to the command of a company of +fifty men. Before leaving the army he had taken part in several +expeditions against the Indians, and his knowledge of forest warfare +rendered him a valuable acquisition. Boston was but poorly +provisioned, and, as upon the day when the news of Lexington reached +New York two vessels laden with flour for the use of the troops at +Boston were seized by the colonists and many other supplies cut off, +the danger of the place being starved out was considerable. General +Gage, therefore, offered no opposition to the exit from the city of +those who wished to avoid the horror of a siege, and a considerable +portion of the population made their way through to the rebel lines. +Every day brought news of fresh risings throughout the country; the +governors of the various provinces were powerless; small garrisons of +English troops were disarmed and made prisoners; and the fortress of +Ticonderoga, held only by fifty men, was captured by the Americans +without resistance. In one month after the first shot was fired the +whole of the American colonies were in rebellion. + +The news was received in England with astonishment and sorrow. Great +concessions had been made by Parliament, but the news had reached +America too late to avoid hostilities. Public opinion was divided; +many were in favor of granting at once all that the colonists +demanded, and many officers of rank and position resigned their +commissions rather than fight against the Americans. The division, +indeed, was almost as general and complete as it had been in the time +of our own civil war. In London the feeling in favor of the colonists +was strong, but in the country generally the determination to repress +the rising was in the ascendant. The colonists had, with great +shrewdness, dispatched a fast-sailing ship to Europe upon the day +following the battle of Lexington, giving their account of the +affair, and representing it as a massacre of defenseless colonists by +British troops; and the story thus told excited a sympathy which +would not, perhaps, have been extended to them had the real facts of +the case been known. Representatives from all the colonies met at +Philadelphia to organize the national resistance; but as yet, +although many of the bolder spirits spoke of altogether throwing off +allegiance to England, no resolution was proposed to that effect. + +For the first six weeks after his arrival at Boston, Captain Wilson +was engaged in drilling his company. Harold was, of course, attached +to it, and entered with ardor upon his duties. Captain Wilson did not +attempt to form his men into a band of regular soldiers; accuracy of +movement and regularity of drill would be of little avail in the +warfare in which they were likely to be engaged. Accuracy in +shooting, quickness in taking cover, and steadiness in carrying out +any general orders were the principal objects to be attained. Most of +the men had already taken part in frontier warfare. The majority of +them were gentlemen--Englishmen who, like their captain, had come out +from home and purchased small estates in the country. The discipline, +therefore, was not strict, and, off duty, all were on terms of +equality. + +Toward the end of May and beginning of June considerable +re-enforcements arrived from England, and, as a step preparatory to +offensive measures, General Gage, on June 12, issued a proclamation +offering, in his Majesty's name, a free pardon to all who should +forthwith lay down their arms, John Hancock and General Adams only +excepted, and threatening with punishment all who should delay to +avail themselves of the offer. This proclamation had no effect +whatever. + +Near the peninsula of Boston, on the north, and separated from it by +the Charles River, which is navigable and about the breadth of the +Thames at London Bridge, is another neck of land called the Peninsula +of Charlestown. On the north bank, opposite Boston, lies the town of +Charlestown, behind which, in the center of the peninsula, rises an +eminence called Bunker's Hill. Bunker's Hill is sufficiently high to +overlook any part of Boston and near enough to be within cannon-shot. +This hill was unoccupied by either party, and about this time the +Americans, hearing that General Gage had come to a determination to +fortify it, resolved to defeat his resolution by being the first to +occupy it. + +About nine in the evening of June 16 a detachment from the colonial +army, one thousand strong, under the command of Colonel Prescott, +moved along the Charlestown road and took up a position on a shoulder +of Bunker's Hill, which was known as Breed's Hill, just above the +town of Charlestown. They reached this position at midnight. Each man +carried a pick and shovel, and all night they worked vigorously in +intrenching the position. Not a word was spoken, and the watch on +board the men-of-war in the harbor were ignorant of what was going on +so near at hand. At daybreak the alarm was given, and the _Lively_ +opened a cannonade upon the redoubt. A battery of guns was placed on +Copp's Hill, behind Boston, distant twelve hundred yards from the +works, and this, also, opened fire. The Americans continued their +work, throwing up fresh intrenchments; and, singularly, only one man +was killed by the fire from the ships and redoubt. A breastwork was +carried down the hill to the flat ground which, intersected by +fences, stretched away to the Mystic. By nine o'clock they had +completed their intrenchments. + +Prescott sent off for re-enforcements, but there was little harmony +among the colonial troops. Disputes between the contingents of the +various provinces were common; there was no head of sufficient +authority to enforce his orders upon the whole; and a long delay took +place before the re-enforcements were sent forward. + +In the meantime the English had been preparing to attack the +position. The Fifth, Thirty-eighth, Forty-third, and Fifty-second +regiments, with ten companies of the grenadiers and ten of the light +infantry, with a proportion of field artillery, embarked in boats, +and, crossing the harbor, landed on the outward side of the +peninsula, near the Mystic, with a view of outflanking the American +position and surrounding them. The force was under the command of +Major General Howe, under whom was Brigadier General Piggott. + +Upon seeing the strength of the American position, General Howe +halted, and sent back for further re-enforcements. The Americans +improved the time thus given them by forming a breastwork in front of +an old ditch. Here there was a post-and-rail fence. They ran up +another by the side of this and filled the space between the two with +the new-mown hay, which, cut only the day before, lay thickly over +the meadows. + +[Illustration: Plan of the Action at Bunkers Hill, on the 17th of +June 1775.] + +Two battalions were sent across to re-enforce Howe, while large +re-enforcements, with six guns, arrived to the assistance of +Prescott. The English had now a force consisting, according to +different authorities, of between 2000 and 2500 men. The colonial +force is also variously estimated, and had the advantage both in +position and in the protection of their intrenchments, while the +British had to march across open ground. As individual shots the +colonists were immensely superior, but the British had the advantages +given by drill and discipline. + +The English lines advanced in good order, steadily and slowly, the +artillery covering them by their fire. Presently the troops opened +fire, but the distance was too great and they did but little +execution. Encumbered with their knapsacks they ascended the steep +hill toward the redoubt with difficulty, covered, as it was, by grass +reaching to the knees. The colonists did not fire a shot until the +English line had reached a point about one hundred and fifty yards +from the intrenchments. Then Prescott gave the order, and from the +redoubt and the long line of intrenchments flanking it flashed a line +of fire. Each man had taken a steady aim with his rifle resting on +the earthwork before him, and so deadly was the fire that nearly the +whole front line of the British fell. For ten minutes the rest stood +with dogged courage, firing at the hidden foe, but these, sheltered +while they loaded and only exposing themselves momentarily while they +raised their heads above the parapets to fire, did such deadly +execution that the remnant of the British fell back to the foot of +the hill. + +While this force, which was under the command of General Pigott, had +been engaged, another division under Howe himself moved against the +rail fence. The combat was a repetition of that which had taken place +on the hill. Here the Americans reserved their fire until the enemy +were close; then, with their muskets resting on the rails, they +poured in a deadly fire, and, after in vain trying to stand their +ground, the troops fell back to the shore. + +Captain Wilson was standing with Harold on Copp's Hill watching the +engagement. + +"What beautiful order they go in!" Harold said, looking admiringly at +the long lines of red-coated soldiers. + +"It is very pretty," Captain Wilson said sadly, "and may do in +regular warfare; but I tell you, Harold, that sort of thing won't do +here. There is scarce a man carrying a gun behind those intrenchments +who cannot with certainty hit a bull's-eye at one hundred and fifty +yards. It is simply murder, taking the men up in regular order +against such a foe sheltered by earthworks." + +At this moment the long line of fire darted out from the American +intrenchments. + +"Look there!" Captain Wilson cried in a pained voice. "The front line +is nearly swept away! Do you see them lying almost in an unbroken +line on the hillside? I tell you, Harold, it is hopeless to look for +success if we fight in this way. The bravest men in the world could +not stand such a fire as that." + +"What will be done now?" Harold asked as the men stood huddled upon +the shore. + +"They will try again," Captain Wilson said. "Look at the officers +running about among them and getting them into order." + +In a quarter of an hour the British again advanced both toward the +redoubt and the grass fence. As before the Americans withheld their +fire, and this time until the troops were far closer than before, and +the result was even more disastrous. Some of the grenadier and light +infantry companies who led lost three-fourths, others nine-tenths of +their men. Again the British troops recoiled from that terrible fire. +General Howe and his officers exerted themselves to the utmost to +restore order when the troops again reached the shore, and the men +gallantly replied to their exhortations. Almost impossible as the +task appeared, they prepared to undertake it for the third time. This +time a small force only was directed to move against the grass fence, +while the main body, under Howe, were to attack the redoubt on the +hill. + +Knapsacks were taken off and thrown down, and each man nerved himself +to conquer or die. The ships in the harbor prepared the way by +opening a heavy cannonade. General Clinton, who was watching the +battle from Copp's Hill, ran down to the shore, rowed across the +harbor, and put himself at the head of two battalions. Then, with +loud cheers, the troops again sprang up the ascent. The American +ammunition was running short, many of the men not having more than +three or four rounds left, and this time they held their fire until +the British troops were within twenty yards. These had not fired a +shot, the order being that there was to be no pause, but that the +redoubt was to be carried with the bayonet. For a moment they wavered +when the deadly volley was poured in upon them. Then, with a cheer, +they rushed at the intrenchments. All those who first mounted were +shot down by the defenders, but the troops would not be denied, and, +pouring over the earthworks leaped down upon the enemy. + +For a few minutes there was a hand-to-hand fight, the Americans using +the butt-ends of their muskets, the English their bayonets. The +soldiers were exhausted with the climb up the hill and their exertions +under a blazing sun, and the great majority of the defenders of the +redoubt were, therefore, enabled to retreat unharmed, as, fresh and +active, they were able to outrun their tired opponents, and as the +balls served out to the English field-pieces were too large, the +artillery were unable to come into action. + +The colonists at the rail fence maintained their position against the +small force sent against them till the main body at the redoubt had +made their escape. The British were unable to continue the pursuit +beyond the isthmus. + +In the whole history of the British army there is no record of a more +gallant feat than the capture of Bunker's Hill, and few troops in the +world would, after two bloody repulses, have moved up the third time +to assail such a position, defended by men so trained to the use of +the rifle. Ten hundred and fifty-four men, or nearly half their +number, were killed and wounded, among whom were 83 officers. In few +battles ever fought was the proportion of casualties to the number +engaged so great. The Americans fought bravely, but the extraordinary +praise bestowed upon them for their valor appears misplaced. Their +position was one of great strength, and the absence of drill was of +no consequence whatever in such an engagement. They were perfectly +sheltered from the enemy's fire while engaged in calmly shooting him +down, and their loss, up to the moment when the British rushed among +them, was altogether insignificant. Their casualties took place after +the position was stormed and on their retreat along the peninsula, +and amounted in all to 145 killed and captured and 304 wounded. It +may be said that both sides fought well; but, from the circumstances +under which they fought, the highest credit is due to the victors. + +The battle, however, though won by the English, was a moral triumph +for the Americans, and the British Parliament should at once have +given up the contest. It was, from the first, absolutely certain that +the Americans, with their immense superiority in numbers, could, if +they were only willing to fight, hold their vast country against the +British troops, fighting with a base thousands of miles away. The +battle of Bunker's Hill showed that they were so willing--that they +could fight sternly and bravely: and this point once established, it +was little short of madness for the English government to continue +the contest. They had not even the excuse of desiring to wipe out the +dishonor of a defeat. Their soldiers had won a brilliant victory and +had fought with a determination and valor never exceeded, and England +could have afforded to say, "We will fight no more. If you, the +inhabitants of a vast continent, are determined to go alone, are +ready to give your lives rather than remain in connection with us, go +and prosper. We acknowledge we cannot subdue a nation in arms." + +From the height of Copp's Hill it could be seen that the British had +suffered terribly. Captain Wilson was full of enthusiasm when he saw +the success of the last gallant charge of the English soldiers, but +he said to Harold: + +"It is a disastrous victory. A few such battles as these and the +English army in America would cease to exist." + +But although they were aware that the losses were heavy they were not +prepared for the truth. The long grass had hidden from view many of +those who fell, and when it was known that nearly half of those +engaged were killed or wounded the feeling among the English was akin +to consternation. + +The generalship of the British was wholly unworthy of the valor of +the troops. There would have been no difficulty in placing some of +the vessels of light draught so far up the Mystic as to outflank the +intrenchments held by the colonists. Indeed, the British troops might +have been landed further up the Mystic, in which case the Americans +must have retreated instantly to avoid capture. Lastly, the troops, +although fighting within a mile of their quarters, were encumbered +with three days' provisions and their knapsacks, constituting, with +their muskets and ammunition, a load of 125 pounds. This was, indeed, +heavily handicapping men who had, under a blazing sun, to climb a +steep hill, with grass reaching to their knees, and intersected by +walls and fences. + +American writers describe the defenders of the position as inferior +in numbers to the assailants, but it is due to the English to say +that their estimate of the number of the defenders of the +intrenchments differs very widely from this. General Gage estimated +them as being fully three times as numerous as the British troops. It +is probable that the truth lies between the two accounts. + +Captain Wilson returned with Harold, greatly dispirited, to his +house. + +"The lookout is dreadfully bad," he said to his wife, after +describing the events of the day. "So far as I can see there are but +two alternatives--either peace or a long and destructive war with +failure at its end. It is even more hopeless trying to conquer a vast +country like this, defended by irregulars, than if we had a trained +and disciplined army to deal with. In that case two or three signal +victories might bring the war to a conclusion; but fighting with +irregulars, a victory means nothing beyond so many of the enemy +killed. There are scarcely any cannon to take, no stores or magazines +to capture. When the enemy is beaten he disperses, moves off, and in +a couple of days gathers again in a fresh position. The work has no +end. There are no fortresses to take, no strategical positions to +occupy, no great roads to cut. The enemy can march anywhere, attack +and disperse as he chooses, scatter, and re-form when you have passed +by. It is like fighting the wind." + +"Well, John, since it seems so hopeless, cannot you give it up? Is it +too late?" + +"Altogether too late, Mary, and if I were free tomorrow I would +volunteer my services again next day. It is not any the less my duty +to fight in my country's cause because I believe the cause to be a +losing one. You must see that yourself, dear. If England had been +sure to win without my aid, I might have stood aloof. It is because +everyone's help is needed that such services as I can render are due +to her. A country would be in a bad way whose sons were only ready to +fight when their success was a certainty." + +The Congress determined now to detach Canada from the English side +and prepared a force for the invasion of that colony, where the +British had but few regular troops. + +Captain Wilson was one morning summoned to headquarters. On his +return he called together four or five of the men best acquainted +with the country. These had been in their early days hunters or +border scouts, and knew every foot of the forest and lakes. + +"I have just seen the general," Captain Wilson said. "A royalist +brought in news last night that the rebels are raising a force +intended to act against Montreal. They reckon upon being joined by a +considerable portion of the Canadians, among whom there is, +unfortunately, a good deal of discontent. We have but two regiments +in the whole colony. One of these is at Quebec. The rebels, +therefore, will get the advantage of surprise, and may raise the +colony before we are in a condition to resist. General Howe asked me +to take my company through the woods straight to Montreal. We should +be landed a few miles up the coast at night. I suppose some of you +know the country well enough to be able to guide us." + +Several of the men expressed their ability to act as guides. + +"I've fought the Injuns through them woods over and over again," said +one of them, a sinewy, weather-beaten man of some sixty years old, +who was known as Peter Lambton. He had for many years been a scout +attached to the army and was one of the most experienced hunters on +the frontier. He was a tall, angular man, except that he stooped +slightly, the result of a habit of walking with the head bent forward +in the attitude of listening. The years which had passed over him had +had no effect upon his figure. He walked with a long, noiseless +tread, like that of an Indian, and was one of the men attached to his +company in whom, wisely, Captain Wilson had made no attempt to +instill the very rudiments of drill. It was, the captain thought, +well that the younger men should have such a knowledge of drill as +would enable them to perform simple maneuvers, but the old hunters +would fight in their own way--a way infinitely better adapted for +forest warfare than any that he could teach them. Peter and some of +his companions were in receipt of small pensions, which had been +bestowed upon them for their services with the troops. Men of this +kind were not likely to take any lively interest in the squabbles as +to questions of taxation, but when they found that it was coming to +fighting they again offered their services to the government as a +matter of course. Some were attached to the regular troops as scouts, +while others were divided among the newly raised companies of +loyalists. + +Peter Lambton had for the last four years been settled at Concord. +During the war with the French he had served as a scout with the +regiment to which Captain Wilson belonged, and had saved that +officer's life when with a portion of his company, he was surrounded +and cut off by hostile Indians. A strong feeling of friendship had +sprung up between them, and when, four years before, there had been a +lull in the English fighting on the frontier, Peter had retired on +his pension and the savings which he had made during his many years' +work as a hunter, and had located himself in a cottage on Captain +Wilson's estate. It was the many tales told him by the hunter of his +experiences in Indian warfare that had fired Harold with a desire for +the life of a frontier hunter, and had given him such a knowledge of +forest life as had enabled him to throw off the Indians from his +trail. On Harold's return the old hunter had listened with extreme +interest to the story of his adventures and had taken great pride in +the manner in which he had utilized his teachings. Peter made his +appearance in the city three days after the arrival of Captain Wilson +there. + +"I look upon this here affair as a favorable occurrence for Harold," +he said to Captain Wilson. "The boy has lots of spirits, but if it +had not been for this he might have grown up a regular town +greenhorn, fit for nothing but to walk about in a long coat and to +talk pleasant to women; but this 'll jest be the making of him. With +your permission, cap, I'll take him under my charge and teach him to +use his eyes and his ears, and I reckon he'll turn out as good an +Injun fighter as you'll see on the frontier." + +"But it is not Indians that we are going to fight Peter," Captain +Wilson said. "I heartily wish it was." + +"It 'll be the same thing," Peter said; "not here, in course; there +'ll be battles between the regulars and the colonists, regular +battles like that at Quebec, where both parties was fools enough to +march about in the open and get shot down by hundreds. I don't call +that fighting; that's jest killing, and there aint no more sense in +it than in two herd of buffalo charging each other on the prairie. +But there 'll be plenty of real fighting--expeditions in the woods +and Injun skirmishes, for you'll be sure that the Injuns'll join in, +some on one side and some on the other; it aint in their nature to +sit still in their villages while powder's being burned. A few months +of this work will make a man of him, and he might have a worse +teacher than Peter Lambton. You jest hand him over to my care, cap, +and I'll teach him all I know of the ways of the woods, and I tell +yer there aint no better kind of edication for a young fellow. He +larns to use the senses God has given him, to keep his head when +another man would lose his presence of mind, to have the eye of a +hawk and the ear of a hound, to get so that he scarcely knows what it +is to be tired or hungry, to be able to live while other men would +starve, to read the signs of the woods like a printed book, and to be +in every way a man and not a tailor's figure." + +"There is a great deal in what you say, old friend," Captain Wilson +answered, "and such a training cannot but do a man good. I wish with +all my heart that it had been entirely with red foes that the +fighting was to be done. However, that cannot be helped, and as he is +to fight he could not be in better hands than yours. So long as we +remain here I shall teach him what drill I can with the rest of the +company, but when we leave this town and the work really begins, I +shall put him in your charge to learn the duties of a scout." + +The young negro Jake had also enlisted, for throughout the war the +negroes fought on both sides, according to the politics of their +masters. There were only two other negroes in the company, and +Captain Wilson had some hesitation in enlisting them, but they made +good soldiers. In the case of Jake, Captain Wilson knew that he was +influenced in his wish to join solely by his affection for Harold, +and the lad's father felt that in the moment of danger the negro +would be ready to lay down his life for him. + +There was great satisfaction in the band when they received news that +they were at last about to take the field. The long inaction had been +most wearisome to them, and they knew that any fighting that would +take place round Boston would be done by the regular troops. Food, +too, was very scarce in town, and they were heartily weary of the +regular drill and discipline. They were, then, in high spirits as +they embarked on board the _Thetis_ sloop-of-war and sailed from +Boston harbor. + +It was a pitiful parting between Mrs. Wilson and her husband and son. +It had been arranged that she should sail for England in a ship that +was leaving in the following week and should there stay with her +husband's family, from whom she had a warm invitation to make their +home her own until the war was over. + +The _Thetis_ ran out to sea. As soon as night fell her bow was turned +to land again, and about midnight the anchor was let fall near the +shore some twenty miles north of Boston. The landing was quickly +effected, and with three days' provisions in their knapsacks the +little party started on their march. + +One of the scouts who had come from that neighborhood led them by +paths which avoided all villages and farms. At daybreak they +bivouacked in a wood and at nightfall resumed the march. By the next +morning they had left the settlements behind, and entered a belt of +swamp and forest extending west to the St. Lawrence. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +SCOUTING. + +A party of six men were seated around a fire in the forest which +covered the slopes of the northern shore of Lake Champlain. The spot +had been chosen because a great tree had fallen, bringing down +several others in its course, and opening a vista through which a +view could be obtained of the surface of the lake. The party +consisted of Peter Lambton, Harold, Jake, Ephraim Potter, another old +frontiersman, and two Indians. + +The company under Captain Wilson had made its way safely to the St. +Lawrence after undergoing considerable hardships in the forest. They +had been obliged to depend entirely on what game they could shoot and +such fish as they could catch in the rivers whose course they +followed. They had, however, reached Montreal without loss, and there +they found that General Carleton had in all about 500 regulars and +about 200 volunteers who had recently been engaged. + +It was clear that if the people of Canada were as hostile to the +connection with England as were those of the other colonies, the +little force at the disposal of the English general could do nothing +to defend the colony against the strong force which the Americans +were collecting for its invasion. Fortunately this was not the case. +Although the Canadians were of French descent and the province had +been wrested by arms from France, they for the most part preferred +being under English rule to joining the insurgent colonies. They had +been in no way oppressed by England, their property had been +respected, and above all things no attempt had ever been made to +interfere with their religion. In the New England provinces the hard +Puritan spirit of the early fathers had never ceased to prevail. +Those who had fled from England to obtain freedom of worship had been +intolerant persecutors of all religion different from their own. The +consequence was that the priests of Canada were wholly opposed to any +idea of union with the insurgent colonists. Their influence over the +people was great, and although these still objected to the English +rule and would have readily taken up arms against it under other +circumstances, they had too little sympathy with the New Englanders +to join in their movement, which, if successful, would have placed +Canada under the rule of the United States instead of that of +England. + +The upper classes of Canadians were almost to a man loyal to the +English connection. They had been well treated and enjoyed a greater +state of independence than had been the case under French rule. +Moreover, they were for the most part descended from old French +families, and their sympathies were entirely opposed to popular +insurrection. Thus, when Captain Wilson and his party reached +Montreal, they found that, in spite of the paucity of English troops +under the command of General Carleton, the position was not so bad as +had been feared by General Gage. It was possible, and indeed +probable, that Upper Canada might fall into the hands of the +Americans, and that even Quebec itself might be captured; but unless +the people joined the Americans the success of the latter would be +but temporary. With the spring the navigation of the river would be +open and re-enforcements would arrive from England. The invaders +would then be at a disadvantage. Separated from home by a wide tract +of forest-covered country, they would have the greatest difficulty in +transporting artillery, ammunition, and stores, and, fighting as an +army in invasion, they would be placed in a very different position +to that occupied by the colonists fighting on their own ground. It +was probable that for a time the tide of invasion would succeed. + +The Indians of the Five Nations, as those dwelling near the British +frontier at this point were called, had volunteered their services to +the general to cross the frontier to recapture Ticonderoga and Crown +Point, which had been seized by the Americans, and to carry the war +into the colonies. But General Carleton, an exceedingly humane and +kind-hearted man, shrank from the horrors that such a warfare would +entail upon the colonists. He accepted the services of the Indians as +far as the absolute defense of Canada from invasion, but refused to +allow them to cross the frontier. + +On the arrival of Captain Wilson with his little force he was ordered +to march at once to the fort of St. John's, which was held by a party +of regular troops. + +On arriving at that place the two scouts had been sent down toward +Lake Champlain to watch the proceedings of the enemy. Harold had +obtained leave from his father to accompany the scouts, and Jake had +been permitted to form one of the party. Peter Lambton had grumbled a +little at this last addition to the number. He knew Jake's affection +for his young master, and the great strength of the negro would have +rendered him useful in a hand-to-hand fight, but he was altogether +unaccustomed to forest work, and his habit of bursting into fits of +laughter on the smallest provocation, as is the manner of his race, +enraged the scout to the last degree. Indeed, he had not left the +fort above an hour when he turned savagely on the negro. + +"Look-ee here," he said, "if that's the way ye're a-going on, the +sooner ye turns yer face and tramps back to the fort the better. When +you were at Concord it done no harm to make as much noise as a +jackass braying whenever you opened that mouth of yours, but it won't +do in the forests. It would cost us our har and your wool ef yer were +to make that noise with the enemy anywhere within fifteen miles of +yer. I aint a-going, if I knows it, to risk my sculp on such a +venture as this; still less I aint a-going to see this young chap's +life thrown away. His father hez put him in my charge, and I aint +a-going to see him sacrificed in no such way. So ye've got to make up +yer mind; yer have got to keep that mouth of yours shut tight or +yer've got to tramp back to the fort." + +Jake gave many promises of silence, and although at first he often +raised his voice to a point far exceeding that considered by the +hunters safe in the woods, he was each time checked by such a savage +growl on the part of Peter, or by a punch in the ribs from Harold, +that he quickly fell into the ways of the others and never spoke +above a loud whisper. + +At a short distance from the fort they were joined by the two +Indians, who were also out on a scouting expedition on their own +account. They had previously been well known both to Peter and +Ephraim. They were warriors of the Seneca tribe, one of the Five +Nations. They had now been for two days on the north shore of Lake +Champlain. They were sitting round a fire eating a portion of a deer +which had been shot by Harold that morning. So far they had seen +nothing of the enemy. They knew that 3000 men, under Schuyler and +Montgomery, had marched to the other end of the lake. The colonists +had been sending proclamations across the frontier to the +inhabitants, saying that they were coming as friends to free them +from the yoke of England and calling upon them to arise and strike +for freedom. They were also in negotiation with some of the chiefs of +the Five Nations and with other Indian tribes to induce them to join +with them. + +"I propose," Peter said when the meal was finished and he had lighted +his pipe, "to go down the lake and see what they're doing. Deer Tail +here tells me that he knows where there's a canoe. He, Harold, and me +will go and reconnoiter a bit; the other three had best wait here +till we comes back with news. In course, chief," he continued to the +other Indian, after explaining to him in his own language what he +intended to do, "you'll be guided by circumstances--you can see a +long way down the lake, and ef anything should lead you to think that +we're in trouble, you can take such steps as may seem best to you. +It's mighty little I should think of the crowd of colonists; but ef, +as you say, a number of the warriors of the Five Nations, indignant +at the rejection, of their offers by the English general, have gone +down and joined the colonists, it'll be a different affair +altogether." + +The Elk, as the second Seneca chief was called, nodded his assent. In +a few words Peter told Harold what had been arranged. Jake looked +downcast when he heard that he was not to accompany his master, but +as he saw the latter had, since leaving the fort, obeyed without +questioning every suggestion of the scout, he offered no +remonstrance. + +A quarter of an hour later Peter rose, Deer Tail followed his +example, and Harold at once took up his rifle and fell in in their +steps. There was but little talk in the woods, and the matter having +been settled, it did not enter the mind either of Peter or of the +Indian to say a word of adieu to their comrades. Harold imitated +their example, but gave a nod and a smile to Jake as he started. + +Half an hour's tramp took them to the shore of the lake. Here they +halted for a minute while the Indian closely examined the locality. +With the wonderful power of making their way straight through the +forest to the required spot, which seems to be almost an instinct +among Indians, Deer Tail had struck the lake within two hundred yards +of the point which he aimed at. He led the way along the shore until +he came to a spot where a great maple had fallen into the lake; here +he turned into the forest again, and in fifty yards came to a clump +of bushes; these he pushed aside and pointed to a canoe which was +lying hidden among them. Peter joined him, the two lifted the boat +out, placed it on their shoulders, and carried it to the lake. There +were three paddles in it. Peter motioned Harold to take his place in +the stern and steer, while he and the Indian knelt forward and put +their paddles in the water. + +"Keep her along on the right shore of the lake, about fifty yards +from the trees. There's no fear of anyone lurking about near this +end." + +The canoe was light and well made, and darted quickly over the water +under the strokes of the two paddlers. It was late in the afternoon +when they started, and before they had gone many miles darkness had +fallen. The canoe was run in close to shore, where she lay in the +shadow of the trees until morning. Just as the sun rose the redskin +and Peter simultaneously dipped their paddles in the water and sent +the canoe under the arches of the trees. They had at the same instant +caught sight of four canoes making their way along the lake. + +"Them's Injuns," Peter whispered. "They're scouting to see if the +lake's free. If the general could have got a couple of gunboats up +the Sorrel the enemy could never have crossed the lake, and it would +have given them a month's work to take their guns round it. It's +lucky we were well under the trees or we should have been seen. What +had we best do, Deer Tail?" + +For two or three minutes the scouts conversed together in the Indian +tongue. + +"The Seneca agrees with me," Peter said. "It's like enough there are +Injuns scouting along both shores. We must lay up here till +nightfall. Ef we're seen they'd signal by smoke, and we should have +them canoes back again in no time. By their coming I expect the +expedition is starting, but it won't do to go back without being sure +of it." + +The canoe was paddled to a spot where the bushes grew thickly by the +bank. It was pushed among these, and the three, after eating some +cooked deer's flesh which they had brought with them, prepared to +pass the day. + +"The Seneca and I'll keep watch by turns," the scout said. "We'll +wake you if we want ye." + +Harold was by this time sufficiently accustomed to the ways of the +woods to obey orders at once without offering to take his turn at +watching, as his inclination led him to do, and he was soon sound +asleep. It was late in the afternoon when he was awoke by the scout +touching him. + +"There's some critters coming along the bank," he said in a whisper. +"They aint likely to see us, but it's best to be ready." + +Harold sat up in the canoe, rifle in hand, and, listening intently, +heard a slight sound such as would be produced by the snapping of a +twig. Presently he heard upon the other side of the bushes, a few +yards distant, a few low words in the Indian tongue. He looked at his +companions. They were sitting immovable, each with his rifle directed +toward the sound, and Harold thought it would fare badly with any of +the passers if they happened to take a fancy to peer through the +bushes. The Indians had, however, no reason for supposing that there +were any enemies upon the lake, and they consequently passed on +without examining more closely the thicket by the shore. Not until it +was perfectly dark did Peter give the sign for the continuance of the +journey. This time, instead of skirting the lake, the canoe was +steered out toward its center. For some time they paddled, and then +several lights were seen from ahead. + +"I thought so," the scout said. "They've crossed to the Isle La Motte +and they're making as many fires as if they war having a sort of +picnic at home. We must wait till they burns out, for we daren't go +near the place with the water lit up for two or three hundred yards +round. It won't be long, for I reckon it must be past eleven o'clock +now." + +The fires were soon seen to burn down. The paddles were dipped in the +water and the canoe approached the island. + +"I'd give something," Peter said, "to know whether there's any +redskins there. Ef there are, our chance of landing without being +seen aint worth talking of; ef there aint we might land a hull fleet; +at any rate we must risk it. Now, Harold, the chief and me'll land +and find out how many men there are here, and, ef we can, how long +they're likely to stop. You keep the canoe about ten yards from +shore, in the shadow of the trees, and be ready to move close the +instant you hear my call. I'll jest give the croak of a frog. The +instant we get in you paddle off without a word. Ef ye hears any +shouts and judges as how we've been seen, ye must jest act upon the +best of yer judgment." + +The boat glided noiselessly up to the shore. All was still there, the +encampment being at the other side of the island. The two scouts, red +and white, stepped noiselessly on to the land. Harold backed the +canoe a few paces with a quick stroke upon the paddle, and seeing +close to him a spot where a long branch of a tree dipped into the +water, he guided the canoe among the foliage and there sat without +movement, listening almost breathlessly. + +Ere many minutes had elapsed he heard footsteps coming along the +shore. They stopped when near him. Three or four minutes passed +without the slightest sound, and then a voice said, in tones which +the speaker had evidently tried to lower, but which were distinctly +audible in the canoe: + +"I tell yer, redskin, it seems to me as how you've brought us here on +a fool's errand. I don't see no signs of a canoe, and it aint likely +that the British would be along the lake here, seeing as how there's +a score of canoes with your people in them scouting ahead." + +"I heard canoe," another voice said, "first at other end of the +island and then coming along here." + +"And ef yer did," the first speaker said, "likely enough it was one +of the canoes of your people." + +"No," the Indian answered. "If canoe come back with news, would have +come straight to fires." + +"Well, it aint here, anyway," the first speaker said, "and I don't +believe yer ever heard a canoe at all. It's enough to make a man +swear to be called up jest as we were making ourselves comfortable +for the night on account of an Injun's fancies. I wonder at the +general's listening to them. However, we've got our orders to go +round the island and see ef there's any canoe on either shore; so +we'd better be moving, else we shall not get to sleep before +morning." + +Harold held his breath as the group passed opposite to him. +Fortunately the trunk of the tree grew from the very edge of the +water, and there were several bushes growing round it, so that at +this point the men had to make a slight _détour_ inland. Harold felt +thankful indeed that he had taken the precaution of laying his canoe +among the thick foliage, for although the night was dark it would +have been instantly seen had it been lying on the surface of the +lake. Even as it was, a close inspection might have detected it, but +the eyes of the party were fixed on the shore, as it was there, if at +all, that they expected to find an empty canoe lying. + +Harold was uneasy at the discovery that there were still some +redskins on the island. It was possible, of course, that the one he +had heard might be alone as a scout, but it was more likely that +others of the tribe were also there. + +After landing, Peter and the Seneca made their way across the island +to the side facing the American shore. Creeping cautiously along, +they found a large number of flat-bottomed boats, in which the +Americans had crossed from the mainland, and which were, Peter +thought, capable of carrying 2000 men. They now made their way toward +the spot where the forces were encamped. The fires had burned low, +but round a few of them men were still sitting and talking. Motioning +to the Seneca to remain quiet, Peter sauntered cautiously out on to +the clearing where the camp was formed. He had little fear of +detection, for he wore no uniform, and his hunter's dress afforded no +index to the party to which he was attached. + +A great portion of the Americans were still in their ordinary attire, +it having been impossible to furnish uniforms for so great a number +of men as had been suddenly called to arms throughout the colonies. + +From the arbors of boughs which had been erected in all directions, +he judged that the force had been already some days upon the island. +But large numbers of men were sleeping in the open air, and picking +his way cautiously among them, he threw himself down at a short +distance from one of the fires by which three or four men were +sitting. + +For some time they talked of camp matters, the shortness of food, and +want of provisions. + +"It is bad here," one said presently; "it will be worse when we move +forward. Schuyler will be here tomorrow with the rest of the army, +and we are to move down to Isle-aux-Noix, at the end of the lake, and +I suppose we shall land at once and march against St. John's. There +are only a couple of hundred Britishers there, and we shall make +short work of them." + +"The sooner the better, I say," another speaker remarked. "I am ready +enough to fight, but I hate all this waiting about. I want to get +back to my farm again." + +"You are in a hurry, you are," the other said. "You don't suppose we +are going to take Canada in a week's time, do you. Even if the +Canadians join us, and by what I hear that aint so sartin after all, +we shall have to march down to Quebec, and that's no child's play. I +know the country there. It is now September 4. Another month and the +winter will be upon us, and a Canadian winter is no joke, I can tell +you." + +"The more reason for not wasting any more time," the other one +grumbled. "If Montgomery had his way we should go at them quickly +enough, but Schuyler is always delaying. He has kept us waiting now +since the 17th of last month. We might have been halfway to Quebec by +this time." + +"Yes," the other said, "if the Britishers had run away as we came; +but we have got St. John's and Fort Chamblée to deal with, and they +may hold out some time. However, the sooner we begin the job the +sooner it will be over, and I am heartily glad that we move tomorrow." + +Peter had now obtained the information he required, and rising to +his feet again, with a grumbling remark as to the hardness of the +ground, he sauntered away toward the spot where he had left the +Indian. Just as he did so a tall figure came out from an arbor close +by. A fire was burning just in front, and Peter saw that he was a +tall and handsome man of about forty years of age. He guessed at once +that he was in the presence of the colonial leader. + +"You are, like myself," the newcomer said, "unable to sleep, I +suppose?" + +"Yes, general," Peter answered. "I found I could not get off, and so +I thought I'd stretch my legs in the wood a bit. They're lying so +tarnal thick down there by the fires, one can't move without treading +on 'em." + +"Which regiment do you belong to?" + +"The Connecticut," Peter replied, for he knew by report that a +regiment from this province formed part of the expedition. + +"As good men as any I have," the general said cordially. "Their only +fault is that they are in too great a hurry to attack the enemy." + +"I agree with the rest, general," Peter said. "It's dull work wasting +our time here when we're wanted at home. I enlisted for six months, +and the sooner the time's up the better, say I." + +"You have heard nothing moving?" the general asked. "One of the +Chippewas told me that he heard a canoe out in the lake. Ah! here he +is." + +At that moment five or six men, headed by an Indian, issued from the +wood close by. It was too late for Peter to try to withdraw, but he +stepped aside a pace or two as the party approached. + +"Well, have you found anything?" the general asked. + +"No find," the Chippewa said shortly. + +"I don't believe as there ever was a canoe there," the man who +followed him said. "It was jest a fancy of the Injun's." + +"No fancy," the Indian asserted angrily. "Canoe there. No find." + +"It might have been one of our own canoes," Montgomery said in a +conciliatory tone. "The Indians are seldom mistaken. Still, if no one +has landed it matters not either way." + +"Only as we have had a tramp for nothing," the colonist said. +"However, there's time for a sleep yet. Hullo!" he exclaimed as his +eye fell on Peter Lambton. "What, Peter! Why, how did you get here? +Why, I thought as how----General," he exclaimed, sharply turning to +Montgomery, "this man lives close to me at Concord. He's a royalist, +he is, and went into Boston and joined the corps they got up there!" + +"Seize him!" Montgomery shouted, but it was too late. + +As the man had turned to speak to the general, Peter darted into the +wood. The Chippewa, without waiting to hear the statement of the +colonist, at once divined the state of things, and uttering his +war-whoop dashed after the fugitive. Two or three of the colonists +instantly followed, and a moment later three or four Indians who had +been lying on the ground leaped up and darted like phantoms into the +wood. + +The general no sooner grasped the facts than he shouted an order for +pursuit, and a number of the men most accustomed to frontier work at +once followed the first party of pursuers. Others would have done the +same, but Montgomery shouted that no more should go, as they would +only be in the others' way, and there could not be more than two or +three spies on the island. + +After the Chippewa's first war-cry there was silence for the space of +a minute in the forest. Then came a wild scream, mingled with another +Indian yell; a moment later the leading pursuers came upon the body +of the Chippewa. His skull had been cleft with a tomahawk and the +scalp was gone. + +As they were clustered round the body two or three of the Indians ran +up. They raised the Indian wail as they saw their comrade and with +the rest took up the pursuit. + +Peter and the Seneca were now far among the trees, and as their +pursuers had nothing to guide them, they reached the spot where they +had left the canoe unmolested. + +On the signal being given, Harold instantly paddled to the shore. Not +a word was spoken until the canoe was well out in the lake. +Occasional shots were heard on shore as the pursuers fired at objects +which they thought were men. Presently a loud Indian cry rose from +the shore. + +"They see us," Peter said. "We're out of shot and can take it easy." +The redskin said a few words. "You're right, chief. The chief says," +he explained to Harold, "that as there are redskins on the island +they have probably some canoes. The moon's jest getting up beyond +that hill, and it'll be light enough to see us half across the lake. +It would not matter if the water was free; but what with Injuns +prowling along the shores and out on the lake, we shall have to use +our wits to save our har. Look!" he exclaimed two or three minutes +later as two columns of bright flame at a short distance from them +shot up at the end of the island. "They're Injun signals. As far as +they can be seen Injuns will know that there are enemies on the lake. +Now, paddle your hardest, Harold, and do you, chief, keep your eyes +and your ears open for sights and sounds." + +Under the steady strokes of the three paddles the bark canoe sped +rapidly over the water. When the moon was fairly above the edge of +the hill they halted for a moment and looked back. The two columns of +fire still blazed brightly on the island, which was now three miles +astern, and two dark spots could be seen on the water about halfway +between them and it. + +"You can paddle, my lads," Peter Lambton said to the distant foes, +"but you'll never ketch us. I wouldn't heed you if it weren't for the +other varmint ahead." + +He stood up in the canoe and looked anxiously over the lake. + +"It's all clear as far as I can see at present," he said. + +"Can't we land, Peter, and make our way back on foot?" + +"Bless you," Peter said, "there aint a native along the shore there +but has got his eye on this canoe. We might as well take her straight +back to the island as try to land. Better; for we should get a few +hours before they tried and shot us there, while the Injuns would not +give us a minute. No, we must just keep to the water; and now paddle +on again, but take it quietly. It's no odds to let them varmints +behind gain on us a little. You needn't think about them. When the +danger comes we shall want every ounce of our strength." + + For half an hour they paddled steadily on. The pursuing canoes were +now less than a mile behind them. + +"I'd give a good deal," muttered the scout, "for a few black clouds +over the moon; we'd make for shore then and risk it. It will be +getting daylight before long. Ah!" he exclaimed, pausing suddenly as +the chief stopped rowing, "a canoe on each side is rowing out to cut +us off." + +Harold was now paddling forward, while the scout had the place at the +stern. The former was surprised to feel the canoe shooting off from +its former course at right angles toward the shore; then, curving +still more round, they began to paddle back along the lake. The +canoes which had been pursuing them were nearly abreast of each +other. They had embarked from opposite sides of the island, but they +had been gradually drawing together, although still some distance +apart, when Peter turned his canoe. Seeing his maneuver, both turned +to head him off, but by so doing they occupied an entirely different +position in relation to each other, one canoe being nearly half a +mile nearer to them than the other. + +"Take it easy," Peter said. "These varmints will cut us off and we've +got to fight, but we can cripple the one nearest to us before the +other comes up." + +The boats were now darting over the water in a line which promised to +bring the leading canoe almost in collision with that of Peter. When +within two hundred yards of each other Peter ceased rowing. + +"Now," he said, "Harold, see if you can pick one of them fellows off. +It's no easy matter, traveling at the pace they are. You fire first." + +Harold took a steady aim and fired. A yell of derision told that he +had missed. The Indians stopped paddling. There was a flash and a +ball struck the canoe. At the same moment Peter fired. + +"There's one down!" he exclaimed. + +The Seneca fired, but without result; and the three unwounded Indians +in the canoe--for it had contained four men--replied with a volley. + +Harold felt a burning sensation, as if a hot iron passed across his +arm. + +"Hit, boy?" Peter asked anxiously as he gave a short exclamation. + +"Nothing to speak of," Harold replied. + +"The varmints are lying by, waiting for' the other canoe. Paddle +straight at 'em." + +The Indians at once turned the boat and paddled to meet their +companions, who were fast approaching. + +"Now," Peter exclaimed, "we've got 'em in a line--a steady aim this +time." + +The three rifles spoke out; one of the Indians fell into the boat and +the paddle of another was struck from his grasp. + +"Now," the scout shouted, "paddle away! We've got 'em all fairly +behind us." + +Day broke just as they were again abreast of the island. One canoe +was following closely, two others were a mile and a half behind, +while the one with which they had been engaged had made for the +shore. + +"What do you mean to do?" Harold asked Peter. + +"I mean to run as close as I can round the end of the island, and +then make for the place where they must have embarked on the +mainland. They may have seen the signal fires there, but will not +know what has been going on. So now row your best. We must leave the +others as far behind as possible." + +For the first time since they started the three paddlers exerted +themselves to the utmost. They had little fear that there were any +more canoes on the island, for, had there been, they would have +joined in the chase. It was only necessary to keep so far from the +end of the island as would take them out of reach of the fire. +Several shots were discharged as they passed, but these fell short as +the canoe shot along at its highest rate of speed, every stroke +taking it further from its nearest pursuer. + +At the end of an hour's paddling this canoe was a mile and a half +behind. Its rowers had apparently somewhat abated their speed in +order to allow the other two boats to draw up to them, for the result +of the encounter between their comrades and the fugitives had not +been of a nature to encourage them to undertake a single-handed +contest with them. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +IN THE FOREST. + +"See, Peter!" Harold exclaimed; "there is a whole fleet of boats +ahead." + +"I sees 'em," Peter said, "and have seed 'em for the last quarter of +an hour. It's Schuyler, with the rest of what they calls their army. +Steer a little out of the course; we must pass close by 'em. They +won't suspect nothing wrong and will suppose we are merely carrying a +message." + +In half an hour they were abreast of the flotilla, consisting of +flatboats laden with troops. With them were two or three Indian +canoes. Peter steered so as to pass at a distance of a hundred and +fifty yards. They rowed less strongly now, but still vigorously. +There was a shout from the boat. + +"All well on the island?" + +"All well," Peter shouted back, waving his hand, and without further +word the canoe passed on. "There! do you hear that?" Peter exclaimed. +"They're firing shots from the canoes to call their attention. The +chances are they won't hear them, for the rattle of their oars and +the talking and the row they're making are enough to drown the sound +of a cannon. Now put it on again as hard as you can. Another hour +will take us to the landing place." + +They could see, when the flotilla came up to the pursuing boats, that +the canoes which accompanied it turned their heads and joined in the +pursuit, but they were now near three miles ahead and there was no +chance whatever of their being overtaken. They slackened their speed +slightly as they approached the land, and rowed up to the landing +place without any signs of extraordinary haste. A few men were +loitering about. + +"What's the news from the island?" one asked as they landed. + +"All well there," Peter said. + +"Did you see anything of Schuyler?" + +"Yes, we met him about halfway across." + +"What have you come for?" + +"General Montgomery says that no spare flints have been sent over for +the firelocks." + +"I'll swear that some went," one of the men exclaimed, "for I packed +a sack of them myself in one of the boats." + +"I s'pose they have been mislaid," Peter said. "Perhaps some of the +stores have got heaped over 'em. Ef you are quite sartin, we have had +our journey for nothing." + +"As sartin as life," the man replied. "I'll swear to the sackful of +flints; and tarnation heavy they was, too." + +"Well, then, I need not trouble about it further," Peter said. "We'll +take a rest and paddle back in an hour or two. Was there any marks on +the sack, so as I may tell the general how to look for it?" + +"Marks!" the man repeated. "Why, it had 'Flints' written on it in big +black letters six inches long. It must turn up, anyhow. They'll find +it when they come to shift the stores." + +Then, accompanied by his two companions, Peter strolled quietly +through the little village. Stopping at a small store, he purchased +some flour and tea; then he followed the road inland and was soon out +of sight of the village; he stopped for a moment and then shook his +head. + +"It's no use trying to hide our trail here," he said. "The road's an +inch thick in dust, and do what we will they'll be able to see where +we turn off. It's our legs as we have got to trust to for a bit. +We've got a good half hour's start of the canoes; they were a long +three miles behind when we struck the shore." + +Leaving the road, he led the way with a long, swinging stride across +the cultivated land. Twenty minutes' walk took them into the forest, +which extended from the shore of the lake many miles inland. + +"Take off your boots, Harold," he said as he entered the wood. "Them +heels will leave marks that a redskin could pick up at a run. Now +tread, as near as you can, in the exact spot where the Seneca has +trodden before you. He'll follow in my track, and you may be sure +that I'll choose the hardest bits of ground I can come across. There, +the varmints are on shore!" + +As he spoke an angry yell rose from the distant village. At a long, +steady pace, which taxed to the utmost Harold's powers as a walker, +they kept their way through the woods, not pursuing a straight +course, but turning, winding, and zigzagging every few minutes. +Harold could not but feel impatient at what seemed to him such a loss +of time, especially when a yell from the edge of the wood told that +the Indians had traced them thus far--showed, too, that they were far +nearer than before. But, as Peter, afterward explained to him, all +this turning and winding made it necessary for the Indians to follow +every step, as they would an animal, to guess the direction they had +taken. The weather had been dry and the ground was hard; therefore +the most experienced trapper would be obliged to proceed very slowly +on the trail and would frequently be for a time at fault; whereas, +had they continued in a straight line, the Indians could have +followed at a run, contenting themselves with seeing the trail here +and there. They came across two or three little streams running down +toward the lake. These they followed, in some cases up, in others +down, for a considerable distance, leaving the bed where the bushes +grew thick and hid the marks of their feet as they stepped out from +the water. Harold would gladly have gone at a run, but Peter never +quickened his pace. He knew that the Indians could not pick up the +trail at a rate faster than that at which they were going, and that +great delay would be caused at each of the little streams, as it +would be uncertain whether they had passed up or down. + +As the time passed the Indian yells, which had, when they first +entered the wood, sounded so alarmingly near, died away, and a +perfect stillness reigned in the forest. It was late in the afternoon +before Peter halted. + +"We can rest now," he said. "It'll be hours before the critters can +be here. Now let us have some tea." + +He began to look for some dried sticks. Harold offered to assist. + +"You sit down," the scout said. "A nice sort of fire we should get +with sticks of your picking up! Why, we should have a smoke that +would bring all the Injuns in the woods on to us. No, the sticks as +the Seneca and me'll pick up won't give as much smoke as you can put +in a teacup; but I wouldn't risk even that if we was nigh the lake, +for it might be seen by any redskins out in a canoe. But we are miles +back from the lake, and there aint no other open space where they +could get a view over the tree-tops." + +Harold watched the Indian and the scout collecting dry leaves and +sticks, and took particular notice, for future use, of the kinds +which they selected. A light was struck with a flint and steel, and +soon a bright blaze sprang up, without, so far as Harold could see, +the slightest smoke being given off. Then the hunter produced some +food from his wallet, and a tin pot. He had at the last spring they +passed filled a skin which hung on his shoulder with water, and this +was soon boiling over the fire. A handful of tea was thrown in and +the pot removed. Some flour, mixed with water, was placed on a small +iron plate, which was put on the red-hot ashes. A few cakes were +baked, and with these, the cold venison, and the tea an ample meal +was made. + +After nearly an hour's halt they again proceeded on their way. A +consultation had taken place between Peter and the Seneca as to the +best course to be pursued. They could, without much difficulty or +risk, have continued the way through the woods beyond the lake, but +it was important that they should reach the other side by the evening +of the following day, to give warning of the intended attack by the +Americans. There were, they knew, other redskins in the woods besides +those on their trail, and the nearer they approached the shore the +greater the danger. They had determined that they would at all +hazards endeavor to obtain another canoe and cross the lake. Until +nightfall they continued their course, and then, knowing that their +trail could no longer be followed, they made down to the lake. They +were many miles distant from it, and Harold was completely worn out +when at last he saw a gleam of water through the trees. He was not +yet to rest. Entering the lake, they began wading through it at a few +feet from the edge. + +After an hour's walking thus they entered the bushes, which thickly +covered the shore, and made their way through these until they came +to a spot sufficiently open for them to lie down; and Harold, +wrapping himself in the blanket which he carried over his shoulder, +was sound asleep in less than a minute. When he woke the sun was +shining brightly. + +"Get up, youngster! We're in luck," the scout said. "Here's a canoe +with two of the varmints making toward the shore. By the way they're +going they'll land not far off." + +The scout led the way, crawling on his hands and knees, to the +water's edge, to where the Seneca was sitting watching the canoe +through a cover of green leaves. The course that the boat was taking +would lead it to a point some three hundred yards from where they +were sitting. + +"We shall have no difficulty in managing them," Harold said, and +grasped his rifle eagerly. + +"Not too fast," Peter said. "The chances are that the varmints have +friends on shore. Like enough they have been out fishing." + +The shore formed a slight sweep at this point, and the bushes in +which they were hidden occupied the point at one extremity. In the +center of the little bay there was a spot clear from bushes; to this +the canoe was directed. As it approached the shore two other Indians +appeared at the water's edge. One of them asked a question, and in +reply a paddler held up a large bunch of fish. + +"Just as I thought. Like enough there are a dozen of them there," +said Peter. + +On reaching the shore the men sprang out, taking their fish with +them. The canoe was fastened by its head-rope to the bushes, and the +Indians moved a short distance inland. + +"There is their smoke," Peter said, indicating a point some thirty +feet from the lake, but so slight was it that, even when it was +pointed out to him, Harold could hardly make out the light mist +rising from among the bushes. Presently he looked round for the +Seneca, but the Indian had disappeared. + +"He's gone scouting," Peter said in answer to Harold's question. "Ef +there are only four of them it would be an easy job, but I expect +there's more of the red varmints there." + +In ten minutes the Seneca returned as noiselessly as he had gone. He +opened his hand and all the fingers twice; the third time he showed +only three fingers. + +"Thirteen," Peter said. "Too many of them even for a sudden +onslaught." + +The Indian said a few words to Peter; the latter nodded, and Deer +Tail again quietly stole away. + +"He's going to steal the boat," Peter said. "It's a risky job, for +where it lies it can be seen by 'em as they sit. Now, you and me must +be ready with our shooting irons to cover him, if need be. Ef he's +found out before he gets the boat he'll take to the woods and lead +them away from us; but ef he's fairly in the boat, then we must do +our best for him. Ef the wust comes to the wust, I reckon we can hold +these bushes agin 'em for some time; but in the end I don't disguise +from ye, youngster, they'll beat us." + +Harold now sat intently watching the canoe. It seemed an age to him +before he saw a hand emerge from the bushes and take hold of the +head-rope. The motion given to the canoe was so slight as to be +almost imperceptible; it seemed as if it was only drifting gently +before the slight breeze which was creeping over the surface of the +lake. Half its length had disappeared from the open space, when an +Indian appeared by the edge of the water. He looked at the canoe, +looked over the lake, and withdrew again. The hand had disappeared in +the bushes on his approach. The movement of the canoe, slight as it +was, had caught his eye, but, satisfied that it was caused only by +the wind, he had returned to his fire again. The hand appeared again +through the bushes, and the canoe was drawn along until hidden from +the sight of those sitting by the fire. Again the watchful Indian +appeared, but the boat was lying quietly by the bushes at the full +length of its head-rope. He stooped down to see that this was +securely fastened and again retired. Harold held his breath, +expecting that every moment the presence of the Seneca would be +discovered. Scarcely had the Indian disappeared than the Seneca +crawled out from the bushes. With a sweep of his knife he cut the +rope of the canoe and noiselessly entered it, and as he did so gave a +shove with his foot, which sent it dancing along the shore toward the +spot where Harold and his companion were hidden. Then he seized the +paddle, and in half a dozen strokes brought it within reach of them. +Harold and Peter stepped into it; as they did so there was a sudden +shout. The Indian had again strolled down to look at the canoe, whose +movements, slight as they had been, had appeared suspicious to him. +He now, to his astonishment, saw it at the point with two white men +and an Indian on board. He had left his gun behind him and, uttering +his war-cry, bounded back for it. + +"Round the p'int, quick!" Peter exclaimed. "They'll riddle us in the +open." + +Two strokes took the canoe round the projecting point of bushes, and +she then darted along the shore, driven by the greatest efforts of +which the three paddlers were capable. Had the shore been open the +Indians would have gained upon them, but they were unable to force +their way through the thick bushes at anything like the rate at which +the canoe was flying over the water. The first start was upward of a +hundred yards, and this was increased by fifty before the Indians, +arriving at the point, opened fire. The distance was beyond anything +like an accurate range with Indian guns. Several bullets struck the +water round the canoe. + +"Now steer out," Peter said as the firing suddenly ceased. "They're +making a _détour_ among the bushes, and 'll come down ahead of us if +we keep near the shore." + +Two or three more shots were fired, but without effect, and the canoe +soon left the shore far behind. + +"Now," Peter said, "I think we're safe. It's not likely they've +another canoe anywhere near on this side, as most of 'em would have +gone with the expedition. Ef the firing has been heard it will not +attract much attention, being on this side, and I see nothing in the +way of a boat out in the lake. Still, these redskins' eyes can see +'most any distance. Now, chief," he went on to the Indian in his +native language, "the young un and I'll lie down at the bottom of the +boat; do you paddle quietly and easily, as ef you were fishing. The +canoe with a single Indian in it will excite no suspicion, and even +ef you see other canoes, you had better keep on in that way unless +you see that any of 'em are intending to overhaul you." + +The chief nodded assent. Peter and Harold stretched themselves at +full length in the canoe, and the Indian paddled quietly and steadily +on. For an hour not a word was spoken in the canoe. Harold several +times dozed off to sleep. At last the Seneca spoke: + +"Many boats out on water--American army." + +Harold was about to raise his head to look out when Peter exclaimed: +"Lie close, Harold! Ef a head were shown now it would be wuss than ef +we had sat up all the time. We know there are Injun canoes with the +flats, and they may be watching us now. We may be a long way off, but +there's no saying how far a redskin's eyes can carry. Can you see +where they are going to, chief?" he asked the Seneca. "Are they +heading for Isle-aux-Noix, as we heard 'em say they were going to +do?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"Going to island." + +"Then," Peter said, "the sooner we're across the lake the better." + +The Seneca again spoke, and after a consultation with Peter laid in +his paddle. + +"What is he doing now?" Harold asked. + +"Our coarse lies pretty near the same way as theirs," Peter said. +"The island is but a short distance from the shore, near the mouth of +the Sorrel, so where we're going would take us right across their +line. We fooled them yesterday, but are not likely to do it again +to-day. So the chief has stopped paddling and makes as if he were +fishing. I doubt whether it will succeed, for he would hardly be +fishing so far out. But we'll soon see. It's better so than to turn +and paddle in any other direction, as that would be sure to excite +their suspicions." + +The fleet of boats had already passed the spot where the canoe would +have crossed had she been going directly across the lake when she was +first seen, and was therefore now ahead of it. The great flotilla +kept on as if the canoe with its single occupant in its rear had not +excited suspicion. The Seneca, however, knew that sharp eyes must be +upon him. The manner in which the canoe had baffled pursuit the day +before must have inflicted a severe blow upon the pride of the +Indians, and although, having driven them off the lake, they could +have no reason for suspecting that their foes could have obtained a +fresh canoe, the Seneca knew that their vigilance would not sleep for +a moment. Therefore, although bending over the side of the canoe as +if watching his lines, his eyes were never off the boats. + +"There are canoes making for the shore both ways," he said at last. +"It is time that my white brother should take the paddle." + +Peter and Harold at once sat up in the boat and looked round the +lake, which at this point was about ten miles wide. The canoe was +four miles from the eastern side; the flotilla was a mile further up +the lake and the same distance nearer to the western shore. Four or +five canoes were detaching themselves from the flotilla, apparently +rowing direct for the shore. It would have been easy for the canoe to +have regained the eastern side long before she could have been cut +off, but here they might find the Chippewas. The Indians whose boat +they had taken would assuredly follow along the shores of the lake in +hopes that something might occur to drive them back. Besides, had +they landed there, they would be unable to carry in time the news of +the approaching attack upon St. John's. For the same reason it was +important to land up the lake near the Canadian end. + +Peter rapidly took in the situation. He saw that it was possible, and +only just possible, to reach the shore at a point opposite to that at +which they now were before the hostile canoes could cut them off from +it. If they headed them there they would be obliged to run down to +the other end of the lake before effecting a landing, while he could +not calculate on being able to beat all the canoes, most of which +carried four paddlers, who would strain every nerve to retrieve their +failure of the previous day. + +Not a word was spoken as the boat darted through the water. Harold, +unaccustomed to judge distances, could form no idea whether the +distant canoes would or would not intercept them. At present both +seemed to him to be running toward the shore on nearly parallel +courses, and the shorter distance that the Indians would have to row +seemed to place them far ahead. The courses, however, were not +parallel, as the Indians were gradually turning their canoes to +intercept the course of that which they were pursuing. As the minutes +went by and the boats converged more and more toward the same point, +Harold saw how close the race would be. After twenty minutes' hard +paddling the boats were within a quarter of a mile of each other, and +the courses which they were respectively taking seemed likely to +bring them together at about a quarter of a mile from the shore. +There were three Indian canoes, and these kept well together. So +close did the race appear that Harold expected every moment to see +Peter sweep the head of the canoe round and make a stern chase of it +by running down the lake. This Peter had no intention of doing. The +canoes, he saw, traveled as fast as his own and could each spare a +man to fire occasionally, while he and his companions would be +obliged to continue paddling. Better accustomed to judge distances +than Harold, he was sure, at the speed at which they were going, he +would be able to pass somewhat ahead of his foes. + +"Row all you know, Harold," he said. "Now, chief, send her along." + +Harold had been rowing to the utmost of his strength, but he felt by +the way the canoe quivered at every stroke that his companions were +only now putting out their extreme strength. The boat seemed to fly +through the water, and he began to think for the first time that the +canoe would pass ahead of their pursuers. The latter were clearly +also conscious of the fact, for they now turned their boats' heads +more toward the shore, so that the spot where the lines would meet +would be close to the shore itself. The canoes were now within two +hundred yards of each other. The Indians were nearer to the shore, +but the oblique line that they were following would give them about +an equal distance to row to the point for which both were making. +Harold could not see that there was the slightest difference in the +rate at which they were traveling. It seemed to him that the four +canoes would all arrive precisely at the same moment at the land, +which was now some five or six hundred yards distant. + +Another two minutes' paddling, and when the canoes were but seventy +or eighty yards apart, Peter, with a sweep with his paddle, turned +the boat's head nearly half round and made obliquely for the shore, +so throwing his pursuers almost astern of him. The shore was but +three hundred yards distant; they were but fifty ahead of their +pursuers. The latter gave a loud yell at seeing the change in the +position in the chase. They had, of course, foreseen the possibility +of such a movement, but had been powerless to prevent it. But they +were prepared, for on the instant one man in each canoe dropped his +paddle and, standing up, fired. It is a difficult thing to take aim +when standing in a canoe dancing under the vigorous strokes of three +paddlers. It was the more difficult since the canoes were at the +moment sweeping round to follow the movement of the chase. The three +balls whistled closely round the canoe, but no one was hit. + +The loss of three paddlers for even so short a time checked the pace +of the canoes. The Indians saw that they could not hope to overtake +their foes, whose canoe was now but a few lengths from shore. They +dropped their paddles, and each man seized his rifle. Another moment, +and the nine pieces would have poured their fire into the canoe about +fifty yards ahead of them, when from the bushes on the shore three +puffs of smoke shot out, and three of the Indians fell, one of them +upsetting his boat in his fall. A yell of surprise and dismay broke +from them, the guns were thrown down, the paddles grasped again, and +the heads of the canoes turned from the shore. The Indians in the +overturned boat did not wait to right it, but scrambled into the +other canoes, and both were soon paddling at the top of their speed +from the shore, not without further damage, for the guns in the +bushes again spoke out, and Peter and the Seneca added their fire the +instant they leaped from the boat to shore, and another of the +Indians was seen to fall. Harold was too breathless when he reached +the bank to be able to fire. He raised his gun, but his hands +trembled with the exertion that he had undergone, and the beating of +his heart and his short, panting breath rendered it impossible for +him to take a steady aim. A minute later Jake burst his way through +the bushes. + +"Ah, Massa Harold!" he exclaimed. "Bress de Lord dat we was here! +What a fright you hab giben me, to be sure! We hab been watching you +for a long time. Ephraim and de redskin dey say dey saw little spot +far out on lake, behind all dose boats; den dey say other boats set +off in chase. For a long time Jake see nothing about dat, but at last +he see dem. Den we hurry along de shore, so as to get near de place +to where de boats row; ebery moment me tink dat dey catch you up. +Ephraim say no, bery close thing, but he tink you come along first, +but dat we must shoot when dey come close. We stand watch for some +time, den Ephraim say dat you no able to get to dat point. You hab to +turn along de shore, so we change our place and run along, and sure +'nough de boat's head turns, and you come along in front of us. Den +we all shoot, and the redskins dey tumble over." + +"Well, Jake, it is fortunate indeed that you were on the spot, for +they could scarcely have missed all of us. Besides, even if we had +got to shore safely, they would have followed us, and the odds +against us would have been heavy." + +"That ar war a close shave, Peter," Ephraim said; "an all-fired close +shave I call it." + +"It war, Ephraim, and no mistake." + +"Why didn't yer head down along the lake?" + +"Because I got news that the colonists air going to attack St. John's +to-morrow, and I want to get to the fort in time to put 'em on their +guard. Besides, both sides of the lake are sure to be full of hostile +Injuns. Those canoes paddled as fast as we did, and in the long run +might have worn us out." + +"Did you have a fight on the lake two nights ago? Me and the redskin +thought we heard firing." + +"We had a skirmish with 'em," Peter said; "a pretty sharp shave it +war, too, but we managed to slip away from them. Altogether we've had +some mighty close work, I can tell yer, and I thought more than once +as we were going to be wiped out." + +While they were speaking the men had already started at a steady pace +through the woods, away from the lake, having first drawn up the +canoe and carefully concealed it. + +It was late at night when they reached Fort St. John. A message was +at once dispatched to a party of the Senecas who were at their +village, about sixteen miles away. They arrived in the morning and, +together with a portion of the garrison, moved out and took their +place in the wooded and marshy ground between the fort and the river. +Scouts were sent along the Sorrel, and these returned about one +o'clock, saying that a large number of boats were coming down the +lake from Isle-aux-Noix. It had been determined to allow the +colonists to land without resistance, as the commander of the fort +felt no doubt of his ability, with the assistance of his Indian +allies, to repulse their attack. Some twelve hundred men were landed, +and these at once began to advance toward the fort, lead by their two +generals, Schuyler and Montgomery. Scarcely had they entered the +swamp, when from every bush a fire was opened upon them. The invaders +were staggered, but pushed forward, in a weak and undecided way, as +far as a creek which intercepted their path. In vain General +Montgomery endeavored to encourage them to advance. They wavered and +soon began to fall back, and in an hour from the time of their +landing they were again gathered on the bank of the river. Here they +threw up a breastwork, and, as his numbers were greatly inferior, the +British officer in command thought it unadvisable to attack them. +After nightfall the colonists took to their boats and returned to +Isle-aux-Noix, their loss in this their first attempt at the invasion +of Canada being nine men. + +A day or two later the Indians again attempted to induce General +Carleton to permit them to cross the frontier and carry the war into +the American settlements, and upon the general's renewed refusal they +left the camp in anger and remained from that time altogether aloof +from the contest. + +St. John's was now left with only its own small garrison. Captain +Wilson was ordered to fall back with his company to Montreal, it +being considered that the garrison of St. John's was sufficient to +defend that place for a considerable time. As soon as the Indians had +marched away, having sent word to the colonists that they should take +no further part in the fight, Montgomery--who was now in command, +Schuyler having fallen sick--landed the whole of the force and +invested the fort. An American officer, Ethan Allen, had been sent +with a party to try to raise the colonists in rebellion in the +neighborhood of Chamblée. He had with him 30 Americans and was joined +by 80 Canadians. Dazzled by the success which had attended the +surprise of Ticonderoga, he thought to repeat the stroke by the +conquest of Montreal. He crossed the river in the night about three +miles below the city. Peter and some other scouts, who had been +watching his movements, crossed higher up and brought the news, and +36 men of the Twenty-sixth Regiment, Captain Wilson's company, and +200 or 300 loyal Canadians, the whole under the command of Major +Campbell, attacked Ethan Allen. He was speedily routed and, with 38 +of his men, taken prisoner. The siege of St. John's made but little +progress. The, place was well provisioned, and the Americans encamped +in the low, swampy ground around it suffered much from ill health. +The men were mutinous and insolent, the officers incapable and +disobedient. So far the invasion of Canada, of which such great +things had been hoped by the Americans, appeared likely to turn out a +complete failure. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +QUEBEC. + +General Carleton, seeing that Montgomery's whole force was retained +idle before St. John's, began to hope that the winter would come to +his assistance before the invaders had made any serious progress. +Unfortunately he had not reckoned on the utter incapacity of the officer +in command of Fort Chamblée. Major Stopford of the Seventh Regiment had +160 men and a few artillerymen, and the fort was strong and well +provided with provisions. American spies had found the inhabitants +around the place favorable to the Americans. Major Brown was sent down +by Montgomery with a small detachment, and, being joined by the +inhabitants, sat down before the fort. They had only two six-pounders, +and could have effected nothing had the fort been commanded by a man of +bravery and resources. Such was not the character of its commander, who, +after a siege of only a day and a half, surrendered the place with all +its stores, which were of inestimable value to the invaders, who were +upon the edge of giving up the siege of the fort; their ammunition being +entirely exhausted; but the six tons of gunpowder, the seventeen cannon, +mortars, and muskets which fell into their hands enabled them to carry +on the siege of St. John's with renewed vigor. There was no excuse +whatever for the conduct of Major Stopford in allowing these stores to +fall into the hands of the Americans; as, even had he not possessed the +courage to defend the fort, he might, before surrendering, have thrown +the whole of the ammunition into the river, upon which there was a safe +sally-port, where he could have carried on the operation entirely +unmolested by the enemy. The colors of the Seventh Regiment were +captured and sent to Congress as the first trophy of the war. + +The siege of St. John's was now pushed on by Montgomery with vigor. +Colonel Maclean, with 800 Indians and Canadians, attempted to relieve +it, crossing the St. Lawrence in small boats. On nearing the other bank, +they were received by so heavy a fire by the Americans posted there that +they were obliged to retire without effecting a landing. Provisions and +ammunition were now running short in St. John's, there was no hope +whatever of relief from the outside, and the officer commanding was +therefore obliged to surrender on November 14, after a gallant defense. + +As there were only some fifty or sixty regulars in Montreal, General +Carleton was unable to defend that town, and, upon the news of the fall +of St. John's, he at once retired to Quebec, and Montreal was occupied +by the Americans. In the meantime another expedition had been dispatched +by the Americans under Arnold. This officer, with 1500 men, had started +for Quebec from a point 130 miles north of Boston. Suffering enormous +fatigue and hardship, the force made its way up the river; past rapids, +cataracts, and through swamps they dragged and carried their boats and +stores. They followed the bed of the river up to its source, and then, +crossing the watershed, descended the Chaudière and Duloup rivers on to +the St. Lawrence, within a few miles of Quebec. + +This was a wonderful march--one scarcely equaled in the annals of +military history. Crossing the St. Lawrence in canoes, Arnold encamped +with his little force upon the heights of Abraham. Such a daring +attempt could not have been undertaken had not the Americans been aware +of the extreme weakness of the garrison at Quebec, which consisted only +of 50 men of the Seventh Regiment, 240 of the Canadian militia, a +battalion of seamen from the ships-of-war, under the command of Captain +Hamilton of the _Lizard_, 250 strong, and the colonial volunteers, +under Colonel Maclean. + +The fortifications were in a ruinous condition. It was fortunate that +Colonel Maclean, who had come from the Sorrel, upon the surrender of St. +John's, by forced marches, arrived on the very day on which Arnold +appeared before the city. Directly he arrived Arnold attacked the city +at the gate of St. Louis, but was sharply repulsed. He then desisted +from active operations and awaited the arrival of Montgomery, who was +marching down from Montreal. The flotilla in which Carleton was +descending the river was attacked by the Americans, who came down the +Sorrel, and was captured, with all the troops and military stores which +it was bringing down. General Carleton himself escaped in a small boat +under cover of night, and reached Quebec. + +Captain Wilson's company had been attached to the command of Colonel +Maclean, and with it arrived in Quebec in safety. + +Upon the arrival of Montgomery with his army the city was summoned to +surrender. A strong party in the town were favorable to the invaders, +but General Carleton treated the summons with contempt, and turned +all the inhabitants who refused to join in the defense of the city +outside the town. + +The winter had now set in in earnest, and the difficulties of the +besiegers were great. Arnold's force had been much weakened by the +hardships that they had undergone, Montgomery's by desertions; the +batteries which they erected were overpowered by the fire of the +defenders, and the siege made no progress whatever. The men became +more and more disaffected and mutinous. Many of them had nearly served +the time for which they had enlisted, and Montgomery feared that they +would leave him when their engagement came to an end. He in vain +tempted the besieged to make a sally. Carleton was so certain that +success would come by waiting that he refused to allow himself to +hazard it by a sortie. + +The weather was fighting for him, and the besiegers had before them only +the alternatives of taking the place by storm or abandoning the siege +altogether. They resolved upon a storm. It was to take place at daybreak +on December 31. Montgomery determined to make four attacks--two false +and two real ones. Colonel James Livingstone, with 200 Canadians, was to +appear before St. John's gate, and a party under Colonel Brown were to +feign a movement against the upper town, and from high ground there were +to send up rockets as the signal for the real attacks to commence--that +led by Montgomery from the south and that under Arnold from the +northwest--both against the lower town. + +The false attacks were made too soon, the rockets being fired half an +hour before the main columns reached their place of attack. The British +were not deceived; but, judging these attacks to be feints, left but a +small party to oppose them and marched the bulk of their forces down +toward the lower town. Their assistance, however, came too late, for, +before they arrived, the fate of the attack was already decided. The +Americans advanced under circumstances of great difficulty. A furious +wind, with cutting hail, blew in their faces; the ground was slippery +and covered with snow. + +Half an hour before the English supports arrived on the spot Montgomery, +with his leading company, reached the first barricade, which was +undefended; passing through this, they pressed on toward the next. The +road leading to it was only wide enough for five or six persons abreast. +On one side was the river, on the other a steep cliff; in front was a +log hut with loop-holes for musketry, and a battery of two +three-pounders. It was held by a party of 30 Canadians and 8 militiamen +under John Coffin, with 9 sailors under Bairnsfeather, the captain of +the transport, to work the guns. Montgomery, with 60 men, pushed on at a +run to carry the battery; but, when within fifty yards Bairnsfeather +discharged his pieces, which were loaded with grape-shot, with deadly +aim. Montgomery, his aid-de-camp Macpherson, Lieutenant Cheeseman, and +10 others fell dead at the first discharge, and with them the soul of +the expedition fled. The remaining officers endeavored to get the men to +advance, but none would do so, and they fell back without losing another +man. So completely cowed were they that they would not even carry off +the bodies of their general and his companions. These were brought into +Quebec next day and buried with the honors of war by the garrison. + +The force under Arnold was far stronger than that under Montgomery. The +Canadian guard appointed to defend the first barrier fled at the +approach, but the small body of sailors fought bravely and were all +killed or wounded. Arnold was shot through the leg and disabled. Morgan, +who commanded the advanced companies, led his men on and carried the +second barrier after an obstinate resistance. They were attacking the +third when Maclean with his men from the upper town arrived. The British +then took the offensive, and drove the enemy back, and a party, going +round, fell upon their rear. Fifty were killed in Arnold's column, 400 +taken prisoners, and the rest retreated in extreme disorder. + +Thus ended the assault upon Quebec--an assault which was all but +hopeless from the first, but in which Americans showed but little valor +and determination. In fact, throughout the war, it may be said that the +Americans, when fighting on the defensive behind trees and +intrenchments, fought stubbornly; but that they were feeble in attack +and wholly incapable of standing against British troops in the open. + +It would now have been easy for Carleton to have sallied out and taken +the offensive, but he preferred holding Quebec quietly. He might have +easily driven the Americans from their position before the walls; but, +with the handful of troops under his orders, he could have done nothing +toward carrying on a serious campaign in the open. + +Until spring came, and the rivers were opened, no re-enforcements could +reach him from England, while the Americans could send any number of +troops into Canada. Carleton, therefore, preferred to wait quietly +within the walls of Quebec, allowing the winter, hardships, and disunion +to work their natural effects upon the invaders. + +Arnold sent to Washington to demand 10,000 more troops, with siege +artillery. Several regiments were sent forward, but artillery could not +be spared. Eight regiments entered Canada, but they found that, instead +of meeting, as they had expected, an enthusiastic reception from the +inhabitants, the population was now hostile to them. The exactions of +the invading army had been great, and the feeling in favor of the +English was now all but universal. + +On May 5 two frigates and a sloop-of-war made their way up the river +to Quebec. The Americans endeavored to embark their sick and +artillery above the town. Re-enforced by the marines, the garrison +sallied out and attacked the enemy, who fled with precipitation, +leaving their provisions, cannon, five hundred muskets, and two +hundred sick behind them. The British pursued them until they reached +the mouth of the Sorrel. + +The arrival of the fleet from England brought news of what had taken +place since Captain Wilson's company had marched from Boston, a short +time after the battle of Bunker's Hill. Immediately after the battle the +colonists had sent two deputies, Penn and Lee, with a petition to +Parliament for the restoration of peace. This petition was supported by +a strong body in Parliament. The majority, however, argued that, from +the conduct of the Americans, it was clear that they aimed at +unconditional, unqualified, and total independence. In all their +proceedings they had behaved as if entirely separated from Great +Britain. Their professions and petition breathed peace and moderation; +their actions and preparations denoted war and defiance; every attempt +that could be made to soften their hostility had been in vain; their +obstinacy was inflexible; and the more England had given in to their +wishes, the more insolent and overbearing had their demands become. The +stamp tax had been repealed, but their ill will had grown rather than +abated. The taxations on imports had been entirely taken off save on one +small item; but, rather than pay this, they had accumulated arms and +ammunition, seized cannon belonging to the king, and everywhere prepared +for armed resistance. Only two alternatives remained for the British +nation to adopt--either to coerce the colonists to submission or to +grant them their entire independence. + +These arguments were well founded. The concessions which had been made +had but encouraged the colonists to demand more. No good whatever would +have come from entering into negotiation; there remained but the two +alternatives. It would have been far better had Parliament, instead of +deciding on coercion, withdrawn altogether from the colonies, for +although hitherto the Americans had shown no great fighting qualities, +it was clear that so small an army as England could spare could not +permanently keep down so vast a country if the people were determined +upon independence. They might win every battle,--might overpower every +considerable force gathered against them,--but they could only enforce +the king's authority over a mere fractional portion of so great an area. +England, however, was unaccustomed to defeat; her spirit in those days +was proud and high; and by a large majority Parliament voted for the +continuance of the war. The next step taken was one unworthy of the +country. It tended still further to embitter the war, and it added to +the strength of the party in favor of the colonists at home. Attempts +were made by the government to obtain the services of large numbers of +foreign troops. Negotiations were entered into with Russia, Holland, +Hesse, and other countries. Most of these proved ineffectual, but a +considerable number of troops was obtained from Hesse. + +The news of these proceedings excited the Americans to renewed efforts. +The force under Washington was strengthened, and he took possession of +Dorchester Heights, commanding the town of Boston. A heavy cannonade +was opened on the city. The British guns answered it, but the American +position gave them an immense advantage. General Howe, who was in +command, at first thought of attempting to storm the heights, but the +tremendous loss sustained at the battle of Bunker's Hill deterred him +from the undertaking. His supineness during the past four months had +virtually lost the American colonies to England. He had under his +command 8000 troops, who could have routed, with ease, the +undisciplined levies of Washington. Instead of leading his men out +against the enemy, he had suffered them to be cooped up for months in +the city, and had failed to take possession of the various heights +commanding the town. Had he done this Boston might have resisted a +force many times as strong as that which advanced against it, and there +was now nothing left for the English but to storm the heights with +enormous loss or to evacuate the city. + +The first was the alternative which had been chosen when the Americans +seized Bunker's Hill; the second was that which was now adopted. + +Having adopted this resolution, Howe carried it out in a manner which +would in itself be sufficient to condemn him as a military leader. +Nothing was done to destroy the vast stores of arms and ammunition, and +two hundred and fifty pieces of cannon were left for the colonists to +use against England. No steps were taken to warn ships arriving from +England of the surrender of the town. The consequence was that, in +addition to the vast amount of stores captured in the town, numbers of +the British storeships fell into the hands of the Americans--among them +a vessel which, in addition to carbines, bayonets, gun-carriages, and +other stores, had on board more than seventy tons of powder, while +Washington's whole stock was all but exhausted. + +But worse even than this hurried and unnecessary abandonment of vast +munitions of war was the desertion of the loyalist population. Boston +was full of loyalists, among whom were many of the wealthier and +better-born persons in the colony, who, from the commencement of the +troubles had left their homes, their fortunes, and their families to +rally round the standard of their sovereign. The very least that Howe +could have done for these loyal men would have been to have entered into +some terms of capitulation with Washington, whereby they might have been +permitted to depart to their homes and to the enjoyment of their +property. Nothing of the sort was attempted, and the only choice offered +to a loyalist was to remain in the town, exposed to certain insult and +ill treatment, perhaps to death, at the hands of the rebels, or to leave +in the transports for England or Halifax and to be landed here penniless +and starving. + +Howe's conduct in this was on a piece with his behavior throughout the +campaign; but he was little, if at all, inferior to the other generals, +who vied with each other in incapacity and folly. Never in the whole +history of England were her troops led by men so inefficient, so +sluggish, and so incapable as those who commanded her armies in the +American Revolutionary War. + +The first ships from England which arrived at Quebec were followed, a +few days later, by the _Niger_ and _Triton_, convoy transports, with +troops. The British now took the offensive in earnest. From the west +Captain Forster marched from Detroit, with 40 men of the Eighth +Regiment, 100 Canadians, and some Indians, against a pass called the +Cedars, situated fifteen leagues above Montreal. This was held by 400 +men with two cannon. As soon as the British force opened fire the +Americans surrendered. The following day Forster's force, advancing, +came upon 140 men under Major Sherbourne, who were marching to +re-enforce the garrison at the Cedars. These were forced to retreat and +100 of them taken prisoners. + +Arnold, with 700 men, advanced against the British force. The British +officer, fearing that in case of an attack the Indians with him might +massacre the prisoners, released the whole of them, 474 in number, under +the promise that an equal number of British prisoners should be +returned. This engagement was shamefully broken by the Americans, who +raised a number of frivolous excuses, among others that prisoners taken +by the British were ill treated--an accusation which excited the +indignation of the prisoners themselves, some of whom wrote to members +of Congress, stating that nothing could be kinder or more courteous than +the treatment which they received. + +While Forster was advancing toward Montreal from the west, Carleton +was moving up against the Americans at Sorrel from Quebec. At the +death of Montgomery, Wooster had taken the command of the main +American force. He had been succeeded by Thompson, but the latter +dying of smallpox, Sullivan took his place. The new commander +determined to take the offensive against the English, and dispatched a +force of about 2000 men to attack General Fraser, who held a post at a +place called Three Rivers. + +A Canadian peasant brought news to General Fraser of the approach of the +Americans, and as he had received re-enforcements from below he +determined to anticipate their attack. His movements were completely +successful. Some of the Americans fought well, but the rest dispersed +with but little resistance. Two hundred were killed and 150 taken +prisoners. The rest succeeded in returning to Sorrel. + +The main body of the British army now came up the river in their ships, +and, as they approached Sorrel, Sullivan broke up his camp and +retreated. At the same time Arnold, who commanded at Montreal, evacuated +the town and joined Sullivan's army at St. John's. + +Had the English pushed forward with any energy the whole of the American +army of invasion would have fallen into their hands. They were +completely broken in spirits, suffering terribly from sickness, and were +wholly incapable of making any defense. Burgoyne, who commanded the +advance of the English army, moved forward very slowly, and the +Americans were enabled to take to their boats and cross, first to +Isle-aux-Noix and then to Crown Point. An American historian, who saw +them after they landed, says: "At the sight of so much privation and +distress I wept until I had no more power to weep. I did not look into a +tent or hut in which I did not find either a dead or dying man. Of about +5000 men full half were invalids. In little more than two months they +had lost by desertion and death more than 5000 men." + +Captain Wilson and his company were not present with the advance of the +British troops. General Howe, after evacuating Boston, had sailed with +his army to Halifax, there to wait until a large body of re-enforcements +should be sent in the spring from England. General Carleton had, in his +dispatches, mentioned favorably the services which the little company of +loyalists from Boston had performed, and Lord Howe wrote requesting that +the company should be sent down by ship to Halifax, as he was about to +sail from New York to undertake operations on a large scale, and should +be glad to have with him a body of men accustomed to scouting and +acquainted with the country. Accordingly, the company was embarked in a +transport and reached Halifax early in June. On the 11th they sailed +with the army and arrived at Sandy Hook on the 29th. On July 3 the army +landed on Staten Island, opposite Long Island, and soon afterward Lord +Howe, brother of General Howe, arrived with the main army from England, +raising the total force to nearly 30,000 men. It consisted of two +battalions of light infantry, two of grenadiers, the Fourth, Fifth, +Tenth, Seventeenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-third, Twenty-seventh, +Thirty-fifth, Thirty-eighth, Fortieth, Forty-second, Forty-third, +Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty-ninth, Fifty-second, Fifty-fifth, +Sixty-third, and Sixty-fourth regiments of foot, part of the Forty-sixth +and Seventy-first regiments, and the Seventeenth Regiment of light +dragoons. There were, besides, two battalions of volunteers from New +York, each 1000 strong. Had this force arrived, as it should have done, +three months earlier, it might have achieved great things; but the delay +had enabled the Americans to make extensive preparations to meet the +coming storm. + +Lord Howe brought with him a communication from Parliament, giving him +and his brother full power to treat with the Americans on any terms +which they might think fit. Upon his arrival Lord Howe addressed a +letter to Dr. Franklin, informing him of the nature of his +communication, expressing hopes that he would find in America the same +disposition for peace that he brought with him, and requesting his aid +to accomplish the desired end. Dr. Franklin, in answer, informed Lord +Howe that, "prior to the consideration of any proposition for friendship +or peace, it would be required that Great Britain should acknowledge the +independence of America, should defray the expense of the war, and +indemnify, the colonists for all damages committed." + +After such a reply as this Lord Howe had no alternative but to commence +hostilities, which he did by landing the army in Gravesend Bay, Long +Island. The enemy offered no opposition to the landing, but retreated at +once, setting fire to all the houses and granaries, and taking up a +position on the wooded heights which commanded the line by which the +English must advance. + +The American main force, 15,000 strong, was posted on a peninsula +between Mill Creek and Wallabout Bay, and had constructed a strong line +of intrenchments across the end of the peninsula. The intrenchments were +strengthened by abattis and flanked by strong redoubts. Five thousand +remained to guard this post, and 10,000, under General Puttenham, +advanced to hold the line of wooded hills which run across the island. + +In the center of the plain, at the foot of these hills, stood the +village of Flatbush. + +The Hessian division of the British army, under General De Heister, +advanced against this, while General Clinton, with the right wing of the +English army, moved forward to attack the enemy's left. + +This force marched at nine o'clock at night on August 26; General Sir +William Howe himself accompanied it. The line of hills trended away +greatly to the left, and the enemy had neglected to secure the passes +over the hills on this flank; consequently, at nine o'clock in the +morning, the British passed the range of hills without resistance, and +occupied Bedford in its rear. Had Sir William Howe now pushed on +vigorously, the whole of Puttenham's force must have been captured. + +In the meantime the Hessians from Flatbush attacked the center of the +Americans, and after a warm engagement, routed them and drove them into +the woods with a loss of three pieces of cannon. + +On the British left General Grant also advanced, and at midnight carried +a strong pass on the enemy's left. Retiring, they held a still stronger +position further back and offered a fierce resistance until the fires at +Bedford showed that the English had obtained a position almost in their +rear, when they retreated precipitately. + +[Illustration: Sketch of the British Position on Long Island.] + +The victory was a complete one, but it had none of the consequences +which would have attended it had the English pushed forward with +energy after turning the American left. Six pieces of cannon were +captured and 2000 men killed or taken prisoners. The English lost 70 +killed and 230 wounded. + +So impetuously did the English attack that even Sir William Howe +admitted that they could have carried the intrenchments. He alleges he +did not permit them to do so, because he intended to take the position +by regular approaches and wished therefore to avoid the loss of life +which an immediate assault would have occasioned. On the 27th and 28th +regular approaches were commenced, but on the 29th, under cover of a +fog, the Americans embarked in boats and succeeded in carrying the whole +of their force, without the loss of a man, across to the mainland. + +The escape of this body of men was disgraceful in the extreme to the +English commanders. They had a great fleet at their disposal, and had +they placed a couple of frigates in the East River, between Long Island +and New York, the escape would have been impossible, and General +Washington and his army of 15,000 men must have been taken prisoners. +Whether this misfortune would have proved conclusive of the war it is +now too late to speculate; but so splendid an opportunity was never +before let slip by an English general, and the negligence was the more +inexcusable inasmuch as the fleet of boats could be seen lying alongside +of the American position. Their purpose must have been known, and they +could at any moment have been destroyed by the guns of a ship-of-war +taking up its position outside them. + +Lord Howe dispatched the American General Sullivan, who had been taken +prisoner on Long Island, to Congress, repeating his desire to treat. A +committee of three members accordingly waited on Lord Howe, who informed +them that it was the most ardent wish of the king and the government of +Great Britain to put an end to the dissatisfaction between the mother +country and the colonists. To accomplish this desire every act of +Parliament which was considered obnoxious to the colonists should +undergo a revisal, and every just cause of complaint should be removed, +if the colonists would declare their willingness to submit to the +authority of the British government. The committee replied that it was +not America which had separated herself from Great Britain, but Great +Britain had separated herself from America. The latter had never +declared herself independent until the former had made war upon her, and +even if Congress were willing to place America in her former situation, +it could not do so, as the Declaration of Independence had been made in +consequence of the congregated voice of the whole people, by whom alone +it could be abolished. The country was determined not to return under +the domination of England. + +The negotiations were therefore broken off. Lord Howe published a +declaration to the people of America, giving the answer of the committee +to his offer of reconciliation. He acquainted them with the fact that +the parent country was willing to receive into its bosom and protection +all who might be willing to return to their former obedience. In taking +this step, Lord Howe was convinced that a majority of the inhabitants of +America were still willing to enter into an accommodation of the +differences between the two powers, and the conviction was not ill +founded. The declaration, however, produced but little effect, for the +dominant section, that resolved to break off all connection with +England, had acquired the sole management of affairs, and no offers +which could possibly have been made would have been accepted by them. + +Convinced that all further negotiations would be ineffectual, Lord Howe +prepared to carry his army across from Long Island to New York, where +the American army had taken up their post after the retreat from Long +Island. The armies were separated by the East River, with a breadth of +about thirteen hundred yards. A cannonade was kept up for several days. +On September 13 some ships-of-war were brought up to cover the passage. +Washington, seeing the preparations, began to evacuate the city and to +abandon the strong intrenchments which he had thrown up. At eleven +o'clock on the morning of the 15th the men-of-war opened a heavy fire, +and Clinton's division, consisting of 4000 men in eighty-four boats, +sailed up the river, landed on Manhattan Island at a place called Kipp's +Bay, and occupied the heights of Inclenberg, the enemy abandoning their +intrenchments at their approach. General Washington rode toward Kipp's +Bay to take command of the troops stationed there, but found the men who +had been posted at the lines running away, and the brigades which should +have supported them flying in every direction, heedless of the exertions +of their generals. + +Puttenham's division of 4000 men was still in the lower city, and would +be cut off unless the British advance should be checked. Washington +therefore made the greatest efforts to rally the fugitives and to get +them to make a stand to check the advancing enemy, but in vain; for, as +soon as even small bodies of redcoats were seen advancing, they broke +and fled in panic. + +Howe, as usual, delayed giving orders for an advance, and thus permitted +the whole of Puttenham's brigade, who were cut off and must have been +taken prisoners, to escape unharmed. And thus, with comparatively little +loss, the Americans drew off, leaving behind them only a few heavy +cannon and some bayonets and stores. + +So rapid had been their flight at the approach of the English that only +fifteen were killed, two men falling on the English side. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON. + +The Americans, finding that they were not pursued, rallied from their +panic and took up a position at Harlem and Kingsbridge. So great was the +disorganization among them that had the British advanced at once they +would have taken the place with scarcely any loss, strong as it was by +nature and by the intrenchments which Washington had prepared. Great +numbers deserted, disputes broke out between the troops of the various +States, insubordination prevailed, and the whole army was utterly +disheartened by the easy victories which the British had obtained over +them. Washington reported the cowardice of his troops to Congress, who +passed a law inflicting the punishment of death for cowardice. + +Before leaving New York the Americans had made preparations for burning +the whole town, but the speediness of their retreat prevented the +preparations being carried into effect. Fire was set to it in several +places and a third of the town was destroyed. + +The position taken up by the enemy was so strong that it was determined +to operate in the rear. Some redoubts were thrown up to cover New York +during the absence of the main part of the British force. + +A portion of the British army was landed at a point threatening the +retreat of the Americans, and a series of skirmishes of no great +importance took place. The enemy fell back from their most advanced +works, but no general move was undertaken, although, as the numbers on +both sides were about even and the superior fighting powers of the +English had been amply demonstrated, there could have been no doubt as +to the result of a general battle. Lord Howe, however, wasted the time +in a series of petty movements, which, although generally successful, +had no influence upon the result and served only to enable the Americans +to recover from the utter depression which had fallen upon them after +the evacuation of Long Island and the loss of New York. + +Gradually the Americans fell back across a country so swampy and +difficult that it was now no longer possible to bring on a general +action. Their retreat had the effect of isolating the important +positions of Kingsbridge and Fort Washington. The latter post was of the +utmost importance, inasmuch as it secured the American intercourse with +the Jersey shore. The fortifications were very strong and stood upon +rising and open ground. It was garrisoned by 3000 of the best American +troops under the command of Colonel Magaw. Washington was gradually +withdrawing his army, and had already given orders that Fort Washington +should be evacuated; but General Lee, who was second in command, so +strongly urged that it should be retained that, greatly against his own +judgment, he was obliged to consent to its being defended, especially as +Colonel Magaw insisted that the fort could stand a siege. On the night +of November 14 the British passed some troops across the creek, and Lord +Howe summoned the place to surrender on pain of the garrison being put +to the sword. Magaw had upon the previous day received large numbers of +re-enforcements, and replied that he should defend the fort. Soon after +daybreak on the 16th the artillery opened on both sides. Five thousand +Hessians, under the command of General Knyphausen, moved up the hill, +penetrated some of the advanced works of the enemy, and took post within +a hundred yards of the fort. The second division, consisting of the +guards and light infantry, with two battalions of Hessians and the +Thirty-third Regiment, landed at Island Creek, and after some stiff +fighting forced the enemy from the rocks and trees up the steep and +rugged mountain. The third and fourth divisions fought their way up +through similar defenses. So steep was the hill that the assailants +could only climb it by grasping the trees and bushes, and so obstinate +was the defense that the troops were sometimes mixed up together. + +The bravery and superior numbers of the British troops bore down all +resistance, and the whole of the four divisions reached their places +round the fort. They then summoned it to surrender, and its commander, +after half an hour's consideration, seeing the impossibility of +resisting the assault which was threatened, opened the gates. + +Upon the English side about 800 men were killed and wounded, of whom the +majority were Hessians. These troops fought with extreme bravery. The +American loss, owing to their superior position, was about 150 killed +and wounded, but the prisoners taken amounted to over 3000. + +On the 18th Lord Howe landed a strong body on the Jersey shore under +Lord Cornwallis, who marched to Fort Lee and surprised it. A deserter +had informed the enemy of his approach and the garrison had fled in +disorder, leaving their tents, provisions, and military stores behind +them. Lord Cornwallis, pushing forward with great energy, drove the +Americans out of New Jersey. Another expedition occupied Rhode Island. + +Cold weather now set in and the English went into winter quarters. Their +success had been complete, without a single check, and had they been led +vigorously the army of Washington might on two occasions have been +wholly destroyed. In such a case the moderate portion of the population +of the colonies would have obtained a hearing, and a peace honorable to +both parties might have been arrived at. + +The advantage gained by the gallantry of the British troops was, +however, entirely neutralized by the lethargy and inactivity of their +general, and the colonists had time given them to recover from the alarm +which the defeat of their troops had given them, to put another army in +the field, and to prepare on a great scale for the following campaign. + +The conduct of General Howe in allowing Washington's army to retire +almost unmolested was to the officers who served under him +unaccountable. His arrangements for the winter were even more singularly +defective. Instead of concentrating his troops he scattered them over a +wide extent of country at a distance too great to support each other, +and thus left it open to the enemy to crush them in detail. + +General Howe now issued a proclamation offering a free pardon to all who +surrendered, and great numbers of colonists came in and made their +submission. Even in Philadelphia the longing for peace was so strong +that General Washington was obliged to send a force there to prevent the +town from declaring for England. + +During the operations which had taken place since the landing of the +British troops on Long Island Captain Wilson's company had taken but +little part in the operations. All had been straightforward work and +conducted on the principles of European warfare. The services of the +volunteers as scouts had not, therefore, been called into requisition. +The success which at first attended the expedition had encouraged +Captain Wilson to hope, for the first time since the outbreak of the +Revolution, that the English might obtain such decisive successes that +the colonists would be willing to accept some propositions of peace such +as those indicated by Lord Howe--a repeal of all obnoxious laws, freedom +from any taxation except that imposed by themselves, and a recognition +of the British authority. When he saw that Lord Howe, instead of +actively utilizing the splendid force at his disposal, frittered it away +in minor movements and allowed Washington to withdraw with his beaten +army unmolested, his hopes again faded, and he felt that the colonists +would in the long run succeed in gaining all that they contended for. + +When the army went into winter quarters the company was ordered to take +post on the Delaware. There were four frontier posts, at Trenton, +Bordentown, White Horse, and Burlington. Trenton, opposite to which lay +Washington with the main body of his army, was held by only 1200 +Hessians, and Bordentown, which was also on the Delaware, was, like +Trenton, garrisoned by these troops. No worse choice could have been +made. The Hessians were brave soldiers, but their ignorance of the +language and of the country made them peculiarly unsuitable troops for +outpost work, as they were unable to obtain any information. As +foreigners, too, they were greatly disliked by the country people. + +Nothing was done to strengthen these frontier posts, which were left +wholly without redoubts or intrenchments into which the garrison could +withdraw in case of attack. + +Captain Wilson's little company were to act as scouts along the line of +frontier. Their headquarters were fixed at Bordentown, where Captain +Wilson obtained a large house for their use. Most of the men were at +home at work of this kind, and Peter Lambton, Ephraim, and the other +frontiersmen were dispatched from time to time in different directions +to ascertain the movements and intentions of the enemy. Harold asked +his father to allow him, as before, to accompany Peter. The inactivity +of a life at a quiet little station was wearisome, and with Peter he +was sure of plenty of work, with a chance of adventure. The life of +exercise and activity which he had led for more than a year had +strengthened his muscles and widened his frame, and he was now able to +keep up with Peter, however long and tiresome the day's work might be. +Jake, too, was of the party. He had developed into an active soldier, +and although he was but of little use for scouting purposes, even Peter +did not object to his accompanying him, for the negro's unfailing good +temper and willingness to make himself useful had made him a favorite +with the scout. + +The weather was now setting in exceedingly cold. The three men had more +than once crossed the Delaware in a canoe and scouted in the very heart +of the enemy's country. They were now sitting by the bank, watching some +drifting ice upon the river. + +"There won't be many more passages of the river by water," Peter +remarked. "Another ten days, and it'll be frozen across." + +"Then we can cross on foot, Peter." + +"Yes, we can do that," the scout said, "and so can the enemy. Ef their +general has got any interprise with him, and ef he can get them chaps as +he calls soldiers to fight, he'll be crossing over one of these nights +and capturing the hull of them Hessians at Trenton. What General Howe +means by leaving 'em there is more nor I can think; he might as well +have sent so many babies. The critters can fight, and fight well, too, +and they're good soldiers; but what's the good of 'em in a frontier +post? They know nothing of the country; they can't speak to the people, +nor ask no questions, nor find out nothing about what's doing the other +side of the river. They air no more than mere machines. What was wanted +was two or three battalions of light troops, who would make friends with +the country people and larn all that's doing opposite. If the Americans +are sharp they'll give us lots of trouble this winter, and you'll find +there won't be much sitting quiet for us at Bordentown. Fortunately +Bordentown and Trenton aint far apart, and one garrison ought to be able +to arrive to the assistance of the other before it's overpowered. We +shall see. Now, I propose that we cross again to-night and try and find +out what the enemy's doing. Then we can come back and manage for you to +eat your Christmas dinner with yer father, as you seem to have bent yer +mind upon that, though why it matters about dinner one day more than +another is more nor I can see." + +That night the three scouts crossed the river in the canoe. Avoiding all +houses, they kept many miles straight on beyond the river and lay down +for a few hours before morning dawned; then they turned their faces the +other way and walked up to the first farmhouse they saw. + +"Can we have a drink of milk?" the hunter asked. + +"You can," the farmer replied, "and some breakfast if you like to pay +for it. At first I was glad to give the best I had to those who came +along, but there have been such numbers going one way and the other, +either marching to join the army or running away to return to their +homes, that I should be ruined if I gave to all comers." + +"We're ready to pay," Peter said, drawing some money from his pocket. + +"Then come in and sit down." + +In a few minutes an excellent breakfast was put before them. + +"You are on your way to join the army, of course?" the farmer asked. + +"Jest that," Peter replied. "We think it's about our time to do a little +shooting, though I don't suppose there'll be much done till the spring." + +"I don't know," the farmer said. "I should not be surprised if the +general wakes up them Germans when the Delaware gets frozen. I heard +some talk about it from some men who came past yesterday. Their time was +expired, they said, and they were going home. I hear, too, that they are +gathering a force down near Mount Holly, and I reckon that they are +going to attack Bordentown." + +"Is that so?" Peter asked. "In that case we might as well tramp in that +direction. It don't matter a corn-shuck to us where we fight, so as it's +soon. We've come to help lick these British, and we means to do it." + +"Ah!" the farmer said, "I have heard that sentiment a good many times, +but I have not seen much come of it yet. So far, it seems to me as the +licking has been all the other way." + +"That's so," Peter agreed. "But everyone knows that the Americans are +just the bravest people on the face of the habitable arth. I reckon +their dander's not fairly up yet; but when they begin in arnest you'll +see what they'll do." + +The farmer gave a grunt which might mean anything. He had no strong +sympathies either way, and the conduct of the numerous deserters and +disbanded men who had passed through his neighborhood had been far from +impressing him favorably. + +"I don't pretend to be strong either for the Congress or the king. I +don't want to be taxed, but I don't see why the colonists should not pay +something toward the expenses of the government; and now that Parliament +seems willing to give all we ask for, I don't see what we want to go on +fighting for." + +"Waal!" Peter exclaimed in a tone of disgust, "you're one of the +half-hearted ones." + +"I am like the great majority of the people of this country. We are of +English stock and we don't want to break with the Old Country; but the +affairs have got into the hands of the preachers, and the newspaper men, +and the chaps that want to push themselves forward and make their pile +out of the war. As I read it, it's just the civil war in England over +again. We were all united at the first against what we considered as +tyranny on the part of the Parliament, and now we have gone setting up +demands which no one dreamed of at first and which most of us object to +now, only we have no longer the control of our own affairs." + +"The great heart of this country beats for freedom," Peter Lambton said. + +"Pooh!" said the farmer contemptuously. "The great heart of the country +wants to work its farms and do its business quietly. The English general +has made fair offers, which might well be accepted; and as for freedom, +there was no tyranny greater than that of the New England States. As +long as they managed their own affairs there was neither freedom of +speech nor religion. No, sir; what they call freedom was simply the +freedom to make everyone else do and think like the majority." + +"Waal, we won't argue it out," Peter said, "for I'm not good at +argument, and I came here to fight and not to talk. Besides, I want +to get to Mount Holly in time to jine in this battle, so I guess +we'll be moving." + +Paying for the breakfast, they started at once in the direction of Mount +Holly, which lay some twenty-five miles away. As they approached the +place early in the afternoon they overtook several men going in the same +direction. They entered into conversation with them, but could only +learn that some 450 of the militia from Philadelphia and the counties of +Gloucester and Salem had arrived on the spot. The men whom they had +overtaken were armed countrymen who were going to take a share in the +fight on their own account. + +Entering the place with the others, Peter found that the information +given him was correct. + +"We better be out of this at once," he said to Harold, "and make for +Bordentown." + +"You don't think that there is much importance in the movement," Harold +said as they tramped along. + +"There aint no importance whatever," Peter said, "and that's what I want +to tell 'em. They're never thinking of attacking the two thousand +Hessians at Bordentown with that ragged lot." + +"But what can they have assembled them for within twelve miles of the +place?" Harold asked. + +"It seems to me," the hunter replied, "that it's jest a trick to draw +the Germans out from Bordentown and so away from Trenton. At any rate, +it's well that the true account of the force here should be known. +These things gets magnified, and they may think that there's a hull +army here." + +It was getting dusk when they entered Bordentown, and Harold was glad +when he saw the little town, for since sunset on the evening before they +had tramped nearly sixty miles. The place seemed singularly quiet. They +asked the first person they met what had become of the troops, and they +were told that Colonel Donop, who commanded, had marched an hour before +with his whole force of 2000 men toward Mount Holly, leaving only 80 men +in garrison at Bordentown. + +"We are too late," Harold said. "They have gone by the road and we kept +straight through the woods and so missed them." + +"Waal, I hope no harm 'ill come of it. I suppose they mean to attack at +daylight, and in course that rabble will run without fighting. I hope, +when the colonel sees as how thar's no enemy ther worth speaking of, +he'll march straight back again." + +Unfortunately this was not the case. The militia, according to their +orders, at once dispersed when their outposts told them of the approach +of the British, but the German officer, instead of returning instantly, +remained for two days near Mount Holly, and so gave time to Washington +to carry out his plans. + +Captain Wilson's company had gone out with the force, and Peter and his +companions had the house to themselves that night. Harold slept late, +being thoroughly fatigued by his long march the day before, carrying his +rifle, blanket, and provisions. Peter woke him at last. + +"Now, young un, you've had a good sleep; it's eleven o'clock. I'm off to +Trenton to see what's doing there. Will you go with me, or will you stop +here on the chance of eating your dinner with your father?" + +"Oh, it's Christmas Day," Harold said, stretching. "Well, what do you +think, Peter--are they likely to come back or not?" + +"They ought to be back, there's no doubt about that, but whether they +will or not is a different affair altogether. I've never seed them hurry +themselves yet, not since the war began; things would have gone a good +deal better if they had; but time never seems of no consequence to them. +They marched twelve miles last night, and I reckon it's likely they'll +halt to-day and won't be back till to-morrow. I feel oneasy in my mind +about the whole affair, for I can't see a single reason for the enemy +sending that weak force to Mount Holly, unless it was to draw away the +troops from here, and the only motive there could be for that would be +because they intended to attack Trenton." + +"Very well, Peter, I will go with you." + +Accompanied by Jake they set out at once for Trenton. On arriving there +they found no particular signs of vigilance. Since the Hessians had +reached Trenton their discipline had much relaxed. A broad river +separated them from the enemy, who were known to be extremely +discontented and disorganized. They had received instruction on no +account to cross the river to attack the colonials, and the natural +consequence of this forced inactivity had manifested itself. Discipline +was lax, and but a slight watch was kept on the movements of the enemy +across the stream. Ignorant of the language of the people, they were +incapable of distinguishing between those who were friendly and those +who were hostile to the Crown, and they behaved as if in a conquered +country; taking such necessaries as they required without payment, and +even sending parties to a considerable distance on plundering +expeditions. + +Peter, on his arrival, proceeded to the headquarters of Colonel Rhalle, +who was in command--an officer of great bravery and energy. One of his +officers was able to speak English, and to him Peter reported the +departure of the force from Bordentown, of which Colonel Rhalle was +already aware, and the weakness of the American force at Mount Holly. +He stated, also, his own belief that it was merely a feint to draw off +Colonel Donop, and that preparatory to an attack on Trenton. The +officer treated the information lightly, and pointing to the mass of +ice floating down the river asked whether it would be possible for +boats to cross. + +"When the river freezes," he said, "there may be some chance of attack. +Till then we are absolutely safe." + +Peter, shaking his head, rejoined his companions and told them of the +manner in which his advice had been received. + +"But it would be difficult to cross the river," Harold said. "Look at +the masses of ice on the water." + +"It would be difficult," the hunter admitted, "but not by no manner of +means impossible. Determined men could do it. Waal, I've done my duty +and can do no more. Ef the night passes off quietly we'll cross again +before daybreak and go right into the Yankee camp and see what they're +up to. Now, Harold, you can take it easy till nightfall; there's naught +to be learned till then, and as we shall be on foot all night ye may as +well sleep to-day." + +Returning to a spot on the banks of the river at a short distance from +the town, they made a fire, on which Jake cooked some steaks of +venison they had procured. After smoking a pipe, the hunter set the +example by stretching himself on the ground near the fire and going to +sleep. Used as he was to night marches, he had acquired the faculty of +going to sleep at any hour at will. Jake and Harold were some time +before they followed his example, but they too were at last asleep. At +sunset they were on their feet again, and after taking supper +proceeded along the river. + +The night passed off quietly, and Harold became convinced that his +companion's fears were unfounded. Toward morning he suggested that it +was time to be crossing the river. + +"I'm not going yet," the hunter said. "Before I start we'll go down to +Trenton Ferry, a mile below the town. Ef they come over at all, it's +likely enough to be there. There'll be time then to get back and cross +before it's light; It's six o'clock now." + +They kept along the road by the river until they were within a quarter +of a mile of the ferry. Presently they saw a dark mass ahead. + +"Jerusalem!" Peter exclaimed. "There they are." + +They immediately discharged their rifles and ran back at full speed to +the outposts, which were but a quarter of a mile from the town. The +Americans had also pressed forward at full speed, and the outposts, who +had been alarmed by the discharge of the rifles, were forced at once to +abandon the post and to run into the town, whither they had, on hearing +the rifles, already sent in one of their number with the news. Here all +was in confusion. The Hessian leader was trying to collect his troops, +who were hurrying in from their quarters, but many of them thought more +of storing their plunder away in the wagons than of taking their places +in the ranks. + +Washington had crossed with 2500 men and a few field-pieces, and upon +gaining the Jersey side had divided his troops into two detachments, one +of which marched by the river side, the other by an upper road. Hurrying +forward they surrounded the town, and placing their field-pieces in the +road, opened fire on the astonished Hessians. Rhalle had by this time +succeeded in assembling the greater part of his force and charged the +Americans with his usual courage. He received, however, a mortal wound +as he advanced. His troops immediately lost heart, and finding their +retreat cut off at once surrendered. A body of Hessian light horse +succeeded in making their escape. The casualties were few on either +side, but 1000 prisoners were taken. Two other divisions of the +Americans had attempted to cross, the one at Bordentown, the other at +Mackenzie's Ferry, but both had failed, owing to the quantity of +floating ice. Washington retired across the Delaware the same afternoon. + +The consequences of this success were great. The spirits of the +Americans, which had fallen to the lowest ebb in consequence of the +uninterrupted series of defeats, rose greatly. They found that the +British were not invincible, and that, if unable to oppose them in great +battles, they might at least inflict heavy losses on them and weary them +out with skirmishes and surprises. The greatest joy reigned throughout +the various States; fresh levies were ordered; the voices of the +moderate party, which had been gaining strength, were silenced, and the +determination to continue the war vigorously was in the ascendency. + +The lesson given at Trenton was wholly lost upon the English +commander-in-chief. Instead of at once ordering General Leslie to +advance from Princeton and to hold the enemy in check by reoccupying and +fortifying Trenton, he allowed Colonel Donop to abandon Bordentown and +to fall back to Princeton--thus laying it open to Washington to cross +the Delaware again and carry the war into New Jersey. Washington, after +waiting eight days, seeing the indecision and ineptitude of the British +general, again crossed with 4000 men and occupied Trenton. + +Peter Lambton and his two companions were not among the prisoners +taken at Trenton. On entering the town Harold was about to join the +Hessians assembling under Colonel Rhalle, but Peter gave a violent tug +to his coat. + +"Come along, young un!" he said. "The darned fools have let themselves +be caught in a trap and they'll find there's no way out of it. In ten +minutes the Americans will be all round the place, and as I don't wish +to spend a year or two in a Yankee prison at present, I'm going to make +tracks at once. Fighting aren't no good now. Men who'll let 'emselves +be caught in a trap like this'll never be able to cut their way out of +it. Come on!" + +Much against his will Harold yielded to Peter's wishes, and the three +kept straight on through the town by the river side and issued into the +country beyond before the Americans had surrounded it. A minute or two +after leaving the town the light horse galloped past. + +"There are some more out of the hole, and I reckon that's about all. +There, do you hear the guns? The Yanks have brought their artillery +over--I reckon the fight won't last long." + +For two or three minutes there was a roar of musketry; then this +suddenly ceased. + +"I thought as much," Peter said. "They've surrendered. If they had only +kept together and fought well, they should have cut their way through +the enemy. Lord! what poor things regular soldiers are in the dark! A +frontiersman would just as soon fight in the dark as in the light; but +here are the men who climbed up the hill to Fort Washington--and that +was no child's play--no better nor a pack of women when they're attacked +half-asleep and half-awake, just as day is breaking." + +The three comrades walked to Bordentown, which, they were relieved to +find, had not been attacked. A few miles beyond this place they met +Colonel Donop marching back at full speed with his corps, having +received the news of the disaster at Trenton from the horsemen who had +fled. They joined their company and marched to Princeton. + +A fortnight later Lord Cornwallis, with the forces at Brunswick, under +General Grant, advanced to Princeton and then moved forward to attack +the army at Trenton. General Washington on his approach retired from the +town and, crossing a rivulet at the back of it, took post on some high +ground there, with the apparent intention of defending himself against +an attack. It was late in the afternoon, and a heavy cannonade was kept +up till night-time. Lord Cornwallis determined to attack next morning. +At two in the morning Washington retired suddenly, leaving his fires +burning. Quitting the main road he made a long circuit through Allentown +and marched with all speed toward Princeton, which place he intended to +surprise. When Lord Cornwallis advanced he had left the Seventeenth, +Fortieth, and Fifty-fifth regiments there. + +On arriving at Trenton he had sent word back for the Seventeenth and +Fifty-fifth to advance to Maidenhead, a village halfway between +Princeton and Trenton. Colonel Mawhood, who commanded, marched at +daylight, but scarcely had he started when he met Washington advancing +with his army. The morning was foggy, and it was at first supposed that +the enemy were a body of British troops marching back to Princeton, but +it was soon found that the force was a hostile one. Its strength could +not be seen on account of the fog, and he determined to engage it. +Possessing himself of some high ground, he sent his wagons back to +Princeton and ordered the Fortieth Regiment to come out to his +assistance. + +As the Americans advanced, the artillery on both sides opened fire. The +leading columns of the colonists soon snowed signs of disorder. The +Seventeenth Regiment fixed bayonets and with great gallantry charged the +enemy in front of them, driving them back with considerable slaughter; +and so far did they advance that they were separated from the other +battalions, and cutting their way through the American force the +regiment pursued its march to Maidenhead. The Fortieth and Fifty-fifth +fought stoutly, but were unable to make their way through the American +force, and fell back to Brunswick, while the Americans occupied +Princeton. At daybreak Lord Cornwallis discovered the retreat of the +American army, and being apprehensive for the safety of Brunswick, where +great stores of the army were accumulated, marched with all haste toward +that town. + +Brigadier Matthew, the officer commanding there, on hearing of the +approach of the enemy, at once dispatched the store wagons toward the +rear and drew up his small command to defend the place to the last. The +gallant resistance before Princeton had delayed the Americans so long +that the van of the army of Cornwallis was already close to their rear +as they approached Brunswick. Seeing this, Washington abandoned his +design on that town and crossed the Millstone River, breaking down the +bridge at Kingston to stop pursuit. + +Washington now overran East and West Jersey, penetrated into Essex +County, and making himself master of the country opposite to Staten +Island, thus regained almost all the district which the English had +taken from him in the autumn. + +All this greatly heightened the spirit and courage of the Americans, +while the loyalists and the English troops were disheartened and +disgusted at seeing an army of 30,000 fine troops kept inactive, while +the enemy, with but 4000 men, who were wholly incapable of opposing an +equal number of English troops, were allowed to wander unchecked, to +attack and harass the English pickets, and to utilize the whole of the +resources of their country. Had General Howe entertained a fixed desire +to see English authority overthrown in America he could not have acted +in a manner more calculated to carry those wishes into effect. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +A TREACHEROUS PLANTER. + +It must not be supposed that the whole of the time was spent in scouting +and fighting. Between the armies lay a band of no man's land. Here, as +elsewhere, the people of the country were divided in their opinions, but +generally made very little display of these, whatever they might be. It +is true that, as a rule, non-combatants were but little interfered with; +still, a warm and open display of sympathy with one side or the other +was likely to be attended by the loss of cattle and damage to crops when +the other party got the upper hand. In some other States feeling ran +much higher. In the Carolinas the royalists were most cruelly +persecuted. Their property was destroyed and they were, in many cases, +shot down without mercy; but generally, throughout the colonies, a +considerable latitude of opinion was allowed. This was especially so in +the zone between the armies in the Jerseys. None could tell what the +positions of the armies a week hence might be, and any persecution +inflicted by the one party might lead to retaliation upon a shift of +positions a few weeks later. A general toleration therefore reigned. + +Next to Peter Lambton, Harold's greatest friend in the corps was a young +man named Harvey. He was of good family and belonged to New York. Being +a strong loyalist, he had, like many other gentlemen, enlisted for +service under the old flag. He had, naturally, many acquaintances among +the county families, and Harold often accompanied him in his visits to +one or other of them. + +During the winter, when things were quiet, the duties of the scouts were +light, and it was the habit among them that one-third should be on +outpost duty at a time, the rest being free to move about as they liked. +The scouts had no fixed order of position. They went out alone or in +twos or threes, as it pleased them, their duty simply being to watch +everything that was going on along the enemy's line of outposts, to +bring the earliest news of any intended movements, and to prevent +dashing parties of the enemy's horsemen from making raids into or behind +the British lines. They were not, of course, expected to check bodies of +cavalry starting on a raid, but simply to obtain information of their +having left their lines and of the direction taken, and then to hurry +back to the British posts, whence a force of cavalry would be sent out +to intercept or check the invaders. Many dashing exploits were performed +by the cavalry on both sides in the way of getting behind their +opponents' quarters, cutting off provision trains, attacking small +posts, and carrying off straggling parties. + +One of the houses to which Harold used most frequently to accompany his +friend Harvey was situated nearly halfway between the rival armies, and +was about eight miles from either. The owner--Mr. Jackson--was a man of +considerable wealth, and the house was large and well appointed. He had, +before the troubles began, a fine business as a lawyer in New York; but, +as the outbreak of hostilities put a stop to all business of a legal +kind in that city, he had retired to his country house. Although himself +born in England, he professed to be entirely neutral, but his family +were undisguisedly loyal. It consisted of his wife and two daughters, +girls of seventeen and eighteen years old. + +When the English army advanced to the neighborhood of his property Mr. +Jackson was always ready to offer his hospitality to the officers of the +corps which might be stationed near him, and he similarly opened his +house to the Americans when they, in turn, advanced as the British +turned back. Being, as he always made a point of saying, perfectly +neutral in the struggle, he was glad to meet gentlemen, irrespective of +the opinions they held. The line taken by Mr. Jackson was the one which +was very largely pursued among the inhabitants of the country houses and +farms scattered over what was, throughout the war, a debatable land. So +frequent were the changes of the position of the armies that none could +say who might be in possession in a week's time, and it was, therefore, +an absolute necessity for those who wished to live unmolested to abstain +from any stronger show of partisanship. + +As is always the case in struggles of this kind, the female population +were more enthusiastic in their partisanship and more pronounced in +their opinions than the men; and although, upon the arrival of a troop +of cavalry or a detachment of foot belonging to the other side, the +master of the house would impartially offer what hospitality he was +capable of, it was not difficult to perceive, by the warmth or coldness +of the female welcome, what were the private sentiments of the family. + +Harold was not long in discovering, from the frequency with which Harvey +proposed an excursion to the Jacksons' and from his conduct there, that +Isabelle, the eldest daughter, was the object which mainly attracted +him. The families had long been friends, and Harvey, although now +serving as a simple scout, was of a position equal to her own. The +friends were always cordially received by Mr. Jackson, and Harold was +soon as intimate there as his comrade. They usually left their quarters +a little before dusk and started back late at night. Often as Mr. +Jackson pressed them to stay, they never accepted his invitation. + +The scouts, from their activity and ubiquitousness, were the +_bêtes-noirs_ of the Americans, whose most secret plans were constantly +detected and foiled by the sagacity and watchfulness of these men, whose +unerring rifles made frequent gaps in the ranks of the officers. They +therefore spared no pains, whenever there was a chance, of killing or +capturing any of these most troublesome foes, and Harvey and Harold knew +that a report of their presence at the Jacksons' would suffice to bring +a party of horsemen from the American lines. Their visits, therefore, +were always made after dark, and at irregular intervals, and, in spite +of their inclination to the contrary they made a point of returning at +night to their quarters. + +Other visitors were often present at the Jacksons', the sons and +daughters of neighbors, and there was generally music and singing, and +sometimes the young people stood up for a dance. + +The scouts wore no regular uniform, although there was a general +similarity in their attire, which was that of an ordinary backwoods +hunter. When off duty they were allowed to dress as they pleased, and at +Mr. Jackson's the two friends were attired in the ordinary dress of +colonists of position. At these little gatherings political subjects +were never discussed, and a stranger spending an evening there would not +have dreamed that the house stood between two hostile armies; that at +any moment a party of horsemen belonging to one side or other might dash +into the courtyard, and that even those laughing and talking pleasantly +together might be of opinions diametrically opposed. + +Harvey and Harold were introduced to visitors simply as friends from New +York, and, although the suspicions as to their character and position +might be strong, no one thought of asking questions. + +"I do not like that fellow Chermside," Harvey said one night, as he and +his friend were returning to their quarters. + +They were mounted; for, although when on duty the scouts worked on foot, +many of them, who were men of property, kept horses which they used when +not engaged. Harvey had two horses, and one of these was always at +Harold's service. + +"I am not surprised you don't like him," Harold replied with a laugh, +"and I imagine the dislike is mutual. When two gentlemen are paying +attentions to one young lady they seldom appreciate each other's merits +very cordially." + +"I don't think it is entirely that," Harvey laughed. "Isabella and I +understand each other, and I have no fear of his rivalry; but I do not +like him." + +"I do not think I like him myself," Harold said more seriously; "and yet +I do not know why I should not. When he has been there alone with us and +the family, he has frequently used expressions showing his strong +leaning toward the loyalists' side." + +"I don't put much faith in that," Harvey said. "He knows how strongly +Mr. Jackson and the girls lean toward the Crown, and would say anything +that he thought would please Isabelle. I have spoken to her and she +thinks that he is sincere; in fact, she has rather a good opinion of +him. However, we shall see. It was rather curious that that party of +Morgan's cavalry should have ridden up the other night and searched the +house two hours after we left. You see, we had agreed to sleep there +that night, and only changed our minds after the others had all left, +when we remembered that we were both for duty early next morning. It +might have been a coincidence, of course, but it had an ugly look. I +think Mr. Jackson thought so, too, for he did not ask us to stop +to-night; anyhow, I wish Chermside's plantation was not so near this and +that he did not drop in so often." + +A week later they paid another visit. When dinner was over Harold +was chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Harvey was sitting at the +piano, where the eldest girl was playing, and the younger was +looking out of window. + +"We are going to have another fall of snow," she said. "There is not a +star to be seen. Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. + +"What is it, my dear?" Mr. Jackson asked. + +"There is a rocket gone up from the woods." + +"A rocket!" Mr. Jackson repeated. + +"Yes, papa; there are the stars falling now." + +"That is a curious thing," Mr. Jackson said, while the others went +to the window. They stood watching for some minutes, but nothing +was to be seen. + +"I do not like that rocket," Mr. Jackson said as they left the window. +"It means something. It can only be a signal. People don't let off +rockets for amusement nowadays. Did you meet anyone on the road?" "No, +sir," Harvey said, "not a soul." + +"I do not like it," their host repeated. "It means mischief of some sort +or other. I do not wish to seem inhospitable, but my advice to you is, +get on your horses at once and ride to your quarters. You are on duty +to-morrow, and you told me you would pass near here on your way toward +the enemy's lines. You might look in as you go past and hear whether +anything came of it. If I mistake not, we shall have another visit from +Morgan's horse this evening." + +Much against their inclination the young men followed Mr. +Jackson's advice. + +The next day they, with Peter and Jake, stopped at the house as +they passed. + +"I was right," their host said, as the two young men entered. "An hour +after you left twenty of Morgan's horse rode up here. They would not +take my word that we were alone, but searched the house from top to +bottom, and were evidently greatly disappointed at finding no one. I +have been making inquiries this morning and find that all the servants +were in the house at the time my daughter saw the rocket, so I hope that +I have no traitor here. Still, it is clear that someone must be keeping +watch over your movements." + +"Have you asked, sir," Harvey said, after a pause, "whether anyone came +after we had arrived?" + +"I do not see how anyone could come, but I will ask." + +He rang the bell and a negro servant appeared. + +"Did anyone come to the house yesterday, Caesar, after these gentleman +came--any beggar or peddler, or anyone of that sort?" + +"No, sir; no one came except Massa Chermside. He get off his horse and +ask if you, hab any visitors. I said that Massa Harvey and Massa Wilson +were here. He say he call again another night when the family alone, and +rode off." + +"Just what I expected, sir," Harvey said, when the servant left the +room. "I have always doubted that fellow's honesty." + +"Oh, nonsense!" Mr. Jackson replied. "You must be mad, Harvey. +Chermside's father was an old friend of mine, and I have known the young +fellow since he was a child. I should as soon suspect one of my own +daughters of being capable of such an act of gross treachery as laying a +plot to bring the American cavalry down upon guests of mine. The idea is +preposterous. Bless me, how amused the girls will be at your suspecting +their old playfellow!" + +"I hope I may be mistaken, sir," Harvey said, "but Harold's opinion of +him agrees with mine; and, in talking it over last night, we both put +our finger on him as the man who fired the rocket. Well, now, we must be +pushing on. We are bound for the ford where Morgan's horse must have +come over, and shall hear from our fellows there whether they rode +straight here after crossing, as, if so, there can be no doubt whatever +that the rocket was a signal." + +Upon arriving at the ford they found that Morgan's horse had only +crossed an hour before the time at which they arrived at Mr. Jackson's. +One of the scouts had instantly taken word to the nearest cavalry +outpost, but the enemy had recrossed the river before these had arrived +on the spot. + +After three days on duty at the front, the party returned to their +lines, and the next time that the young men rode out to their friends +they took with them Jake and Peter, to whom they related the +circumstances. + +The scouts proceeded on foot and separated from the others a mile before +reaching the house, having arranged that Peter should scout round it, +while Jake should proceed to the plantation of Mr. Chermside and keep a +sharp lookout there. + +They had arranged with Mr. Jackson that no mention of the rocket should +be made to anyone, however intimate with the family. + +"I am glad to see you again," the host said, as they entered the room +where the family were assembled, "although I own that these two raids of +Morgan's horse have made me uneasy. The girls have been immensely amused +at your suspicions of young Chermside." + +"How could you think such a thing?" Isabelle said. "He was here on the +following evening, and was as indignant as we were at the thought of +treachery being at work. He quite agreed with us that the coming of the +Yankees could hardly have been accidental." + +"You said nothing about the rocket, I hope?" Harvey asked. + +"No, we kept quite silent about that, as you made such a point of it; +but it seemed ridiculous with him. But I shall be in a fright, now, +every time you come." + +"We have brought two of our men with us," Harvey said, "and they are +scouting round, so we shall hear if another rocket goes up; and, even if +the person who let it up suspects that the last was seen,--as he might +do from our having left so suddenly,--and tries some other plan to warn +the enemy, we can trust our men to fire a shot and so give us warning in +time. We have told the groom not to take the saddles off the horses, as +we may stop but a short time." + +At eight o'clock a disturbance was heard outside, and Jake entered the +room, dragging with him by main force the young planter. + +"What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Jackson asked, as they rose from +their seats in surprise. + +"Me tell you, sar," Jake answered. "Me had orders from Massa Harold to +watch outside ob de house ob dis feller and see what going on dere. +About half an hour after me got dere a nigger come along running from +dis direction. Dat no business of Jake's, so he stood in de trees and +let him pass. He go into de house; five minutes afterward dis feller he +come out and he walk away. Jake follow him bery quiet to see what him +after. He walk more dan a mile, den he get on to de oder side of dat big +hill; den me see him stop, and Jake tink it time to interfere, so he ran +up and catch him. He had put dis ting against a stump of a tree, and had +him pistol in him hand, and was on de point of firing it close to dis +ting, so as to light him." + +As Jake spoke he held out a rocket. Several times while Jake had been +speaking the planter had tried to interrupt him, but each time Jake, who +had not released his hold of him, gave him so violent a shake that he +was fain to be silent. + +"This is a scandalous indignity," he exclaimed furiously when Jake +finished. "What do you mean, sir," he demanded of Harvey, "by setting +this nigger to watch my abode? I will have satisfaction for this +treatment." + +"It seems, sir," Mr. Jackson said, signing to Harvey to be silent, +"that you have been detected in a gross act of treachery. My friends +have suspected you of it, but I indignantly denied it. Could we +believe, I and my family, that you, whom we have known as a child, +would betray our guests to the Americans? Loyalists and republicans are +alike welcome here. I do not ask my friends their opinions. My house is +neutral ground, and I did not think that anyone who used it would have +had the treachery to turn it into a trap; still less did I imagine you +would do so. These gentlemen would be perfectly within their right did +they take you out and hang you from the nearest tree; but, for my sake, +I trust that they will not do so; but should the American cavalry ever +again visit this house under circumstances which may lead it to be +supposed that they have been brought here to capture my guests, I shall +let them punish you as you deserve. No word of mine will be raised in +your favor. Now, sir, go, and never again enter this house, where the +loathing and contempt that I feel for you will, I know, be shared by +the ladies of my family." + +At a nod from Harold Jake released his hold of the captive, who, without +a word, turned and left the room. + +Not a word was spoken for a minute or two after he had left. The +youngest girl was the first to speak. + +"The wretch!" she exclaimed. "To think that Herbert Chermside should +turn out such a mean traitor! Papa, I would have let them hang him at +once. It would have served him right. Now he may do us all harm." + +"I do not know that you are not right, Ada," Mr. Jackson replied +gravely. "I am far from saying that I acted wisely. Young Chermside has +many friends among the Americans, and it is possible that he may work us +harm. However, my position as a neutral is well established. Officers on +both sides have at times been welcomed here, and his report, therefore, +that our friends here are often with us can do us no harm. Henceforth he +must be regarded as an enemy, and there will always be danger in these +visits. So long as the American outposts are within an hour's ride he +can have the road watched; and, although he is not likely to venture +upon signaling with rockets, he may send or take word on horseback. A +bonfire, too, might be lit at the other side of the hill to call them +over. Altogether you will never be safe from home except when you have a +strong body of your own troops between this and the river." + +"I am glad to say," Harvey said, "that in consequence of the news of +Morgan's raids on this side a body of 200 infantry and a troop of +cavalry are to move to-morrow and take up their position by the ford, so +we shall be safe from any surprise from that direction." + +"I am very glad to hear it," Mr. Jackson said. "It will relieve me of a +great anxiety. But pray be watchful when you are in this neighborhood. +You have made a bitter enemy, and, after what he has proved himself +capable of, we cannot doubt that he would hesitate at nothing. I +understand," he went on with a smile toward his eldest daughter, "what +is at the bottom of his conduct, and, as I have long suspected his hopes +in that quarter, I am not surprised that he is somewhat hostile to you. +Still, I never for a moment deemed him capable of this." + +The next day Mr. Jackson learned that his neighbor had left his +plantation, and had told his servants that he was not likely to return +for some time. + +Shortly after this a series of bad luck attended the doings of the +British scouts. Several parties were killed or captured by the enemy, +and they were constantly baffled by false reports, while the Americans +appeared to forestall all their movements. It was only when enterprises +were set on foot and carried out by small bodies that they were ever +successful, anything like combined action by the orders of the officers +constantly turning out ill. + +"There must be a traitor somewhere," Peter said upon the return of a +party from an attempt which, although it promised well, had been +frustrated, to carry off a number of cattle from one of the American +depots. "It aint possible that this can be all sheer bad luck. It aint +no one in our company, I'll be bound. We aint had any new recruits +lately, and there aint a man among us whom I could not answer for. There +must be a black sheep in Gregory's or Vincent's corps. The enemy seem up +to every move, and, between us, we have lost more than thirty men in the +last few weeks. There aint no doubt about it--there's a traitor +somewhere and he must be a clever one, and he must have pals with him, +or he couldn't send news of what we are doing so quickly. It beats me +altogether, and the men are all furious." + +"I've been talking with some of our men," Peter said a few days +afterward, "and we agree that we are bound to get to the bottom of this +matter. We're sartin sure that the traitor don't belong to us. What we +propose is this, that the hull of us shall go up together, without +saying a word to a soul, and scatter ourselves along the river at all +the points where a chap going with a message to the enemy would be +likely to cross. The night we go out we'll get the three captains all to +give orders to their men for an expedition, so that whoever it is that +sends messages from here would be sure to send over word to the Yankees; +and it'll be hard if we don't ketch him. What do you say?" + +"I think the plan is a very good one," Harold answered. "If you like, I +will go with my father and ask Gregory and Vincent to send their men." + +Captain Wilson at once went to these officers. They were as much +irritated and puzzled as were their men by the failures which had taken +place, and agreed that, next evening, an order should be issued for the +men of the three corps to act in combination, and to allow it to leak +out that they intended to surprise an American post situated near the +river, twenty-one miles distant. Captain Wilson's scouts, instead of +going with the others, were to act on their own account. + +On the day arranged, as soon as it became dark, the forty scouts quietly +left their quarters in small parties and made their way toward the +river, striking it at the point where a messenger would be likely to +cross upon his way to give warning to the American post of the attack +intended to be made upon it. They took post along the river, at a +distance of fifty or sixty yards apart, and silently awaited the result. +Several hours passed and no sound broke the stillness of the woods. An +hour before dawn Peter Lambton heard a slight crack, as that of a +breaking twig. It was some distance back in the woods, but it seemed to +him, by the direction, that the man who caused it would strike the river +between himself and Jake, who was stationed next to him. He noiselessly +stole along toward the point. Another slight sound afforded him a sure +indication of the direction in which the man, whoever he might be, was +approaching. He hastened his steps, and a minute later a negro issued +from the wood close to him. He stood for an instant on the river bank +and was about to plunge in, when Peter threw his arms around him. + +Although taken by surprise, the negro struggled desperately and would +have freed himself from the grip of the old scout had not Jake run up +instantly to his comrade's assistance. In a minute the negro was bound +and two shots were then fired, the concerted signal by which it would be +known along the line that a capture had been effected. In a few minutes +the whole body was assembled. The negro, who refused to answer any +questions, was carried far back into the woods and a fire was lighted. + +"Now, nigger," Peter said, taking, as captor, the lead in the matter, +"jest tell us right away where you was going and who sent you." + +The negro was silent. + +"Now, look ye here, darky, you're in the hands of men who are no +jokers. Ef you tell us at once who put ye on to this trick no harm will +happen to you; but ef ye don't we'll jest burn the skin off your body, +bit by bit." + +Still the negro was silent. + +"Half a dozen of yez," Peter said, "as have got iron ramrods shove them +into the fire. We'll soon find this nigger's tongue." + +Not a word was spoken until the ramrods were heated red-hot. + +"Now," Peter said, "two of yez clap your ramrods against this +darky's flanks." + +The negro struggled as the men approached him, and gave a terrific yell +as the hot iron was applied to his sides. + +"I will tell you, sars--oh! have mercy upon me and I will tell you +eberything!" + +"I thought," Peter said grimly, "that you'd find a tongue soon enough. +Now, then, who sent you?" + +"My massa," the negro answered. + +"And who is your master?" + +The negro was again silent, but as, at a nod from Peter, the men again +raised the ramrods, he blurted out: + +"Massa Chermside." + +The name was known to many of the scouts, and a cry of anger broke +from them. + +"I thought as much," Harvey said. "I suspected that scoundrel was at the +bottom of it all along. Where is he?" he asked the negro. + +"Me not know, sar." + +"You mean you won't say," Peter said. "Try the vartue of them +ramrods again." + +"No, no!" the negro screamed. "Me swear me do not know where him be. You +may burn me to death if you will, but I could not tell you." + +"I think he is speaking the truth," Harvey said. "Wait a minute. Have +you done this before?" he asked the negro. + +"Yes, sar. Eight or ten times me swim de river at night." + +"With messages to the Americans?" + +"Yes, sar; messages to American officers." + +"Have you any written message--any letter?" + +"No, sar, me never take no letter. Me only carry dis." And he took out +from his hair a tiny ball of paper smaller than a pea. + +It was smoothed out, and upon it, were the words, "General Washington." + +"Where I go, sar, I show dem dis, and dey know den dat de message can be +believed." + +"But how do you get the message? How do you see your master?" + +"Master's orders were dat me and two oders were to meet him ebery night, +after it got dark, at a tree a mile from de place where de soldiers are. +Sometimes he no come. When he come he gibs each of us a piece of money +and tell us to carry a message across the river. We start by different +ways, swim across de water in different places, take de message, and +come back to de plantation." + +"A pretty business!" Peter said. "Now you must come back with us to the +post and tell your story to the commanding officer. Then we must see if +we can't lay hands on this rascally master of yours." + +Upon the news being told, the general in command sent a party out, who, +after searching the house and out-buildings of the plantation in vain, +set fire to them and burned them to the ground. The negroes were all +carried away and employed to labor for the army. The town and all the +surrounding villages were searched, but no trace could be obtained of +the missing man. One of the men of Gregory's corps of scouts +disappeared. He had recently joined, but his appearance, as a man with +beard and whiskers, in no way agreed with that of the planter. He might, +however, have been disguised, and his disappearance was in itself no +proof against him, for the scouts were under no great discipline, and +when tired of the service often left without giving notice of their +intention of doing so. It was, moreover, possible that he might have +fallen by an enemy's bullet. + +The strongest proof in favor of the deserter being Chermside was that, +henceforth, the scouts were again as successful as before, often +surprising the enemy successfully. + +Now that the ford nearest Mr. Jackson's was strongly guarded, the young +men had no apprehension of any surprise, although such an event was just +possible, as the cavalry on both sides often made great circuits in +their raids upon each other's country. That Chermside was somewhere in +the neighborhood they believed; having, indeed, strong reason for doing +so, as a rifle was one evening fired at them from the wood as they rode +over, the ball passing between their heads. Pursuit, at the time, was +impossible. But the next day a number of scouts searched the woods +without success. Soon after they heard that Chermside had joined the +Americans and obtained a commission in a body of their irregular horse. + +Harvey was now formally engaged to Isabelle Jackson, and it was settled +that the wedding should take place in the early spring at New York. When +not on duty he naturally spent a good deal of his time there, and Harold +was frequently with him. Since he had been fired at in the woods +Isabelle had been in the highest state of nervous anxiety lest her +lover's enemy should again try to assassinate him, and she begged Harold +always to come over with him, if possible, as the thought of his riding +alone through the wood filled her with anxiety. + +Although he had no order to do so, Jake, whenever he saw Harold and his +friend canter off toward the Jacksons, shouldered his rifle and went out +after them to the house, where, so long as they stayed, he scouted round +and round with the utmost vigilance. Very often Harold was ignorant of +his presence there; but when, after his return, he found, by questioning +him, how he had been employed, he remonstrated with him on such +excessive precaution. + +"Can't be too cautious, massa," Jake said. "You see dat fellow come one +of dese days." + +Jake's presentiment turned out correct. One evening when, with several +friends, the young men were at Mr. Jackson's the sound of the report of +a rifle was heard at a short distance. + +"That must be Jake's rifle!" Harold exclaimed. + +"Quick, Harvey, to your horse!" + +It was too late. As they reached the door a strong party of American +cavalry dashed up to it. + +"Surround the house!" an officer shouted. "Do not let a soul escape!" + +The young men ran upstairs again. + +"We are caught," Harvey said. "Escape is cut off. The Yankee cavalry are +all round the house. Good-by, Isabelle. We shall meet one of these days +again, dear." The girl threw herself into his arms. + +"Be calm, love!" he said. "Do not let this scoundrel have the +satisfaction of triumphing over you." + +A moment later Chermside, accompanied by several soldiers, +entered the room. + +"I am sorry to disturb so pleasant a party," he said in a sneering +voice, "but if Americans choose to entertain the enemies of their +country they must expect these little disagreeables." + +Mr. Jackson abruptly turned his back upon him, and no one else spoke, +although he was personally well known to all. + +"These are the two men," he said to the soldiers--"two of the most +notorious scouts and spies on the frontier. We will take them to +headquarters, where a short shrift and two strong ropes will be +their lot." + +"The less the word spy is in the mouth of such a pitiful traitor as +yourself the better, I should say," Harvey said quietly; and, walking +forward with Harold, he placed himself in the hands of the soldiers. + +No one else spoke. Isabelle had fainted when she heard the threat of +execution against her lover. Ada stood before her with a look of +such anger and contempt on her young face that Chermside fairly +winced under it. + +"To horse!" he said sullenly, and, turning, followed his men and +prisoners downstairs. + +The troop, Harold saw, numbered some 200 sabers. They had with them a +number of riderless horses, whose accouterments showed that they +belonged to an English regiment; most of the men, too, had sacks of +plunder upon their horses. They had evidently made a successful raid, +and had probably attacked a post and surprised and driven off the +horses of a squadron of cavalry, and were now on their return toward +their lines. + +"This is an awkward business, Harold," Harvey said as, in the midst +of their captors, they galloped off from the Jacksons'. "Of course +it's all nonsense about our being hung. Still, I have no wish to see +the inside of a prison, where we may pass years before we are +exchanged. Once handed over to the authorities we shall be safe; but +I shall not feel that we are out of danger so long as we are in this +scoundrel's hands. Fortunately there are officers of superior rank to +himself with the squadron, otherwise I have no doubt at all that he +would hang us at once." + +Such was indeed the case, and Chermside was, at that moment, fuming +intensely at the chance which had thrown his rival in his hands at a +time when he was powerless to carry out his vengeance. He had, indeed, +ventured to suggest that it would be less trouble to hang the prisoners +at once, but the major in command had so strongly rebuked him for the +suggestion that he had at once been silenced. + +"I blush that I should have heard such words from the mouth of an +American officer. It is by such deeds, sir, that our cause is too often +disgraced. We are soldiers fighting for the independence of our +country--not lawless marauders. Had these men been taken in their +civilian dress over on our side of the river they would have been tried +and hung as spies; but they were on neutral ground, and, in fact, in the +rear of their own posts. There is no shadow of defense for such an +accusation. Should I ever hear a similar suggestion I shall at once +report your conduct to General Washington, who will know how to deal +with you." + +"I wonder what has become of Jake," Harold said to his comrade. "I trust +he was not shot down." + +"Not he," Harvey said. "He made off after firing his rifle, you may be +sure, when he saw that there was nothing to be done. The fellow can run +like a hare, and I have no doubt that, by this time, he has either got +back to the village and given the alarm there or has made for the ford. +There are 100 cavalry there now as well as the infantry. Jake will be +there in an hour from the time he started. The dragoons will be in the +saddle five minutes later, and it is just possible they may cut off our +retreat before we have crossed the river. Peter is on duty there, and, +if he happens to be at the post when Jake arrives, he will hurry up with +all the scouts he can collect." + +Jake had taken flight as Harvey supposed. He had, after firing his +rifle, taken to the wood, and had remained near the house long enough to +see which way the cavalry rode when they started. Then he made for the +post at the ford at the top of his speed. It was less than an hour from +starting when he arrived there, and three minutes later the cavalry +trumpets were blowing "To horse!" After giving his message to the +officer in command Jake went into the village, where the sounds of the +trumpet brought all the soldiers into the street. + +"Hullo, Jake! is that you?" a familiar voice asked. "What the tarnal +is up now?" + +Jake hastily related what had taken place. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "This is a bad job. They're making, no +doubt, for Finchley's Ford, fifteen mile down the river. With an hour's +start they're sure to be there before us." + +"What are you going to do, Peter? Are you thinking of running wid +de cavalry?" + +"Thinking of running to the moon!" the scout said contemptuously. "You +can run well, I don't deny, Jake, but you couldn't run fifteen mile with +the dragoons; and, if you could, you'd get there too late. Yer bellows +are going pretty fast already. Now don't stand staring there, but hurry +through the camp and get all our boys together. Tell them to meet by the +water side. Get Gregory and Vincent's men as well as our own. There's +twenty or thirty altogether in the place." + +Without asking a question Jake ran off to carry out the orders, and, in +a few minutes, twenty-four men were collected together on the bank. + +"Now, you fellows," Peter said, "we've got to rescue these two chaps out +of the hands of the Yankees. Them who don't want to jine--and mind you +the venture is a risky one--had better say so at once and stop behind." + +No one moved. + +"What I propose is this: we'll take the ferryboat, which aint no good +to no one, seeing as how the Yankees are on one side of the river and +we the other, and we'll drop down the stream about ten mile. Then we'll +land on their side of the river and strike inland, hiding the boat +under the bushes somewhere. They'll halt for the night when they're +safe across the river. There's five or six hundred of their infantry +camped on the ford. There's two hundred on our side, but the Yankees'll +ride through in the dark and get across before the redcoats are awake. +Now, I propose that, after we've landed, we make a sweep round until we +get near the Yanks' camp. Then the rest'll wait and two or three of +us'll go in and see if we can't get the young fellows out of wherever +they've put 'em. Then we'll jine you and make a running fight of it +back to the boat." + +The others assented. The boat was amply large enough for all, and, +pulling her out into the stream, they dropped down, keeping under +shelter of the trees on the British side. Half an hour after they had +started they heard the faint sound of distant musketry. + +"There," Peter said, "the Yanks are riding through the British camp, +close to the ford." + +A few more shots were heard, and then all was silent. The stream was +swift, for it was swollen by recent rains, and at three in the morning +the boat touched the bank about a mile above the ford. The party +disembarked noiselessly and, fastening the boat to a tree, moved along +toward the camp. + +When they were within four or five hundred yards of the village Peter +chose Jake and two others of his band, and, telling the rest to remain +where they were, ready for action, he struck inland. He made a _détour_ +and came in at the back of the camp. + +Here there were no sentries, as the only danger to be apprehended was +upon the side of the river. Peter therefore entered boldly. In front of +the principal house a sentry was walking up and down, and he, in the +free-and-easy manner usual in the American army, gladly entered into +conversation with the newcomers. + +"All pretty quiet about here?" Peter asked. "We're from the West, and +have jest come down to do a little fighting with the Britishers. I +reckon they aint far off now?" + +"They are just across the river," the sentry said. "Have you come far?" + +"We've made something like two hundred mile this week, and mean to have +a day or two's rest before we begin. We've done some Injun fighting, my +mates and me, in our time, and we says to ourselves it was about time we +burned a little powder against the redcoats. Things seem quiet enough +about here. Nothing doing, eh?" + +"Not much," the sentry said; "just skirmishes. Some of our cavalry came +across through the redcoats late to-night. I hear they have got a +quantity of plunder and some fine horses, and they have brought in a +couple of the British scouts." + +"And what have they done with 'em?" Peter asked. "Strung 'em up, +I suppose." + +"No, no; we aint fighting Indians now; we don't hang our prisoners. No, +they are safe under guard over there in the cavalry camp, and will be +taken to headquarters to-morrow." + +"Waal," Peter said, stretching himself, "I feel mighty tired and shall +jest look for a soft place for an hour's sleep before morning." + +So saying he sauntered away, and the sentry resumed his walk. + +Peter and his three companions now moved off toward the spot where, as +the sentry had indicated, the cavalry were encamped. They were not in +tents, but were sleeping wrapped up in their blankets. Two tents had +been erected, lent probably by the infantry on the spot. One was much +larger than the other, and sentries were placed before each. They had +some difficulty in making their way, for the night was dark, and the +cavalry had picketed their horses without order or regularity. In their +search they had to use great caution to avoid stumbling over the +sleeping men, but at last they saw the tents faintly against the sky. +They crawled cautiously up. There were two sentries on the smaller tent. + +"Now, Jake," Peter whispered, "you're the blackest and so had better do +the trick. Don't cut a hole in the tent, for they'd be safe to hear the +canvas tear. Crawl under. It's, been put up in haste and aint likely to +be pinned down very tight. They're safe to be bound, and when you've cut +the cords and given them time to get the use of their feet, then crawl +along and jine us." + +Jake did as he was instructed. One of the sentries was pacing up and +down before the entrance, the other making a circuit round the tent. The +circle was a somewhat large one to avoid stumbling over the tent ropes. +Jake, watching his opportunity, had no difficulty in crawling up and +squeezing himself under the canvas before the sentry returned. + +"Hush!" he whispered, as he let the canvas fall behind him. "It's Jake." + +Both the captives were fast asleep. Jake, feeling about in the darkness, +found them, one after the other, and, putting his hands on their mouths +to prevent them making an exclamation, he woke them, and soon cut the +cords with which they were bound hand and foot. Then in whispers he told +them what had happened. They chafed their limbs to produce circulation, +for they had been tightly tied, and then, one by one, they crawled out +of the tent. + +Harvey went first and was safely across before the sentry returned. +Harold followed; but, as he went, in his hurry he struck a tent rope. + +"What's that?" the sentry in front asked sharply. "Bill, was that you?" + +"No," his comrade replied. "Something's up. Look into the tent." + +And, so saying, he ran round behind, while the sentry in front rushed +into the tent and, kicking about with his feet, soon found that it +was empty. + +Jake, on hearing the exclamation, at once crawled from the tent; but, as +he did so, the sentry, running round, saw him and leveled his rifle. +Before he could fire a shot was heard and the man fell dead. + +Jake started to his feet and joined his friends. The other sentry also +discharged his rifle, and the whole camp awoke and sprang to their feet. +The horses, alarmed at the sudden tumult, plunged and kicked; men +shouted and swore, everyone asking what was the matter. Then loud cries +were heard that the sentry was shot and the prisoners had escaped. + +Running closely together and knocking down all who stood in their way, +the fugitives hurried in the darkness until at the edge of the camp, and +then started at full speed. + +The trumpets were now sounding to horse, and several shots were fired +after them. Many of the horses had not been unsaddled, and mounted men +at once dashed off. Several had seen the little party rush away, and the +horsemen were speedily on their track. The six men ran at the top of +their speed and were soon close to their hidden friends. + +"This way! this way! I see them!" shouted a voice, which Harold and +Harvey recognized as that of their enemy, who, a minute later, galloped +up with half a dozen troopers. It was not until he was within a few +yards that his figure was clearly discernible; then Peter Lambton's +rifle flashed out, and the planter fell from his horse with a bullet in +his brain. + +Jake and the other two men also fired, and the horsemen, astonished at +their number, reined in their horses to await the coming up of more of +their comrades. + +In another minute the fugitives were with their friends, and, at a rapid +trot, the whole ran up the river bank toward the spot where they had +hidden their boat. + +The country was covered with brushwood and forest and, as the cavalry, +now swollen to a considerable force, advanced, they were greeted by so +heavy a fire that, astonished at this strong force of foes upon their +side of the river, and not knowing how numerous they might be, they +halted and waited for the infantry to come up. Long before the enemy +were prepared to advance against the unknown foe the scouts reached +their boat and crossed safely to the other side. + +Shortly after this adventure Mr. Jackson and his family moved for the +winter to New York, where, soon after their arrival, the wedding +between Harvey and Isabella took place, the former retiring from the +corps of scouts. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA. + +During the course of the spring of 1777 a large number of loyal +colonists had volunteered their services. They had been embodied into +battalions, and when the army prepared to take the field they were +placed in garrisons in New York and other places, thus permitting the +employment of the whole of the British force in the field. The Americans +had occupied themselves in strongly fortifying the more defensible +positions, especially those in a mountain tract of country called the +Manor of Courland. This was converted into a sort of citadel, where +large quantities of provisions, forage, and stores of all kinds were +collected. About fifty miles from New York, up the North River, was a +place called Peekskill, which served as a port to the Manor of Courland. +The country was so difficult and mountainous that General Howe shrank +from engaging his army in it. He determined, however, to attack and +destroy Peekskill, and a party of 500 men, under the command of Colonel +Bird of the Fifteenth Regiment, were sent up the river in two transports +to destroy it. The garrison, consisting of 800 men, set fire to the +place and withdrew without firing a shot. The British completed the +destruction of the stores and returned to New York. + +A little later 2000 men were sent on a similar expedition against the +town of Danbury, another place on the confines of Courland Manor, where +great stores had also been collected. They proceeded up the East River +and landed at Camp's Point. They started on foot at ten o'clock at +night, and after a ten hours' march arrived at eight o'clock at Danbury. +The enemy evacuated the place on their approach, and the English set +fire to the great magazines filled with stores of all kinds. + +The news of the march of the English had spread rapidly, and the enemy +assembled from all quarters and posted themselves under the command of +General Arnold at a town called Ridgefield, through which the English +would have to pass on their return. Here they threw up intrenchments. It +was late in the afternoon when the English, fatigued with the long +march, arrived at this spot. They did not hesitate, but when the +Americans opened fire they boldly assailed the intrenchments and carried +them with the bayonet. They were unable to march further, and lying down +so as to form an oblong square, slept till morning. All night the +Americans continued to come up in great force, and in the morning as the +troops advanced a terrible fire was opened upon them from the houses and +stone walls in which the country abounded. The British had to fight +every foot of their way. General Wooster had brought up some +field-artillery on the side of the Americans. Gradually the column +fought its way forward until it arrived within half a mile of Camp's +Point. Here two strong bodies of the enemy barred their way. The column +was by this time greatly exhausted; the men had had no real rest for +three days and two nights, and several dropped on the road with fatigue. +Brigadier General Erskine picked out 400 of those who were in the best +condition and attacked the two bodies of the enemy with such vigor that +he put them utterly to flight, and the column, again advancing, reached +their destination without further molestation. Nearly 200 men, including +10 officers, were killed and wounded on the part of the British; the +loss of the Americans was still greater, and General Wooster and some +field officers were among the slain. + +Many other skirmishes took place with varied success. The Americans at +Bondwick, seven miles from Brunswick, 1200 in number, were surprised and +routed by Cornwallis, while on the other hand the American Colonel Meigs +carried out a most dashing expedition by crossing to Long Island and +destroying a quantity of stores at a place called Sag Harbor, burning a +dozen brigs and sloops which lay there, taking 90 prisoners, and +returning safely across the Sound. + +In June Washington with 8000 men was encamped in a strong position at +Middlebrook. General Howe, although he had 30,000 men, hesitated to +attack him here. By a feigned retreat he succeeded in drawing General +Washington from his stronghold and inflicted a decisive defeat on 3000 +of his men. Washington fell back to his position in the mountains, and +General Howe retired altogether from Jersey and withdrew his troops to +Staten Island. A dashing feat was executed at this time by Colonel +Barton of the American army. Learning that General Prescott, who +commanded at Rhode Island, had his headquarters at a distance of a mile +from his troops, he crossed from the mainland in two boats, seized the +general in his bed, and carried him off through the British fleet. The +object of this dashing enterprise was to obtain a general to exchange +for the American General Lee, who had been captured by the British. + +General Howe, in June, again marched against Washington and again fell +back without doing anything. Had he, instead of thus frittering away his +strength, marched to the Delaware, crossed that river, and advanced +against Philadelphia, Washington would have been forced to leave his +stronghold and either fight in the open or allow that important city to +fall into the hands of the English. + +General Howe now embarked his army in transports. Had he sailed up the +North River to Albany he would have effected a junction with General +Burgoyne's army, which was advancing from Canada, and with the united +force could have marched through America from end to end as he chose. +Instead of doing so he sailed down to Chesapeake Bay and there +disembarked the whole army, which had been pent up in transports from +July 3 to August 24. Not till September 11 did they advance in earnest +toward Philadelphia. The Americans thus had ample time to take up a +strong position and fortify it. This they did on the other side of +Brandywine Creek. Under cover of a cannonade the British advanced, +mastered the fort, and carried the intrenchments. General Sullivan, with +a considerable force, had now arrived, accompanied by General Washington +himself. He took up his position a short distance from the Brandywine, +his artillery well placed and his flanks covered with woods. + +The following afternoon the British attacked. The Americans fought well, +but the British were not to be denied, and rushing forward drove the +enemy from their position into the woods in their rear. Here they made a +stand and were only dislodged after a desperate resistance. The greater +portion of them fled in all directions. Washington himself, with his +guns and a small force, retreated eight miles from Chester and then +marched by Derby to Philadelphia. Here he waited three days rallying his +troops, and then, having recruited his stores from the magazines, +marched away. + +All this time the British remained inactive on the ground they had won. +In the battle the Americans lost 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +prisoners. Several guns were also taken. The British lost 100 killed and +400 wounded. + +On September 20 they advanced toward Philadelphia. The American General +Wayne had concealed himself in the woods with 1500 men, with the +intention of harassing the rear of the British army. News of this having +been obtained, Major General Grey was dispatched at once to surprise +him; he ordered his men not to load, but to rely wholly on the bayonet. +The success of the expedition was complete. General Wayne's outpost was +surprised and the British troops rushed into his encampment. Three +hundred of the Americans were killed or wounded and 100 taken prisoners. +The rest escaped through the woods. On the English side 1 officer was +killed and 7 privates killed and wounded. + +The capture of Philadelphia was an important advantage to the British, +but it could not be thoroughly utilized until the fleet could come up +the river to the town. The American Congress, which had sat at +Philadelphia until General Howe approached the town, had taken extensive +measures for rendering the passage impracticable. Three rows of +chevaux-de-frise, composed of immense beams of timber bolted and +fastened together and stuck with iron spikes, were sunk across the +channel, and these lines were protected by batteries. At these forts +were fourteen large rowboats, each carrying a heavy cannon, two floating +batteries carrying nine guns each, and a number of fireships and rafts. + +The forts commanding the chevaux-de-frise were abandoned on the +approach of the British, and Captain Hammond of the _Roebuck_ +succeeded, in spite of the opposition of the enemy's boats and +batteries, in making an opening through the chevaux-de-frise +sufficiently wide for the fleet to pass. + +Large numbers of troops having been sent away from Germantown, a place +seven miles from Philadelphia, where the main body of the British army +were posted, General Washington determined to attempt the surprise of +that position. For this purpose he re-enforced his army by drawing 1500 +troops from Peekskill and 1000 from Virginia, and at daybreak on October +4, under cover of a thick fog, he made an attack on the troops posted at +the head of the village. + +Half of the British force lay on one side of the village, and half on +the other, and had the attack upon the place succeeded the British army +would have been cut in two. The village was held by the Fortieth +Regiment, who, fighting obstinately, were driven back among the houses. +The Americans were pushing forward in five heavy columns, when +Lieutenant Colonel Musgrave, who commanded the Fortieth, threw himself +into a large stone house. Here he offered a desperate resistance, and so +impeded the advance of the enemy that time was given for the rest of the +British troops to get under arms. + +General Washington ordered a whole brigade of infantry to attack the +house and turned four guns against it. Colonel Musgrave and his men +resisted desperately and held the post until Major General Grey, with +the Third Brigade, and Brigadier General Agnew, with the Fourth Brigade, +came up and attacked the enemy with great spirit. The engagement was for +some time very hot. At length a part of the right wing fell upon the +enemy's flank, and the Americans retired with great precipitation. The +fog was so dense that no pursuit could be attempted. + +On the part of the English 600 were killed and wounded. The loss of the +Americans amounted to between 200 and 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +taken prisoners. General Howe had on the previous night been acquainted +with the intention of General Washington to attack the place, and had he +taken the proper measures to have received them the American army would +have been destroyed. He took no measures whatever, gave no warning to +the army, and suffered the camp to be taken by surprise. + +After this battle the fleet and army united, cleared away the +chevaux-de-frise across the Delaware, and took the forts commanding them +after some hard fighting. + +The passage of the Delaware being thus opened and the water +communication secured, the army went to their winter quarters at +Philadelphia. + +Captain Wilson, and his son had taken no part in any of these +operations, as a short time after the capture of Harold and Harvey by +the American cavalry the company had been disbanded. The men, when they +entered the service, had volunteered for a year. This time already had +been greatly exceeded--twenty months had passed since the battle of +Bunker's Hill--and although the men were willing to continue to give +their services so long as it appeared to them that there was a prospect +of a favorable termination of the war, no such hope any longer remained +in their minds. The great army which England had sent over had done +nothing toward restoring the king's authority in the colonies, and if, +after a year's fighting, its outposts were still within a few miles of +New York, how could it be expected or even hoped that it could ever +subdue a country containing hundreds of thousands of square miles? The +retreat from the Delaware and the virtual handing over of New Jersey +again to Washington was the finishing stroke which decided the +volunteers to demand their discharge, according to the terms of their +engagement. Except during the Canadian campaign they had had but little +fighting, nor in such a warfare as that which General Howe was carrying +on was there much scope for their services. Many of the gentlemen who +formed the majority of the company, and who for the most part had +friends and connections in England, sailed for that country; some had +left wives and families on their estates when they took up arms; and +most of them, despairing of the final success of the war, had instructed +their agents to sell these estates for any sum that they would fetch; +others--among them Captain Wilson--now followed their example. It was +but a mere tithe of the value of the property that was obtained, for +money was scarce in the colonies, and so many had sold out and gone to +England, rather than take part on one side or the other of the +fratricidal strife, that land and houses fetched but nominal prices. + +Mrs. Wilson had long since gone to England, and her husband, having made +arrangements for the disposal of his property, now determined to join +her. Fortunately he possessed means, irrespective of his estate in +America. This had come to him through his wife, and his own fortune and +the money obtained by the sale of his commission had remained invested +in English securities. While determined on this course for himself, he +left it to his son to choose his own career. Harold was now nearly +eighteen, and his life of adventure and responsibility had made a man of +him. His father would have preferred that he should have returned with +him to England, but Harold finally decided upon remaining. In war men's +passions become heated, the original cause of quarrel sinks into +comparative insignificance, and the desire for victory, the +determination to resist, and a feeling of something like individual +hatred for the enemy become predominant motives of the strife. + +This was especially the case in the American war. On both sides there +were many circumstances which heightened the passions of the combatants. +The loyalists in the English ranks had been ruined by the action of +their opponents--many had been reduced from wealth to poverty, and each +man felt a deep passion of resentment at what he regarded his personal +grievance. Then, too, the persistent misrepresentations both of facts +and motives on the part of the American writers and speakers added to +the irritation. The loyalists felt that there were vast numbers +throughout the colonies who agreed with them and regarded Congress as a +tyrannical faction rather than the expression of the general will. In +this, no doubt, they were to some extent mistaken, for by this time the +vast majority of the people had joined heart and soul in the conflict. +Men's passions had become so stirred up that it was difficult for any to +remain neutral; and although there were still large numbers of loyalists +throughout the States, the vast bulk of the people had resolved that the +only issue of the contest was complete and entire separation from the +mother country. + +Harold had now entered passionately into the struggle. He was in +constant contact with men who had been ruined by the war. He heard only +one side of the question, and he was determined, so long as England +continued the struggle, to fight on for a cause which he considered +sacred. He was unable to regard the prospects of success as hopeless; he +saw the fine army which England had collected; he had been a witness of +the defeat of the Americans whenever they ventured to stand the shock of +the British battalions; and in spite of the unsatisfactory nature of the +first campaign, he could not bring himself to believe that such an army +could fail. + +When the company was disbanded he decided to continue to serve as a +scout, but, sharing in the general disgust in the army at the incapacity +of General Howe, he determined to take ship again for Canada and take +service under General Burgoyne, who was preparing with a well-appointed +army to invade the States from that side. + +When he communicated his determination to Peter Lambton the latter at +once agreed to accompany him. + +"I've gone into this business," the hunter said, "and I mean to see it +through. Settling down don't suit me. I aint got any friends at New +York, and I'd be miserable just loafing about all day doing nothing. No, +I'll see this business out to the end, and I'd much rather go with you +than anyone else." + +Jake was of the same opinion. Accustomed all his life to obey orders and +to the life on his master's plantation, he would not have known what to +do if left to his own devices. Captain Wilson pointed out to him that he +could easily obtain work on the wharves of New York or as a laborer on a +farm, but Jake would not listen to the proposal and was hurt at the +thought that he could leave his young master's side as long as Harold +continued in the war. + +Accordingly, the day after Captain Wilson sailed for England the three +comrades embarked in a ship for Halifax, whence another vessel took them +to Quebec. They then sailed up the river to Montreal and took service as +scouts in General Burgoyne's army. + +For political reasons General Burgoyne had been appointed to the command +of the expedition which had been, prepared, and General Carleton, +naturally offended at being passed over, at once resigned the +governorship. His long residence in Canada, his knowledge of the +country, of the manners of its inhabitants and the extent of its +resources, and his acquaintance with the character of the Indians, +rendered him far more fit for command than was General Burgoyne. In +military knowledge and experience, too, he was his superior, and had he +retained a command the fate of the expedition would probably have been +very different. + +The army under General Burgoyne consisted of 7173 men, exclusive of +artillerymen. Of these about half were Germans. The Canadians were +called upon to furnish men sufficient to occupy the woods on the +frontier and to provide men for the completion of the fortifications at +Sorrel, St. John's, Chamblée, and Isle-aux-Noix, to furnish horses and +carts for carriage, and to make roads when necessary. A naval force was +to go forward with him on the lake. The Indian question had again to be +decided. Several tribes volunteered to join the British. General +Burgoyne hesitated, as General Carleton had done before, to accept their +services, and only did so finally on the certainty that if he refused +their offers they would join the Americans. He resolved to use them as +little as possible. He knew that their object in all wars was murder and +destruction, and although he wished to conquer the Americans, he did not +desire to exterminate them. + +On June 16, 1777, General Burgoyne advanced from St. John's. The naval +force had preceded the army and opened a way for its advance. The troops +were carried in a flotilla of boats, and under the protection of the +fleet passed Lake Champlain and landed at Crown Point. + +Harold and his companions had joined the army a fortnight previously, +and as they crossed the lake with the fleet they could not but +remember their last expedition there. At Crown Point they were joined +by 1000 Indians, who marched round the lake, and at this place General +Burgoyne gave them a great feast and afterward made a speech to them, +exhorting them to abstain from all cruelty, to avoid any ill-treatment +of unarmed combatants, and to take as prisoners all combatants who +fell into their hands. + +But while thus exhorting the Indians to behave with humanity and +moderation, the general took a most ill-judged step, which not only +did the English cause great harm, but was used by the Americans with +much effect as a proof of the cruel way in which England warred +against the colonists. He issued a proclamation threatening to punish +with the utmost severity all who refused to attach themselves to the +British cause, and at the same time he magnified the ferocity of the +Indians; pointing out with great emphasis their eagerness to butcher +those who continued hostile to the mother country, whose interests +they had espoused. + +This proclamation was naturally construed by the Americans as a threat +to deliver over to the tender mercies of the Indians to slay, scalp, and +destroy all who ventured to resist the authority of the king. + +The Americans had fallen back on the approach of the British, and upon +the landing being effected, the scouts were instantly sent forward. + +Among the Indians who had joined at Crown Point were the Senecas--among +them their old friend Deer Tail. + +The scouts received no particular orders and were free to regulate their +own movements. Their duty was to reconnoiter the country ahead and to +bring in any information they might gather as to numbers and positions +of the enemy. + +Finding that Peter and his companions were about to start, Deer Tail +said that, instead of waiting for the feast, he would take five of his +warriors and accompany them. + +It was at Ticonderoga that the Americans had prepared to make their +first stand. The place lies on the western shore of the lake a few miles +to the northward of the narrow inlet uniting Lake Champlain to Lake +George. It was to reconnoiter the fort that the party now set out. News +had been brought that the Americans had been executing great additional +works, and the British general was anxious to learn the nature of these +before he advanced. + +It was certain that the enemy would on their side have sent out scouts +to ascertain the movements of the royal army, and the party proceeded +with the greatest care. They marched in the usual fashion--in Indian +file; the Seneca chief led the way, followed by one of his braves; then +came Peter, Harold, and Jake; the other Senecas marched in the rear. + +When they came within a few miles of the fort their progress was marked +with profound caution. Not a word was spoken, their tread was noiseless, +and the greatest pains were taken to avoid stepping on a twig or dried +stick. The three scouts when they left St. John's had abandoned their +boots and had taken to Indian moccasins. Several times slight murmurs +were heard in the forest, and once a party of four American frontiersmen +were seen in the wood. The party halted and crouched in the bushes. The +Senecas turned toward Peter as if asking if an attack should be made, +but the latter shook his head. A single shot would have been heard far +away in the woods and their further progress would have been arrested. +Their object now was not to fight, but to penetrate close to the +American intrenchments. + +When the enemy had passed on the party continued its way. As they neared +the fort the caution observed increased. Several times they halted, +while the Seneca, with one of his braves, crawled forward to see that +all was clear. At last they stood on the edge of a great clearing. +Before them, just within gunshot range, stood the fort of Ticonderoga. +Peter Lambton was well acquainted with it, and beyond the fact that the +space around had been cleared of all trees and the stockades and +earthworks repaired, little change could be seen. + +As he was gazing the Indian touched his shoulder and pointed to a high +hill on the opposite side of the narrow straits. This had been cleared +of trees and on the top a strong fort had been erected. Many cannon were +to be seen along its crest, the roofs of huts, and a large number of +men. Halfway up the hill was another battery and a third, still lower +down, to sweep the landing. + +"They've been working hard," the hunter said, "and the army'll have a +mighty tough job before it. What do you think of that, Harold?" + +"It is a very strong position," Harold said, "and will cost us a +tremendous number of men to take it. The fort cannot be attacked till +that hill has been carried, for its guns completely command all this +clearing." + +For some time they stood gazing at the works, standing well back +among the trees, so as to be screened from all observation. At last +Harold said: + +"Look at that other hill behind. It is a good bit higher than that which +they have fortified and must be within easy range both of it and the +fort. I don't see any works there--do you?" + +Peter and the Seneca chief both gazed long and earnestly at the hill and +agreed that they could see no fortification there. + +"It won't do to have any doubt about it," Peter said. "We must go round +and have a look at it." + +"We shall have to cross the river," Harold remarked. + +"Ay, cross it we must," Peter said. "That hill's got to be inspected." + +They withdrew into the wood again and made a circuitous deviation till +they came down upon the river, two miles above Ticonderoga. They could +not reach the water itself, as a road ran along parallel with it and the +forest was cleared away for some distance. A number of men could be seen +going backward and forward on the road. + +Having made their observations, the scouts retired again into a thick +part of the forest and waited till nightfall. + +"How are we to get across?" Harold asked Peter. "It's a good long swim, +and we could not carry our muskets and ammunition across." + +"Easy enough," the scout said. "Didn't you notice down by the road a +pile of planks? I suppose a wagon has broke down there, and the planks +have been turned out and nobody has thought anything more about 'em. +We'll each take a plank, fasten our rifle and ammunition on it, and swim +across; there won't be any difficulty about that. Then, when we've seen +what's on the top of that 'ere hill, we'll tramp round to the other end +of the lake. I heard that the army was to advance half on each side, so +we'll meet 'em coming." + +When it was perfectly dark they left their hiding place and crossed the +clearing to the spot where Peter had seen the planks. Each took one of +them and proceeded to the river side. Peter, Harold, and Jake divested +themselves of some of their clothes and fastened these with their rifles +and ammunition to the planks. To the Indians the question of getting wet +was one of entire indifference, and they did not even take off their +hunting shirts. Entering the water the party swam noiselessly across to +the other side, pushing their planks before them. On getting out they +carried the planks for some distance, as their appearance by the water's +edge might excite a suspicion on the part of the Americans that the +works had been reconnoitered. + +After hiding the planks in the bushes they made their way to Sugar Hill, +as the eminence was called. The ascent was made with great +circumspection, the Indians going on first. No signs of the enemy were +met with, and at last the party stood on the summit of the hill. It was +entirely unoccupied by the Americans. + +"Well, my fine fellows," laughed the scout, "I reckon ye've been doing a +grist of work, and ye might jest as well have been sitting down quietly +smoking yer pipes. What on arth possessed ye to leave this hill +unguarded?" + +In point of fact General St. Clair, who commanded the Americans, had +perceived that his position was commanded from this spot. He had only +3000 men under him, and he considered this number too small to hold +Ticonderoga, Mount Independence, and Sugar Hill. The two former posts +could afford no assistance to the garrison of a fort placed on Sugar +Hill, and that place must therefore fall if attacked by the British. On +the other hand, he hoped that, should the attention of the English not +be called to the importance of the position by the erection of works +upon it, it might be overlooked, and that General Burgoyne on his +arrival might at once attack the position which he had prepared with so +much care. + +Having ascertained that the hill was unoccupied, Peter proposed at once +to continue the march. Harold suggested to him that it would be better +to wait until morning, as from their lofty position they would be able +to overlook the whole of the enemy's lines of defense and might obtain +information of vital importance to the general. Peter saw the advantage +of the suggestion. Two of the Indians were placed on watch, and the rest +of the party lay down to sleep. At daybreak they saw that the delay had +been fully justified, for they had now a view of the water which +separated Ticonderoga from Mount Independence, and perceived that the +Americans had made a strong bridge of communication between these posts. +Twenty-two piers had been sunk at equal distances, and between them +boats were placed, fastened with chains to the piers. A strong bridge of +planks connected the whole. On the Lake Champlain side of the bridge a +boom, composed of great trees fastened together with double chains, had +been placed. Thus, not only had communication been established across +the stream, but an effectual barrier erected to the passage of the +fleet. Fully satisfied with the result of their investigations, the +party set out on their return. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +THE SETTLER'S HUT. + +Before starting they stood for a minute or two looking over the forest +which they were to traverse. To Harold's eyes all appeared quiet and +still. Here and there were clearings where settlers had established +themselves; but, with these exceptions, the forest stretched away like a +green sea. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "We'll have all our work to get through +safely; eh, chief?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"What makes you say so?" Harold asked in surprise. "I see nothing." + +Peter looked at him reproachfully. + +"I'm downright ashamed of ye, lad. You should have been long enough in +the woods by this time to know smoke when you see it. Why, there it is +curling up from the trees in a dozen--ay, in a score of places. There +must be hundreds of men out scouting or camping in them woods." + +Harold looked fixedly again at the forests, but even now he could not +detect the signs which were so plain to the scout. + +"You may call me as blind as a bat, Peter," he said with a laugh, "but I +can see nothing. Looking hard I imagine I can see a light mist here and +there, but I believe it is nothing but fancy." + +"It's clear enough to me, lad, and to the redskins. What do you +say, chief?" + +"Too much men," the Seneca replied sententiously. + +For another minute or two he and Peter stood watching the forest, and +then in a few words consulted together as to the best line to follow to +avoid meeting the foe who, to their eyes, swarmed in the forest. + +"It's mighty lucky," the hunter said as they turned to descend the hill, +which was covered with trees to its very summit, "that they're white men +and not redskins out in the woods, there. I don't say that there's not +many frontiersmen who know the way of the woods as well as the redskins. +I do myself, and when it comes to fighting we can lick 'em on their own +ground; but in scouting we aint nowhere--not the best of us. The redskin +seems to have an instinct more like that of an animal than a man. I +don't say as he can smell a man a mile off as a dog can do, but he seems +to know when the enemy's about; his ears can hear noises which we can't; +his eyes see marks on the ground when the keenest-sighted white man sees +nothing. If that wood was as full of redskins as it is of whites to-day, +our sculps wouldn't be worth a charge of powder." + +"You are not going to follow the shores of the lake, I suppose?" +Harold asked. + +"No," Peter said. "They'll be as thick as peas down there, watching for +the first sight of our fleet. No, we must just keep through the woods +and be as still and as silent as if the trees had ears. You'd best look +to the priming of yer piece before we goes further, for it's likely +enough you'll have to use it before the day's done, and a miss-fire +might cost you yer life. Tell that nigger of yourn that he's not to open +his mouth again till I gives him leave." + +With a long stealthy tread the party descended the mountain and took +their way through the woods. Every hundred yards or so they stopped and +listened intently. When any noise, even of the slightest kind, was +heard, all dropped to the ground until the chief had scouted round and +discovered the way was clear. Once or twice they heard the sound of +men's voices and a distant laugh, but they passed on without seeing +those who uttered them. + +Presently they again heard voices, this time raised as if in angry +dispute. The Seneca would, as before, have made a long _détour_ to avoid +them, but Peter said. + +"Let's have a squint at what's going on, chief." + +With redoubled caution they again advanced until they stood at the edge +of the clearing. It was a patch of land some hundred yards wide, and +extending from the shore of the lake nearly a quarter of a mile inland. +In the center stood a log hut, neatly and carefully built. A few flowers +grew around the house, and the whole bore signs of greater neatness and +comfort than was usual in the cabins of the backwood settlers. + +The point where the party had reached the edge of the wood was +immediately opposite the house. Near it stood a group of some twenty +men, one of whom, apparently their leader, was gesticulating angrily as +he addressed a man who stood facing him. + +"I tell ye, ye're a darned royalist--ye're a traitor to the country, and +I've a mind to hang ye and all belonging to ye to the nearest bough." + +"I tell you," the man answered calmly, but in the still air every word +he said could be heard by those at the edge of the forest, "I hae +naething to do with the trouble ane way or the ither. I am a quiet +settler, whose business only is to mak a hame for my wife and bairn; +but, if you ask me to drink success to the Congress and confusion to the +king's troops, I tell you I willna do it; not even if you are brutal +enough, but this I canna believe possible, to carry your threats into +execution. I hae served my time in a king's regiment. With the bounty I +received instead o' pension on my discharge I settled here wi' my wife +and bairn, and no one shall say that Duncan Cameron was a traitor to his +king. We do no harm to anyone; we tak no part for or against you; we +only ask to be allowed to live in peace." + +"That ye shall not," the man said. "The king's troops have got Injuns +with 'em, and they're going to burn and kill all those who won't take +part with 'em. It's time we should show 'em as we can play at that game, +too. Now ye've either got to swear to be faithful to the States of +America or up you go." + +"I canna swear," the settler said firmly. "You may kill me if you will, +but, if you are men, you will nae harm my wife and girl." + +"We'll just do to you as the redskins'll do to our people," the man +said. "We'll make a sweep of the hull lot of you. Here, you fellows, +fetch the woman and girl out of the house and then set a light to it." + +Four or five men entered the house. A minute later screams were heard +and a woman and child were dragged out. The settler sprang toward them, +but three or four men seized him. + +"Now," the man said, stepping toward the house, "we'll show 'em a +bonfire." + +As he neared the door a crack of a rifle was heard and the ruffian fell +dead in his tracks. A yell of astonishment and rage broke from his +followers. + +"Jerusalem, youngster! you've got us into a nice fix. Howsomever, since +you've begun it, here goes." + +And the rifle of the hunter brought down another of the Americans. +These, following the first impulse of a frontiersman when attacked, fled +for shelter to the house, leaving the settler, with his wife and +daughter, standing alone. + +"Ye'd best get out of the way," Peter shouted, "or ye may get a bit of +lead that wasn't intended for ye." + +Catching up his child, Cameron ran toward the forest, making for the +side on which his unknown friends were placed, but keeping down toward +the lake, so as to be out of their line of fire. + +"Make down to 'em, Harold," Peter said. "Tell 'em they'd best go to some +neighbor's and stop there for a day or two. The army'll be here +to-morrow or next day. Be quick about it, and come back as fast as ye +can. I tell ye we're in a hornets' nest, and it'll be as much as we can +do to get out of it." + +A scattering fire was now being exchanged between the redskins behind +the shelter of the trees and the Americans firing from the windows of +the log house. Harold was but two or three minutes absent. + +"All right, Peter!" he exclaimed, as he rejoined them. + +"Come along, then," the hunter said. "Now, chief, let's make up round +the top of this clearing and then foot it." + +The chief at once put himself at the head of the party, and the nine men +strode away again through the forest. It was no longer silent. Behind +them the occupants of the hut were still keeping up a brisk fire toward +the trees, while from several quarters shouts could be heard, and more +than once the Indian war-whoop rose in the forest. + +"That's just what I was afeared of," Peter muttered. "There's some of +those darned varmint with 'em. We might have found our way through the +whites, but the redskins'll pick up our trail as sartin as if we were +driving a wagon through the woods." + +Going along at a swinging, noiseless trot the party made their way +through the forest. Presently a prolonged Indian whoop was heard in the +direction from which they had come. Then there were loud shouts and the +firing ceased. + +"One of the red reptiles has found our trail," Peter said. "He's with a +party of whites, and they've shouted the news to the gang in the +clearing. Waal, we may, calculate we've got thirty on our trail, and, as +we can hear them all round, it'll be a sarcumstance if we git out with +our sculps." + +As they ran they heard shouts from those behind, answered by others on +both flanks. Shots, too, were fired as signals to call the attention of +other parties. Several times the Seneca chief stopped and listened +attentively, and then changed his course as he heard suspicious noises +ahead. Those behind them were coming up, although still at some distance +in the rear. They could hear the sound of breaking trees and bushes as +their pursuers followed them in a body. + +"Ef it was only the fellows behind," Peter said, "we could leave them +easy enough, but the wood seems alive with the varmint." + +It was evident the alarm had spread through the forest, and that the +bands scattered here and there were aware that an enemy was in their +midst. The dropping fire, which the pursuers kept up, afforded an +indication as to the direction in which they were making, and the +ringing war-whoop of the hostile Indians conveyed the intelligence still +more surely. + +Presently there was a shout a short distance ahead, followed by the +sound of a rifle ball as it whizzed close to Harold's head and buried +itself in a tree that he was passing. In a moment each of the party had +sheltered behind a tree. + +"It's of no use, chief," Peter said. "We'll have the hull pack from +behind upon us in five minutes. We must run for it and take our chances +of being hit." + +Swerving somewhat from their former line, they again ran on; bullets +whisked round them, but they did not pause to fire a shot in return. + +"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed, as the trees in front of them opened and +they found themselves on the edge of another clearing. It was +considerably larger than that which they had lately left, being three +hundred yards across, and extending back from the lake fully half a +mile. As in the previous case, a log hut stood in the center, some two +hundred yards back from the lake. + +"There's nothing for it, chief," Peter said. "We must take to the house +and fight it out there. There's a hull gang of fellows in the forest +ahead, and they'll shoot us down if we cross the clearing." + +Without a moment's hesitation the party rushed across the clearing to +the hut. Several shots were fired as they dashed across the open, but +they gained the place of refuge in safety. The hut was deserted. It had +probably belonged to royalists, for its rough furniture lay broken on +the ground; boxes and cupboards had been forced open, and the floor was +strewn with broken crockery and portions of wearing apparel. + +Harold looked round. Several of the party were bleeding from +slight wounds. + +"Now to the windows," Peter said as he barred the door. "Pile up bedding +and anything else that ye can find against the shutters, and keep +yerselves well under cover. Don't throw away a shot; we'll want all our +powder, I can tell ye. Quickly, now--there aint no time to be lost." + +While some began carrying out his instructions below, others bounded +upstairs and scattered themselves through the upper rooms. There were +two windows on each side of the house--one at each end. Disregarding the +latter, Peter and Harold took post at the windows looking toward the +forest from which they had just come. The chief and another Indian +posted themselves to watch the other side. At first no one was to be +seen. The party who had fired at them as they ran across the open had +waited for the coming up of the strong band who were following, before +venturing to show themselves. The arrival of the pursuers was heralded +by the opening of a heavy fire toward the house. As the assailants kept +themselves behind trees, no reply was made, and the defenders occupied +themselves by piling the bedding against the shutters, which they had +hastily closed. Loop-holes had been left in the walls when the hut was +first built; the moss with which they were filled up was torn out, and +each man took his post at one of these. As no answering shot came from +the house the assailants became bolder, and one or two ventured to show +themselves from, behind shelter. In a moment Harold and Peter, whose +rifles would carry more truly and much further than those of the +Indians, fired. + +"Two wiped out!" Peter said, as the men fell, and shouts of anger arose +from the woods. "That'll make them careful." + +This proof of the accuracy of the aim of the besieged checked their +assailants, and for some time they were very careful not to expose +themselves. From both sides of the forest a steady fire was maintained. +Occasionally an answering shot flashed out from the house when one of +the enemy incautiously showed an arm or a part of his body from behind +the trees, and it was seldom the rifles were fired in vain. Four or five +of the Americans were shot through the head as they leaned forward to +fire, and after an hour's exchange of bullets the attack ceased. + +"What are they going to do now?" Harold asked. + +"I expect they're going to wait till nightfall," Peter said. "There's no +moon, and they'll be able to work up all round the house. Then they'll +make a rush at the door and lower windows. We'll shoot down a good many +on 'em, and then they'll burst their way in or set fire to the hut, and +there'll be an end of it. That's what'll happen." + +"And you think there is no way of making our way out?" Harold asked. + +"It's a mighty poor chance, if there's one at all," the hunter replied. +"I should say by the fire there must be nigh a hundred of 'em now, and +it's likely that, by nightfall, there'll be three times as many. As soon +as it gets dusk they'll creep out from the woods and form a circle round +the house and gradually work up to it. Now let's cook some vittles; +we've had nothing to eat this morning yet, and it must be nigh eleven +o'clock. I don't see why we should be starved, even if we have got to be +killed to-night." + +One of the party was left on watch on each side of the house, and the +others gathered in the room below, where a fire was lit and the strips +of dried deer flesh which they carried were soon frying over it. Harold +admired the air of indifference with which his companions set about +preparing the meat. Everyone was aware of the desperate nature of the +position, but no allusion was made to it. The negro had caught the +spirit of his companions, but his natural loquacity prevented his +imitating their habitual silence. + +"Dis bad affair, Massa Harold," he said. "We jess like so many coons up +in tree, wid a whole pack ob dogs round us, and de hunters in de +distance coming up wid de guns. Dis chile reckon dat some ob dem hunters +will get hit hard before dey get us. Jake don't care one bit for +himself, massa, but he bery sorry to see you in such a fix." + +"It can't be helped, Jake," Harold said as cheerfully as he could. "It +was my firing that shot which got us into it, and yet I cannot blame +myself. We could not stand by and see those ruffians murder a woman +and child." + +"Dat's so, Massa Harold; dere was no possinbility of seeing dat. I +reckon dat when dose rascals come to climb de stairs dey'll find it are +bery hard work." + +"I don't think they will try, Jake. They are more likely to heap +brushwood against the door and windows and set it alight, and then shoot +us down as we rush out. This hut is not like the one I had to defend +against the Iroquois. That was built to repel Indians' attacks; this is +a mere squatter's hut." + +After the meal was over Peter and the Seneca chief went upstairs, looked +through the loop-holes, and talked long and earnestly together; then +they rejoined the party below. + +"The chief and I are of opinion," Peter said to Harold, "that it are of +no manner of use our waiting to be attacked here. They'd burn us out to +a sartinty; we should have no show of a fight at all. Anything's better +than that. Now, what we propose is that, directly it gets fairly dark, +we'll all creep out and make for the lake. Even if they have formed +their circle round us, they aint likely to be as thick there as they are +on the other side. What they'll try to do, in course, is to prevent our +taking to the forest; and there'll be such a grist of 'em that I don't +believe one of us would get through alive if we tried it. Now they'll +not be so strong toward the lake, and we might break through to the +water. I don't say as there's much chance of our getting away, for I +tell you fairly that I don't believe that there's any chance at all; but +the chief, here, and his braves don't want their sculps to hang in the +wigwams of the Chippewas, and I myself, ef I had the choice, would +rather be drownded than shot down. It don't make much difference; but, +of the two, I had rather. Ef we can reach the lake, we can swim out of +gunshot range. I know you can swim like a fish, and so can Jake, and the +Indians swim as a matter of course. Ef we dive at first we may get off; +it'll be so dark they won't see us with any sartainty beyond fifty +yards. When we're once fairly out in the lake we can take our chance." + +"And is there a chance, Peter? Although, if there is none, I quite agree +with you that I would rather be drowned than shot down. If one were sure +of being killed by the first shot that would be the easiest death; but +if we were only wounded they would probably hang us in the morning." + +"That's so," the hunter said. "Waal, I can hardly say that there's a +chance, and yet I can't say as how there aint. In the first place, they +may have some canoes and come out after us; there's pretty safe to be +some along the shore here. The settlers would have had 'em for fishing." + +"But what chance will that give us?" Harold asked. + +"Waal," the hunter replied, "I reckon in that case as our chance is a +fair one. Ef we dive and come up close alongside we may manage to upset +one of 'em, and, in that case, we might get off. That's one chance. Then +ef they don't come out in canoes, we might swim three or four miles down +the lake and take to land. They couldn't tell which way to go and would +have to scatter over a long line. It's just possible as we might land +without being seen. Once in the woods and we'd be safe. So you see, we +have two chances. In course we must throw away our rifles and ammunition +before we come to the water." + +"At any rate," Harold said, "the plan is a hopeful one, and I agree with +you that it is a thousand times better to try it than it is to stop here +with the certainty of being shot down before morning." + +The afternoon passed quietly. A few shots were fired occasionally from +the wood, and taunting shouts were heard of the fate which awaited them +when night approached. + +A vigilant watch was kept from the upper windows, but Peter thought that +it was certain the enemy would make no move until it became perfectly +dark, although they would establish a strong cordon all round the +clearing in case the besieged should try and break out. Harold trembled +with impatience to be off as the night grew darker and darker. It seemed +to him that at any moment the assailants might be narrowing the circle +round the house, and, had he been a leader, he would have given the word +long before the scout made a move. + +At last Peter signaled that the time had come. It was perfectly dark +when the bars were noiselessly removed from the door and the party stole +out. Everything seemed silent, but the very stillness made the danger +appear more terrible. Peter had impressed upon Harold and Jake the +necessity for moving without making the slightest noise. As soon as they +left the house the whole party dropped on their hands and knees. Peter +and the Seneca chief led the way; two of the braves came next; Harold +and Jake followed; the remaining Indians crawled in the rear. Peter had +told his comrades to keep as close as possible to the Indians in front +of them, and, grasping their rifles, they crept along the ground. As +they led the way Peter and the Seneca carefully removed from before them +every dried twig and threw it on one side. + +The distance to be traversed from the hut to the water was about two +hundred yards, and half of this was passed over before they encountered +any obstacle. Then suddenly there was an exclamation, and Peter and the +Seneca sprang to their feet, as they came in contact with two men +crawling in the opposite direction. They were too close to use their +rifles, but a crushing blow from the Seneca's tomahawk cleft down the +man in front of him, while Peter drew his long knife from its sheath and +buried it in the body of his opponent. + +The others had also leaped to their feet, and each, as he did so, fired +at the dark figures which rose around them. They had the advantage of +the surprise; several scattered shots answered their volley, then, with +their rifles clubbed, they rushed forward. For a moment there was a +hand-to-hand fight. Harold had just struck down a man opposite to him +when another sprang upon him; so sudden was the attack that he fell from +the shock. But in an instant Jake buried his knife between his +opponent's shoulders and dragged Harold to his feet. + +"Run for your life, Massa Harold. De whole gang's upon us!" + +And indeed the instant the first shot broke the silence of the woods a +babel of sounds arose from the whole circuit of the clearing; shouts and +yells burst out from hundreds of throats. There was no further use for +concealment, and from all sides the men who had been advancing to the +attack rushed in the direction where the conflict was taking place. This +lasted but a few seconds. As Peter had expected, the line was thinner +toward the lake than upon the other sides, and the rush of nine men had +broken through it. Shouts were heard from the woods on either side +extending down to the water, showing that the precaution had been taken +by the assailants of leaving a portion of their force to guard the line +of forest should the defenders break through the circle. + +At headlong speed the little band rushed down to the water's side, +dropped their ammunition pouches by its edge, threw their rifles a few +yards into the water, to be recovered, perhaps, on some future occasion, +and then dived in. The nearest of the pursuers were some thirty yards +behind when they neared the water's edge. Swimming as far under water as +they could hold their breath, each came to the surface for an instant, +and then again dived. Momentarily as they showed themselves they heard +the rattle of musketry behind, and the bullets splashed thickly on the +water. The night, however, was so dark that the fire could only be a +random one. Until far out from the shore they continued diving and then +gathered together. + +"We're pretty well out of range, now," Peter said, "and quite out of +sight of the varmints. Now we can wait a bit and see what they do next." + +The enemy were still keeping up a heavy fire from the shore, hallooing +and shouting to each other as they fancied they caught a glimpse of +their enemies. + +"There must be two or three hundred of 'em," Peter said. "We've fooled +'em nicely, so far." + +By the crashing of the bushes the fugitives could hear strong parties +making their way along the shore in either direction. An hour passed, +during which the fugitives floated nearly opposite the clearing. + +"Hullo!" Peter exclaimed presently. "There's a canoe coming along the +lake. I expect they got it from Cameron's." + +As he spoke a canoe appeared round the point. Two men were standing up +holding blazing torches; two others paddled; while two, rifle in hand, +sat by them. Almost at the same moment another canoe, similarly manned, +pushed out from the shore immediately opposite. + +"I wish we had known of that canoe," Peter said; "it would have saved us +a lot of trouble; but we had no time for looking about. I suspected them +settlers must have had one laid up somewheres. Now," he went on, "let's +make our plans. The canoes are sure to keep pretty nigh each other. +They'll most likely think as we've gone down the lake and'll not be +looking very sharply after us at present. It'll never do to let 'em pass +us. Now Jake and I and two of the Injuns will take one canoe, and the +chief and three of his braves the other. We must move round so as to get +between 'em and the shore, and then dive and come up close to 'em. Now, +Harold, do you swim out a bit further and then make a splash so as to +call their attention. Do it once or twice till you see that they've got +their eyes turned that way. Then be very quiet, so as to keep 'em +watching for another sound. That'll be our moment for attacking 'em." + +They waited till the two canoes joined each other and paddled slowly out +from the shore. Then the eight swimmers started off to make their +_détour_, while Harold swam quietly further out into the lake. The +canoes were about three hundred yards from shore and were paddling very +slowly, the occupants keeping a fixed look along the lake. There was +perfect quiet on the shore now, and when Harold made a slight splash +with his hand upon the water he saw that it was heard. Both canoes +stopped rowing, the steerers in each case giving them a steer so that +they lay broadside to the land, giving each man a view over the lake. +They sat as quiet as if carved in stone. Again Harold made a splash, but +this time a very slight one, so slight that it could hardly reach the +ears of the listeners. + +A few words were exchanged by the occupants of the boats. + +"They are further out on the lake, Bill," one said. + +"I am not sure," another answered. "I rather think the sound was further +down. Listen again." + +Again they sat motionless. Harold swam with his eyes fixed upon them. +Every face was turned his way and none was looking shoreward. Then, +almost at the same instant there was a shout from both boats. The men +with torches seemed to lose their balance. The lights described a half +circle through the air and were extinguished. A shout of astonishment +broke from the occupants, mingled with the wild Seneca war-yell, and he +knew that both canoes were upset. + +There was a sound of a desperate struggle going on. Oaths and wild cries +rose from the water. Heavy blows were struck, while from the shore arose +loud shouts of dismay and rage. In two minutes all was quiet on the +water. Then came Peter's shout: + +"This way, Harold! We'll have the canoes righted and bailed in a minute. +The varmin's all wiped out." + +With a lightened heart Harold swam toward the spot. The surprise had +been a complete success. The occupants of the canoes, intent only upon +the pursuit and having no fear of attack--for they knew that the +fugitives must have thrown away their rifles--were all gazing intently +out on the lake, when, close to each canoe on the shore side, four heads +rose from out of the water. In an instant eight hands had seized the +gunwales, and, before the occupants were aware of their danger, the +canoes were upset. + +Taken wholly by surprise, the Americans were no match for their +assailants. The knives of the latter did their work before the +frontiersmen had thoroughly grasped what had happened. Two or three, +indeed, had made a desperate fight, but they were no match for their +opponents, and the struggle was quickly over. + +On Harold reaching the canoes he found them already righted and half +emptied of water. The paddles were picked up, and, in a few minutes, +with a derisive shout of adieu to their furious enemy on the shore, the +two canoes paddled out into the lake. When they had attained a distance +of about half a mile from the shore they turned the boats heads and +paddled north. In three hours they saw lights in the wood. + +"There's the troops," Peter said. "Soldiers are never content unless +they're making fires big enough to warn every redskin within fifty miles +that they're coming." + +As they approached the shore the challenge from the English sentinel +came over the water: + +"Who comes there?" + +"Friends," Peter replied. + +"Give the password." + +"How on arth am I to give the password," Peter shouted back, "when we've +been three days away from the camp?" + +"If you approach without the password I fire," the sentinel said. + +"I tell ye," Peter shouted, "we're scouts with news for the general." + +"I can't help who you are," the sentinel said. "I have got my orders." + +"Pass the word along for an officer," Harold shouted. "We have +important news." + +The sentry called to the one next him, and so the word was passed along +the line. In a few minutes an officer appeared on the shore, and, after +a short parley, the party were allowed to land, and Peter and Harold +were at once conducted to the headquarters of General Burgoyne. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +SARATOGA. + +"What is your report?" asked General Burgoyne, as the scouts were +conducted into his tent. + +"We have discovered, sir, that the Americans have strongly fortified +Mount Independence, which faces Ticonderoga, and have connected the two +places by a bridge across the river, which is protected by a strong +boom. Both positions are, however, overlooked by Sugar Hill, and this +they have entirely neglected to fortify. If you were to seize this they +would have to retire at once." + +The general expressed his satisfaction at the news and gave orders that +steps should be taken to seize Sugar Hill immediately. He then +questioned the scouts as to their adventures and praised them highly for +their conduct. + +The next day the army advanced, and at nightfall both divisions were in +their places, having arrived within an hour or two of each other from +the opposite sides of the lake. Sugar Hill was seized the same night, +and a strong party were set to work cutting a road through the trees. +The next morning the enemy discovered the British at work erecting a +battery on the hill, and their general decided to evacuate both +Ticonderoga and Mount Independence instantly. Their baggage, provisions, +and stores were embarked in two hundred boats and sent up the river. The +army started to march by the road. + +The next morning the English discovered that the Americans had +disappeared. Captain Lutwych immediately set to work to destroy the +bridge and boom, whose construction had taken the Americans nearly +twelve months' labor. By nine in the morning a passage was effected, and +some gunboats passed through in pursuit of the enemy's convoy. They +overtook them near Skenesborough, engaged and captured many of their +largest craft, and obliged them to set several others on fire, together +with a large number of their boats and barges. + +A few hours afterward a detachment of British troops in gunboats came up +the river to Skenesborough. The cannon on the works which the Americans +had erected there opened fire, but the troops were landed, and the enemy +at once evacuated their works, setting fire to their store-houses and +mills. While these operations had been going on by water Brigadier +General Fraser, at the head of the advance corps of grenadiers and light +infantry, pressed hard upon the division of the enemy which had retired +by the Hubberton Road, and overtook them at five o'clock in the morning. + +The division consisted of fifteen hundred of the best colonial troops +under the command of Colonel Francis. They were posted on strong ground +and sheltered by breastworks composed of logs and old trees. General +Fraser's detachment was inferior in point of numbers to that of the +defenders of the position, but as he expected a body of the German +troops under General Reidesel to arrive immediately, he at once attacked +the breastworks. The Americans defended their post with great resolution +and bravery. The re-enforcements did not arrive so soon as was expected, +and for some time the British made no way. + +General Reidesel, hearing the fire in front, pushed forward at full +speed with a small body of troops. Among these was the band, which he +ordered to play. + +The enemy, hearing the music and supposing that the whole of the +German troops had come up, evacuated the position and fell back +with precipitation. Colonel Francis and many others were killed and +two hundred taken prisoners. On the English side 120 men were +killed and wounded. + +The enemy from Skenesborough were pursued by Colonel Hill, with the +Ninth Regiment, and were overtaken near Fort Anne. Finding how small was +the force that pursued them in comparison to their own, they took the +offensive. A hot engagement took place, and after three hours' fighting +the Americans were repulsed with great slaughter and forced to retreat +after setting fire to Fort Anne and Fort Edward. + +In these operations the British captured 148 guns, with large quantities +of stores. At Fort Edward General Schuyler was joined by General St. +Clair, but even with this addition the total American strength did not +exceed forty-four hundred. + +Instead of returning from Skenesborough to Ticonderoga, whence he might +have sailed with his army up to Lake George, General Burgoyne proceeded +to cut his way through the woods to the lake. The difficulties of the +passage were immense: swamps and morasses had to be passed, bridges had +to be constructed over creeks, ravines, and gulleys. The troops worked +with great vigor and spirit. Major General Phillips had returned to Lake +George and transported the artillery, provisions, and baggage to Fort +George and thence by land to a point on the Hudson River, together with +a large number of boats for the use of the army in their intended +descent to Albany. + +So great was the labor entailed by this work that it was not until July +30 that the army arrived on the Hudson River. The delay of three weeks +had afforded the enemy time to recover their spirits and recruit their +strength. General Arnold arrived with a strong re-enforcement, and a +force was detached to check the progress of Colonel St. Leger, who was +coming down from Montreal by way of Lake Ontario and the Mohawk River to +effect a junction with General Burgoyne. + +General Burgoyne determined to advance at once. The army was already +suffering from want of transportation, and he decided to send a body of +troops to Bennington, twenty-four miles to the eastward of the Hudson +River, where the Americans had large supplies collected. Instead of +sending light infantry he dispatched six hundred Germans--the worst +troops he could have selected for this purpose, as they were very +heavily armed and marched exceedingly slowly. Several of the officers +remonstrated with him, but with his usual infatuated obstinacy he +maintained his disposition. + +On approaching Bennington Colonel Baum, who commanded the Germans, found +that a very strong force was gathered there. He sent back for +re-enforcements, and five hundred more Germans, under Lieutenant Colonel +Breyman, were dispatched to his assistance. Long, however, before these +slowly moving troops could arrive Colonel Baum was attacked by the enemy +in vastly superior numbers. The Germans fought with great bravery and +several times charged the Americans and drove them back. Fresh troops +continued to come up on the enemy's side, and the Germans, having lost a +large number of men, including their colonel, were forced to retreat +into the woods. The enemy then advanced against Colonel Breyman, who was +ignorant of the disaster that had befallen Baum, and with his detachment +had occupied twenty-four hours in marching sixteen miles. The Germans +again fought well, but after a gallant resistance were obliged to fall +back. In these two affairs they lost six hundred men. + +In the meantime Colonel St. Leger had commenced his attack upon Fort +Stanwix, which was defended by seven hundred men. The American General +Herkimer advanced with one thousand men to its relief. Colonel St. +Leger detached Sir John Johnson with a party of regulars and a number +of Indians, who had accompanied him, to meet them. The enemy advanced +incautiously and fell into an ambush. A terrible fire was poured into +them, and the Indians then rushed down and attacked them hand to hand. +The Americans, although taken by surprise, fought bravely and +succeeded in making their retreat, leaving four hundred killed and +wounded behind them. + +Colonel St. Leger had no artillery which was capable of making any +impression on the defenses of the fort. Its commander sent out a man +who, pretending to be a deserter, entered the British camp and informed +Colonel St. Leger that General Burgoyne had been defeated and his army +cut to pieces, and that General Arnold, with two thousand men, was +advancing to raise the siege. Colonel St. Leger did not credit the news, +but it created a panic among the Indians, the greater portion of whom at +once retired without orders, and St. Leger, having but a small British +force with him, was compelled to follow their example, leaving his +artillery and stores behind him. + +On September 13 General Burgoyne, having with immense labor collected +thirty days' provisions on the Hudson, crossed the river by a bridge of +boats and encamped on the heights of Saratoga. His movements had been +immensely hampered by the vast train of artillery which he took with +him. In an open country a powerful force of artillery is of the greatest +service to an army, but in a campaign in a wooded and roadless country +it is of little utility and enormously hampers the operations of an +army. Had General Burgoyne, after the capture of Ticonderoga, pressed +forward in light order without artillery, he could unquestionably have +marched to New York without meeting with any serious opposition, but the +six weeks' delay had enabled the Americans to collect a great force to +oppose them. + +On the 19th, as the army were advancing to Stillwater, five thousand of +the enemy attacked the British right. They were led by General Arnold +and fought with great bravery and determination. The brunt of the battle +fell on the Twentieth, Twenty-fourth, and Sixty-second regiments. For +four hours the fight continued without any advantage on either side, and +at nightfall the Americans drew off, each side having lost about six +hundred men. After the battle of Stillwater the whole of the Indians +with General Burgoyne left him and returned to Canada. + +Hampered with his great train of artillery, unprovided with +transportation, in the face of a powerful enemy posted in an exceedingly +strong position, General Burgoyne could neither advance nor retreat. The +forage was exhausted and the artillery horses were dying in great +numbers. He had hoped that Sir William Howe would have sailed up the +Hudson and joined him, but the English commander-in-chief had taken his +army down to Philadelphia. Sir Henry Clinton, who commanded at New York, +endeavored with a small force at his command to make a diversion by +operating against the American posts on the Hudson River, but this was +of no utility. + +Burgoyne's army was now reduced to little more than five thousand men, +and he determined to fall back upon the lakes. Before doing this, +however, it would be necessary to dislodge the Americans from their +posts on his left. Leaving the camp under the command of General +Hamilton, Burgoyne advanced with fifteen hundred men against them. But +scarcely had the detachment started when the enemy made a furious attack +on the British left. Major Ackland, with the grenadiers, was posted +here, and for a time defended himself with great bravery. The light +infantry and Twenty-fourth were sent to their assistance, but, +overpowered by numbers, the left wing was forced to retreat into their +intrenchments. These the enemy, led by General Arnold, at once attacked +with great impetuosity. For a long time the result was doubtful, and it +was not until the American leader was wounded that the attack ceased. In +the meantime the intrenchments defended by the German troops under +Colonel Breyman had also been attacked. Here the fight was obstinate, +but the German intrenchments were carried, Colonel Breyman killed, and +his troops retreated with the loss of all their baggage and artillery. +Two hundred prisoners fell into the hands of the Americans. + +That night the British army was concentrated on the heights above the +hospital. General Gates, who commanded the Americans, moved his army so +as to entirely inclose the British, and the latter, on the night of +October 8, retired to Saratoga, being obliged to leave all their sick +and wounded in the hospital. These were treated with the greatest +kindness by the Americans. An attempt was now made to retreat to Fort +George or Fort Edward, but the Americans had taken up positions on each +road and fortified them with cannon. + +Only about thirty-five hundred fighting men now remained, of whom but +one-half were British, and scarcely eight days' provisions were left. +The enemy, four times superior in point of numbers, held every line of +retreat and eluded every attempt of the British to force them to a +general engagement. + +The position was hopeless, and on October 13 a council of war was held +and it was determined to open negotiations for a surrender. Two days +were spent in negotiations, and it was finally agreed that the army +should lay down its arms and that it should be marched to Boston, and +there allowed to sail for England on condition of not serving again in +North America during the contest. The Canadians were to be allowed to +return at once to their own country. On the 16th the army laid down its +arms. It consisted of thirty-five hundred fighting men and six hundred +sick and nearly two thousand boatmen, teamsters, and other +non-effectives. + +Never did a general behave with greater incompetence than that +manifested by General Burgoyne from the day of his leaving Ticonderoga, +and the disaster which befell his army was entirely the result of +mismanagement, procrastination, and faulty generalship. + +Had Harold remained with the army until its surrender his share in the +war would have been at an end, for the Canadians, as well as all others +who laid down their arms, gave their word of honor not to serve again +during the war. He had, however, with Peter Lambton and Jake, +accompanied Colonel Baum's detachment on its march to Bennington. +Scouting in front of the column, they had ascertained the presence of +large numbers of the enemy, and had, by hastening back with the news, +enabled the German colonel to make some preparations for resistance +before the attack was made upon him. During the fight that ensued the +scouts, posted behind trees on the German left, had assisted them to +repel the attack from that quarter, and when the Germans gave way they +effected their escape into the woods and managed to rejoin the army. + +They had continued with it until it moved to the hospital heights after +the disastrous attack by the Americans on their camp. General Burgoyne +then sent for Peter Lambton, who was, he knew, one of his most active +and intelligent scouts. + +"Could you make your way through the enemy's lines down to +Ticonderoga?" he asked. + +"I could try, general," Peter said. "Me and the party who work with me +could get through if anyone could, but more nor that I can't say. The +Yanks are swarming around pretty thick, I reckon; but if we have luck we +might make a shift to get through." + +"I have hopes," the general said, "that another regiment, for which I +asked General Carleton, has arrived there. Here is a letter to General +Powell, who is in command, to beg him to march with all his available +force and fall upon the enemy posted on our line of communication. +Unless the new regiment has reached him he will not have a sufficient +force to attempt this, but, if this has come up, he may be able to do +so. He is to march in the lightest order and at full speed, so as to +take the enemy by surprise. Twelve hours before he starts you will bring +me back news of his coming, and I will move out to meet him. His +operations in their rear will confuse the enemy and enable me to operate +with a greater chance of success. I tell you this because, if you are +surrounded and in difficulties, you may have to destroy my dispatch. You +can then convey my instructions by word of mouth to General Powell if +you succeed in getting through." + +Upon leaving headquarters Peter joined his friends. + +"It's a risksome business," he went on, after informing them of the +instructions he had received, "but I don't know as it's much more +risksome than stopping here. It don't seem to me that this army is like +to get out of the trap into which their general has led 'em. Whatever he +wanted to leave the lakes for is more nor I can tell. However, +generaling aint my business, and I wouldn't change places with the old +man to-day, not for a big sum of money. Now, chief, what do you say? +How's this 'ere business to be carried out?" + +The Seneca, with the five braves who had from the first accompanied +them, were now the only Indians with the British army. The rest of the +redskins, disgusted with the dilatory progress of the army and +foreseeing inevitable disaster, had all betaken themselves to their +homes. They were, moreover, angered at the severity with which the +English general had endeavored to suppress their tendency to acts of +cruelty on the defenseless settlers. The redskin has no idea of +civilized warfare. His sole notion of fighting is to kill, burn, and +destroy, and the prohibition of all irregular operations and of the +infliction of unnecessary suffering was, in his eyes, an act of +incomprehensible weakness. The Seneca chief remained with the army +simply because his old comrade did so. He saw that there was little +chance of plunder, but he and his braves had succeeded in fair fight in +obtaining many scalps, and would, at least, be received with high honor +on their return to their tribe. + +A long discussion took place between the chief and Peter before they +finally decided upon the best course to be pursued. They were ignorant +of the country and of the disposition of the enemy's force, and could +only decide to act upon general principles. They thought it probable +that the Americans would be most thickly posted upon the line between +the British army and the lakes, and their best chance of success would +therefore be to make their way straight ahead for some distance, and +then, when they had penetrated the American lines, to make a long +_détour_ round to the lakes. + +Taking four days' provisions with them they started when nightfall had +fairly set in. It was intensely dark, and in the shadows of the woods +Harold was unable to see his hand before him. The Indians appeared to +have a faculty of seeing in the dark, for they advanced without the +slightest pause or hesitation and were soon in the open country. The +greatest vigilance was now necessary. Everywhere they could hear the low +hum which betokens the presence of many men gathered together. Sometimes +a faint shout came to their ears, and for a long distance around the +glow in the sky told of many fires. The party now advanced with the +greatest caution, frequently halting while the Indians went on ahead to +scout; and more than once they were obliged to alter their direction as +they came upon bodies of men posted across their front. At last they +passed through the line of sentinels, and, avoiding all the camps, +gained the country in the Americans' rear. + +They now struck off to the right, and by daybreak were far round beyond +the American army, on their way to Ticonderoga. They had walked for +fifteen hours when they halted, and it was not until late in the +afternoon that they continued their journey. They presently struck the +road which the army had cut in its advance, and keeping parallel with +this through the forest they arrived the next morning at Fort Edward. A +few hours' rest here and they continued their march to Ticonderoga. This +place had been attacked by the Americans a few days previously, but the +garrison had beaten off the assailants. + +On the march they had seen many bodies of the enemy moving along the +road, but their approach had in every case been detected in time to take +refuge in the forest. On entering the fort Peter at once proceeded to +General Powell's quarters and delivered the dispatch with which he had +been intrusted. The general read it. + +"No re-enforcements have arrived," the general said, "and the force here +is barely sufficient to defend the place. It would be madness for me to +set out on such a march with the handful of troops at my disposal." + +He then questioned Peter concerning the exact position of the army, and +the latter had no hesitation in saying that he thought the whole force +would be compelled to lay down their arms unless some re-enforcements +reached them from below. + +This, however, was not to be. General Clinton captured Forts Montgomery +and Clinton, the latter a very strong position, defended with great +resolution by four hundred Americans. The Seventh and Twenty-sixth +regiments and a company of grenadiers attacked on one side, the +Sixty-third Regiment on the other. They had no cannon to cover their +advance and had to cross ground swept by ten pieces of artillery. In no +event during the war did the British fight with more resolution. +Without firing a shot they pressed forward to the foot of the works, +climbed over each other's shoulders on to the walls, and drove the +enemy back. The latter discharged one last volley into the troops and +then laid down their arms. Notwithstanding the slaughter effected by +this wanton fire after all possibility of continuing a resistance was +over, quarter was given and not one of the enemy was killed after the +fort was taken. The British loss was 140 killed and wounded; 300 +Americans were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. The fleet attacked +the American squadron on the river and entirely destroyed it. Beyond +sending a flying squadron up the river to destroy the enemy's boats and +stores of provisions, nothing further could be done to effect a +diversion in favor of General Burgoyne. + +Four days after Harold's arrival at Ticonderoga the news of the +surrender of General Burgoyne reached the place. Upon the following day +he suggested to Peter Lambton that they should visit the clearing of the +ex-soldier Cameron and see whether their interference had saved him and +his family. Upon arriving at the spot whence Harold had fired the shot +which had brought discovery upon them, they saw a few charred stumps +alone remaining of the snug house which had stood there. In front of it, +upon the stump of a tree, Cameron himself was sitting in an attitude of +utter depression. + +They walked across the clearing to the spot, but although the sound of +their footsteps must have reached his ear, the man did not look up until +Harold touched him on the shoulder. + +"What has happened?" he asked. "Who has done this ruin?" + +The man still remained with his head bent down, as if he had not heard +the question. + +"We had hoped that you had escaped," Harold went on. "We were hidden in +the wood when we saw those ruffians drive your wife and daughter out, +and it was the shot from my rifle that killed their leader and brought +them down on us; and a narrow escape we had of it; but we hoped that we +had diverted them from their determination to kill you and your family." + +Cameron looked up now. + +"I thank ye, sir," he said. "I thank ye wi' a' my hairt for your +interference on our behalf. I heerd how closely ye were beset that +night and how ye escaped. They thought nae mair o' us, and when the +royal army arrived the next day we were safe; but ye might as weel ha' +let the matter gang on--better, indeed, for then I should be deed +instead o' suffering. This wark," and he pointed toward the remains of +the house, "is redskin deviltry. A fortnight sin' a band o' Indians +fell upon us. I was awa'. They killed my wife and burned my house and +ha' carried off my bairn." + +"Who were they?" Harold asked. + +"I dinna ken," Cameron replied; "but a neebor o' mine whose place they +attacked, and whom they had scalped and left for deed, told me that they +were a band o' the Iroquois who had come down from Lake Michigan and +advanced wi' the British. He said that they, with the other redskins, +desairted when their hopes o' plunder were disappointed, and that on +their way back to their tribes they burned and ravaged every settlement +they cam' across. My neebor was an old frontiersman; he had fought +against the tribe and knew their war-cry. He deed the next day. He was +mair lucky than I am." + +"The tarnal ruffians!" Peter exclaimed; "the murdering varmints! And to +think of 'em carrying off that purty little gal of yours! I suppose by +this time they're at their old game of plundering and slaying on the +frontier. It's naught to them which side they fight on; scalps and +plunder is all they care for." + +The unfortunate settler had sat down again on the log, the picture of a +broken-hearted man. Harold drew Peter a short distance away. + +"Look here. Peter," he said. "Now Burgoyne's army has surrendered and +winter is close at hand, it is certain that there will be no further +operations here, except perhaps that the Americans will recapture the +place. What do you say to our undertaking an expedition on our own +account to try and get back this poor fellow's daughter? I do not know +whether the Seneca would join us, but we three--of course I count +Jake--and the settler might do something. I have an old grudge against +these Iroquois myself, as you have heard; and for aught I know they may +long ere this have murdered my cousins." + +"The Seneca will jine," Peter said, "willing enough. There's an old feud +between his tribe and the Iroquois. He'll jine fast enough. But mind, +youngster, this aint no child's play; it aint like fighting them +American clodhoppers. We'll have to deal with men as sharp as ourselves, +who can shoot as well, hear as well, see as well, who are in their own +country, and who are a hundred to one against us. We've got hundreds and +hundreds of miles to travel afore we gets near 'em. It's a big job; but +if, when ye thinks it all over, you're ready to go, Peter Lambton aint +the man to hold back. As you say, there's naught to do this winter, and +we might as well be doing this as anything else." + +The two men then went back to the settler. + +"Cameron," Harold said, "it is of no use sitting here grieving. Why not +be up in pursuit of those who carried off your daughter?" + +The man sprang to his feet. + +"In pursuit!" he cried fiercely; "in pursuit! Do ye think Donald Cameron +wad be sitting here quietly if he kenned where to look for his +daughter--where to find the murderers o' his wife? But what can I do? +For three days after I cam' back and found what had happened I was just +mad. I couldna think nor rest, nor do aught but throw mysel' on the +ground and pray to God to tak' me. When at last I could think, it was +too late. It wad hae mattered naething to me that they were a hundred to +one. If I could ha' killed but one o' them I wad ha' died happy; but +they were gone, and how could I follow them--how could I find them? Tell +me where to look, mon--show me the way; and if it be to the ends o' the +airth I will go after them." + +"We will do more, than that," Harold said. "My friend and myself have +still with us the seven men who were with us when we were here before. +Five are Senecas, the other a faithful negro who would go through fire +and water for me. There is little chance of our services being required +during the winter with the British army. We, are interested in you and +in the pretty child we saw here, and, if you will, we will accompany you +in the search for her. Peter Lambton knows the country well, and if +anyone could lead you to your child and rescue her from those who +carried her off, he is the man." + +"Truly!" gasped the Scotchman. "And will ye truly gang wi' me to find +my bairn? May the guid God o' heaven bless you!" and the tears ran down +his cheeks. + +"Git your traps together at once, man," Peter said. "Let's go straight +back to the fort; then I'll set the matter before the chief, who will, I +warrant me, be glad enough to jine the expedition. It's too late to +follow the track of the red varmints; our best plan will be to make +straight for the St. Lawrence; to take a boat if we can git one; if not, +two canoes; and to make up the river and along the Ontario. Then we must +sell our boat, cross to Erie, and git fresh canoes and go on by Detroit +into Lake Huron, and so up in the country of these reptiles. We shall +have no difficulty, I reckon, in discovering the whereabout of the tribe +which has been away on this expedition." + +The Scotchman took up the rifle. + +"I am ready," he said, and without another word the party started +for the fort. + +Upon their arrival there a consultation was held with the Seneca. The +prospect of an expedition against his hereditary foes filled him with +delight, and three of his braves also agreed to accompany them. Jake +received the news with the remark: + +"All right, Massa Harold. It make no odds to dis chile whar he goes. You +say de word--Jake ready." + +Half an hour sufficed for making the preparations, and they at once +proceeded to the point where they had hidden the two canoes on the night +when they joined General Burgoyne before his advance upon Ticonderoga. +These were soon floating on the lake, and they started to paddle to the +mouth of the Sorrel, down this river into the St. Lawrence, and thence +to Montreal. Their rifles they had recovered from the lake upon the day +following that on which Ticonderoga was first captured; Deer Tail having +dispatched to the spot two of his braves, who recovered them without +difficulty, by diving, and brought them back to the fort. + +At Montreal they stayed but a few hours. An ample supply of ammunition +was purchased and provisions sufficient for the voyage; and then, +embarking in the two canoes, they started up the St. Lawrence. It was +three weeks later when they arrived at Detroit, which was garrisoned by +a British force. Here they heard that there had been continuous troubles +with the Indians on the frontier; that a great many farms and +settlements had been destroyed, and numbers of persons murdered. + +Their stay at Detroit was a short one. Harold obtained no news of his +cousins, but there were so many tales told of Indian massacres that he +was filled with apprehension on their account. His worst apprehensions +were justified when the canoes at length came within sight of the +well-remembered clearing. Harold gave a cry as he saw that the farmhouse +no longer existed. The two canoes were headed toward shore, and their +occupants disembarked and walked toward the spot where the house had +stood. The site was marked by a heap of charred embers. The outhouses +had been destroyed, and a few fowls were the only living things to be +seen in the fields. + +"This here business must have taken place some time ago," Peter said, +breaking the silence. "A month, I should say, or p'r'aps more." + +For a time Harold was too moved to speak. The thought of his kind +cousins and their brave girl all murdered by the Indians filled him with +deep grief. At last he said: + +"What makes you think so, Peter?" + +"It's easy enough to see as it was after the harvest, for ye see the +fields is all clear. And then there's long grass shooting up through the +ashes. It would take a full month, p'r'aps six weeks, afore it would do +that. Don't you think so, chief?" + +The Seneca nodded. + +"A moon," he said. + +"Yes, about a month," replied Peter. "The grass grows quick after +the rains." + +"Do you think that it was a surprise, Peter?" + +"No man can tell," the hunter answered. "If we had seen the place soon +afterward we might have told. There would have been marks of blood. Or +if the house had stood we could have told by the bullet-holes and the +color of the splintered wood how it happened and how long back. As it +is, not even the chief can give ye an idea." + +"Not an attack," the Seneca said; "a surprise." + +"How on arth do you know that, chief?" the hunter exclaimed in +surprise, and he looked round in search of some sign which would have +enabled the Seneca to have given so confident an opinion. "You must be +a witch, surely." + +"A chief's eyes are not blind," the redskin answered, with a +slight smile of satisfaction at having for once succeeded when his +white comrade was at fault. "Let my friend look up the hill--two +dead men there." + +Harold looked in the direction in which the chief pointed, but could see +nothing. The hunter exclaimed: + +"There's something there, chief, but even my eyes couldn't tell they +were bodies." + +The party proceeded to the spot and found two skeletons. A few remnants +of clothes lay around, but the birds had stripped every particle of +flesh from the bones. There was a bullet in the forehead of one skull; +the other was cleft with a sharp instrument. + +"It's clear enough," the hunter said, "there's been a surprise. Likely +enough the hull lot was killed without a shot being fired in defense." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +RESCUED! + +Harold was deeply touched at the evidences of the fate which had +befallen the occupants of his cousin's plantation. + +"If there are any more of these to be found," pointing to their remains, +"we might learn for a certainty whether the same fate befell them all." + +The Seneca spoke a word to his followers and the four Indians spread +themselves over the clearing. One more body was found--it was lying down +near the water as if killed in the act of making for the canoe. + +"The others are probably there," Peter said, pointing to the ruins. "The +three hands was killed in the fields, and most likely the attack was +made at the same moment on the house. I'm pretty sure it was so, for the +body by the water lies face downward, with his head toward the lake. He +was no doubt shot from behind as he was running. There must have been +Injuns round the house then, or he would have made for that instead of +the water." + +The Seneca touched Peter on the shoulder and pointed toward the farm. A +figure was seen approaching. As it came nearer they could see that he +was a tall man, dressed in the deerskin shirt and leggings usually worn +by hunters. As he came near Harold gave an exclamation: + +"It is Jack Pearson!" + +"It are Jack Pearson," the hunter said, "but for the moment I can't +recollect ye, though yer face seems known. Why!" he exclaimed in changed +tones, "it's that boy Harold growed into a man." + +"It is," Harold replied, grasping the frontiersman's hand. + +"And ye may know me, too," Peter Lambton said, "though it's twenty year +since we fought side by side against the Mohawks." + +"Why, old hoss, are you above ground still?" the hunter exclaimed +heartily. "I'm glad to see you again, old friend. And what are you doing +here, you and Harold and these Senecas? For they is Senecas, sure +enough. I've been in the woods for the last hour, and have been puzzling +myself nigh to death. I seed them Injuns going about over the clearing +sarching, and for the life of me I couldn't think what they were +a-doing. Then I seed 'em gathered down here, with two white men among +'em, so I guessed it was right to show myself." + +"They were searching to see how many had fallen in this terrible +business," Harold said, pointing to the ruins. The hunter shook his +head. + +"I'm afeared they've all gone under. I were here a week afterward; it +were just as it is now. I found the three hands lying killed and sculped +in the fields; the others, I reckon, is there. I has no doubt at all +about Bill Welch and his wife, but it may be that the gal has been +carried off." + +"Do you think so?" Harold exclaimed eagerly. "If so, we may find her, +too, with the other." + +"What other?" Pearson, asked. + +Harold gave briefly an account of the reason which had brought them to +the spot and of the object they had in view. + +"You can count me in," Pearson said. "There's just a chance that Nelly +Welch may be in their hands still; and in any case I'm longing to draw a +bead on some of the varmints to pay 'em for this," and he looked round +him, "and a hundred other massacres round this frontier." + +"I'm glad to hear ye say so," Peter replied. "I expected as much of ye, +Jack. I don't know much of this country, having only hunted here for a +few weeks with a party of Delawares twenty year afore the Iroquois moved +so far west." + +"I know pretty nigh every foot of it," Jack Pearson said. "When the +Iroquois were quiet I used to do a deal of hunting in their country. It +are good country for game." + +"Well! shall we set out at once?" Harold asked, impatient to be off. + +"We can't move to-night," Pearson answered; and Harold saw that Peter +and the Indians agreed with him. + +"Why not?" he asked. "Every hour is of importance." + +"That's so," Peter said, "but there's no going out on the lake to-night. +In half an hour we'll have our first snowstorm, and by morning it will +be two foot deep." + +Harold turned his eyes toward the lake and saw what his companions had +noticed long before. The sky was overcast and a thick bank of hidden +clouds was rolling up across the lake, and the thick mist seemed to hang +between the clouds and the water. + +"That's snow," Peter said. "It's late this year, and I'd give my pension +if it was a month later." + +"That's so," Pearson said. "Snow aint never pleasant in the woods, but +when you're scouting round among Injuns it are a caution. We'd best make +a shelter afore it comes on." + +The two canoes were lifted from the water, unloaded, and turned bottom +upward; a few charred planks, which had formed part of the roof of the +outhouses, were brought and put up to form a sort of shelter. A fire was +lit and a meal prepared. By this time the snow had begun to fall. After +the meal was over pipes were lit and the two hunters earnestly talked +over their plans, the Seneca chief throwing in a few words occasionally; +the others listened quietly. The Indians left the matter in the hands of +their chief, while Harold and Cameron knew that the two frontiersmen did +not need any suggestion from them. As to Jake, the thought of asking +questions never entered his mind. He was just at present less happy than +usual, for the negro, like most of his race, hated cold, and the +prospect of wandering through the woods in deep snow made him shudder +as he crouched close to the great fire they had built. + +Peter and Jack Pearson were of opinion that it was exceedingly +probable that the Welches had been destroyed by the very band which +had carried off little Janet Cameron. The bodies of Indians who had +been on the war-path with the army had retired some six weeks before, +and it was about that time, Pearson said, that the attack on the +settlements had been made. + +"I heard some parties of redskins who had been with the British +troops had passed through the neighborhood, and there was reports +that they were greatly onsatisfied with the results of the campaign. +As likely as not some of that band may have been consarned in the +attack on this place three year ago, and, passing nigh it, may have +determined to wipe out that defeat. An Injun never forgives. Many of +their braves fell here, and they could scarcely bring a more welcome +trophy back to their villages than the scalps of Welch and his men." + +"Now, the first thing to do," Peter said, "is to find out what +particular chief took his braves with him to the war; then we've got +to find his village; and there likely enough we'll find Cameron's +daughter and maybe the girl from here. How old was she?" + +"About fifteen," Pearson said, "and a fine girl, and a pretty girl, +too. I dun know," he went on after a pause, "which of the chiefs took +part in the war across the lakes, but I suspect it were War Eagle. +There's three great chiefs, and the other two were trading on the +frontier. It was War Eagle who attacked the place afore, and would be +the more likely to attack it again if he came anywheres near it. He +made a mess of it afore and 'd be burning to wipe out his failure if +he had a chance." + +"Where is his place?" + +"His village is the furthest of them all from here. He lives up near +the falls of Sault Ste. Marie, betwixt Lakes Superior and Huron. It's +a village with nigh three hundred wigwams." + +"It aint easy to see how it's to be done. We must make to the north +shore of the lake. There'll be no working down here through the +woods; but it's a pesky difficult job--about as hard a one as ever I +took part in." + +"It is that," Pearson said; "it can't be denied. To steal two white +girls out of a big Injun village aint a easy job at no time; but with +the snow on the ground it comes as nigh to an impossibility as +anything can do." + +For another hour or two they talked over the route they should take +and their best mode of proceeding. Duncan Cameron sat and listened +with an intent face to every word. Since he had joined them he had +spoken but seldom; his whole soul was taken up with the thought of +his little daughter. He was ever ready to do his share and more than +his share of the work of paddling and at the portages, but he never +joined in the conversation; and of an evening, when the others sat +round the fire, he would move away and pace backward and forward in +anxious thought until the fire burned low and the party wrapped +themselves in their blankets and went off to sleep. + +All the time the conversation had been going on the snow had fallen +heavily, and before it was concluded the clearing was covered deep +with the white mantle. There was little wind, and the snow fell +quietly and noiselessly. At night the Indians lay down round the +fire, while the white men crept under the canoes and were soon fast +asleep. In the morning it was still snowing, but about noon it +cleared up. It was freezing hard, and the snow glistened as the sun +burst through the clouds. The stillness of the forest was broken now +by sharp cracking sounds as boughs of trees gave way under the weight +of the snow; in the open it lay more than two feet deep. + +"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we're off the better." + +"I'll come in my own canoe," Pearson said. "One of the Injuns can +come with me and we'll keep up with the rest." + +"There is room for you in the other canoes," Harold said. + +"Plenty of room," the hunter answered. "But you see, Harold, the more +canoes the better. There aint no saying how close we may be chased, +and by hiding up the canoes at different places we give ourselves so +much more chance of being able to get to one or the other. They're +all large canoes, and at a pinch any one of them might hold the hull +party, with the two gals throwed in. But," he added to Harold in a +low voice, "don't you build too much on these gals, Harold. I +wouldn't say so while that poor fellow's listening, but the chance is +a desperate poor one, and I think we'll be mighty lucky ef we don't +leave all our scalps in that 'ere redskin village." The traps were +soon placed in the canoes, and just as the sun burst out the three +boats started. It was a long and toilsome journey. Stormy weather set +in, and they were obliged to wait for days by the lake till its +surface calmed. On these occasions they devoted themselves to hunting +and killed several deer. They knew that there were no Indian villages +near, and in such weather it would be improbable that any redskins +would be in the woods. They were enabled, therefore, to fire without +fear of the reports betraying their presence. The Senecas took the +opportunity of fabricating snowshoes for the whole party, as these +would be absolutely necessary for walking in the woods. Harold, Jake, +and Duncan Cameron at once began to practice their use. The negro was +comical in the extreme in his first attempts, and shouted so loudly +with laughter each time that he fell head foremost into the snow that +Peter said to him angrily: + +"Look-a-here, Jake; it's dangerous enough letting off a rifle at a +deer in these woods, but it has to be done because we must lay in a +supply of food; but a musket-shot is a mere whisper to yer shouting. +Thunder aint much louder than you laughing--it shakes the hull place +and might be heard from here well-nigh to Montreal. Ef you can't keep +that mouth of your'n shut, ye must stop up the idée of learning to use +them shoes and must stop in the canoe while we're scouting on shore." + +Jake promised to amend, and from this time when he fell in the soft +snow-wreaths he gave no audible vent to his amusement; but a pair of +great feet, with the snow-shoes attached, could be seen waving above +the surface until he was picked up and righted again. + +Harold soon learned, and Cameron went at the work with grim +earnestness. No smile ever crossed his face at his own accidents or +at the wild vagaries of Jake, which excited silent amusement even +among the Indians. In a short time the falls were less frequent, and +by the time they reached the spot where they were determined to cross +the lake at the point where Lakes Huron and Michigan join, the three +novices were able to make fair progress in the snow-shoes. + +The spot fixed upon was about twelve miles from the village of War +Eagle, and the canoes were hidden at distances of three miles apart. +First Pearson, Harold, and Cameron disembarked; Jake, Peter, and one +of the Indians alighted at the next point; and the Seneca chief and +two of his followers proceeded to the spot nearer to the Indian +village. Each party as they landed struck straight into the woods, to +unite at a point eight miles from the lake and as many from the +village. The hunters had agreed that, should any Indians come across +the tracks, less suspicion would be excited than would have been the +case were they found skirting the river, as it might be thought that +they were made by Indians out hunting. + +Harold wondered how the other parties would find the spot to which +Pearson had directed them, but in due time all arrived at the +rendezvous. After some search a spot was found where the underwood +grew thickly, and there was an open place in the center of the clump. +In this the camp was established. It was composed solely of a low +tent of about two feet high, made of deer's hides sewed together, and +large enough to shelter them all. The snow was cleared away, sticks +were driven into the frozen ground, and strong poles laid across +them; the deerskin was then laid flat upon these. The top was little +higher than the general level of the snow, an inch or two of snow was +scattered over it, and to anyone passing outside the bushes the tent +was completely invisible. + +The Indians now went outside the thicket and with great care +obliterated, as far as possible, the marks upon the snow. This could +not be wholly done, but it was so far complete that the slightest +wind which would send a drift over the surface would wholly conceal +all traces of passage. + +They had, before crossing the lake, cooked a supply of food +sufficient for some days. Intense as was the cold outside, it was +perfectly warm in the tent. The entrance as they crept into it was +closed with a blanket, and in the center a lamp composed of deer's +fat in a calabash with a cotton wick gave a sufficient light. + +"What is the next move?" Harold asked. + +"The chief 'll start, when it comes dusk, with Pearson," Peter said. +"When they git close to the village he'll go in alone. He'll paint +Iroquois before he goes." + +"Cannot we be near at hand to help them in case of a necessity," +Harold asked. + +"No," Peter said. "It wouldn't be no good at all. Ef it comes to +fighting they're fifty to one, and the lot of us would have no more +chance than two. If they're found out, which aint likely, they must +run for it, and they can get over the snow a deal faster than you +could, to say nothing of Cameron and Jake. They must shift for +themselves and 'll make straight for the nearest canoe. In the forest +they must be run down sooner or later, for their tracks would be +plain. No, they must go alone." + +When night came on the Seneca produced his paints, and one of his +followers marked his face and arms with the lines and flourishes in +use by the Iroquois; then without a word of adieu he took his rifle +and glided out from the tent, followed by Pearson. Peter also put on +his snow-shoes and prepared to follow. + +"I thought you were going to stay here, Peter." + +"No, I'm going halfway with 'em. I'll be able to hear the sound of a +gun. Then, ef they're trapped, we must make tracks for the canoes at +once, for after following 'em to the lake they're safe to take up +their back track to see where they've come from; so, ef I hear a gun, +I'll make back here as quick as I can come." + +When the three men had started silence fell on the tent. The redskins +at once lay down to sleep, and Jake followed their example. Harold +lay quiet thinking over the events which had happened to him in the +last three years, while Cameron lay with his face turned toward the +lamp with a set, anxious look on his face. Several times he crawled +to the entrance and listened when the crack made by some breaking +bough came to his ear. Hours passed and at last Harold dozed off, but +Cameron's eyes never closed until about midnight the blanket at the +entrance moved and Peter entered. + +"Hae ye seen the ithers?" Cameron exclaimed. + +"No, and were not likely to," Peter answered. "It was all still to +the time I came away, and afore I moved I was sure they must have +left the village. They won't come straight back, bless ye; they'll go +'way in the opposite direction and make a sweep miles round. They may +not be here for hours yet; not that there's much chance of their +tracks being traced. It has not snowed for over a week, and the snow +round the village must be trampled thick for a mile and more, with +the squaws coming and going for wood and the hunters going out on the +chase. I've crossed a dozen tracks or more on my way back. Ef it +wasn't for that we daren't have gone at all, for ef the snow was new +fallen the sight of fresh tracks would have set the first Injun that +come along a-wondering; and when a redskin begins to wonder he sets +to to ease his mind at once by finding out all about it, ef it takes +him a couple of days' sarch to do so. No, you can lie down now for +some hours. They won't be here till morning." + +So saying, the scout set the example by wrapping himself up and going +to sleep, but Cameron's eyes never closed until the blanket was drawn +on one side again and in the gray light of the winter morning the +Seneca and Pearson crawled into the tent. + +"What news?" Harold asked, for Cameron was too agitated to speak. + +"Both gals are there," Pearson answered. + +An exclamation of thankfulness broke from Harold. A sob of joy issued +from the heart of the Scotchman, and for a few minutes his lips moved +as he poured forth his silent thankfulness to God. + +"Waal, tell us all about it," Peter said. "I can ask the chief any +questions afterward." + +"We went on straight enough to the village," the hunter began. "It +are larger than when I saw it last, and War Eagle's influence in the +tribe must have increased. I didn't expect to find no watch, the +redskins having, so far as they knew, no enemies within five hundred +mile of 'em. There was a lot of fires burning and plenty of redskins +moving about among 'em. We kept on till we got quite close, and then +we lay up for a time below a tree at the edge of the clearing. There +were a sight too many of 'em about for the Seneca to go in yet +awhile. About half an hour arter we got there we saw two white gals +come outen one of the wigwams and stand for a while to warm +theirselves by one of the fires. The tallest of the two, well-nigh a +woman, was Nelly Welch. I knew her, in course. The other was three or +four years younger, with yaller hair over her shoulders. Nelly seemed +quiet and sad-like, but the other 'peared more at home--she laughed +with some of the redskin gals and even jined in their play. You see," +he said, turning to Cameron, "she'd been captured longer and +children's spirits soon rise again. Arter a while they went back to +the wigwam." When the fires burned down and the crowd thinned, and +there was only a few left sitting in groups round the embers, the +Seneca started. For a long time I saw nothing of him, but once or +twice I thought I saw a figure moving among the wigwams. Presently +the fires burned quite down and the last Injun went off. I had begun +to wonder what the chief was doing, when he stood beside me. We made +tracks at once and have been tramping in a long circle all night. The +chief can tell ye his part of the business hisself." + +"Well, chief, what have you found out?" Peter asked. + +The Indian answered in his native tongue, which Peter interpreted +from time to time for the benefit of his white companions: + +"When Deer Tail left the white hunter he went into the village. It +was no use going among the men, and he went round by the wigwams and +listened to the chattering of the squaws. The tribe were all well +contented, for the band brought back a great deal of plunder which +they had picked up on their way back from the army. They had lost no +braves and everyone was pleased. The destruction of the settlement of +the white man who had repulsed them before was a special matter for +rejoicing. The scalps of the white man and his wife are in the +village. War Eagle's son, Young Elk, is going to marry the white +girl. There are several of the braves whose heads have been turned by +the white skin and her bright eyes, but Young Elk is going to have +her. There have been great feastings and rejoicings since the return +of the warriors, but they are to be joined tomorrow by Beaver's band, +and then they will feast again. When all was quiet I went to the +wigwam where the white girls are confined. An old squaw and two of +War Eagle's daughters are with them. Deer Tail had listened while +they prepared for rest and knew on which side of the wigwam the tall +white maiden slept. He thought that she would be awake. Her heart +would be sad and sleep would not come to her soon, so he crept round +there and cut a slit in the skin close to where she lay. He put his +head in at the hole and whispered, 'Do not let the white girl be +afraid; it is a friend. Does she hear him?' She whispered, 'Yes.' +'Friends are near,' he said. 'The young warrior Harold, whom she +knows, and others, are at hand to take her away. The Iroquois will be +feasting to-morrow night. When she hears the cry of a night-owl let +her steal away with her little white sister and she will find her +friends waiting.' Then Deer Tail closed the slit and stole away to +his friend the white hunter. I have spoken." + +"Jest what I expected of you, chief," Peter said warmly. "I thought +as how you'd manage to git speech with 'em somehow. If there's a +feast to-night, it's hard ef we don't manage to get 'em off." + +"I suppose we must lie still all day, Peter." + +"You must so," the hunter said. "Not a soul must show his nose +outside the tent except that one of the redskins'll keep watch to be +sure that no straggler has come across our tracks and followed 'em +up. Ef he was to do that, he might bring the hull gang down on us. +Ye'd best get as much sleep as ye can, for ye don't know when ye may +get another chance." + +At nightfall the whole party issued from the tent and started toward +the Indian village. All arrangements had been made. It was agreed +that Pearson and the Seneca should go up to the village, the former +being chosen because he was known to Nelly. Peter and one of the +redskins were to take post a hundred yards further back, ready to +give assistance in case of alarm, while the rest were to remain about +half a mile distant. Cameron had asked that he might go with the +advance party, but upon Peter pointing out to him that his +comparatively slow rate of progression in snow-shoes would, in case +of discovery, lead to the recapture of the girls, he at once agreed +to the decision. If the flight of the girls was discovered soon after +leaving the camp, it was arranged that the Seneca and Peter should +hurry at once with them to the main body, while the other two Indians +should draw off their pursuers in another direction. In the event of +anything occurring to excite the suspicion of the Indians before +there was a chance of the girls being brought safely to the main +body, they were to be left to walk quietly back to camp, as they had +nothing to fear from the Indians. Peter and the Seneca were then to +work round by a circuitous route to the boat, where they were to be +joined by the main body, and to draw off until another opportunity +offered for repeating the attempt. + +It was eight o'clock in the evening when Pearson and the Seneca +approached the village. The fires were burning high, and seated round +them were all the warriors of the tribe. A party were engaged in a +dance representing the pursuit and defeat of an enemy. The women were +standing in an outer circle, clapping their hands and raising their +voices in loud cries of applause and excitement as the dance became +faster and faster. The warriors bounded high, brandishing their +tomahawks. A better time could not have been chosen for the evasion +of the fugitives. Nelly Welch stood close to a number of Indian +girls, but slightly behind them. She held the hand of little Janet +Cameron. + +Although she appeared to share in the interest of the Indians in the +dance, a close observer would have had no difficulty in perceiving +that Nelly was preoccupied. She was, indeed, intently listening for +the signal. She was afraid to move from among the others lest her +absence should be at once detected, but so long as the noise was +going on she despaired of being able to hear the signal agreed upon. +Presently an Indian brave passed close to her, and as he did so +whispered in her ear in English, "Behind your wigwam--friends there." +Then he passed on and moved round the circle as if intending to take +his seat at another point. + +The excitement of the dance was momentarily increasing, and the +attention of the spectators was riveted to the movements of the +performers. Holding Janet's hand, Nelly moved noiselessly away from +the place where she had been standing. The movement was unnoticed, as +she was no longer closely watched, a flight in the depth of winter +appearing impossible. She kept round the circle till no longer +visible from the spot she had left. Then, leaving the crowd, she made +her way toward the nearest wigwams. Once behind these the girls stole +rapidly along under their shelter until they stood behind that which +they usually inhabited. Two figures were standing there. They +hesitated for a moment, but one of them advanced. + +"Jack Pearson!" Nelly exclaimed, with a low cry of gladness. + +"Jest that same, Nelly, and right glad to see you. But we've no time +for greeting now; the hull tribe may be after us in another five +minutes. Come along, pretty," he said, turning to Janet. "You'll find +somebody ye know close at hand." + +Two minutes later the child was in her father's arms, and after a +moment's rapturous greeting between father and child and a very +delighted one between Nelly Welch and her Cousin Harold, the flight +was continued. + +"How long a start do you think we may have?" + +"Half an hour, maybe. The women may be some time afore they miss her, +and they'll sarch for her everywhere afore they give the alarm, as +they'll be greatly blamed for their carelessness." + +There had been a pause in the flight for a few seconds when the +Seneca and Pearson arrived with the girls at the point where Peter +and the other Indian were posted, two hundred yards from the camp. Up +to this point the snow was everywhere thickly trampled, but as the +camp was left further behind the footprints would naturally become +more scarce. Here Pearson fastened to the girls' feet two pairs of +large moccasins; inside these wooden soles had been placed. They +therefore acted to some extent like snowshoes and prevented the +girls' feet from sinking deeply, while the prints which they left +bore no resemblance to their own. They were strapped on the wrong +way, so that the marks would seem to point toward the village rather +than away from it. Both girls protested that they should not be able +to get along fast in these encumbrances, but one of the men posted +himself on either side of each and assisted them along, and as the +moccasins were very light, even with the wooden soles inside, they +were soon able to move with them at a considerable pace. + +Once united the whole party kept along at the top of their speed. +Peter Lambton assisted Cameron with Janet, and the girl, half-lifted +from the ground, skimmed over the surface like a bird, only touching +the snow here and there with the moccasins. Nelly Welch needed no +assistance from Harold or Pearson. During the long winters she had +often practiced on snow-shoes, and was consequently but little +encumbered with the huge moccasins, which to some extent served the +same purpose. + +They had been nearly half an hour on their way when they heard a +tremendous yell burst from the village. + +"They've missed you," Peter said. "Now it's a fair race. We've got a +good start and 'll git more, for they'll have to hunt up the traces +very carefully, and it may be an hour, perhaps more, before they +strike upon the right one. Ef the snow had been new fallen we should +have had 'em arter us in five minutes; but even a redskin's eye will +be puzzled to find out at night one track among such hundreds." + +"I have but one fear," Pearson said to Harold. + +"What is that?" + +"I'm afeared that without waiting to find the tracks they may send +off half a dozen parties to the lake. They'll be sure that friends +have taken the gals away, and will know that their only chance of +escape is by the water. On land we should be hunted down to a +certainty, and the redskins, knowing that the gals could not travel +fast, will not hurry in following up the trail. So I think they'll at +once send off parties to watch the lake, and 'll like enough make no +effort to take up the trail till to-morrow morning." + +This was said in a low whisper, for although they were more than two +miles from the village it was necessary to move as silently as +possible. + +"You had best tell the others what you think, Pearson. It may make a +difference in our movements." + +A short halt was called, and the Seneca and Peter quite agreed with +Pearson's idea. + +"We'd best make for the canoe that's furthest off. When the redskins +find the others, which they're pretty sure to do, for they'll hunt +every bush, they're likely to be satisfied and to make sure they'll +ketch us at one or the other." + +This much decided upon, they continued their flight, now less +rapidly, but in perfect silence. Speed was less an object than +concealment. The Indians might spread, and a party might come across +them by accident. If they could avoid this, they were sure to reach +their canoe before morning and unlikely to find the Indians there +before them. + +It was about twelve miles to the spot where they had hidden the +canoe, and although they heard distant shouts and whoops ringing +through the forest, no sound was heard near them. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +THE ISLAND REFUGE. + +The night was intensely cold and still and the stars shone brightly +through the bare boughs overhead. "Are you sure you are going all +right?" Nelly asked Harold. "It is so dark here that it seems +impossible to know which way we are going." "You can trust the +Indians," Harold said. "Even if there was not a star to be seen they +could find their way by some mysterious instinct. How you are grown, +Nelly! Your voice does not seem much changed, and I am longing to see +your face." + +"I expect you are more changed than I am, Harold," the girl answered. +"You have been going through so much since we last met, and you seem +to have grown so tall and big. Your voice has changed very much, too; +it is the voice of a man. How in the world did you find us here?" + +Pearson had gone on ahead to speak to the Seneca, but he now joined +them again. + +"You mustn't talk," he said. "I hope there's no redskins within five +miles of us now, but there's never any saying where they may be." + +There was, Harold thought, a certain sharpness in the hunter's voice, +which told of a greater anxiety than would be caused by the very +slight risk of the quietly spoken words being heard by passing +redskins, and he wondered what it could be. + +They were now, he calculated, within a mile of the hiding place where +they had left the boat, and they had every reason for believing that +none of the Indians would be likely to have followed the shore so +far. That they would be pursued and that, in so heavily laden a +canoe, they would have great difficulty in escaping, he was well +aware, but he relied on the craft of the hunters and Senecas for +throwing their pursuers off the trail. + +All at once the trees seemed to open in front, and in a few minutes +the party reached the river. A cry of astonishment and of something +akin to terror broke from Harold. As far as the eye could reach the +lake was frozen. Their escape was cut off. + +"That's jest what I've been expecting," Pearson said. "The ice had +begun to form at the edge when we landed, and three days and nights +of such frost as we've had since was enough to freeze Ontario. What +on arth's to be done?" + +No one answered. Peter and the redskins had shared Pearson's anxiety, +but to Harold and Cameron the disappointment was a terrible one; as +to Jake, he left all the thinking to be done by the others. Harold +stood gazing helplessly on the expanse of ice which covered the +water. It was not a smooth sheet, but was rough and broken, as if, +while it had been forming, the wind had broken the ice up into cakes +again and again, while the frost as often had bound them together. + +They had struck the river within a few hundred yards of the place +where the canoe was hidden, and, after a short consultation between +the Seneca chief, Peter Lambton, and Pearson, moved down toward that +spot. + +"What are you thinking of doing?" Harold asked when they gathered +round the canoe. + +"We're going to load ourselves with the ammunition and deer's flesh," +Peter said, "and make for a rocky island which lies about a mile off +here. I noticed it as we landed. There's nothing to do but to fight +it out to the last there. It are a good place for defense, for the +redskins won't like to come out across the open, and, even covered by +a dark night, they'd show on this white surface." + +"Perhaps they won't trace us." + +"Not trace us!" the trapper repeated scornfully. "Why, when daylight +comes, they'll pick up our track and follow it as easy as you could +that of a wagon across the snow." + +They were just starting when Harold gave a little exclamation. + +"What is it, lad?" + +"A flake of snow fell on my face." + +All looked up. The stars had disappeared. Another flake and another +fell on the upturned faces of the party. + +"Let's thank the great God," Peter said quietly. "There's a chance +for our lives yet. Half an hour's snow and the trail 'll be lost." + +Faster and faster the snowflakes came down. Again the leaders +consulted. + +"We must change our plans, now," Peter said, turning to the others. +"So long as they could easily follow our tracks it mattered nothing +that they'd find the canoe here; but now it's altogether different. +We must take it along with us." + +The weight of the canoe was very small. The greater part of its +contents had already been removed. There was a careful look round to +see that nothing remained on the bank; then four of the men lifted it +on their shoulders, and the whole party stepped out upon the ice. The +snow was now falling heavily, and to Harold's eyes there was nothing +to guide them in the direction they were following. Even the Indians +would have been at a loss had not the Seneca, the instant the snow +began to fall, sent on one of his followers at full speed toward the +island. Harold wondered at the time what his object could be as the +Indian darted off across the ice, but now he understood. Every minute +or two the low hoot of an owl was heard, and toward this sound the +party directed their way through the darkness and snow. + +So heavy was the fall that the island rose white before them as they +reached it. It was of no great extent--some twenty or thirty yards +across, and perhaps twice that length. It rose steeply from the water +to a height of from ten to fifteen feet. The ground was rough and +broken, and several trees and much brushwood grew in the crevices of +the rock. + +The Seneca and the hunters made a rapid examination of the island, +and soon fixed upon the spot for their camp. Toward one end the +island was split in two, and an indentation ran some distance up into +it. Here a clear spot was found some three or four feet above the +level of the water. It was completely hidden by thick bushes from the +sight of anyone approaching by water. There the canoe was turned +over, and the girls, who were both suffering from the intense cold, +were wrapped up in blankets and placed under its shelter. The camp +was at the lower end of the island and would, therefore, be entirely +hidden from view of Indians gathered upon the shore. In such a +snowstorm light would be invisible at a very short distance, and +Peter did not hesitate to light a fire in front of the canoe. + +For three hours the snow continued to fall. The fire had been +sheltered by blankets stretched at some distance above it. Long +before the snow ceased it had sunk down to a pile of red embers. A +small tent had now been formed of blankets for the use of the girls; +brushwood had been heaped over this, and upon the brushwood snow had +been thrown, the whole making a shelter which would be warm and +comfortable in the bitterest weather. A pile of hot embers was placed +in this little tent until it was thoroughly heated; blankets were +then spread, and the girls were asked to leave the shelter of the +canoe and take their place there. + +The canoe itself was now raised on four sticks three feet from the +ground; bushes were laid round it and snow piled on, thus forming the +walls of which the canoe was the roof. All this was finished long +before the snow had ceased falling, and this added a smooth white +surface all over, so that, to a casual eye, both tent and hut looked +like two natural ridges of the ground. They were a cheerful party +which assembled in the little hut. The remainder of the embers of the +fire had been brought in, and, intense as was the cold outside, it +was warm and comfortable within. Tea was made and pipes filled, and +they chatted some time before going to sleep. + +Duncan Cameron was like a man transfigured. His joy and thankfulness +for the recovery of his daughter were unbounded. Harold's pleasure, +too, at the rescue of his cousin was very great, and the others were +all gratified at the success of their expedition. It was true that +the Indians had as yet gained no scalps, but Harold had promised them +before starting that, should the expedition be successful, they +should be handsomely rewarded. + +"We mustn't reckon as we are safe yet," Peter said in answer to one +of Harold's remarks. "The redskins aint going to let us slip through +their fingers so easy as all that. They've lost our trail and have +nothing but their senses to guide 'em, but an Injun's senses aint +easily deceived in these woods. Ef this snow begins again and keeps +on for two or three days they may be puzzled; but ef it stops they'll +cast a circle round their camp at a distance beyond where we could +have got before the snow ceased, and ef they find no new trails +they'll know that we must be within that circle. Then, as to the +boats, when they find as we don't come down to the two as they've +discovered, and that we've not made off by land, they'll guess as +there was another canoe hidden somewhere, and they'll sarch high and +low for it. Waal, they won't find it; and then they'll suppose that +we may have taken to the ice, and they'll sarch that. Either they'll +git to open water or to the other side. Ef there's open water +anywhere within a few miles they may conclude that we've carried a +canoe, launched it there, and made off. In that case, when they've +sarched everywhere, they may give it up. Ef there aint no such open +water, they'll sarch till they find us. It aint likely that this +island will escape 'em. With nine good rifles here we can hold the +place against the hull tribe, and as they'd show up against the snow, +they can no more attack by night than by day." + +"I don't think our food will hold out beyond seven or eight days," +Harold said. + +"Jest about that," Peter answered; "but we can cut a hole in the ice +and fish, and can hold out that way, if need be, for weeks. The wust +of it is that the ice aint likely to break up now until the spring. I +reckon our only chance is to wait till we git another big snowstorm +and then to make off. The. snow will cover our trail as fast as we +make it, and, once across to the other shore, we may git away from +the varmints. But I don't disguise from you, Harold, that we're in a +very awk'ard trouble, and that it 'll need all the craft of the +chief, here, and all the experience of Pearson and me to get us out +of it." + +"The guid God has been vera merciful to us sae far," Duncan Cameron +said; "he will surely protect us to the end. Had he na sent the snow +just when he did, the savages could hae followed our trail at once; +it was a miracle wrought in our favor. He has aided us to rescue the +twa bairns frae the hands of the Indians, and we may surely trust in +his protection to the end. My daughter and her friend hae, I am very +sure, before lying down to sleep, entreated his protection. Let us a' +do the same." + +And the old soldier, taking off his cap, prayed aloud to God to heed +and protect them. + +Harold and the frontiersmen also removed their caps and joined in the +prayer, and the Senecas looked on, silent and reverent, at an act of +worship which was rare among their white companions. + +As Peter was of opinion that there was no chance whatever of any +search on the part of the Indians that night, and therefore there was +no need to set a watch, the whole party wrapped themselves up in +their blankets and were soon asleep. + +When Harold woke next morning it was broad daylight. The Senecas had +already been out and had brought news that a strong party of Indians +could be seen moving along the edge of the forest, evidently +searching for a canoe. One of the Indians was placed on watch, and +two or three hours later he reported that the Indians were now +entirely out of sight and were, when last seen, scouting along the +edge of the forest. + +"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we git another snowstorm the better. +Ef we'd been alone we could have pushed on last night, but the gals +was exhausted and would soon have died of the cold. Now, with a fresh +start they'd do. Ef we can't cross the lake I calculate that we're +about thirty mile from a p'int on the north shore below the falls of +Ste. Marie, and we could land there and strike across through the +woods for the settlement. It'd be a terrible long journey round the +north of Huron, but we must try it ef we can't get across." + +"But we could go off by night, surely," Harold said, "even if there +is no fresh snow." + +"We could do that," Peter replied; "no doubt of it. But ef they were +to find our track the next day, ay, or within three days, they'd +follow us and overtake us afore we got to the settlements. Ef we was +alone, it'd be one thing; but with the gals it'd be another +altogether. No, we must stop here till a snowstorm comes, even if we +have to stop for a month. There's no saying how soon some of them +Injuns may be loafing round, and we daren't leave a trail for 'em to +take up." + +They had scarcely ceased speaking when a low call from the Indian +placed on watch summoned the chief to his side. A minute later the +latter rejoined the group below and said a few words to Peter. + +"Jest as I thought!" the latter grumbled, rising with his rifle +across his arm. "Here are some of the varmints coming out this 'ere +way. Likely enough it's a party of young braves jest scouting about +on their own account, to try and get honor by discovering us when +their elders have failed. It would have been better for them to have +stopped at home." + +The party now crept up to the top of the rock, keeping carefully +below its crest. + +"Ef you show as much as a hair above the top line," Peter said, +"they'll see you, sartin." + +"Would it not be well," Harold asked, "for one of us to show himself? +There is no possibility of further concealment, and if they go off +without any of them being killed the others might be less bitter +against us than they would if they had lost some of their tribe." + +Peter laughed scornfully. + +"Ye haven't had much to do with Injuns, lad, but I should have +thought you'd have had better sense nor that. Haven't these Injuns +been a-murdering and a-slaying along the frontier all the summer, +falling on defenseless women and children? Marcy and pity aint in +their natur, and, fight or no fight, our scalps will dry in their +wigwams if they get us into their power. They know that we can shoot +and mean to, and that 'll make 'em careful of attacking us, and every +hour is important. Now," he said to the others, "each of you cover a +man and fire straight through your sights when I gives the word. +There's others watching 'em, you may be sure, and ef the whole five +go down together, it'll make 'em think twice afore they attack us +again." + +Peering between some loose rocks, so that he could see without +exposing his head above the line, Harold watched the five Indians +approaching. They had evidently some doubts as to the wisdom of the +course they were pursuing, and were well aware that they ran a +terrible risk standing there in the open before the rifles of those +concealed, should the fugitives be really there. Nevertheless, the +hope of gaining distinction and the fear of ridicule from those +watching them on shore, should they turn back with their mission +unaccomplished, inspired them with resolution. When within three +hundred yards of the island they halted for a long time. They stood +gazing fixedly; but, although no signs of life could be perceived, +they were too well versed in Indian warfare to gain any confidence +from the apparent stillness. Throwing themselves flat on the snow and +following each other in single line, by which means their bodies were +nearly concealed from sight in the track which their leader made +through the light, yielding snow, they made a complete circuit of the +island. They paused for some time opposite the little forked entrance +in which the camp was situated, but apparently saw nothing, for they +kept round until they completed the circuit. + +When they reached the point from which they had started there was, +apparently, a short consultation among them. Then they continued +their course in the track that they had before made until they +reached a spot facing the camp. Then they changed order, and, still +prone in the snow, advanced abreast toward the island. + +"The varmints have guessed that, if we are here, this is the place +where we'd be hid," Peter whispered in Harold's ear. + +As the Indians made their circuit the party in the island had changed +their position so as always to keep out of sight. They were now on +the top of the island, which was a sort of rough plateau. The girls +had been warned, when they left them, to remain perfectly quiet in +their shelter whatever noise they might hear. Peter and the Seneca +watched the Indians through holes which they had made with their +ramrods through a bank of snow. The others remained flat in the +slight depression behind it. At the distance of one hundred and fifty +yards the Indians stopped. + +"The varmints see something!" Peter said. "Maybe they can make out +the two snow heaps through the bushes; maybe they can see some of our +footsteps in the snow. They're going to fire!" he exclaimed. "Up, +lads! They may send a bullet into the hut whar the gals is hid." + +In an instant the line of men sprang to their feet. The Indians, +taken by surprise at the sudden appearance of a larger number of +enemies than they expected, fired a hasty volley and then sprang to +their feet and dashed toward the shore. But they were deadly rifles +which covered them. Peter, Harold, and Pearson could be trusted not +to miss even a rapidly moving object at that distance, and the men +were all good shots. Not in regular order, but as each covered his +man, the rifles were discharged. Four out of the five Indians fell, +and an arm of the fifth dropped useless by his side; however, he +still kept on. The whites reloaded rapidly, and Harold was about to +fire again when Pearson put his hand on his shoulder. + +"Don't fire! We've shown them that we can shoot straight. It's jest +as well at present that they shouldn't know how far our rifles will +carry." + +The four Senecas dashed out across the snow and speedily returned, +each with a scalp hanging at his belt. + +A loud yell of anger and lamentation had risen from the woods +skirting the shore as the Indians fell, but after this died away deep +silence reigned. + +"What will be their next move?" Cameron asked Peter, as they gathered +again in their low hut, having placed one of the Indians on watch. + +"We'll hear nothing of 'em till nightfall," Peter said. "Their first +move, now they know as we're here, will be to send off to fetch up +all the tribe who're in search of us. When it comes on dark they'll +send scouts outside of us on the ice to see as we don't escape--not +that they'd much mind ef we did, for they could track us through the +snow and come up with us whenever they chose. No, they may be sure +we'll stay where we are. It may be they'll attack us to-night, maybe +not. It'd be a thing more risksome than redskins often undertake to +cross the snow under the fire of nine rifles. I aint no doubt they'd +try and starve us out, for they must know well enough that we can +have no great store of provisions. But they know as well as we do +that, if another snowstorm comes on, we might slip away from 'em +without leaving a foot-mark behind. It's jest that thought as may +make 'em attack." + +"Well, we can beat them off, if they do," Harold said confidently. + +"Waal, we may and we may not," the scout answered. "Anyhow we can +kill a grist of 'em afore they turn us out on this 'ere island." + +"That's sartin enough," Pearson put in; "but they're a strong tribe, +and ef they can harden their hearts and make a rush it's all up with +us. I allow that it's contrary to their custom, but when they see no +other way to do with, they may try." + +"I suppose if they do try a rush," Harold said, "they will do it +against this end of the island?" + +"Yes, you may bet your money on that," the scout answered. "In other +places the rock goes pretty nigh straight up from the water, but here +it's an easy landing. Being so close to 'em they're sure to know all +about it; but even if they didn't, the chap that got away would tell +'em. I don't much expect an attack to-night--the bands won't be back +yet. They'll have a grand palaver to-night, and there'll be a big +talk afore they decide what is best to be done; so I think we're safe +for to-night. To-morrow we'll set to work and build a shelter for the +pretty ones up above, where they'll be safe from stray shots. Then +we'll throw up a breastwork with loose rocks on the top of the slope +round this cove, so as to give it to 'em hot when they land." + +"You have plenty of powder?" Harold asked. + +"Dollops," Peter replied; "more'n we could fire away if we was +besieged here for a month." + +"Then you could spare me twenty pounds or so?" + +"We could spare you a whole keg if you like; we've got three full. +But what are you thinking of now, young un?" + +"I was thinking," Harold answered, "of forming a line of holes, say +three feet apart, in the ice across the mouth of the cove. If we were +to charge them with powder and lay a train between them, we could, +when the first dozen or so have passed the line, fire the train and +break up the ice. This would prevent the others following, and give +them such a bad scare that they would probably make off, and we could +easily deal with those who had passed the line before we fired it." + +"That's a good idea of yours, lad. A fust-rate idea. The ice must be +a foot thick by this time, and ef you put in your charges eight +inches and tamp 'em well down you'll shiver the ice for a long way +round. The idea is a fust-rate one." + +Pearson and Cameron assisted in the work, and the Indians, when Peter +had explained the plan to them, gave deep gutteral exclamations of +surprise and approval. The process of blasting was one wholly unknown +to them. + +"I will mak' the holes," Cameron said. "I hae seen a deal of blasting +when I was in the army. I can heat the end of a ramrod in a fire and +hammer it into the shape of a borer." + +"A better way than that, Cameron," Harold said, "will be to heat the +end of a ramrod white-hot. You will melt holes in the ice in half the +time it would take you to bore them. That was what I was thinking of +doing." + +"Right you are, lad!" Pearson said. "Let's set about it at once." + +A large fire was now lighted outside the hut, for there was no longer +any occasion for secrecy. The ends of three or four of the ramrods +were placed in the fire, and two lines of holes were bored in the ice +across the mouth of the little cove. These lines were twelve feet +apart, and they calculated that the ice between them would be +completely broken up, even if the fractures did not extend a good way +beyond the lines. The holes were of rather larger diameter than the +interior of a gun barrel. It was found that the ice was about fifteen +inches thick, and the holes were taken down ten inches. Three or four +charges of powder were placed in each; a stick of a quarter of an +inch in diameter was then placed in each hole, and pounded ice was +rammed tightly in around it until the holes were filled up, a few +drops of water being poured in on the top, so as to freeze the whole +into a solid mass. There was no fear of the powder being wetted, for +the frost was intense. Then the sticks were withdrawn and the holes +left filled with powder. With the heated ramrods little troughs were +sunk half an inch deep, connecting the tops of the holes; lines of +powder were placed in these trenches; narrow strips of skin were laid +over them, and the snow was then thrown on again. The two lines of +trenches were connected at the ends at the shore, so that they could +be fired simultaneously. + +While the men were occupied with this work the girls had cooked some +venison steaks and made some cakes. + +It was just nightfall when they had finished, and all sat down and +enjoyed a hearty meal. Peter and one of the Senecas undertook the +watch for half the night, when they were to be relieved by Pearson +and the chief. The early part of the night passed off quietly, but an +hour before morning the party were aroused by the sharp crack of two +rifles. Seizing their arms, all rushed out. + +"What is it, Pearson?" + +"Two of their scouts," Pearson answered, pointing to two dark bodies +on the snow at a distance of about one hundred yards. "I suppose they +wanted to see ef we was on the watch. We made 'em out almost as soon +as they left the shore, but we let 'em come on until we was sartin of +our aim. There aint no more about as we can see, so ye can all turn +in again for another hour or two." + +There was no fresh alarm before morning, and, when the sun rose, it +shone over a wide expanse of snow, unbroken save where lay the bodies +of the two Indians--whose scalps already hung at the belt of the +Seneca--and those of their four comrades who had fallen in the first +attack. + +The day passed quietly. Toward the afternoon two Indians were seen +approaching from the shore. They were unarmed and held their hands +aloft as a sign of amity. Peter and Pearson at once laid down their +guns, left the island, and advanced to meet them. They were Indian +chiefs of importance. + +"Why have my white brothers stolen in at night upon the village of +War Eagle and slain his young men?" + +"It is what you have been doing all last year, chief," Pearson, who +spoke the dialect better than Peter, replied. "But we injured no one. +We didn't kill women and children, as your warriors have done in the +white villages. We only came to take what you had stolen from us, and +ef your young men have been killed it's only because they tried to +attack us." + +"The white men must see," the chief said, "that they cannot get away. +The water is hard, and their canoe will not swim in it. The snow is +deep, and the tender feet cannot walk through it. My warriors are +very numerous, and the white men cannot fight their way through them. +The white settlements are very far away, and their friends cannot +reach them; and it will be many months before the water softens, and +long before that the white men will have eaten their moccasins." + +"Waal, chief," Pearson said, "we're in a tight hole, I grant you; but +I'm far from allowing that we aint no chances left to us yet. What do +you propose? I suppose you've some proposition to make." + +"Let the white men leave behind them their guns and their powder and +the maidens they have taken from War Eagle's camp; then let them go +in peace. They shall not be harmed." + +Pearson gave a short laugh. + +"War Eagle must think the white men are foolish. What's to prevent +the red warriors from taking all our scalps when our arms are in +their hands?" + +"The word of a great chief," War Eagle said. "War Eagle never lies." + +"You may not lie, chief," Pearson said bluntly, "but I've known many +a treaty broken afore now. You and your people may not touch us, but +there's other redskins about, and I wouldn't give a beaver's skin for +our sculps ef we were to take the back trail to the settlements +without arms in our hands. Besides that, we've among us the father of +the gal who was stole far away off from Lake Champlain, and a +relative of hers whose parents you've killed down on the lake. Ef we +were to agree to give up our arms, it stands to reason it aint likely +they'd agree to give up the gals. No, no, chief; your terms aren't +reasonable. But I tell ye what we will do; ef you'll give us your +word that neither you nor your tribe'll molest us in our retreat +we'll go back to the settlements, and 'll engage that, when we get +back there, we'll send you nine of the best rifles money can buy, +with plenty of powder and ball, and blankets and such like." + +The chief waved his hand in contemptuous refusal of the terms. + +"There are six of my young men's scalps at your girdles, and their +places are empty. War Eagle has spoken." + +"Very well, chief," Pearson said. "Ef nothing but sculps will content +you, to fighting it must come; but I warn you that your tribe'll lose +a good many more afore they get ours." + +So saying, without another word, they separated, each party making +their way back to their friends. + +"What on earth can he have proposed such terms as those for?" Harold +asked, when Pearson had related what had taken place between him and +the chief. "He must have known we should not accept them." + +"I expect," Pearson said, "he wanted to see who we were and to judge +what sort of spirit we had. It may be, too, that there was a party +among the tribe who had no stomachs for the job of attacking this +place, and so he was obliged to make a show of offering terms to +please 'em; but he never meant as they should be accepted. No, I take +it they'll wait a few days to see what hunger'll do. They must be +pretty sure that we've not a very large supply of food." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +THE GREAT STORM. + +"Let us overhaul our packages," Harold said, "and see what provisions +we have left. It would be as well to know how we stand." + +It was found that they had a sufficient supply of flour to last, with +care, for a fortnight. The meal was nearly exhausted; of tea they had +an abundance; the sugar was nearly out, and they had three bottles of +spirits. + +"Could we not make the flour last more than the fourteen days by +putting ourselves on half rations?" Harold asked. + +"We might do that," Peter said, "but I tell you the rations would be +small even for fourteen days. We've calkilated according to how much +we eat when we've plenty of meat, but without meat it'd be only a +starvation ration to each. Fortunately we've fish-hooks and lines, +and by making holes in the ice we can get as many fish as we like. +Waal, we can live on them alone, if need be, and an ounce or two of +flour, made into cakes, will be enough to go with 'em. That way the +flour would last us pretty nigh two months. I don't say that, if the +wust comes to the wust, we might not hold on right to the spring on +fish. The lake's full of 'em, and some of 'em have so much oil in 'em +that they're nigh as good as meat." + +"Do you think, Peter, that if the Indians make one great attack and +are beaten off they will try again?" + +"No one can say," Peter answered. "Injun natur' can't never be +calkilated on. I should say if they got a thundering beating they +aint likely to try again; but there's never no saying." + +"The sooner they attack and get it o'er the better," Cameron said. "I +hae na slept a wink the last twa nights. If I doze off for a moment I +wake up, thinking I hear their yells. I am as ready to fight as ony +o' you when the time comes, but the thought o' my daughter, here, +makes me nervous and anxious. What do you say, Jake?" + +"It all de same to Jake, Massa Cameron. Jake sleeps bery sound, but +he no like de tought ob eating nothing but fish for five or six +months. Jake neber bery fond ob fish." + +"You'll like it well enough when you get used to it, Jake," Pearson +said. "It's not bad eating on a pinch, only you want to eat a sight +of it to satisfy you. Well, let's see how the fish'll bite." + +Four holes were cut in the ice at a short distance apart. The hooks +were attached to strong lines and baited with deer's flesh, and soon +the fishing began. The girls took great interest in the proceeding. +Nelly was an adept at the sport, having generally caught the fish for +the consumption of the household at home. She took charge of one of +the lines, Harold of another, while Jake and one of the Senecas +squatted themselves by the other holes. There had been some +discussion as to whether the fishing should take place on the side of +the island facing the shore or behind the rocks, but the former was +decided upon. This was done because all were anxious that the +expected attack should take place as soon as possible, and the event +was likely to be hastened when the Indians saw that they were +provided with lines and were thus able to procure food for a +considerable time. + +It was soon manifest that, if they could live upon fish, they need +feel no uneasiness as to its supply. Scarcely had the lines been let +down than fish were fast to them. Harold and the other men soon had +trout, from three to six pounds, lying on the ice beside them, but +Nelly was obliged to call Pearson to her assistance, and the fish, +when brought to the surface, was found to be over twenty pounds in +weight. An hour's fishing procured them a sufficient supply for a +week's consumption. There was no fear as to the fish keeping, for in +a very short time after being drawn from the water they were frozen +stiff and hard. They were hung up to some boughs near the huts, and +the party were glad enough to get into shelter again, for the cold +was intense. + +As before, the early part of the night passed quietly; but toward +morning Peter, who was on watch, ran down and awakened the others. + +"Get your shooting-irons and hurry up," he said. "The varmints are +coming this time in arnest." + +In a minute everyone was at the post assigned to him. A number of +dark figures could be seen coming over the ice. + +"There's nigh two hundred of 'em," Peter said. "War Eagle has brought +the whole strength of his tribe." + +Contrary to their usual practice the Indians did not attempt to crawl +up to the place they were about to attack, but advanced at a run +across the ice. The defenders lost not a moment in opening fire, for +some of their rifles would carry as far as the shore. + +"Shoot steady," Peter said. "Don't throw away a shot." + +Each man loaded and fired as quickly as he could, taking a steady +aim, and the dark figures which dotted the ice behind the advancing +Indians showed that the fire was an effectual one. The Indians did +not return a shot. Their chief had, no doubt, impressed upon them the +uselessness of firing against men lying in shelter, and had urged +them to hurry at the top of their speed to the island and crush the +whites in a hand-to-hand fight. + +It was but three or four minutes from the time the first shot was +fired before they were close to the island. They made, as Peter had +expected, toward the little cove, which was indeed the only place at +which a landing could well be effected. Harold ran down and hid +himself in a bush at the spot where the train terminated, carrying +with him a glowing brand from the fire. + +"War Eagle means to have our sculps this time," Peter said to +Pearson. "I never seed an uglier rush. White men couldn't have done +better." + +The Indians had run in scattered order across the ice, but they +closed up as they neared the cove. As they rushed toward it four fell +beneath the shots of half the defenders, and another four a few +seconds later from a volley by the other section. + +In a wonderfully short time the first were ready again, and the +Indians wavered at the slaughter and opened fire upon the breastwork, +behind which the defenders were crouching. Those behind pressed on, +and, with terrific yells, the mass of Indians bounded forward. + +Harold had remained inactive, crouching behind the bush. He saw the +head of the dark mass rush past him and then applied the brand to the +train. + +There was a tremendous explosion. Yells and screams rent the air, and +in an instant a dark line of water, twenty feet wide, stretched +across the mouth of the cove. + +In this were pieces of floating ice and numbers of Indians struggling +and yelling. Some made only a faint struggle before they sank, while +others struck out for the side furthest from the island. + +The main body of the Indians, appalled by the explosion, checked +themselves in their course and at once took to flight; some, unable +to check their impetus, fell into the water upon the wounded wretches +who were struggling there. Those who had crossed stood irresolute, +and then, turning, leaped into the water. As they struggled to get +out on the opposite side the defenders maintained a deadly fire upon +them, but, in two or three minutes, the last survivor had scrambled +out, and all were in full flight toward the shore. + +"I think we've seen the last of the attacks," Peter said, as they +came down from their breastwork and joined Harold in the cove. "That +was a first-rate notion of yours, lad. Ef it hadn't been for that we +should have been rubbed out, sure enough; another minute and we'd +have gone down. They were in arnest and no mistake; they'd got steam +up and was determined to finish with us at once, whatever it cost +'em." + +The instant the attack had ceased Cameron had hastened to the hut +where the girls were lying, to assure them that all danger was over +and that the Indians were entirely defeated. In an hour a fresh skim +of ice had formed across the streak of water, but, as through its +clear surface many of the bodies of the Indians could be seen, the +men threw snow over it, to spare the girls the unpleasantness of such +a sight every time they went out from the cove. The bodies of all the +Indians who had fallen near the island were also covered with snow. +Those nearer the shore were carried off by the Iroquois in their +retreat. + +"I suppose, Peter," Harold said as they sat round the fire that +evening, "you have been in quite as awkward scrapes as this before +and have got out all right?" + +"Why, this business aint nothing to that affair we had by Lake +Champlain. That were as bad a business, when we was surrounded in +that log hut, as ever I went through--and I've been through a good +many. Pearson and me nigh got our har raised more nor once in that +business of Pontiac's. He were a great chief and managed to get up +the biggest confederation agin us that's ever been known. It were +well for us that that business didn't begin a few years earlier when +we was fighting the French; but you see, so long as we and they was +at war the Indians hoped as we might pretty well exterminate each +other, and then they intended to come in and finish off whoever got +the best of it. Waal, the English they drove the French back and +finally a treaty was made in Europe by which the French agreed to +clear out. + +"It was jest about this time as Pontiac worked upon the tribes to lay +aside their own quarrels and jine the French in fighting agin us. He +got the Senecas, and the Delawares, and the Shawnees, the Wyandots, +and a lot of other tribes from the lakes and the hull country between +the Niagara River and the Mississippi. + +"Jack Pearson and me, we happened to be with the Miamis when the +bloody belt which Pontiac were sending round as a signal for war +arrived at the fort there. Jack and me knew the redskins pretty well, +and saw by their manner as something unusual had happened. I went to +the commandant of the fort and told him as much. He didn't think much +of my news. The soldier chaps always despises the redskins till they +see 'em come yelling along with their tomahawks, and then as often as +not it's jest the other way. Howsumdever, he agreed at last to pay +any amount of trade goods I might promise to the Miamis if the news +turned out worth finding out. I discovered that a great palaver was +to be held that evening at the chief's village, which was a mile away +from the fort. + +"I'd seen a good deal of the Miamis and had fought with 'em against +the Shawnees, so I could do as much with 'em as most. Off Pearson and +I goes to the chief; and I says to him, 'Look ye here, chief, I've +good reasons to believe you've got a message from Pontiac and that it +means trouble. Now don't you go and let yourself be led away by him. +I've heard rumors that he's getting up a great confederation agin the +English. But I tell you, chief, if all the redskins on this continent +was to jine together, they couldn't do nothing agin the English. I +don't say as you mightn't wipe out a number of little border forts, +for no doubt you might; but what would come of it? England would send +out as many men as there are leaves in the forest, who would scorch +up the redskin nations as a fire on the prairie scorches up the +grass. I tell yer, chief, no good can come on it. Don't build yer +hopes on the French; they've acknowledged that they're beaten and are +all going out of the country. It'd be best for you and your people to +stick to the English. They can reward their friends handsomely, and +ef you jine with Pontiac, sooner or later trouble and ruin will come +upon you. Now I can promise you, in the name of the officer of the +fort, a good English rifle for yerself and fifty guns for your braves +and ten bales of blankets ef yer'll make a clean breast of it, and +first tell us what deviltry Pontiac is up to and next jine us +freely--or anyway hold aloof altogether from this conspiracy till yer +see how things is going.' + +"Waal, the chief he thought the matter over and said he'd do his best +at the palaver that night, but till that was over, and he knew what +the council decided on, he couldn't tell me what the message was. I +was pretty well satisfied, for Prairie Dog were a great chief in his +tribe, and I felt pretty sartin he'd git the council to go the way he +wanted. I told him I'd be at the fort and that the governor would +expect a message after the council was over. + +"It was past midnight when the chief came with four of his braves. He +told us that the tribe had received a bloody belt from Pontiac and a +message that the Mingoes and Delawares, the Wyandots and Shawnees +were going to dig up the hatchet against the whites, and calling upon +him and his people to massacre the garrison of the fort and then +march to jine Pontiac, who was about to fall upon Detroit and Fort +Pitt. They were directed to send the belt on to the tribes on the +Wabash, but they loved the English and were determined to take no +part against them; so they delivered the belt to their friend the +white commander, and hoped that he'd tell the great king in England +that the Miamis were faithful to him. The governor highly applauded +their conduct and said he'd send the news to the English governor at +New York, and at once ordered the presents which I promised to be +delivered to the chief for himself and his braves. When they'd gone +he said: + +"'You were right, Peter. This news is important indeed, and it's +clear that a terrible storm's about to bust upon the frontier. +Whether the Miamis will keep true is doubtful; but now I'm on my +guard they'll find it difficult to take the fort. But the great thing +is to carry the news of what's happened to Detroit, to put them on +their guard. Will you and Pearson start at once?' + +"In course we agreed, though it was clear that the job was a risksome +one, for it wouldn't be no easy matter to journey through the woods +with the hull redskin tribes on the war-path. + +"The commander wanted me to carry the belt with me, but I said, 'I +might jest as well carry my death warrant to the first redskins as I +come across.' Major Gladwin, who commanded at Detroit, knew me, and I +didn't need to carry any proof of my story. So, afore the Miamis had +been gone half an hour, Jack and me took the trail for Detroit. We +had got a canoe hid on the lake a few miles away, and we was soon on +board. The next morning we seed a hull fleet of canoes coming down +the lake. We might have made a race with 'em, but being fully manned +the chances was as they'd have cut us off, and seeing that at present +war had not been declared, we judged it best to seem as if we weren't +afeared. So we paddles up to 'em and found as they were a lot of +Wyandots whose hunting-grounds lay up by Lake Superior. In course I +didn't ask no questions as to whar they was going, but jest mentioned +as we was on our way down to Detroit. 'We're going that way, too,' +the chief said, 'and 'll be glad to have our white brothers with us.' +So we paddled along together until, about noon, they landed. Nothing +was said to us as how we were prisoners, but we could see as how we +was jest as much captives as ef we'd been tied with buckskin ropes. + +"Jack and me talked it over and agreed as it was no manner o' use +trying to make our escape, but that as long as they chose to treat us +as guests we'd best seem perfectly contented and make no show of +considering as they was on the war-path; although, seeing as they had +no women or children with 'em, a baby could have known as they were +up to no good. + +"The next morning they started again at daybreak, and after paddling +some hours landed and hid away their canoes and started on foot. +Nothing was said to us, but we saw as we was expected to do as they +did. We went on till we was within ten mile of Detroit and then we +halted. I thought it were best to find out exactly how we stood, so +Jack and I goes up to the chief and says that as we was near Detroit +we would jest say good-by to him and tramp in. + +"'Why should my white brothers hurry?' he said. 'It is not good for +them to go on alone, for the woods are very full of Indians.' 'But,' +I said, 'the hatchet's buried between the whites and the redskins, so +there's no danger in the woods.' The chief waved his hand. 'My white +brothers have joined the Wyandots, and they will tarry with them +until they go into Detroit. There are many redskins there, and there +will be a grand palaver. The Wyandots will be present.' + +"Jack and me made no signs of being dissatisfied, but the position +weren't a pleasant one, I can tell you. Here was the redskins +a-clustering like bees around Detroit, ready to fall upon the +garrison and massacre 'em, and we, who was the only men as knew of +the danger, was prisoners among the redskins. It was sartin, too, +that though they mightn't take our lives till they had attacked the +garrison, they was only keeping us for the pleasure of torturing us +quietly arterward. The situation was plain enough; the question was, +what were to be done? There was about sixty of the varmints around us +sitting by their fires and looking as ef they didn't even know as we +was there, but we knew as sharp eyes was watching us and that, afore +we'd gone five yards, the hull lot would be on our track. + +"Jack and me didn't say much to each other, for we knew how closely +we was watched and didn't want 'em to think as we was planning our +escape, so after a few words we sat down by one of the fires till it +got time to lie down for the night; but we had both been a-thinking. +We saw, when we lay down, that the Injuns lay pretty well around us, +while two on 'em, with their rifles ready to hand, sat down by a fire +close by and threw on some logs, as if they intended to watch all +night. + +"It was a goodish-size clearing as they'd chose for a camping-ground, +and we should have had to run some distance afore we got to the +shelter of the trees. The moon too was up, and it were well-nigh as +light as day, and anxious as we was to git away, we agreed that there +were no chance of sliding off, but that it'd be better to wait till +next day. + +"When we woke our guns was gone. We complained to the chief, who said +coldly that his young men would carry the guns and give 'em back to +us when we got to Detroit. It were no use saying more, for he might +at any moment have ordered us to be bound, and it were better to keep +the use of our legs as long as we could. + +"For two days we stayed there, not seeing the shadow of a chance of +gitting away. Several redskin runners come in and spoke to the chief, +and we got more and more anxious to be off. We was still allowed to +walk about, provided we didn't go near the edge of the clearing; +whenever we went that way two Injuns, who kept guard by turns over +us, shouted to us to go no furder. + +"The third morning, after a runner had come in, the chief gave the +word for a move and we set out. We saw they wasn't taking the direct +line to Detroit, although still going in that direction, and after +two hours' marching through the woods we got down on to the Detroit +River. Here was a big encampment, and some three or four hundred +Shawnees and Delawares was gathered here. A chief come up to us as we +entered the open. He gave an order to the Wyandots, and in a minute +we was bound hand and foot, carried to a small wigwam, and chucked +down inside like two logs of wood. + +"After a little talk Jack and I agreed as after all we had a better +chance of escaping now than when we was watched by a hull tribe, and +we concluded that there weren't no time to be lost. The Wyandots had +no doubt been brought up in readiness to strike the blow, and even if +we'd known nothing about the belt we'd have been, sure that mischief +was intended when these three bands of red varmints had gathered so +close to the fort. It was sartin we couldn't do nothing till night, +but we both strained our cords as much as possible to get 'em to +stretch a bit and give us a better chance of slipping out of 'em. No +one come near us for some time, and as we could hear the sound of +voices we guessed that a great council was taking place, and we +agreed at once to loosen the knots, so as to be in readiness for +work, as like enough they'd put a sentry over us at night. + +"It was a risky thing to try, for we might be disturbed at any +minute. Still we thought it were our only chance, so Jack set to work +with his teeth at my knots and in a quarter of an hour had loosened +them; then I undone his. We unbound our thongs and then fastened 'em +up again so that to the eye they looked jest the same as before but +really with a jerk they'd fall off. + +"I must teach you how to do that, Harold, some time; ye may find it +of use. The knots was tied up as tightly as before, and it would have +needed a close examination to see that we was not tied as tight as +ever. Not a word was spoken and, we was as quiet as mice, for we +could hear two redskins talking outside. You may guess we was pretty +slick about it; and I don't know as ever I felt so thankful as when +we laid ourselves down again, jest as we had been throwed, without +the slit in the tent having opened and a red face peered in. + +"A quarter of an hour later a redskin come in and looked at us. +Seeing, as it seemed to him, as we hadn't moved, he went out again. +Jest before nightfall two on 'em came in together, rolled us over, +and looked at the knots; they found as these was all right; then one +sat down jest in the door of the tent and the other took his place +outside. We waited some hours. + +"At last the fires burned low and the camp got quiet. We knew it was +well-nigh hopeless to wait for 'em all to be asleep, for redskin +natur' is a restless one, and especially when there's anything on +hand they'll turn out two or three times in the night to smoke their +pipes by the fires, and they'd be the more restless since, as we'd +seen, there was only four or five wigwams and all would be sleeping +on the ground. At last I thought the time were come and gave Jack a +nudge, and we both sat up. + +"It were a ticklish moment, young un, I can tell ye, for we knew that +it were scarce possible to get off without the alarm being raised. Ef +the wigwam had stood close to the edge of the forest it would have +been compar'tively easy, for once among the trees we might have hoped +to have outrun 'em, though the moon was so pesky bright; but +unfortunately it was built not far from the river, and we should have +to cross the hull clearing to gain the woods. The chances weren't +good, I can tell you, but it was clear as we had to try 'em. We had +purposely moved about pretty often, so that our movements would not +attract the attention of the Injun now. It didn't take a minute to +slip out of the cords, which, tight as they looked, really were not +fastened at all, there being two loose double ends between our arms +and our bodies. We could see the outside sentry through the open +door, and we waited till he turned his back and looked out on the +river. Then suddenly I gripped the redskin sitting at the entrance by +the neck with both my hands, pretty tight, as you may reckon, and +Jack ketched his knife from his belt and buried it in his body. + +"That was soon over, and not a sound made as would have startled a +mouse. Then, standing up, I made a spring on to the sentry, while +Jack used his knife as before. We let him drop softly down and +prepared to bolt, when of a sudden the war-whoop sounded not twenty +feet away. One of the redskins, finding the ground hard, I suppose, +was strolling up to speak to the sentry when he saw us tackle him. +For a moment he were too much surprised to holler, but when he did he +gave a yell as brought the hull tribe to their feet. Jack had taken +up the sentry's rifle. + +"'Ye'd better have held yer tongue,' he said as he leveled on the +redskin, and before the whoop was out of his lips the bullet hit him +and he went down like a log. It didn't need to look round to see as +there was no chance of getting to the trees, for two hundred redskins +was between us and them. 'We must take to the river, Jack,' I said. +It were but thirty yards away. I expected every moment, as we run, to +hear the rifle bullets whistle round us, but I guess Pontiac had +given orders that no gun was to be fired lest it might be heard at +the fort. Anyhow, not a shot was fired and we got down safe to the +bank." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +THE SCOUT'S STORY. + +"Luckily enough there was a canoe lying close at our feet. 'Shove it +out, Jack,' says I, 'and then keep along the bank.' We gave it a +shove with all our strength and sent it dancing out into the river. +Then we dived in and swum down close under the bank. There was bushes +growing all along, and we came up each time under 'em. The redskins +was some little distance behind us as we reached the river, and in +course thought we had throwed ourselves flat in the canoe. In a +minute or two they got another and paddled off to it, and we soon +heard the shout they raised when they found it was empty. By this +time we was a hundred yards below the spot where we had taken to the +water, and knowing as they would be off along the bank and would find +us in no time, we scrambled straight up and made for the trees. + +"We was within fifty yards of the edge of the forest, and none of the +redskins was near us, as the hull body Had clustered down at the spot +where we had jumped in. We hadn't fairly set foot on the bank afore +they saw us and, with a whoop--which sometimes wakes me even now in +my sleep and makes me sit up with the sweat on my forehead--they +started. I could run faster then than I can now, and ye may guess I +went my best. We plunged into the trees and went as hard as we could +foot it, the redskins being fifty or sixty yards behind. + +"Our hope was to find a place with a thickish underwood. It was +darker a deal under the trees than in the clearing, still it was not +dark enough to hide us from redskin eyes. We run straight, for we +knew they could see us, and arter about four hundred yards we come +upon a place where the undergrowth grew thick. Here we began to dodge +'em, turning now one way and now another, keeping always low in the +bushes. They had lost us by sight now, but there was so many of 'em +that we pretty nigh despaired of getting through. Some of 'em had +tried to follow us, but the best part had run straight on for a bit, +and then, when sure they had headed us, scattered right and left, so +that they were ahead of us now as well as on our traces, and we could +hear 'em shouting all round us, so we did the only thing there was to +be done and made the best of our way back to the clearing, keeping +low and taking good care not to cross any patch where the moonlight +through the trees fell on the ground. + +"It were lucky for us that it was a camp of braves. Had it been an +ordinary redskin encampment there would have been squaws, and boys, +and wuss still, dogs, who would have seed us the moment we got back; +but being all braves on the war-path the hull gang had started arter +us, and not a soul had remained in the clearing. We did not rest +there long, you may be sure, but made straight down to the water. +There we picked out a canoe, crossed the river, and got into the +shade of the trees the other side. Then we kept along down it till we +got close to the fort of Detroit. + +"We could see a good many smoldering fires out afore it, and guessed +that a strong body of redskins, pretending to be friends, had camped +there. We made round 'em and reached the gate of the fort safe. The +sentries wouldn't let us in, but when a sergeant was fetched it +turned out as he knew us, seeing that we had been scouting out from +thar in the summer. Pretty thankful we was when the gate closed arter +us. Our news would keep, so we waited till morning afore we saw the +major, and then told him the whole history of the matter, and how +Pontiac had raised all the tribes east of the Mississippi against us. + +"We found that Pontiac had been into the camp with fifty of his +warriors three days afore, professing great friendship, and had said +that in two or three days he would call again and pay a formal visit. + +"Detroit then was but a trading post, defended by a stockade twenty +feet high and twelve hundred yards in circumference. About fifty +houses of traders and storekeepers stood within it. The garrison was +composed of 120 men of the Eighteenth Regiment and 8 officers. They +had three guns--two six-pounders, and a three-pounder--and three +mortars, but their carriages was so old and rotten that they was of +no real service. Two vessels, mounting some small guns, lay in the +river off the fort. The governor was a good soldier, but he was +naturally startled at hearing that there was something like a +thousand redskins in the woods round; but he said that now he had +warning he was not afraid of 'em. A messenger was sent off in a canoe +to carry the tidings east and to ask for re-enforcements, and the +traders was all told to get their arms ready. + +"At eight o'clock in the morning Pontiac was seen a-coming with three +hundred warriors. There had been no declaration of war, and the +redskins was supposed to be friendly, so the major didn't like to be +the first to commence hostilities, as folks who knew nothing of it +might likely enough have raised an outcry about massacring the poor +Injuns. Howsumever, he called all the troops under arms and disposed +'em behind the houses. The traders, too, with their rifles, were +drawn up ready. The gates was opened when Pontiac arrived, and he and +his warriors entered. They had left their rifles behind them, as they +pretended that their mission was a peaceful one, but they had all got +their tomahawks and knives under their blankets. They advanced in a +body toward where Major Gladwin and his officers was standing in +front of his quarters. + +"Jack and me and two or three scouts who happened to be in the fort +stood just behind, careless like, with our rifles, so that, in case +of any sudden attack, we could keep them back for a moment or two. I +noticed that Pontiac carried in his hand a wampum belt. I noticed it +because it was green on one side and white on the other, and it +turned out arterward that when he twisted that belt with two hands it +was to be the signal for an attack. + +"Pontiac spoke soft for a time. He was a fine redskin; that can't be +denied. He was a Catawba by birth, but had been adopted into the +tribe of Ottawas and had risen to be their chief. He were a great +brave and one of the best speakers I ever heard. He was a wise chief, +as you may guess by the way he got all the tribes to lay aside their +private quarrels and make common cause against us. I watched him +close. He kept his eyes on the major and spoke as cool and as calm as +if he had nothing on his mind; but I could see the warrior glancing +about, wondering, no doubt, what had become of the soldiers. +Presently the chief changed his tone and began to pretend as he was +in a rage at some grievance or other. + +"The major jest put his whistle to his lips, and in a moment from +behind the houses the soldiers and traders marched out, rifle in +hand. You never saw a more disgusted crew than them redskins. I'll do +Pontiac justice to say that he never so much as moved, but jest went +on talking as if he hadn't noticed the troops at all. The major +answered him in the same way, and after half an hour's talk the +redskins went out again without so much as a knife having been shown. +Major Gladwin gave Jack and me papers testifying as how we had saved +Detroit from destruction, and sent an account of it to Governor +Amherst, and to this day Jack and me draws special pensions for that +'ere business, besides what we earned as British scouts." + +"That was an adventure, Peter!" Harold said. "They did not take +Detroit after all, did they?" "No; we beat 'em off handsome when +they tried it. Then they laid siege to Fort Pitt and tried very hard +there, too, but the place held out till some troops who had come up +marched out from here and raised the siege. At some of the little +places they succeeded. Lots of settlers was massacred. At Fort +Sandusky Ensign Paulli and the garrison was massacred by a party of +Hurons and Ottawas who come in as friends. This was on the same day +as they had intended to do for us at Detroit. + +"At St. Joseph's an English ensign with fourteen soldiers was killed +by the Pottawatomies, but nowhere did Pontiac obtain any real +successes. The French in Illinois were preparing to leave, and he +couldn't git no assistance from them. After the siege of Fort Pitt +was raised peace was patched up again. Pontiac's confederacy, finding +as they hadn't got none of the successes he promised 'em, was +beginning to break up, and the English saw no chance of doing any +good by hunting the redskins among the forests, so both parties was +willing for peace. + +"Pontiac never gave any more trouble, and some years arterward, +coming into one of the towns, he was killed by an Injun who had a +private grudge agin' him. And now I'm longing for a quiet pipe, and +you'd better turn in. There's no saying whether we'll have a quiet +night of it". + +A fortnight passed without further incident. Then the sky became +overcast, and Peter and the Indians agreed that snow would soon fall. +All hands were at once set to work to make up their stores into +packages. The deerskins and blankets were tied in bundles; besides +these there were only two kegs of powder and about two hundred pounds +of frozen fish. + +Harold was in high glee at the thought that their imprisonment was to +come to an end, although there was no doubt that the attempt would be +a hazardous one, as the backwoodsmen were sure that the instant the +snow began to fall the Indians would be out in great numbers round +the island, to prevent the defenders taking advantage of the storm. + +Several times Harold observed the two backwoodsmen talking with the +Seneca chief and looking at the sky, and he thought that their +countenances expressed some anxiety. + +"What is it, Peter?" he asked at length. "Don't you think we shall +have a snowstorm?" + +"We may have snow," Peter said, "but I think it's more than a +snowstorm that's coming. The clouds are flying past very fast, and it +seems to me as ef we're in for a big gale of wind." + +"But that will drift the snow and cover our footsteps almost as well +as a snowstorm," Harold said. + +"Yes, it 'll do all that," the scout answered. + +"What is the objection to it, Peter?" + +"In the first place, lad, ef it don't snow we may stop where we are, +for there'd be no chance of getting through the Injuns unless it +snowed so thick you couldn't see five feet away. It'll be difficult +enough, anyhow. There'll be four or five hundred of the varmints out, +for they'll bring even their boys with 'em, so as to form a pretty +close line round the island. Our only chance'll be for the Senecas to +go first, and to silence, afore they can give the alarm, any they +might meet on our line. That might be done in a heavy snowstorm, but +without snow it would be impossible. In the next place, even if we +got through 'em, we'd have to carry our canoe." + +"Why?" Harold asked, surprised. "What good could the canoe be to us, +with the lake frozen hard?" + +"You see, the wind is on the shore here, lad, and when it does blow +on these lakes it blows fit to take the har off your head. It's as +much as a man can do to make way agin' it, and I doubt whether the +gals could face it, even with our help. As to carrying a canoe in its +teeth, it couldn't be done." + +"But why carry the canoe at all, Peter? That's what I cannot +understand." + +"Waal, you see, lad, the force of the wind acting on sech a big sheet +of ice will move it, and like enough you'd see it piled up in a bank +forty feet high on this side of the lake, and there'll be a strip of +clear water half a mile wide on the other. That's why we must take +the canoe." + +Harold was silent. In the face of such a probability it was clear +that they must encumber themselves with the canoe. + +The prevision of the scout proved well founded. Before evening the +wind was blowing with tremendous force. Small flakes of snow were +driven before it, inflicting stinging blows on the face and eyes of +those who ventured out of shelter. As it became dark the lookout +announced that he could, see large numbers of Indians starting from +the shore at some distance to the right and left of them, showing +that the redskins were fully alive to the possibility of the garrison +of the island taking advantage of the storm, which would hide their +trail, to effect their escape. + +Every hour the fury of the gale increased, and it was unanimously +agreed that until it diminished it would be impossible for the girls, +and for men carrying a canoe, to face it. + +Two men were placed on watch at the mouth of the cove, where mines +similar to the first had been sunk in the ice in a semicircle some +little distance outside that before exploded. This precaution had +been taken on the day succeeding the great repulse of the enemy, +although the scouts felt assured that the attempt would not be +repeated. But it was thought possible that the Indians might toward +morning, if they found the whites did not attempt to pass them, take +advantage of the storm to attempt a surprise. + +After it became dark Cameron and Harold, as was their custom, went +into the girls' hut to chat until it was time to turn in. The +deerskin and blankets had again been unrolled, and the covering of +snow kept the interior warm in spite of the storm without. + +"What is that noise?" Nelly asked in a pause of the conversation. + +"I don't know," Harold answered. "I have heard it for some time." + +All were silent, intent upon listening. Even above the fury of the +gale a dull grinding sound, with occasional crashes, could be heard. + +"I think it must be the ice," Harold said. "I will go out and see." + +On issuing from the hut he was for a time blinded by the force of the +wind and the flying particles of snow. The din was tremendous. He +made his way with difficulty in the teeth of the storm to the edge of +the rocks. Then he started in surprise. A great bank of cakes and +fragments of ice was heaped up against the wall of the rock, crashing +and grinding against each other as they were pressed onward by fresh +additions from beyond. Already the bank was nearly level with the top +of the rock, and some of the vast blocks, two feet in thickness, had +been thrust on to it. The surface of the lake beyond was no longer a +brilliant white. Every particle of snow had been swept away and the +dull gray of the rough ice lay unbroken. + +He made his way at once to the hut of the men, and just as he reached +the entrance Peter (who had also been out to reconnoiter) came up, +and before Harold had turned to speak he put his head into the hut. + +"Turn out!" he said. "I tell ye we're in a fix. This aint no common +gale. I don't know as ever I've been in a worse one." + +"What's the use of turning out?" Pearson asked. "We can't do nothing, +and it's warmer here a sight than it is outside." + +"I tell ye ye've got to go. The ice is breaking up fast and it's +level with the top of the island already. Unless I'm mistaken +there'll be forty foot of ice piled over this island afore an hour." + +This was, indeed, alarming news. And in a minute the occupants of the +hut were all in the open air. + +"You can call in your scouts, Seneca. There aint no fear of an attack +to-night. No mortal soul--not even an Injun--could stand the force of +the wind out on the lake." + +A very short examination sufficed to show the truth of Peter's +anticipations. + +Already the upper part of the bank was sliding over the rock, and it +was clear that in a very short time the whole would be covered. + +"What is to be done, Peter?" Harold shouted. + +"We must take to the canoe. There's clear water on the other side." + +Harold crossed the island and saw that what Peter said was correct. A +broad strip of black water stretched away in the darkness toward the +shore. The whole ice-sheet was moving bodily before the wind, and as +the island stood up in its course the ice to windward of it was +forced up over it, while under its lee the lake was clear. Not a +moment was lost. The canoe was got out, carried over the rocks, and +carefully lowered into the water under shelter of the island. All the +stores and provisions were lowered into it. A deerskin was spread on +the bottom, and the girls, having been helped down into the boat, +were told to lie down and were then covered with blankets. The men +wrapped themselves up in skins and blankets and took their places in +the canoe, the four Indians taking paddles. + +Quickly as the preparations had been made, there were but a few feet +of the island uncovered by the ice, as the last man descended into +the boat and they pushed off and, after a couple of strokes, lay with +the boat's head facing toward the island at a distance of fifty yards +from it. Although somewhat sheltered from the wind, the Indians were +obliged to paddle hard to maintain their position. Harold wondered at +first that they had not kept closer to the island, but he soon +understood their reason for keeping at a distance. The massive blocks +of ice, pressed forward by, the irresistible force behind, began to +shoot from the top of the island into the water, gliding far on +beneath the surface with the impetus of the fall, and then shooting +up again with a force which would have destroyed the canoe at once +had they touched it. + +Soon a perfect cataract of ice was falling. Peter and Pearson took +their places on each side of the bow of the canoe, with poles to push +off the pieces as they drifted before the gale toward the shore. The +work required the utmost strength and care. One touch from the +sharp-edged blocks would have ripped open the side of the bark canoe +like a knife, and in the icy cold water, encumbered by floating +fragments of ice, even the best swimmer could not have gained the +solid ice. The peril was great, and it needed all the strength and +activity of the white men and the skill of the paddlers to avoid the +danger which momentarily threatened them. So quickly did the blocks +float down upon them that Pearson thought it might be impossible to +avoid them all. The skins, therefore, were hung round the boat, +dropping some inches into the water, and these, although they could +not have prevented the boat from being stove in, by the larger +fragments, yet protected its sides from the contact of the smaller +ones. + +For upward of an hour the struggle continued, and Harold felt +something like despair at the thought of a long night passed in such +a struggle. Presently sounds like the booming of cannon were heard +above the gale. + +"What is that?" he shouted to the Seneca chief, next to whom he was +sitting. + +"Ice break up," the chief replied. "Break up altogether." + +This proved to be the case. As the ice was driven away from the +further side of the lake the full force of the wind played upon the +water there, and as the streak widened a heavy sea soon got up. The +force of the swell extended under the ice, aiding the effect of the +wind above, and the vast sheet began to break up. The reports +redoubled in strength, and frequently the ice was seen to heave and +swell. Then, with a sound like thunder, it broke and great cakes were +forced one on the top of another, and soon, instead of a level plain +of ice, a chaos of blocks were tossing about on the waves. + +Harold watched the change with anxiety. No longer was the channel on +either side marked by regular defined lines, but floating pieces +encroached upon it, and, looking toward the shore, the channel +appeared to be altogether lost. The danger was overwhelming, but the +Indians, paddling with increased strength, urged the boat forward +until within a few yards of the island. + +A few minutes before such an approach would have assured the +immediate destruction of the boat. But Harold saw with surprise that, +almost simultaneously with the breaking up of the ice-sheet, the fall +of blocks from the island had ceased. A moment's reflection showed +him the reason of this phenomenon. With the break-up of the ice-field +the pressure from behind had suddenly ceased. No longer were the +blocks piled on the island pushed forward by the tremendous pressure +of the ice-field. The torrent was stayed and they could approach the +island with safety. As soon as they were assured that this was so the +canoe was brought close to the rocks. + +Pearson leaped ashore, climbed the rocks and the ice piled twenty +feet above them, and with his pole convinced himself that at this +point there were no loose blocks likely to fall. Having satisfied +himself on this head, he descended again and took his place in the +boat. This was moored by a rope a few feet long to a bush growing +from a fissure in the rock close to the water's edge. He and Peter +remained on watch with their poles, to fend off any pieces of ice +which might be brought round by the waves, while the rest of the +crew, wrapping themselves up in their blankets, lay down at the +bottom of the boat. + +The next morning the storm still raged, and the lake presented the +appearance of an angry sea. Sheltered under the lee of the island, +the party were protected from its effects, although the light canoe +rose and fell on the heavy swell. The ice had wholly disappeared from +the lake, the pieces having been ground to atoms against each other +in the storm. Along the line of shore there was a great bank of ice +as high as the tree-tops. + +"The ways of the Lord are won'erful," Duncan Cameron said. "The storm +which threatened to be our destruction has proved our salvation. When +it abates we shall be able to paddle down the lake without fear of +interruption." + +"Yes," Peter said, "the varmints are not likely to follow us. In the +first place, unless they thought of taking their canoes into the +forest when the storm first began, which aint likely, as they was +a-thinking only of cutting off our escape, they'd 've been smashed +into tinder. In the second place, they couldn't ketch us if they had +canoes, for, as we've eight paddles, counting them we made out of the +seats when we was on shore, we'd be able to laugh at 'em. And lastly, +they've had such a taste of the quality of our rifles that, even if +they had a dozen canoes on hand, I doubt if they'd care to attack us. +No, sir; when this storm's over we have nothing to do but paddle down +to the settlements at the other end of the lake." + +Toward the afternoon the storm abated, and next morning the sun was +shining brilliantly and the waves had gone down sufficiently to +enable the canoe to start on her voyage. + +"Now, boys," Pearson said cheerfully, "ef ye don't want to git froze +up again you'd best be sharp, for I can tell ye about thirty-six +hours of this weather and the lake'll be solid again." + +Five minutes later the canoe with its eight sturdy paddlers started +on its way, speeding like an arrow from the ice-covered island which +had done them such good service in their greatest need. + +"Now, Jake," Peter said, "the more strength you put into that paddle +of yourn the sooner you'll have a piece of meat atween your jaws." + +The negro grinned. + +"Don't talk ob him, Massa Peter; don't say a word about him until I +see him. Fish bery good when dere's noting else to eat, but Jake +never want to see him again. He hab eat quite enough for the rest ob +his life." + +Cameron, who was not accustomed to the use of the paddle, sat in the +stern with the two girls; but the others were all used to the +exercise, and the boat literally bounded along at each stroke from +the sinewy arms, and by nightfall they had reached the opposite +shore. After some hours' work together two of them had rested, and +from that time they took it by turns, six paddles being kept +constantly going. + +Without any adventure they arrived safely at the end of the lake. The +clearing where Nelly had lived so long, and where her father and +mother had been killed, was passed in the night, much to Harold's +satisfaction, as he was afraid that she would have been terribly +upset at the many sad memories which the sight of the place could not +but call up. On their way down they had seen many gaps in the forest +caused by the gale, but it was not until they reached their landing +place that the full effect of its destructive force was visible. +Several scows and other boats lay wrecks upon the shore, every house +in the little village was leveled to the ground, the orchards were +ruined, palings and fences torn down, and the whole place strewn with +fragments. + +A few people were moving among the ruins. They gazed with a dull +apathy upon the new-comers, apparently dazed by the misfortune that +had befallen them. Harold learned, on questioning them, that +twenty-seven persons had been killed and the majority of the +survivors more or less seriously injured. With the exception of the +few whom they saw, about all the survivors had been taken off to the +town in boats down the river, or in wagons lent by neighbors whose +villages, sheltered in the woods, had escaped the ravages of the +gale. After a few hours' halt, having obtained meat and other stores, +they proceeded on their way to Detroit. + +Here Nelly had several friends, who had long believed her to have +fallen at the massacre at the farm. By them she was gladly received, +and she took up her abode in a family with some daughters of her own +age. Harold found that there was a considerable sum of money in the +bank in her father's name, and from this, after a consultation with +her, a sum of money sufficient to provide the Seneca and his +followers with blankets, powder, and Indian finery for years was +drawn and bestowed upon them. + +A day or two afterward the Indians left for their own country, highly +gratified with the success of the expedition and proud of the +numerous scalps which hung from each of their girdles. + +Harold learned that there was but little fighting going on along the +Canadian frontier. The winter had set in again with extreme severity; +the St. Lawrence would be frozen, and he would have no means of +leaving Canada; he was therefore well content to settle down until +the spring at Detroit, where he received numerous and hearty +invitations to stay, for any time, from the various friends of his +cousins. Jake, of course, remained with him. Peter went up to +Montreal, where he had some relatives residing; Harold promising to +call for him on his way East in the spring. Pearson, after a few +days' stay in Detroit, started again with a comrade on a hunting +expedition. Cameron and his daughter also spent the winter at +Detroit. + +The months passed very pleasantly to Harold. Since the war began he +had had no period of rest or quiet, and he now entered with zest into +the various amusements, sleighing, and dancing, which helped to while +away the long winter in America. He also joined in many hunting +parties, for in those days game abounded up to the very edge of the +clearings. Moose were abundant, and the hunt of these grand deer was +full of excitement. Except when the snow is on the ground these +animals can defy their pursuers, but the latter with their snowshoes +go lightly over the frozen snow, in which the moose sink heavily. + +There were many discussions as to the future of Nelly. Several of her +friends would gladly have adopted her as a member of their family, +but Harold warmly urged that she should go to England and take up her +abode with his mother, who was her nearest relative, and Nelly, +somewhat to the surprise of her friends, finally agreed to this +proposal. A purchaser was readily found for the farm, which was an +excellent one, and the proceeds of the sale, with the amount of +savings in the bank, gave her a little fortune of some twenty-five +hundred pounds. + +When the spring came and the navigation of the lake was open, Harold, +Nelly, the Camerons, and Jake started in a ship for Montreal. There +they were joined by Peter and sailed down to Quebec, where Nelly and +the Camerons took passage for England. Very deep was the gratitude +which Duncan expressed to the friends who had restored his daughter +to him. He had had enough of the colonies, and intended to spend the +rest of his life among his own people in Scotland. Harold, Peter, and +Jake sailed to join the English army in the South. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH. + +After the surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga the English +Parliament made another effort to obtain peace, and passed an act +renouncing all rights to tax the colonists and yielding every point +as to which they had been in dispute. Commissioners were sent over +with full authority to treat, and had the colonists been ready +nominally to submit to England, a virtual independence, similar to +that possessed by Canada and the Australian colonies at the present +time, would have been granted. As a very large body of the Americans +had from the first been desirous of coming to terms, and as the +paralyzed state of trade caused great and general distress, it is +probable that these terms might have been accepted had it not been +for the intervention of France. That power had all along encouraged +the rebellion. She had smarted under the loss of Canada, and although +her rule in her own colonies was far more arbitrary than that of +England in America, she was glad to assist in any movement which +could operate to the disadvantage of this country. Hitherto, +nominally she had remained neutral, but now, fearing that the offers +of the English would induce the colonists to make peace, she came +forward, recognized their independence, and engaged herself to +furnish a large fleet for their assistance. + +The colonists joyfully accepted the offer, seeing that the +intervention of France in the struggle would completely alter its +conditions. Heretofore the British had been enabled to send over men +and stores at will, but were they blockaded by a French fleet their +difficulties would be immensely increased. + +As there had been no cause of quarrel between England and France, +this agreement was an act of wanton hostility on the part of the +latter. On obtaining information of the signature of the treaty +between France and the colonies, the English ambassador was recalled +from Paris and both countries prepared vigorously for war. + +The first result was that the English deemed it prudent to evacuate +Philadelphia and retreat to New York. Washington endeavored to cut +off their retreat, and a battle took place at Freehold Court House, +in which the Americans were worsted. Washington drew off his army, +and the British army continued its march to New York without further +opposition. Early in May the French sent off a fleet of twelve ships +of the line and six frigates, carrying a large number of troops +commanded by Count D'Estaing. An English fleet, under Admiral Byron, +was lying at Portsmouth, and this sailed on June 9 in pursuit; for it +was not until that time that information was received of the intended +destination of the French fleet. + +D'Estaing reached the American coast upon the very day on which the +English army re-entered New York, and after making a demonstration +before that town the French fleet sailed for Rhode Island to expel +the British troops, under Sir Robert Pigott, who held it. + +Lord Howe sailed with the fleet from New York to give battle to that +of D'Estaing. For two days the fleets maneuvered in sight of each +other. Howe, being inferior in force, wished to gain the +weather-gauge before fighting. Failing to do this, on the third day +he offered battle, but a tremendous storm prevented the engagement +and dispersed both fleets. The French vessels retired to Boston and +the English to New York. + +Taking advantage of the departure of the French fleet, Sir Robert +attacked the American force, which had crossed to Rhode Island to act +with the French, and drove them from it. While crossing the Atlantic +the fleet under Admiral Byron had met with a tremendous storm, which +had entirely dispersed it, and the vessels arrived singly at New +York. When their repairs were completed the whole set out to give +battle to the French, but D'Estaing, finding that by the junction of +the two English fleets he was now menaced by a superior force, sailed +away to the West Indies. + +After his departure an expedition was sent down along the coast to +Georgia and East Florida. This met with great success. Savannah was +captured and the greater part of South Carolina was occupied. The +majority of the inhabitants joyfully welcomed the troops and many +companies of volunteers were raised. + +Harold had arrived in New York early in the spring. He had been +offered a commission, but he preferred remaining with his two +comrades in the position of scout. In this way he had far greater +independence, and while enjoying pay and rations sufficient for his +maintenance, he was to a great extent master of his own movements. At +an earlier period of the war he was offered by General Howe a +commission in the army, and his father would have been glad had he +accepted it. Harold, however, although determined to fight until the +struggle between the colonists and the mother country came to an end +one way or the other, had no great liking for the life of an officer +in the regular army, but had resolved at the conclusion of the war to +settle down upon a farm on the lakes--a life for which he felt far +more fitted than for the strict discipline and regularity of that of +an officer in the army. + +As, with the exception of the attack by the French fleet and American +army upon Rhode Island, both parties remained quiet all through the +summer of 1778, the year passed uneventfully to him, and the duties +of the scouts were little more than nominal. During the winter +fighting went on in the Carolinas and Georgia with varied success. + +In the spring of 1779 Harold and his comrades were, with a party of +scouts, sent down to Georgia, where constant skirmishes were going on +and the services of a body of men accustomed to outpost duty were +required. They were landed in May and joined General Prevost's force +on the island of St. John, situated close to the mainland and +connected with it by a bridge of boats, at the end of which on the +mainland a post had been erected. Shortly afterward General Prevost +left for Savannah, taking with him most of the troops, which were +carried away in the sloops which had formed the bridge of boats. On +the American side General Lincoln commanded a considerable army, +which had been dispatched by Congress to drive the English from that +State and the Carolinas. + +Lieutenant Colonel Maitland, who commanded the post on the mainland, +was left with only a flat-boat to keep up his communication with the +island. He had under his command the first battalion of the +Seventy-first Highlanders, now much weakened in numbers, part of a +Hessian regiment, some provincial volunteers, and a detachment of +artillery, the whole not exceeding 500 effective men. Hearing that +General Lincoln was advancing against him, Colonel Maitland sent all +his sick, baggage, and horses across to the island, and placed the +post as far as possible in a defensive position. Most of the scouts +who had come down from New York had accompanied General Prevost to +Savannah, but Harold, with Peter Lambton, Jake, and three or four +others, had been ordered to remain with Colonel Maitland, and were +sent out to reconnoiter when the enemy were known to be approaching. + +"This is something like our old work, Peter, upon Lake Champlain," +Harold said, as with his two comrades he took his way in the +direction from which the enemy were advancing. + +"Ay, lad, but they've none of the redskins with 'em, and there'll be +no great difficulty in finding out all about 'em. Besides, we've got +Jake with us, and jest about here Jake can do better nor we can. +Niggers swarm all over the country and are as ready to work for one +side as the other, jest as their masters go. All Jake has got to do +is to dress himself as a plantation nigger and stroll into their +camp. No question will be asked him, as he will naturally be taken +for a slave on some neighboring estate. What do you say, Jake?" + +Jake at once assented, and when they approached the enemy he left his +comrades and carried their plan into execution. He was away six +hours, and returned saying that the enemy were 5000 strong, with +eight pieces of artillery. + +"We must hurry back," Peter said. "Them are big odds agin' us. Ef all +our troops was regulars, I don't say as they might not hold the +place; but I don't put much count on the Germans, and the colonists +aint seen no fighting. However, Colonel Maitland seems a first-rate +officer. He has been real sharp in putting the place into a state of +defense, and I reckon ef the Yankees thinks as they're going to eat +us up without trouble they'll be mistaken." + +Jake reported that the enemy were on the point of marching forward, +and the scouts hurried back to give Colonel Maitland news of their +coming. + +It was late in the afternoon when they reached the post. + +"At what time do you think they will arrive here?" the colonel asked, +when Jake had made his report. "Dey be pretty close by dark, for +sure," Jake replied. + +"But I don't think, sir," Peter added, "they'll attack before +morning. They wouldn't be likely to try it in the dark, not knowing +the nature of the place." + +The commander was of the same opinion, but to prevent the possibility +of surprise he placed pickets at some distance round the fort, the +scouts being, of course, of the party. + +The night passed quietly, but at seven in the morning Peter, Harold, +and Jake, who were at some distance in advance of the others, saw the +enemy approaching. They fired their pieces and fell back upon the +outposts. Their position was rather to the right of the line of +defense. The pickets were about to fall back when 70 men, being two +companies of the Seventy-first under Captain Campbell, were sent out +to feel the enemy. + +"We're going to have a skirmish," Peter said. "I know these +Highlanders. Instead of jest firing a bit and then falling back, +they'll be sticking here and fighting as if they thought they could +lick the hull army of the Yankees." + +It was as Peter predicted. The Highlanders took post behind a hedge +and maintained a desperate resistance to the advance of the enemy. +Harold and his comrades for some time fought with them. + +"It's time for us to be out of this," Peter said presently. "Let's +jest get back to the fort." + +"We cannot fall back till they do, Peter" + +"I don't see that," Peter said. "We're scouts, and I don't see no +advantage in our chucking away our lives because these hot-headed +Highlanders choose to do so. Peter Lambton's ready to do a fair share +of fighting, but when he's sure that fighting aint no good, then he +goes." + +And suiting the action to the word, Peter rose from his recumbent +position and began to make his way back to the camp, taking advantage +of every bit of cover. + +Harold could not help laughing. For an instant he remained +irresolute, and then, seeing the overwhelming forces with which the +enemy were approaching, he called to Jake and followed Peter's +example. So obstinately did the Highlanders fight that they did not +retreat until all their officers were killed or wounded, and only 11 +men out of the two companies succeeded in regaining the camp. + +The whole force of the enemy now advanced against the works, and +halting at a distance of three hundred yards opened a tremendous fire +from their cannon on the intrenchments. The defenders replied, but so +overwhelming was the force of the assailants that the Hessians +abandoned the portion of the works committed to them and fell back. + +The enemy pressed forward and had already gained the foot of the +abattis, when Colonel Maitland brought up a portion of the +Seventy-first upon the right, and these gallant troops drove the +Americans back with slaughter. Colonel Maitland and his officers then +threw themselves among the Hessians and succeeded in rallying them +and bringing them back to the front. The provincial volunteers had +also fought with great bravery. They had for a time been pressed +backward, but finally maintained their position. + +The Americans, finding that all their efforts to carry the post were +unavailing, fell back to the forest. On the English side the loss +amounted to 129. The Americans fought in the open and suffered much +more heavily. + +The position of matters was suddenly changed by the arrival of Count +D'Estaing with a fleet of forty-one ships-of-war off the coast. The +American general, Lincoln, at once proposed to him to undertake a +combined movement to force the English to quit Georgia. The arrival +of the French fleet was wholly unexpected, and the _Experiment_, a +frigate of fifty guns, commanded by Sir James Wallace, having two or +three ships under his convoy, fell in with them off the mouth of the +Savannah River. Although the _Experiment_ had been much crippled by a +gale through which she had recently passed, Sir James Wallace would +not haul down his flag and opposed a desperate resistance to the +whole of the French fleet, and did not surrender until the +_Experiment_ was completely dismasted and riddled with shot. + +Upon the news that the French fleet was off the mouth of the river, +Captain Henry, who commanded the little squadron of four small +English ships, fell back to Savannah after removing all the buoys +from the river. He landed his guns from the ships and mounted them on +the batteries, and the marines and blue-jackets were also put on +shore to assist in the defense. Two of the brigs of war were sunk +across the channel below the town to prevent the French frigates +coming up. A boom was laid across above the town to prevent +fire-rafts from being sent down. + +D'Estaing landed the French troops at the mouth of the river, and, +marching to the town, summoned General Prevost to surrender. The +English commander, who had sent off a messenger to Colonel Maitland, +ordering him to march instantly to his assistance with the force +under him, which now amounted to 800 men, asked for twenty-four hours +before giving an answer. D'Estaing, who knew that General Lincoln was +close at hand, made sure that Prevost would surrender without +resistance, and so granted the time asked for. Before its expiration +Colonel Maitland, after a tremendous march, arrived at the town. As +the French commanded the mouth of the river he had been obliged to +transport his troops in boats through the marshes by a little creek, +which for two miles was so shallow that the troops were forced to +wade waist-deep, dragging the boats by main force through the mud. + +Upon the arrival of this re-enforcement General Prevost returned an +answer to Count D'Estaing that the town would be defended to the +last. Some time was spent by the enemy in landing and bringing up +heavy artillery from the ships, and the French and Americans did not +begin their works against the town until September 23. The garrison +had utilized the time thus afforded to them to erect new defenses. +The allied force of the assailants consisted of more than 10,000 +Americans and 5000 French troops, while the garrison, including +regulars, provincial corps, sailors, militia, and volunteers, did not +exceed 2500. + +Nevertheless, they did not allow the enemy to carry on their work +without interruption. Several sorties were made. The first of these, +under Major Graham of the Sixteenth Regiment, reached the lines of +the enemy and threw them into confusion. Large re-enforcements came +up to their assistance, and as Graham's detachment fell back upon the +town, the enemy incautiously pursued it so close up to the British +lines that both artillery and musketry were brought to bear upon +them, and they lost a large number of men before they could regain +their works. On the morning of October 4 the batteries of the +besiegers opened fire with fifty-three pieces of heavy artillery and +fourteen mortars. General Prevost sent in a request to Count +D'Estaing that the women and children might be permitted to leave the +town and embark on board vessels lying in the river, there to await +the issue of the fight; but the French commander refused the request +in a letter couched in insulting terms. + +The position of Savannah was naturally strong. The river protected +one of its sides and a deep swamp, partially flooded by it, covered +another. The other two were open to the country, which in front of +them was for several miles level and clear of wood. The works which +had been thrown up on these sides were extremely strong. When the +French first landed there were but ten pieces of cannon upon the +fortifications, but so incessantly did the garrison work that before +the conclusion of the siege nearly one hundred pieces of artillery +were mounted on the redoubts and batteries erected round the town. +Upon the side of the swamp there was not much fear of attack, but +three redoubts were erected to prevent a surprise from this +direction. The defense on the right face of the town was conducted +by Colonel Maitland. The defense on the left, consisting of two +strong redoubts and several batteries, was commanded by Lieutenant +Colonel Cruger. In the center were several strong works, of which +General Prevost himself took the special supervision. The whole +British line, except where the swamp rendered no such defense +necessary, was surrounded by a thick abattis. The French fire made +no sensible impression upon the English defenses, and finding that +the British artillery equaled his own, D'Estaing determined to +discontinue the attack by regular approaches and to carry the place +by storm. His position was a perilous one. He had already spent a +long time before the place, and at any moment the English fleet might +arrive from the West Indies and attack his fleet, which was weakened +by the men and guns which had been landed to carry on the siege. He +therefore determined to risk an assault rather than remain longer +before the town. To facilitate the attack an officer with 5 men on +October 8 advanced to the abattis and set fire to it. The wood, +however, was still green, and the flames were easily extinguished. + +The attack was fixed for the following morning. Bodies of the +American militia were to feign attacks upon the center and left, +while a strong force of the combined armies was to make a real attack +in two columns upon the right. The troops composing the two columns +consisted of 3500 French soldiers and 950 Americans. The principal +force, commanded by Count D'Estaing in person, assisted by General +Lincoln, was to attack the Springfield redoubt, which was situated at +the extreme right of the British central line of defense and close to +the edge of the swamp. The other column, under the command of Count +Dillon, was to move silently along the margin of the swamp, pass the +three redoubts, and get into the rear of the British lines. + +The troops were in motion long before daylight. The attempt to burn +the abattis had excited the suspicion of the English that an assault +might be intended, and accordingly pickets were thrown out in front +of the intrenchments and the scouts were ordered to keep a sharp +watch among the trees which grew in and near the swamp. + +Harold with his friends had accompanied Colonel Maitland's column in +its march to Savannah and had labored vigorously at the defenses, +being especially occupied in felling trees and chopping wood for the +abattis. Before daybreak they heard the noise made by the advance of +the enemy's columns through the wood and hurried back to the +Springfield redoubt, where the garrison at once stood to arms. In +this redoubt were a corps of provincial dismounted dragoons, +supported by the South Carolina regiment. + +Just as daylight appeared the column led by Count D'Estaing advanced +toward the Springfield redoubt, but the darkness was still so intense +that it was not discovered until within a very short distance of the +works. Then a blaze of musketry opened upon it, while a destructive +cross-fire was poured in from the adjoining batteries. So heavy was +the fire that the head of the column was almost swept away. The +assailants kept on with great bravery until they reached the redoubt; +here a desperate hand-to-hand contest took place. Captain Tawse fell +with many of his men, and for a moment a French and an American +standard were planted upon the parapet; nevertheless the defenders +continued to cling to the place and every foot was desperately +contested. + +At this moment Colonel Maitland, with the grenadiers of the Sixtieth +Regiment and the marines, advanced and fell upon the enemy's column, +already shaken by the obstinate resistance it had encountered and by +its losses by the fire from the batteries. The movement was decisive. +The assailants were driven headlong from the redoubt and retreated, +leaving behind them 637 of the French troops killed and wounded and +264 of the Americans. + +In the mean time the column commanded by Count Dillon mistook its way +in the darkness and was entangled in the swamp, from which it was +unable to extricate itself until it was broad daylight and it was +fully exposed to the view of the garrison and to the fire from the +British batteries. This was so hot and so well directed that the +column was never able even to form, far less to penetrate into the +rear of the British lines. + +When the main attack was repulsed Count Dillon drew off his column, +also. No pursuit was ordered as, although the besiegers had suffered +greatly, they were still three times more numerous than the garrison. + +A few days afterward the French withdrew their artillery and +re-embarked on board ship. + +The siege of Savannah cost the allies 1500 men, while the loss of the +garrison was only 120. The pleasure of the garrison at their +successful defense was marred by the death of Colonel Maitland, who +died from the effects of the unhealthy climate and of the exertions +he had made. + +A few days after the raising of the siege the French fleet was +dispersed by a tempest, and Count D'Estaing, with the majority of the +ships under his command, returned to France. + +During the course of this year there were many skirmishes round New +York, but nothing of any great importance took place. Sir Henry +Clinton, who was in supreme command, was unable to undertake any +offensive operations on a large scale, for he had not received the +re-enforcements from home which he had expected. England, indeed, had +her hands full, for in June Spain joined France and America in the +coalition against her and declared war. Spain was at that time a +formidable marine power, and it needed all the efforts that could be +made by the English government to make head against the powerful +fleets which the combined nations were able to send to sea against +them. It was not only in Europe that the Spaniards were able to give +effective aid to the allies. They were still a power on the American +continent, and created a diversion, invading West Florida and +reducing and capturing the town and fort of Mobile. + +In the spring of 1780 Sir Henry Clinton sent down an expedition under +the command of Lord Cornwallis to capture Charleston and reduce the +State of South Carolina. This town was extremely strongly fortified. +It could only be approached by land on one side, while the water, +which elsewhere defended it, was covered by the fire of numerous +batteries of artillery. The water of the bay was too shallow to admit +of the larger men-of-war passing, and the passage was defended by +Fort Moultrie, a very formidable work. Admiral Arbuthnot, with the +_Renown, Romulus, Roebuck, Richmond, Blonde, Raleigh_, and _Virginia_ +frigates, with a favorable wind and tide ran the gantlet of Fort +Moultrie, succeeded in passing up without great loss, and co-operated +on the sea face with the attack of the army on the land side. + +A force was landed on Sullivan's Island, on which Fort Moultrie +stood, and the fort, unprepared for an attack in this direction, was +obliged to surrender. The American cavalry force which had been +collected for the relief of the town was defeated by the English +under General Tarleton. The trenches were pushed forward with great +vigor, and the batteries of the third parallel opened at short range +on the town with great execution. The advances were pushed forward at +the ditch, when the garrison, seeing that further resistance was +impossible, surrendered. Five thousand prisoners were taken, 1000 +American and French seamen, and ten French and American ships-of-war. + +With the fall of Charleston all resistance ceased in South Carolina. +The vast majority of the inhabitants made their submission to the +British government and several loyalist regiments were raised. + +Colonel Tarleton, with 170 cavalry and 100 mounted infantry, was +dispatched against an American force under Colonel Burford, +consisting of 350 infantry, a detachment of cavalry, and two guns, +which had taken post on the border of North Carolina. Tarleton came +up with him, and after a sharp action the Americans were entirely +defeated. One hundred and thirteen were killed on the spot and 207 +made prisoners, of whom 103 were badly wounded. + +For some months the irregular operations were continued, the +Americans making frequent incursions into the Carolinas. The British +troops suffered greatly from the extreme heat and the unhealthiness +of the climate. + +In August the American General Gates advanced toward Camden, and Lord +Cornwallis also moved out to that town, which was held by a British +garrison. The position there was not hopeful. Nearly 800 were sick, +and the total number of effectives was under 2000, of whom 500 were +provincials. The force under General Gates amounted to 6000 men, +exclusive of the corps of Colonel Sumpter, 1000 strong, which were +maneuvering to cut off the English retreat. Cornwallis could not fall +back on Charleston without abandoning the sick and leaving all his +magazines and stores in the hands of the enemy, besides which a +retreat would have involved the abandonment of the whole State with +the exception of Charleston. He therefore decided upon giving battle +to the enemy, who were posted at Rugeley's Mills, a few miles +distant, leaving the defense of Camden to Major M'Arthur, with some +provincials and convalescent soldiers and a detachment of the +Sixty-third Regiment, which was expected to arrive during the night. + +The army marched in the following order: The first division, +commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Webster, consisting of four companies +of light infantry and the Twenty-third and Thirty-third regiments, +preceded by an advanced guard of 40 cavalry. The second division, +consisting of provincial troops and two battalions of the +Seventy-first Regiment, followed as a reserve. The dragoons of the +legion formed the rear guard. The force marched at ten o'clock on the +night of August 16, intending to attack at daybreak the next morning, +but it happened that at the very same hour in which the British set +out, General Gates, with his force, was starting from Rugeley's Mills +with the intention of attacking Camden in the morning. + +At two o'clock in the night the advanced guards of the two armies met +and fired into each other. In the confusion some prisoners were taken +on both sides, and the generals, finding that the two armies were +face to face, halted and waited till morning. Lord Cornwallis placed +Webster's division on the right; the second division, which was under +the command of Lord Rawdon, on the left; the battalion known as the +Volunteers of Ireland were on the right of Lord Rawdon's division and +communicated with the Thirty-third Regiment on the left of Webster. +In the front line were two six-pounders and two three-pounders under +the command of Lieutenant Macleod, R. A. The Seventy-first, with two +six-pounders, was in reserve, one battalion being placed behind each +wing. The dragoons were held in reserve, to charge in the event of a +favorable opportunity. + +The flanks of the English position were covered by swamps, which +somewhat narrowed the ground and prevented the Americans from +utilizing fully their great superiority of numbers. The Americans +were also formed in two lines. + +Soon after daybreak Lord Cornwallis ordered Colonel Webster to +advance and charge the enemy. So fiercely did the English regiments +attack that the Virginia and North Carolina troops who opposed them +quickly gave way, threw down their arms, and fled. General Gates and +General Casswell in vain attempted to rally them. They ran like a +torrent and spread through the woods in every direction. Lord Rawdon +began the action on the left with no less vigor and spirit than Lord +Cornwallis on the right, but here and in the center the contest was +more obstinately maintained by the Americans. + +[Illustration: Plan of the Battle Fought Near Camden, August 16th, +1780.] + +Their reserves were brought up, and the artillery did considerable +execution. Their left flank was, however, exposed by the flight of +the troops of Carolina and Virginia, and the light infantry and +Twenty-third Regiment were halted in the pursuit, and, wheeling +around, came upon the flank of the enemy, who, after a brave +resistance of nearly three-quarters of an hour, were driven into +total confusion and forced to give way on both sides. Their rout was +continued by the cavalry, who continued their pursuit twenty-two +miles from the field of action. + +Between eight and nine hundred of the enemy were killed and about +1000, many of whom were wounded, were taken prisoners. Among these +were Major General Baron de Kalb and Brigadier General Rutherford. +All the baggage, stores, and camp packages, a number of colors, and +several pieces of cannon were taken. General Gates, finding himself +unable to rally the militia, fled first to Charlotte, 90 miles from +the seat of action, and then to Hillsborough, 180 from Camden. +General Gist, alone of all the American commanders, was able to keep +together about 100 men, who, flying across the swamp on their right, +through which they could not be pursued by the cavalry, made their +escape in a body. The loss of the British troops amounted to 69 +killed, 245 wounded, and 11 missing. The loss of the Americans in +killed, wounded, and prisoners exceeded the number of British regular +troops engaged by at least 300. It was one of the most decisive +victories ever won. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +IN AN AMERICAN PRISON. + +Upon the morning after the victory of Camden Lord Cornwallis +dispatched Colonel Tarleton with the light infantry and the German +legion, 350 men in all, to attack Colonel Sumpter, who, with 800 men +and two pieces of cannon, had, upon hearing late at night of General +Gates' defeat, marched away at all speed. Thinking himself out of +danger he halted at midday to rest his men. The British came upon +them by surprise. One hundred and fifty were killed or wounded and +300 made prisoners. The rest scattered as fugitives. Two guns, one +thousand stand of arms, and all the stores and baggage were taken, +and 250 prisoners, some of them British soldiers and the rest loyal +militiamen, whom Sumpter had captured near Camden, were released. + +Lord Cornwallis, after obtaining supplies for his troops and taking +steps for the pacification of the State, was about to move forward +into North Carolina, when he received news of the destruction of a +column under Major Fergusson. This officer, with a detachment of 150 +British regulars and 800 provincials, was attacked by 5000 mounted +partisans, most of them border men accustomed to forest fighting. +Fergusson took up a position on a hill called King's Mountain. This +from its height would have been a good position for defense, but +being covered with wood it offered great opportunities for the +assailants, who dismounted and fought behind trees in accordance with +the tactics taught them in Indian warfare. Again and again the +English charged with the bayonet, each time driving their assailants +back, but these instantly recommenced their destructive fire from +their shelter behind the trees. In little over an hour from the +commencement of the fight 150 of the defenders were killed and many +more wounded. Still they repulsed every attack until their commander +fell dead; then the second in command, judging further resistance in +vain, surrendered. + +On the news of this misfortune Lord Cornwallis fell back, as the +western frontiers of South Carolina were now exposed to the +incursions of the band which had defeated Fergusson. In the retreat +the army suffered terribly. It rained for several days without +intermission. The soldiers had no tents, and the water was everywhere +over their shoes. The continued rains filled the rivers and creeks +prodigiously and rendered the roads almost impassable. The climate +was most unhealthy, and for many days the troops were without rum. +Sometimes the army had beef and no bread, sometimes bread and no +beef. For five days it was supported on Indian corn, which was +collected in the fields, five ears being served out as a daily +allowance to each two soldiers. They had to cook it as they could, +and this was generally done by parching it over the fire. One of the +officers of the quartermaster's department found some of the loyal +militia grating their corn. This was done by breaking up a canteen +and punching holes in the bottom with their bayonets, thus making a +kind of rasp. The idea was communicated to the adjutant general and +afterward adopted for the army. + +The soldiers supported their hardships and privations cheerfully, as +their officers were no better provided than themselves and the fare +of Lords Cornwallis and Rawdon was the same as their own. + +The toilsome march came to an end at last, and the army had rest +after its labors. The only other incident of importance which +occurred was an action between a force under Colonel Tarleton and one +of considerably superior strength under General Sumpter, strongly +posted on a commanding position. The British attack was repulsed, but +General Sumpter, being badly wounded, was carried off the field +during the night, and the force under his command at once dispersed. + +No other event occurred, and the army passed its time in winter +quarters till the spring of 1781. During this winter the enemies of +Great Britain were re-enforced by the accession of the Dutch. At this +time the efforts which England was called upon to make were indeed +great. In Europe France, Spain, and Holland were banded against her; +in India our troops were waging a desperate war with Hyder Ali; while +they were struggling to retain their hold on their American colonies. +Here, indeed, the operations had for the last two years languished. +The re-enforcements which could be spared were extremely small, and +although the British had almost uniformly defeated the Americans in +every action in which there was any approach to equality between the +forces engaged, they were unable to do more than hold the ground on +which they stood. Victorious as they might be, the country beyond the +reach of their rifles swarmed with their enemies, and it became +increasingly clear to all impartial observers that it was impossible +for an army which in all did not amount to more than 20,000 men to +conquer a continent in arms against them. + +Harold was not present at the later events of the campaign of 1780. +He and Jake had been with the column of Major Fergusson. Peter +Lambton had not accompanied him, having received a bullet wound in +the leg in a previous skirmish, which, although not serious, had +compelled him to lay up for a time. + +"Me no like de look ob dis affair, Massa Harold," Jake said, as the +Americans opened fire upon the troops gathered at the top of King's +Mountain. "Dese chaps no fools; dey all backwoodsmen; dey know how to +fight de redskins; great hunters all ob dem." + +"Yes," Harold agreed, "they are formidable opponents, Jake. I do not +like the look of things. These men are all accustomed to fighting in +the woods, while our men have no idea of it. Their rifles are +infinitely superior to these army muskets, and every man of them can +hit a deer behind the shoulder at the distance of 150 yards, while at +that distance most of our men would miss a haystack." + +The scouts and a few of the provincials who had been accustomed to +forest warfare, took up their position behind trees and fought the +advancing enemy in their own way. The mass of the defenders, however, +were altogether puzzled by the stealthy approach of their foes, who +advanced from tree to tree, seldom showing as much as a limb to the +fire of the defenders, and keeping up a deadly fire upon the crowd of +soldiers. + +Had there been time for Major Fergusson, before being attacked, to +have felled a circle of trees and made a breastwork round the top of +the hill, the result might have been different. Again and again the +British gallantly charged down with the bayonet, but the assailants, +as they did so, glided away among the trees after firing a shot or +two into the advancing troops, and retreated a hundred yards or so, +only to recommence their advance as soon as the defenders retired +again to their position. The loss of the assailants was very slight, +the few who fell being for the most part killed by the rifles of the +scouts. + +"It am no use, Massa Harold," Jake said. "Jest look how dem poor +fellows am being shot down. It's all up wid us dis time." + +When upon the fall of Major Fergusson his successor in command +surrendered the post, the defenders were disarmed. The Kentucky men, +accustomed only to warfare against Indians, had no idea of the usages +of war and treated the prisoners with great brutality. Ten of the +loyalist volunteers of Carolina they hung at once upon trees. There +was some discussion as to the disposal of the rest. The border men, +having accomplished their object, were anxious to disperse at once to +their homes. Some of them proposed that they should rid themselves of +all further trouble by shooting them all. This was overruled by the +majority. Presently the prisoners were all bound, their hands being +tied behind them, and a hundred of the border men surrounded them and +ordered them to march across the country. + +Jake and several other negroes who were among the captives were +separated from the rest, and, being put up at auction, were sold as +slaves. Jake fell to the bid of a tall Kentuckian who, without a +word, fastened a rope round his neck, mounted his horse, and started +for his home. The guards conducted the white prisoners to Woodville, +eighty miles from the scene of the fight. This distance was +accomplished in two days' march. Many of the unfortunate men, unable +to support the fatigue, fell and were shot by their guards; the rest +struggled on, utterly exhausted, until they arrived at Woodville, +where they were handed over to a strong force of militia gathered +there. They were now kindly treated, and by more easy marches were +taken to Richmond, in Virginia, where they were shut up in prison. +Here were many English troops, for the Americans, in spite of the +terms of surrender, had still retained as prisoners the troops of +General Burgoyne. + +Several weeks passed without incident. The prisoners were strongly +guarded and were placed in a building originally built for a jail and +surrounded by a very high wall. Harold often discussed with some of +his fellow-captives the possibility of escape. The windows were all +strongly barred, and even should the prisoners break through these +they would only find themselves in the courtyard. There would then be +a wall thirty feet high to surmount, and at the corners of this wall +the Americans had built sentry-boxes, in each of which two men were +stationed night and day. Escape, therefore, seemed next to +impossible. + +The sentries guarding the prison and at the gates were furnished by +an American regiment stationed at Richmond. The wardens in the prison +were, for the most part, negroes. The prisoners were confined at +night in separate cells; in the daytime they were allowed, in parties +of fifty, to walk for two hours in the courtyard. There were several +large rooms in which they sat and took their meals, two sentries with +loaded muskets being stationed in each room. Thus, although +monotonous, there was little to complain of; their food, if coarse, +was plentiful, and the prisoners passed the time in talk, playing +cards, and in such games as their ingenuity could invent. + +One day when two of the negro wardens entered with, the dinners of +the room to which Harold belonged, the latter was astounded at +recognizing in one of them his faithful companion Jake. It was with +difficulty that he suppressed an exclamation of gladness and +surprise. Jake paid no attention to him, but placed the great tin +dish heaped up with yams, which he was carrying, upon the table, and, +with an unmoved face, left the room. A fortnight passed without a +word being exchanged between them. Several times each day Harold saw +the negro, but the guards were always present, and although, when he +had his back to the latter, Jake sometimes indulged in a momentary +grin or a portentous wink, no further communication passed between +them. + +One night at the end of that time Harold, when on the point of going +to sleep, thought he heard a noise as of his door gently opening. It +was perfectly dark, and, after listening for a moment he laid his +head down again, thinking that he had been mistaken, when he heard +close to the bed the words in a low voice: + +"Am you asleep, Massa Harold?" + +"No, Jake," he exclaimed directly. "Ah, my good fellow! how have you +got here?" + +"Dat were a bery easy affair," Jake said. "Me tell you all about it." + +"Have you shut the door again, Jake? There is a sentry coming along +the passage every five minutes." + +"Me shut him, massa, but dere aint no fastening on dis side, so Jake +will sit down wid him back against him." + +Harold got up and partly dressed himself and then sat down by the +side of his follower. + +"No need to whisper," Jake said. "De walls and de doors bery thick; +no one hear. But de sentries on de walls hear if we talk too loud." + +The windows were without glass, which was in those days an expensive +article in America, and the mildness of the climate of Virginia +rendered glass a luxury rather than a necessity. Confident that even +the murmur of their voices would not be overheard if they spoke in +their usual way, Jake and Harold were enabled to converse +comfortably. + +"Well, massa," Jake said, "my story am not a long one. Dat man dat +bought me he rode in two days someting like one hundred miles. It wor +a lucky ting dat Jake had tramp on his feet de last four years, else +soon enough he tumble down, and den de rope round him neck hang him. +Jake awful footsore and tired when he git to de end ob dat journey. +De Kentucky man he lib in a clearing not far from a village. He had +two oder slaves; dey hoe de ground and work for him. He got grown-up +son, who look after dem while him fader away fighting. Dey not afraid +ob de niggers running away, because dere plenty redskin not far away, +and nigger scalp jest as good as white man's. De oder way dere wor +plenty ob villages, and dey tink nigger git caught for sure if he try +to run away. Jake make up his mind he not stop dere bery long. De +Kentuckian was a bery big, strong man, but not so strong as he was +ten years ago, and Jake tink he more dan a match for him. Jake pretty +strong himself, massa?" + +"I should think you were, Jake," Harold said. "There are not many +men, white or black, who can lift as great a weight as you can." + +"For a week Jake work bery hard. Dat Kentuckian hab a way ob always +carrying his rifle about on his arm, and as long as he do dat dere no +chance ob a fair fight. De son he always hab a stick, and he mighty +free wid it. He hit Jake seberal times, and me say to him once, +'Young man, you better mind what you do.' Me suppose dat he not like +de look dat I gib him. He speak to his fader, and he curse and swear +awful, and stand wid de rifle close by and tell dat son ob his to +larrup Jake. Dat he do, massa, for some time. Jake not say noting, +but he make a note ob de affair in his mind. De bery next day de son +go away to de village to buy some tings he want. De fader he come out +and watch me at work; he curse and swear as usual; he call me lazy +hound and swear he cut de flesh from my back; presently he come quite +close and shake him fist in Jake's face. Dat was a foolish ting to +do. So long as he keep bofe him hands on de gun he could say what he +like quite safe, but when he got one hand up lebel wid Jake's nose, +dat different ting altogether. Jake throw up his hand and close wid +him. De gun tumble down and we wrastle and fight. He strong man for +sure, but Jake jest a little stronger. We roll ober and ober on de +ground for some minutes; at last Jake git de upper hand and seize de +white man by de t'roat, and he pretty quick choke him life out. Den +he pick up de gun and wait for de son; when he come back he put a +bullet t'rough him. Den he go to de hut and git food and powder and +ball and start into de woods. De oder niggers dey take no part in de +affair. Dey look on while the skirmish lasts, but not interfere one +way or oder. When it ober me ask dem if dey like to go wid me, but +dey too afraid ob de redskins; so Jake start by himse'f. Me hab +plenty ob practice in de woods and no fear ob meeting redskins, +except when dey on de warpath. De woods stretch a bery long way all +ober de country, and Jake trabel in dem for nigh t'ree weeks. He +shoot deer and manage bery well; see no redskin from the first day to +de last; den he come out into de open country again, hundreds ob +miles from de place where he kill dat Kentuckian. He leab his gun +behind now and trabel for Richmond, where he hear dat de white +prisoners was kept. He walk all night and at day sleep in de woods or +de plantations, and eat ears ob corn. At last he git to Richmond. Den +he gib out dat him massa wanted him to fight on de side ob de English +and dat he run away. He go to de prison and offer to work dere. Dey +tink him story true, and as he had no massa to claim him dey say he +State property, and work widout wages like de oder niggers here; dey +all forfeited slaves whose massas had jined de English. Dese people +so pore dey can't afford to pay white man, so dey take Jake as +warden, and by good luck dey put him in to carry de dinner to de bery +room where Massa Harold was." + +"And have you the keys to lock us up?" + +"No, massa, de niggers only cook de dinners and sweep de prison and +de yard, and do dat kind ob job; de white wardens--dere's six ob +dem--dey hab de keys." + +"Then how did you manage to get here, Jake?" + +"Dat not bery easy matter, Massa Harold. Most ob de wardens drink +like fish; but de head man, him dat keep de keys, he not drink. For +some time Jake not see him way, but one night when he lock up de +prisoners he take Jake round wid him, and Jake carried de big bunch +ob keys--one key to each passage. When he lock up de doors here and +hand de key to Jake to put on de bunch agin, Jake pull out a hair ob +him head and twist it round de ward ob de key so as to know him agin. +Dat night me git a piece ob bread and work him up wid some oil till +he quite like putty, den me steal to de chief warden's room, and dere +de keys hang up close to him bed. Jake got no shoes on, and he stole +up bery silent. He take down de bunch ob keys and carry dem off. He +git to quiet place and strike a light, and search t'rough de keys +till he find de one wid de hair round it; den he take a deep +impression ob him wid de bread; den he carry back the keys and hang +'em up. Jake not allowed to leabe de prison. We jest as much +prisoners as de white men, so he not able to go out to git a key +made; but in de storeroom dere's all sorts ob tools, and he git hold +ob a fine file; den he look about among de keys in de doors ob all de +storerooms and places which wor not kept locked up. At last he find a +key jest de right size, and dough de wards were a little different +dey was ob de right shape. Jake set to work and filled off de knobs +and p'ints which didn't agree wid de shape in de bread. Dis morning, +when you was all out in de yard, me come up quietly and tried de key +and found dat it turned de lock quite easy. Wid a fedder and some oil +me oil de lock and de key till it turned widout making de least, +noise. Den to-night me waited till de sentry come along de corridor, +and den Jake slip along and here he is." + +"Capital, Jake!" Harold said. "And now what is the next thing to do? +Will it be possible to escape through the prison?" + +"No, Massa Harold, dere am t'ree doors from de prison into de yard +and dere's a sentry outside ob each, and de main guard ob twenty men +are down dere, too. No possible to git out ob doors widout de alarm +being given." + +"With the file, Jake, we might cut through the bars." + +"We might cut t'rough de bars and git down into de courtyard; dat +easy enough, massa. Jake could git plenty ob rope from de storeroom, +but we hab de oder wall to climb." + +"You must make a rope-ladder for that, Jake." + +"What sort ob a ladder dat, massa?" + +Harold explained to him how it should be made. + +"When you have finished it, Jake, you should twist strips of any sort +of stuff, cotton or woolen, round and round each of the wooden steps, +so that it will make no noise touching the wall as we climb it. Then +we want a grapnel." + +"Me no able to make dat, massa." + +"Not a regular grapnel, Jake, but you might manage something which +would do." + +"What sort ob ting?" Jake asked. + +Harold sat for some time in thought. + +"If the wall were not so high it would be easy enough, Jake, for we +could do it by fastening the rope within about three inches of the +end of a pole six feet long and three inches thick. That would never +pull over the wall, but it is too high to throw the pole over." + +"Jake could t'row such a stick as dat ober easy enough, massa--no +difficulty about dat; but me no see how a stick like dat balance +massa's weight." + +"It would not balance it, Jake, but the pull would be a side pull and +would not bring the stick over the wall. If it were only bamboo it +would be heavy enough." + +"Bery well, Massa Harold; if you say so, dat's all right. Jake can +git de wood easy enough; dere's plenty ob pieces among de firewood +dat would do for us." + +"Roll it with strips of stuff the same way as the ladder steps, so as +to prevent it making a noise when it strikes the wall. In addition to +the ladder we shall want a length of rope long enough to go from this +window to the ground, and another length of thin rope more than twice +the height of the wall." + +"Bery well, Massa Harold, me understand exactly what's wanted; but +it'll take two or t'ree days to make de ladder, and me can only work +ob a night." being caught. We must choose a dark and windy night. +Bring two files with you, so that we can work together, and some +oil." + +"All right, massa. Now me go." + +"Shut the door quietly, Jake, and do not forget to lock it behind +you," Harold said, as Jake stole noiselessly from the cell. + +A week passed without Jake's again visiting Harold's cell. On the +seventh night the wind had got up and whistled around the jail, and +Harold, expecting that Jake would take advantage of the opportunity, +sat down on his bed without undressing, and awaited his coming. It +was but half an hour after the door had been locked for the night +that it quietly opened again. + +"Here me am, sar, wid eberyting dat's wanted; two files and some oil, +de rope-ladder, de short rope for us to slide down, and de long thin +rope and de piece ob wood six feet long and thick as de wrist." + +They at once set to work with the files, and in an hour had sawn +through two bars, making a hole sufficiently wide for them to pass. +The rope was then fastened to a bar, Harold took off his shoes and +put them in his pocket and then slid down the rope into the +courtyard. With the other rope Jake lowered the ladder and pole to +him and then slid down himself. Harold had already tied to the pole, +at four inches from one end, a piece of rope some four feet long, so +as to form a loop about half that length. The thin rope was put +through the loop and drawn until the two ends came together. + +Noiselessly they stole across the yard until they reached the +opposite wall. The night was a very dark one, and although they could +make out the outline of the wall above them against the skyline, the +sentry-boxes at the corners were invisible. Harold now took hold of +the two ends of the rope, and Jake, stepping back a few yards from +the wall, threw the pole over it. Then Harold drew upon the rope +until there was a check, and he knew that the pole was hard up +against the edge of the wall. He tied one end of the rope-ladder to +an end of the double cord and then hauled steadily upon the other. +The rope running through the loop drew the ladder to the top of the +wall. All this was done quickly and without noise. + +"Now, Jake, do you go first," Harold said. "I will hold the rope +tight below, and do you put part of your weight on it as you go up. +When you get to the top, knot it to the loop and sit on the wall +until I come up." + +In three minutes they were both on the wall, the ladder was hauled up +and dropped on the outside, while the pole was shifted to the inside +of the wall; then they descended the ladder and made across the +country. + +"Which way we go, massa?" Jake asked. + +"I have been thinking it over," Harold replied, "and have decided on +making for the James River. We shall be there before morning and can +no doubt find a boat. We can guide ourselves by the stars, and when +we get into the woods the direction of the wind will be sufficient." + +The distance was about twenty miles, but although accustomed to +scouting at night, they would have had difficulty in making their way +through the woods by morning had they not struck upon a road leading +in the direction in which they wanted to go. + +Thus it was still some hours before daylight when they reached the +James River. They had followed the road all the way, and at the point +where it reached the bank there was a village of considerable size, +and several fishermen's boats were moored alongside. Stepping into +one of these, they unloosed the head-rope and pushed out into the +stream. The boat was provided with a sail. The mast was soon stepped +and the sail hoisted. + +Neither Harold nor Jake had had much experience in boat-sailing, but +the wind was with them and the boat ran rapidly down the river, and +before daylight they were many miles from their point of starting. +The banks of the James River are low and swampy, and few signs of +human habitation were seen from the stream. It widened rapidly as +they descended and became rougher and rougher. They therefore steered +into a sheltered spot behind a sharp bend of the river and anchored. + +In the locker they found plenty of lines and bait, and, setting to +work, had soon half a dozen fine fish at the bottom of the boat. They +pulled up the kedge and rowed to shore and soon made a fire, finding +flint and steel in the boat. The fish were broiled over the fire upon +sticks. The boat was hauled in under some overhanging bushes, and, +stretching themselves in the bottom, Harold and Jake were soon fast +asleep. + +The sun was setting when they woke. + +"What you going to do, sar?" Jake asked. "Are you tinking ob +trabeling by land or ob sailing to New York?" + +"Neither, Jake," Harold answered. "I am thinking of sailing down the +coast inside the line of keys to Charleston. The water there is +comparatively smooth, and as we shall be taken for fishermen it is +not likely that we shall be overhauled. We can land occasionally and +pick a few ears of corn to eat with our fish, and as there is +generally a breeze night and morning, however still and hot the day, +we shall be able to do it comfortably. I see that there is an iron +plate here which has been used for making a fire and cooking on +board, so we will lay in a stock of dry wood before we start." + +The journey was made without any adventure. While the breeze lasted +they sailed; when it fell calm they fished, and when they had +obtained a sufficient supply for their wants they lay down and slept +under the shade of their sail stretched as an awning. Frequently they +passed within hail of other fishing-boats, generally manned by +negroes. But beyond a few words as to their success, no questions +were asked. They generally kept near the shore, and when they saw any +larger craft they either hauled the boat up or ran into one of the +creeks in which the coast abounds. It was with intense pleasure that +at last they saw in the distance the masts of the shipping in +Charleston harbor. + +Two hours later they landed. They fastened the boat to the wharf and +made their way into the town unquestioned. As they were walking along +the principal street they saw a well-known figure sauntering +leisurely toward them. His head was bent down and he did not notice, +them until Harold hailed him with a shout of "Halloo, Peter, old +fellow! How goes it?" + +Peter, although not easily moved or excited, gave a yell of delight +which astonished the passers-by. + +"Ah, my boy!" he exclaimed, "this is a good sight for my old eyes. +Here have I been a-fretting and a-worrying myself for the last three +months, and cussing my hard luck that I was not with you in that +affair on King's Mountain. At first, when I heard of it, I says to +myself, 'The young un got out of it somehow. He aint going to be +caught asleep.' Waal, I kept on hoping and hoping you'd turn up, till +at last I couldn't deceive myself no longer and was forced to +conclude that you'd either been rubbed out or taken prisoner. About a +month ago we got from the Yankees a list of the names of them they'd +captured, and glad I was to see yours among 'em. As I thought as how +you weren't likely to be out as long as the war lasted, I was +a-thinking of giving it up and going to Montreal and settling down +there. It was lonesome like without you, and I missed Jake's laugh, +and altogether things didn't seem natural like. Jake, I'm glad to see +ye. Your name was not in the list, but I thought it likely enough +they might have taken you and set you to work, and made no account of +ye." + +"That is just what they did; but he got away after settling his score +with his new master, and then made for Richmond, where I was in +prison; then he got me loose, and here we are. But it is a long +story, and I must tell it you at leisure." + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA. + +The fishing-boat was disposed of for a few pounds, and Harold and +Jake were again fitted out in the semi-uniform worn by the scouts. On +December 13, the very day after their arrival, a considerable +detachment of troops, under General Leslie, arrived, and on the 19th +marched, 1500 strong, to join Lord Cornwallis. Harold and his mates +accompanied them, and the united army proceeded northwest, between +the Roanoke and Catawba rivers. Colonel Tarleton was detached with a +force of 1000 men, consisting of light and German legion infantry, a +portion of the Seventh Regiment and of the first battalion of the +Seventy-first, 350 cavalry, and two field-pieces. His orders were to +pursue and destroy a force of some 800 of the enemy under General +Morgan. The latter, finding himself pressed, drew up his troops for +action near a place called the Cowpens. Then ensued the one action in +the whole war in which the English, being superior in numbers, +suffered a severe defeat. + +Tarleton, confident of victory, led his troops to the attack without +making any proper preparations for it. The infantry advanced bravely, +and, although the American infantry held the ground for a time with +great obstinacy, they drove them back and the victory appeared to be +theirs. Tarleton now sent orders to his cavalry to pursue, as his +infantry were too exhausted, having marched at a rapid pace all +night, to do so. The order was not obeyed, and Major Washington, who +commanded the American cavalry, advanced to cover his infantry. These +rallied behind their shelter and fell upon the disordered British +infantry. Thus suddenly attacked when they believed that victory was +in their hands, the English gave way and were driven back. A panic +seized them and a general rout ensued. Almost the whole of them were +either killed or taken prisoners. + +Tarleton in vain endeavored to induce his German legion cavalry to +charge; they stood aloof and at last fled in a body through the +woods. Their commander and 14 officers remained with Tarleton, and +with these and 40 men of the Seventeenth Regiment of dragoons he +charged the whole body of the American cavalry and drove them back +upon the infantry. + +No partial advantage, however brilliant, could retrieve the +misfortune of the day. All was already lost, and Tarleton retreated +with his gallant little band to the main army under Lord Cornwallis, +twenty-five miles from the scene of action. The British infantry were +all killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, with the exception of a +small detachment which had been left in the rear, and who fell back +hastily as soon as the news of the result of the action reached them. +The legion cavalry returned to camp without the loss of a man. + +The defeat at Cowpens had a serious influence on the campaign. It +deprived Lord Cornwallis of the greater portion of his light +infantry, who were of the greatest utility in a campaign in such a +country, while the news of the action had an immense influence in +raising the spirits of the colonists. Hitherto they had uniformly met +with ill success when they opposed the British with forces even +approaching an equality of strength. In spite of their superior arms +and superior shooting, they were unable to stand the charge of the +British infantry, who had come almost to despise them as foes in the +field. The unexpected success urged them to fresh exertions and +brought to their side vast numbers of waverers. + +General Morgan, who was joined by General Greene, attempted to +prevent Cornwallis passing the fords of the Catawba. It was not till +February 1 that the river had fallen sufficiently to render a passage +possible. Colonel Webster was sent with his division to one of the +principal fords, with orders to open a cannonade there and make a +feint of crossing, while the general himself moved toward a smaller +and less-known ford. General Davidson, with 300 Americans, was +watching this point, but the brigade of guards were ordered to +commence the passage and were led by their light infantry companies +under Colonel Hall. The river was five hundred yards across, and the +stream so strong that the men, marching in fours, had to support one +another to enable them to withstand its force. The ford took a sharp +turn in the middle of the river. + +The night being dark, the guards were not perceived until they had +reached this point, when the enemy immediately opened fire upon them. +The guide at once fled, without his absence being noticed until it +was too late to stop him. Colonel Hall, not knowing of the bend in +the ford, led his men straight forward toward the opposite bank, and +although their difficulties were much increased by the greater depth +of water through which they had to pass, the mistake was really the +means of saving them from much loss, as the Americans were assembled +to meet them at the head of the ford, and would have inflicted a +heavy loss upon them as they struggled in the stream. They did not +perceive the change in the direction of the column's march until too +late, and the guards, on landing, met them as they came on and +quickly routed and dispersed them. The British lost 4 killed, among +whom was Colonel Hall, and 36 wounded. + +The rest of the division then crossed. Colonel Tarleton, with the +cavalry, was sent against 500 of the Americans who had fallen back +from the various fords, and, burning with the desire to retrieve the +defeat of the Cowpens, the legion horse charged the enemy with such +fury that they were completely routed, 50 of them being killed. + +Morgan and Greene withdrew their army through the Roanoke River, +hotly pursued by the English. For a few days the British army +remained at Hillsborough, but no supplies of food sufficient for its +maintenance could be found there, so it again fell back. General +Greene, being re-enforced by a considerable force, now determined to +fight, and accordingly advanced and took up a position near Guilford +Court House. + +[Illustration: Battle of Guilford Fought on the 16th of March 1781.] + +The American force consisted of 4243 infantry and some 3000 +irregulars--for the most part backwoodsmen from the frontier--while +the British force amounted to 1445, exclusive of their cavalry, who, +however, took little part in the fight. About four miles from +Guilford the advanced guards of the army met and a sharp fight +ensued--the Americans, under Colonel Lee, maintaining their ground +stanchly until the Twenty-third Regiment came up to the assistance of +Tarleton, who commanded the advance. + +The main American force was posted in an exceedingly strong position. +Their first line was on commanding ground, with open fields in front; +on their flanks were woods, and a strong fence ran along in front of +their line. The second line was posted in a wood three hundred yards +in rear of the first, while four hundred yards behind were three +brigades drawn up in the open ground round Guilford Court House. +Colonel Washington, with two regiments of dragoons and one of +riflemen, formed a reserve for the right flank; Colonel Lee, with his +command, was in reserve on the left. + +As soon as the head of the British column appeared in sight two guns +upon the road opened fire upon them and were answered by the English +artillery. While the cannonade continued the British formed in order +of attack. The Seventy-first, with a provincial regiment, supported +by the first battalion of the guards, formed the right; the +Twenty-third and Thirty-third, led by Colonel Webster, with the +grenadiers and second battalion of guards, formed the left. The light +infantry of the guards and the cavalry were in reserve. + +When the order was given to advance the line moved forward in perfect +steadiness, and at 150 yards the enemy opened fire. The English did +not fire a shot till within 80 yards, when they poured in a volley +and charged with the bayonet. The first line of the enemy at once +fell back upon the second; here a stout resistance was made. Posted +in the woods and sheltering themselves behind trees, they kept up for +some time a galling fire which did considerable execution. General +Leslie brought up the right wing of the first battalion of guards +into the front line and Colonel Webster called up the second +battalion. The enemy's second line now fell back on their third, +which was composed of their best troops, and the struggle was a very +obstinate one. + +The Americans, from their vastly superior numbers, occupied so long a +line of ground that the English commanders, in order to face them, +were obliged to leave large gaps between the different regiments. +Thus it happened that Webster, who with the Thirty-third Regiment, +the light infantry, and the second battalion of guards turned toward +the left, found himself separated from the rest of the troops by the +enemy, who pushed in between him and the Twenty-third. These again +were separated from the guards. The ground was very hilly, the wood +exceedingly thick, and the English line became broken up into +regiments separated from each other, each fighting on its own account +and ignorant of what was going on in other parts of the field. + +The second battalion of guards was the first that broke through the +wood into the open grounds of Guilford Court House. They immediately +attacked a considerable force drawn up there, routed them, and took +their two cannon with them; but, pursuing them with too much ardor +and impetuosity toward the woods in the rear, were thrown into +confusion by a heavy fire from another body of troops placed there, +and being instantly charged by Washington's dragoons, were driven +back with great slaughter and the cannon were retaken. + +At this moment the British guns, advancing along the road through the +wood, issued into the open and checked the pursuit of the Americans +by a well-directed fire. The Seventy-first and the Twenty-third now +came through the wood. The second battalion of guards rallied and +again advanced, and the enemy were quickly repulsed and put to +flight. The two guns were recaptured, with two others. + +Colonel Webster, with the Thirty-third, returned across the ravine +through which he had driven the enemy opposed to him, and rejoined +the rest of the force. The Americans drew off in good order. The +Twenty-third and Twenty-first pursued with the cavalry for a short +distance and were then recalled. The fight was now over on the center +and left, but on the right heavy firing was still going on. Here +General Leslie, with the first battalion of guards and a Hessian +regiment, had been greatly impeded by the excessive thickness of the +woods, which rendered it impossible to charge with the bayonet. As +they struggled through the thicket the enemy swarmed around them, so +that they were at times engaged in front, flanks, and rear. The enemy +were upon an exceedingly steep rise, and lying along the top of this +they poured such a heavy fire into the guards that these suffered +exceedingly; nevertheless they struggled up to the top and drove the +front line back, but found another far more numerous drawn up behind. +As the guards struggled up to the crest they were received by a +tremendous fire on their front and flanks and suffered so heavily +that they fell into confusion. The Hessian regiment, which had +suffered but slightly, advanced in compact order to the left of the +guards, and, wheeling to the right, took the enemy in the flank with +a very heavy fire. Under cover of this the guards re-formed and moved +forward to join the Hessians and complete the repulse of the enemy +opposed to them. They were again attacked both in the flank and the +rear, but at last they completely dispersed the troops surrounding +them and the battle came to an end. + +This battle was one of the most obstinate and well-contested +throughout the war, and the greatest credit is due to the British, +who drove the enemy, three times their own number, from the ground +chosen by them and admirably adapted to their mode of warfare. + +The loss, as might have been expected, was heavy, amounting to 93 +killed and 413 wounded--nearly a third of the force engaged. Between +two and three hundred of the enemy's dead were found on the field of +battle, and a great portion of their army was disbanded. The +sufferings of the wounded on the following night were great. A +tremendous rain fell, and the battle had extended over so large an +area that it was impossible to find and collect them. The troops had +had no food during the day and had marched several miles before they +came into action. Nearly 50 of the wounded died during the night. + +Decisive as the victory was, its consequences were slight. Lord +Cornwallis was crippled by his heavy loss, following that which the +force had suffered at the Cowpens. The two battles had diminished the +strength of his little force by fully half. Provisions were difficult +to obtain, and the inhabitants, some of whom had suffered greatly +upon previous occasions for their loyal opinions, seeing the weakness +of the force and the improbability of its being enabled to maintain +itself, were afraid to lend assistance or to show their sympathy, as +they would be exposed on its retreat to the most cruel persecutions +by the enemy. + +Three days after the battle Lord Cornwallis retired, leaving 70 of +the wounded, who were unable to move, under the protection of a flag +of truce. From Guilford Court House he moved his troops to +Wilmington, in North Carolina, a seaport where he hoped to obtain +provisions and stores, especially clothing and shoes. + +General Greene, left unmolested after his defeat, reassembled his +army, and receiving re-enforcements, marched at full speed to attack +Lord Rawdon at Camden, thinking that he would, with his greatly +superior force, be able to destroy him in his isolated situation. The +English commander fortified his position and the American general +drew back and encamped on Hobkirk Hill, two miles distant, to await +the coming of his heavy baggage and cannon, together with some +re-enforcements. Lord Rawdon determined to take the initiative, and +marching out with his whole force of 900 men, advanced to the attack. +The hill was covered at its foot by a deep swamp, but the English +marched round this and stormed the position. The Americans made an +obstinate resistance, but the English climbed the hill with such +impetuosity, in spite of the musketry and grape-shot of the enemy, +that they were forced to give way. Several times they returned to the +attack, but were finally driven off in confusion. One hundred +prisoners were taken, and Lord Rawdon estimated that 400 of the enemy +were killed and wounded. The American estimate was considerably +lower, and as the Americans fought with all the advantage of +position, while the English were exposed during their ascent to a +terrible fire, which they were unable to return effectively, it is +probable that the American loss, including the wounded, was inferior +to that of the English, whose casualties amounted to 258. + +Harold and his companions did not take part either in the battle of +Guilford Court House or in that of Hobkirk Hill, having been attached +to the fort known as Ninety-six, because a milestone with these +figures upon it stood in the village. The force here was under the +command of Lieutenant Colonel Cruger, who had with him 150 men of a +provincial corps known as Delancey's, 200 of the second battalion of +the New Jersey volunteers, and 200 local loyalists. The post was far +advanced, but so long as Lord Rawdon remained at Camden its position +was not considered to be dangerous. The English general, however, +after winning the battle of Hobkirk Hill, received news of the +retirement of Lord Cornwallis toward Wilmington, and seeing that he +would thereby be exposed to the whole of the American forces in South +Carolina and would infallibly be cut off from Charleston, he +determined to retire upon that port. Before falling back he sent +several messengers to Colonel Cruger, acquainting him of his +intention. But so well were the roads guarded by the enemy that none +of the messengers reached Ninety-six. + +Colonel Cruger, being uneasy at the length of time which had elapsed +since he had received any communication, sent Harold and the two +scouts out with instructions to make their way toward the enemy's +lines and, if possible, to bring in a prisoner. This they had not +much difficulty in doing. Finding out the position of two parties of +the Americans, they placed themselves on the road between them. No +long time elapsed before an American officer came along. A shot from +Peter's rifle killed his horse, and before the officer could recover +his feet, he was seized by the scouts. They remained hidden in the +wood during the day and at night returned with their prisoner to +Ninety-six, thirty miles distant, avoiding all villages where +resistance could be offered by hostile inhabitants. + +From the prisoner Colonel Cruger learned that Lord Rawdon had +retreated from Camden and that he was therefore entirely isolated. +The position was desperate, but he determined to defend the post to +the last, confident that Lord Rawdon would, as soon as possible, +undertake an expedition for his release. + +The whole garrison was at once set to work, stockades were erected, +earthworks thrown up, a redoubt--formed of casks filled with +earth--constructed, and the whole strengthened by ditches and +abattis. Blockhouses were erected in the village to enable the troops +to fire over the stockades, and covered communications made between +various works. The right of the village was defended by a regular +work called the Star. To the left was a work commanding a rivulet +from which the place drew its supply of water. + +Colonel Cruger offered the volunteers, who were a mounted corps, +permission to return to Charleston, but they refused to accept the +offer, and, turning their horses into the woods, determined to share +the fate of the garrison. In making this offer the colonel was +influenced partly by motives of policy, as the stock of provisions +was exceedingly scanty, and he feared that they would not last if the +siege should be a long one. Besides this, he feared that, as had +already too often happened, should the place fall, even the solemn +engagement of the terms of the surrender would not be sufficient to +protect the loyalists against the vengeance of their countrymen. + +On May 21 General Greene, with his army, appeared in sight of the +place and encamped in a wood within cannon-shot of the village. He +lost no time, and in the course of the night threw up two works +within seventy paces of the fortifications. The English commander did +not suffer so rash and disdainful a step to pass unpunished. The +scouts, who were outside the works, brought in news of what was being +done, and also that the working parties were protected by a strong +force. + +The three guns which constituted the entire artillery of the +defenders were moved noiselessly to the salient angle of the Star +opposite the works, and at eleven o'clock in the morning these +suddenly opened fire, aided by musketry from the parapets. The +covering force precipitately retreated, and 30 men sallied out from +the fort, carried the intrenchments, and bayoneted their defenders. +Other troops followed, the works were destroyed, and the intrenching +tools carried into the fort. General Greene, advancing with his whole +army, arrived only in time to see the last of the sallying party +re-enter the village. + +"I call that a right-down good beginning," Peter Lambton said, in +great exultation. "There's nothing like hitting a hard blow at the +beginning of the fight. It raises your spirits and makes t'other chap +mighty cautious. You'll see next time they'll begin their works at a +much more respectful distance." + +Peter was right. The blow checked the impetuosity of the American +general, and on the night of the 23d he opened his trenches at a +distance of four hundred yards. Having so large a force, he was able +to push forward with great rapidity, although the garrison made +several gallant sorties to interfere with the work. + +On June 3 the second parallel was completed. A formal summons was +sent to the British commander to surrender. This document was couched +in the most insolent language and contained the most unsoldierlike +threats of the consequences which would befall the garrison and its +commander if he offered further resistance. Colonel Cruger sent back +a verbal answer that he was not frightened by General Greene's +menaces and that he should defend the post until the last. + +The American batteries now opened with a heavy cross-fire, which +enfiladed several of the works. They also pushed forward a sap +against the Star fort and erected a battery, composed of gabions, +thirty-six yards only from the abattis and raised forty feet high so +as to overlook the works of the garrison. The riflemen posted on its +top did considerable execution and prevented the British guns being +worked during the day. + +The garrison tried to burn the battery by firing heated shot into it, +but from want of proper furnaces they were unable to heat the shot +sufficiently, and the attempt failed. They then protected their +parapets as well as they could by sand-bags with loop-holes, through +which the defenders did considerable execution with their rifles. + +Harold and his two comrades, whose skill with their weapons was +notorious, had their post behind some sand-bags immediately facing +the battery, and were able completely to silence the fire of its +riflemen, as it was certain death to show a head above its parapet. + +The enemy attempted to set fire to the houses of the village by +shooting blazing arrows into them, a heavy musketry and artillery +fire being kept up to prevent the defenders from quenching the +flames. These succeeded, however, in preventing any serious +conflagration, but Colonel Cruger ordered at once that the whole of +the houses should be unroofed. Thus the garrison were for the rest of +the siege without protection from the rain and night air, but all +risk of a fire, which might have caused the consumption of their +stores, was avoided. + +While the siege had been going on the town of Augusta had fallen, and +Lieutenant Colonel Lee, marching thence to re-enforce General Greene, +brought with him the British prisoners taken there. With a scandalous +want of honorable feeling he marched these prisoners along in full +sight of the garrison, with all the parade of martial music, and +preceded by a British standard reversed. + +If the intention was to discourage the garrison it failed entirely in +its effect. Fired with indignation at so shameful a sight, they +determined to encounter every danger and endure every hardship rather +than fall into the hands of an enemy capable of disgracing their +success by so wanton an insult to their prisoners. + +The Americans, strengthened by the junction of the troops who had +reduced Augusta, began to make approaches against the stockaded fort +on the left of the village, which kept open the communication of the +garrison with their water supply. The operations on this side were +intrusted to Colonel Lee, while General Greene continued to direct +those against the Star. + +On the night of June 9 a sortie was made by two strong parties of the +defenders. That to the right entered the enemy's trenches and +penetrated to a battery of four guns, which nothing but the want of +spikes and hammers prevented them from destroying. Here they +discovered the mouth of a mine intended to be carried under one of +the defenses of the Star. + +The division on the left fell in with the covering party of the +Americans, killed a number of them, and made their commanding officer +a prisoner. + +On the 12th Colonel Lee determined to attempt a storm of the stockade +on the left, and sent forward a sergeant and six men, with lighted +combustibles, to set fire to the abattis. The whole of them were +killed before effecting their purpose. A number of additional cannon +now arrived from Augusta, and so heavy and incessant a fire was +opened upon the stockade from three batteries that on the 17th it was +no longer tenable, and the garrison evacuated it in the night. + +The suffering of the garrison for want of water now became extreme. +With great labor a well had been dug in the fort, but no water was +found, and none could be procured except from the rivulet within +pistol-shot of the enemy. In the day nothing could be done, but at +night negroes, whose bodies in the darkness were not easily +distinguished from the tree-stumps which surrounded them, went out +and at great risk brought in a scanty supply. The position of the +garrison became desperate. Colonel Cruger, however, was not +discouraged, and did his best to sustain the spirits of his troops by +assurances that Lord Rawdon was certain to attempt to relieve the +place as soon as he possibly could do so. + +At length one day, to the delight of the garrison, an American +royalist rode right through the pickets under the fire of the enemy +and delivered a verbal message from Lord Rawdon to the effect that he +had passed Orangeburg and was on his march to raise the siege. + +Lord Rawdon had been forced to remain at Charleston until the arrival +of three fresh regiments from Ireland enabled him to leave that place +in safety and march to the relief of Ninety-six. His force amounted +to 1800 infantry and 150 cavalry. General Greene had also received +news of Lord Rawdon's movements, and, finding from his progress that +it would be impossible to reduce the fort by regular approaches +before his arrival, he determined to hazard an assault. + +The American works had been pushed up close to the forts, and the +third parallel had been completed, and a mine and two trenches +extended within a few feet of the ditch. On the morning of June 18 a +heavy cannonade was begun from all the American batteries. The Whole +of the batteries and trenches were lined with riflemen, whose fire +prevented the British from showing their heads, above the parapets. +At noon two parties of the enemy advanced under cover of their +trenches and made a lodgment in the ditch. These were followed by +other parties with hooks to drag down the sand-bags and tools to +overthrow the parapet. They were exposed to the fire of the +block-houses in the village, and Major Green, the English officer who +commanded the Star fort, had his detachment in readiness behind the +parapet to receive the enemy when they attempted to storm. + +As the main body of Americans did not advance beyond the third +parallel and contented themselves with supporting the parties in the +ditch with their fire, the commander of the fort resolved to inflict +a heavy blow. Two parties, each 30 strong, under the command of +Captains Campbell and French, issued from the sally-port in the rear, +entered the ditch, and, taking opposite directions, charged the +Americans who had made the lodgment with such impetuosity that they +drove everything before them until they met. The bayonet alone was +used and the carnage was great--two-thirds of those who entered the +trenches were either killed or wounded. + +General Greene, finding it useless any longer to continue the +attempt, called off his troops, and on the following day raised the +siege and marched away with all speed, having lost at least 300 men +in the siege. Of the garrison 27 were killed and 58 wounded. + +On the 21st Lord Rawdon arrived at Ninety-six and, finding that it +would be hopeless for him to attempt to overtake the retreating +enemy, who were marching with great speed, he drew off the garrison +of Ninety-six and fell back toward the coast. + +A short time afterward a sharp fight ensued between a force under +Colonel Stewart and the army of General Greene. The English were +taken by surprise and were at first driven back, but they recovered +from their confusion and renewed the fight with great spirit, and +after a desperate conflict the Americans were repulsed. Two cannon +and 60 prisoners were taken; among the latter Colonel Washington, who +commanded the reserve. The loss on both sides was about equal, as 250 +of the British troops were taken prisoners at the first outset. The +American killed considerably exceeded our own. Both, parties claimed +the victory; the Americans because they had forced the British to +retreat; the British because they had ultimately driven the Americans +from the field and obliged them to retire to a strong position seven +miles in the rear This was the last action of the war in South +Carolina. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +THE END OF THE STRUGGLE. + +Being unable to obtain any supplies at Wilmington, Lord Cornwallis +determined to march on into Virginia and to effect a junction with +the British force under General Arnold operating there. Arnold +advanced to Petersburg and Cornwallis effected a junction with him on +May 20. The Marquis de la Fayette, who commanded the colonial forces +here, fell back. Just at this time the Count de Grasse, with a large +French fleet, arrived off the coast, and, after some consultation +with General Washington, determined that the French fleet and the +whole American army should operate together to crush the forces under +Lord Cornwallis. + +The English were hoodwinked by reports that the French fleet was +intended to operate against New York, and it was not until they +learned that the Count de Grasse had arrived with twenty-eight ships +of the line at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay that the true object +of the expedition was seen. A portion of the English fleet +encountered them, but after irregular actions, lasting over five +days, the English drew off and retired to New York. The +commander-in-chief then attempted to effect a diversion, in order to +draw off some of the enemy who were surrounding Cornwallis. The fort +of New London was stormed after some desperate fighting, and great +quantities of ammunition and stores and fifty pieces of cannon taken. +General Washington did not allow his attention to be distracted. +Matters were in a most critical condition, for although to the +English the prospect of ultimate success appeared slight indeed, the +Americans were in a desperate condition. Their immense and +long-continued efforts had been unattended with any material success. +It was true that the British troops held no more ground now than they +did at the end of the first year of the war, but no efforts of the +colonists had succeeded in wresting that ground from them. The people +were exhausted and utterly disheartened. Business of all sorts was at +a standstill. Money had ceased to circulate, and the credit of +Congress stood so low that its bonds had ceased to have any value +whatever. The soldiers were unpaid, ill fed, and mutinous. If on the +English side it seemed that the task of conquering was beyond them, +the Americans were ready to abandon the defense from sheer +exhaustion. It was then of paramount necessity to General Washington +that a great and striking success should be obtained to animate the +spirits of the people. + +Cornwallis, seeing the formidable combination which the French and +Americans were making to crush him, sent message after message to New +York to ask for aid from the commander-in-chief, and received +assurances from him that he would at once sail with 4000 troops to +join him. Accordingly, in obedience to his orders, Lord Cornwallis +fortified himself at Yorktown. + +On September 28 the combined army of French and Americans, consisting +of 7000 of the former and 12,000 of the latter, appeared before +Yorktown and the post at Gloucester. Lord Cornwallis had 5960 men, +but so great had been the effects of the deadly climate in the autumn +months that only 4017 men were reported as fit for duty. + +The enemy at once invested the town and opened their trenches against +it. From their fleet they had drawn an abundance of heavy artillery, +and on October 9 their batteries opened a tremendous fire upon the +works. Each day they pushed their trenches closer, and the British +force was too weak, in comparison with the number of its assailants, +to venture upon sorties. The fire from the works was completely +overpowered by that of the enemy, and the ammunition was nearly +exhausted. Day after day passed and still the promised re-enforcements +did not arrive. Lord Cornwallis was told positively that the fleet +would set sail on October 8, but it came not, nor did it leave port +until the 19th, the day on which Lord Cornwallis surrendered. + +On the 16th, finding that he must either surrender or break through, +he determined to cross the river and fall on the French rear with his +whole force and then turn northward and force his way through +Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the Jerseys. In the night the light +infantry, the greater part of the guards, and part of the +Twenty-third were embarked in boats and crossed to the Gloucester +side of the river before midnight. At this critical moment a violent +storm arose which prevented the boats returning. The enemy's fire +reopened at daybreak, and the engineer and principal officers of the +army gave it as their opinion that it was impossible to resist +longer. Only one eight-inch shell and a hundred small ones remained. +The defenses had in many places tumbled to ruins, and no effectual +resistance could be opposed to an assault. + +Accordingly Lord Cornwallis sent out a flag of truce and arranged +terms of surrender. On the 24th the fleet and re-enforcements arrived +off the mouth of the Chesapeake. Had they left New York at the time +promised, the result of the campaign would have been different. + +The army surrendered as prisoners of war until exchanged, the +officers with liberty to proceed on parole to Europe and not to serve +until exchanged. The loyal Americans were embarked on the _Bonito_, +sloop of war, and sent to New York in safety, Lord Cornwallis having +obtained permission to send off the ship without her being searched, +with as many soldiers on board as he should think fit, so that they +were accounted for in any further exchange. He was thus enabled to +send off such of the inhabitants and loyalist troops as would have +suffered from the vengeance of the Americans. + +The surrender of Lord Cornwallis' army virtually ended the war. The +burden entailed on the people in England by the great struggle +against France, Spain, Holland, and America, united in arms against +her, was enormous. So long as there appeared any chance of recovering +the colony the English people made the sacrifices required of them, +but the conviction that it was impossible for them to wage a war with +half of Europe and at the same time to conquer a continent had been +gaining more and more in strength. Even the most sanguine were +silenced by the surrender of Yorktown, and a cry arose throughout the +country that peace should at once be made. + +As usual under the circumstances, a change of ministry took place. +Negotiations for peace were at once commenced, and the war terminated +in the acknowledgment of the entire independence of the United States +of America. + +Harold with his companions had fallen back to Charleston with Lord +Rawdon after the relief of Ninety-six, and remained there until the +news arrived that the negotiations were on foot and that peace was +now certain. Then he took his discharge and sailed at once for +England, accompanied by Jake; Peter Lambton taking a passage to +Canada to carry out his intention of settling at Montreal. + +Harold was now past twenty-two, and his father and mother did not +recognize him when, without warning, he arrived at their residence in +Devonshire. It was six years since his mother had seen him, when she +sailed from Boston before its surrender in 1776. + +For a year he remained quiet at home, and then carried out his plan +of returning to the American continent and settling in Canada. + +Accompanied by Jake, he sailed for the St. Lawrence and purchased a +snug farm on its banks, near the spot where it flows from Lake +Ontario. + +He greatly improved it, built a comfortable house upon it, and two +years later returned to England, whence he brought back his Cousin +Nelly as his wife. + +Her little fortune was used in adding to the farm, and it became one +of the largest and best managed in the country. Peter Lambton +found Montreal too crowded for him and settled down on the estate, +supplying it with fish and game so long as his strength enabled him +to go about, and enjoying the society of Jack Pearson, who had +married and established himself on a farm close by. As years went +on and the population increased the property became very valuable, +and Harold, before he died, was one of the wealthiest and most +respected men in the colony. So long as his mother lived he and his +wife paid occasional visits to England, but after her death his +family and farm had so increased that it was inconvenient to leave +them; his father therefore returned with him to Canada and ended his +life there. Jake lived to a good old age and was Harold's faithful +friend and right-hand man to the last. + + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of True to the Old Flag, by G. A. 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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: True to the Old Flag + A Tale of the American War of Independence + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: September, 2005 [EBook #8859] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 15, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG *** + + + + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + +</pre> + +<H1 ALIGN="CENTER">TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG</H1> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">A TALE OF THE AMERICAN WAR +OF INDEPENDENCE</H2> + +<P> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">By</H3> +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">G. A. HENTY</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">Author Of "With Clive In India," "The Dragon And The Raven,"<BR> +"With Lee In Virginia," "By England's Aid," "In The Reign Of Terror,"<BR> +"With Wolfe In Canada," "Captain Bayley's Heir," Etc.</H3> + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="LEFT">CONTENTS</H2> + +<TABLE BORDER="0" SUMMARY="Contents"> +<TR><TH COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="LEFT">CHAPTER</TH></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c1">I.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c1">A FRONTIER FARM</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c2">II.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c2">AN INDIAN RAID</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c3">III.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c3">THE REDSKIN ATTACK</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c4">IV.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c4">THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c5">V.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c5">BUNKER'S HILL</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c6">VI.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c6">SCOUTING</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c7">VII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c7">IN THE FOREST</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c8">VIII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c8">QUEBEC</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c9">IX.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c9">THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c10">X.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c10">A TREACHEROUS PLANTER</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c11">XI.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c11">THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c12">XII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c12">THE SETTLER'S HUT</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c13">XIII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c13">SARATOGA</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c14">XIV.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c14">RESCUED!</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c15">XV.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c15">THE ISLAND REFUGE</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c16">XVI.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c16">THE GREAT STORM</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c17">XVII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c17">THE SCOUT'S STORY</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c18">XVIII.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c18">THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c19">XIX.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c19">IN AN AMERICAN PRISON</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c20">XX.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c20">THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA</A></B></TD></TR> +<TR><TD><B><A HREF="#c21">XXI.</A></B></TD><TD><B><A HREF="#c21">THE END OF THE STRUGGLE</A></B></TD></TR> +</TABLE> + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">PREFACE.</H2> + +<P>MY DEAR LADS: + +<P>You have probably been accustomed to regard the war between England +and her colonies in America as one in which we were not only beaten +but, to some extent, humiliated. Owing to the war having been an +unsuccessful one for our arms, British writers have avoided the +subject, and it has been left for American historians to describe. +These, writing for their own countrymen, and drawing for their facts +upon gazettes, letters, and other documents emanating from one side +only, have, naturally, and no doubt insensibly, given a very strong +color to their own views of the events, and English writers have been +too much inclined to accept their account implicitly. There is, +however, another and very different side to the story, and this I +have endeavored to show you. The whole of the facts and details +connected with the war can be relied upon as accurate. They are drawn +from the valuable account of the struggle written by Major Steadman, +who served under Howe, Clinton, and Cornwallis, and from other +authentic contemporary sources. You will see that, although +unsuccessful,—and success was, under the circumstances, a sheer +impossibility,—the British troops fought with a bravery which was +never exceeded, and that their victories in actual conflict vastly +outnumbered their defeats. Indeed, it may be doubted whether in any +war in which this country has been engaged have our soldiers +exhibited the qualities of endurance and courage to a higher degree. + +<P>Yours very sincerely, + +<P>G. A. HENTY. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="CENTER">TRUE TO THE OLD FLAG.</H1> + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c1"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER I.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">A FRONTIER FARM.</H3> + +<P>"Concord, March 1, 1774. + +<P>"MY DEAR COUSIN: I am leaving next week with my husband for England, +where we intend to pass some time visiting his friends. John and I +have determined to accept the invitation you gave us last summer for +Harold to come and spend a few months with you. His father thinks +that a great future will, ere many years, open in the West, and that +it is therefore well the boy should learn something of frontier life. +For myself, I would rather that he stayed quietly at home, for he is +at present over-fond of adventure; but as my husband is meditating +selling his estate here and moving West, it is perhaps better for him. + +<P>"Massachusetts is in a ferment, as indeed are all the Eastern States, +and the people talk openly of armed resistance against the +Government. My husband, being of English birth and having served in +the king's army, cannot brook what he calls the rebellious talk which +is common among his neighbors, and is already on bad terms with many +around us. I myself am, as it were, a neutral. As an American woman, +it seems to me that the colonists have been dealt with somewhat +hardly by the English Parliament, and that the measures of the latter +have been high-handed and arbitrary. Upon the other hand, I naturally +incline toward my husband's views. He maintains that, as the king's +army has driven out the French, and gives protection to the colony, +it is only fair that the colonists should contribute to its expenses. +The English ask for no contributions toward the expense of their own +country, but demand that, at least, the expenses of the protection of +the colony shall not be charged upon the heavily taxed people at +home. As to the law that the colony shall trade only with the mother +country, my husband says that this is the rule in the colonies of +Spain, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands, and that the people +here, who can obtain what land they choose and till it without rent, +should not grumble at paying this small tax to the mother country. +However it be, I fear that troubles will come, and, this place being +the head and focus of the party hostile to England, my husband, +feeling himself out of accord with all his neighbors, saying a few +loyal gentlemen like himself, is thinking much and seriously of +selling our estate here and of moving away into the new countries of +the West, where he will be free from all the disputation and +contentious talk which occupies men's time here. + +<P>"Indeed, cousin, times have sadly changed since you were staying here +with us five years ago. Then our life was a peaceful and quiet one; +now there is nothing but wrangling and strife. The dissenting clergy +are, as my husband says was the case in England before the great +civil war, the fomenters of this discontent. There are many +busybodies who pass their time in stirring up the people by violent +harangues and seditious writings; therefore everyone takes one side +or the other, and there is neither peace nor comfort in life. + +<P>"Accustomed as I have always been to living in ease and affluence, I +dread, somewhat, the thought of a life on the Indian frontier. One +has heard so many dreadful stories of Indian fights and massacres +that I tremble a little at the prospect; but I do not mention this to +John, for as other women are, like yourself, brave enough to support +these dangers, I would not appear a coward in his eyes. You will see, +cousin, that, as this prospect is before us, it is well that Harold +should learn the ways of a frontier life. Moreover, John does not +like the thought of leaving him here while we are in England; for, as +he says, the boy might learn to become a rebel in his absence; +therefore, my dear cousin, we have resolved to send him to you. An +opportunity offers, in the fact that a gentleman of our acquaintance +is, with his family, going this week West, with the intention of +settling there, and he will, he tells us, go first to Detroit, whence +he will be able to send Harold forward to your farm. The boy himself +is delighted at the thought, and promises to return an accomplished +backwoodsman. John joins me in kind love to yourself and your +husband, and believe me to remain, + +<P>"Your Affectionate Cousin, + +<P>"MARY WILSON."</P> + +<BR> + +<P>Four months after the date of the above letter a lad some fifteen +years old was walking with a man of middle age on the shores of Lake +Huron. Behind them was a large clearing of about a hundred acres in +extent; a comfortable house, with buildings for cattle, stood at a +distance of some three hundred yards from the lake; broad fields of +yellow corn waved brightly in the sun; and from the edge of the +clearing came the sound of a woodsman's ax, showing that the +proprietor was still enlarging the limits of his farm. Surrounding +the house, at a distance of twenty yards, was a strong stockade some +seven feet in height, formed of young trees, pointed at the upper +end, squared, and fixed firmly in the ground. The house itself, +although far more spacious and comfortable than the majority of +backwood farmhouses, was built in the usual fashion, of solid logs, +and was evidently designed to resist attack. + +<P>William Welch had settled ten years before on this spot, which was +then far removed from the nearest habitation. It would have been a +very imprudent act, under ordinary circumstances, to have established +himself in so lonely a position, so far removed from the possibility +of assistance in case of attack. He settled there, however, just +after Pontiac, who was at the head of an alliance of all the Indian +tribes of those parts, had, after the long and desperate siege of +Fort Pitt, made peace with us upon finding that his friends, the +French, had given up all thought of further resistance to the +English, and had entirely abandoned the country. Mr. Welch thought, +therefore, that a permanent peace was likely to reign on the +frontier, and that he might safely establish himself in the charming +location he had pitched upon, far removed from the confines of +civilization. + +<P>The spot was a natural clearing of some forty acres in extent, +sloping down to the water's edge, and a more charming site could +hardly have been chosen. Mr. Welch had brought with him three farm +laborers from the East, and, as time went on, he extended the +clearing by cutting down the forest giants which bordered it. + +<P>But in spite of the beauty of the position, the fertility of the +soil, the abundance of his crops, and the advantages afforded by the +lake, both from its plentiful supply of fish and as a highway by +which he could convey his produce to market, he had more than once +regretted his choice of location. It was true that there had been no +Indian wars on a large scale, but the Indians had several times +broken out in sudden incursions. Three times he had been attacked, +but, fortunately, only by small parties, which he had been enabled to +beat off. Once, when a more serious danger threatened him, he had +been obliged to embark, with his wife and child and his more valuable +chattels, in the great scow in which he carried his produce to +market, and had to take refuge in the settlements, to find, on his +return, his buildings destroyed and his farm wasted. At that time he +had serious thoughts of abandoning his location altogether, but the +settlements were extending rapidly toward him, and, with the prospect +of having neighbors before long and the natural reluctance to give up +a place upon which he had expended so much toil, he decided to hold +on; hoping that more quiet times would prevail, until other settlers +would take up land around him. + +<P>The house had been rebuilt more strongly than before. He now employed +four men, and had been unmolested since his return to his farm, three +years before the date of this story. Already two or three locations +had been taken up on the shores of the lake beyond him, a village had +grown up thirty-five miles away, and several settlers had established +themselves between that place and his home. + +<P>"So you are going out fishing this morning, Harold?" Mr. Welch said. +"I hope you will bring back a good supply, for the larder is low. I +was looking at you yesterday, and I see that you are becoming a +first-rate hand at the management of a canoe." + +<P>"So I ought to be," the boy said, "considering that for nearly three +months I have done nothing but shoot and fish." + +<P>"You have a sharp eye, Harold, and will make a good backwoodsman one +of these days. You can shoot nearly as well as I can now. It is lucky +that I had a good stock of powder and lead on hand; firing away by +the hour together, as you do, consumes a large amount of ammunition. +See, there is a canoe on the lake; it is coming this way, too. There +is but one man in it; he is a white, by his clothes." + +<P>For a minute or two they stood watching the boat, and then, seeing +that its course was directed toward the shore, they walked down to +the edge of the lake to meet it. + +<P>"Ah, Pearson! is that you?" Mr. Welch asked. "I thought I knew your +long, sweeping stroke at a distance. You have been hunting, I see; +that is a fine stag you have got there. What is the news?" + +<P>"About as bad as can be, Master Welch," the hunter said. "The +Iroquois have dug up the tomahawk again and are out on the war-path. +They have massacred John Brent and his family. I heard a talk of it +among some hunters I met ten days since in the woods. They said that +the Iroquois were restless and that their chief, War Eagle, one of +the most troublesome varmints on the whole frontier, had been +stirring 'em up to war. He told 'em, I heard, that the pale-faces +were pushing further and further into the Injun woods, and that, +unless they drove 'em back, the redskin hunting grounds would be +gone. I hoped that nothing would come of it, but I might have known +better. When the redskins begin to stir there's sure to be mischief +before they're quiet again." + +<P>The color had somewhat left Mr. Welch's cheeks as the hunter spoke. + +<P>"This is bad news, indeed, Pearson," he said gravely. "Are you sure +about the attack on the Brents?" + +<P>"Sartin sure," the hunter said. "I met their herder; he had been down +to Johnson's to fetch a barrel of pork. Just when he got back he +heard the Injun yells and saw smoke rising in the clearing, so he +dropped the barrel and made tracks. I met him at Johnson's, where he +had just arrived. Johnson was packing up with all haste and was going +to leave, and so I said I would take my canoe and come down the lake, +giving you all warning on the way. I stopped at Burns' and Hooper's. +Burns said he should clear out at once, but Hooper talked about +seeing it through. He's got no wife to be skeary about, and reckoned +that, with his two hands, he could defend his log hut. I told him I +reckoned he would get his har raised if the Injuns came that way; +but, in course, that's his business." + +<P>"What do you advise, Pearson? I do not like abandoning this farm to +the mercy of the redskins." + +<P>"It would be a pity, Master Welch, that's as true as Gospel. It's the +likeliest clearing within fifty miles round, and you've fixed the +place up as snug and comfortable as if it were a farm in the old +provinces. In course the question is what this War Eagle intends to +do. His section of the tribe is pretty considerable strong, and +although at present I aint heard that any others have joined, these +Injuns are like barrels of gunpowder: when the spark is once struck +there's no saying how far the explosion may spread. When one band of +'em sees as how another is taking scalps and getting plunder and +honor, they all want to be at the same work. I reckon War Eagle has +got some two hundred braves who will follow him; but when the news +spreads that he has begun his work, all the Iroquois, to say nothing +of the Shawnees, Delawares, and other varmint, may dig up the +hatchet. The question is what War Eagle's intentions are. He may make +a clean sweep down, attacking all the outlying farms and waiting till +he is joined by a lot more of the red reptiles before attacking the +settlements. Then, on the other hand, he may think himself strong +enough to strike a blow at Gloucester and some other border villages +at once. In that case he might leave the outlying farms alone, as the +news of the burning of these would reach the settlements and put 'em +on their guard, and he knows, in course, that if he succeeds there he +can eat you all up at his leisure." + +<P>"The attack upon Brent's place looks as if he meant to make a clean +sweep down," Mr. Welch said. + +<P>"Well," the hunter continued thoughtfully, "I don't know as I sees it +in that light. Brent's place was a long way from any other. He might +have wished to give his band a taste of blood, and so raise their +spirits, and he might reasonably conclude that naught would be known +about it for days, perhaps weeks to come. Then, again, the attack +might have been made by some straggling party without orders. It's a +dubious question. You've got four hands here, I think, and yourself. +I have seen your wife shoot pretty straight with a rifle, so she can +count as one, and as this young un, here, has a good idea, too, with +his shooting-iron, that makes six guns. Your place is a strong one, +and you could beat off any straggling party. My idea is that War +Eagle, who knows pretty well that the place would make a stout fight, +won't waste his time by making a regular attack upon it. You might +hold out for twenty-four hours; the clearing is open and there aint +no shelter to be had. He would be safe to lose a sight of men, and +this would be a bad beginning, and would discourage his warriors +greatly. No, I reckon War Eagle will leave you alone for the present. +Maybe he will send a scout to see whether you are prepared; it's as +likely as not that one is spying at us somewhere among the trees now. +I should lose no time in driving in the animals and getting well in +shelter. When they see you are prepared they will leave you alone; at +least, for the present. Afterward there's no saying—that will depend +on how they get on at the settlements. If they succeed there and get +lots of booty and plenty of scalps, they may march back without +touching you; they will be in a hurry to get to their villages and +have their feasts and dancing. If they are beaten off at the +settlements I reckon they will pay you a visit for sure; they won't +go back without scalps. They will be savage like, and won't mind +losing some men for the sake of having something to brag about when +they get back. And now, Master Welch, I must be going on, for I want +to take the news down to the settlements before War Eagle gets there, +and he may be ahead of me now, for aught I know. I don't give you no +advice as to what you had best do; you can judge the circumstances as +well as I can. When I have been to the settlements and put them on +their guard, maybe I shall be coming back again, and, in that case, +you know Jack Pearson's rifle is at your disposal. You may as well +tote this stag up to the house. You won't be doing much hunting just +for the present, and the meat may come in handy." + +<P>The stag was landed, and a minute later the canoe shot away from +shore under the steady stroke of the hunter's powerful arms. Mr. +Welch at once threw the stag over his shoulders and, accompanied by +Harold, strode away toward the house. On reaching it he threw down +the stag at the door, seized a rope which hung against the wall, and +the sounds of a large bell, rung in quick, sharp strokes, summoned +the hands from the fields. The sound of the woodman's ax ceased at +once, and the shouts of the men, as they drove the cattle toward the +house, rose on the still air. + +<P>"What is the matter, William?" Mrs. Welch asked as she ran from the +house. + +<P>"I have bad news, my dear. The Indians are out again, and I fear we +may have trouble before us. We must hope that they will not come in +this direction, but must be prepared for the worst. Wait till I see +all the hands and beasts in the stockade, and then we can talk the +matter over quietly." + +<P>In a few minutes the hands arrived, driving before them the horses +and cattle. + +<P>"What is it, boss?" they asked. "Was that the alarm bell sure +enough?" + +<P>"The Indians are out again," Mr. Welch said, "and in force. They have +massacred the Brents and are making toward the settlements. They may +come this way or they may not; at any rate, we must be prepared for +them. Get the beasts into the sheds, and then do you all take scythes +and set to work to cut down that patch of corn, which is high enough +to give them shelter; there's nothing else which will cover them +within a hundred yards of the house. Of course you will take your +rifles with you and keep a sharp lookout; but they will have heard +the bell, if they are in the neighborhood, and will guess that we +are on the alert, so they are not likely to attempt a surprise. Shut +one of the gates and leave the other ajar, with the bar handy to put +up in case you have to make a run for it. Harold will go up to the +lookout while you are at work." + +<P>Having seen that all was attended to, Mr. Welch went into the house, +where his wife was going about her work as usual, pale, but quiet and +resolute. + +<P>"Now, Jane," he said, "sit down, and I will tell you exactly how +matters stand, as far as Pearson, who brought the news, has told me. +Then you shall decide as to the course we had better take." + +<P>After he had told her all that Pearson had said, and the reasons for +and against expecting an early attack, he went on: + +<P>"Now, it remains for you, my dear, to decide whether we shall stay +and defend the place till the last against any attack that may be +made, or whether we shall at once embark in the scow and make our way +down to the settlements." + +<P>"What do you think, William?" his wife asked. + +<P>"I scarcely know, myself," he answered; "but, if I had quite my own +way, I should send you and Nelly down to the settlements in the scow +and fight it out here with the hands." + +<P>"You certainly will not have your own way in that," his wife said. +"If you go of course I go; if you stay I stay. I would a thousand +times rather go through a siege here, and risk the worst, than go +down to Gloucester and have the frightful anxiety of not knowing what +was happening here. Besides, it is very possible, as you say, that +the Indians may attack the settlement itself. Many of the people +there have had no experience in Indian war, and the redskins are +likely to be far more successful in their surprise there than they +would be here. If we go we should have to leave our house, our barns, +our stacks, and our animals to the mercy of the savages. Your capital +is pretty nearly all embarked here now, and the loss of all this +would be ruin to us. At any rate, William, I am ready to stay here +and to risk what may come if you are. A life on the frontier is +necessarily a life of danger, and if we are to abandon everything and +to have to commence life afresh every time the Indians go on the +war-path, we had better give it up at once and return to +Massachusetts." + +<P>"Very well, my dear," her husband said gravely. "You are a true +frontiersman's wife; you have chosen as I should have done. It is a +choice of evils; but God has blessed and protected us since we came +out into the wilderness—we will trust and confide in him now. At any +rate," he went on more cheerfully, "there is no fear of the enemy +starving us out. We got in our store of provisions only a fortnight +since, and have enough of everything for a three-months' siege. There +is no fear of our well failing us; and as for ammunition, we have +abundance. Seeing how Harold was using powder and ball, I had an +extra supply when the stores came in the other day. There is plenty +of corn in the barn for the animals for months, and I will have the +corn which the men are cutting brought in as a supply of food for the +cows. It will be useful for another purpose, too; we will keep a heap +of it soaked with water and will cover the shingles with it in case +of attack. It will effectually quench their fire arrows." + +<P>The day passed off without the slightest alarm, and by nightfall the +patch of corn was cleared away and an uninterrupted view of the +ground for the distance of a hundred yards from the house was +afforded. When night fell two out of the four dogs belonging to the +farm were fastened out in the open, at a distance of from seventy to +eighty yards of the house, the others being retained within the +stockade. The garrison was divided into three watches, two men being +on the alert at a time, relieving each other every three hours. Mr. +Welch took Harold as his companion on the watch. The boy was greatly +excited at the prospect of a struggle. He had often read of the +desperate fights between the frontier settlers and the Indians, and +had longed to take a share in the adventurous work. He could scarcely +believe that the time had come and that he was really a sharer in +what might be a desperate struggle. + +<P>The first watch was set at nine, and at twelve Mr. Welch and Harold +came on duty. The men they relieved reported that all was silent in +the woods, and that they had heard no suspicious cries of any kind. +When the men had returned to their room Mr. Welch told Harold that he +should take a turn round the stockade and visit the dogs. Harold was +to keep watch at the gate, to close it after he went out, to put up +the bar, and to stand beside it ready to open it instantly if called +upon. + +<P>Then the farmer stepped out into the darkness and, treading +noiselessly, at once disappeared from Harold's sight. The latter +closed the gate, replaced the heavy bar, and stood with one hand on +this and the other holding his rifle, listening intently. Once he +thought he heard a low growling from one of the dogs, but this +presently ceased, and all was quiet again. The gate was a solid one, +formed of strong timbers placed at a few inches apart and bolted to +horizontal bars. + +<P>Presently he felt the gate upon which his hand rested quiver, as if +pressure was applied from without. His first impulse was to say, "Is +that you?" but Mr. Welch had told him that he would give a low +whistle as he approached the gate; he therefore stood quiet, with his +whole attention absorbed in listening. Without making the least stir +he peered through the bars and made out two dark figures behind them. +After once or twice shaking the gate, one took his place against it +and the other sprang upon his shoulders. + +<P>Harold looked up and saw a man's head appear against the sky. Dim as +was the light, he could see that it was no European head-gear, a long +feather or two projecting from it. In an instant he leveled his rifle +and fired. There was a heavy fall and then all was silent. Harold +again peered through the bars. The second figure had disappeared, and +a black mass lay at the foot of the gate. + +<P>In an instant the men came running from the house, rifles in hand. + +<P>"What is it?" they exclaimed. "Where is Mr. Welch?" + +<P>"He went out to scout round the house, leaving me at the gate," +Harold said. "Two men, I think Indians, came up; one was getting over +the gate when I shot him. I think he is lying outside—the other has +disappeared." + +<P>"We must get the master in," one of the men said. "He is probably +keeping away, not knowing what has happened. Mr. Welch," he shouted, +"it is all safe here, so far as we know; we are all on the lookout to +cover you as you come up." + +<P>Immediately a whistle was heard close to the gate. This was +cautiously opened a few inches, and was closed and barred directly +Mr. Welch entered. + +<P>Harold told him what had happened. + +<P>"I thought it was something of the sort. I heard Wolf growl and felt +sure that it was not at me. I threw myself down and crept up to him +and found him shot through the heart with an Indian arrow. I was +crawling back to the house when I heard Harold's shot. Then I waited +to see if it was followed by the war-whoop, which the redskins would +have raised at once, on finding that they were discovered, had they +been about to attack in force. Seeing that all was quiet, I +conjectured that it was probably an attempt on the part of a spy to +discover if we were upon the alert. Then I heard your call and at +once came on. I do not expect any attack to-night now, as these +fellows must have been alone; but we will all keep watch till the +morning. You have done very well, Harold, and have shown yourself a +keen watchman. It is fortunate that you had the presence of mind +neither to stir nor to call out when you first heard them; for, had +you done so, you would probably have got an arrow between your ribs, +as poor Wolf has done." + +<P>When it was daylight, and the gate was opened, the body of an Indian +was seen lying without; a small mark on his forehead showed where +Harold's bullet had entered; death being instantaneous. His war-paint +and the embroidery of his leggings showed him at once to be an +Iroquois. Beside him lay his bow, with an arrow which had evidently +been fitted to the string for instant work. Harold shuddered when he +saw it and congratulated himself on having stood perfectly quiet. A +grave was dug a short distance away, the Indian was buried, and the +household proceeded about their work. + +<P>The day, as was usual in households in America, was begun with +prayer, and the supplications of Mr. Welch for the protection of God +over the household were warm and earnest. The men proceeded to feed +the animals; these were then turned out of the inclosure, one of the +party being always on watch in the little tower which they had +erected for that purpose some ten or twelve feet above the roof of +the house. From this spot a view was obtainable right over the +clearing to the forest which surrounded it on three sides. The other +hands proceeded to cut down more of the corn, so as to extend the +level space around the house. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c2"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER II.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">AN INDIAN RAID.</H3> + +<P>That day and the next passed quietly. The first night the man who was +on watch up to midnight remarked to Mr. Welch, when he relieved him, +that it seemed to him that there were noises in the air. + +<P>"What sort of noises, Jackson—calls of night-birds or animals? If +so, the Indians are probably around us." + +<P>"No," the man said; "all is still round here, but I seem to feel the +noise rather than hear it. I should say that it was firing, very many +miles off." + +<P>"The night is perfectly still, and the sound of a gun would be heard +a long way." + +<P>"I cannot say that I have heard a gun; it is rather a tremble in the +air than a sound." + +<P>When the man they had relieved had gone down and all was still again, +Mr. Welch and Harold stood listening intently. + +<P>"Jackson was right," the farmer said; "there is something in the air. +I can feel it rather than hear it. It is a sort of murmur no louder +than a whisper. Do you hear it, Harold?" + +<P>"I seem to hear something," Harold said. "It might be the sound of +the sea a very long way off, just as one can hear it many miles from +the coast, on a still night at home. What do you think it is?" + +<P>"If it is not fancy," Mr. Welch replied, "and I do not think that we +should all be deceived, it is an attack upon Gloucester." + +<P>"But Gloucester is thirty-five miles away," Harold answered. + +<P>"It is," Mr. Welch replied; "but on so still a night as this sounds +can be heard from an immense distance. If it is not this, I cannot +say what it is." + +<P>Upon the following night, just as Mr. Welch's watch was at an end, a +low whistle was heard near the gate. + +<P>"Who is there?" Mr. Welch at once challenged. + +<P>"Jack Pearson, and the sooner you open the gate the better. There's +no saying where these red devils may be lying round." + +<P>Harold and the farmer instantly ran down and opened the gate. + +<P>"I should advise you to stop down here," the hunter said as they +replaced the bars. "If you did not hear me you certainly would not +hear the redskins, and they'd all be over the palisade before you had +time to fire a shot. I'm glad to see you safe, for I was badly +skeared lest I should find nothing but a heap of ashes here." + +<P>The next two men now turned out, and Mr. Welch led his visitor into +the house and struck a light. + +<P>"Halloo, Pearson! you must have been in a skirmish," he said, seeing +that the hunter's head was bound up with a bloodstained bandage. + +<P>"It was all that," Pearson said, "and wuss. I went down to Gloucester +and told 'em what I had heard, but the darned fools tuk it as quiet +as if all King George's troops with fixed bayonets had been camped +round 'em. The council got together and palavered for an hour, and +concluded that there was no chance whatever of the Iroquois venturing +to attack such a powerful place as Gloucester. I told 'em that the +redskins would go over their stockade at a squirrel's jump, and that +as War Eagle alone had at least 150 braves, while there warn't more +than 50 able-bodied men in Gloucester and all the farms around it, +things would go bad with 'em if they didn't mind. But bless yer, they +knew more than I did about it. Most of 'em had moved from the East +and had never seen an Injun in his war-paint. Gloucester had never +been attacked since it was founded nigh ten years ago, and they +didn't see no reason why it should be attacked now. There was a few +old frontiersmen like myself among 'em who did their best to stir 'em +up, but it was no manner of good. When the council was over we put +our heads together, and just went through the township a-talking to +the women, and we hadn't much difficulty in getting up such a skear +among 'em that before nightfall every one of 'em in the farms around +made their husbands move into the stockade of the village. + +<P>"When the night passed off quietly most of the men were just as +savage with us as if it had been a false alarm altogether. I p'inted +out that it was not because War Eagle had left 'em alone that night +that he was bound to do so the next night or any night after. But in +spite of the women they would have started out to their farms the +fust thing in the morning, if a man hadn't come in with the news that +Carter's farm had been burned and the whole of the people killed and +scalped. As Carter's farm lay only about fifteen miles off this gave +'em a skear, and they were as ready now to believe in the Injuns as I +had tried to make 'em the night before. Then they asked us old hands +to take the lead and promised to do what we told 'em, but when it +came to it their promises were not worth the breath they had spent +upon 'em. There were eight or ten houses outside the stockade, and in +course we wanted these pulled down; but they wouldn't hear of it. +Howsomever, we got 'em to work to strengthen the stockades, to make +loop-holes in the houses near 'em, to put up barricades from house to +house, and to prepare generally for a fight. We divided into three +watches. + +<P>"Well, just as I expected, about eleven o'clock at night the Injuns +attacked. Our watch might just as well have been asleep for any good +they did, for it was not till the redskins had crept up to the +stockade all round and opened fire between the timbers on 'em that +they knew that they were near. I'll do 'em justice to say that they +fought stiff enough then, and for four hours they held the line of +houses; every redskin who climbed the stockade fell dead inside it. +Four fires had been lighted directly they attacked to enable us to +keep 'em from scaling the stockade, but they showed us to the enemy, +of course. + +<P>"The redskins took possession of the houses which we had wanted to +pull down, and precious hot they made it for us. Then they shot such +showers of burning arrows into the village that half of the houses +were soon alight. We tried to get our men to sally out and to hold +the line of stockade, when we might have beaten 'em off if all the +village had been burned down; but it were no manner of good; each man +wanted to stick to his wife and family till the last. As the flames +went up every man who showed himself was shot down, and when at last +more than half our number had gone under the redskins brought up +fagots, piled 'em against the stockade outside, and then the hull +tribe came bounding over. Our rifles were emptied, for we couldn't +get the men to hold their fire, but some of us chaps as knew what was +coming gave the redskins a volley as they poured in. + +<P>"I don't know much as happened after that. Jack Robins and Bill +Shuter, who were old pals of mine, and me made up our minds what to +do, and we made a rush for a small gate that there was in the +stockade, just opposite where the Injuns came in. We got through safe +enough, but they had left men all round. Jack Robins he was shot +dead. Bill and I kept straight on. We had a grapple with some of the +redskins; two or three on 'em went down, and Bill and I got through +and had a race for it till we got fairly into the forest. Bill had a +ball in the shoulder, and I had a clip across the head with a +tomahawk. We had a council, and Bill went off to warn some of the +other settlements and I concluded to take to the water and paddle +back to you, not knowing whether I should find that the redskins had +been before me. I thought anyway that I might stop your going down to +Gloucester, and that if there was a fight you would be none the worse +for an extra rifle." + +<P>Mr. Welch told the hunter of the visit of the two Indian spies two +nights before. + +<P>"Waal," the hunter said, "I reckon for the present you are not likely +to be disturbed. The Injuns have taken a pile of booty and something +like two hundred scalps, counting the women and children, and they +moved off at daybreak this morning in the direction of Tottenham, +which I reckon they'll attack tonight. Howsomever, Bill has gone on +there to warn 'em, and after the sack of Gloucester the people of +Tottenham won't be caught napping, and there are two or three old +frontiersmen who have settled down there, and War Eagle will get a +hot reception if he tries it. As far as his band is concerned, you're +safe for some days. The only fear is that some others of the tribe, +hurrying up at hearing of his success, may take this place as they go +past. And now I guess I'll take a few hours' sleep. I haven't closed +an eye for the last two nights." + +<P>A week passed quietly. Pearson, after remaining two days, again went +down the lake to gather news, and returned a day later with the +intelligence that almost all the settlements had been deserted by +their inhabitants. The Indians were out in great strength and had +attacked the settlers at many points along the frontier, committing +frightful devastations. + +<P>Still another week passed, and Mr. Welch began to hope that his +little clearing had been overlooked and forgotten by the Indians. The +hands now went about their work as usual, but always carried arms +with them, while one was constantly stationed on the watch-tower. +Harold resumed his fishing; never, however, going out of sight of the +house. Sometimes he took with him little Nelly Welch; it being +considered that she was as safe in the canoe as she was in the house, +especially as the boat was always in sight, and the way up from the +landing to the house was under cover of the rifles of the defenders; +so that, even in case of an attack, they would probably be able to +make their way back. + +<P>One afternoon they had been out together for two or three hours; +everything looked as quiet and peaceable as usual; the hands were in +the fields near the house, a few of the cows grazing close to the +gate. Harold had been successful in his fishing and had obtained as +many fish as he could carry. He stepped out from the canoe, helped +Nelly to land, slung his rifle across his back, and picked up the +fish, which were strung on a withe passed through their gills. + +<P>He had made but a few steps when a yell arose, so loud and terrible +that for a moment his heart seemed to stop beating. Then from the +cornfields leaped up a hundred dark figures; then came the sharp +crack of rifles, and two of the hands dashed down at full speed +toward the house. One had fallen. The fourth man was in the +watch-tower. The surprise had been complete. The Indians had made +their way like snakes through the long corn, whose waving had been +unperceived by the sentinel, who was dozing at his post, half-asleep +in the heat of the sun. Harold saw in a moment that it was too late +for him to regain the house; the redskins were already nearer to it +than he was. + +<P>"Now, Nelly! into the boat again—quick!" he said. "We must keep out +of the way till it's all over." + +<P>Nelly was about twelve years old, and her life in the woods had given +her a courage and quickness beyond her years. Without wasting a +moment on cries or lamentations, she sprang back into the canoe. +Harold took his place beside her, and the light craft darted rapidly +out into the lake. Not until he was some three or four hundred yards +from the shore did Harold pause to look round. Then, when he felt he +was out of gunshot distance, he ceased paddling. The fight was raging +now around the house; from loop-holes and turret the white puffs of +smoke darted angrily out. The fire had not been ineffectual, for +several dark forms could be seen lying round the stockade, and the +bulk of the Indians, foiled in their attempt to carry the place at a +rush, had taken shelter in the corn and kept up a scattering fire +round the house, broken only on the side facing the lake, where there +was no growing crop to afford them shelter. + +<P>"They are all right now," Harold said cheerfully. + +<P>"Do not be anxious, Nelly; they will beat them off, Pearson is a host +in himself. I expect he must have been lying down when the attack was +made. I know he was scouting round the house all night. If he had +been on the watch, those fellows would never have succeeded in +creeping up so close unobserved." + +<P>"I wish we were inside," Nelly said, speaking for the first time. "If +I were only with them, I should not mind." + +<P>"I am sure I wish we were," Harold agreed. "It is too hard being +useless out here when such a splendid fight is going on. Ah! they +have their eyes on us!" he exclaimed as a puff of smoke burst out +from some bushes near the shore and a ball came skipping along on the +surface of the water, sinking, however, before it reached it. + +<P>"Those Indian muskets are no good," Harold said contemptuously, "and +the trade powder the Indians get is very poor stuff; but I think that +they are well within range of my rifle." + +<P>The weapon which Harold carried was an English rifle of very perfect +make and finish, which his father had given him on parting. + +<P>"Now," he said, "do you paddle the canoe a few strokes nearer the +shore, Nelly. We shall still be beyond the range of that fellow. He +will fire again and I shall see exactly where he is lying." + +<P>Nelly, who was efficient in the management of a canoe, took the +paddle, and dipping it in the water the boat moved slowly toward the +shore. Harold sat with his rifle across his knees, looking intently +over the bows of the boat toward the bush from which the shot had +come. + +<P>"That's near enough, Nelly," he said. + +<P>The girl stopped paddling, and the hidden foe, seeing that they did +not mean to come nearer the shore, again fired. Harold's rifle was in +an instant against his shoulder; he sat immovable for a moment and +then fired. + +<P>Instantly a dark figure sprang from the bush, staggered +a few steps up the slope, and then fell headlong. + +<P>"That was a pretty good shot," Harold said. "Your father told me, +when I saw a stag's horns above a bush, to fire about two feet behind +them and eighteen inches lower. I fired a foot below the flash, and I +expect I hit him through the body. I had the sight at three hundred +yards and fired a little above it. Now, Nelly, paddle out again. +See!" he said, "there is a shawl waving from the top of the tower. +Put your hat on the paddle and wave it." + +<P>"What are you thinking of doing, Harold?" the girl asked presently. + +<P>"That is just what I have been asking myself for the last ten +minutes," Harold replied. "It is quite clear that as long as the +siege is kept up we cannot get back again, and there is no saying how +long it may last. The first thing is, what chance is there of their +pursuing us? Are there any other canoes on the lake within a short +distance?" + +<P>"They have one at Braithwaite's," the girl said, "four miles off; but +look, there is Pearson's canoe lying by the shore." + +<P>"So there is!" Harold exclaimed. "I never thought of that. I expect +the Indians have not noticed it. The bank is rather high where it is +lying. They are sure to find it, sooner or later. I think, Nelly, the +best plan would be to paddle back again so as to be within the range +of my rifle while still beyond the reach of theirs. I think I can +keep them from using the boat until it is dark." + +<P>"But after it is dark, Harold?" + +<P>"Well, then, we must paddle out into the lake so as to be well out of +sight. When it gets quite dark we can paddle in again and sleep +safely anywhere a mile or two from the house." + +<P>An hour passed without change. Then Nelly said: "There is a movement +in the bushes near the canoe." Presently an arm was extended and +proceeded to haul the canoe toward the shore by its head-rope. As it +touched the bank an Indian rose from the bushes and was about to step +in, while a number of puffs of smoke burst out along the shore and +the bullets skipped over the water toward the canoe, one of them +striking it with sufficient force to penetrate the thin bark a few +inches above the water's edge. Harold had not moved, but as the +savage stepped into the canoe he fired, and the Indian fell heavily +into the water, upsetting the canoe as he did so. + +<P>A yell of rage broke from his comrades. + +<P>"I don't think they will try that game again as long as it is +daylight," Harold said. "Paddle a little further out again, Nelly. If +that bullet had hit you it would have given you a nasty blow, though +I don't think it would have penetrated; still we may as well avoid +accidents." + +<P>After another hour passed the fire round the house ceased. + +<P>"Do you think the Indians have gone away?" Nelly asked. + +<P>"I am afraid there is no chance of that," Harold said. "I expect they +are going to wait till night and then try again. They are not fond of +losing men, and Pearson and your father are not likely to miss +anything that comes within their range as long as daylight lasts." + +<P>"But after dark, Harold?" + +<P>"Oh, they will try all sorts of tricks; but Pearson is up to them +all. Don't you worry about them, dear." + +<P>The hours passed slowly away until at last the sun sank and the +darkness came on rapidly. So long as he could see the canoe, which +just floated above the water's edge, Harold maintained his position; +then taking one paddle, while Nelly handled the other, he sent the +boat flying away from the shore out into the lake. For a quarter of +an hour they paddled straight out. By this time the outline of the +shore could be but dimly perceived. Harold doubted whether it would +be possible to see the boat from shore, but in order to throw the +Indians off the scent, should this be the case, he turned the boat's +head to the south and paddled swiftly until it was perfectly dark. + +<P>"I expect they saw us turn south," he said to Nelly. "The redskins +have wonderful eyes; so, if they pursue at all, they will do it in +that direction. No human being, unless he borrowed the eyes of an +owl, could see us now, so we will turn and paddle the other way." + +<P>For two hours they rowed in this direction. + +<P>"We can go in to shore now," Harold said at last. "We must be seven +or eight miles beyond the house." + +<P>The distance to the shore was longer than they expected, for they had +only the light of the stars to guide them and neither had any +experience in night traveling. They had made much further out into +the lake than they had intended. At length the dark line of trees +rose in front of them, and in a few minutes the canoe lay alongside +the bank and its late occupants were stretched on a soft layer of +moss and fallen leaves. + +<P>"What are we going to do to-morrow about eating?" Nelly asked. + +<P>"There are four or five good-sized fish in the bottom of the canoe," +Harold replied. "Fortunately we caught more than I could carry, and I +intended to make a second trip from the house for these. I am afraid +we shall not be able to cook them, for the Indians can see smoke any +distance. If the worst comes to the worst we must eat them raw, but +we are sure to find some berries in the wood to-morrow. Now, dear, +you had better go to sleep as fast as you can; but first let us kneel +down and pray God to protect us and your father and mother." + +<P>The boy and girl knelt in the darkness and said their simple +prayers. Then they lay down, and Harold was pleased to hear in a few +minutes the steady breathing which told him that his cousin was +asleep. It was a long time before he followed her example. During the +day he had kept up a brave front and had endeavored to make the best +of their position, but now that he was alone he felt the full weight +of the responsibility of guiding his companion through the extreme +danger which threatened them both. He felt sure that the Indians +would prolong the siege for some time, as they would be sure that no +re-enforcements could possibly arrive in aid of the garrison. +Moreover, he by no means felt so sure as he had pretended to his +companion of the power of the defenders of the house to maintain a +successful resistance to so large a number of their savage foes. In +the daylight he felt certain they could beat them off, but darkness +neutralizes the effect both of superior arms and better marksmanship. +It was nearly midnight before he lay down with the determination to +sleep, but scarcely had he done so when he was aroused by an outburst +of distant firing. Although six or seven miles from the scene of the +encounter, the sound of each discharge came distinct to the ear along +the smooth surface of the lake, and he could even hear, mingled with +the musketry fire, the faint yells of the Indians. For hours, as it +seemed to him, he sat listening to the distant contest, and then he, +unconsciously to himself, dozed off to sleep, and awoke with a start, +to find Nelly sitting up beside him and the sun streaming down +through the boughs. He started to his feet. + +<P>"Bless me!" he exclaimed, "I did not know that I had been asleep. It +seems but an instant ago that I was listening"—and here he checked +himself—"that is, that I was wide awake, and here we are in broad +daylight." + +<P>Harold's first care was to examine the position of the canoe, and he +found that fortunately it had touched the shore at a spot where the +boughs of the trees overhead drooped into the water beyond it, so +that it could not be seen by anyone passing along the lake. This was +the more fortunate as he saw, some three miles away, a canoe with +three figures on board. For a long distance on either side the boughs +of the trees drooped into the water, with only an opening here and +there such as that through which the boat had passed the night +before. + +<P>"We must be moving, Nelly. Here are the marks where we scrambled up +the bank last night. If the Indians take it into their heads to +search the shore both ways, as likely enough they may do, they will +be sure to see them. In the first place let us gather a stock of +berries, and then we will get into the boat again and paddle along +under this arcade of boughs till we get to some place where we can +land without leaving marks of our feet. If the Indians find the place +where we landed here, they will suppose that we went off again before +daylight." + +<P>For some time they rambled in the woods and succeeded in gathering a +store of berries and wild fruit. Upon these Nelly made her breakfast, +but Harold's appetite was sufficiently ravenous to enable him to fall +to upon the fish, which, he declared, were not so bad, after all. +Then they took their places in the canoe again and paddled on for +nearly a mile. + +<P>"See, Harold!" Nelly exclaimed as she got a glimpse through the +boughs into the lake, "there is another canoe. They must have got the +Braithwaite boat. We passed their place coming here, you know. I +wonder what has happened there." + +<P>"What do you think is best to do, Nelly?" Harold asked. "Your opinion +is just as good as mine about it. Shall we leave our canoe behind, +land, and take to the woods, or shall we stop quietly in the canoe in +shelter here, or shall we take to the lake and trust to our speed to +get away? in which case, you know, if they should come up I could +pick them off with my gun before they got within reach. + +<P>"I don't think that would do," the girl said, shaking her head. "You +shoot very well, but it is not an easy thing to hit a moving object +if you are not accustomed to it, and they paddle so fast that if you +miss them once they would be close alongside—at any rate we should +be within reach of their guns—before you could load again. They +would be sure to catch us, for although we might paddle nearly as +fast for a time, they would certainly tire us out. Then, as to +waiting here in the canoe, if they came along on foot looking for us +we should be in their power. It is dreadful to think of taking to the +woods with Indians all about, but I really think that would be our +safest plan." + +<P>"I think so too, Nelly, if we can manage to do it without leaving a +track. We must not go much further, for the trees are getting thinner +ahead and we should be seen by the canoes." + +<P>Fifty yards further Harold stopped paddling. + +<P>"Here is just the place, Nelly." + +<P>At this point a little stream of three or four feet wide emerged into +the lake; Harold directed the boat's head toward it. The water in the +stream was but a few inches deep. + +<P>"Now, Nelly," he said, "we must step out into the water and walk up +it as far as we can go—it will puzzle even the sharpest redskin to +find our track then." + +<P>They stepped into the water, Harold taking the head-rope of the canoe +and towing the light boat—which, when empty, did not draw more than +two inches of water—behind him. He directed Nelly to be most careful +as she walked not to touch any of the bushes, which at times nearly +met across the stream. + +<P>"A broken twig or withered leaf would be quite enough to tell the +Indians that we came along this way," he said. "Where the bushes are +thick you must manage to crawl under them. Never mind about getting +wet—you will soon dry again." + +<P>Slowly and cautiously they made their way up the stream for nearly a +mile. It had for some distance been narrowing rapidly, being only fed +by little rills from the surrounding swamp land. Harold had so far +looked in vain for some spot where they could land without leaving +marks of their feet. Presently they came to a place where a great +tree had fallen across the stream. + +<P>"This will do, Nelly," Harold said. "Now, above all things you must +be careful not to break off any of the moss or bark. You had better +take your shoes off; then I will lift you on to the trunk and you can +walk along it without leaving a mark." + +<P>It was hard work for Nelly to take off her drenched boots, but she +managed at last. Harold lifted her on to the trunk and said: + +<P>"Walk along as far as you can and get down as lightly as possible on +to a firm piece of ground. It rises rapidly here and is, I expect, a +dry soil where the upper end of the tree lies." + +<P>"How are you going to get out, Harold?" + +<P>"I can swing myself up by that projecting root." + +<P>Before proceeding to do so Harold raised one end of the canoe and +placed it on the trunk of the tree; then, having previously taken off +his shoes, he swung himself on to the trunk; hauling up the light +bark canoe and taking especial pains that it did not grate upon the +trunk, he placed it on his head and followed Nelly along the tree. He +found, as he had expected, that the ground upon which the upper end +lay was firm and dry. He stepped down with great care, and was +pleased to see, as he walked forward, that no trace of a footmark was +left. + +<P>"Be careful, Nelly," he exclaimed when he joined her, "not to tread +on a stick or disturb a fallen leaf with your feet, and above all to +avoid breaking the smallest twig as you pass. Choose the most open +ground, as that is the hardest." + +<P>In about a hundred yards they came upon a large clump of bushes. + +<P>"Now, Nelly, raise those lower boughs as gently and as carefully as +you can. I will push the canoe under. I don't think the sharpest +Indian will be able to take up our track now." + +<P>Very carefully the canoe was stowed away, and when the boughs were +allowed to fall in their natural position it was completely hidden +from sight to every passer-by. Harold took up the fish, Nelly had +filled her apron with the berries, and carrying their shoes—for they +agreed that it would be safer not to put them on—they started on +their journey through the deep forest. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c3"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER III.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE REDSKIN ATTACK.</H3> + +<P>Mr. Welch was with the men, two or three hundred yards away from the +house, when the Indians suddenly sprang out and opened fire. One of +the men fell beside him; the farmer stooped to lift him, but saw that +he was shot through the head. Then he ran with full speed toward the +house, shouting to the hands to make straight for the gate, +disregarding the cattle. Several of these, however, alarmed at the +sudden outburst of fire and the yells of the Indians, made of their +own accord for the stables as their master rushed up at full speed. +The Indians were but fifty or sixty yards behind when Mr. Welch +reached his gate. They had all emptied their pieces, and after the +first volley no shots had been fired save one by the watchman on the +lookout. Then came the crack of Pearson's rifle just as Mr. Welch +shut the gate and laid the bar in its place. Several spare guns had +been placed in the upper chambers, and three reports rang out +together, for Mrs. Welch had run upstairs at the first alarm to take +her part in the defense. + +<P>In another minute the whole party, now six in all, were gathered in +the upper room. + +<P>"Where are Nelly and Harold?" Mr. Welch exclaimed. "I saw the canoe +close to the shore just before the Indians opened fire," the watchman +answered. + +<P>"You must have been asleep," Pearson said savagely. "Where were your +eyes to let them redskins crawl up through the corn without seeing +'em? With such a crowd of 'em the corn must have been a-waving as if +it was blowing a gale. You ought to have a bullet in yer ugly +carkidge, instead of its being in yer mate's out there." + +<P>While this conversation was going on no one had been idle. Each took +up his station at a loop-hole, and several shots were fired whenever +the movement of a blade of corn showed the lurking place of an +Indian. + +<P>The instant the gate had been closed War Eagle had called his men +back to shelter, for he saw that all chance of a surprise was now +over, and it was contrary to all redskin strategy to remain for one +moment unnecessarily exposed to the rifles of the whites. The farmer +and his wife had rushed at once up into the lookout as the Indians +drew off and, to their joy, saw the canoe darting away from shore. + +<P>"They are safe for the present, thank God!" Mr. Welch said. "It is +providential indeed that they had not come a little further from the +shore when the redskins broke out. Nothing could have saved them, had +they fairly started for the house." + +<P>"What will they do, William?" asked his wife anxiously. + +<P>"I cannot tell you, my dear. I do not know what I should do myself +under the circumstances. However, the boy has got a cool head on his +shoulders, and you need not be anxious for the present. Now let us +join the others. Our first duty is to take our share in the defense +of the house. The young ones are in the hands of God. We can do +nothing for them." "Well?" Pearson asked, looking round from his +loop-hole as the farmer and his wife descended into the room, which +was a low garret extending over the whole of the house. "Do you see +the canoe?" + +<P>"Yes, it has got safely away," William Welch said; "but what the lad +will do now is more than I can say." + +<P>Pearson placed his rifle against the wall. "Now keep your eyes +skinned," he said to the three farm hands. + +<P>"One of yer's done mischief enough this morning already, and you'll +get your har raised, as sure as you're born, unless you look out +sharp. Now," he went on, turning to the Welches, "let us go down and +talk this matter over. The Injuns may keep on firing, but I don't +think they'll show in the open again as long as it's light enough for +us to draw bead on 'em. Yes," he went on, as he looked through a +loop-hole in the lower story over the lake, "there they are, just out +of range." + +<P>"What do you think they will do?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +<P>The hunter was silent for a minute. + +<P>"It aint a easy thing to say what they ought to do, much less what +they will do; it aint a good outlook anyway, and I don't know what I +should do myself. The whole of the woods on this side of the lake are +full of the darned red critters. There's a hundred eyes on that canoe +now, and, go where they will, they'll be watched." + +<P>"But why should they not cross the lake and land on the other side?" +Mr. Welch said. + +<P>"If you and I were in that canoe," the hunter answered, "that's about +what we should do; but, not to say that it's a long row for 'em, they +two young uns would never get across; the Injuns would have 'em +before they had been gone an hour. There's my canoe lying under the +bushes; she'd carry four, and would go three feet to their two." + +<P>"I had forgotten about that," William Welch said, and then added, +after a pause: "The Indians may not find it." + +<P>"You needn't hope that," the hunter answered; "they have found it +long before this. I don't want to put you out of heart; but I tell ye +ye'll see them on the water before many minutes have passed." + +<P>"Then they are lost," Mrs. Welch said, sinking down in her chair and +bursting into tears. + +<P>"They air in God's hands, ma'am," the hunter said, "and it's no use +trying to deceive you." + +<P>"Would it be of any use," William Welch asked, after a pause, "for me +to offer the redskins that my wife and I will go out and put +ourselves in their hands if they will let the canoe go off without +pursuit?" + +<P>"Not it," the hunter replied decidedly. "You would be throwing away +your own lives without saving theirs, not to mention, although that +doesn't matter a straw, the lives of the rest of us here. It will be +as much as we can do, when they attack us in earnest, to hold this +place with six guns, and with only four the chance would be worth +nothing. But that's neither here nor there. You wouldn't save the +young ones if you gave yourselves up. You can't trust the word of an +Injun on the war-path, and if they went so far as not to kill 'em +they would carry 'em off; and, after all, I aint sure as death aint +better for 'em than to be brought up as Injuns. There," he said, +stopping suddenly as a report of a musket sounded at some little +distance off, "the Injuns are trying their range against 'em. Let's +go up to the lookout." + +<P>The little tower had a thick parapet of logs some three feet high, +and, crouching behind this, they watched the canoe. "He's coming +nearer in shore, and the girl has got the paddle," Pearson muttered. +"What's he doing now?" A puff of smoke was seen to rise near the +border of the lake; then came the sharp crack of Harold's rifle. They +saw an Indian spring from the bushes and fall dead. + +<P>"Well done, young un!" Pearson exclaimed. "I told yer he'd got his +head screwed on the right way. He's keeping just out of range of +their guns, and that piece of his can carry twice as far as theirs. I +reckon he's thought of the canoe, and means to keep 'em from using +it. I begins to think, Mr. Welch, that there's a chance for 'em yet. +Now let's talk a little to these red devils in the corn." + +<P>For some little time Pearson and William Welch turned their attention +to the Indians, while the mother sat with her eyes fixed upon the +canoe. + +<P>"He is coming closer again," she exclaimed presently. + +<P>"He's watching the canoe, sure enough," Pearson said. Then came the +volley along the bushes on the shore, and they saw an Indian rise to +his feet. + +<P>"That's just where she lies!" Pearson exclaimed; "he's getting into +it. There! well done, young un." + +<P>The sudden disappearance of the Indian and the vengeful yell of the +hidden foe told of the failure of the attempt. + +<P>"I think they're safe, now, till nightfall. The Injuns won't care +about putting themselves within range of that 'ere rifle again." + +<P>Gradually the fire of the Indians ceased, and the defenders were able +to leave the loop-holes. Two of the men went down and fastened up the +cattle, which were still standing loose in the yard inside the +stockade; the other set to to prepare a meal, for Mrs. Welch could +not take her eyes off the canoe. + +<P>The afternoon seemed of interminable length. Not a shot was fired. +The men, after taking their dinner, were occupied in bringing some +great tubs on to the upper story and filling them to the brim with +water from the well. This story projected two feet beyond the one +below it, having been so built in order that, in case of attack, the +defenders might be able to fire down upon any foe who might cross the +stockade and attack the house itself; the floor boards over the +projecting portion were all removable. The men also brought a +quantity of the newly cut corn to the top of the house, first +drenching it with water. + +<P>The sun sank, and as dusk was coming on the anxious watchers saw the +canoe paddle out far into the lake. + +<P>"An old frontiersman couldn't do better," Pearson exclaimed. "He's +kept them out of the canoe as long as daylight lasted; now he has +determined to paddle away and is making down the lake," he went on +presently. "It's a pity he turned so soon, as they can see the course +he's taking." + +<P>They watched until it was completely dark; but, before the light +quite faded, they saw another canoe put out from shore and start in +the direction taken by the fugitives. + +<P>"Will they catch them, do you think?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +<P>"No, ma'am," Pearson said confidently. "The boy's got sense enough to +have changed his course after it gets dark, though whether he'll make +for shore or go out toward the other side is more than I can say. You +see, they'll know that the Injuns are all along this side of the +lake; but then, on the other hand, they'll be anxious about us and +'ll want to keep close at hand. Besides, the lad knows nothing of the +other side; there may be Injuns there, for aught he knows, and it's a +skeary thing for a young un to take to the forest, especially with a +gal in his charge. There aint no saying what he'll do. And now we've +got to look after ourselves; don't let us think about 'em at present. +The best thing as we can do for them, as well as for ourselves, is to +hold this here place. If they live they'll come back to it sooner or +later, and it 'll be better for 'em to find it standing, and you here +to welcome 'em, than to get back to a heap of ruins and some dead +bodies." + +<P>"When will the redskins attack, do you think?" the farmer asked. + +<P>"We may expect 'em any time, now," the hunter answered. "The Injuns' +time of attack is generally just before dawn, but they know well +enough they aint likely to ketch us asleep any time, and, as they +know exactly what they have got to do they'll gain nothing by +waiting. I wish we had a moon; if we had, we might keep 'em out of +the stockade. But there—it's just as well it's dark, after all; for, +if the moon was up, the young ones would have no chance of getting +away." + +<P>The garrison now all took their places at the loop-holes, having +first carried the wet fodder to the roof and spread it over the +shingles. There was nothing to do now but to wait. The night was so +dark that they could not see the outline of the stockade. Presently a +little spark shot through the air, followed by a score of others. Mr. +Welch had taken his post on the tower, and he saw the arrows whizzing +through the air, many of them falling on the roof. The dry grass +dipped in resin, which was tied round the arrow-heads, was instantly +extinguished as the arrows fell upon the wet corn, and a yell arose +from the Indians. + +<P>The farmer descended and told the others of the failure of the +Indians' first attempt. + +<P>"That 'ere dodge is a first-rate un," Pearson said. "We're safe from +fire, and that's the only thing we've got to be afeared on. You'll +see 'em up here in a few minutes." + +<P>Everything was perfectly quiet. Once or twice the watchers thought +that they could hear faint sounds, but could not distinguish their +direction. After half an hour's anxious waiting a terrible yell was +heard from below, and at the doors and windows of the lower rooms +came the crashing blows of tomahawks. + +<P>The boards had already been removed from the flooring above, and the +defenders opened a steady fire into the dark mass that they could +faintly make out clustered round the windows and doors. At Pearson's +suggestion the bullets had been removed from the guns and heavy +charges of buckshot had been substituted for them, and yells of pain +and surprise rose as they fired. A few shots were fired up from +below, but a second discharge from the spare guns completed the +effect from the first volley. The dark mass broke up and, in a few +seconds, all was as quiet as before. + +<P>Two hours passed, and then slight sounds were heard. "They've got the +gate opened, I expect," Pearson said. "Fire occasionally at that; if +we don't hit 'em the flashes may show us what they're doing." + +<P>It was as he had expected. The first discharge was followed by a cry, +and by the momentary light they saw a number of dark figures pouring +in through the gate. Seeing that concealment was no longer possible, +the Indians opened a heavy fire round the house; then came a crashing +sound near the door. + +<P>"Just as I thought," Pearson said. "They're going to try to burn us +out." + +<P>For some time the noise continued, as bundle after bundle of dried +wood was thrown down by the door. The garrison were silent; for, as +Pearson said, they could see nothing, and a stray bullet might enter +at the loop-holes if they placed themselves there, and the flashes of +the guns would serve as marks for the Indians. + +<P>Presently two or three faint lights were seen approaching. + +<P>"Now," Pearson said, "pick 'em off as they come up. You and I'll take +the first man, Welch. You fire just to the right of the light, I will +fire to the left; he may be carrying the brand in either hand." + +<P>They fired together, and the brand was seen to drop to the ground. +The same thing happened as the other two sparks of light approached; +then it was again quiet. Now a score of little lights flashed through +the air. + +<P>"They're going to light the pile with their flaming arrows," Pearson +said. "War Eagle is a good leader." + +<P>Three or four of the arrows fell on the pile of dry wood. A moment +later the flames crept up and the smoke of burning wood rolled up +into the room above. A yell of triumph burst from the Indians, but +this changed into one of wrath as those above emptied the contents of +one of the great tubs of water on to the pile of wood below them. The +flames were instantly extinguished. + +<P>"What will they do next?" Mrs. Welch asked. + +<P>"It's like enough," Pearson replied, "that they'll give the job up +altogether. They've got plenty of plunder and scalps at the +settlements, and their attacking us here in such force looks as if +the hull of 'em were on their way back to their villages. If they +could have tuk our scalps easy they would have done it; but War Eagle +aint likely to risk losing a lot of men when he aint sartin of +winning, after all. He has done good work as it is, and has quite +enough to boast about when he gets back. If he were to lose a heap of +his braves here it would spoil the success of his expedition. No, I +think as he will give it up now." + +<P>"He will be all the more anxious to catch the children," Mrs. Welch +said despondently. + +<P>"It can't be denied, ma'am, as he will do his best that way," Pearson +answered. "It all depends, though, on the boy. I wish I was with him +in that canoe. Howsomever, I can't help thinking as he will +sarcumvent 'em somehow." + +<P>The night passed without any further attack. By turns half the +garrison watched while the other lay down, but there was little sleep +taken by any. With the first gleam of daylight Mrs. Welch and her +husband were on the lookout. + +<P>"There's two canoes out on the lake," Pearson said. "They're paddling +quietly; which is which I can't say." + +<P>As the light became brighter Pearson pronounced, positively, that +there were three men in one canoe and four in the other. + +<P>"I think they're all Injuns," he said. "They must have got another +canoe somewhere along the lake. Waal, they've not caught the young +uns yet." + +<P>"The boats are closing up to each other," Mrs. Welch said. "They're +going to have a talk, I reckon. Yes, one of 'em's turning and going +down the lake, while the other's going up. I'd give a heap to know +where the young uns have got to." + +<P>The day passed quietly. An occasional shot toward the house showed +that the Indians remained in the vicinity and, indeed, dark forms +could be seen moving about in the distant parts of the clearing. + +<P>"Will it be possible," the farmer asked Pearson, when night again +fell, "to go out and see if we can discover any traces of them?" + +<P>"Worse than no use," Pearson said positively. "We should just lose +our har without doing no good whatever. If the Injuns in these +woods—and I reckon altogether there's a good many hundred of +'em—can't find 'em, ye may swear that we can't. That's just what +they're hoping, that we'll be fools enough to put ourselves outside +the stockade. They'll lie close round all night, and a weasel +wouldn't creep through 'em. Ef I thought there was jest a shadow of +chance of finding them young uns I'd risk it; but there's no +chance—not a bit of it." + +<P>A vigilant watch was again kept up all night, but all was still and +quiet. The next morning the Indians were still round them. + +<P>"Don't ye fret, ma'am!" Pearson said, as he saw how pale and wan Mrs. +Welch looked in the morning light. "You may bet your last shilling +that they're not caught 'em." + +<P>"Why are you so sure?" Mrs. Welch asked. "They may be dead by this +time." + +<P>"Not they, ma'am! I'm as sartin as they're living and free as I am +that I'm standing here. I know these Injuns' ways. Ef they had caught +'em they'd jest have brought 'em here and would have fixed up two +posts, jest out of rifle range, and would have tied them there and +offered you the choice of giving up this place and your scalps or of +seeing them tortured and burned under your eyes. That's their way. +No, they aint caught 'em alive, nor they aint caught 'em dead +neither; for, ef they had they'd have brought their scalps to have +shown yer. No, they've got away, though it beats me to say how. I've +only got one fear, and that is that they might come back before the +Injuns have gone. Now I tell ye what we had better do—we better keep +up a dropping fire all night and all day to-morrow, and so on, until +the redskins have gone. Ef the young uns come back across the lake at +night, and all is quiet, they'll think the Injuns have taken +themselves off; but, if they hear firing still going on, they'll know +well enough that they're still around the house." + +<P>William Welch at once agreed to this plan, and every quarter of an +hour or so all through the night a few shots were fired. The next +morning no Indians could be seen, and there was a cessation of the +dropping shots which had before been kept up at the house. + +<P>"They may be in hiding," Pearson said in the afternoon, "trying to +tempt us out; but I'm more inclined to think as how they've gone. I +don't see a blade of that corn move; I've had my eyes fixed on it for +the last two hours. It are possible, of course, that they're there, +but I reckon not. I expect they've been waiting, ever since they gave +up the attack, in hopes that the young uns would come back; but now, +as they see that we're keeping up a fire to tell them as how they're +still round us, they've given it up and gone. When it gets dark +to-night I'll go out and scout round." + +<P>At ten o'clock at night Pearson dropped lightly from the stockade on +the side opposite to the gate, as he knew that, if the Indians were +there, this would be the point that they would be watching; then, +crawling upon his stomach, he made his way slowly down to the lake. +Entering the water and stooping low, he waded along the edge of the +bushes for a distance of a mile; then he left the water and struck +into the forest. Every few minutes he could hear the discharge of the +rifles at the house; but, as before, no answering shots were heard. +Treading very cautiously, he made a wide <I>détour</I> and then came down +again on the clearing at the end furthest from the lake, where the +Indians had been last seen moving about. All was still. Keeping among +the trees and moving with great caution, he made his way, for a +considerable distance, along the edge of the clearing; then he +dropped on his hands and knees and entered the cornfield, and for two +hours he crawled about, quartering the ground like a dog in search of +game. Everywhere he found lines where the Indians had crawled along +to the edge nearest to the house, but nowhere did he discover a sign +of life. Then, still taking great care, he moved down toward the +house and made a circuit of it a short distance outside the stockade; +then he rose to his feet. + +<P>"Yer may stop shooting," he shouted. "The pesky rascals are gone." +Then he walked openly up to the gate; it was opened at once by +William Welch. + +<P>"Are you sure they have gone?" he asked. + +<P>"Sure as gospel," he answered, "and they've been gone twenty-four +hours at least." + +<P>"How do you know that?" + +<P>"Easy enough. I found several of their cooking places in the woods; +the brands were out, and even under the ashes the ground was cold, so +they must have been out for a long time. I could have walked straight +on to the house, then, but I thought it safer to make quite sure by +searching everywhere, for they might have moved deeper into the +forest, and left a few men on guard here, in case the young uns +should come back. But it aint so; they've gone, and there aint a +living soul anywhere nigh the clearing. The young uns can come back +now, if they will, safely enough." + +<P>Before doing anything else the farmer assembled the party together in +the living room, and there solemnly offered up thanks to God for +their deliverance from danger, and implored his protection for the +absent ones. When this was over he said to his wife: + +<P>"Now, Jane; you had better lie down and get a few hours' sleep. It is +already two o'clock, and there is no chance whatever of their +returning tonight, but I shall go down to the lake and wait till +morning. Place candles in two of the upper windows. Should they be +out on the lake they will see them and know that the Indians have not +taken the house." + +<P>Morning came, without any signs of the absent ones. At daybreak +Pearson went out to scout in the woods, and returned late in the +afternoon with the news that the Indians had all departed, and that, +for a distance of ten miles at least, the woods were entirely free. + +<P>When it became dark the farmer again went down to the lake and +watched until two, when Pearson took his place. Mr. Welch was turning +to go back to the house when Pearson placed his hand on his shoulder. + +<P>"Listen!" he said; and for a minute the men stood immovable. + +<P>"What was it?" the farmer asked. + +<P>"I thought I heard the stroke of a paddle," Pearson said; "it might +have been the jump of a fish. There! there it is again!" He lay down +and put his ear close to the water. "There's a canoe in the lake to +the north'ard. I can hear the strokes of the paddle plainly." + +<P>Mr. Welch could hear nothing. Some minutes passed, then Pearson +exclaimed: + +<P>"There! I saw a break in the water over there! There it is!" he said, +straining his eyes in the darkness. "That's a canoe, sure enough, +although they have ceased paddling. It's not a mile away." + +<P>Then he rose to his feet and shouted "Halloo!" at the top of his +voice. An answering shout faintly came back across the water. He +again hailed loudly, and this time the answer came in a female voice. + +<P>"It's them, sure enough. I can swear to Nelly's voice." + +<P>William Welch uncovered his head and, putting his hand before his +face, returned fervent thanks to God for the recovery of his child. +Then he dashed off at full speed toward the house. Before he reached +it however, he met his wife running down to meet him, the shouts +having informed her that something was seen. Hand in hand they ran +down to the water's edge. The canoe was now swiftly approaching. The +mother screamed: + +<P>"Nelly! is that you?" + +<P>"Mamma! mamma!" came back in the girl's clear tones. + +<P>With a low cry of gladness Mrs. Welch fell senseless to the ground. +The strain which she had for four days endured had been terrible, and +even the assurances of Pearson had failed to awaken any strong +feeling of hope in her heart. She had kept up bravely and had gone +about her work in the house with a pale, set face, but the unexpected +relief was too much for her. Two minutes later the bow of the canoe +grated on the shore, and Nelly leaped into her father's arms. + +<P>"Where is mamma?" she exclaimed. "She is here, my dear, but she has +fainted. The joy of your return has been too much for her." + +<P>Nelly knelt beside her mother and raised her head, and the farmer +grasped Harold's hand. + +<P>"My brave boy," he said, "I have to thank you for saving my child's +life. God bless you!" + +<P>He dipped his hat in the lake and sprinkled water in his wife's face. +She soon recovered and, a few minutes afterward, the happy party +walked up to the house, Mrs. Welch being assisted by her husband and +Pearson. The two young ones were soon seated at a table, ravenously +devouring food, and, when their hunger was satisfied, they related +the story of their adventures, the whole of the garrison being +gathered round to listen. After relating what had taken place up to +the time of their hiding the canoe, Harold went on: + +<P>"We walked about a quarter of a mile until we came to a large clump +of underwood. We crept in there, taking great pains not to break a +twig or disturb a leaf. The ground was, fortunately, very dry, and I +could see that our footprints had not left the smallest marks. There +we have lain hid ever since. We had the fish and the berries, and, +fortunately, the fruit was ripe and juicy and quenched our thirst +well enough, and we could, sometimes, hear the firing by day, and +always at night. On the day we took refuge we heard the voices of the +Indians down toward the lake quite plainly, but we have heard nothing +of them since. Last night we heard the firing up to the middle of the +night, and then it suddenly stopped. To-day I crept out and went down +to the lake to listen; but it seemed that everything was still. Nelly +was in a terrible way, and was afraid that the house had been taken +by the Indians, but I told her that could not be, for that there +would certainly have been a tremendous lot of firing at last, whereas +it stopped, after a few shots, just as it had been going on so long. +Our provisions were all gone and Nelly was getting very bad for want +of water. I, of course, got a drink at the lake this morning. So we +agreed that, if everything was still again to-night, we would go back +to the place where we had hidden the canoe, launch it, and paddle +here. Everything was quiet, so we came along as we had arranged. When +I saw the lights in the windows I made sure all was right: still it +was a great relief when I heard the shout from the shore. I knew, of +course, that it wasn't a redskin's shout. Besides, Indians would have +kept quiet till we came alongside." + +<P>Very hearty were the commendations bestowed on the boy for his +courage and thoughtfulness. + +<P>"You behaved like an old frontiersman," Pearson said. "I couldn't +have done better myself. You only made one blunder from the time you +set out from shore." + +<P>"What was that?" Harold asked. + +<P>"You were wrong to pick the berries. The redskins, of course, would +find where you had landed, they'd see the marks where you lay down, +and would know that you had paddled away again. Had it not been for +their seeing the tracks you made in picking the berries they might +have, supposed you had started before daybreak, and had gone out of +sight across the lake; but them marks would have shown 'em that you +did not take to your canoe until long after the sun was up, and +therefore that you couldn't have made across the lake without their +seeing you, but must either have landed or be in your canoe under +shelter of the trees somewhere along the shore. It's a marvel to me +that they didn't find your traces, however careful you were to +conceal 'em. But that's the only error you made, and I tell you, +young un, you have a right to be proud of having outwitted a hull +tribe of redskins." + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c4"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER IV.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE FIGHT AT LEXINGTON.</H3> + +<P>Harold remained for four months longer with his cousin. The Indians +had made several attacks upon settlements at other points of the +frontier, but they had not repeated their incursion in the +neighborhood of the lake. The farming operations had gone on +regularly, but the men always worked with their rifles ready to their +hand. Pearson had predicted that the Indians were not likely to +return to that neighborhood. Mr. Welch's farm was the only one along +the lake that had escaped, and the loss the Indians had sustained in +attacking it had been so heavy that they were not likely to make an +expedition in that quarter, where the chances of booty were so small +and the certainty of a desperate resistance so great. + +<P>Other matters occurred which rendered the renewal of the attack +improbable. The news was brought by a wandering hunter that a quarrel +had arisen between the Shawnees and the Iroquois, and that the latter +had recalled their braves from the frontier to defend their own +villages in case of hostilities breaking out between them and the +rival tribe. + +<P>There was no occasion for Harold to wait for news from home, for his +father had, before starting, definitely fixed the day for his return, +and when that time approached Harold started on his eastward journey, +in order to be at home about the date of their arrival. Pearson took +him in his canoe to the end of the lake and accompanied him to the +settlement, whence he was able to obtain a conveyance to Detroit. +Here he took a passage in a trading boat and made his way by water to +Montreal, thence down through Lake Champlain and the Hudson River to +New York, and thence to Boston. + +<P>The journey had occupied him longer than he expected, and Mr. and +Mrs. Wilson were already in their home at Concord when he arrived. +The meeting was a joyful one. His parents had upon their return home +found letters from Mr. Welch and his wife describing the events which +had happened at the farm, speaking in the highest terms of the +courage and coolness in danger which Harold had displayed, and giving +him full credit for the saving of their daughter's life. + +<P>Upon the day after Harold's return two gentlemen called upon Captain +Wilson and asked him to sign the agreement which a number of +colonists had entered into to resist the mother country to the last. +This Captain Wilson positively refused to do. + +<P>"I am an Englishman," he said, "and my sympathies are wholly with my +country. I do not say that the whole of the demands of England are +justifiable. I think that Parliament has been deceived as to the +spirit existing here. But I consider that it has done nothing +whatever to justify the attitude of the colonists. The soldiers of +England have fought for you against French and Indians and are still +stationed here to protect you. The colonists pay nothing for their +land; they pay nothing toward the expenses of the government of the +mother country; and it appears to me to be perfectly just that people +here, free as they are from all the burdens that bear so heavily on +those at home, should at least bear the expense of the army stationed +here. I grant that it would have been far better had the colonists +taxed themselves to pay the extra amount, instead of the mother +country taxing them; but this they would not do. Some of the +colonists paid their quota, others refused to do so, and this being +the case, it appears to me that England is perfectly justified in +laying on a tax. Nothing could have been fairer than the tax that she +proposed. The stamp-tax would in no way have affected the poorer +classes in the colonies. It would have been borne only by the rich +and by those engaged in such business transactions as required +stamped documents. I regard the present rebellion as the work of a +clique of ambitious men who have stirred up the people by incendiary +addresses and writings. There are, of course, among them a large +number of men—among them, gentlemen, I place you—who +conscientiously believe that they are justified in doing nothing +whatever for the land which gave them or their ancestors birth; who +would enjoy all the great natural wealth of this vast country without +contributing toward the expense of the troops to whom it is due that +they enjoy peace and tranquility. Such, gentlemen, are not my +sentiments. You consider it a gross hardship that the colonists are +compelled to trade only with the mother country. I grant that it +would be more profitable and better for us had we an open trade with +the whole world; but in this England only acts as do all other +countries toward their colonies. France, Spain, Portugal, and the +Netherlands all monopolize the trade of their colonies; all, far more +than does England, regard their colonies as sources of revenue. I +repeat, I do not think that the course that England has pursued +toward us has been always wise, but I am sure that nothing that she +has done justifies the spirit of disaffection and rebellion which is +ripe throughout these colonies." + +<P>"The time will come, sir," one of the gentlemen said, "when you will +have reason to regret the line which you have now taken." + +<P>"No, sir," Captain Wilson said haughtily. "The time may come when the +line that I have taken may cost me my fortune, and even my life, but +it will never cause me one moment's regret that I have chosen the +part of a loyal English gentleman." + +<P>When the deputation had departed Harold, who had been a wondering +listener to the conversation, asked his father to explain to him the +exact position in which matters stood. + +<P>It was indeed a serious one. The success of England, in her struggle +with France for the supremacy of North America had cost her a great +deal of money. At home the burdens of the people were extremely +heavy. The expense of the army and navy was great, and the ministry, +in striving to lighten the burdens of the people, turned their eyes +to the colonies. They saw in America a population of over two million +people, subjects of the king, like themselves, living free from rent +and taxes on their own land and paying nothing whatever to the +expenses of the country. They were, it is true, forced to trade with +England, but this obligation was set wholly at naught. A gigantic +system of smuggling was carried on. The custom-house officials had no +force at their disposal which would have enabled them to check these +operations, and the law enforcing a trade with England was virtually +a dead letter. + +<P>Their first step was to strengthen the naval force on the American +coast and by additional vigilance to put some sort of check on the +wholesale smuggling which prevailed. This step caused extreme +discontent among the trading classes of America, and these set to +work vigorously to stir up a strong feeling of disaffection against +England. The revenue officers were prevented, sometimes by force, +from carrying out their duties. + +<P>After great consideration the English government came to the +conclusion that a revenue sufficient to pay a considerable proportion +of the cost of the army in America might be raised by means of a +stamp-tax imposed upon all legal documents, receipts, agreements, and +licenses—a tax, in fact, resembling that on stamps now in use in +England. The colonists were furious at the imposition of this tax. A +Congress, composed of deputies from each State, met, and it was +unanimously resolved that the stamp-tax should not be paid. Meetings +were everywhere held, at which the strongest and most treasonable +language was uttered, and such violent threats were used against the +persons employed as stamp-collectors that these, in fear of their +lives, resigned their posts. + +<P>The stamp-tax remained uncollected and was treated by the colonists +as if it were not in existence. + +<P>The whole of the States now began to prepare for war. The Congress +was made permanent, the militia drilled and prepared for fighting, +and everywhere the position grew more and more strained. +Massachusetts was the headquarters of disaffection, and here a total +break with the mother country was openly spoken of. At times the more +moderate spirits attempted to bring about a reconciliation between +the two parties. Petitions were sent to the Houses of Parliament, and +even at this time had any spirit of wisdom prevailed in England the +final consequences might have been prevented. Unfortunately the +majority in Parliament were unable to recognize that the colonists +had any rights upon their side. Taxation was so heavy at home that +men felt indignant that they should be called upon to pay for the +keeping up of the army in America, to which the untaxed colonists, +with their free farms and houses, would contribute nothing. The plea +of the colonists that they were taxed by a chamber in which they were +unrepresented was answered by the statement that such was also the +case with Manchester, Leeds, and many other large towns which were +unrepresented in Parliament. + +<P>In England neither the spirit nor the strength of the colonists was +understood. Men could not bring themselves to believe that these +would fight rather than submit, still less that if they did fight it +would be successfully. They ignored the fact that the population of +the States was one-fourth as large as that of England; that by far +the greater proportion of that population were men trained, either in +border warfare or in the chase, to the use of the rifle; that the +enormous extent of country offered almost insuperable obstacles to +the most able army composed of regular troops, and that the vast +forests and thinly populated country were all in favor of a +population fighting as guerrillas against trained troops. Had they +perceived these things the English people would have hesitated before +embarking upon such a struggle, even if convinced, as assuredly the +great majority were convinced, of the fairness of their demands. It +is true that even had England at this point abandoned altogether her +determination to raise taxes in America the result would probably +have been the same. The spirit of disaffection in the colony had gone +so far that a retreat would have been considered as a confession of +weakness, and separation of the colonists from the mother country +would have happened ere many years had elapsed. As it was, Parliament +agreed to let the stamp-tax drop, and in its place established some +import duties on goods entering the American ports. + +<P>The colonists, however, were determined that they would submit to no +taxation whatever. The English government, in its desire for peace, +abandoned all the duties with the exception of that on tea; but even +this concession was not sufficient to satisfy the colonists. These +entered into a bond to use no English goods. A riot took place at +Boston, and the revenue officers were forced to withdraw from their +posts. Troops were dispatched from England and the House of Commons +declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion. + +<P>It must not be supposed that the colonists were by any means +unanimous in their resistance to England. There were throughout the +country a large number of gentlemen, like Captain Wilson, wholly +opposed to the general feeling. New York refused to send members to +the Congress, and in many other provinces the adhesion given to the +disaffected movement was but lukewarm. It was in the New England +provinces that the spirit of rebellion was hottest. These States had +been peopled for the most part by Puritans—men who had left England +voluntarily, exiling themselves rather than submit to the laws and +religion of the country, and among them, as among a portion of the +Irish population of America at the present time, the feeling of +hatred against the government of England was, in a way, hereditary. + +<P>So far but few acts of violence had taken place. Nothing could be +more virulent than the language of the newspapers of both parties +against their opponents, but beyond a few isolated tumults the peace +had not been broken. It was the lull before the storm. The great +majority of the New England colonists were bent upon obtaining +nothing short of absolute independence; the loyalists and the English +were as determined to put down any revolt by force. + +<P>The Congress drilled, armed, and organized; the English brought over +fresh troops and prepared for the struggle. It was December when +Harold returned home to his parents, and for the next three months +the lull before the storm continued. + +<P>The disaffected of Massachusetts had collected a large quantity of +military stores at Concord. These General Gage, who commanded the +troops at Boston, determined to seize and destroy, seeing that they +could be collected only for use against the Government, and on the +night of April 19 the grenadier and light infantry companies of the +various regiments, 800 strong, under command of Lieutenant Colonel +Smith of the Tenth Regiment, and Major Pitcairne of the Marines, +embarked in boats and were conveyed up Charles River as far as a +place called Phipps' Farm. There they landed at midnight, having a +day's provisions in their haversacks, and started on their march to +Concord, twenty miles distant from Boston. + +<P>The design had been discovered by some of the revolutionary party in +the town, and two of their number were dispatched on horseback to +rouse the whole country on the way to Concord, where the news arrived +at two o'clock in the morning. + +<P>Captain Wilson and his household were startled from sleep by the +sudden ringing of the alarm-bells, and a negro servant, Pompey, who +had been for many years in their service, was sent down into the +town, which lay a quarter of a mile from the house, to find out what +was the news. He returned in half an hour. + +<P>"Me tink all de people gone mad, massa. Dey swarming out of deir +houses and filling de streets, all wid guns on deir shoulders, all de +while shouting and halloing 'Down wid de English! Down wid de +redcoats! dey shan't have our guns; dey shan't take de cannon and de +powder.' Dere were ole Massa Bill Emerson, the preacher, wid his gun +in his hands, shouting to de people to stand firm and to fight till +de last; dey all shout, 'We will!' Dey bery desperate; me fear great +fight come on." + +<P>"What are you going to do, father?" Harold asked. + +<P>"Nothing, my boy. If, as it is only too likely, this is the beginning +of a civil war, I have determined to offer my services to the +government. Great numbers of loyalists have sent in their names +offering to serve if necessary, and from my knowledge of drill I +shall, of course, be useful. To-day I can take no active part in the +fight, but I shall take my horse and ride forward to meet the troops +and warn the commanding officer that resistance will be attempted +here." + +<P>"May I go with you, father?" + +<P>"Yes, if you like, my boy. Pompey, saddle two horses at once. You are +not afraid of being left alone, Mary?" he said, turning to his wife. +"There is no chance of any disturbance here. Our house lies beyond +the town, and whatever takes place will be in Concord. When the +troops have captured the guns and stores they will return." + +<P>Mrs. Wilson said she was not frightened and had no fear whatever of +being left alone. The horses were soon brought round, and Captain +Wilson and his son mounted and rode off at full speed. They made a +<I>détour</I> to avoid the town, and then, gaining the highroad, went +forward at full speed. The alarm had evidently been given all along +the line. At every village the bells were ringing, the people were +assembling in the streets, all carrying arms, while numbers were +flocking in from the farmhouses around. Once or twice Captain Wilson +was stopped and asked where he was going. + +<P>"I am going to tell the commander of the British force, now marching +hither, that if he advances there will be bloodshed—that it will be +the beginning of civil war. If he has orders to come at all hazards, +my words will not stop him; if it is left to his discretion, possibly +he may pause before he brings on so dire a calamity." + +<P>It was just dawn when Captain Wilson and Harold rode into Lexington, +where the militia, 130 strong, had assembled. Their guns were loaded +and they were ready to defend the place, which numbered about 700 +inhabitants. + +<P>Just as Captain Wilson rode in a messenger ran up with the news that +the head of the British column was close at hand. Some of the militia +had dispersed to lie down until the English arrived. John Parker, who +commanded them, ordered the drums to beat and the alarm-guns to be +fired, and his men drew up in two ranks across the road. + +<P>"It is too late now, Harold," Captain Wilson said. "Let us get out of +the line of fire." + +<P>The British, hearing the drums and the alarm-guns, loaded, and the +advance company came on at the double. Major Pitcairne was at their +head and shouted to the militia to lay down their arms. + +<P>It is a matter of dispute, and will always remain one, as to who +fired the first shot. The Americans assert that it was the English; +the English say that as they advanced several shots were fired at +them from behind a stone wall and from some of the adjoining houses, +which wounded one man and hit Major Pitcairne's horse in two places. + +<P>The militia disregarded Major Pitcairne's orders to lay down their +arms. The English fired; several of the militia were killed, nine +wounded, and the rest dispersed. There was no further fighting and +the English marched on, unopposed, to Concord. + +<P>As they approached the town the militia retreated from it. The +English took possession of a bridge behind the place and held this +while the troops were engaged in destroying the ammunition and +gun-carriages. Most of the guns had been removed and only two +twenty-four pounders were taken. In destroying the stores by fire the +court-house took flames. At the sight of this fire the militia and +armed countrymen advanced down the hill toward the bridge. The +English tried to pull up the planks, but the Americans ran forward +rapidly. The English guard fired; the colonists returned the fire. +Some of the English were killed and wounded and the party fell back +into the town. Half an hour later Colonel Smith, having performed the +duty that he was sent to do, resumed the homeward march with the +whole of his troops. + +<P>Then the militiamen of Concord, with those from many villages around +and every man in the district capable of bearing arms, fell upon the +retiring English. + +<P>The road led through several defiles, and every tree, every rock, +every depression of ground was taken advantage of by the Americans. +Scarcely a man was to be seen, but their deadly fire rained thick +upon the tired troops. This they vainly attempted to return, but they +could do nothing against an invisible foe, every man of whom +possessed a skill with his rifle far beyond that of the British +soldier. Very many fell and the retreat was fast becoming a rout, +when, near Lexington, the column met a strong re-enforcement which +had been sent out from Boston. This was commanded by Lord Percy, who +formed his detachment into square, in which Colonel Smith's party, +now so utterly exhausted that they were obliged to lie down for some +time, took refuge. When they were rested the whole force moved +forward again toward Boston, harassed the whole way by the Americans, +who from behind stone walls and other places of shelter kept up an +incessant fire upon both flanks, as well as in the front and rear, +against which the troops could do nothing. At last the retreating +column safely arrived at Boston, spent and worn out with fatigue. +Their loss was 65 men killed, 136 wounded, 49 missing. + +<P>Such was the beginning of the war of independence. Many American +writers have declared that previous to that battle there was no +desire for independence on the part of the colonists, but this is +emphatically contradicted by the language used at the meetings and in +the newspapers which have come down to us. The leaders may not have +wished to go so far—may not have intended to gain more than an +entire immunity from taxation and an absolute power for the colonists +to manage their own affairs. But experience has shown that when the +spark of revolution is once lighted, when resistance to the law has +once commenced, things are carried to a point far beyond that dreamed +of by the first leaders. + +<P>Those who commenced the French Revolution were moderate men who +desired only that some slight check should be placed on the arbitrary +power of the king—that the people should be relieved in some slight +degree from the horrible tyranny of the nobles, from the misery and +wretchedness in which they lived. These just demands increased step +by step until they culminated in the Reign of Terror and the most +horrible scenes of bloodshed and massacre of modern times. + +<P>Men like Washington and Franklin and Adams may have desired only that +the colonists should be free from imperial taxation, but the popular +voice went far beyond this. Three years earlier wise counsels in the +British Parliament might have averted a catastrophe and delayed for +many years the separation of the colonies from their mother country. +At the time the march began from Boston to Concord the American +colonists stood virtually in armed rebellion. The militia throughout +New England were ready to fight. Arms, ammunition, and military +stores were collected in Rhode Island and New Hampshire. The cannon +and military stores belonging to the Crown had been carried off by +the people, forty cannon being seized in Rhode Island alone. Such +being the case, it is nonsense to speak of the fray at Lexington as +the cause of the Revolutionary War. It was but the spark in the +powder. The magazine was ready and primed, the explosion was +inevitable, and the fight at Lexington was the accidental incident +which set fire to it. + +<P>The efforts of American writers to conceal the real facts of the +case, to minimize the rebellious language, the violent acts of the +colonists, and to make England responsible for the war because a body +of troops were sent to seize cannon and military stores intended to +be used against them are so absurd, as well as so untrue, that it is +astonishing how wide a credence such statements have received. + +<P>From an eminence at some distance from the line of retreat Captain +Wilson and his son watched sorrowfully the attack upon the British +troops. When at last the combatants disappeared from sight through +one of the defiles Captain Wilson turned his horse's head homeward. + +<P>"The die is cast," he said to his wife as she met him at the door. +"The war has begun, and I fear it can have but one termination. The +colonists can place forces in the field twenty times as numerous as +any army that England can spare. They are inferior in drill and in +discipline, but these things, which are of such vast consequence in a +European battlefield, matter but little in such a country as this. +Skill with the rifle and knowledge of forest warfare are far more +important. In these points the colonists are as superior to the +English soldiers as they are in point of numbers. Nevertheless, my +dear, my duty is plain. I am an Englishman and have borne his +Majesty's commission, and I must fight for the king. Harold has +spoken to me as we rode home together, and he wishes to fight by my +side. I have pointed out to him that as he was born here he can +without dishonor remain neutral in the struggle. He, however, insists +that as a royal subject of the king he is entitled to fight for him. +He saw to-day many lads not older than himself in the rebel ranks, +and he has pleaded strongly for permission to go with me. To this I +have agreed. Which would you prefer, Mary—to stay quietly here, +where I imagine you would not be molested on account of the part I +take, or will you move into Boston and stop with your relations there +until the struggle has ended one way or the other?" + +<P>As Mrs. Wilson had frequently talked over with her husband the course +that he would take in the event of civil war actually breaking out, +the news that he would at once offer his services to the British +authorities did not come as a shock upon her. Even the question of +Harold accompanying his father had been talked over; and although her +heart bled at the thought of husband and son being both engaged in +such a struggle, she agreed to acquiesce in any decision that Harold +might arrive at. He was now nearly sixteen, and in the colonies a lad +of this age is, in point of independence and self-reliance, older +than an English boy. Harold, too, had already shown that he possessed +discretion and coolness as well as courage, and although now that the +moment had come Mrs. Wilson wept passionately at the thought of their +leaving her, she abstained from saying any word to dissuade them from +the course they had determined upon. When she recovered from her fit +of crying she said that she would accompany them at once to Boston, +as in the first place their duties might for some time lie in that +city, and that in any case she would obtain far more speedy news +there of what was going on throughout the country than she would at +Concord. She would, too, be living among her friends and would meet +with many of the same convictions and opinions as her husband's, +whereas in Concord the whole population would be hostile. + +<P>Captain Wilson said that there was no time to be lost, as the whole +town was in a tumult. He therefore advised her to pack up such +necessary articles as could be carried in the valises, on the horses' +backs. + +<P>Pompey and the other servants were to pack up the most valuable +effects and to forward them to a relation of Mrs. Wilson's who lived +about three miles from Boston. There they would be in safety and +could be brought into the town, if necessary. Pompey and two other +old servants were to remain in charge of the house and its contents. +Jake, an active young negro some twenty-three or twenty-four years +old, who was much attached to Harold, whose personal attendant and +companion he had always been, was to accompany them on horseback, as +was Judy, Mrs. Wilson's negro maid. + +<P>As evening fell the five horses were brought round, and the party +started by a long and circuitous route, by which, after riding for +nearly forty miles, they reached Boston at two o'clock next morning. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c5"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER V.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">BUNKER'S HILL.</H3> + +<P>The excitement caused by the news of the fight at Concord was intense +and, as it spread through the colonies, the men everywhere rushed to +arms. The fray at Lexington was represented as a wanton outrage, and +the fact wholly ignored that the colonists concerned in it were drawn +up in arms to oppose the passage of the king's troops, who were +marching on their legitimate duty of seizing arms and ammunition +collected for the purpose of warring against the king. The colonial +orators and newspaper writers affirmed then, as they have affirmed +since, that, up to the day of Lexington, no one had a thought of +firing a shot against the Government. A more barefaced misstatement +was never made. Men do not carry off cannon by scores, and accumulate +everywhere great stores of warlike ammunition, without a thought of +fighting. The colonists commenced the war by assembling in arms to +oppose the progress of British troops obeying the orders of the +Government. It matters not a whit on which side the first shot was +fired. American troops have, many times since that event, fired upon +rioters in the streets, under circumstances no stronger than those +which brought on the fight at Lexington. + +<P>From all parts of New England the militia and volunteers poured in, +and in three days after the fight, twenty thousand armed men were +encamped between the rivers Mystic and Roxburgh, thus besieging +Boston. They at once set to work throwing up formidable earthworks, +the English troops remaining within their intrenchments across the +neck of land joining Boston with the mainland. + +<P>The streets of Boston were crowded with an excited populace when +Captain Wilson and his party rode into it at two in the morning. No +one thought of going to bed, and all were excited to the last degree +at the news of the battle. All sorts of reports prevailed. On the +colonial side it was affirmed that the British, in their retreat, had +shot down women and children; while the soldiers affirmed that the +colonists had scalped many of their number who fell in the fight. The +latter statement was officially made by Lord Percy in his report of +the engagement. + +<P>Captain Wilson rode direct to the house of his wife's friends. They +were still up, and were delighted to see Mary Wilson, for such +exaggerated reports had been received of the fight that they were +alarmed for her safety. They belonged to the moderate party, who saw +that there were faults on both sides and regretted bitterly both the +obstinacy of the English Parliament in attempting to coerce the +colonists and the determination of the latter to oppose, by force of +arms, the legitimate rights of the mother country. + +<P>Until the morning the events of the preceding day were talked over; a +few hours' repose was then taken, after which Captain Wilson went to +the headquarters of General Gage and offered his services. Although +Boston was the headquarters of the disaffected party, no less than +two hundred men came forward as volunteers in the king's service, and +Captain Wilson was at once appointed to the command of a company of +fifty men. Before leaving the army he had taken part in several +expeditions against the Indians, and his knowledge of forest warfare +rendered him a valuable acquisition. Boston was but poorly +provisioned, and, as upon the day when the news of Lexington reached +New York two vessels laden with flour for the use of the troops at +Boston were seized by the colonists and many other supplies cut off, +the danger of the place being starved out was considerable. General +Gage, therefore, offered no opposition to the exit from the city of +those who wished to avoid the horror of a siege, and a considerable +portion of the population made their way through to the rebel lines. +Every day brought news of fresh risings throughout the country; the +governors of the various provinces were powerless; small garrisons of +English troops were disarmed and made prisoners; and the fortress of +Ticonderoga, held only by fifty men, was captured by the Americans +without resistance. In one month after the first shot was fired the +whole of the American colonies were in rebellion. + +<P>The news was received in England with astonishment and sorrow. Great +concessions had been made by Parliament, but the news had reached +America too late to avoid hostilities. Public opinion was divided; +many were in favor of granting at once all that the colonists +demanded, and many officers of rank and position resigned their +commissions rather than fight against the Americans. The division, +indeed, was almost as general and complete as it had been in the time +of our own civil war. In London the feeling in favor of the colonists +was strong, but in the country generally the determination to repress +the rising was in the ascendant. The colonists had, with great +shrewdness, dispatched a fast-sailing ship to Europe upon the day +following the battle of Lexington, giving their account of the +affair, and representing it as a massacre of defenseless colonists by +British troops; and the story thus told excited a sympathy which +would not, perhaps, have been extended to them had the real facts of +the case been known. Representatives from all the colonies met at +Philadelphia to organize the national resistance; but as yet, +although many of the bolder spirits spoke of altogether throwing off +allegiance to England, no resolution was proposed to that effect. + +<P>For the first six weeks after his arrival at Boston, Captain Wilson +was engaged in drilling his company. Harold was, of course, attached +to it, and entered with ardor upon his duties. Captain Wilson did not +attempt to form his men into a band of regular soldiers; accuracy of +movement and regularity of drill would be of little avail in the +warfare in which they were likely to be engaged. Accuracy in +shooting, quickness in taking cover, and steadiness in carrying out +any general orders were the principal objects to be attained. Most of +the men had already taken part in frontier warfare. The majority of +them were gentlemen—Englishmen who, like their captain, had come out +from home and purchased small estates in the country. The discipline, +therefore, was not strict, and, off duty, all were on terms of +equality. + +<P>Toward the end of May and beginning of June considerable +re-enforcements arrived from England, and, as a step preparatory to +offensive measures, General Gage, on June 12, issued a proclamation +offering, in his Majesty's name, a free pardon to all who should +forthwith lay down their arms, John Hancock and General Adams only +excepted, and threatening with punishment all who should delay to +avail themselves of the offer. This proclamation had no effect +whatever. + +<P>Near the peninsula of Boston, on the north, and separated from it by +the Charles River, which is navigable and about the breadth of the +Thames at London Bridge, is another neck of land called the Peninsula +of Charlestown. On the north bank, opposite Boston, lies the town of +Charlestown, behind which, in the center of the peninsula, rises an +eminence called Bunker's Hill. Bunker's Hill is sufficiently high to +overlook any part of Boston and near enough to be within cannon-shot. +This hill was unoccupied by either party, and about this time the +Americans, hearing that General Gage had come to a determination to +fortify it, resolved to defeat his resolution by being the first to +occupy it. + +<P>About nine in the evening of June 16 a detachment from the colonial +army, one thousand strong, under the command of Colonel Prescott, +moved along the Charlestown road and took up a position on a shoulder +of Bunker's Hill, which was known as Breed's Hill, just above the +town of Charlestown. They reached this position at midnight. Each man +carried a pick and shovel, and all night they worked vigorously in +intrenching the position. Not a word was spoken, and the watch on +board the men-of-war in the harbor were ignorant of what was going on +so near at hand. At daybreak the alarm was given, and the <I>Lively</I> +opened a cannonade upon the redoubt. A battery of guns was placed on +Copp's Hill, behind Boston, distant twelve hundred yards from the +works, and this, also, opened fire. The Americans continued their +work, throwing up fresh intrenchments; and, singularly, only one man +was killed by the fire from the ships and redoubt. A breastwork was +carried down the hill to the flat ground which, intersected by +fences, stretched away to the Mystic. By nine o'clock they had +completed their intrenchments. + +<P>Prescott sent off for re-enforcements, but there was little harmony +among the colonial troops. Disputes between the contingents of the +various provinces were common; there was no head of sufficient +authority to enforce his orders upon the whole; and a long delay took +place before the re-enforcements were sent forward. + +<P>In the meantime the English had been preparing to attack the +position. The Fifth, Thirty-eighth, Forty-third, and Fifty-second +regiments, with ten companies of the grenadiers and ten of the light +infantry, with a proportion of field artillery, embarked in boats, +and, crossing the harbor, landed on the outward side of the +peninsula, near the Mystic, with a view of outflanking the American +position and surrounding them. The force was under the command of +Major General Howe, under whom was Brigadier General Piggott. + +<P>Upon seeing the strength of the American position, General Howe +halted, and sent back for further re-enforcements. The Americans +improved the time thus given them by forming a breastwork in front of +an old ditch. Here there was a post-and-rail fence. They ran up +another by the side of this and filled the space between the two with +the new-mown hay, which, cut only the day before, lay thickly over +the meadows. + +<P><IMG SRC="illustrations/1.gif" ALT="Plan of the Action At Bunkers Hill, on the 17th of June 1775."> + +<P>Two battalions were sent across to re-enforce Howe, while large +re-enforcements, with six guns, arrived to the assistance of +Prescott. The English had now a force consisting, according to +different authorities, of between 2000 and 2500 men. The colonial +force is also variously estimated, and had the advantage both in +position and in the protection of their intrenchments, while the +British had to march across open ground. As individual shots the +colonists were immensely superior, but the British had the advantages +given by drill and discipline. + +<P>The English lines advanced in good order, steadily and slowly, the +artillery covering them by their fire. Presently the troops opened +fire, but the distance was too great and they did but little +execution. Encumbered with their knapsacks they ascended the steep +hill toward the redoubt with difficulty, covered, as it was, by grass +reaching to the knees. The colonists did not fire a shot until the +English line had reached a point about one hundred and fifty yards +from the intrenchments. Then Prescott gave the order, and from the +redoubt and the long line of intrenchments flanking it flashed a line +of fire. Each man had taken a steady aim with his rifle resting on +the earthwork before him, and so deadly was the fire that nearly the +whole front line of the British fell. For ten minutes the rest stood +with dogged courage, firing at the hidden foe, but these, sheltered +while they loaded and only exposing themselves momentarily while they +raised their heads above the parapets to fire, did such deadly +execution that the remnant of the British fell back to the foot of +the hill. + +<P>While this force, which was under the command of General Pigott, had +been engaged, another division under Howe himself moved against the +rail fence. The combat was a repetition of that which had taken place +on the hill. Here the Americans reserved their fire until the enemy +were close; then, with their muskets resting on the rails, they +poured in a deadly fire, and, after in vain trying to stand their +ground, the troops fell back to the shore. + +<P>Captain Wilson was standing with Harold on Copp's Hill watching the +engagement. + +<P>"What beautiful order they go in!" Harold said, looking admiringly at +the long lines of red-coated soldiers. + +<P>"It is very pretty," Captain Wilson said sadly, "and may do in +regular warfare; but I tell you, Harold, that sort of thing won't do +here. There is scarce a man carrying a gun behind those intrenchments +who cannot with certainty hit a bull's-eye at one hundred and fifty +yards. It is simply murder, taking the men up in regular order +against such a foe sheltered by earthworks." + +<P>At this moment the long line of fire darted out from the American +intrenchments. + +<P>"Look there!" Captain Wilson cried in a pained voice. "The front line +is nearly swept away! Do you see them lying almost in an unbroken +line on the hillside? I tell you, Harold, it is hopeless to look for +success if we fight in this way. The bravest men in the world could +not stand such a fire as that." + +<P>"What will be done now?" Harold asked as the men stood huddled upon +the shore. + +<P>"They will try again," Captain Wilson said. "Look at the officers +running about among them and getting them into order." + +<P>In a quarter of an hour the British again advanced both toward the +redoubt and the grass fence. As before the Americans withheld their +fire, and this time until the troops were far closer than before, and +the result was even more disastrous. Some of the grenadier and light +infantry companies who led lost three-fourths, others nine-tenths of +their men. Again the British troops recoiled from that terrible fire. +General Howe and his officers exerted themselves to the utmost to +restore order when the troops again reached the shore, and the men +gallantly replied to their exhortations. Almost impossible as the +task appeared, they prepared to undertake it for the third time. This +time a small force only was directed to move against the grass fence, +while the main body, under Howe, were to attack the redoubt on the +hill. + +<P>Knapsacks were taken off and thrown down, and each man nerved himself +to conquer or die. The ships in the harbor prepared the way by +opening a heavy cannonade. General Clinton, who was watching the +battle from Copp's Hill, ran down to the shore, rowed across the +harbor, and put himself at the head of two battalions. Then, with +loud cheers, the troops again sprang up the ascent. The American +ammunition was running short, many of the men not having more than +three or four rounds left, and this time they held their fire until +the British troops were within twenty yards. These had not fired a +shot, the order being that there was to be no pause, but that the +redoubt was to be carried with the bayonet. For a moment they wavered +when the deadly volley was poured in upon them. Then, with a cheer, +they rushed at the intrenchments. All those who first mounted were +shot down by the defenders, but the troops would not be denied, and, +pouring over the earthworks leaped down upon the enemy. + +<P>For a few minutes there was a hand-to-hand fight, the Americans using +the butt-ends of their muskets, the English their bayonets. The +soldiers were exhausted with the climb up the hill and their exertions +under a blazing sun, and the great majority of the defenders of the +redoubt were, therefore, enabled to retreat unharmed, as, fresh and +active, they were able to outrun their tired opponents, and as the +balls served out to the English field-pieces were too large, the +artillery were unable to come into action. + +<P>The colonists at the rail fence maintained their position against the +small force sent against them till the main body at the redoubt had +made their escape. The British were unable to continue the pursuit +beyond the isthmus. + +<P>In the whole history of the British army there is no record of a more +gallant feat than the capture of Bunker's Hill, and few troops in the +world would, after two bloody repulses, have moved up the third time +to assail such a position, defended by men so trained to the use of +the rifle. Ten hundred and fifty-four men, or nearly half their +number, were killed and wounded, among whom were 83 officers. In few +battles ever fought was the proportion of casualties to the number +engaged so great. The Americans fought bravely, but the extraordinary +praise bestowed upon them for their valor appears misplaced. Their +position was one of great strength, and the absence of drill was of +no consequence whatever in such an engagement. They were perfectly +sheltered from the enemy's fire while engaged in calmly shooting him +down, and their loss, up to the moment when the British rushed among +them, was altogether insignificant. Their casualties took place after +the position was stormed and on their retreat along the peninsula, +and amounted in all to 145 killed and captured and 304 wounded. It +may be said that both sides fought well; but, from the circumstances +under which they fought, the highest credit is due to the victors. + +<P>The battle, however, though won by the English, was a moral triumph +for the Americans, and the British Parliament should at once have +given up the contest. It was, from the first, absolutely certain that +the Americans, with their immense superiority in numbers, could, if +they were only willing to fight, hold their vast country against the +British troops, fighting with a base thousands of miles away. The +battle of Bunker's Hill showed that they were so willing—that they +could fight sternly and bravely: and this point once established, it +was little short of madness for the English government to continue +the contest. They had not even the excuse of desiring to wipe out the +dishonor of a defeat. Their soldiers had won a brilliant victory and +had fought with a determination and valor never exceeded, and England +could have afforded to say, "We will fight no more. If you, the +inhabitants of a vast continent, are determined to go alone, are +ready to give your lives rather than remain in connection with us, go +and prosper. We acknowledge we cannot subdue a nation in arms." + +<P>From the height of Copp's Hill it could be seen that the British had +suffered terribly. Captain Wilson was full of enthusiasm when he saw +the success of the last gallant charge of the English soldiers, but +he said to Harold: + +<P>"It is a disastrous victory. A few such battles as these and the +English army in America would cease to exist." + +<P>But although they were aware that the losses were heavy they were not +prepared for the truth. The long grass had hidden from view many of +those who fell, and when it was known that nearly half of those +engaged were killed or wounded the feeling among the English was akin +to consternation. + +<P>The generalship of the British was wholly unworthy of the valor of +the troops. There would have been no difficulty in placing some of +the vessels of light draught so far up the Mystic as to outflank the +intrenchments held by the colonists. Indeed, the British troops might +have been landed further up the Mystic, in which case the Americans +must have retreated instantly to avoid capture. Lastly, the troops, +although fighting within a mile of their quarters, were encumbered +with three days' provisions and their knapsacks, constituting, with +their muskets and ammunition, a load of 125 pounds. This was, indeed, +heavily handicapping men who had, under a blazing sun, to climb a +steep hill, with grass reaching to their knees, and intersected by +walls and fences. + +<P>American writers describe the defenders of the position as inferior +in numbers to the assailants, but it is due to the English to say +that their estimate of the number of the defenders of the +intrenchments differs very widely from this. General Gage estimated +them as being fully three times as numerous as the British troops. It +is probable that the truth lies between the two accounts. + +<P>Captain Wilson returned with Harold, greatly dispirited, to his +house. + +<P>"The lookout is dreadfully bad," he said to his wife, after +describing the events of the day. "So far as I can see there are but +two alternatives—either peace or a long and destructive war with +failure at its end. It is even more hopeless trying to conquer a vast +country like this, defended by irregulars, than if we had a trained +and disciplined army to deal with. In that case two or three signal +victories might bring the war to a conclusion; but fighting with +irregulars, a victory means nothing beyond so many of the enemy +killed. There are scarcely any cannon to take, no stores or magazines +to capture. When the enemy is beaten he disperses, moves off, and in +a couple of days gathers again in a fresh position. The work has no +end. There are no fortresses to take, no strategical positions to +occupy, no great roads to cut. The enemy can march anywhere, attack +and disperse as he chooses, scatter, and re-form when you have passed +by. It is like fighting the wind." + +<P>"Well, John, since it seems so hopeless, cannot you give it up? Is it +too late?" + +<P>"Altogether too late, Mary, and if I were free tomorrow I would +volunteer my services again next day. It is not any the less my duty +to fight in my country's cause because I believe the cause to be a +losing one. You must see that yourself, dear. If England had been +sure to win without my aid, I might have stood aloof. It is because +everyone's help is needed that such services as I can render are due +to her. A country would be in a bad way whose sons were only ready to +fight when their success was a certainty." + +<P>The Congress determined now to detach Canada from the English side +and prepared a force for the invasion of that colony, where the +British had but few regular troops. + +<P>Captain Wilson was one morning summoned to headquarters. On his +return he called together four or five of the men best acquainted +with the country. These had been in their early days hunters or +border scouts, and knew every foot of the forest and lakes. + +<P>"I have just seen the general," Captain Wilson said. "A royalist +brought in news last night that the rebels are raising a force +intended to act against Montreal. They reckon upon being joined by a +considerable portion of the Canadians, among whom there is, +unfortunately, a good deal of discontent. We have but two regiments +in the whole colony. One of these is at Quebec. The rebels, +therefore, will get the advantage of surprise, and may raise the +colony before we are in a condition to resist. General Howe asked me +to take my company through the woods straight to Montreal. We should +be landed a few miles up the coast at night. I suppose some of you +know the country well enough to be able to guide us." + +<P>Several of the men expressed their ability to act as guides. + +<P>"I've fought the Injuns through them woods over and over again," said +one of them, a sinewy, weather-beaten man of some sixty years old, +who was known as Peter Lambton. He had for many years been a scout +attached to the army and was one of the most experienced hunters on +the frontier. He was a tall, angular man, except that he stooped +slightly, the result of a habit of walking with the head bent forward +in the attitude of listening. The years which had passed over him had +had no effect upon his figure. He walked with a long, noiseless +tread, like that of an Indian, and was one of the men attached to his +company in whom, wisely, Captain Wilson had made no attempt to +instill the very rudiments of drill. It was, the captain thought, +well that the younger men should have such a knowledge of drill as +would enable them to perform simple maneuvers, but the old hunters +would fight in their own way—a way infinitely better adapted for +forest warfare than any that he could teach them. Peter and some of +his companions were in receipt of small pensions, which had been +bestowed upon them for their services with the troops. Men of this +kind were not likely to take any lively interest in the squabbles as +to questions of taxation, but when they found that it was coming to +fighting they again offered their services to the government as a +matter of course. Some were attached to the regular troops as scouts, +while others were divided among the newly raised companies of +loyalists. + +<P>Peter Lambton had for the last four years been settled at Concord. +During the war with the French he had served as a scout with the +regiment to which Captain Wilson belonged, and had saved that +officer's life when with a portion of his company, he was surrounded +and cut off by hostile Indians. A strong feeling of friendship had +sprung up between them, and when, four years before, there had been a +lull in the English fighting on the frontier, Peter had retired on +his pension and the savings which he had made during his many years' +work as a hunter, and had located himself in a cottage on Captain +Wilson's estate. It was the many tales told him by the hunter of his +experiences in Indian warfare that had fired Harold with a desire for +the life of a frontier hunter, and had given him such a knowledge of +forest life as had enabled him to throw off the Indians from his +trail. On Harold's return the old hunter had listened with extreme +interest to the story of his adventures and had taken great pride in +the manner in which he had utilized his teachings. Peter made his +appearance in the city three days after the arrival of Captain Wilson +there. + +<P>"I look upon this here affair as a favorable occurrence for Harold," +he said to Captain Wilson. "The boy has lots of spirits, but if it +had not been for this he might have grown up a regular town +greenhorn, fit for nothing but to walk about in a long coat and to +talk pleasant to women; but this 'll jest be the making of him. With +your permission, cap, I'll take him under my charge and teach him to +use his eyes and his ears, and I reckon he'll turn out as good an +Injun fighter as you'll see on the frontier." + +<P>"But it is not Indians that we are going to fight Peter," Captain +Wilson said. "I heartily wish it was." + +<P>"It 'll be the same thing," Peter said; "not here, in course; there +'ll be battles between the regulars and the colonists, regular +battles like that at Quebec, where both parties was fools enough to +march about in the open and get shot down by hundreds. I don't call +that fighting; that's jest killing, and there aint no more sense in +it than in two herd of buffalo charging each other on the prairie. +But there 'll be plenty of real fighting—expeditions in the woods +and Injun skirmishes, for you'll be sure that the Injuns'll join in, +some on one side and some on the other; it aint in their nature to +sit still in their villages while powder's being burned. A few months +of this work will make a man of him, and he might have a worse +teacher than Peter Lambton. You jest hand him over to my care, cap, +and I'll teach him all I know of the ways of the woods, and I tell +yer there aint no better kind of edication for a young fellow. He +larns to use the senses God has given him, to keep his head when +another man would lose his presence of mind, to have the eye of a +hawk and the ear of a hound, to get so that he scarcely knows what it +is to be tired or hungry, to be able to live while other men would +starve, to read the signs of the woods like a printed book, and to be +in every way a man and not a tailor's figure." + +<P>"There is a great deal in what you say, old friend," Captain Wilson +answered, "and such a training cannot but do a man good. I wish with +all my heart that it had been entirely with red foes that the +fighting was to be done. However, that cannot be helped, and as he is +to fight he could not be in better hands than yours. So long as we +remain here I shall teach him what drill I can with the rest of the +company, but when we leave this town and the work really begins, I +shall put him in your charge to learn the duties of a scout." + +<P>The young negro Jake had also enlisted, for throughout the war the +negroes fought on both sides, according to the politics of their +masters. There were only two other negroes in the company, and +Captain Wilson had some hesitation in enlisting them, but they made +good soldiers. In the case of Jake, Captain Wilson knew that he was +influenced in his wish to join solely by his affection for Harold, +and the lad's father felt that in the moment of danger the negro +would be ready to lay down his life for him. + +<P>There was great satisfaction in the band when they received news that +they were at last about to take the field. The long inaction had been +most wearisome to them, and they knew that any fighting that would +take place round Boston would be done by the regular troops. Food, +too, was very scarce in town, and they were heartily weary of the +regular drill and discipline. They were, then, in high spirits as +they embarked on board the <I>Thetis</I> sloop-of-war and sailed from +Boston harbor. + +<P>It was a pitiful parting between Mrs. Wilson and her husband and son. +It had been arranged that she should sail for England in a ship that +was leaving in the following week and should there stay with her +husband's family, from whom she had a warm invitation to make their +home her own until the war was over. + +<P>The <I>Thetis</I> ran out to sea. As soon as night fell her bow was turned +to land again, and about midnight the anchor was let fall near the +shore some twenty miles north of Boston. The landing was quickly +effected, and with three days' provisions in their knapsacks the +little party started on their march. + +<P>One of the scouts who had come from that neighborhood led them by +paths which avoided all villages and farms. At daybreak they +bivouacked in a wood and at nightfall resumed the march. By the next +morning they had left the settlements behind, and entered a belt of +swamp and forest extending west to the St. Lawrence. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c6"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER VI.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">SCOUTING.</H3> + +<P>A party of six men were seated around a fire in the forest which +covered the slopes of the northern shore of Lake Champlain. The spot +had been chosen because a great tree had fallen, bringing down +several others in its course, and opening a vista through which a +view could be obtained of the surface of the lake. The party +consisted of Peter Lambton, Harold, Jake, Ephraim Potter, another old +frontiersman, and two Indians. + +<P>The company under Captain Wilson had made its way safely to the St. +Lawrence after undergoing considerable hardships in the forest. They +had been obliged to depend entirely on what game they could shoot and +such fish as they could catch in the rivers whose course they +followed. They had, however, reached Montreal without loss, and there +they found that General Carleton had in all about 500 regulars and +about 200 volunteers who had recently been engaged. + +<P>It was clear that if the people of Canada were as hostile to the +connection with England as were those of the other colonies, the +little force at the disposal of the English general could do nothing +to defend the colony against the strong force which the Americans +were collecting for its invasion. Fortunately this was not the case. +Although the Canadians were of French descent and the province had +been wrested by arms from France, they for the most part preferred +being under English rule to joining the insurgent colonies. They had +been in no way oppressed by England, their property had been +respected, and above all things no attempt had ever been made to +interfere with their religion. In the New England provinces the hard +Puritan spirit of the early fathers had never ceased to prevail. +Those who had fled from England to obtain freedom of worship had been +intolerant persecutors of all religion different from their own. The +consequence was that the priests of Canada were wholly opposed to any +idea of union with the insurgent colonists. Their influence over the +people was great, and although these still objected to the English +rule and would have readily taken up arms against it under other +circumstances, they had too little sympathy with the New Englanders +to join in their movement, which, if successful, would have placed +Canada under the rule of the United States instead of that of +England. + +<P>The upper classes of Canadians were almost to a man loyal to the +English connection. They had been well treated and enjoyed a greater +state of independence than had been the case under French rule. +Moreover, they were for the most part descended from old French +families, and their sympathies were entirely opposed to popular +insurrection. Thus, when Captain Wilson and his party reached +Montreal, they found that, in spite of the paucity of English troops +under the command of General Carleton, the position was not so bad as +had been feared by General Gage. It was possible, and indeed +probable, that Upper Canada might fall into the hands of the +Americans, and that even Quebec itself might be captured; but unless +the people joined the Americans the success of the latter would be +but temporary. With the spring the navigation of the river would be +open and re-enforcements would arrive from England. The invaders +would then be at a disadvantage. Separated from home by a wide tract +of forest-covered country, they would have the greatest difficulty in +transporting artillery, ammunition, and stores, and, fighting as an +army in invasion, they would be placed in a very different position +to that occupied by the colonists fighting on their own ground. It +was probable that for a time the tide of invasion would succeed. + +<P>The Indians of the Five Nations, as those dwelling near the British +frontier at this point were called, had volunteered their services to +the general to cross the frontier to recapture Ticonderoga and Crown +Point, which had been seized by the Americans, and to carry the war +into the colonies. But General Carleton, an exceedingly humane and +kind-hearted man, shrank from the horrors that such a warfare would +entail upon the colonists. He accepted the services of the Indians as +far as the absolute defense of Canada from invasion, but refused to +allow them to cross the frontier. + +<P>On the arrival of Captain Wilson with his little force he was ordered +to march at once to the fort of St. John's, which was held by a party +of regular troops. + +<P>On arriving at that place the two scouts had been sent down toward +Lake Champlain to watch the proceedings of the enemy. Harold had +obtained leave from his father to accompany the scouts, and Jake had +been permitted to form one of the party. Peter Lambton had grumbled a +little at this last addition to the number. He knew Jake's affection +for his young master, and the great strength of the negro would have +rendered him useful in a hand-to-hand fight, but he was altogether +unaccustomed to forest work, and his habit of bursting into fits of +laughter on the smallest provocation, as is the manner of his race, +enraged the scout to the last degree. Indeed, he had not left the +fort above an hour when he turned savagely on the negro. + +<P>"Look-ee here," he said, "if that's the way ye're a-going on, the +sooner ye turns yer face and tramps back to the fort the better. When +you were at Concord it done no harm to make as much noise as a +jackass braying whenever you opened that mouth of yours, but it won't +do in the forests. It would cost us our har and your wool ef yer were +to make that noise with the enemy anywhere within fifteen miles of +yer. I aint a-going, if I knows it, to risk my sculp on such a +venture as this; still less I aint a-going to see this young chap's +life thrown away. His father hez put him in my charge, and I aint +a-going to see him sacrificed in no such way. So ye've got to make up +yer mind; yer have got to keep that mouth of yours shut tight or +yer've got to tramp back to the fort." + +<P>Jake gave many promises of silence, and although at first he often +raised his voice to a point far exceeding that considered by the +hunters safe in the woods, he was each time checked by such a savage +growl on the part of Peter, or by a punch in the ribs from Harold, +that he quickly fell into the ways of the others and never spoke +above a loud whisper. + +<P>At a short distance from the fort they were joined by the two +Indians, who were also out on a scouting expedition on their own +account. They had previously been well known both to Peter and +Ephraim. They were warriors of the Seneca tribe, one of the Five +Nations. They had now been for two days on the north shore of Lake +Champlain. They were sitting round a fire eating a portion of a deer +which had been shot by Harold that morning. So far they had seen +nothing of the enemy. They knew that 3000 men, under Schuyler and +Montgomery, had marched to the other end of the lake. The colonists +had been sending proclamations across the frontier to the +inhabitants, saying that they were coming as friends to free them +from the yoke of England and calling upon them to arise and strike +for freedom. They were also in negotiation with some of the chiefs of +the Five Nations and with other Indian tribes to induce them to join +with them. + +<P>"I propose," Peter said when the meal was finished and he had lighted +his pipe, "to go down the lake and see what they're doing. Deer Tail +here tells me that he knows where there's a canoe. He, Harold, and me +will go and reconnoiter a bit; the other three had best wait here +till we comes back with news. In course, chief," he continued to the +other Indian, after explaining to him in his own language what he +intended to do, "you'll be guided by circumstances—you can see a +long way down the lake, and ef anything should lead you to think that +we're in trouble, you can take such steps as may seem best to you. +It's mighty little I should think of the crowd of colonists; but ef, +as you say, a number of the warriors of the Five Nations, indignant +at the rejection, of their offers by the English general, have gone +down and joined the colonists, it'll be a different affair +altogether." + +<P>The Elk, as the second Seneca chief was called, nodded his assent. In +a few words Peter told Harold what had been arranged. Jake looked +downcast when he heard that he was not to accompany his master, but +as he saw the latter had, since leaving the fort, obeyed without +questioning every suggestion of the scout, he offered no +remonstrance. + +<P>A quarter of an hour later Peter rose, Deer Tail followed his +example, and Harold at once took up his rifle and fell in in their +steps. There was but little talk in the woods, and the matter having +been settled, it did not enter the mind either of Peter or of the +Indian to say a word of adieu to their comrades. Harold imitated +their example, but gave a nod and a smile to Jake as he started. + +<P>Half an hour's tramp took them to the shore of the lake. Here they +halted for a minute while the Indian closely examined the locality. +With the wonderful power of making their way straight through the +forest to the required spot, which seems to be almost an instinct +among Indians, Deer Tail had struck the lake within two hundred yards +of the point which he aimed at. He led the way along the shore until +he came to a spot where a great maple had fallen into the lake; here +he turned into the forest again, and in fifty yards came to a clump +of bushes; these he pushed aside and pointed to a canoe which was +lying hidden among them. Peter joined him, the two lifted the boat +out, placed it on their shoulders, and carried it to the lake. There +were three paddles in it. Peter motioned Harold to take his place in +the stern and steer, while he and the Indian knelt forward and put +their paddles in the water. + +<P>"Keep her along on the right shore of the lake, about fifty yards +from the trees. There's no fear of anyone lurking about near this +end." + +<P>The canoe was light and well made, and darted quickly over the water +under the strokes of the two paddlers. It was late in the afternoon +when they started, and before they had gone many miles darkness had +fallen. The canoe was run in close to shore, where she lay in the +shadow of the trees until morning. Just as the sun rose the redskin +and Peter simultaneously dipped their paddles in the water and sent +the canoe under the arches of the trees. They had at the same instant +caught sight of four canoes making their way along the lake. + +<P>"Them's Injuns," Peter whispered. "They're scouting to see if the +lake's free. If the general could have got a couple of gunboats up +the Sorrel the enemy could never have crossed the lake, and it would +have given them a month's work to take their guns round it. It's +lucky we were well under the trees or we should have been seen. What +had we best do, Deer Tail?" + +<P>For two or three minutes the scouts conversed together in the Indian +tongue. + +<P>"The Seneca agrees with me," Peter said. "It's like enough there are +Injuns scouting along both shores. We must lay up here till +nightfall. Ef we're seen they'd signal by smoke, and we should have +them canoes back again in no time. By their coming I expect the +expedition is starting, but it won't do to go back without being sure +of it." + +<P>The canoe was paddled to a spot where the bushes grew thickly by the +bank. It was pushed among these, and the three, after eating some +cooked deer's flesh which they had brought with them, prepared to +pass the day. + +<P>"The Seneca and I'll keep watch by turns," the scout said. "We'll +wake you if we want ye." + +<P>Harold was by this time sufficiently accustomed to the ways of the +woods to obey orders at once without offering to take his turn at +watching, as his inclination led him to do, and he was soon sound +asleep. It was late in the afternoon when he was awoke by the scout +touching him. + +<P>"There's some critters coming along the bank," he said in a whisper. +"They aint likely to see us, but it's best to be ready." + +<P>Harold sat up in the canoe, rifle in hand, and, listening intently, +heard a slight sound such as would be produced by the snapping of a +twig. Presently he heard upon the other side of the bushes, a few +yards distant, a few low words in the Indian tongue. He looked at his +companions. They were sitting immovable, each with his rifle directed +toward the sound, and Harold thought it would fare badly with any of +the passers if they happened to take a fancy to peer through the +bushes. The Indians had, however, no reason for supposing that there +were any enemies upon the lake, and they consequently passed on +without examining more closely the thicket by the shore. Not until it +was perfectly dark did Peter give the sign for the continuance of the +journey. This time, instead of skirting the lake, the canoe was +steered out toward its center. For some time they paddled, and then +several lights were seen from ahead. + +<P>"I thought so," the scout said. "They've crossed to the Isle La Motte +and they're making as many fires as if they war having a sort of +picnic at home. We must wait till they burns out, for we daren't go +near the place with the water lit up for two or three hundred yards +round. It won't be long, for I reckon it must be past eleven o'clock +now." + +<P>The fires were soon seen to burn down. The paddles were dipped in the +water and the canoe approached the island. + +<P>"I'd give something," Peter said, "to know whether there's any +redskins there. Ef there are, our chance of landing without being +seen aint worth talking of; ef there aint we might land a hull fleet; +at any rate we must risk it. Now, Harold, the chief and me'll land +and find out how many men there are here, and, ef we can, how long +they're likely to stop. You keep the canoe about ten yards from +shore, in the shadow of the trees, and be ready to move close the +instant you hear my call. I'll jest give the croak of a frog. The +instant we get in you paddle off without a word. Ef ye hears any +shouts and judges as how we've been seen, ye must jest act upon the +best of yer judgment." + +<P>The boat glided noiselessly up to the shore. All was still there, the +encampment being at the other side of the island. The two scouts, red +and white, stepped noiselessly on to the land. Harold backed the +canoe a few paces with a quick stroke upon the paddle, and seeing +close to him a spot where a long branch of a tree dipped into the +water, he guided the canoe among the foliage and there sat without +movement, listening almost breathlessly. + +<P>Ere many minutes had elapsed he heard footsteps coming along the +shore. They stopped when near him. Three or four minutes passed +without the slightest sound, and then a voice said, in tones which +the speaker had evidently tried to lower, but which were distinctly +audible in the canoe: + +<P>"I tell yer, redskin, it seems to me as how you've brought us here on +a fool's errand. I don't see no signs of a canoe, and it aint likely +that the British would be along the lake here, seeing as how there's +a score of canoes with your people in them scouting ahead." + +<P>"I heard canoe," another voice said, "first at other end of the +island and then coming along here." + +<P>"And ef yer did," the first speaker said, "likely enough it was one +of the canoes of your people." + +<P>"No," the Indian answered. "If canoe come back with news, would have +come straight to fires." + +<P>"Well, it aint here, anyway," the first speaker said, "and I don't +believe yer ever heard a canoe at all. It's enough to make a man +swear to be called up jest as we were making ourselves comfortable +for the night on account of an Injun's fancies. I wonder at the +general's listening to them. However, we've got our orders to go +round the island and see ef there's any canoe on either shore; so +we'd better be moving, else we shall not get to sleep before +morning." + +<P>Harold held his breath as the group passed opposite to him. +Fortunately the trunk of the tree grew from the very edge of the +water, and there were several bushes growing round it, so that at +this point the men had to make a slight <I>détour</I> inland. Harold felt +thankful indeed that he had taken the precaution of laying his canoe +among the thick foliage, for although the night was dark it would +have been instantly seen had it been lying on the surface of the +lake. Even as it was, a close inspection might have detected it, but +the eyes of the party were fixed on the shore, as it was there, if at +all, that they expected to find an empty canoe lying. + +<P>Harold was uneasy at the discovery that there were still some +redskins on the island. It was possible, of course, that the one he +had heard might be alone as a scout, but it was more likely that +others of the tribe were also there. + +<P>After landing, Peter and the Seneca made their way across the island +to the side facing the American shore. Creeping cautiously along, +they found a large number of flat-bottomed boats, in which the +Americans had crossed from the mainland, and which were, Peter +thought, capable of carrying 2000 men. They now made their way toward +the spot where the forces were encamped. The fires had burned low, +but round a few of them men were still sitting and talking. Motioning +to the Seneca to remain quiet, Peter sauntered cautiously out on to +the clearing where the camp was formed. He had little fear of +detection, for he wore no uniform, and his hunter's dress afforded no +index to the party to which he was attached. + +<P>A great portion of the Americans were still in their ordinary attire, +it having been impossible to furnish uniforms for so great a number +of men as had been suddenly called to arms throughout the colonies. + +<P>From the arbors of boughs which had been erected in all directions, +he judged that the force had been already some days upon the island. +But large numbers of men were sleeping in the open air, and picking +his way cautiously among them, he threw himself down at a short +distance from one of the fires by which three or four men were +sitting. + +<P>For some time they talked of camp matters, the shortness of food, and +want of provisions. + +<P>"It is bad here," one said presently; "it will be worse when we move +forward. Schuyler will be here tomorrow with the rest of the army, +and we are to move down to Isle-aux-Noix, at the end of the lake, and +I suppose we shall land at once and march against St. John's. There +are only a couple of hundred Britishers there, and we shall make +short work of them." + +<P>"The sooner the better, I say," another speaker remarked. "I am ready +enough to fight, but I hate all this waiting about. I want to get +back to my farm again." + +<P>"You are in a hurry, you are," the other said. "You don't suppose we +are going to take Canada in a week's time, do you. Even if the +Canadians join us, and by what I hear that aint so sartin after all, +we shall have to march down to Quebec, and that's no child's play. I +know the country there. It is now September 4. Another month and the +winter will be upon us, and a Canadian winter is no joke, I can tell +you." + +<P>"The more reason for not wasting any more time," the other one +grumbled. "If Montgomery had his way we should go at them quickly +enough, but Schuyler is always delaying. He has kept us waiting now +since the 17th of last month. We might have been halfway to Quebec by +this time." + +<P>"Yes," the other said, "if the Britishers had run away as we came; +but we have got St. John's and Fort Chamblée to deal with, and they +may hold out some time. However, the sooner we begin the job the +sooner it will be over, and I am heartily glad that we move tomorrow." + +<P>Peter had now obtained the information he required, and rising to +his feet again, with a grumbling remark as to the hardness of the +ground, he sauntered away toward the spot where he had left the +Indian. Just as he did so a tall figure came out from an arbor close +by. A fire was burning just in front, and Peter saw that he was a +tall and handsome man of about forty years of age. He guessed at once +that he was in the presence of the colonial leader. + +<P>"You are, like myself," the newcomer said, "unable to sleep, I +suppose?" + +<P>"Yes, general," Peter answered. "I found I could not get off, and so +I thought I'd stretch my legs in the wood a bit. They're lying so +tarnal thick down there by the fires, one can't move without treading +on 'em." + +<P>"Which regiment do you belong to?" + +<P>"The Connecticut," Peter replied, for he knew by report that a +regiment from this province formed part of the expedition. + +<P>"As good men as any I have," the general said cordially. "Their only +fault is that they are in too great a hurry to attack the enemy." + +<P>"I agree with the rest, general," Peter said. "It's dull work wasting +our time here when we're wanted at home. I enlisted for six months, +and the sooner the time's up the better, say I." + +<P>"You have heard nothing moving?" the general asked. "One of the +Chippewas told me that he heard a canoe out in the lake. Ah! here he +is." + +<P>At that moment five or six men, headed by an Indian, issued from the +wood close by. It was too late for Peter to try to withdraw, but he +stepped aside a pace or two as the party approached. + +<P>"Well, have you found anything?" the general asked. + +<P>"No find," the Chippewa said shortly. + +<P>"I don't believe as there ever was a canoe there," the man who +followed him said. "It was jest a fancy of the Injun's." + +<P>"No fancy," the Indian asserted angrily. "Canoe there. No find." + +<P>"It might have been one of our own canoes," Montgomery said in a +conciliatory tone. "The Indians are seldom mistaken. Still, if no one +has landed it matters not either way." + +<P>"Only as we have had a tramp for nothing," the colonist said. +"However, there's time for a sleep yet. Hullo!" he exclaimed as his +eye fell on Peter Lambton. "What, Peter! Why, how did you get here? +Why, I thought as how——General," he exclaimed, sharply turning to +Montgomery, "this man lives close to me at Concord. He's a royalist, +he is, and went into Boston and joined the corps they got up there!" + +<P>"Seize him!" Montgomery shouted, but it was too late. + +<P>As the man had turned to speak to the general, Peter darted into the +wood. The Chippewa, without waiting to hear the statement of the +colonist, at once divined the state of things, and uttering his +war-whoop dashed after the fugitive. Two or three of the colonists +instantly followed, and a moment later three or four Indians who had +been lying on the ground leaped up and darted like phantoms into the +wood. + +<P>The general no sooner grasped the facts than he shouted an order for +pursuit, and a number of the men most accustomed to frontier work at +once followed the first party of pursuers. Others would have done the +same, but Montgomery shouted that no more should go, as they would +only be in the others' way, and there could not be more than two or +three spies on the island. + +<P>After the Chippewa's first war-cry there was silence for the space of +a minute in the forest. Then came a wild scream, mingled with another +Indian yell; a moment later the leading pursuers came upon the body +of the Chippewa. His skull had been cleft with a tomahawk and the +scalp was gone. + +<P>As they were clustered round the body two or three of the Indians ran +up. They raised the Indian wail as they saw their comrade and with +the rest took up the pursuit. + +<P>Peter and the Seneca were now far among the trees, and as their +pursuers had nothing to guide them, they reached the spot where they +had left the canoe unmolested. + +<P>On the signal being given, Harold instantly paddled to the shore. Not +a word was spoken until the canoe was well out in the lake. +Occasional shots were heard on shore as the pursuers fired at objects +which they thought were men. Presently a loud Indian cry rose from +the shore. + +<P>"They see us," Peter said. "We're out of shot and can take it easy." +The redskin said a few words. "You're right, chief. The chief says," +he explained to Harold, "that as there are redskins on the island +they have probably some canoes. The moon's jest getting up beyond +that hill, and it'll be light enough to see us half across the lake. +It would not matter if the water was free; but what with Injuns +prowling along the shores and out on the lake, we shall have to use +our wits to save our har. Look!" he exclaimed two or three minutes +later as two columns of bright flame at a short distance from them +shot up at the end of the island. "They're Injun signals. As far as +they can be seen Injuns will know that there are enemies on the lake. +Now, paddle your hardest, Harold, and do you, chief, keep your eyes +and your ears open for sights and sounds." + +<P>Under the steady strokes of the three paddles the bark canoe sped +rapidly over the water. When the moon was fairly above the edge of +the hill they halted for a moment and looked back. The two columns of +fire still blazed brightly on the island, which was now three miles +astern, and two dark spots could be seen on the water about halfway +between them and it. + +<P>"You can paddle, my lads," Peter Lambton said to the distant foes, +"but you'll never ketch us. I wouldn't heed you if it weren't for the +other varmint ahead." + +<P>He stood up in the canoe and looked anxiously over the lake. + +<P>"It's all clear as far as I can see at present," he said. + +<P>"Can't we land, Peter, and make our way back on foot?" + +<P>"Bless you," Peter said, "there aint a native along the shore there +but has got his eye on this canoe. We might as well take her straight +back to the island as try to land. Better; for we should get a few +hours before they tried and shot us there, while the Injuns would not +give us a minute. No, we must just keep to the water; and now paddle +on again, but take it quietly. It's no odds to let them varmints +behind gain on us a little. You needn't think about them. When the +danger comes we shall want every ounce of our strength." + +<P>For half an hour they paddled steadily on. The pursuing canoes were +now less than a mile behind them. + +<P>"I'd give a good deal," muttered the scout, "for a few black clouds +over the moon; we'd make for shore then and risk it. It will be +getting daylight before long. Ah!" he exclaimed, pausing suddenly as +the chief stopped rowing, "a canoe on each side is rowing out to cut +us off." + +<P>Harold was now paddling forward, while the scout had the place at the +stern. The former was surprised to feel the canoe shooting off from +its former course at right angles toward the shore; then, curving +still more round, they began to paddle back along the lake. The +canoes which had been pursuing them were nearly abreast of each +other. They had embarked from opposite sides of the island, but they +had been gradually drawing together, although still some distance +apart, when Peter turned his canoe. Seeing his maneuver, both turned +to head him off, but by so doing they occupied an entirely different +position in relation to each other, one canoe being nearly half a +mile nearer to them than the other. + +<P>"Take it easy," Peter said. "These varmints will cut us off and we've +got to fight, but we can cripple the one nearest to us before the +other comes up." + +<P>The boats were now darting over the water in a line which promised to +bring the leading canoe almost in collision with that of Peter. When +within two hundred yards of each other Peter ceased rowing. + +<P>"Now," he said, "Harold, see if you can pick one of them fellows off. +It's no easy matter, traveling at the pace they are. You fire first." + +<P>Harold took a steady aim and fired. A yell of derision told that he +had missed. The Indians stopped paddling. There was a flash and a +ball struck the canoe. At the same moment Peter fired. + +<P>"There's one down!" he exclaimed. + +<P>The Seneca fired, but without result; and the three unwounded Indians +in the canoe—for it had contained four men—replied with a volley. + +<P>Harold felt a burning sensation, as if a hot iron passed across his +arm. + +<P>"Hit, boy?" Peter asked anxiously as he gave a short exclamation. + +<P>"Nothing to speak of," Harold replied. + +<P>"The varmints are lying by, waiting for' the other canoe. Paddle +straight at 'em." + +<P>The Indians at once turned the boat and paddled to meet their +companions, who were fast approaching. + +<P>"Now," Peter exclaimed, "we've got 'em in a line—a steady aim this +time." + +<P>The three rifles spoke out; one of the Indians fell into the boat and +the paddle of another was struck from his grasp. + +<P>"Now," the scout shouted, "paddle away! We've got 'em all fairly +behind us." + +<P>Day broke just as they were again abreast of the island. One canoe +was following closely, two others were a mile and a half behind, +while the one with which they had been engaged had made for the +shore. + +<P>"What do you mean to do?" Harold asked Peter. + +<P>"I mean to run as close as I can round the end of the island, and +then make for the place where they must have embarked on the +mainland. They may have seen the signal fires there, but will not +know what has been going on. So now row your best. We must leave the +others as far behind as possible." + +<P>For the first time since they started the three paddlers exerted +themselves to the utmost. They had little fear that there were any +more canoes on the island, for, had there been, they would have +joined in the chase. It was only necessary to keep so far from the +end of the island as would take them out of reach of the fire. +Several shots were discharged as they passed, but these fell short as +the canoe shot along at its highest rate of speed, every stroke +taking it further from its nearest pursuer. + +<P>At the end of an hour's paddling this canoe was a mile and a half +behind. Its rowers had apparently somewhat abated their speed in +order to allow the other two boats to draw up to them, for the result +of the encounter between their comrades and the fugitives had not +been of a nature to encourage them to undertake a single-handed +contest with them. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c7"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER VII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">IN THE FOREST.</H3> + +<P>"See, Peter!" Harold exclaimed; "there is a whole fleet of boats +ahead." + +<P>"I sees 'em," Peter said, "and have seed 'em for the last quarter of +an hour. It's Schuyler, with the rest of what they calls their army. +Steer a little out of the course; we must pass close by 'em. They +won't suspect nothing wrong and will suppose we are merely carrying a +message." + +<P>In half an hour they were abreast of the flotilla, consisting of +flatboats laden with troops. With them were two or three Indian +canoes. Peter steered so as to pass at a distance of a hundred and +fifty yards. They rowed less strongly now, but still vigorously. +There was a shout from the boat. + +<P>"All well on the island?" + +<P>"All well," Peter shouted back, waving his hand, and without further +word the canoe passed on. "There! do you hear that?" Peter exclaimed. +"They're firing shots from the canoes to call their attention. The +chances are they won't hear them, for the rattle of their oars and +the talking and the row they're making are enough to drown the sound +of a cannon. Now put it on again as hard as you can. Another hour +will take us to the landing place." + +<P>They could see, when the flotilla came up to the pursuing boats, that +the canoes which accompanied it turned their heads and joined in the +pursuit, but they were now near three miles ahead and there was no +chance whatever of their being overtaken. They slackened their speed +slightly as they approached the land, and rowed up to the landing +place without any signs of extraordinary haste. A few men were +loitering about. + +<P>"What's the news from the island?" one asked as they landed. + +<P>"All well there," Peter said. + +<P>"Did you see anything of Schuyler?" + +<P>"Yes, we met him about halfway across." + +<P>"What have you come for?" + +<P>"General Montgomery says that no spare flints have been sent over for +the firelocks." + +<P>"I'll swear that some went," one of the men exclaimed, "for I packed +a sack of them myself in one of the boats." + +<P>"I s'pose they have been mislaid," Peter said. "Perhaps some of the +stores have got heaped over 'em. Ef you are quite sartin, we have had +our journey for nothing." + +<P>"As sartin as life," the man replied. "I'll swear to the sackful of +flints; and tarnation heavy they was, too." + +<P>"Well, then, I need not trouble about it further," Peter said. "We'll +take a rest and paddle back in an hour or two. Was there any marks on +the sack, so as I may tell the general how to look for it?" + +<P>"Marks!" the man repeated. "Why, it had 'Flints' written on it in big +black letters six inches long. It must turn up, anyhow. They'll find +it when they come to shift the stores." + +<P>Then, accompanied by his two companions, Peter strolled quietly +through the little village. Stopping at a small store, he purchased +some flour and tea; then he followed the road inland and was soon out +of sight of the village; he stopped for a moment and then shook his +head. + +<P>"It's no use trying to hide our trail here," he said. "The road's an +inch thick in dust, and do what we will they'll be able to see where +we turn off. It's our legs as we have got to trust to for a bit. +We've got a good half hour's start of the canoes; they were a long +three miles behind when we struck the shore." + +<P>Leaving the road, he led the way with a long, swinging stride across +the cultivated land. Twenty minutes' walk took them into the forest, +which extended from the shore of the lake many miles inland. + +<P>"Take off your boots, Harold," he said as he entered the wood. "Them +heels will leave marks that a redskin could pick up at a run. Now +tread, as near as you can, in the exact spot where the Seneca has +trodden before you. He'll follow in my track, and you may be sure +that I'll choose the hardest bits of ground I can come across. There, +the varmints are on shore!" + +<P>As he spoke an angry yell rose from the distant village. At a long, +steady pace, which taxed to the utmost Harold's powers as a walker, +they kept their way through the woods, not pursuing a straight +course, but turning, winding, and zigzagging every few minutes. +Harold could not but feel impatient at what seemed to him such a loss +of time, especially when a yell from the edge of the wood told that +the Indians had traced them thus far—showed, too, that they were far +nearer than before. But, as Peter, afterward explained to him, all +this turning and winding made it necessary for the Indians to follow +every step, as they would an animal, to guess the direction they had +taken. The weather had been dry and the ground was hard; therefore +the most experienced trapper would be obliged to proceed very slowly +on the trail and would frequently be for a time at fault; whereas, +had they continued in a straight line, the Indians could have +followed at a run, contenting themselves with seeing the trail here +and there. They came across two or three little streams running down +toward the lake. These they followed, in some cases up, in others +down, for a considerable distance, leaving the bed where the bushes +grew thick and hid the marks of their feet as they stepped out from +the water. Harold would gladly have gone at a run, but Peter never +quickened his pace. He knew that the Indians could not pick up the +trail at a rate faster than that at which they were going, and that +great delay would be caused at each of the little streams, as it +would be uncertain whether they had passed up or down. + +<P>As the time passed the Indian yells, which had, when they first +entered the wood, sounded so alarmingly near, died away, and a +perfect stillness reigned in the forest. It was late in the afternoon +before Peter halted. + +<P>"We can rest now," he said. "It'll be hours before the critters can +be here. Now let us have some tea." + +<P>He began to look for some dried sticks. Harold offered to assist. + +<P>"You sit down," the scout said. "A nice sort of fire we should get +with sticks of your picking up! Why, we should have a smoke that +would bring all the Injuns in the woods on to us. No, the sticks as +the Seneca and me'll pick up won't give as much smoke as you can put +in a teacup; but I wouldn't risk even that if we was nigh the lake, +for it might be seen by any redskins out in a canoe. But we are miles +back from the lake, and there aint no other open space where they +could get a view over the tree-tops." + +<P>Harold watched the Indian and the scout collecting dry leaves and +sticks, and took particular notice, for future use, of the kinds +which they selected. A light was struck with a flint and steel, and +soon a bright blaze sprang up, without, so far as Harold could see, +the slightest smoke being given off. Then the hunter produced some +food from his wallet, and a tin pot. He had at the last spring they +passed filled a skin which hung on his shoulder with water, and this +was soon boiling over the fire. A handful of tea was thrown in and +the pot removed. Some flour, mixed with water, was placed on a small +iron plate, which was put on the red-hot ashes. A few cakes were +baked, and with these, the cold venison, and the tea an ample meal +was made. + +<P>After nearly an hour's halt they again proceeded on their way. A +consultation had taken place between Peter and the Seneca as to the +best course to be pursued. They could, without much difficulty or +risk, have continued the way through the woods beyond the lake, but +it was important that they should reach the other side by the evening +of the following day, to give warning of the intended attack by the +Americans. There were, they knew, other redskins in the woods besides +those on their trail, and the nearer they approached the shore the +greater the danger. They had determined that they would at all +hazards endeavor to obtain another canoe and cross the lake. Until +nightfall they continued their course, and then, knowing that their +trail could no longer be followed, they made down to the lake. They +were many miles distant from it, and Harold was completely worn out +when at last he saw a gleam of water through the trees. He was not +yet to rest. Entering the lake, they began wading through it at a few +feet from the edge. + +<P>After an hour's walking thus they entered the bushes, which thickly +covered the shore, and made their way through these until they came +to a spot sufficiently open for them to lie down; and Harold, +wrapping himself in the blanket which he carried over his shoulder, +was sound asleep in less than a minute. When he woke the sun was +shining brightly. + +<P>"Get up, youngster! We're in luck," the scout said. "Here's a canoe +with two of the varmints making toward the shore. By the way they're +going they'll land not far off." + +<P>The scout led the way, crawling on his hands and knees, to the +water's edge, to where the Seneca was sitting watching the canoe +through a cover of green leaves. The course that the boat was taking +would lead it to a point some three hundred yards from where they +were sitting. + +<P>"We shall have no difficulty in managing them," Harold said, and +grasped his rifle eagerly. + +<P>"Not too fast," Peter said. "The chances are that the varmints have +friends on shore. Like enough they have been out fishing." + +<P>The shore formed a slight sweep at this point, and the bushes in +which they were hidden occupied the point at one extremity. In the +center of the little bay there was a spot clear from bushes; to this +the canoe was directed. As it approached the shore two other Indians +appeared at the water's edge. One of them asked a question, and in +reply a paddler held up a large bunch of fish. + +<P>"Just as I thought. Like enough there are a dozen of them there," +said Peter. + +<P>On reaching the shore the men sprang out, taking their fish with +them. The canoe was fastened by its head-rope to the bushes, and the +Indians moved a short distance inland. + +<P>"There is their smoke," Peter said, indicating a point some thirty +feet from the lake, but so slight was it that, even when it was +pointed out to him, Harold could hardly make out the light mist +rising from among the bushes. Presently he looked round for the +Seneca, but the Indian had disappeared. + +<P>"He's gone scouting," Peter said in answer to Harold's question. "Ef +there are only four of them it would be an easy job, but I expect +there's more of the red varmints there." + +<P>In ten minutes the Seneca returned as noiselessly as he had gone. He +opened his hand and all the fingers twice; the third time he showed +only three fingers. + +<P>"Thirteen," Peter said. "Too many of them even for a sudden +onslaught." + +<P>The Indian said a few words to Peter; the latter nodded, and Deer +Tail again quietly stole away. + +<P>"He's going to steal the boat," Peter said. "It's a risky job, for +where it lies it can be seen by 'em as they sit. Now, you and me must +be ready with our shooting irons to cover him, if need be. Ef he's +found out before he gets the boat he'll take to the woods and lead +them away from us; but ef he's fairly in the boat, then we must do +our best for him. Ef the wust comes to the wust, I reckon we can hold +these bushes agin 'em for some time; but in the end I don't disguise +from ye, youngster, they'll beat us." + +<P>Harold now sat intently watching the canoe. It seemed an age to him +before he saw a hand emerge from the bushes and take hold of the +head-rope. The motion given to the canoe was so slight as to be +almost imperceptible; it seemed as if it was only drifting gently +before the slight breeze which was creeping over the surface of the +lake. Half its length had disappeared from the open space, when an +Indian appeared by the edge of the water. He looked at the canoe, +looked over the lake, and withdrew again. The hand had disappeared in +the bushes on his approach. The movement of the canoe, slight as it +was, had caught his eye, but, satisfied that it was caused only by +the wind, he had returned to his fire again. The hand appeared again +through the bushes, and the canoe was drawn along until hidden from +the sight of those sitting by the fire. Again the watchful Indian +appeared, but the boat was lying quietly by the bushes at the full +length of its head-rope. He stooped down to see that this was +securely fastened and again retired. Harold held his breath, +expecting that every moment the presence of the Seneca would be +discovered. Scarcely had the Indian disappeared than the Seneca +crawled out from the bushes. With a sweep of his knife he cut the +rope of the canoe and noiselessly entered it, and as he did so gave a +shove with his foot, which sent it dancing along the shore toward the +spot where Harold and his companion were hidden. Then he seized the +paddle, and in half a dozen strokes brought it within reach of them. +Harold and Peter stepped into it; as they did so there was a sudden +shout. The Indian had again strolled down to look at the canoe, whose +movements, slight as they had been, had appeared suspicious to him. +He now, to his astonishment, saw it at the point with two white men +and an Indian on board. He had left his gun behind him and, uttering +his war-cry, bounded back for it. + +<P>"Round the p'int, quick!" Peter exclaimed. "They'll riddle us in the +open." + +<P>Two strokes took the canoe round the projecting point of bushes, and +she then darted along the shore, driven by the greatest efforts of +which the three paddlers were capable. Had the shore been open the +Indians would have gained upon them, but they were unable to force +their way through the thick bushes at anything like the rate at which +the canoe was flying over the water. The first start was upward of a +hundred yards, and this was increased by fifty before the Indians, +arriving at the point, opened fire. The distance was beyond anything +like an accurate range with Indian guns. Several bullets struck the +water round the canoe. + +<P>"Now steer out," Peter said as the firing suddenly ceased. "They're +making a <I>détour</I> among the bushes, and 'll come down ahead of us if +we keep near the shore." + +<P>Two or three more shots were fired, but without effect, and the canoe +soon left the shore far behind. + +<P>"Now," Peter said, "I think we're safe. It's not likely they've +another canoe anywhere near on this side, as most of 'em would have +gone with the expedition. Ef the firing has been heard it will not +attract much attention, being on this side, and I see nothing in the +way of a boat out in the lake. Still, these redskins' eyes can see +'most any distance. Now, chief," he went on to the Indian in his +native language, "the young un and I'll lie down at the bottom of the +boat; do you paddle quietly and easily, as ef you were fishing. The +canoe with a single Indian in it will excite no suspicion, and even +ef you see other canoes, you had better keep on in that way unless +you see that any of 'em are intending to overhaul you." + +<P>The chief nodded assent. Peter and Harold stretched themselves at +full length in the canoe, and the Indian paddled quietly and steadily +on. For an hour not a word was spoken in the canoe. Harold several +times dozed off to sleep. At last the Seneca spoke: + +<P>"Many boats out on water—American army." + +<P>Harold was about to raise his head to look out when Peter exclaimed: +"Lie close, Harold! Ef a head were shown now it would be wuss than ef +we had sat up all the time. We know there are Injun canoes with the +flats, and they may be watching us now. We may be a long way off, but +there's no saying how far a redskin's eyes can carry. Can you see +where they are going to, chief?" he asked the Seneca. "Are they +heading for Isle-aux-Noix, as we heard 'em say they were going to +do?" + +<P>The Seneca nodded. + +<P>"Going to island." + +<P>"Then," Peter said, "the sooner we're across the lake the better." + +<P>The Seneca again spoke, and after a consultation with Peter laid in +his paddle. + +<P>"What is he doing now?" Harold asked. + +<P>"Our coarse lies pretty near the same way as theirs," Peter said. +"The island is but a short distance from the shore, near the mouth of +the Sorrel, so where we're going would take us right across their +line. We fooled them yesterday, but are not likely to do it again +to-day. So the chief has stopped paddling and makes as if he were +fishing. I doubt whether it will succeed, for he would hardly be +fishing so far out. But we'll soon see. It's better so than to turn +and paddle in any other direction, as that would be sure to excite +their suspicions." + +<P>The fleet of boats had already passed the spot where the canoe would +have crossed had she been going directly across the lake when she was +first seen, and was therefore now ahead of it. The great flotilla +kept on as if the canoe with its single occupant in its rear had not +excited suspicion. The Seneca, however, knew that sharp eyes must be +upon him. The manner in which the canoe had baffled pursuit the day +before must have inflicted a severe blow upon the pride of the +Indians, and although, having driven them off the lake, they could +have no reason for suspecting that their foes could have obtained a +fresh canoe, the Seneca knew that their vigilance would not sleep for +a moment. Therefore, although bending over the side of the canoe as +if watching his lines, his eyes were never off the boats. + +<P>"There are canoes making for the shore both ways," he said at last. +"It is time that my white brother should take the paddle." + +<P>Peter and Harold at once sat up in the boat and looked round the +lake, which at this point was about ten miles wide. The canoe was +four miles from the eastern side; the flotilla was a mile further up +the lake and the same distance nearer to the western shore. Four or +five canoes were detaching themselves from the flotilla, apparently +rowing direct for the shore. It would have been easy for the canoe to +have regained the eastern side long before she could have been cut +off, but here they might find the Chippewas. The Indians whose boat +they had taken would assuredly follow along the shores of the lake in +hopes that something might occur to drive them back. Besides, had +they landed there, they would be unable to carry in time the news of +the approaching attack upon St. John's. For the same reason it was +important to land up the lake near the Canadian end. + +<P>Peter rapidly took in the situation. He saw that it was possible, and +only just possible, to reach the shore at a point opposite to that at +which they now were before the hostile canoes could cut them off from +it. If they headed them there they would be obliged to run down to +the other end of the lake before effecting a landing, while he could +not calculate on being able to beat all the canoes, most of which +carried four paddlers, who would strain every nerve to retrieve their +failure of the previous day. + +<P>Not a word was spoken as the boat darted through the water. Harold, +unaccustomed to judge distances, could form no idea whether the +distant canoes would or would not intercept them. At present both +seemed to him to be running toward the shore on nearly parallel +courses, and the shorter distance that the Indians would have to row +seemed to place them far ahead. The courses, however, were not +parallel, as the Indians were gradually turning their canoes to +intercept the course of that which they were pursuing. As the minutes +went by and the boats converged more and more toward the same point, +Harold saw how close the race would be. After twenty minutes' hard +paddling the boats were within a quarter of a mile of each other, and +the courses which they were respectively taking seemed likely to +bring them together at about a quarter of a mile from the shore. +There were three Indian canoes, and these kept well together. So +close did the race appear that Harold expected every moment to see +Peter sweep the head of the canoe round and make a stern chase of it +by running down the lake. This Peter had no intention of doing. The +canoes, he saw, traveled as fast as his own and could each spare a +man to fire occasionally, while he and his companions would be +obliged to continue paddling. Better accustomed to judge distances +than Harold, he was sure, at the speed at which they were going, he +would be able to pass somewhat ahead of his foes. + +<P>"Row all you know, Harold," he said. "Now, chief, send her along." + +<P>Harold had been rowing to the utmost of his strength, but he felt by +the way the canoe quivered at every stroke that his companions were +only now putting out their extreme strength. The boat seemed to fly +through the water, and he began to think for the first time that the +canoe would pass ahead of their pursuers. The latter were clearly +also conscious of the fact, for they now turned their boats' heads +more toward the shore, so that the spot where the lines would meet +would be close to the shore itself. The canoes were now within two +hundred yards of each other. The Indians were nearer to the shore, +but the oblique line that they were following would give them about +an equal distance to row to the point for which both were making. +Harold could not see that there was the slightest difference in the +rate at which they were traveling. It seemed to him that the four +canoes would all arrive precisely at the same moment at the land, +which was now some five or six hundred yards distant. + +<P>Another two minutes' paddling, and when the canoes were but seventy +or eighty yards apart, Peter, with a sweep with his paddle, turned +the boat's head nearly half round and made obliquely for the shore, +so throwing his pursuers almost astern of him. The shore was but +three hundred yards distant; they were but fifty ahead of their +pursuers. The latter gave a loud yell at seeing the change in the +position in the chase. They had, of course, foreseen the possibility +of such a movement, but had been powerless to prevent it. But they +were prepared, for on the instant one man in each canoe dropped his +paddle and, standing up, fired. It is a difficult thing to take aim +when standing in a canoe dancing under the vigorous strokes of three +paddlers. It was the more difficult since the canoes were at the +moment sweeping round to follow the movement of the chase. The three +balls whistled closely round the canoe, but no one was hit. + +<P>The loss of three paddlers for even so short a time checked the pace +of the canoes. The Indians saw that they could not hope to overtake +their foes, whose canoe was now but a few lengths from shore. They +dropped their paddles, and each man seized his rifle. Another moment, +and the nine pieces would have poured their fire into the canoe about +fifty yards ahead of them, when from the bushes on the shore three +puffs of smoke shot out, and three of the Indians fell, one of them +upsetting his boat in his fall. A yell of surprise and dismay broke +from them, the guns were thrown down, the paddles grasped again, and +the heads of the canoes turned from the shore. The Indians in the +overturned boat did not wait to right it, but scrambled into the +other canoes, and both were soon paddling at the top of their speed +from the shore, not without further damage, for the guns in the +bushes again spoke out, and Peter and the Seneca added their fire the +instant they leaped from the boat to shore, and another of the +Indians was seen to fall. Harold was too breathless when he reached +the bank to be able to fire. He raised his gun, but his hands +trembled with the exertion that he had undergone, and the beating of +his heart and his short, panting breath rendered it impossible for +him to take a steady aim. A minute later Jake burst his way through +the bushes. + +<P>"Ah, Massa Harold!" he exclaimed. "Bress de Lord dat we was here! +What a fright you hab giben me, to be sure! We hab been watching you +for a long time. Ephraim and de redskin dey say dey saw little spot +far out on lake, behind all dose boats; den dey say other boats set +off in chase. For a long time Jake see nothing about dat, but at last +he see dem. Den we hurry along de shore, so as to get near de place +to where de boats row; ebery moment me tink dat dey catch you up. +Ephraim say no, bery close thing, but he tink you come along first, +but dat we must shoot when dey come close. We stand watch for some +time, den Ephraim say dat you no able to get to dat point. You hab to +turn along de shore, so we change our place and run along, and sure +'nough de boat's head turns, and you come along in front of us. Den +we all shoot, and the redskins dey tumble over." + +<P>"Well, Jake, it is fortunate indeed that you were on the spot, for +they could scarcely have missed all of us. Besides, even if we had +got to shore safely, they would have followed us, and the odds +against us would have been heavy." + +<P>"That ar war a close shave, Peter," Ephraim said; "an all-fired close +shave I call it." + +<P>"It war, Ephraim, and no mistake." + +<P>"Why didn't yer head down along the lake?" + +<P>"Because I got news that the colonists air going to attack St. John's +to-morrow, and I want to get to the fort in time to put 'em on their +guard. Besides, both sides of the lake are sure to be full of hostile +Injuns. Those canoes paddled as fast as we did, and in the long run +might have worn us out." + +<P>"Did you have a fight on the lake two nights ago? Me and the redskin +thought we heard firing." + +<P>"We had a skirmish with 'em," Peter said; "a pretty sharp shave it +war, too, but we managed to slip away from them. Altogether we've had +some mighty close work, I can tell yer, and I thought more than once +as we were going to be wiped out." + +<P>While they were speaking the men had already started at a steady pace +through the woods, away from the lake, having first drawn up the +canoe and carefully concealed it. + +<P>It was late at night when they reached Fort St. John. A message was +at once dispatched to a party of the Senecas who were at their +village, about sixteen miles away. They arrived in the morning and, +together with a portion of the garrison, moved out and took their +place in the wooded and marshy ground between the fort and the river. +Scouts were sent along the Sorrel, and these returned about one +o'clock, saying that a large number of boats were coming down the +lake from Isle-aux-Noix. It had been determined to allow the +colonists to land without resistance, as the commander of the fort +felt no doubt of his ability, with the assistance of his Indian +allies, to repulse their attack. Some twelve hundred men were landed, +and these at once began to advance toward the fort, lead by their two +generals, Schuyler and Montgomery. Scarcely had they entered the +swamp, when from every bush a fire was opened upon them. The invaders +were staggered, but pushed forward, in a weak and undecided way, as +far as a creek which intercepted their path. In vain General +Montgomery endeavored to encourage them to advance. They wavered and +soon began to fall back, and in an hour from the time of their +landing they were again gathered on the bank of the river. Here they +threw up a breastwork, and, as his numbers were greatly inferior, the +British officer in command thought it unadvisable to attack them. +After nightfall the colonists took to their boats and returned to +Isle-aux-Noix, their loss in this their first attempt at the invasion +of Canada being nine men. + +<P>A day or two later the Indians again attempted to induce General +Carleton to permit them to cross the frontier and carry the war into +the American settlements, and upon the general's renewed refusal they +left the camp in anger and remained from that time altogether aloof +from the contest. + +<P>St. John's was now left with only its own small garrison. Captain +Wilson was ordered to fall back with his company to Montreal, it +being considered that the garrison of St. John's was sufficient to +defend that place for a considerable time. As soon as the Indians had +marched away, having sent word to the colonists that they should take +no further part in the fight, Montgomery—who was now in command, +Schuyler having fallen sick—landed the whole of the force and +invested the fort. An American officer, Ethan Allen, had been sent +with a party to try to raise the colonists in rebellion in the +neighborhood of Chamblée. He had with him 30 Americans and was joined +by 80 Canadians. Dazzled by the success which had attended the +surprise of Ticonderoga, he thought to repeat the stroke by the +conquest of Montreal. He crossed the river in the night about three +miles below the city. Peter and some other scouts, who had been +watching his movements, crossed higher up and brought the news, and +36 men of the Twenty-sixth Regiment, Captain Wilson's company, and +200 or 300 loyal Canadians, the whole under the command of Major +Campbell, attacked Ethan Allen. He was speedily routed and, with 38 +of his men, taken prisoner. The siege of St. John's made but little +progress. The, place was well provisioned, and the Americans encamped +in the low, swampy ground around it suffered much from ill health. +The men were mutinous and insolent, the officers incapable and +disobedient. So far the invasion of Canada, of which such great +things had been hoped by the Americans, appeared likely to turn out a +complete failure. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c8"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER VIII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">QUEBEC.</H3> + +<P>General Carleton, seeing that Montgomery's whole force was retained +idle before St. John's, began to hope that the winter would come to +his assistance before the invaders had made any serious progress. +Unfortunately he had not reckoned on the utter incapacity of the officer +in command of Fort Chamblée. Major Stopford of the Seventh Regiment had +160 men and a few artillerymen, and the fort was strong and well +provided with provisions. American spies had found the inhabitants +around the place favorable to the Americans. Major Brown was sent down +by Montgomery with a small detachment, and, being joined by the +inhabitants, sat down before the fort. They had only two six-pounders, +and could have effected nothing had the fort been commanded by a man of +bravery and resources. Such was not the character of its commander, who, +after a siege of only a day and a half, surrendered the place with all +its stores, which were of inestimable value to the invaders, who were +upon the edge of giving up the siege of the fort; their ammunition being +entirely exhausted; but the six tons of gunpowder, the seventeen cannon, +mortars, and muskets which fell into their hands enabled them to carry +on the siege of St. John's with renewed vigor. There was no excuse +whatever for the conduct of Major Stopford in allowing these stores to +fall into the hands of the Americans; as, even had he not possessed the +courage to defend the fort, he might, before surrendering, have thrown +the whole of the ammunition into the river, upon which there was a safe +sally-port, where he could have carried on the operation entirely +unmolested by the enemy. The colors of the Seventh Regiment were +captured and sent to Congress as the first trophy of the war. + +<P>The siege of St. John's was now pushed on by Montgomery with vigor. +Colonel Maclean, with 800 Indians and Canadians, attempted to relieve +it, crossing the St. Lawrence in small boats. On nearing the other bank, +they were received by so heavy a fire by the Americans posted there that +they were obliged to retire without effecting a landing. Provisions and +ammunition were now running short in St. John's, there was no hope +whatever of relief from the outside, and the officer commanding was +therefore obliged to surrender on November 14, after a gallant defense. + +<P>As there were only some fifty or sixty regulars in Montreal, General +Carleton was unable to defend that town, and, upon the news of the fall +of St. John's, he at once retired to Quebec, and Montreal was occupied +by the Americans. In the meantime another expedition had been dispatched +by the Americans under Arnold. This officer, with 1500 men, had started +for Quebec from a point 130 miles north of Boston. Suffering enormous +fatigue and hardship, the force made its way up the river; past rapids, +cataracts, and through swamps they dragged and carried their boats and +stores. They followed the bed of the river up to its source, and then, +crossing the watershed, descended the Chaudière and Duloup rivers on to +the St. Lawrence, within a few miles of Quebec. + +<P>This was a wonderful march—one scarcely equaled in the annals of +military history. Crossing the St. Lawrence in canoes, Arnold encamped +with his little force upon the heights of Abraham. Such a daring +attempt could not have been undertaken had not the Americans been aware +of the extreme weakness of the garrison at Quebec, which consisted only +of 50 men of the Seventh Regiment, 240 of the Canadian militia, a +battalion of seamen from the ships-of-war, under the command of Captain +Hamilton of the <I>Lizard</I>, 250 strong, and the colonial volunteers, +under Colonel Maclean. + +<P>The fortifications were in a ruinous condition. It was fortunate that +Colonel Maclean, who had come from the Sorrel, upon the surrender of St. +John's, by forced marches, arrived on the very day on which Arnold +appeared before the city. Directly he arrived Arnold attacked the city +at the gate of St. Louis, but was sharply repulsed. He then desisted +from active operations and awaited the arrival of Montgomery, who was +marching down from Montreal. The flotilla in which Carleton was +descending the river was attacked by the Americans, who came down the +Sorrel, and was captured, with all the troops and military stores which +it was bringing down. General Carleton himself escaped in a small boat +under cover of night, and reached Quebec. + +<P>Captain Wilson's company had been attached to the command of Colonel +Maclean, and with it arrived in Quebec in safety. + +<P>Upon the arrival of Montgomery with his army the city was summoned to +surrender. A strong party in the town were favorable to the invaders, +but General Carleton treated the summons with contempt, and turned +all the inhabitants who refused to join in the defense of the city +outside the town. + +<P>The winter had now set in in earnest, and the difficulties of the +besiegers were great. Arnold's force had been much weakened by the +hardships that they had undergone, Montgomery's by desertions; the +batteries which they erected were overpowered by the fire of the +defenders, and the siege made no progress whatever. The men became +more and more disaffected and mutinous. Many of them had nearly served +the time for which they had enlisted, and Montgomery feared that they +would leave him when their engagement came to an end. He in vain +tempted the besieged to make a sally. Carleton was so certain that +success would come by waiting that he refused to allow himself to +hazard it by a sortie. + +<P>The weather was fighting for him, and the besiegers had before them only +the alternatives of taking the place by storm or abandoning the siege +altogether. They resolved upon a storm. It was to take place at daybreak +on December 31. Montgomery determined to make four attacks—two false +and two real ones. Colonel James Livingstone, with 200 Canadians, was to +appear before St. John's gate, and a party under Colonel Brown were to +feign a movement against the upper town, and from high ground there were +to send up rockets as the signal for the real attacks to commence—that +led by Montgomery from the south and that under Arnold from the +northwest—both against the lower town. + +<P>The false attacks were made too soon, the rockets being fired half an +hour before the main columns reached their place of attack. The British +were not deceived; but, judging these attacks to be feints, left but a +small party to oppose them and marched the bulk of their forces down +toward the lower town. Their assistance, however, came too late, for, +before they arrived, the fate of the attack was already decided. The +Americans advanced under circumstances of great difficulty. A furious +wind, with cutting hail, blew in their faces; the ground was slippery +and covered with snow. + +<P>Half an hour before the English supports arrived on the spot Montgomery, +with his leading company, reached the first barricade, which was +undefended; passing through this, they pressed on toward the next. The +road leading to it was only wide enough for five or six persons abreast. +On one side was the river, on the other a steep cliff; in front was a +log hut with loop-holes for musketry, and a battery of two +three-pounders. It was held by a party of 30 Canadians and 8 militiamen +under John Coffin, with 9 sailors under Bairnsfeather, the captain of +the transport, to work the guns. Montgomery, with 60 men, pushed on at a +run to carry the battery; but, when within fifty yards Bairnsfeather +discharged his pieces, which were loaded with grape-shot, with deadly +aim. Montgomery, his aid-de-camp Macpherson, Lieutenant Cheeseman, and +10 others fell dead at the first discharge, and with them the soul of +the expedition fled. The remaining officers endeavored to get the men to +advance, but none would do so, and they fell back without losing another +man. So completely cowed were they that they would not even carry off +the bodies of their general and his companions. These were brought into +Quebec next day and buried with the honors of war by the garrison. + +<P>The force under Arnold was far stronger than that under Montgomery. The +Canadian guard appointed to defend the first barrier fled at the +approach, but the small body of sailors fought bravely and were all +killed or wounded. Arnold was shot through the leg and disabled. Morgan, +who commanded the advanced companies, led his men on and carried the +second barrier after an obstinate resistance. They were attacking the +third when Maclean with his men from the upper town arrived. The British +then took the offensive, and drove the enemy back, and a party, going +round, fell upon their rear. Fifty were killed in Arnold's column, 400 +taken prisoners, and the rest retreated in extreme disorder. + +<P>Thus ended the assault upon Quebec—an assault which was all but +hopeless from the first, but in which Americans showed but little valor +and determination. In fact, throughout the war, it may be said that the +Americans, when fighting on the defensive behind trees and +intrenchments, fought stubbornly; but that they were feeble in attack +and wholly incapable of standing against British troops in the open. + +<P>It would now have been easy for Carleton to have sallied out and taken +the offensive, but he preferred holding Quebec quietly. He might have +easily driven the Americans from their position before the walls; but, +with the handful of troops under his orders, he could have done nothing +toward carrying on a serious campaign in the open. + +<P>Until spring came, and the rivers were opened, no re-enforcements could +reach him from England, while the Americans could send any number of +troops into Canada. Carleton, therefore, preferred to wait quietly +within the walls of Quebec, allowing the winter, hardships, and disunion +to work their natural effects upon the invaders. + +<P>Arnold sent to Washington to demand 10,000 more troops, with siege +artillery. Several regiments were sent forward, but artillery could not +be spared. Eight regiments entered Canada, but they found that, instead +of meeting, as they had expected, an enthusiastic reception from the +inhabitants, the population was now hostile to them. The exactions of +the invading army had been great, and the feeling in favor of the +English was now all but universal. + +<P>On May 5 two frigates and a sloop-of-war made their way up the river +to Quebec. The Americans endeavored to embark their sick and +artillery above the town. Re-enforced by the marines, the garrison +sallied out and attacked the enemy, who fled with precipitation, +leaving their provisions, cannon, five hundred muskets, and two +hundred sick behind them. The British pursued them until they reached +the mouth of the Sorrel. + +<P>The arrival of the fleet from England brought news of what had taken +place since Captain Wilson's company had marched from Boston, a short +time after the battle of Bunker's Hill. Immediately after the battle the +colonists had sent two deputies, Penn and Lee, with a petition to +Parliament for the restoration of peace. This petition was supported by +a strong body in Parliament. The majority, however, argued that, from +the conduct of the Americans, it was clear that they aimed at +unconditional, unqualified, and total independence. In all their +proceedings they had behaved as if entirely separated from Great +Britain. Their professions and petition breathed peace and moderation; +their actions and preparations denoted war and defiance; every attempt +that could be made to soften their hostility had been in vain; their +obstinacy was inflexible; and the more England had given in to their +wishes, the more insolent and overbearing had their demands become. The +stamp tax had been repealed, but their ill will had grown rather than +abated. The taxations on imports had been entirely taken off save on one +small item; but, rather than pay this, they had accumulated arms and +ammunition, seized cannon belonging to the king, and everywhere prepared +for armed resistance. Only two alternatives remained for the British +nation to adopt—either to coerce the colonists to submission or to +grant them their entire independence. + +<P>These arguments were well founded. The concessions which had been made +had but encouraged the colonists to demand more. No good whatever would +have come from entering into negotiation; there remained but the two +alternatives. It would have been far better had Parliament, instead of +deciding on coercion, withdrawn altogether from the colonies, for +although hitherto the Americans had shown no great fighting qualities, +it was clear that so small an army as England could spare could not +permanently keep down so vast a country if the people were determined +upon independence. They might win every battle,—might overpower every +considerable force gathered against them,—but they could only enforce +the king's authority over a mere fractional portion of so great an area. +England, however, was unaccustomed to defeat; her spirit in those days +was proud and high; and by a large majority Parliament voted for the +continuance of the war. The next step taken was one unworthy of the +country. It tended still further to embitter the war, and it added to +the strength of the party in favor of the colonists at home. Attempts +were made by the government to obtain the services of large numbers of +foreign troops. Negotiations were entered into with Russia, Holland, +Hesse, and other countries. Most of these proved ineffectual, but a +considerable number of troops was obtained from Hesse. + +<P>The news of these proceedings excited the Americans to renewed efforts. +The force under Washington was strengthened, and he took possession of +Dorchester Heights, commanding the town of Boston. A heavy cannonade +was opened on the city. The British guns answered it, but the American +position gave them an immense advantage. General Howe, who was in +command, at first thought of attempting to storm the heights, but the +tremendous loss sustained at the battle of Bunker's Hill deterred him +from the undertaking. His supineness during the past four months had +virtually lost the American colonies to England. He had under his +command 8000 troops, who could have routed, with ease, the +undisciplined levies of Washington. Instead of leading his men out +against the enemy, he had suffered them to be cooped up for months in +the city, and had failed to take possession of the various heights +commanding the town. Had he done this Boston might have resisted a +force many times as strong as that which advanced against it, and there +was now nothing left for the English but to storm the heights with +enormous loss or to evacuate the city. + +<P>The first was the alternative which had been chosen when the Americans +seized Bunker's Hill; the second was that which was now adopted. + +<P>Having adopted this resolution, Howe carried it out in a manner which +would in itself be sufficient to condemn him as a military leader. +Nothing was done to destroy the vast stores of arms and ammunition, and +two hundred and fifty pieces of cannon were left for the colonists to +use against England. No steps were taken to warn ships arriving from +England of the surrender of the town. The consequence was that, in +addition to the vast amount of stores captured in the town, numbers of +the British storeships fell into the hands of the Americans—among them +a vessel which, in addition to carbines, bayonets, gun-carriages, and +other stores, had on board more than seventy tons of powder, while +Washington's whole stock was all but exhausted. + +<P>But worse even than this hurried and unnecessary abandonment of vast +munitions of war was the desertion of the loyalist population. Boston +was full of loyalists, among whom were many of the wealthier and +better-born persons in the colony, who, from the commencement of the +troubles had left their homes, their fortunes, and their families to +rally round the standard of their sovereign. The very least that Howe +could have done for these loyal men would have been to have entered into +some terms of capitulation with Washington, whereby they might have been +permitted to depart to their homes and to the enjoyment of their +property. Nothing of the sort was attempted, and the only choice offered +to a loyalist was to remain in the town, exposed to certain insult and +ill treatment, perhaps to death, at the hands of the rebels, or to leave +in the transports for England or Halifax and to be landed here penniless +and starving. + +<P>Howe's conduct in this was on a piece with his behavior throughout the +campaign; but he was little, if at all, inferior to the other generals, +who vied with each other in incapacity and folly. Never in the whole +history of England were her troops led by men so inefficient, so +sluggish, and so incapable as those who commanded her armies in the +American Revolutionary War. + +<P>The first ships from England which arrived at Quebec were followed, a +few days later, by the <I>Niger</I> and <I>Triton</I>, convoy transports, with +troops. The British now took the offensive in earnest. From the west +Captain Forster marched from Detroit, with 40 men of the Eighth +Regiment, 100 Canadians, and some Indians, against a pass called the +Cedars, situated fifteen leagues above Montreal. This was held by 400 +men with two cannon. As soon as the British force opened fire the +Americans surrendered. The following day Forster's force, advancing, +came upon 140 men under Major Sherbourne, who were marching to +re-enforce the garrison at the Cedars. These were forced to retreat and +100 of them taken prisoners. + +<P>Arnold, with 700 men, advanced against the British force. The British +officer, fearing that in case of an attack the Indians with him might +massacre the prisoners, released the whole of them, 474 in number, under +the promise that an equal number of British prisoners should be +returned. This engagement was shamefully broken by the Americans, who +raised a number of frivolous excuses, among others that prisoners taken +by the British were ill treated—an accusation which excited the +indignation of the prisoners themselves, some of whom wrote to members +of Congress, stating that nothing could be kinder or more courteous than +the treatment which they received. + +<P>While Forster was advancing toward Montreal from the west, Carleton +was moving up against the Americans at Sorrel from Quebec. At the +death of Montgomery, Wooster had taken the command of the main +American force. He had been succeeded by Thompson, but the latter +dying of smallpox, Sullivan took his place. The new commander +determined to take the offensive against the English, and dispatched a +force of about 2000 men to attack General Fraser, who held a post at a +place called Three Rivers. + +<P>A Canadian peasant brought news to General Fraser of the approach of the +Americans, and as he had received re-enforcements from below he +determined to anticipate their attack. His movements were completely +successful. Some of the Americans fought well, but the rest dispersed +with but little resistance. Two hundred were killed and 150 taken +prisoners. The rest succeeded in returning to Sorrel. + +<P>The main body of the British army now came up the river in their ships, +and, as they approached Sorrel, Sullivan broke up his camp and +retreated. At the same time Arnold, who commanded at Montreal, evacuated +the town and joined Sullivan's army at St. John's. + +<P>Had the English pushed forward with any energy the whole of the American +army of invasion would have fallen into their hands. They were +completely broken in spirits, suffering terribly from sickness, and were +wholly incapable of making any defense. Burgoyne, who commanded the +advance of the English army, moved forward very slowly, and the +Americans were enabled to take to their boats and cross, first to +Isle-aux-Noix and then to Crown Point. An American historian, who saw +them after they landed, says: "At the sight of so much privation and +distress I wept until I had no more power to weep. I did not look into a +tent or hut in which I did not find either a dead or dying man. Of about +5000 men full half were invalids. In little more than two months they +had lost by desertion and death more than 5000 men." + +<P>Captain Wilson and his company were not present with the advance of the +British troops. General Howe, after evacuating Boston, had sailed with +his army to Halifax, there to wait until a large body of re-enforcements +should be sent in the spring from England. General Carleton had, in his +dispatches, mentioned favorably the services which the little company of +loyalists from Boston had performed, and Lord Howe wrote requesting that +the company should be sent down by ship to Halifax, as he was about to +sail from New York to undertake operations on a large scale, and should +be glad to have with him a body of men accustomed to scouting and +acquainted with the country. Accordingly, the company was embarked in a +transport and reached Halifax early in June. On the 11th they sailed +with the army and arrived at Sandy Hook on the 29th. On July 3 the army +landed on Staten Island, opposite Long Island, and soon afterward Lord +Howe, brother of General Howe, arrived with the main army from England, +raising the total force to nearly 30,000 men. It consisted of two +battalions of light infantry, two of grenadiers, the Fourth, Fifth, +Tenth, Seventeenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-third, Twenty-seventh, +Thirty-fifth, Thirty-eighth, Fortieth, Forty-second, Forty-third, +Forty-fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty-ninth, Fifty-second, Fifty-fifth, +Sixty-third, and Sixty-fourth regiments of foot, part of the Forty-sixth +and Seventy-first regiments, and the Seventeenth Regiment of light +dragoons. There were, besides, two battalions of volunteers from New +York, each 1000 strong. Had this force arrived, as it should have done, +three months earlier, it might have achieved great things; but the delay +had enabled the Americans to make extensive preparations to meet the +coming storm. + +<P>Lord Howe brought with him a communication from Parliament, giving him +and his brother full power to treat with the Americans on any terms +which they might think fit. Upon his arrival Lord Howe addressed a +letter to Dr. Franklin, informing him of the nature of his +communication, expressing hopes that he would find in America the same +disposition for peace that he brought with him, and requesting his aid +to accomplish the desired end. Dr. Franklin, in answer, informed Lord +Howe that, "prior to the consideration of any proposition for friendship +or peace, it would be required that Great Britain should acknowledge the +independence of America, should defray the expense of the war, and +indemnify, the colonists for all damages committed." + +<P>After such a reply as this Lord Howe had no alternative but to commence +hostilities, which he did by landing the army in Gravesend Bay, Long +Island. The enemy offered no opposition to the landing, but retreated at +once, setting fire to all the houses and granaries, and taking up a +position on the wooded heights which commanded the line by which the +English must advance. + +<P>The American main force, 15,000 strong, was posted on a peninsula +between Mill Creek and Wallabout Bay, and had constructed a strong line +of intrenchments across the end of the peninsula. The intrenchments were +strengthened by abattis and flanked by strong redoubts. Five thousand +remained to guard this post, and 10,000, under General Puttenham, +advanced to hold the line of wooded hills which run across the island. + +<P>In the center of the plain, at the foot of these hills, stood the +village of Flatbush. + +<P>The Hessian division of the British army, under General De Heister, +advanced against this, while General Clinton, with the right wing of the +English army, moved forward to attack the enemy's left. + +<P>This force marched at nine o'clock at night on August 26; General Sir +William Howe himself accompanied it. The line of hills trended away +greatly to the left, and the enemy had neglected to secure the passes +over the hills on this flank; consequently, at nine o'clock in the +morning, the British passed the range of hills without resistance, and +occupied Bedford in its rear. Had Sir William Howe now pushed on +vigorously, the whole of Puttenham's force must have been captured. + +<P>In the meantime the Hessians from Flatbush attacked the center of the +Americans, and after a warm engagement, routed them and drove them into +the woods with a loss of three pieces of cannon. + +<P>On the British left General Grant also advanced, and at midnight carried +a strong pass on the enemy's left. Retiring, they held a still stronger +position further back and offered a fierce resistance until the fires at +Bedford showed that the English had obtained a position almost in their +rear, when they retreated precipitately. + +<P><IMG SRC="illustrations/2.gif" ALT="Sketch of the British Position on Long Island."> + +<P>The victory was a complete one, but it had none of the consequences +which would have attended it had the English pushed forward with +energy after turning the American left. Six pieces of cannon were +captured and 2000 men killed or taken prisoners. The English lost 70 +killed and 230 wounded. + +<P>So impetuously did the English attack that even Sir William Howe +admitted that they could have carried the intrenchments. He alleges he +did not permit them to do so, because he intended to take the position +by regular approaches and wished therefore to avoid the loss of life +which an immediate assault would have occasioned. On the 27th and 28th +regular approaches were commenced, but on the 29th, under cover of a +fog, the Americans embarked in boats and succeeded in carrying the whole +of their force, without the loss of a man, across to the mainland. + +<P>The escape of this body of men was disgraceful in the extreme to the +English commanders. They had a great fleet at their disposal, and had +they placed a couple of frigates in the East River, between Long Island +and New York, the escape would have been impossible, and General +Washington and his army of 15,000 men must have been taken prisoners. +Whether this misfortune would have proved conclusive of the war it is +now too late to speculate; but so splendid an opportunity was never +before let slip by an English general, and the negligence was the more +inexcusable inasmuch as the fleet of boats could be seen lying alongside +of the American position. Their purpose must have been known, and they +could at any moment have been destroyed by the guns of a ship-of-war +taking up its position outside them. + +<P>Lord Howe dispatched the American General Sullivan, who had been taken +prisoner on Long Island, to Congress, repeating his desire to treat. A +committee of three members accordingly waited on Lord Howe, who informed +them that it was the most ardent wish of the king and the government of +Great Britain to put an end to the dissatisfaction between the mother +country and the colonists. To accomplish this desire every act of +Parliament which was considered obnoxious to the colonists should +undergo a revisal, and every just cause of complaint should be removed, +if the colonists would declare their willingness to submit to the +authority of the British government. The committee replied that it was +not America which had separated herself from Great Britain, but Great +Britain had separated herself from America. The latter had never +declared herself independent until the former had made war upon her, and +even if Congress were willing to place America in her former situation, +it could not do so, as the Declaration of Independence had been made in +consequence of the congregated voice of the whole people, by whom alone +it could be abolished. The country was determined not to return under +the domination of England. + +<P>The negotiations were therefore broken off. Lord Howe published a +declaration to the people of America, giving the answer of the committee +to his offer of reconciliation. He acquainted them with the fact that +the parent country was willing to receive into its bosom and protection +all who might be willing to return to their former obedience. In taking +this step, Lord Howe was convinced that a majority of the inhabitants of +America were still willing to enter into an accommodation of the +differences between the two powers, and the conviction was not ill +founded. The declaration, however, produced but little effect, for the +dominant section, that resolved to break off all connection with +England, had acquired the sole management of affairs, and no offers +which could possibly have been made would have been accepted by them. + +<P>Convinced that all further negotiations would be ineffectual, Lord Howe +prepared to carry his army across from Long Island to New York, where +the American army had taken up their post after the retreat from Long +Island. The armies were separated by the East River, with a breadth of +about thirteen hundred yards. A cannonade was kept up for several days. +On September 13 some ships-of-war were brought up to cover the passage. +Washington, seeing the preparations, began to evacuate the city and to +abandon the strong intrenchments which he had thrown up. At eleven +o'clock on the morning of the 15th the men-of-war opened a heavy fire, +and Clinton's division, consisting of 4000 men in eighty-four boats, +sailed up the river, landed on Manhattan Island at a place called Kipp's +Bay, and occupied the heights of Inclenberg, the enemy abandoning their +intrenchments at their approach. General Washington rode toward Kipp's +Bay to take command of the troops stationed there, but found the men who +had been posted at the lines running away, and the brigades which should +have supported them flying in every direction, heedless of the exertions +of their generals. + +<P>Puttenham's division of 4000 men was still in the lower city, and would +be cut off unless the British advance should be checked. Washington +therefore made the greatest efforts to rally the fugitives and to get +them to make a stand to check the advancing enemy, but in vain; for, as +soon as even small bodies of redcoats were seen advancing, they broke +and fled in panic. + +<P>Howe, as usual, delayed giving orders for an advance, and thus permitted +the whole of Puttenham's brigade, who were cut off and must have been +taken prisoners, to escape unharmed. And thus, with comparatively little +loss, the Americans drew off, leaving behind them only a few heavy +cannon and some bayonets and stores. + +So rapid had been their flight at the approach of the English that only +fifteen were killed, two men falling on the English side. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c9"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER IX.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE SURPRISE OF TRENTON.</H3> + +<P>The Americans, finding that they were not pursued, rallied from their +panic and took up a position at Harlem and Kingsbridge. So great was the +disorganization among them that had the British advanced at once they +would have taken the place with scarcely any loss, strong as it was by +nature and by the intrenchments which Washington had prepared. Great +numbers deserted, disputes broke out between the troops of the various +States, insubordination prevailed, and the whole army was utterly +disheartened by the easy victories which the British had obtained over +them. Washington reported the cowardice of his troops to Congress, who +passed a law inflicting the punishment of death for cowardice. + +<P>Before leaving New York the Americans had made preparations for burning +the whole town, but the speediness of their retreat prevented the +preparations being carried into effect. Fire was set to it in several +places and a third of the town was destroyed. + +<P>The position taken up by the enemy was so strong that it was determined +to operate in the rear. Some redoubts were thrown up to cover New York +during the absence of the main part of the British force. + +<P>A portion of the British army was landed at a point threatening the +retreat of the Americans, and a series of skirmishes of no great +importance took place. The enemy fell back from their most advanced +works, but no general move was undertaken, although, as the numbers on +both sides were about even and the superior fighting powers of the +English had been amply demonstrated, there could have been no doubt as +to the result of a general battle. Lord Howe, however, wasted the time +in a series of petty movements, which, although generally successful, +had no influence upon the result and served only to enable the Americans +to recover from the utter depression which had fallen upon them after +the evacuation of Long Island and the loss of New York. + +<P>Gradually the Americans fell back across a country so swampy and +difficult that it was now no longer possible to bring on a general +action. Their retreat had the effect of isolating the important +positions of Kingsbridge and Fort Washington. The latter post was of the +utmost importance, inasmuch as it secured the American intercourse with +the Jersey shore. The fortifications were very strong and stood upon +rising and open ground. It was garrisoned by 3000 of the best American +troops under the command of Colonel Magaw. Washington was gradually +withdrawing his army, and had already given orders that Fort Washington +should be evacuated; but General Lee, who was second in command, so +strongly urged that it should be retained that, greatly against his own +judgment, he was obliged to consent to its being defended, especially as +Colonel Magaw insisted that the fort could stand a siege. On the night +of November 14 the British passed some troops across the creek, and Lord +Howe summoned the place to surrender on pain of the garrison being put +to the sword. Magaw had upon the previous day received large numbers of +re-enforcements, and replied that he should defend the fort. Soon after +daybreak on the 16th the artillery opened on both sides. Five thousand +Hessians, under the command of General Knyphausen, moved up the hill, +penetrated some of the advanced works of the enemy, and took post within +a hundred yards of the fort. The second division, consisting of the +guards and light infantry, with two battalions of Hessians and the +Thirty-third Regiment, landed at Island Creek, and after some stiff +fighting forced the enemy from the rocks and trees up the steep and +rugged mountain. The third and fourth divisions fought their way up +through similar defenses. So steep was the hill that the assailants +could only climb it by grasping the trees and bushes, and so obstinate +was the defense that the troops were sometimes mixed up together. + +<P>The bravery and superior numbers of the British troops bore down all +resistance, and the whole of the four divisions reached their places +round the fort. They then summoned it to surrender, and its commander, +after half an hour's consideration, seeing the impossibility of +resisting the assault which was threatened, opened the gates. + +<P>Upon the English side about 800 men were killed and wounded, of whom the +majority were Hessians. These troops fought with extreme bravery. The +American loss, owing to their superior position, was about 150 killed +and wounded, but the prisoners taken amounted to over 3000. + +<P>On the 18th Lord Howe landed a strong body on the Jersey shore under +Lord Cornwallis, who marched to Fort Lee and surprised it. A deserter +had informed the enemy of his approach and the garrison had fled in +disorder, leaving their tents, provisions, and military stores behind +them. Lord Cornwallis, pushing forward with great energy, drove the +Americans out of New Jersey. Another expedition occupied Rhode Island. + +<P>Cold weather now set in and the English went into winter quarters. Their +success had been complete, without a single check, and had they been led +vigorously the army of Washington might on two occasions have been +wholly destroyed. In such a case the moderate portion of the population +of the colonies would have obtained a hearing, and a peace honorable to +both parties might have been arrived at. + +<P>The advantage gained by the gallantry of the British troops was, +however, entirely neutralized by the lethargy and inactivity of their +general, and the colonists had time given them to recover from the alarm +which the defeat of their troops had given them, to put another army in +the field, and to prepare on a great scale for the following campaign. + +<P>The conduct of General Howe in allowing Washington's army to retire +almost unmolested was to the officers who served under him +unaccountable. His arrangements for the winter were even more singularly +defective. Instead of concentrating his troops he scattered them over a +wide extent of country at a distance too great to support each other, +and thus left it open to the enemy to crush them in detail. + +<P>General Howe now issued a proclamation offering a free pardon to all who +surrendered, and great numbers of colonists came in and made their +submission. Even in Philadelphia the longing for peace was so strong +that General Washington was obliged to send a force there to prevent the +town from declaring for England. + +<P>During the operations which had taken place since the landing of the +British troops on Long Island Captain Wilson's company had taken but +little part in the operations. All had been straightforward work and +conducted on the principles of European warfare. The services of the +volunteers as scouts had not, therefore, been called into requisition. +The success which at first attended the expedition had encouraged +Captain Wilson to hope, for the first time since the outbreak of the +Revolution, that the English might obtain such decisive successes that +the colonists would be willing to accept some propositions of peace such +as those indicated by Lord Howe—a repeal of all obnoxious laws, freedom +from any taxation except that imposed by themselves, and a recognition +of the British authority. When he saw that Lord Howe, instead of +actively utilizing the splendid force at his disposal, frittered it away +in minor movements and allowed Washington to withdraw with his beaten +army unmolested, his hopes again faded, and he felt that the colonists +would in the long run succeed in gaining all that they contended for. + +<P>When the army went into winter quarters the company was ordered to take +post on the Delaware. There were four frontier posts, at Trenton, +Bordentown, White Horse, and Burlington. Trenton, opposite to which lay +Washington with the main body of his army, was held by only 1200 +Hessians, and Bordentown, which was also on the Delaware, was, like +Trenton, garrisoned by these troops. No worse choice could have been +made. The Hessians were brave soldiers, but their ignorance of the +language and of the country made them peculiarly unsuitable troops for +outpost work, as they were unable to obtain any information. As +foreigners, too, they were greatly disliked by the country people. + +<P>Nothing was done to strengthen these frontier posts, which were left +wholly without redoubts or intrenchments into which the garrison could +withdraw in case of attack. + +<P>Captain Wilson's little company were to act as scouts along the line of +frontier. Their headquarters were fixed at Bordentown, where Captain +Wilson obtained a large house for their use. Most of the men were at +home at work of this kind, and Peter Lambton, Ephraim, and the other +frontiersmen were dispatched from time to time in different directions +to ascertain the movements and intentions of the enemy. Harold asked +his father to allow him, as before, to accompany Peter. The inactivity +of a life at a quiet little station was wearisome, and with Peter he +was sure of plenty of work, with a chance of adventure. The life of +exercise and activity which he had led for more than a year had +strengthened his muscles and widened his frame, and he was now able to +keep up with Peter, however long and tiresome the day's work might be. +Jake, too, was of the party. He had developed into an active soldier, +and although he was but of little use for scouting purposes, even Peter +did not object to his accompanying him, for the negro's unfailing good +temper and willingness to make himself useful had made him a favorite +with the scout. + +<P>The weather was now setting in exceedingly cold. The three men had more +than once crossed the Delaware in a canoe and scouted in the very heart +of the enemy's country. They were now sitting by the bank, watching some +drifting ice upon the river. + +<P>"There won't be many more passages of the river by water," Peter +remarked. "Another ten days, and it'll be frozen across." + +<P>"Then we can cross on foot, Peter." + +<P>"Yes, we can do that," the scout said, "and so can the enemy. Ef their +general has got any interprise with him, and ef he can get them chaps as +he calls soldiers to fight, he'll be crossing over one of these nights +and capturing the hull of them Hessians at Trenton. What General Howe +means by leaving 'em there is more nor I can think; he might as well +have sent so many babies. The critters can fight, and fight well, too, +and they're good soldiers; but what's the good of 'em in a frontier +post? They know nothing of the country; they can't speak to the people, +nor ask no questions, nor find out nothing about what's doing the other +side of the river. They air no more than mere machines. What was wanted +was two or three battalions of light troops, who would make friends with +the country people and larn all that's doing opposite. If the Americans +are sharp they'll give us lots of trouble this winter, and you'll find +there won't be much sitting quiet for us at Bordentown. Fortunately +Bordentown and Trenton aint far apart, and one garrison ought to be able +to arrive to the assistance of the other before it's overpowered. We +shall see. Now, I propose that we cross again to-night and try and find +out what the enemy's doing. Then we can come back and manage for you to +eat your Christmas dinner with yer father, as you seem to have bent yer +mind upon that, though why it matters about dinner one day more than +another is more nor I can see." + +<P>That night the three scouts crossed the river in the canoe. Avoiding all +houses, they kept many miles straight on beyond the river and lay down +for a few hours before morning dawned; then they turned their faces the +other way and walked up to the first farmhouse they saw. + +<P>"Can we have a drink of milk?" the hunter asked. + +<P>"You can," the farmer replied, "and some breakfast if you like to pay +for it. At first I was glad to give the best I had to those who came +along, but there have been such numbers going one way and the other, +either marching to join the army or running away to return to their +homes, that I should be ruined if I gave to all comers." + +<P>"We're ready to pay," Peter said, drawing some money from his pocket. + +<P>"Then come in and sit down." + +<P>In a few minutes an excellent breakfast was put before them. + +<P>"You are on your way to join the army, of course?" the farmer asked. + +<P>"Jest that," Peter replied. "We think it's about our time to do a little +shooting, though I don't suppose there'll be much done till the spring." + +<P>"I don't know," the farmer said. "I should not be surprised if the +general wakes up them Germans when the Delaware gets frozen. I heard +some talk about it from some men who came past yesterday. Their time was +expired, they said, and they were going home. I hear, too, that they are +gathering a force down near Mount Holly, and I reckon that they are +going to attack Bordentown." + +<P>"Is that so?" Peter asked. "In that case we might as well tramp in that +direction. It don't matter a corn-shuck to us where we fight, so as it's +soon. We've come to help lick these British, and we means to do it." + +<P>"Ah!" the farmer said, "I have heard that sentiment a good many times, +but I have not seen much come of it yet. So far, it seems to me as the +licking has been all the other way." + +<P>"That's so," Peter agreed. "But everyone knows that the Americans are +just the bravest people on the face of the habitable arth. I reckon +their dander's not fairly up yet; but when they begin in arnest you'll +see what they'll do." + +<P>The farmer gave a grunt which might mean anything. He had no strong +sympathies either way, and the conduct of the numerous deserters and +disbanded men who had passed through his neighborhood had been far from +impressing him favorably. + +<P>"I don't pretend to be strong either for the Congress or the king. I +don't want to be taxed, but I don't see why the colonists should not pay +something toward the expenses of the government; and now that Parliament +seems willing to give all we ask for, I don't see what we want to go on +fighting for." + +<P>"Waal!" Peter exclaimed in a tone of disgust, "you're one of the +half-hearted ones." + +<P>"I am like the great majority of the people of this country. We are of +English stock and we don't want to break with the Old Country; but the +affairs have got into the hands of the preachers, and the newspaper men, +and the chaps that want to push themselves forward and make their pile +out of the war. As I read it, it's just the civil war in England over +again. We were all united at the first against what we considered as +tyranny on the part of the Parliament, and now we have gone setting up +demands which no one dreamed of at first and which most of us object to +now, only we have no longer the control of our own affairs." + +<P>"The great heart of this country beats for freedom," Peter Lambton said. + +<P>"Pooh!" said the farmer contemptuously. "The great heart of the country +wants to work its farms and do its business quietly. The English general +has made fair offers, which might well be accepted; and as for freedom, +there was no tyranny greater than that of the New England States. As +long as they managed their own affairs there was neither freedom of +speech nor religion. No, sir; what they call freedom was simply the +freedom to make everyone else do and think like the majority." + +<P>"Waal, we won't argue it out," Peter said, "for I'm not good at +argument, and I came here to fight and not to talk. Besides, I want +to get to Mount Holly in time to jine in this battle, so I guess +we'll be moving." + +<P>Paying for the breakfast, they started at once in the direction of Mount +Holly, which lay some twenty-five miles away. As they approached the +place early in the afternoon they overtook several men going in the same +direction. They entered into conversation with them, but could only +learn that some 450 of the militia from Philadelphia and the counties of +Gloucester and Salem had arrived on the spot. The men whom they had +overtaken were armed countrymen who were going to take a share in the +fight on their own account. + +<P>Entering the place with the others, Peter found that the information +given him was correct. + +<P>"We better be out of this at once," he said to Harold, "and make for +Bordentown." + +<P>"You don't think that there is much importance in the movement," Harold +said as they tramped along. + +<P>"There aint no importance whatever," Peter said, "and that's what I want +to tell 'em. They're never thinking of attacking the two thousand +Hessians at Bordentown with that ragged lot." + +<P>"But what can they have assembled them for within twelve miles of the +place?" Harold asked. + +<P>"It seems to me," the hunter replied, "that it's jest a trick to draw +the Germans out from Bordentown and so away from Trenton. At any rate, +it's well that the true account of the force here should be known. +These things gets magnified, and they may think that there's a hull +army here." + +<P>It was getting dusk when they entered Bordentown, and Harold was glad +when he saw the little town, for since sunset on the evening before they +had tramped nearly sixty miles. The place seemed singularly quiet. They +asked the first person they met what had become of the troops, and they +were told that Colonel Donop, who commanded, had marched an hour before +with his whole force of 2000 men toward Mount Holly, leaving only 80 men +in garrison at Bordentown. + +<P>"We are too late," Harold said. "They have gone by the road and we kept +straight through the woods and so missed them." + +<P>"Waal, I hope no harm 'ill come of it. I suppose they mean to attack at +daylight, and in course that rabble will run without fighting. I hope, +when the colonel sees as how thar's no enemy ther worth speaking of, +he'll march straight back again." + +<P>Unfortunately this was not the case. The militia, according to their +orders, at once dispersed when their outposts told them of the approach +of the British, but the German officer, instead of returning instantly, +remained for two days near Mount Holly, and so gave time to Washington +to carry out his plans. + +<P>Captain Wilson's company had gone out with the force, and Peter and his +companions had the house to themselves that night. Harold slept late, +being thoroughly fatigued by his long march the day before, carrying his +rifle, blanket, and provisions. Peter woke him at last. + +<P>"Now, young un, you've had a good sleep; it's eleven o'clock. I'm off to +Trenton to see what's doing there. Will you go with me, or will you stop +here on the chance of eating your dinner with your father?" + +<P>"Oh, it's Christmas Day," Harold said, stretching. "Well, what do you +think, Peter—are they likely to come back or not?" + +<P>"They ought to be back, there's no doubt about that, but whether they +will or not is a different affair altogether. I've never seed them hurry +themselves yet, not since the war began; things would have gone a good +deal better if they had; but time never seems of no consequence to them. +They marched twelve miles last night, and I reckon it's likely they'll +halt to-day and won't be back till to-morrow. I feel oneasy in my mind +about the whole affair, for I can't see a single reason for the enemy +sending that weak force to Mount Holly, unless it was to draw away the +troops from here, and the only motive there could be for that would be +because they intended to attack Trenton." + +<P>"Very well, Peter, I will go with you." + +<P>Accompanied by Jake they set out at once for Trenton. On arriving there +they found no particular signs of vigilance. Since the Hessians had +reached Trenton their discipline had much relaxed. A broad river +separated them from the enemy, who were known to be extremely +discontented and disorganized. They had received instruction on no +account to cross the river to attack the colonials, and the natural +consequence of this forced inactivity had manifested itself. Discipline +was lax, and but a slight watch was kept on the movements of the enemy +across the stream. Ignorant of the language of the people, they were +incapable of distinguishing between those who were friendly and those +who were hostile to the Crown, and they behaved as if in a conquered +country; taking such necessaries as they required without payment, and +even sending parties to a considerable distance on plundering +expeditions. + +<P>Peter, on his arrival, proceeded to the headquarters of Colonel Rhalle, +who was in command—an officer of great bravery and energy. One of his +officers was able to speak English, and to him Peter reported the +departure of the force from Bordentown, of which Colonel Rhalle was +already aware, and the weakness of the American force at Mount Holly. +He stated, also, his own belief that it was merely a feint to draw off +Colonel Donop, and that preparatory to an attack on Trenton. The +officer treated the information lightly, and pointing to the mass of +ice floating down the river asked whether it would be possible for +boats to cross. + +<P>"When the river freezes," he said, "there may be some chance of attack. +Till then we are absolutely safe." + +<P>Peter, shaking his head, rejoined his companions and told them of the +manner in which his advice had been received. + +<P>"But it would be difficult to cross the river," Harold said. "Look at +the masses of ice on the water." + +<P>"It would be difficult," the hunter admitted, "but not by no manner of +means impossible. Determined men could do it. Waal, I've done my duty +and can do no more. Ef the night passes off quietly we'll cross again +before daybreak and go right into the Yankee camp and see what they're +up to. Now, Harold, you can take it easy till nightfall; there's naught +to be learned till then, and as we shall be on foot all night ye may as +well sleep to-day." + +<P>Returning to a spot on the banks of the river at a short distance from +the town, they made a fire, on which Jake cooked some steaks of +venison they had procured. After smoking a pipe, the hunter set the +example by stretching himself on the ground near the fire and going to +sleep. Used as he was to night marches, he had acquired the faculty of +going to sleep at any hour at will. Jake and Harold were some time +before they followed his example, but they too were at last asleep. At +sunset they were on their feet again, and after taking supper +proceeded along the river. + +<P>The night passed off quietly, and Harold became convinced that his +companion's fears were unfounded. Toward morning he suggested that it +was time to be crossing the river. + +<P>"I'm not going yet," the hunter said. "Before I start we'll go down to +Trenton Ferry, a mile below the town. Ef they come over at all, it's +likely enough to be there. There'll be time then to get back and cross +before it's light; It's six o'clock now." + +<P>They kept along the road by the river until they were within a quarter +of a mile of the ferry. Presently they saw a dark mass ahead. + +<P>"Jerusalem!" Peter exclaimed. "There they are." + +<P>They immediately discharged their rifles and ran back at full speed to +the outposts, which were but a quarter of a mile from the town. The +Americans had also pressed forward at full speed, and the outposts, who +had been alarmed by the discharge of the rifles, were forced at once to +abandon the post and to run into the town, whither they had, on hearing +the rifles, already sent in one of their number with the news. Here all +was in confusion. The Hessian leader was trying to collect his troops, +who were hurrying in from their quarters, but many of them thought more +of storing their plunder away in the wagons than of taking their places +in the ranks. + +<P>Washington had crossed with 2500 men and a few field-pieces, and upon +gaining the Jersey side had divided his troops into two detachments, one +of which marched by the river side, the other by an upper road. Hurrying +forward they surrounded the town, and placing their field-pieces in the +road, opened fire on the astonished Hessians. Rhalle had by this time +succeeded in assembling the greater part of his force and charged the +Americans with his usual courage. He received, however, a mortal wound +as he advanced. His troops immediately lost heart, and finding their +retreat cut off at once surrendered. A body of Hessian light horse +succeeded in making their escape. The casualties were few on either +side, but 1000 prisoners were taken. Two other divisions of the +Americans had attempted to cross, the one at Bordentown, the other at +Mackenzie's Ferry, but both had failed, owing to the quantity of +floating ice. Washington retired across the Delaware the same afternoon. + +<P>The consequences of this success were great. The spirits of the +Americans, which had fallen to the lowest ebb in consequence of the +uninterrupted series of defeats, rose greatly. They found that the +British were not invincible, and that, if unable to oppose them in great +battles, they might at least inflict heavy losses on them and weary them +out with skirmishes and surprises. The greatest joy reigned throughout +the various States; fresh levies were ordered; the voices of the +moderate party, which had been gaining strength, were silenced, and the +determination to continue the war vigorously was in the ascendency. + +<P>The lesson given at Trenton was wholly lost upon the English +commander-in-chief. Instead of at once ordering General Leslie to +advance from Princeton and to hold the enemy in check by reoccupying and +fortifying Trenton, he allowed Colonel Donop to abandon Bordentown and +to fall back to Princeton—thus laying it open to Washington to cross +the Delaware again and carry the war into New Jersey. Washington, after +waiting eight days, seeing the indecision and ineptitude of the British +general, again crossed with 4000 men and occupied Trenton. + +<P>Peter Lambton and his two companions were not among the prisoners +taken at Trenton. On entering the town Harold was about to join the +Hessians assembling under Colonel Rhalle, but Peter gave a violent tug +to his coat. + +<P>"Come along, young un!" he said. "The darned fools have let themselves +be caught in a trap and they'll find there's no way out of it. In ten +minutes the Americans will be all round the place, and as I don't wish +to spend a year or two in a Yankee prison at present, I'm going to make +tracks at once. Fighting aren't no good now. Men who'll let 'emselves +be caught in a trap like this'll never be able to cut their way out of +it. Come on!" + +<P>Much against his will Harold yielded to Peter's wishes, and the three +kept straight on through the town by the river side and issued into the +country beyond before the Americans had surrounded it. A minute or two +after leaving the town the light horse galloped past. + +<P>"There are some more out of the hole, and I reckon that's about all. +There, do you hear the guns? The Yanks have brought their artillery +over—I reckon the fight won't last long." + +<P>For two or three minutes there was a roar of musketry; then this +suddenly ceased. + +<P>"I thought as much," Peter said. "They've surrendered. If they had only +kept together and fought well, they should have cut their way through +the enemy. Lord! what poor things regular soldiers are in the dark! A +frontiersman would just as soon fight in the dark as in the light; but +here are the men who climbed up the hill to Fort Washington—and that +was no child's play—no better nor a pack of women when they're attacked +half-asleep and half-awake, just as day is breaking." + +<P>The three comrades walked to Bordentown, which, they were relieved to +find, had not been attacked. A few miles beyond this place they met +Colonel Donop marching back at full speed with his corps, having +received the news of the disaster at Trenton from the horsemen who had +fled. They joined their company and marched to Princeton. + +<P>A fortnight later Lord Cornwallis, with the forces at Brunswick, under +General Grant, advanced to Princeton and then moved forward to attack +the army at Trenton. General Washington on his approach retired from the +town and, crossing a rivulet at the back of it, took post on some high +ground there, with the apparent intention of defending himself against +an attack. It was late in the afternoon, and a heavy cannonade was kept +up till night-time. Lord Cornwallis determined to attack next morning. +At two in the morning Washington retired suddenly, leaving his fires +burning. Quitting the main road he made a long circuit through Allentown +and marched with all speed toward Princeton, which place he intended to +surprise. When Lord Cornwallis advanced he had left the Seventeenth, +Fortieth, and Fifty-fifth regiments there. + +<P>On arriving at Trenton he had sent word back for the Seventeenth and +Fifty-fifth to advance to Maidenhead, a village halfway between +Princeton and Trenton. Colonel Mawhood, who commanded, marched at +daylight, but scarcely had he started when he met Washington advancing +with his army. The morning was foggy, and it was at first supposed that +the enemy were a body of British troops marching back to Princeton, but +it was soon found that the force was a hostile one. Its strength could +not be seen on account of the fog, and he determined to engage it. +Possessing himself of some high ground, he sent his wagons back to +Princeton and ordered the Fortieth Regiment to come out to his +assistance. + +<P>As the Americans advanced, the artillery on both sides opened fire. The +leading columns of the colonists soon snowed signs of disorder. The +Seventeenth Regiment fixed bayonets and with great gallantry charged the +enemy in front of them, driving them back with considerable slaughter; +and so far did they advance that they were separated from the other +battalions, and cutting their way through the American force the +regiment pursued its march to Maidenhead. The Fortieth and Fifty-fifth +fought stoutly, but were unable to make their way through the American +force, and fell back to Brunswick, while the Americans occupied +Princeton. At daybreak Lord Cornwallis discovered the retreat of the +American army, and being apprehensive for the safety of Brunswick, where +great stores of the army were accumulated, marched with all haste toward +that town. + +<P>Brigadier Matthew, the officer commanding there, on hearing of the +approach of the enemy, at once dispatched the store wagons toward the +rear and drew up his small command to defend the place to the last. The +gallant resistance before Princeton had delayed the Americans so long +that the van of the army of Cornwallis was already close to their rear +as they approached Brunswick. Seeing this, Washington abandoned his +design on that town and crossed the Millstone River, breaking down the +bridge at Kingston to stop pursuit. + +<P>Washington now overran East and West Jersey, penetrated into Essex +County, and making himself master of the country opposite to Staten +Island, thus regained almost all the district which the English had +taken from him in the autumn. + +<P>All this greatly heightened the spirit and courage of the Americans, +while the loyalists and the English troops were disheartened and +disgusted at seeing an army of 30,000 fine troops kept inactive, while +the enemy, with but 4000 men, who were wholly incapable of opposing an +equal number of English troops, were allowed to wander unchecked, to +attack and harass the English pickets, and to utilize the whole of the +resources of their country. Had General Howe entertained a fixed desire +to see English authority overthrown in America he could not have acted +in a manner more calculated to carry those wishes into effect. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c10"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER X.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">A TREACHEROUS PLANTER.</H3> + +<P>It must not be supposed that the whole of the time was spent in scouting +and fighting. Between the armies lay a band of no man's land. Here, as +elsewhere, the people of the country were divided in their opinions, but +generally made very little display of these, whatever they might be. It +is true that, as a rule, non-combatants were but little interfered with; +still, a warm and open display of sympathy with one side or the other +was likely to be attended by the loss of cattle and damage to crops when +the other party got the upper hand. In some other States feeling ran +much higher. In the Carolinas the royalists were most cruelly +persecuted. Their property was destroyed and they were, in many cases, +shot down without mercy; but generally, throughout the colonies, a +considerable latitude of opinion was allowed. This was especially so in +the zone between the armies in the Jerseys. None could tell what the +positions of the armies a week hence might be, and any persecution +inflicted by the one party might lead to retaliation upon a shift of +positions a few weeks later. A general toleration therefore reigned. + +<P>Next to Peter Lambton, Harold's greatest friend in the corps was a young +man named Harvey. He was of good family and belonged to New York. Being +a strong loyalist, he had, like many other gentlemen, enlisted for +service under the old flag. He had, naturally, many acquaintances among +the county families, and Harold often accompanied him in his visits to +one or other of them. + +<P>During the winter, when things were quiet, the duties of the scouts were +light, and it was the habit among them that one-third should be on +outpost duty at a time, the rest being free to move about as they liked. +The scouts had no fixed order of position. They went out alone or in +twos or threes, as it pleased them, their duty simply being to watch +everything that was going on along the enemy's line of outposts, to +bring the earliest news of any intended movements, and to prevent +dashing parties of the enemy's horsemen from making raids into or behind +the British lines. They were not, of course, expected to check bodies of +cavalry starting on a raid, but simply to obtain information of their +having left their lines and of the direction taken, and then to hurry +back to the British posts, whence a force of cavalry would be sent out +to intercept or check the invaders. Many dashing exploits were performed +by the cavalry on both sides in the way of getting behind their +opponents' quarters, cutting off provision trains, attacking small +posts, and carrying off straggling parties. + +<P>One of the houses to which Harold used most frequently to accompany his +friend Harvey was situated nearly halfway between the rival armies, and +was about eight miles from either. The owner—Mr. Jackson—was a man of +considerable wealth, and the house was large and well appointed. He had, +before the troubles began, a fine business as a lawyer in New York; but, +as the outbreak of hostilities put a stop to all business of a legal +kind in that city, he had retired to his country house. Although himself +born in England, he professed to be entirely neutral, but his family +were undisguisedly loyal. It consisted of his wife and two daughters, +girls of seventeen and eighteen years old. + +<P>When the English army advanced to the neighborhood of his property Mr. +Jackson was always ready to offer his hospitality to the officers of the +corps which might be stationed near him, and he similarly opened his +house to the Americans when they, in turn, advanced as the British +turned back. Being, as he always made a point of saying, perfectly +neutral in the struggle, he was glad to meet gentlemen, irrespective of +the opinions they held. The line taken by Mr. Jackson was the one which +was very largely pursued among the inhabitants of the country houses and +farms scattered over what was, throughout the war, a debatable land. So +frequent were the changes of the position of the armies that none could +say who might be in possession in a week's time, and it was, therefore, +an absolute necessity for those who wished to live unmolested to abstain +from any stronger show of partisanship. + +<P>As is always the case in struggles of this kind, the female population +were more enthusiastic in their partisanship and more pronounced in +their opinions than the men; and although, upon the arrival of a troop +of cavalry or a detachment of foot belonging to the other side, the +master of the house would impartially offer what hospitality he was +capable of, it was not difficult to perceive, by the warmth or coldness +of the female welcome, what were the private sentiments of the family. + +<P>Harold was not long in discovering, from the frequency with which Harvey +proposed an excursion to the Jacksons' and from his conduct there, that +Isabelle, the eldest daughter, was the object which mainly attracted +him. The families had long been friends, and Harvey, although now +serving as a simple scout, was of a position equal to her own. The +friends were always cordially received by Mr. Jackson, and Harold was +soon as intimate there as his comrade. They usually left their quarters +a little before dusk and started back late at night. Often as Mr. +Jackson pressed them to stay, they never accepted his invitation. + +<P>The scouts, from their activity and ubiquitousness, were the +<I>bêtes-noirs</I> of the Americans, whose most secret plans were constantly +detected and foiled by the sagacity and watchfulness of these men, whose +unerring rifles made frequent gaps in the ranks of the officers. They +therefore spared no pains, whenever there was a chance, of killing or +capturing any of these most troublesome foes, and Harvey and Harold knew +that a report of their presence at the Jacksons' would suffice to bring +a party of horsemen from the American lines. Their visits, therefore, +were always made after dark, and at irregular intervals, and, in spite +of their inclination to the contrary they made a point of returning at +night to their quarters. + +<P>Other visitors were often present at the Jacksons', the sons and +daughters of neighbors, and there was generally music and singing, and +sometimes the young people stood up for a dance. + +<P>The scouts wore no regular uniform, although there was a general +similarity in their attire, which was that of an ordinary backwoods +hunter. When off duty they were allowed to dress as they pleased, and at +Mr. Jackson's the two friends were attired in the ordinary dress of +colonists of position. At these little gatherings political subjects +were never discussed, and a stranger spending an evening there would not +have dreamed that the house stood between two hostile armies; that at +any moment a party of horsemen belonging to one side or other might dash +into the courtyard, and that even those laughing and talking pleasantly +together might be of opinions diametrically opposed. + +<P>Harvey and Harold were introduced to visitors simply as friends from New +York, and, although the suspicions as to their character and position +might be strong, no one thought of asking questions. + +<P>"I do not like that fellow Chermside," Harvey said one night, as he and +his friend were returning to their quarters. + +<P>They were mounted; for, although when on duty the scouts worked on foot, +many of them, who were men of property, kept horses which they used when +not engaged. Harvey had two horses, and one of these was always at +Harold's service. + +<P>"I am not surprised you don't like him," Harold replied with a laugh, +"and I imagine the dislike is mutual. When two gentlemen are paying +attentions to one young lady they seldom appreciate each other's merits +very cordially." + +<P>"I don't think it is entirely that," Harvey laughed. "Isabella and I +understand each other, and I have no fear of his rivalry; but I do not +like him." + +<P>"I do not think I like him myself," Harold said more seriously; "and yet +I do not know why I should not. When he has been there alone with us and +the family, he has frequently used expressions showing his strong +leaning toward the loyalists' side." + +<P>"I don't put much faith in that," Harvey said. "He knows how strongly +Mr. Jackson and the girls lean toward the Crown, and would say anything +that he thought would please Isabelle. I have spoken to her and she +thinks that he is sincere; in fact, she has rather a good opinion of +him. However, we shall see. It was rather curious that that party of +Morgan's cavalry should have ridden up the other night and searched the +house two hours after we left. You see, we had agreed to sleep there +that night, and only changed our minds after the others had all left, +when we remembered that we were both for duty early next morning. It +might have been a coincidence, of course, but it had an ugly look. I +think Mr. Jackson thought so, too, for he did not ask us to stop +to-night; anyhow, I wish Chermside's plantation was not so near this and +that he did not drop in so often." + +<P>A week later they paid another visit. When dinner was over Harold +was chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Harvey was sitting at the +piano, where the eldest girl was playing, and the younger was +looking out of window. + +<P>"We are going to have another fall of snow," she said. "There is not a +star to be seen. Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly. + +<P>"What is it, my dear?" Mr. Jackson asked. + +<P>"There is a rocket gone up from the woods." + +<P>"A rocket!" Mr. Jackson repeated. + +<P>"Yes, papa; there are the stars falling now." + +<P>"That is a curious thing," Mr. Jackson said, while the others went +to the window. They stood watching for some minutes, but nothing +was to be seen. + +<P>"I do not like that rocket," Mr. Jackson said as they left the window. +"It means something. It can only be a signal. People don't let off +rockets for amusement nowadays. Did you meet anyone on the road?" "No, +sir," Harvey said, "not a soul." + +<P>"I do not like it," their host repeated. "It means mischief of some sort +or other. I do not wish to seem inhospitable, but my advice to you is, +get on your horses at once and ride to your quarters. You are on duty +to-morrow, and you told me you would pass near here on your way toward +the enemy's lines. You might look in as you go past and hear whether +anything came of it. If I mistake not, we shall have another visit from +Morgan's horse this evening." + +<P>Much against their inclination the young men followed Mr. +Jackson's advice. + +<P>The next day they, with Peter and Jake, stopped at the house as +they passed. + +<P>"I was right," their host said, as the two young men entered. "An hour +after you left twenty of Morgan's horse rode up here. They would not +take my word that we were alone, but searched the house from top to +bottom, and were evidently greatly disappointed at finding no one. I +have been making inquiries this morning and find that all the servants +were in the house at the time my daughter saw the rocket, so I hope that +I have no traitor here. Still, it is clear that someone must be keeping +watch over your movements." + +<P>"Have you asked, sir," Harvey said, after a pause, "whether anyone came +after we had arrived?" + +<P>"I do not see how anyone could come, but I will ask." + +<P>He rang the bell and a negro servant appeared. + +<P>"Did anyone come to the house yesterday, Caesar, after these gentleman +came—any beggar or peddler, or anyone of that sort?" + +<P>"No, sir; no one came except Massa Chermside. He get off his horse and +ask if you, hab any visitors. I said that Massa Harvey and Massa Wilson +were here. He say he call again another night when the family alone, and +rode off." + +<P>"Just what I expected, sir," Harvey said, when the servant left the +room. "I have always doubted that fellow's honesty." + +<P>"Oh, nonsense!" Mr. Jackson replied. "You must be mad, Harvey. +Chermside's father was an old friend of mine, and I have known the young +fellow since he was a child. I should as soon suspect one of my own +daughters of being capable of such an act of gross treachery as laying a +plot to bring the American cavalry down upon guests of mine. The idea is +preposterous. Bless me, how amused the girls will be at your suspecting +their old playfellow!" + +<P>"I hope I may be mistaken, sir," Harvey said, "but Harold's opinion of +him agrees with mine; and, in talking it over last night, we both put +our finger on him as the man who fired the rocket. Well, now, we must be +pushing on. We are bound for the ford where Morgan's horse must have +come over, and shall hear from our fellows there whether they rode +straight here after crossing, as, if so, there can be no doubt whatever +that the rocket was a signal." + +<P>Upon arriving at the ford they found that Morgan's horse had only +crossed an hour before the time at which they arrived at Mr. Jackson's. +One of the scouts had instantly taken word to the nearest cavalry +outpost, but the enemy had recrossed the river before these had arrived +on the spot. + +<P>After three days on duty at the front, the party returned to their +lines, and the next time that the young men rode out to their friends +they took with them Jake and Peter, to whom they related the +circumstances. + +<P>The scouts proceeded on foot and separated from the others a mile before +reaching the house, having arranged that Peter should scout round it, +while Jake should proceed to the plantation of Mr. Chermside and keep a +sharp lookout there. + +<P>They had arranged with Mr. Jackson that no mention of the rocket should +be made to anyone, however intimate with the family. + +<P>"I am glad to see you again," the host said, as they entered the room +where the family were assembled, "although I own that these two raids of +Morgan's horse have made me uneasy. The girls have been immensely amused +at your suspicions of young Chermside." + +<P>"How could you think such a thing?" Isabelle said. "He was here on the +following evening, and was as indignant as we were at the thought of +treachery being at work. He quite agreed with us that the coming of the +Yankees could hardly have been accidental." + +<P>"You said nothing about the rocket, I hope?" Harvey asked. + +<P>"No, we kept quite silent about that, as you made such a point of it; +but it seemed ridiculous with him. But I shall be in a fright, now, +every time you come." + +<P>"We have brought two of our men with us," Harvey said, "and they are +scouting round, so we shall hear if another rocket goes up; and, even if +the person who let it up suspects that the last was seen,—as he might +do from our having left so suddenly,—and tries some other plan to warn +the enemy, we can trust our men to fire a shot and so give us warning in +time. We have told the groom not to take the saddles off the horses, as +we may stop but a short time." + +<P>At eight o'clock a disturbance was heard outside, and Jake entered the +room, dragging with him by main force the young planter. + +<P>"What is the meaning of this?" Mr. Jackson asked, as they rose from +their seats in surprise. + +<P>"Me tell you, sar," Jake answered. "Me had orders from Massa Harold to +watch outside ob de house ob dis feller and see what going on dere. +About half an hour after me got dere a nigger come along running from +dis direction. Dat no business of Jake's, so he stood in de trees and +let him pass. He go into de house; five minutes afterward dis feller he +come out and he walk away. Jake follow him bery quiet to see what him +after. He walk more dan a mile, den he get on to de oder side of dat big +hill; den me see him stop, and Jake tink it time to interfere, so he ran +up and catch him. He had put dis ting against a stump of a tree, and had +him pistol in him hand, and was on de point of firing it close to dis +ting, so as to light him." + +<P>As Jake spoke he held out a rocket. Several times while Jake had been +speaking the planter had tried to interrupt him, but each time Jake, who +had not released his hold of him, gave him so violent a shake that he +was fain to be silent. + +<P>"This is a scandalous indignity," he exclaimed furiously when Jake +finished. "What do you mean, sir," he demanded of Harvey, "by setting +this nigger to watch my abode? I will have satisfaction for this +treatment." + +<P>"It seems, sir," Mr. Jackson said, signing to Harvey to be silent, +"that you have been detected in a gross act of treachery. My friends +have suspected you of it, but I indignantly denied it. Could we +believe, I and my family, that you, whom we have known as a child, +would betray our guests to the Americans? Loyalists and republicans are +alike welcome here. I do not ask my friends their opinions. My house is +neutral ground, and I did not think that anyone who used it would have +had the treachery to turn it into a trap; still less did I imagine you +would do so. These gentlemen would be perfectly within their right did +they take you out and hang you from the nearest tree; but, for my sake, +I trust that they will not do so; but should the American cavalry ever +again visit this house under circumstances which may lead it to be +supposed that they have been brought here to capture my guests, I shall +let them punish you as you deserve. No word of mine will be raised in +your favor. Now, sir, go, and never again enter this house, where the +loathing and contempt that I feel for you will, I know, be shared by +the ladies of my family." + +<P>At a nod from Harold Jake released his hold of the captive, who, without +a word, turned and left the room. + +<P>Not a word was spoken for a minute or two after he had left. The +youngest girl was the first to speak. + +<P>"The wretch!" she exclaimed. "To think that Herbert Chermside should +turn out such a mean traitor! Papa, I would have let them hang him at +once. It would have served him right. Now he may do us all harm." + +<P>"I do not know that you are not right, Ada," Mr. Jackson replied +gravely. "I am far from saying that I acted wisely. Young Chermside has +many friends among the Americans, and it is possible that he may work us +harm. However, my position as a neutral is well established. Officers on +both sides have at times been welcomed here, and his report, therefore, +that our friends here are often with us can do us no harm. Henceforth he +must be regarded as an enemy, and there will always be danger in these +visits. So long as the American outposts are within an hour's ride he +can have the road watched; and, although he is not likely to venture +upon signaling with rockets, he may send or take word on horseback. A +bonfire, too, might be lit at the other side of the hill to call them +over. Altogether you will never be safe from home except when you have a +strong body of your own troops between this and the river." + +<P>"I am glad to say," Harvey said, "that in consequence of the news of +Morgan's raids on this side a body of 200 infantry and a troop of +cavalry are to move to-morrow and take up their position by the ford, so +we shall be safe from any surprise from that direction." + +<P>"I am very glad to hear it," Mr. Jackson said. "It will relieve me of a +great anxiety. But pray be watchful when you are in this neighborhood. +You have made a bitter enemy, and, after what he has proved himself +capable of, we cannot doubt that he would hesitate at nothing. I +understand," he went on with a smile toward his eldest daughter, "what +is at the bottom of his conduct, and, as I have long suspected his hopes +in that quarter, I am not surprised that he is somewhat hostile to you. +Still, I never for a moment deemed him capable of this." + +<P>The next day Mr. Jackson learned that his neighbor had left his +plantation, and had told his servants that he was not likely to return +for some time. + +<P>Shortly after this a series of bad luck attended the doings of the +British scouts. Several parties were killed or captured by the enemy, +and they were constantly baffled by false reports, while the Americans +appeared to forestall all their movements. It was only when enterprises +were set on foot and carried out by small bodies that they were ever +successful, anything like combined action by the orders of the officers +constantly turning out ill. + +<P>"There must be a traitor somewhere," Peter said upon the return of a +party from an attempt which, although it promised well, had been +frustrated, to carry off a number of cattle from one of the American +depots. "It aint possible that this can be all sheer bad luck. It aint +no one in our company, I'll be bound. We aint had any new recruits +lately, and there aint a man among us whom I could not answer for. There +must be a black sheep in Gregory's or Vincent's corps. The enemy seem up +to every move, and, between us, we have lost more than thirty men in the +last few weeks. There aint no doubt about it—there's a traitor +somewhere and he must be a clever one, and he must have pals with him, +or he couldn't send news of what we are doing so quickly. It beats me +altogether, and the men are all furious." + +<P>"I've been talking with some of our men," Peter said a few days +afterward, "and we agree that we are bound to get to the bottom of this +matter. We're sartin sure that the traitor don't belong to us. What we +propose is this, that the hull of us shall go up together, without +saying a word to a soul, and scatter ourselves along the river at all +the points where a chap going with a message to the enemy would be +likely to cross. The night we go out we'll get the three captains all to +give orders to their men for an expedition, so that whoever it is that +sends messages from here would be sure to send over word to the Yankees; +and it'll be hard if we don't ketch him. What do you say?" + +<P>"I think the plan is a very good one," Harold answered. "If you like, I +will go with my father and ask Gregory and Vincent to send their men." + +<P>Captain Wilson at once went to these officers. They were as much +irritated and puzzled as were their men by the failures which had taken +place, and agreed that, next evening, an order should be issued for the +men of the three corps to act in combination, and to allow it to leak +out that they intended to surprise an American post situated near the +river, twenty-one miles distant. Captain Wilson's scouts, instead of +going with the others, were to act on their own account. + +<P>On the day arranged, as soon as it became dark, the forty scouts quietly +left their quarters in small parties and made their way toward the +river, striking it at the point where a messenger would be likely to +cross upon his way to give warning to the American post of the attack +intended to be made upon it. They took post along the river, at a +distance of fifty or sixty yards apart, and silently awaited the result. +Several hours passed and no sound broke the stillness of the woods. An +hour before dawn Peter Lambton heard a slight crack, as that of a +breaking twig. It was some distance back in the woods, but it seemed to +him, by the direction, that the man who caused it would strike the river +between himself and Jake, who was stationed next to him. He noiselessly +stole along toward the point. Another slight sound afforded him a sure +indication of the direction in which the man, whoever he might be, was +approaching. He hastened his steps, and a minute later a negro issued +from the wood close to him. He stood for an instant on the river bank +and was about to plunge in, when Peter threw his arms around him. + +<P>Although taken by surprise, the negro struggled desperately and would +have freed himself from the grip of the old scout had not Jake run up +instantly to his comrade's assistance. In a minute the negro was bound +and two shots were then fired, the concerted signal by which it would be +known along the line that a capture had been effected. In a few minutes +the whole body was assembled. The negro, who refused to answer any +questions, was carried far back into the woods and a fire was lighted. + +<P>"Now, nigger," Peter said, taking, as captor, the lead in the matter, +"jest tell us right away where you was going and who sent you." + +<P>The negro was silent. + +<P>"Now, look ye here, darky, you're in the hands of men who are no +jokers. Ef you tell us at once who put ye on to this trick no harm will +happen to you; but ef ye don't we'll jest burn the skin off your body, +bit by bit." + +<P>Still the negro was silent. + +<P>"Half a dozen of yez," Peter said, "as have got iron ramrods shove them +into the fire. We'll soon find this nigger's tongue." + +<P>Not a word was spoken until the ramrods were heated red-hot. + +<P>"Now," Peter said, "two of yez clap your ramrods against this +darky's flanks." + +<P>The negro struggled as the men approached him, and gave a terrific yell +as the hot iron was applied to his sides. + +<P>"I will tell you, sars—oh! have mercy upon me and I will tell you +eberything!" + +<P>"I thought," Peter said grimly, "that you'd find a tongue soon enough. +Now, then, who sent you?" + +<P>"My massa," the negro answered. + +<P>"And who is your master?" + +<P>The negro was again silent, but as, at a nod from Peter, the men again +raised the ramrods, he blurted out: + +<P>"Massa Chermside." + +<P>The name was known to many of the scouts, and a cry of anger broke +from them. + +<P>"I thought as much," Harvey said. "I suspected that scoundrel was at the +bottom of it all along. Where is he?" he asked the negro. + +<P>"Me not know, sar." + +<P>"You mean you won't say," Peter said. "Try the vartue of them +ramrods again." + +<P>"No, no!" the negro screamed. "Me swear me do not know where him be. You +may burn me to death if you will, but I could not tell you." + +<P>"I think he is speaking the truth," Harvey said. "Wait a minute. Have +you done this before?" he asked the negro. + +<P>"Yes, sar. Eight or ten times me swim de river at night." + +<P>"With messages to the Americans?" + +<P>"Yes, sar; messages to American officers." + +<P>"Have you any written message—any letter?" + +<P>"No, sar, me never take no letter. Me only carry dis." And he took out +from his hair a tiny ball of paper smaller than a pea. + +<P>It was smoothed out, and upon it, were the words, "General Washington." + +<P>"Where I go, sar, I show dem dis, and dey know den dat de message can be +believed." + +<P>"But how do you get the message? How do you see your master?" + +<P>"Master's orders were dat me and two oders were to meet him ebery night, +after it got dark, at a tree a mile from de place where de soldiers are. +Sometimes he no come. When he come he gibs each of us a piece of money +and tell us to carry a message across the river. We start by different +ways, swim across de water in different places, take de message, and +come back to de plantation." + +<P>"A pretty business!" Peter said. "Now you must come back with us to the +post and tell your story to the commanding officer. Then we must see if +we can't lay hands on this rascally master of yours." + +<P>Upon the news being told, the general in command sent a party out, who, +after searching the house and out-buildings of the plantation in vain, +set fire to them and burned them to the ground. The negroes were all +carried away and employed to labor for the army. The town and all the +surrounding villages were searched, but no trace could be obtained of +the missing man. One of the men of Gregory's corps of scouts +disappeared. He had recently joined, but his appearance, as a man with +beard and whiskers, in no way agreed with that of the planter. He might, +however, have been disguised, and his disappearance was in itself no +proof against him, for the scouts were under no great discipline, and +when tired of the service often left without giving notice of their +intention of doing so. It was, moreover, possible that he might have +fallen by an enemy's bullet. + +<P>The strongest proof in favor of the deserter being Chermside was that, +henceforth, the scouts were again as successful as before, often +surprising the enemy successfully. + +<P>Now that the ford nearest Mr. Jackson's was strongly guarded, the young +men had no apprehension of any surprise, although such an event was just +possible, as the cavalry on both sides often made great circuits in +their raids upon each other's country. That Chermside was somewhere in +the neighborhood they believed; having, indeed, strong reason for doing +so, as a rifle was one evening fired at them from the wood as they rode +over, the ball passing between their heads. Pursuit, at the time, was +impossible. But the next day a number of scouts searched the woods +without success. Soon after they heard that Chermside had joined the +Americans and obtained a commission in a body of their irregular horse. + +<P>Harvey was now formally engaged to Isabelle Jackson, and it was settled +that the wedding should take place in the early spring at New York. When +not on duty he naturally spent a good deal of his time there, and Harold +was frequently with him. Since he had been fired at in the woods +Isabelle had been in the highest state of nervous anxiety lest her +lover's enemy should again try to assassinate him, and she begged Harold +always to come over with him, if possible, as the thought of his riding +alone through the wood filled her with anxiety. + +<P>Although he had no order to do so, Jake, whenever he saw Harold and his +friend canter off toward the Jacksons, shouldered his rifle and went out +after them to the house, where, so long as they stayed, he scouted round +and round with the utmost vigilance. Very often Harold was ignorant of +his presence there; but when, after his return, he found, by questioning +him, how he had been employed, he remonstrated with him on such +excessive precaution. + +<P>"Can't be too cautious, massa," Jake said. "You see dat fellow come one +of dese days." + +<P>Jake's presentiment turned out correct. One evening when, with several +friends, the young men were at Mr. Jackson's the sound of the report of +a rifle was heard at a short distance. + +<P>"That must be Jake's rifle!" Harold exclaimed. + +<P>"Quick, Harvey, to your horse!" + +<P>It was too late. As they reached the door a strong party of American +cavalry dashed up to it. + +<P>"Surround the house!" an officer shouted. "Do not let a soul escape!" + +<P>The young men ran upstairs again. + +<P>"We are caught," Harvey said. "Escape is cut off. The Yankee cavalry are +all round the house. Good-by, Isabelle. We shall meet one of these days +again, dear." The girl threw herself into his arms. + +<P>"Be calm, love!" he said. "Do not let this scoundrel have the +satisfaction of triumphing over you." + +<P>A moment later Chermside, accompanied by several soldiers, +entered the room. + +<P>"I am sorry to disturb so pleasant a party," he said in a sneering +voice, "but if Americans choose to entertain the enemies of their +country they must expect these little disagreeables." + +<P>Mr. Jackson abruptly turned his back upon him, and no one else spoke, +although he was personally well known to all. + +<P>"These are the two men," he said to the soldiers—"two of the most +notorious scouts and spies on the frontier. We will take them to +headquarters, where a short shrift and two strong ropes will be +their lot." + +<P>"The less the word spy is in the mouth of such a pitiful traitor as +yourself the better, I should say," Harvey said quietly; and, walking +forward with Harold, he placed himself in the hands of the soldiers. + +<P>No one else spoke. Isabelle had fainted when she heard the threat of +execution against her lover. Ada stood before her with a look of +such anger and contempt on her young face that Chermside fairly +winced under it. + +<P>"To horse!" he said sullenly, and, turning, followed his men and +prisoners downstairs. + +<P>The troop, Harold saw, numbered some 200 sabers. They had with them a +number of riderless horses, whose accouterments showed that they +belonged to an English regiment; most of the men, too, had sacks of +plunder upon their horses. They had evidently made a successful raid, +and had probably attacked a post and surprised and driven off the +horses of a squadron of cavalry, and were now on their return toward +their lines. + +<P>"This is an awkward business, Harold," Harvey said as, in the midst +of their captors, they galloped off from the Jacksons'. "Of course +it's all nonsense about our being hung. Still, I have no wish to see +the inside of a prison, where we may pass years before we are +exchanged. Once handed over to the authorities we shall be safe; but +I shall not feel that we are out of danger so long as we are in this +scoundrel's hands. Fortunately there are officers of superior rank to +himself with the squadron, otherwise I have no doubt at all that he +would hang us at once." + +<P>Such was indeed the case, and Chermside was, at that moment, fuming +intensely at the chance which had thrown his rival in his hands at a +time when he was powerless to carry out his vengeance. He had, indeed, +ventured to suggest that it would be less trouble to hang the prisoners +at once, but the major in command had so strongly rebuked him for the +suggestion that he had at once been silenced. + +<P>"I blush that I should have heard such words from the mouth of an +American officer. It is by such deeds, sir, that our cause is too often +disgraced. We are soldiers fighting for the independence of our +country—not lawless marauders. Had these men been taken in their +civilian dress over on our side of the river they would have been tried +and hung as spies; but they were on neutral ground, and, in fact, in the +rear of their own posts. There is no shadow of defense for such an +accusation. Should I ever hear a similar suggestion I shall at once +report your conduct to General Washington, who will know how to deal +with you." + +<P>"I wonder what has become of Jake," Harold said to his comrade. "I trust +he was not shot down." + +<P>"Not he," Harvey said. "He made off after firing his rifle, you may be +sure, when he saw that there was nothing to be done. The fellow can run +like a hare, and I have no doubt that, by this time, he has either got +back to the village and given the alarm there or has made for the ford. +There are 100 cavalry there now as well as the infantry. Jake will be +there in an hour from the time he started. The dragoons will be in the +saddle five minutes later, and it is just possible they may cut off our +retreat before we have crossed the river. Peter is on duty there, and, +if he happens to be at the post when Jake arrives, he will hurry up with +all the scouts he can collect." + +<P>Jake had taken flight as Harvey supposed. He had, after firing his +rifle, taken to the wood, and had remained near the house long enough to +see which way the cavalry rode when they started. Then he made for the +post at the ford at the top of his speed. It was less than an hour from +starting when he arrived there, and three minutes later the cavalry +trumpets were blowing "To horse!" After giving his message to the +officer in command Jake went into the village, where the sounds of the +trumpet brought all the soldiers into the street. + +<P>"Hullo, Jake! is that you?" a familiar voice asked. "What the tarnal +is up now?" + +<P>Jake hastily related what had taken place. + +<P>"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "This is a bad job. They're making, no +doubt, for Finchley's Ford, fifteen mile down the river. With an hour's +start they're sure to be there before us." + +<P>"What are you going to do, Peter? Are you thinking of running wid +de cavalry?" + +<P>"Thinking of running to the moon!" the scout said contemptuously. "You +can run well, I don't deny, Jake, but you couldn't run fifteen mile with +the dragoons; and, if you could, you'd get there too late. Yer bellows +are going pretty fast already. Now don't stand staring there, but hurry +through the camp and get all our boys together. Tell them to meet by the +water side. Get Gregory and Vincent's men as well as our own. There's +twenty or thirty altogether in the place." + +<P>Without asking a question Jake ran off to carry out the orders, and, in +a few minutes, twenty-four men were collected together on the bank. + +<P>"Now, you fellows," Peter said, "we've got to rescue these two chaps out +of the hands of the Yankees. Them who don't want to jine—and mind you +the venture is a risky one—had better say so at once and stop behind." + +<P>No one moved. + +<P>"What I propose is this: we'll take the ferryboat, which aint no good +to no one, seeing as how the Yankees are on one side of the river and +we the other, and we'll drop down the stream about ten mile. Then we'll +land on their side of the river and strike inland, hiding the boat +under the bushes somewhere. They'll halt for the night when they're +safe across the river. There's five or six hundred of their infantry +camped on the ford. There's two hundred on our side, but the Yankees'll +ride through in the dark and get across before the redcoats are awake. +Now, I propose that, after we've landed, we make a sweep round until we +get near the Yanks' camp. Then the rest'll wait and two or three of +us'll go in and see if we can't get the young fellows out of wherever +they've put 'em. Then we'll jine you and make a running fight of it +back to the boat." + +<P>The others assented. The boat was amply large enough for all, and, +pulling her out into the stream, they dropped down, keeping under +shelter of the trees on the British side. Half an hour after they had +started they heard the faint sound of distant musketry. + +<P>"There," Peter said, "the Yanks are riding through the British camp, +close to the ford." + +<P>A few more shots were heard, and then all was silent. The stream was +swift, for it was swollen by recent rains, and at three in the morning +the boat touched the bank about a mile above the ford. The party +disembarked noiselessly and, fastening the boat to a tree, moved along +toward the camp. + +<P>When they were within four or five hundred yards of the village Peter +chose Jake and two others of his band, and, telling the rest to remain +where they were, ready for action, he struck inland. He made a <I>détour</I> +and came in at the back of the camp. + +<P>Here there were no sentries, as the only danger to be apprehended was +upon the side of the river. Peter therefore entered boldly. In front of +the principal house a sentry was walking up and down, and he, in the +free-and-easy manner usual in the American army, gladly entered into +conversation with the newcomers. + +<P>"All pretty quiet about here?" Peter asked. "We're from the West, and +have jest come down to do a little fighting with the Britishers. I +reckon they aint far off now?" + +<P>"They are just across the river," the sentry said. "Have you come far?" + +<P>"We've made something like two hundred mile this week, and mean to have +a day or two's rest before we begin. We've done some Injun fighting, my +mates and me, in our time, and we says to ourselves it was about time we +burned a little powder against the redcoats. Things seem quiet enough +about here. Nothing doing, eh?" + +<P>"Not much," the sentry said; "just skirmishes. Some of our cavalry came +across through the redcoats late to-night. I hear they have got a +quantity of plunder and some fine horses, and they have brought in a +couple of the British scouts." + +<P>"And what have they done with 'em?" Peter asked. "Strung 'em up, +I suppose." + +<P>"No, no; we aint fighting Indians now; we don't hang our prisoners. No, +they are safe under guard over there in the cavalry camp, and will be +taken to headquarters to-morrow." + +<P>"Waal," Peter said, stretching himself, "I feel mighty tired and shall +jest look for a soft place for an hour's sleep before morning." + +<P>So saying he sauntered away, and the sentry resumed his walk. + +<P>Peter and his three companions now moved off toward the spot where, as +the sentry had indicated, the cavalry were encamped. They were not in +tents, but were sleeping wrapped up in their blankets. Two tents had +been erected, lent probably by the infantry on the spot. One was much +larger than the other, and sentries were placed before each. They had +some difficulty in making their way, for the night was dark, and the +cavalry had picketed their horses without order or regularity. In their +search they had to use great caution to avoid stumbling over the +sleeping men, but at last they saw the tents faintly against the sky. +They crawled cautiously up. There were two sentries on the smaller tent. + +<P>"Now, Jake," Peter whispered, "you're the blackest and so had better do +the trick. Don't cut a hole in the tent, for they'd be safe to hear the +canvas tear. Crawl under. It's, been put up in haste and aint likely to +be pinned down very tight. They're safe to be bound, and when you've cut +the cords and given them time to get the use of their feet, then crawl +along and jine us." + +<P>Jake did as he was instructed. One of the sentries was pacing up and +down before the entrance, the other making a circuit round the tent. The +circle was a somewhat large one to avoid stumbling over the tent ropes. +Jake, watching his opportunity, had no difficulty in crawling up and +squeezing himself under the canvas before the sentry returned. + +<P>"Hush!" he whispered, as he let the canvas fall behind him. "It's Jake." + +<P>Both the captives were fast asleep. Jake, feeling about in the darkness, +found them, one after the other, and, putting his hands on their mouths +to prevent them making an exclamation, he woke them, and soon cut the +cords with which they were bound hand and foot. Then in whispers he told +them what had happened. They chafed their limbs to produce circulation, +for they had been tightly tied, and then, one by one, they crawled out +of the tent. + +<P>Harvey went first and was safely across before the sentry returned. +Harold followed; but, as he went, in his hurry he struck a tent rope. + +<P>"What's that?" the sentry in front asked sharply. "Bill, was that you?" + +<P>"No," his comrade replied. "Something's up. Look into the tent." + +<P>And, so saying, he ran round behind, while the sentry in front rushed +into the tent and, kicking about with his feet, soon found that it +was empty. + +<P>Jake, on hearing the exclamation, at once crawled from the tent; but, as +he did so, the sentry, running round, saw him and leveled his rifle. +Before he could fire a shot was heard and the man fell dead. + +<P>Jake started to his feet and joined his friends. The other sentry also +discharged his rifle, and the whole camp awoke and sprang to their feet. +The horses, alarmed at the sudden tumult, plunged and kicked; men +shouted and swore, everyone asking what was the matter. Then loud cries +were heard that the sentry was shot and the prisoners had escaped. + +<P>Running closely together and knocking down all who stood in their way, +the fugitives hurried in the darkness until at the edge of the camp, and +then started at full speed. + +<P>The trumpets were now sounding to horse, and several shots were fired +after them. Many of the horses had not been unsaddled, and mounted men +at once dashed off. Several had seen the little party rush away, and the +horsemen were speedily on their track. The six men ran at the top of +their speed and were soon close to their hidden friends. + +<P>"This way! this way! I see them!" shouted a voice, which Harold and +Harvey recognized as that of their enemy, who, a minute later, galloped +up with half a dozen troopers. It was not until he was within a few +yards that his figure was clearly discernible; then Peter Lambton's +rifle flashed out, and the planter fell from his horse with a bullet in +his brain. + +<P>Jake and the other two men also fired, and the horsemen, astonished at +their number, reined in their horses to await the coming up of more of +their comrades. + +<P>In another minute the fugitives were with their friends, and, at a rapid +trot, the whole ran up the river bank toward the spot where they had +hidden their boat. + +<P>The country was covered with brushwood and forest and, as the cavalry, +now swollen to a considerable force, advanced, they were greeted by so +heavy a fire that, astonished at this strong force of foes upon their +side of the river, and not knowing how numerous they might be, they +halted and waited for the infantry to come up. Long before the enemy +were prepared to advance against the unknown foe the scouts reached +their boat and crossed safely to the other side. + +<P>Shortly after this adventure Mr. Jackson and his family moved for the +winter to New York, where, soon after their arrival, the wedding +between Harvey and Isabella took place, the former retiring from the +corps of scouts. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c11"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XI.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE CAPTURE OF PHILADELPHIA.</H3> + +<P>During the course of the spring of 1777 a large number of loyal +colonists had volunteered their services. They had been embodied into +battalions, and when the army prepared to take the field they were +placed in garrisons in New York and other places, thus permitting the +employment of the whole of the British force in the field. The Americans +had occupied themselves in strongly fortifying the more defensible +positions, especially those in a mountain tract of country called the +Manor of Courland. This was converted into a sort of citadel, where +large quantities of provisions, forage, and stores of all kinds were +collected. About fifty miles from New York, up the North River, was a +place called Peekskill, which served as a port to the Manor of Courland. +The country was so difficult and mountainous that General Howe shrank +from engaging his army in it. He determined, however, to attack and +destroy Peekskill, and a party of 500 men, under the command of Colonel +Bird of the Fifteenth Regiment, were sent up the river in two transports +to destroy it. The garrison, consisting of 800 men, set fire to the +place and withdrew without firing a shot. The British completed the +destruction of the stores and returned to New York. + +<P>A little later 2000 men were sent on a similar expedition against the +town of Danbury, another place on the confines of Courland Manor, where +great stores had also been collected. They proceeded up the East River +and landed at Camp's Point. They started on foot at ten o'clock at +night, and after a ten hours' march arrived at eight o'clock at Danbury. +The enemy evacuated the place on their approach, and the English set +fire to the great magazines filled with stores of all kinds. + +<P>The news of the march of the English had spread rapidly, and the enemy +assembled from all quarters and posted themselves under the command of +General Arnold at a town called Ridgefield, through which the English +would have to pass on their return. Here they threw up intrenchments. It +was late in the afternoon when the English, fatigued with the long +march, arrived at this spot. They did not hesitate, but when the +Americans opened fire they boldly assailed the intrenchments and carried +them with the bayonet. They were unable to march further, and lying down +so as to form an oblong square, slept till morning. All night the +Americans continued to come up in great force, and in the morning as the +troops advanced a terrible fire was opened upon them from the houses and +stone walls in which the country abounded. The British had to fight +every foot of their way. General Wooster had brought up some +field-artillery on the side of the Americans. Gradually the column +fought its way forward until it arrived within half a mile of Camp's +Point. Here two strong bodies of the enemy barred their way. The column +was by this time greatly exhausted; the men had had no real rest for +three days and two nights, and several dropped on the road with fatigue. +Brigadier General Erskine picked out 400 of those who were in the best +condition and attacked the two bodies of the enemy with such vigor that +he put them utterly to flight, and the column, again advancing, reached +their destination without further molestation. Nearly 200 men, including +10 officers, were killed and wounded on the part of the British; the +loss of the Americans was still greater, and General Wooster and some +field officers were among the slain. + +<P>Many other skirmishes took place with varied success. The Americans at +Bondwick, seven miles from Brunswick, 1200 in number, were surprised and +routed by Cornwallis, while on the other hand the American Colonel Meigs +carried out a most dashing expedition by crossing to Long Island and +destroying a quantity of stores at a place called Sag Harbor, burning a +dozen brigs and sloops which lay there, taking 90 prisoners, and +returning safely across the Sound. + +<P>In June Washington with 8000 men was encamped in a strong position at +Middlebrook. General Howe, although he had 30,000 men, hesitated to +attack him here. By a feigned retreat he succeeded in drawing General +Washington from his stronghold and inflicted a decisive defeat on 3000 +of his men. Washington fell back to his position in the mountains, and +General Howe retired altogether from Jersey and withdrew his troops to +Staten Island. A dashing feat was executed at this time by Colonel +Barton of the American army. Learning that General Prescott, who +commanded at Rhode Island, had his headquarters at a distance of a mile +from his troops, he crossed from the mainland in two boats, seized the +general in his bed, and carried him off through the British fleet. The +object of this dashing enterprise was to obtain a general to exchange +for the American General Lee, who had been captured by the British. + +<P>General Howe, in June, again marched against Washington and again fell +back without doing anything. Had he, instead of thus frittering away his +strength, marched to the Delaware, crossed that river, and advanced +against Philadelphia, Washington would have been forced to leave his +stronghold and either fight in the open or allow that important city to +fall into the hands of the English. + +<P>General Howe now embarked his army in transports. Had he sailed up the +North River to Albany he would have effected a junction with General +Burgoyne's army, which was advancing from Canada, and with the united +force could have marched through America from end to end as he chose. +Instead of doing so he sailed down to Chesapeake Bay and there +disembarked the whole army, which had been pent up in transports from +July 3 to August 24. Not till September 11 did they advance in earnest +toward Philadelphia. The Americans thus had ample time to take up a +strong position and fortify it. This they did on the other side of +Brandywine Creek. Under cover of a cannonade the British advanced, +mastered the fort, and carried the intrenchments. General Sullivan, with +a considerable force, had now arrived, accompanied by General Washington +himself. He took up his position a short distance from the Brandywine, +his artillery well placed and his flanks covered with woods. + +<P>The following afternoon the British attacked. The Americans fought well, +but the British were not to be denied, and rushing forward drove the +enemy from their position into the woods in their rear. Here they made a +stand and were only dislodged after a desperate resistance. The greater +portion of them fled in all directions. Washington himself, with his +guns and a small force, retreated eight miles from Chester and then +marched by Derby to Philadelphia. Here he waited three days rallying his +troops, and then, having recruited his stores from the magazines, +marched away. + +<P>All this time the British remained inactive on the ground they had won. +In the battle the Americans lost 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +prisoners. Several guns were also taken. The British lost 100 killed and +400 wounded. + +<P>On September 20 they advanced toward Philadelphia. The American General +Wayne had concealed himself in the woods with 1500 men, with the +intention of harassing the rear of the British army. News of this having +been obtained, Major General Grey was dispatched at once to surprise +him; he ordered his men not to load, but to rely wholly on the bayonet. +The success of the expedition was complete. General Wayne's outpost was +surprised and the British troops rushed into his encampment. Three +hundred of the Americans were killed or wounded and 100 taken prisoners. +The rest escaped through the woods. On the English side 1 officer was +killed and 7 privates killed and wounded. + +<P>The capture of Philadelphia was an important advantage to the British, +but it could not be thoroughly utilized until the fleet could come up +the river to the town. The American Congress, which had sat at +Philadelphia until General Howe approached the town, had taken extensive +measures for rendering the passage impracticable. Three rows of +chevaux-de-frise, composed of immense beams of timber bolted and +fastened together and stuck with iron spikes, were sunk across the +channel, and these lines were protected by batteries. At these forts +were fourteen large rowboats, each carrying a heavy cannon, two floating +batteries carrying nine guns each, and a number of fireships and rafts. + +<P>The forts commanding the chevaux-de-frise were abandoned on the +approach of the British, and Captain Hammond of the <I>Roebuck</I> +succeeded, in spite of the opposition of the enemy's boats and +batteries, in making an opening through the chevaux-de-frise +sufficiently wide for the fleet to pass. + +<P>Large numbers of troops having been sent away from Germantown, a place +seven miles from Philadelphia, where the main body of the British army +were posted, General Washington determined to attempt the surprise of +that position. For this purpose he re-enforced his army by drawing 1500 +troops from Peekskill and 1000 from Virginia, and at daybreak on October +4, under cover of a thick fog, he made an attack on the troops posted at +the head of the village. + +<P>Half of the British force lay on one side of the village, and half on +the other, and had the attack upon the place succeeded the British army +would have been cut in two. The village was held by the Fortieth +Regiment, who, fighting obstinately, were driven back among the houses. +The Americans were pushing forward in five heavy columns, when +Lieutenant Colonel Musgrave, who commanded the Fortieth, threw himself +into a large stone house. Here he offered a desperate resistance, and so +impeded the advance of the enemy that time was given for the rest of the +British troops to get under arms. + +<P>General Washington ordered a whole brigade of infantry to attack the +house and turned four guns against it. Colonel Musgrave and his men +resisted desperately and held the post until Major General Grey, with +the Third Brigade, and Brigadier General Agnew, with the Fourth Brigade, +came up and attacked the enemy with great spirit. The engagement was for +some time very hot. At length a part of the right wing fell upon the +enemy's flank, and the Americans retired with great precipitation. The +fog was so dense that no pursuit could be attempted. + +<P>On the part of the English 600 were killed and wounded. The loss of the +Americans amounted to between 200 and 300 killed, 600 wounded, and 400 +taken prisoners. General Howe had on the previous night been acquainted +with the intention of General Washington to attack the place, and had he +taken the proper measures to have received them the American army would +have been destroyed. He took no measures whatever, gave no warning to +the army, and suffered the camp to be taken by surprise. + +<P>After this battle the fleet and army united, cleared away the +chevaux-de-frise across the Delaware, and took the forts commanding them +after some hard fighting. + +<P>The passage of the Delaware being thus opened and the water +communication secured, the army went to their winter quarters at +Philadelphia. + +<P>Captain Wilson, and his son had taken no part in any of these +operations, as a short time after the capture of Harold and Harvey by +the American cavalry the company had been disbanded. The men, when they +entered the service, had volunteered for a year. This time already had +been greatly exceeded—twenty months had passed since the battle of +Bunker's Hill—and although the men were willing to continue to give +their services so long as it appeared to them that there was a prospect +of a favorable termination of the war, no such hope any longer remained +in their minds. The great army which England had sent over had done +nothing toward restoring the king's authority in the colonies, and if, +after a year's fighting, its outposts were still within a few miles of +New York, how could it be expected or even hoped that it could ever +subdue a country containing hundreds of thousands of square miles? The +retreat from the Delaware and the virtual handing over of New Jersey +again to Washington was the finishing stroke which decided the +volunteers to demand their discharge, according to the terms of their +engagement. Except during the Canadian campaign they had had but little +fighting, nor in such a warfare as that which General Howe was carrying +on was there much scope for their services. Many of the gentlemen who +formed the majority of the company, and who for the most part had +friends and connections in England, sailed for that country; some had +left wives and families on their estates when they took up arms; and +most of them, despairing of the final success of the war, had instructed +their agents to sell these estates for any sum that they would fetch; +others—among them Captain Wilson—now followed their example. It was +but a mere tithe of the value of the property that was obtained, for +money was scarce in the colonies, and so many had sold out and gone to +England, rather than take part on one side or the other of the +fratricidal strife, that land and houses fetched but nominal prices. + +<P>Mrs. Wilson had long since gone to England, and her husband, having made +arrangements for the disposal of his property, now determined to join +her. Fortunately he possessed means, irrespective of his estate in +America. This had come to him through his wife, and his own fortune and +the money obtained by the sale of his commission had remained invested +in English securities. While determined on this course for himself, he +left it to his son to choose his own career. Harold was now nearly +eighteen, and his life of adventure and responsibility had made a man of +him. His father would have preferred that he should have returned with +him to England, but Harold finally decided upon remaining. In war men's +passions become heated, the original cause of quarrel sinks into +comparative insignificance, and the desire for victory, the +determination to resist, and a feeling of something like individual +hatred for the enemy become predominant motives of the strife. + +<P>This was especially the case in the American war. On both sides there +were many circumstances which heightened the passions of the combatants. +The loyalists in the English ranks had been ruined by the action of +their opponents—many had been reduced from wealth to poverty, and each +man felt a deep passion of resentment at what he regarded his personal +grievance. Then, too, the persistent misrepresentations both of facts +and motives on the part of the American writers and speakers added to +the irritation. The loyalists felt that there were vast numbers +throughout the colonies who agreed with them and regarded Congress as a +tyrannical faction rather than the expression of the general will. In +this, no doubt, they were to some extent mistaken, for by this time the +vast majority of the people had joined heart and soul in the conflict. +Men's passions had become so stirred up that it was difficult for any to +remain neutral; and although there were still large numbers of loyalists +throughout the States, the vast bulk of the people had resolved that the +only issue of the contest was complete and entire separation from the +mother country. + +<P>Harold had now entered passionately into the struggle. He was in +constant contact with men who had been ruined by the war. He heard only +one side of the question, and he was determined, so long as England +continued the struggle, to fight on for a cause which he considered +sacred. He was unable to regard the prospects of success as hopeless; he +saw the fine army which England had collected; he had been a witness of +the defeat of the Americans whenever they ventured to stand the shock of +the British battalions; and in spite of the unsatisfactory nature of the +first campaign, he could not bring himself to believe that such an army +could fail. + +<P>When the company was disbanded he decided to continue to serve as a +scout, but, sharing in the general disgust in the army at the incapacity +of General Howe, he determined to take ship again for Canada and take +service under General Burgoyne, who was preparing with a well-appointed +army to invade the States from that side. + +<P>When he communicated his determination to Peter Lambton the latter at +once agreed to accompany him. + +<P>"I've gone into this business," the hunter said, "and I mean to see it +through. Settling down don't suit me. I aint got any friends at New +York, and I'd be miserable just loafing about all day doing nothing. No, +I'll see this business out to the end, and I'd much rather go with you +than anyone else." + +<P>Jake was of the same opinion. Accustomed all his life to obey orders and +to the life on his master's plantation, he would not have known what to +do if left to his own devices. Captain Wilson pointed out to him that he +could easily obtain work on the wharves of New York or as a laborer on a +farm, but Jake would not listen to the proposal and was hurt at the +thought that he could leave his young master's side as long as Harold +continued in the war. + +<P>Accordingly, the day after Captain Wilson sailed for England the three +comrades embarked in a ship for Halifax, whence another vessel took them +to Quebec. They then sailed up the river to Montreal and took service as +scouts in General Burgoyne's army. + +<P>For political reasons General Burgoyne had been appointed to the command +of the expedition which had been, prepared, and General Carleton, +naturally offended at being passed over, at once resigned the +governorship. His long residence in Canada, his knowledge of the +country, of the manners of its inhabitants and the extent of its +resources, and his acquaintance with the character of the Indians, +rendered him far more fit for command than was General Burgoyne. In +military knowledge and experience, too, he was his superior, and had he +retained a command the fate of the expedition would probably have been +very different. + +<P>The army under General Burgoyne consisted of 7173 men, exclusive of +artillerymen. Of these about half were Germans. The Canadians were +called upon to furnish men sufficient to occupy the woods on the +frontier and to provide men for the completion of the fortifications at +Sorrel, St. John's, Chamblée, and Isle-aux-Noix, to furnish horses and +carts for carriage, and to make roads when necessary. A naval force was +to go forward with him on the lake. The Indian question had again to be +decided. Several tribes volunteered to join the British. General +Burgoyne hesitated, as General Carleton had done before, to accept their +services, and only did so finally on the certainty that if he refused +their offers they would join the Americans. He resolved to use them as +little as possible. He knew that their object in all wars was murder and +destruction, and although he wished to conquer the Americans, he did not +desire to exterminate them. + +<P>On June 16, 1777, General Burgoyne advanced from St. John's. The naval +force had preceded the army and opened a way for its advance. The troops +were carried in a flotilla of boats, and under the protection of the +fleet passed Lake Champlain and landed at Crown Point. + +<P>Harold and his companions had joined the army a fortnight previously, +and as they crossed the lake with the fleet they could not but +remember their last expedition there. At Crown Point they were joined +by 1000 Indians, who marched round the lake, and at this place General +Burgoyne gave them a great feast and afterward made a speech to them, +exhorting them to abstain from all cruelty, to avoid any ill-treatment +of unarmed combatants, and to take as prisoners all combatants who +fell into their hands. + +<P>But while thus exhorting the Indians to behave with humanity and +moderation, the general took a most ill-judged step, which not only +did the English cause great harm, but was used by the Americans with +much effect as a proof of the cruel way in which England warred +against the colonists. He issued a proclamation threatening to punish +with the utmost severity all who refused to attach themselves to the +British cause, and at the same time he magnified the ferocity of the +Indians; pointing out with great emphasis their eagerness to butcher +those who continued hostile to the mother country, whose interests +they had espoused. + +<P>This proclamation was naturally construed by the Americans as a threat +to deliver over to the tender mercies of the Indians to slay, scalp, and +destroy all who ventured to resist the authority of the king. + +<P>The Americans had fallen back on the approach of the British, and upon +the landing being effected, the scouts were instantly sent forward. + +<P>Among the Indians who had joined at Crown Point were the Senecas—among +them their old friend Deer Tail. + +<P>The scouts received no particular orders and were free to regulate their +own movements. Their duty was to reconnoiter the country ahead and to +bring in any information they might gather as to numbers and positions +of the enemy. + +<P>Finding that Peter and his companions were about to start, Deer Tail +said that, instead of waiting for the feast, he would take five of his +warriors and accompany them. + +<P>It was at Ticonderoga that the Americans had prepared to make their +first stand. The place lies on the western shore of the lake a few miles +to the northward of the narrow inlet uniting Lake Champlain to Lake +George. It was to reconnoiter the fort that the party now set out. News +had been brought that the Americans had been executing great additional +works, and the British general was anxious to learn the nature of these +before he advanced. + +<P>It was certain that the enemy would on their side have sent out scouts +to ascertain the movements of the royal army, and the party proceeded +with the greatest care. They marched in the usual fashion—in Indian +file; the Seneca chief led the way, followed by one of his braves; then +came Peter, Harold, and Jake; the other Senecas marched in the rear. + +<P>When they came within a few miles of the fort their progress was marked +with profound caution. Not a word was spoken, their tread was noiseless, +and the greatest pains were taken to avoid stepping on a twig or dried +stick. The three scouts when they left St. John's had abandoned their +boots and had taken to Indian moccasins. Several times slight murmurs +were heard in the forest, and once a party of four American frontiersmen +were seen in the wood. The party halted and crouched in the bushes. The +Senecas turned toward Peter as if asking if an attack should be made, +but the latter shook his head. A single shot would have been heard far +away in the woods and their further progress would have been arrested. +Their object now was not to fight, but to penetrate close to the +American intrenchments. + +<P>When the enemy had passed on the party continued its way. As they neared +the fort the caution observed increased. Several times they halted, +while the Seneca, with one of his braves, crawled forward to see that +all was clear. At last they stood on the edge of a great clearing. +Before them, just within gunshot range, stood the fort of Ticonderoga. +Peter Lambton was well acquainted with it, and beyond the fact that the +space around had been cleared of all trees and the stockades and +earthworks repaired, little change could be seen. + +<P>As he was gazing the Indian touched his shoulder and pointed to a high +hill on the opposite side of the narrow straits. This had been cleared +of trees and on the top a strong fort had been erected. Many cannon were +to be seen along its crest, the roofs of huts, and a large number of +men. Halfway up the hill was another battery and a third, still lower +down, to sweep the landing. + +<P>"They've been working hard," the hunter said, "and the army'll have a +mighty tough job before it. What do you think of that, Harold?" + +<P>"It is a very strong position," Harold said, "and will cost us a +tremendous number of men to take it. The fort cannot be attacked till +that hill has been carried, for its guns completely command all this +clearing." + +<P>For some time they stood gazing at the works, standing well back +among the trees, so as to be screened from all observation. At last +Harold said: + +<P>"Look at that other hill behind. It is a good bit higher than that which +they have fortified and must be within easy range both of it and the +fort. I don't see any works there—do you?" + +<P>Peter and the Seneca chief both gazed long and earnestly at the hill and +agreed that they could see no fortification there. + +<P>"It won't do to have any doubt about it," Peter said. "We must go round +and have a look at it." + +<P>"We shall have to cross the river," Harold remarked. + +<P>"Ay, cross it we must," Peter said. "That hill's got to be inspected." + +<P>They withdrew into the wood again and made a circuitous deviation till +they came down upon the river, two miles above Ticonderoga. They could +not reach the water itself, as a road ran along parallel with it and the +forest was cleared away for some distance. A number of men could be seen +going backward and forward on the road. + +<P>Having made their observations, the scouts retired again into a thick +part of the forest and waited till nightfall. + +<P>"How are we to get across?" Harold asked Peter. "It's a good long swim, +and we could not carry our muskets and ammunition across." + +<P>"Easy enough," the scout said. "Didn't you notice down by the road a +pile of planks? I suppose a wagon has broke down there, and the planks +have been turned out and nobody has thought anything more about 'em. +We'll each take a plank, fasten our rifle and ammunition on it, and swim +across; there won't be any difficulty about that. Then, when we've seen +what's on the top of that 'ere hill, we'll tramp round to the other end +of the lake. I heard that the army was to advance half on each side, so +we'll meet 'em coming." + +<P>When it was perfectly dark they left their hiding place and crossed the +clearing to the spot where Peter had seen the planks. Each took one of +them and proceeded to the river side. Peter, Harold, and Jake divested +themselves of some of their clothes and fastened these with their rifles +and ammunition to the planks. To the Indians the question of getting wet +was one of entire indifference, and they did not even take off their +hunting shirts. Entering the water the party swam noiselessly across to +the other side, pushing their planks before them. On getting out they +carried the planks for some distance, as their appearance by the water's +edge might excite a suspicion on the part of the Americans that the +works had been reconnoitered. + +<P>After hiding the planks in the bushes they made their way to Sugar Hill, +as the eminence was called. The ascent was made with great +circumspection, the Indians going on first. No signs of the enemy were +met with, and at last the party stood on the summit of the hill. It was +entirely unoccupied by the Americans. + +<P>"Well, my fine fellows," laughed the scout, "I reckon ye've been doing a +grist of work, and ye might jest as well have been sitting down quietly +smoking yer pipes. What on arth possessed ye to leave this hill +unguarded?" + +<P>In point of fact General St. Clair, who commanded the Americans, had +perceived that his position was commanded from this spot. He had only +3000 men under him, and he considered this number too small to hold +Ticonderoga, Mount Independence, and Sugar Hill. The two former posts +could afford no assistance to the garrison of a fort placed on Sugar +Hill, and that place must therefore fall if attacked by the British. On +the other hand, he hoped that, should the attention of the English not +be called to the importance of the position by the erection of works +upon it, it might be overlooked, and that General Burgoyne on his +arrival might at once attack the position which he had prepared with so +much care. + +<P>Having ascertained that the hill was unoccupied, Peter proposed at once +to continue the march. Harold suggested to him that it would be better +to wait until morning, as from their lofty position they would be able +to overlook the whole of the enemy's lines of defense and might obtain +information of vital importance to the general. Peter saw the advantage +of the suggestion. Two of the Indians were placed on watch, and the rest +of the party lay down to sleep. At daybreak they saw that the delay had +been fully justified, for they had now a view of the water which +separated Ticonderoga from Mount Independence, and perceived that the +Americans had made a strong bridge of communication between these posts. +Twenty-two piers had been sunk at equal distances, and between them +boats were placed, fastened with chains to the piers. A strong bridge of +planks connected the whole. On the Lake Champlain side of the bridge a +boom, composed of great trees fastened together with double chains, had +been placed. Thus, not only had communication been established across +the stream, but an effectual barrier erected to the passage of the +fleet. Fully satisfied with the result of their investigations, the +party set out on their return. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c12"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE SETTLER'S HUT.</H3> + +<P>Before starting they stood for a minute or two looking over the forest +which they were to traverse. To Harold's eyes all appeared quiet and +still. Here and there were clearings where settlers had established +themselves; but, with these exceptions, the forest stretched away like a +green sea. + +<P>"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed. "We'll have all our work to get through +safely; eh, chief?" + +<P>The Seneca nodded. + +<P>"What makes you say so?" Harold asked in surprise. "I see nothing." + +<P>Peter looked at him reproachfully. + +<P>"I'm downright ashamed of ye, lad. You should have been long enough in +the woods by this time to know smoke when you see it. Why, there it is +curling up from the trees in a dozen—ay, in a score of places. There +must be hundreds of men out scouting or camping in them woods." + +<P>Harold looked fixedly again at the forests, but even now he could not +detect the signs which were so plain to the scout. + +<P>"You may call me as blind as a bat, Peter," he said with a laugh, "but I +can see nothing. Looking hard I imagine I can see a light mist here and +there, but I believe it is nothing but fancy." + +<P>"It's clear enough to me, lad, and to the redskins. What do you +say, chief?" + +<P>"Too much men," the Seneca replied sententiously. + +<P>For another minute or two he and Peter stood watching the forest, and +then in a few words consulted together as to the best line to follow to +avoid meeting the foe who, to their eyes, swarmed in the forest. + +<P>"It's mighty lucky," the hunter said as they turned to descend the hill, +which was covered with trees to its very summit, "that they're white men +and not redskins out in the woods, there. I don't say that there's not +many frontiersmen who know the way of the woods as well as the redskins. +I do myself, and when it comes to fighting we can lick 'em on their own +ground; but in scouting we aint nowhere—not the best of us. The redskin +seems to have an instinct more like that of an animal than a man. I +don't say as he can smell a man a mile off as a dog can do, but he seems +to know when the enemy's about; his ears can hear noises which we can't; +his eyes see marks on the ground when the keenest-sighted white man sees +nothing. If that wood was as full of redskins as it is of whites to-day, +our sculps wouldn't be worth a charge of powder." + +<P>"You are not going to follow the shores of the lake, I suppose?" +Harold asked. + +<P>"No," Peter said. "They'll be as thick as peas down there, watching for +the first sight of our fleet. No, we must just keep through the woods +and be as still and as silent as if the trees had ears. You'd best look +to the priming of yer piece before we goes further, for it's likely +enough you'll have to use it before the day's done, and a miss-fire +might cost you yer life. Tell that nigger of yourn that he's not to open +his mouth again till I gives him leave." + +<P>With a long stealthy tread the party descended the mountain and took +their way through the woods. Every hundred yards or so they stopped and +listened intently. When any noise, even of the slightest kind, was +heard, all dropped to the ground until the chief had scouted round and +discovered the way was clear. Once or twice they heard the sound of +men's voices and a distant laugh, but they passed on without seeing +those who uttered them. + +<P>Presently they again heard voices, this time raised as if in angry +dispute. The Seneca would, as before, have made a long <I>détour</I> to avoid +them, but Peter said. + +<P>"Let's have a squint at what's going on, chief." + +<P>With redoubled caution they again advanced until they stood at the edge +of the clearing. It was a patch of land some hundred yards wide, and +extending from the shore of the lake nearly a quarter of a mile inland. +In the center stood a log hut, neatly and carefully built. A few flowers +grew around the house, and the whole bore signs of greater neatness and +comfort than was usual in the cabins of the backwood settlers. + +<P>The point where the party had reached the edge of the wood was +immediately opposite the house. Near it stood a group of some twenty +men, one of whom, apparently their leader, was gesticulating angrily as +he addressed a man who stood facing him. + +<P>"I tell ye, ye're a darned royalist—ye're a traitor to the country, and +I've a mind to hang ye and all belonging to ye to the nearest bough." + +<P>"I tell you," the man answered calmly, but in the still air every word +he said could be heard by those at the edge of the forest, "I hae +naething to do with the trouble ane way or the ither. I am a quiet +settler, whose business only is to mak a hame for my wife and bairn; +but, if you ask me to drink success to the Congress and confusion to the +king's troops, I tell you I willna do it; not even if you are brutal +enough, but this I canna believe possible, to carry your threats into +execution. I hae served my time in a king's regiment. With the bounty I +received instead o' pension on my discharge I settled here wi' my wife +and bairn, and no one shall say that Duncan Cameron was a traitor to his +king. We do no harm to anyone; we tak no part for or against you; we +only ask to be allowed to live in peace." + +<P>"That ye shall not," the man said. "The king's troops have got Injuns +with 'em, and they're going to burn and kill all those who won't take +part with 'em. It's time we should show 'em as we can play at that game, +too. Now ye've either got to swear to be faithful to the States of +America or up you go." + +<P>"I canna swear," the settler said firmly. "You may kill me if you will, +but, if you are men, you will nae harm my wife and girl." + +<P>"We'll just do to you as the redskins'll do to our people," the man +said. "We'll make a sweep of the hull lot of you. Here, you fellows, +fetch the woman and girl out of the house and then set a light to it." + +<P>Four or five men entered the house. A minute later screams were heard +and a woman and child were dragged out. The settler sprang toward them, +but three or four men seized him. + +<P>"Now," the man said, stepping toward the house, "we'll show 'em a +bonfire." + +<P>As he neared the door a crack of a rifle was heard and the ruffian fell +dead in his tracks. A yell of astonishment and rage broke from his +followers. + +<P>"Jerusalem, youngster! you've got us into a nice fix. Howsomever, since +you've begun it, here goes." + +<P>And the rifle of the hunter brought down another of the Americans. +These, following the first impulse of a frontiersman when attacked, fled +for shelter to the house, leaving the settler, with his wife and +daughter, standing alone. + +<P>"Ye'd best get out of the way," Peter shouted, "or ye may get a bit of +lead that wasn't intended for ye." + +<P>Catching up his child, Cameron ran toward the forest, making for the +side on which his unknown friends were placed, but keeping down toward +the lake, so as to be out of their line of fire. + +<P>"Make down to 'em, Harold," Peter said. "Tell 'em they'd best go to some +neighbor's and stop there for a day or two. The army'll be here +to-morrow or next day. Be quick about it, and come back as fast as ye +can. I tell ye we're in a hornets' nest, and it'll be as much as we can +do to get out of it." + +<P>A scattering fire was now being exchanged between the redskins behind +the shelter of the trees and the Americans firing from the windows of +the log house. Harold was but two or three minutes absent. + +<P>"All right, Peter!" he exclaimed, as he rejoined them. + +<P>"Come along, then," the hunter said. "Now, chief, let's make up round +the top of this clearing and then foot it." + +<P>The chief at once put himself at the head of the party, and the nine men +strode away again through the forest. It was no longer silent. Behind +them the occupants of the hut were still keeping up a brisk fire toward +the trees, while from several quarters shouts could be heard, and more +than once the Indian war-whoop rose in the forest. + +<P>"That's just what I was afeared of," Peter muttered. "There's some of +those darned varmint with 'em. We might have found our way through the +whites, but the redskins'll pick up our trail as sartin as if we were +driving a wagon through the woods." + +<P>Going along at a swinging, noiseless trot the party made their way +through the forest. Presently a prolonged Indian whoop was heard in the +direction from which they had come. Then there were loud shouts and the +firing ceased. + +<P>"One of the red reptiles has found our trail," Peter said. "He's with a +party of whites, and they've shouted the news to the gang in the +clearing. Waal, we may, calculate we've got thirty on our trail, and, as +we can hear them all round, it'll be a sarcumstance if we git out with +our sculps." + +<P>As they ran they heard shouts from those behind, answered by others on +both flanks. Shots, too, were fired as signals to call the attention of +other parties. Several times the Seneca chief stopped and listened +attentively, and then changed his course as he heard suspicious noises +ahead. Those behind them were coming up, although still at some distance +in the rear. They could hear the sound of breaking trees and bushes as +their pursuers followed them in a body. + +<P>"Ef it was only the fellows behind," Peter said, "we could leave them +easy enough, but the wood seems alive with the varmint." + +<P>It was evident the alarm had spread through the forest, and that the +bands scattered here and there were aware that an enemy was in their +midst. The dropping fire, which the pursuers kept up, afforded an +indication as to the direction in which they were making, and the +ringing war-whoop of the hostile Indians conveyed the intelligence still +more surely. + +<P>Presently there was a shout a short distance ahead, followed by the +sound of a rifle ball as it whizzed close to Harold's head and buried +itself in a tree that he was passing. In a moment each of the party had +sheltered behind a tree. + +<P>"It's of no use, chief," Peter said. "We'll have the hull pack from +behind upon us in five minutes. We must run for it and take our chances +of being hit." + +<P>Swerving somewhat from their former line, they again ran on; bullets +whisked round them, but they did not pause to fire a shot in return. + +<P>"Tarnation!" Peter exclaimed, as the trees in front of them opened and +they found themselves on the edge of another clearing. It was +considerably larger than that which they had lately left, being three +hundred yards across, and extending back from the lake fully half a +mile. As in the previous case, a log hut stood in the center, some two +hundred yards back from the lake. + +<P>"There's nothing for it, chief," Peter said. "We must take to the house +and fight it out there. There's a hull gang of fellows in the forest +ahead, and they'll shoot us down if we cross the clearing." + +<P>Without a moment's hesitation the party rushed across the clearing to +the hut. Several shots were fired as they dashed across the open, but +they gained the place of refuge in safety. The hut was deserted. It had +probably belonged to royalists, for its rough furniture lay broken on +the ground; boxes and cupboards had been forced open, and the floor was +strewn with broken crockery and portions of wearing apparel. + +<P>Harold looked round. Several of the party were bleeding from +slight wounds. + +<P>"Now to the windows," Peter said as he barred the door. "Pile up bedding +and anything else that ye can find against the shutters, and keep +yerselves well under cover. Don't throw away a shot; we'll want all our +powder, I can tell ye. Quickly, now—there aint no time to be lost." + +<P>While some began carrying out his instructions below, others bounded +upstairs and scattered themselves through the upper rooms. There were +two windows on each side of the house—one at each end. Disregarding the +latter, Peter and Harold took post at the windows looking toward the +forest from which they had just come. The chief and another Indian +posted themselves to watch the other side. At first no one was to be +seen. The party who had fired at them as they ran across the open had +waited for the coming up of the strong band who were following, before +venturing to show themselves. The arrival of the pursuers was heralded +by the opening of a heavy fire toward the house. As the assailants kept +themselves behind trees, no reply was made, and the defenders occupied +themselves by piling the bedding against the shutters, which they had +hastily closed. Loop-holes had been left in the walls when the hut was +first built; the moss with which they were filled up was torn out, and +each man took his post at one of these. As no answering shot came from +the house the assailants became bolder, and one or two ventured to show +themselves from, behind shelter. In a moment Harold and Peter, whose +rifles would carry more truly and much further than those of the +Indians, fired. + +<P>"Two wiped out!" Peter said, as the men fell, and shouts of anger arose +from the woods. "That'll make them careful." + +<P>This proof of the accuracy of the aim of the besieged checked their +assailants, and for some time they were very careful not to expose +themselves. From both sides of the forest a steady fire was maintained. +Occasionally an answering shot flashed out from the house when one of +the enemy incautiously showed an arm or a part of his body from behind +the trees, and it was seldom the rifles were fired in vain. Four or five +of the Americans were shot through the head as they leaned forward to +fire, and after an hour's exchange of bullets the attack ceased. + +<P>"What are they going to do now?" Harold asked. + +<P>"I expect they're going to wait till nightfall," Peter said. "There's no +moon, and they'll be able to work up all round the house. Then they'll +make a rush at the door and lower windows. We'll shoot down a good many +on 'em, and then they'll burst their way in or set fire to the hut, and +there'll be an end of it. That's what'll happen." + +<P>"And you think there is no way of making our way out?" Harold asked. + +<P>"It's a mighty poor chance, if there's one at all," the hunter replied. +"I should say by the fire there must be nigh a hundred of 'em now, and +it's likely that, by nightfall, there'll be three times as many. As soon +as it gets dusk they'll creep out from the woods and form a circle round +the house and gradually work up to it. Now let's cook some vittles; +we've had nothing to eat this morning yet, and it must be nigh eleven +o'clock. I don't see why we should be starved, even if we have got to be +killed to-night." + +<P>One of the party was left on watch on each side of the house, and the +others gathered in the room below, where a fire was lit and the strips +of dried deer flesh which they carried were soon frying over it. Harold +admired the air of indifference with which his companions set about +preparing the meat. Everyone was aware of the desperate nature of the +position, but no allusion was made to it. The negro had caught the +spirit of his companions, but his natural loquacity prevented his +imitating their habitual silence. + +<P>"Dis bad affair, Massa Harold," he said. "We jess like so many coons up +in tree, wid a whole pack ob dogs round us, and de hunters in de +distance coming up wid de guns. Dis chile reckon dat some ob dem hunters +will get hit hard before dey get us. Jake don't care one bit for +himself, massa, but he bery sorry to see you in such a fix." + +<P>"It can't be helped, Jake," Harold said as cheerfully as he could. "It +was my firing that shot which got us into it, and yet I cannot blame +myself. We could not stand by and see those ruffians murder a woman +and child." + +<P>"Dat's so, Massa Harold; dere was no possinbility of seeing dat. I +reckon dat when dose rascals come to climb de stairs dey'll find it are +bery hard work." + +<P>"I don't think they will try, Jake. They are more likely to heap +brushwood against the door and windows and set it alight, and then shoot +us down as we rush out. This hut is not like the one I had to defend +against the Iroquois. That was built to repel Indians' attacks; this is +a mere squatter's hut." + +<P>After the meal was over Peter and the Seneca chief went upstairs, looked +through the loop-holes, and talked long and earnestly together; then +they rejoined the party below. + +<P>"The chief and I are of opinion," Peter said to Harold, "that it are of +no manner of use our waiting to be attacked here. They'd burn us out to +a sartinty; we should have no show of a fight at all. Anything's better +than that. Now, what we propose is that, directly it gets fairly dark, +we'll all creep out and make for the lake. Even if they have formed +their circle round us, they aint likely to be as thick there as they are +on the other side. What they'll try to do, in course, is to prevent our +taking to the forest; and there'll be such a grist of 'em that I don't +believe one of us would get through alive if we tried it. Now they'll +not be so strong toward the lake, and we might break through to the +water. I don't say as there's much chance of our getting away, for I +tell you fairly that I don't believe that there's any chance at all; but +the chief, here, and his braves don't want their sculps to hang in the +wigwams of the Chippewas, and I myself, ef I had the choice, would +rather be drownded than shot down. It don't make much difference; but, +of the two, I had rather. Ef we can reach the lake, we can swim out of +gunshot range. I know you can swim like a fish, and so can Jake, and the +Indians swim as a matter of course. Ef we dive at first we may get off; +it'll be so dark they won't see us with any sartainty beyond fifty +yards. When we're once fairly out in the lake we can take our chance." + +<P>"And is there a chance, Peter? Although, if there is none, I quite agree +with you that I would rather be drowned than shot down. If one were sure +of being killed by the first shot that would be the easiest death; but +if we were only wounded they would probably hang us in the morning." + +<P>"That's so," the hunter said. "Waal, I can hardly say that there's a +chance, and yet I can't say as how there aint. In the first place, they +may have some canoes and come out after us; there's pretty safe to be +some along the shore here. The settlers would have had 'em for fishing." + +<P>"But what chance will that give us?" Harold asked. + +<P>"Waal," the hunter replied, "I reckon in that case as our chance is a +fair one. Ef we dive and come up close alongside we may manage to upset +one of 'em, and, in that case, we might get off. That's one chance. Then +ef they don't come out in canoes, we might swim three or four miles down +the lake and take to land. They couldn't tell which way to go and would +have to scatter over a long line. It's just possible as we might land +without being seen. Once in the woods and we'd be safe. So you see, we +have two chances. In course we must throw away our rifles and ammunition +before we come to the water." + +<P>"At any rate," Harold said, "the plan is a hopeful one, and I agree with +you that it is a thousand times better to try it than it is to stop here +with the certainty of being shot down before morning." + +<P>The afternoon passed quietly. A few shots were fired occasionally from +the wood, and taunting shouts were heard of the fate which awaited them +when night approached. + +<P>A vigilant watch was kept from the upper windows, but Peter thought that +it was certain the enemy would make no move until it became perfectly +dark, although they would establish a strong cordon all round the +clearing in case the besieged should try and break out. Harold trembled +with impatience to be off as the night grew darker and darker. It seemed +to him that at any moment the assailants might be narrowing the circle +round the house, and, had he been a leader, he would have given the word +long before the scout made a move. + +<P>At last Peter signaled that the time had come. It was perfectly dark +when the bars were noiselessly removed from the door and the party stole +out. Everything seemed silent, but the very stillness made the danger +appear more terrible. Peter had impressed upon Harold and Jake the +necessity for moving without making the slightest noise. As soon as they +left the house the whole party dropped on their hands and knees. Peter +and the Seneca chief led the way; two of the braves came next; Harold +and Jake followed; the remaining Indians crawled in the rear. Peter had +told his comrades to keep as close as possible to the Indians in front +of them, and, grasping their rifles, they crept along the ground. As +they led the way Peter and the Seneca carefully removed from before them +every dried twig and threw it on one side. + +<P>The distance to be traversed from the hut to the water was about two +hundred yards, and half of this was passed over before they encountered +any obstacle. Then suddenly there was an exclamation, and Peter and the +Seneca sprang to their feet, as they came in contact with two men +crawling in the opposite direction. They were too close to use their +rifles, but a crushing blow from the Seneca's tomahawk cleft down the +man in front of him, while Peter drew his long knife from its sheath and +buried it in the body of his opponent. + +<P>The others had also leaped to their feet, and each, as he did so, fired +at the dark figures which rose around them. They had the advantage of +the surprise; several scattered shots answered their volley, then, with +their rifles clubbed, they rushed forward. For a moment there was a +hand-to-hand fight. Harold had just struck down a man opposite to him +when another sprang upon him; so sudden was the attack that he fell from +the shock. But in an instant Jake buried his knife between his +opponent's shoulders and dragged Harold to his feet. + +<P>"Run for your life, Massa Harold. De whole gang's upon us!" + +<P>And indeed the instant the first shot broke the silence of the woods a +babel of sounds arose from the whole circuit of the clearing; shouts and +yells burst out from hundreds of throats. There was no further use for +concealment, and from all sides the men who had been advancing to the +attack rushed in the direction where the conflict was taking place. This +lasted but a few seconds. As Peter had expected, the line was thinner +toward the lake than upon the other sides, and the rush of nine men had +broken through it. Shouts were heard from the woods on either side +extending down to the water, showing that the precaution had been taken +by the assailants of leaving a portion of their force to guard the line +of forest should the defenders break through the circle. + +<P>At headlong speed the little band rushed down to the water's side, +dropped their ammunition pouches by its edge, threw their rifles a few +yards into the water, to be recovered, perhaps, on some future occasion, +and then dived in. The nearest of the pursuers were some thirty yards +behind when they neared the water's edge. Swimming as far under water as +they could hold their breath, each came to the surface for an instant, +and then again dived. Momentarily as they showed themselves they heard +the rattle of musketry behind, and the bullets splashed thickly on the +water. The night, however, was so dark that the fire could only be a +random one. Until far out from the shore they continued diving and then +gathered together. + +<P>"We're pretty well out of range, now," Peter said, "and quite out of +sight of the varmints. Now we can wait a bit and see what they do next." + +<P>The enemy were still keeping up a heavy fire from the shore, hallooing +and shouting to each other as they fancied they caught a glimpse of +their enemies. + +<P>"There must be two or three hundred of 'em," Peter said. "We've fooled +'em nicely, so far." + +<P>By the crashing of the bushes the fugitives could hear strong parties +making their way along the shore in either direction. An hour passed, +during which the fugitives floated nearly opposite the clearing. + +<P>"Hullo!" Peter exclaimed presently. "There's a canoe coming along the +lake. I expect they got it from Cameron's." + +<P>As he spoke a canoe appeared round the point. Two men were standing up +holding blazing torches; two others paddled; while two, rifle in hand, +sat by them. Almost at the same moment another canoe, similarly manned, +pushed out from the shore immediately opposite. + +<P>"I wish we had known of that canoe," Peter said; "it would have saved us +a lot of trouble; but we had no time for looking about. I suspected them +settlers must have had one laid up somewheres. Now," he went on, "let's +make our plans. The canoes are sure to keep pretty nigh each other. +They'll most likely think as we've gone down the lake and'll not be +looking very sharply after us at present. It'll never do to let 'em pass +us. Now Jake and I and two of the Injuns will take one canoe, and the +chief and three of his braves the other. We must move round so as to get +between 'em and the shore, and then dive and come up close to 'em. Now, +Harold, do you swim out a bit further and then make a splash so as to +call their attention. Do it once or twice till you see that they've got +their eyes turned that way. Then be very quiet, so as to keep 'em +watching for another sound. That'll be our moment for attacking 'em." + +<P>They waited till the two canoes joined each other and paddled slowly out +from the shore. Then the eight swimmers started off to make their +<I>détour</I>, while Harold swam quietly further out into the lake. The +canoes were about three hundred yards from shore and were paddling very +slowly, the occupants keeping a fixed look along the lake. There was +perfect quiet on the shore now, and when Harold made a slight splash +with his hand upon the water he saw that it was heard. Both canoes +stopped rowing, the steerers in each case giving them a steer so that +they lay broadside to the land, giving each man a view over the lake. +They sat as quiet as if carved in stone. Again Harold made a splash, but +this time a very slight one, so slight that it could hardly reach the +ears of the listeners. + +<P>A few words were exchanged by the occupants of the boats. + +<P>"They are further out on the lake, Bill," one said. + +<P>"I am not sure," another answered. "I rather think the sound was further +down. Listen again." + +<P>Again they sat motionless. Harold swam with his eyes fixed upon them. +Every face was turned his way and none was looking shoreward. Then, +almost at the same instant there was a shout from both boats. The men +with torches seemed to lose their balance. The lights described a half +circle through the air and were extinguished. A shout of astonishment +broke from the occupants, mingled with the wild Seneca war-yell, and he +knew that both canoes were upset. + +<P>There was a sound of a desperate struggle going on. Oaths and wild cries +rose from the water. Heavy blows were struck, while from the shore arose +loud shouts of dismay and rage. In two minutes all was quiet on the +water. Then came Peter's shout: + +<P>"This way, Harold! We'll have the canoes righted and bailed in a minute. +The varmin's all wiped out." + +<P>With a lightened heart Harold swam toward the spot. The surprise had +been a complete success. The occupants of the canoes, intent only upon +the pursuit and having no fear of attack—for they knew that the +fugitives must have thrown away their rifles—were all gazing intently +out on the lake, when, close to each canoe on the shore side, four heads +rose from out of the water. In an instant eight hands had seized the +gunwales, and, before the occupants were aware of their danger, the +canoes were upset. + +<P>Taken wholly by surprise, the Americans were no match for their +assailants. The knives of the latter did their work before the +frontiersmen had thoroughly grasped what had happened. Two or three, +indeed, had made a desperate fight, but they were no match for their +opponents, and the struggle was quickly over. + +<P>On Harold reaching the canoes he found them already righted and half +emptied of water. The paddles were picked up, and, in a few minutes, +with a derisive shout of adieu to their furious enemy on the shore, the +two canoes paddled out into the lake. When they had attained a distance +of about half a mile from the shore they turned the boats heads and +paddled north. In three hours they saw lights in the wood. + +<P>"There's the troops," Peter said. "Soldiers are never content unless +they're making fires big enough to warn every redskin within fifty miles +that they're coming." + +<P>As they approached the shore the challenge from the English sentinel +came over the water: + +<P>"Who comes there?" + +<P>"Friends," Peter replied. + +<P>"Give the password." + +<P>"How on arth am I to give the password," Peter shouted back, "when we've +been three days away from the camp?" + +<P>"If you approach without the password I fire," the sentinel said. + +<P>"I tell ye," Peter shouted, "we're scouts with news for the general." + +<P>"I can't help who you are," the sentinel said. "I have got my orders." + +<P>"Pass the word along for an officer," Harold shouted. "We have +important news." + +<P>The sentry called to the one next him, and so the word was passed along +the line. In a few minutes an officer appeared on the shore, and, after +a short parley, the party were allowed to land, and Peter and Harold +were at once conducted to the headquarters of General Burgoyne. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c13"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XIII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">SARATOGA.</H3> + +<P>"What is your report?" asked General Burgoyne, as the scouts were +conducted into his tent. + +<P>"We have discovered, sir, that the Americans have strongly fortified +Mount Independence, which faces Ticonderoga, and have connected the two +places by a bridge across the river, which is protected by a strong +boom. Both positions are, however, overlooked by Sugar Hill, and this +they have entirely neglected to fortify. If you were to seize this they +would have to retire at once." + +<P>The general expressed his satisfaction at the news and gave orders that +steps should be taken to seize Sugar Hill immediately. He then +questioned the scouts as to their adventures and praised them highly for +their conduct. + +<P>The next day the army advanced, and at nightfall both divisions were in +their places, having arrived within an hour or two of each other from +the opposite sides of the lake. Sugar Hill was seized the same night, +and a strong party were set to work cutting a road through the trees. +The next morning the enemy discovered the British at work erecting a +battery on the hill, and their general decided to evacuate both +Ticonderoga and Mount Independence instantly. Their baggage, provisions, +and stores were embarked in two hundred boats and sent up the river. The +army started to march by the road. + +<P>The next morning the English discovered that the Americans had +disappeared. Captain Lutwych immediately set to work to destroy the +bridge and boom, whose construction had taken the Americans nearly +twelve months' labor. By nine in the morning a passage was effected, and +some gunboats passed through in pursuit of the enemy's convoy. They +overtook them near Skenesborough, engaged and captured many of their +largest craft, and obliged them to set several others on fire, together +with a large number of their boats and barges. + +<P>A few hours afterward a detachment of British troops in gunboats came up +the river to Skenesborough. The cannon on the works which the Americans +had erected there opened fire, but the troops were landed, and the enemy +at once evacuated their works, setting fire to their store-houses and +mills. While these operations had been going on by water Brigadier +General Fraser, at the head of the advance corps of grenadiers and light +infantry, pressed hard upon the division of the enemy which had retired +by the Hubberton Road, and overtook them at five o'clock in the morning. + +<P>The division consisted of fifteen hundred of the best colonial troops +under the command of Colonel Francis. They were posted on strong ground +and sheltered by breastworks composed of logs and old trees. General +Fraser's detachment was inferior in point of numbers to that of the +defenders of the position, but as he expected a body of the German +troops under General Reidesel to arrive immediately, he at once attacked +the breastworks. The Americans defended their post with great resolution +and bravery. The re-enforcements did not arrive so soon as was expected, +and for some time the British made no way. + +<P>General Reidesel, hearing the fire in front, pushed forward at full +speed with a small body of troops. Among these was the band, which he +ordered to play. + +<P>The enemy, hearing the music and supposing that the whole of the +German troops had come up, evacuated the position and fell back +with precipitation. Colonel Francis and many others were killed and +two hundred taken prisoners. On the English side 120 men were +killed and wounded. + +<P>The enemy from Skenesborough were pursued by Colonel Hill, with the +Ninth Regiment, and were overtaken near Fort Anne. Finding how small was +the force that pursued them in comparison to their own, they took the +offensive. A hot engagement took place, and after three hours' fighting +the Americans were repulsed with great slaughter and forced to retreat +after setting fire to Fort Anne and Fort Edward. + +<P>In these operations the British captured 148 guns, with large quantities +of stores. At Fort Edward General Schuyler was joined by General St. +Clair, but even with this addition the total American strength did not +exceed forty-four hundred. + +<P>Instead of returning from Skenesborough to Ticonderoga, whence he might +have sailed with his army up to Lake George, General Burgoyne proceeded +to cut his way through the woods to the lake. The difficulties of the +passage were immense: swamps and morasses had to be passed, bridges had +to be constructed over creeks, ravines, and gulleys. The troops worked +with great vigor and spirit. Major General Phillips had returned to Lake +George and transported the artillery, provisions, and baggage to Fort +George and thence by land to a point on the Hudson River, together with +a large number of boats for the use of the army in their intended +descent to Albany. + +<P>So great was the labor entailed by this work that it was not until July +30 that the army arrived on the Hudson River. The delay of three weeks +had afforded the enemy time to recover their spirits and recruit their +strength. General Arnold arrived with a strong re-enforcement, and a +force was detached to check the progress of Colonel St. Leger, who was +coming down from Montreal by way of Lake Ontario and the Mohawk River to +effect a junction with General Burgoyne. + +<P>General Burgoyne determined to advance at once. The army was already +suffering from want of transportation, and he decided to send a body of +troops to Bennington, twenty-four miles to the eastward of the Hudson +River, where the Americans had large supplies collected. Instead of +sending light infantry he dispatched six hundred Germans—the worst +troops he could have selected for this purpose, as they were very +heavily armed and marched exceedingly slowly. Several of the officers +remonstrated with him, but with his usual infatuated obstinacy he +maintained his disposition. + +<P>On approaching Bennington Colonel Baum, who commanded the Germans, found +that a very strong force was gathered there. He sent back for +re-enforcements, and five hundred more Germans, under Lieutenant Colonel +Breyman, were dispatched to his assistance. Long, however, before these +slowly moving troops could arrive Colonel Baum was attacked by the enemy +in vastly superior numbers. The Germans fought with great bravery and +several times charged the Americans and drove them back. Fresh troops +continued to come up on the enemy's side, and the Germans, having lost a +large number of men, including their colonel, were forced to retreat +into the woods. The enemy then advanced against Colonel Breyman, who was +ignorant of the disaster that had befallen Baum, and with his detachment +had occupied twenty-four hours in marching sixteen miles. The Germans +again fought well, but after a gallant resistance were obliged to fall +back. In these two affairs they lost six hundred men. + +<P>In the meantime Colonel St. Leger had commenced his attack upon Fort +Stanwix, which was defended by seven hundred men. The American General +Herkimer advanced with one thousand men to its relief. Colonel St. +Leger detached Sir John Johnson with a party of regulars and a number +of Indians, who had accompanied him, to meet them. The enemy advanced +incautiously and fell into an ambush. A terrible fire was poured into +them, and the Indians then rushed down and attacked them hand to hand. +The Americans, although taken by surprise, fought bravely and +succeeded in making their retreat, leaving four hundred killed and +wounded behind them. + +<P>Colonel St. Leger had no artillery which was capable of making any +impression on the defenses of the fort. Its commander sent out a man +who, pretending to be a deserter, entered the British camp and informed +Colonel St. Leger that General Burgoyne had been defeated and his army +cut to pieces, and that General Arnold, with two thousand men, was +advancing to raise the siege. Colonel St. Leger did not credit the news, +but it created a panic among the Indians, the greater portion of whom at +once retired without orders, and St. Leger, having but a small British +force with him, was compelled to follow their example, leaving his +artillery and stores behind him. + +<P>On September 13 General Burgoyne, having with immense labor collected +thirty days' provisions on the Hudson, crossed the river by a bridge of +boats and encamped on the heights of Saratoga. His movements had been +immensely hampered by the vast train of artillery which he took with +him. In an open country a powerful force of artillery is of the greatest +service to an army, but in a campaign in a wooded and roadless country +it is of little utility and enormously hampers the operations of an +army. Had General Burgoyne, after the capture of Ticonderoga, pressed +forward in light order without artillery, he could unquestionably have +marched to New York without meeting with any serious opposition, but the +six weeks' delay had enabled the Americans to collect a great force to +oppose them. + +<P>On the 19th, as the army were advancing to Stillwater, five thousand of +the enemy attacked the British right. They were led by General Arnold +and fought with great bravery and determination. The brunt of the battle +fell on the Twentieth, Twenty-fourth, and Sixty-second regiments. For +four hours the fight continued without any advantage on either side, and +at nightfall the Americans drew off, each side having lost about six +hundred men. After the battle of Stillwater the whole of the Indians +with General Burgoyne left him and returned to Canada. + +<P>Hampered with his great train of artillery, unprovided with +transportation, in the face of a powerful enemy posted in an exceedingly +strong position, General Burgoyne could neither advance nor retreat. The +forage was exhausted and the artillery horses were dying in great +numbers. He had hoped that Sir William Howe would have sailed up the +Hudson and joined him, but the English commander-in-chief had taken his +army down to Philadelphia. Sir Henry Clinton, who commanded at New York, +endeavored with a small force at his command to make a diversion by +operating against the American posts on the Hudson River, but this was +of no utility. + +<P>Burgoyne's army was now reduced to little more than five thousand men, +and he determined to fall back upon the lakes. Before doing this, +however, it would be necessary to dislodge the Americans from their +posts on his left. Leaving the camp under the command of General +Hamilton, Burgoyne advanced with fifteen hundred men against them. But +scarcely had the detachment started when the enemy made a furious attack +on the British left. Major Ackland, with the grenadiers, was posted +here, and for a time defended himself with great bravery. The light +infantry and Twenty-fourth were sent to their assistance, but, +overpowered by numbers, the left wing was forced to retreat into their +intrenchments. These the enemy, led by General Arnold, at once attacked +with great impetuosity. For a long time the result was doubtful, and it +was not until the American leader was wounded that the attack ceased. In +the meantime the intrenchments defended by the German troops under +Colonel Breyman had also been attacked. Here the fight was obstinate, +but the German intrenchments were carried, Colonel Breyman killed, and +his troops retreated with the loss of all their baggage and artillery. +Two hundred prisoners fell into the hands of the Americans. + +<P>That night the British army was concentrated on the heights above the +hospital. General Gates, who commanded the Americans, moved his army so +as to entirely inclose the British, and the latter, on the night of +October 8, retired to Saratoga, being obliged to leave all their sick +and wounded in the hospital. These were treated with the greatest +kindness by the Americans. An attempt was now made to retreat to Fort +George or Fort Edward, but the Americans had taken up positions on each +road and fortified them with cannon. + +<P>Only about thirty-five hundred fighting men now remained, of whom but +one-half were British, and scarcely eight days' provisions were left. +The enemy, four times superior in point of numbers, held every line of +retreat and eluded every attempt of the British to force them to a +general engagement. + +<P>The position was hopeless, and on October 13 a council of war was held +and it was determined to open negotiations for a surrender. Two days +were spent in negotiations, and it was finally agreed that the army +should lay down its arms and that it should be marched to Boston, and +there allowed to sail for England on condition of not serving again in +North America during the contest. The Canadians were to be allowed to +return at once to their own country. On the 16th the army laid down its +arms. It consisted of thirty-five hundred fighting men and six hundred +sick and nearly two thousand boatmen, teamsters, and other +non-effectives. + +<P>Never did a general behave with greater incompetence than that +manifested by General Burgoyne from the day of his leaving Ticonderoga, +and the disaster which befell his army was entirely the result of +mismanagement, procrastination, and faulty generalship. + +<P>Had Harold remained with the army until its surrender his share in the +war would have been at an end, for the Canadians, as well as all others +who laid down their arms, gave their word of honor not to serve again +during the war. He had, however, with Peter Lambton and Jake, +accompanied Colonel Baum's detachment on its march to Bennington. +Scouting in front of the column, they had ascertained the presence of +large numbers of the enemy, and had, by hastening back with the news, +enabled the German colonel to make some preparations for resistance +before the attack was made upon him. During the fight that ensued the +scouts, posted behind trees on the German left, had assisted them to +repel the attack from that quarter, and when the Germans gave way they +effected their escape into the woods and managed to rejoin the army. + +<P>They had continued with it until it moved to the hospital heights after +the disastrous attack by the Americans on their camp. General Burgoyne +then sent for Peter Lambton, who was, he knew, one of his most active +and intelligent scouts. + +<P>"Could you make your way through the enemy's lines down to +Ticonderoga?" he asked. + +<P>"I could try, general," Peter said. "Me and the party who work with me +could get through if anyone could, but more nor that I can't say. The +Yanks are swarming around pretty thick, I reckon; but if we have luck we +might make a shift to get through." + +<P>"I have hopes," the general said, "that another regiment, for which I +asked General Carleton, has arrived there. Here is a letter to General +Powell, who is in command, to beg him to march with all his available +force and fall upon the enemy posted on our line of communication. +Unless the new regiment has reached him he will not have a sufficient +force to attempt this, but, if this has come up, he may be able to do +so. He is to march in the lightest order and at full speed, so as to +take the enemy by surprise. Twelve hours before he starts you will bring +me back news of his coming, and I will move out to meet him. His +operations in their rear will confuse the enemy and enable me to operate +with a greater chance of success. I tell you this because, if you are +surrounded and in difficulties, you may have to destroy my dispatch. You +can then convey my instructions by word of mouth to General Powell if +you succeed in getting through." + +<P>Upon leaving headquarters Peter joined his friends. + +<P>"It's a risksome business," he went on, after informing them of the +instructions he had received, "but I don't know as it's much more +risksome than stopping here. It don't seem to me that this army is like +to get out of the trap into which their general has led 'em. Whatever he +wanted to leave the lakes for is more nor I can tell. However, +generaling aint my business, and I wouldn't change places with the old +man to-day, not for a big sum of money. Now, chief, what do you say? +How's this 'ere business to be carried out?" + +<P>The Seneca, with the five braves who had from the first accompanied +them, were now the only Indians with the British army. The rest of the +redskins, disgusted with the dilatory progress of the army and +foreseeing inevitable disaster, had all betaken themselves to their +homes. They were, moreover, angered at the severity with which the +English general had endeavored to suppress their tendency to acts of +cruelty on the defenseless settlers. The redskin has no idea of +civilized warfare. His sole notion of fighting is to kill, burn, and +destroy, and the prohibition of all irregular operations and of the +infliction of unnecessary suffering was, in his eyes, an act of +incomprehensible weakness. The Seneca chief remained with the army +simply because his old comrade did so. He saw that there was little +chance of plunder, but he and his braves had succeeded in fair fight in +obtaining many scalps, and would, at least, be received with high honor +on their return to their tribe. + +<P>A long discussion took place between the chief and Peter before they +finally decided upon the best course to be pursued. They were ignorant +of the country and of the disposition of the enemy's force, and could +only decide to act upon general principles. They thought it probable +that the Americans would be most thickly posted upon the line between +the British army and the lakes, and their best chance of success would +therefore be to make their way straight ahead for some distance, and +then, when they had penetrated the American lines, to make a long +<I>détour</I> round to the lakes. + +<P>Taking four days' provisions with them they started when nightfall had +fairly set in. It was intensely dark, and in the shadows of the woods +Harold was unable to see his hand before him. The Indians appeared to +have a faculty of seeing in the dark, for they advanced without the +slightest pause or hesitation and were soon in the open country. The +greatest vigilance was now necessary. Everywhere they could hear the low +hum which betokens the presence of many men gathered together. Sometimes +a faint shout came to their ears, and for a long distance around the +glow in the sky told of many fires. The party now advanced with the +greatest caution, frequently halting while the Indians went on ahead to +scout; and more than once they were obliged to alter their direction as +they came upon bodies of men posted across their front. At last they +passed through the line of sentinels, and, avoiding all the camps, +gained the country in the Americans' rear. + +<P>They now struck off to the right, and by daybreak were far round beyond +the American army, on their way to Ticonderoga. They had walked for +fifteen hours when they halted, and it was not until late in the +afternoon that they continued their journey. They presently struck the +road which the army had cut in its advance, and keeping parallel with +this through the forest they arrived the next morning at Fort Edward. A +few hours' rest here and they continued their march to Ticonderoga. This +place had been attacked by the Americans a few days previously, but the +garrison had beaten off the assailants. + +<P>On the march they had seen many bodies of the enemy moving along the +road, but their approach had in every case been detected in time to take +refuge in the forest. On entering the fort Peter at once proceeded to +General Powell's quarters and delivered the dispatch with which he had +been intrusted. The general read it. + +<P>"No re-enforcements have arrived," the general said, "and the force here +is barely sufficient to defend the place. It would be madness for me to +set out on such a march with the handful of troops at my disposal." + +<P>He then questioned Peter concerning the exact position of the army, and +the latter had no hesitation in saying that he thought the whole force +would be compelled to lay down their arms unless some re-enforcements +reached them from below. + +<P>This, however, was not to be. General Clinton captured Forts Montgomery +and Clinton, the latter a very strong position, defended with great +resolution by four hundred Americans. The Seventh and Twenty-sixth +regiments and a company of grenadiers attacked on one side, the +Sixty-third Regiment on the other. They had no cannon to cover their +advance and had to cross ground swept by ten pieces of artillery. In no +event during the war did the British fight with more resolution. +Without firing a shot they pressed forward to the foot of the works, +climbed over each other's shoulders on to the walls, and drove the +enemy back. The latter discharged one last volley into the troops and +then laid down their arms. Notwithstanding the slaughter effected by +this wanton fire after all possibility of continuing a resistance was +over, quarter was given and not one of the enemy was killed after the +fort was taken. The British loss was 140 killed and wounded; 300 +Americans were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. The fleet attacked +the American squadron on the river and entirely destroyed it. Beyond +sending a flying squadron up the river to destroy the enemy's boats and +stores of provisions, nothing further could be done to effect a +diversion in favor of General Burgoyne. + +<P>Four days after Harold's arrival at Ticonderoga the news of the +surrender of General Burgoyne reached the place. Upon the following day +he suggested to Peter Lambton that they should visit the clearing of the +ex-soldier Cameron and see whether their interference had saved him and +his family. Upon arriving at the spot whence Harold had fired the shot +which had brought discovery upon them, they saw a few charred stumps +alone remaining of the snug house which had stood there. In front of it, +upon the stump of a tree, Cameron himself was sitting in an attitude of +utter depression. + +<P>They walked across the clearing to the spot, but although the sound of +their footsteps must have reached his ear, the man did not look up until +Harold touched him on the shoulder. + +<P>"What has happened?" he asked. "Who has done this ruin?" + +<P>The man still remained with his head bent down, as if he had not heard +the question. + +<P>"We had hoped that you had escaped," Harold went on. "We were hidden in +the wood when we saw those ruffians drive your wife and daughter out, +and it was the shot from my rifle that killed their leader and brought +them down on us; and a narrow escape we had of it; but we hoped that we +had diverted them from their determination to kill you and your family." + +<P>Cameron looked up now. + +<P>"I thank ye, sir," he said. "I thank ye wi' a' my hairt for your +interference on our behalf. I heerd how closely ye were beset that +night and how ye escaped. They thought nae mair o' us, and when the +royal army arrived the next day we were safe; but ye might as weel ha' +let the matter gang on—better, indeed, for then I should be deed +instead o' suffering. This wark," and he pointed toward the remains of +the house, "is redskin deviltry. A fortnight sin' a band o' Indians +fell upon us. I was awa'. They killed my wife and burned my house and +ha' carried off my bairn." + +<P>"Who were they?" Harold asked. + +<P>"I dinna ken," Cameron replied; "but a neebor o' mine whose place they +attacked, and whom they had scalped and left for deed, told me that they +were a band o' the Iroquois who had come down from Lake Michigan and +advanced wi' the British. He said that they, with the other redskins, +desairted when their hopes o' plunder were disappointed, and that on +their way back to their tribes they burned and ravaged every settlement +they cam' across. My neebor was an old frontiersman; he had fought +against the tribe and knew their war-cry. He deed the next day. He was +mair lucky than I am." + +<P>"The tarnal ruffians!" Peter exclaimed; "the murdering varmints! And to +think of 'em carrying off that purty little gal of yours! I suppose by +this time they're at their old game of plundering and slaying on the +frontier. It's naught to them which side they fight on; scalps and +plunder is all they care for." + +<P>The unfortunate settler had sat down again on the log, the picture of a +broken-hearted man. Harold drew Peter a short distance away. + +<P>"Look here. Peter," he said. "Now Burgoyne's army has surrendered and +winter is close at hand, it is certain that there will be no further +operations here, except perhaps that the Americans will recapture the +place. What do you say to our undertaking an expedition on our own +account to try and get back this poor fellow's daughter? I do not know +whether the Seneca would join us, but we three—of course I count +Jake—and the settler might do something. I have an old grudge against +these Iroquois myself, as you have heard; and for aught I know they may +long ere this have murdered my cousins." + +<P>"The Seneca will jine," Peter said, "willing enough. There's an old feud +between his tribe and the Iroquois. He'll jine fast enough. But mind, +youngster, this aint no child's play; it aint like fighting them +American clodhoppers. We'll have to deal with men as sharp as ourselves, +who can shoot as well, hear as well, see as well, who are in their own +country, and who are a hundred to one against us. We've got hundreds and +hundreds of miles to travel afore we gets near 'em. It's a big job; but +if, when ye thinks it all over, you're ready to go, Peter Lambton aint +the man to hold back. As you say, there's naught to do this winter, and +we might as well be doing this as anything else." + +<P>The two men then went back to the settler. + +<P>"Cameron," Harold said, "it is of no use sitting here grieving. Why not +be up in pursuit of those who carried off your daughter?" + +<P>The man sprang to his feet. + +<P>"In pursuit!" he cried fiercely; "in pursuit! Do ye think Donald Cameron +wad be sitting here quietly if he kenned where to look for his +daughter—where to find the murderers o' his wife? But what can I do? +For three days after I cam' back and found what had happened I was just +mad. I couldna think nor rest, nor do aught but throw mysel' on the +ground and pray to God to tak' me. When at last I could think, it was +too late. It wad hae mattered naething to me that they were a hundred to +one. If I could ha' killed but one o' them I wad ha' died happy; but +they were gone, and how could I follow them—how could I find them? Tell +me where to look, mon—show me the way; and if it be to the ends o' the +airth I will go after them." + +<P>"We will do more, than that," Harold said. "My friend and myself have +still with us the seven men who were with us when we were here before. +Five are Senecas, the other a faithful negro who would go through fire +and water for me. There is little chance of our services being required +during the winter with the British army. We, are interested in you and +in the pretty child we saw here, and, if you will, we will accompany you +in the search for her. Peter Lambton knows the country well, and if +anyone could lead you to your child and rescue her from those who +carried her off, he is the man." + +<P>"Truly!" gasped the Scotchman. "And will ye truly gang wi' me to find +my bairn? May the guid God o' heaven bless you!" and the tears ran down +his cheeks. + +<P>"Git your traps together at once, man," Peter said. "Let's go straight +back to the fort; then I'll set the matter before the chief, who will, I +warrant me, be glad enough to jine the expedition. It's too late to +follow the track of the red varmints; our best plan will be to make +straight for the St. Lawrence; to take a boat if we can git one; if not, +two canoes; and to make up the river and along the Ontario. Then we must +sell our boat, cross to Erie, and git fresh canoes and go on by Detroit +into Lake Huron, and so up in the country of these reptiles. We shall +have no difficulty, I reckon, in discovering the whereabout of the tribe +which has been away on this expedition." + +<P>The Scotchman took up the rifle. + +<P>"I am ready," he said, and without another word the party started +for the fort. + +<P>Upon their arrival there a consultation was held with the Seneca. The +prospect of an expedition against his hereditary foes filled him with +delight, and three of his braves also agreed to accompany them. Jake +received the news with the remark: + +<P>"All right, Massa Harold. It make no odds to dis chile whar he goes. You +say de word—Jake ready." + +<P>Half an hour sufficed for making the preparations, and they at once +proceeded to the point where they had hidden the two canoes on the night +when they joined General Burgoyne before his advance upon Ticonderoga. +These were soon floating on the lake, and they started to paddle to the +mouth of the Sorrel, down this river into the St. Lawrence, and thence +to Montreal. Their rifles they had recovered from the lake upon the day +following that on which Ticonderoga was first captured; Deer Tail having +dispatched to the spot two of his braves, who recovered them without +difficulty, by diving, and brought them back to the fort. + +<P>At Montreal they stayed but a few hours. An ample supply of ammunition +was purchased and provisions sufficient for the voyage; and then, +embarking in the two canoes, they started up the St. Lawrence. It was +three weeks later when they arrived at Detroit, which was garrisoned by +a British force. Here they heard that there had been continuous troubles +with the Indians on the frontier; that a great many farms and +settlements had been destroyed, and numbers of persons murdered. + +<P>Their stay at Detroit was a short one. Harold obtained no news of his +cousins, but there were so many tales told of Indian massacres that he +was filled with apprehension on their account. His worst apprehensions +were justified when the canoes at length came within sight of the +well-remembered clearing. Harold gave a cry as he saw that the farmhouse +no longer existed. The two canoes were headed toward shore, and their +occupants disembarked and walked toward the spot where the house had +stood. The site was marked by a heap of charred embers. The outhouses +had been destroyed, and a few fowls were the only living things to be +seen in the fields. + +<P>"This here business must have taken place some time ago," Peter said, +breaking the silence. "A month, I should say, or p'r'aps more." + +<P>For a time Harold was too moved to speak. The thought of his kind +cousins and their brave girl all murdered by the Indians filled him with +deep grief. At last he said: + +<P>"What makes you think so, Peter?" + +<P>"It's easy enough to see as it was after the harvest, for ye see the +fields is all clear. And then there's long grass shooting up through the +ashes. It would take a full month, p'r'aps six weeks, afore it would do +that. Don't you think so, chief?" + +<P>The Seneca nodded. + +<P>"A moon," he said. + +<P>"Yes, about a month," replied Peter. "The grass grows quick after +the rains." + +<P>"Do you think that it was a surprise, Peter?" + +<P>"No man can tell," the hunter answered. "If we had seen the place soon +afterward we might have told. There would have been marks of blood. Or +if the house had stood we could have told by the bullet-holes and the +color of the splintered wood how it happened and how long back. As it +is, not even the chief can give ye an idea." + +<P>"Not an attack," the Seneca said; "a surprise." + +<P>"How on arth do you know that, chief?" the hunter exclaimed in +surprise, and he looked round in search of some sign which would have +enabled the Seneca to have given so confident an opinion. "You must be +a witch, surely." + +<P>"A chief's eyes are not blind," the redskin answered, with a +slight smile of satisfaction at having for once succeeded when his +white comrade was at fault. "Let my friend look up the hill—two +dead men there." + +<P>Harold looked in the direction in which the chief pointed, but could see +nothing. The hunter exclaimed: + +<P>"There's something there, chief, but even my eyes couldn't tell they +were bodies." + +<P>The party proceeded to the spot and found two skeletons. A few remnants +of clothes lay around, but the birds had stripped every particle of +flesh from the bones. There was a bullet in the forehead of one skull; +the other was cleft with a sharp instrument. + +<P>"It's clear enough," the hunter said, "there's been a surprise. Likely +enough the hull lot was killed without a shot being fired in defense." + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c14"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XIV.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">RESCUED!</H3> + +<P>Harold was deeply touched at the evidences of the fate which had +befallen the occupants of his cousin's plantation. + +<P>"If there are any more of these to be found," pointing to their remains, +"we might learn for a certainty whether the same fate befell them all." + +<P>The Seneca spoke a word to his followers and the four Indians spread +themselves over the clearing. One more body was found—it was lying down +near the water as if killed in the act of making for the canoe. + +<P>"The others are probably there," Peter said, pointing to the ruins. "The +three hands was killed in the fields, and most likely the attack was +made at the same moment on the house. I'm pretty sure it was so, for the +body by the water lies face downward, with his head toward the lake. He +was no doubt shot from behind as he was running. There must have been +Injuns round the house then, or he would have made for that instead of +the water." + +<P>The Seneca touched Peter on the shoulder and pointed toward the farm. A +figure was seen approaching. As it came nearer they could see that he +was a tall man, dressed in the deerskin shirt and leggings usually worn +by hunters. As he came near Harold gave an exclamation: + +<P>"It is Jack Pearson!" + +<P>"It are Jack Pearson," the hunter said, "but for the moment I can't +recollect ye, though yer face seems known. Why!" he exclaimed in changed +tones, "it's that boy Harold growed into a man." + +<P>"It is," Harold replied, grasping the frontiersman's hand. + +<P>"And ye may know me, too," Peter Lambton said, "though it's twenty year +since we fought side by side against the Mohawks." + +<P>"Why, old hoss, are you above ground still?" the hunter exclaimed +heartily. "I'm glad to see you again, old friend. And what are you doing +here, you and Harold and these Senecas? For they is Senecas, sure +enough. I've been in the woods for the last hour, and have been puzzling +myself nigh to death. I seed them Injuns going about over the clearing +sarching, and for the life of me I couldn't think what they were +a-doing. Then I seed 'em gathered down here, with two white men among +'em, so I guessed it was right to show myself." + +<P>"They were searching to see how many had fallen in this terrible +business," Harold said, pointing to the ruins. The hunter shook his +head. + +<P>"I'm afeared they've all gone under. I were here a week afterward; it +were just as it is now. I found the three hands lying killed and sculped +in the fields; the others, I reckon, is there. I has no doubt at all +about Bill Welch and his wife, but it may be that the gal has been +carried off." + +<P>"Do you think so?" Harold exclaimed eagerly. "If so, we may find her, +too, with the other." + +<P>"What other?" Pearson, asked. + +<P>Harold gave briefly an account of the reason which had brought them to +the spot and of the object they had in view. + +<P>"You can count me in," Pearson said. "There's just a chance that Nelly +Welch may be in their hands still; and in any case I'm longing to draw a +bead on some of the varmints to pay 'em for this," and he looked round +him, "and a hundred other massacres round this frontier." + +<P>"I'm glad to hear ye say so," Peter replied. "I expected as much of ye, +Jack. I don't know much of this country, having only hunted here for a +few weeks with a party of Delawares twenty year afore the Iroquois moved +so far west." + +<P>"I know pretty nigh every foot of it," Jack Pearson said. "When the +Iroquois were quiet I used to do a deal of hunting in their country. It +are good country for game." + +<P>"Well! shall we set out at once?" Harold asked, impatient to be off. + +<P>"We can't move to-night," Pearson answered; and Harold saw that Peter +and the Indians agreed with him. + +<P>"Why not?" he asked. "Every hour is of importance." + +<P>"That's so," Peter said, "but there's no going out on the lake to-night. +In half an hour we'll have our first snowstorm, and by morning it will +be two foot deep." + +<P>Harold turned his eyes toward the lake and saw what his companions had +noticed long before. The sky was overcast and a thick bank of hidden +clouds was rolling up across the lake, and the thick mist seemed to hang +between the clouds and the water. + +<P>"That's snow," Peter said. "It's late this year, and I'd give my pension +if it was a month later." + +<P>"That's so," Pearson said. "Snow aint never pleasant in the woods, but +when you're scouting round among Injuns it are a caution. We'd best make +a shelter afore it comes on." + +<P>The two canoes were lifted from the water, unloaded, and turned bottom +upward; a few charred planks, which had formed part of the roof of the +outhouses, were brought and put up to form a sort of shelter. A fire was +lit and a meal prepared. By this time the snow had begun to fall. After +the meal was over pipes were lit and the two hunters earnestly talked +over their plans, the Seneca chief throwing in a few words occasionally; +the others listened quietly. The Indians left the matter in the hands of +their chief, while Harold and Cameron knew that the two frontiersmen did +not need any suggestion from them. As to Jake, the thought of asking +questions never entered his mind. He was just at present less happy than +usual, for the negro, like most of his race, hated cold, and the +prospect of wandering through the woods in deep snow made him shudder +as he crouched close to the great fire they had built. + +<P>Peter and Jack Pearson were of opinion that it was exceedingly +probable that the Welches had been destroyed by the very band which +had carried off little Janet Cameron. The bodies of Indians who had +been on the war-path with the army had retired some six weeks before, +and it was about that time, Pearson said, that the attack on the +settlements had been made. + +<P>"I heard some parties of redskins who had been with the British +troops had passed through the neighborhood, and there was reports +that they were greatly onsatisfied with the results of the campaign. +As likely as not some of that band may have been consarned in the +attack on this place three year ago, and, passing nigh it, may have +determined to wipe out that defeat. An Injun never forgives. Many of +their braves fell here, and they could scarcely bring a more welcome +trophy back to their villages than the scalps of Welch and his men." + +<P>"Now, the first thing to do," Peter said, "is to find out what +particular chief took his braves with him to the war; then we've got +to find his village; and there likely enough we'll find Cameron's +daughter and maybe the girl from here. How old was she?" + +<P>"About fifteen," Pearson said, "and a fine girl, and a pretty girl, +too. I dun know," he went on after a pause, "which of the chiefs took +part in the war across the lakes, but I suspect it were War Eagle. +There's three great chiefs, and the other two were trading on the +frontier. It was War Eagle who attacked the place afore, and would be +the more likely to attack it again if he came anywheres near it. He +made a mess of it afore and 'd be burning to wipe out his failure if +he had a chance." + +<P>"Where is his place?" + +<P>"His village is the furthest of them all from here. He lives up near +the falls of Sault Ste. Marie, betwixt Lakes Superior and Huron. It's +a village with nigh three hundred wigwams." + +<P>"It aint easy to see how it's to be done. We must make to the north +shore of the lake. There'll be no working down here through the +woods; but it's a pesky difficult job—about as hard a one as ever I +took part in." + +<P>"It is that," Pearson said; "it can't be denied. To steal two white +girls out of a big Injun village aint a easy job at no time; but with +the snow on the ground it comes as nigh to an impossibility as +anything can do." + +<P>For another hour or two they talked over the route they should take +and their best mode of proceeding. Duncan Cameron sat and listened +with an intent face to every word. Since he had joined them he had +spoken but seldom; his whole soul was taken up with the thought of +his little daughter. He was ever ready to do his share and more than +his share of the work of paddling and at the portages, but he never +joined in the conversation; and of an evening, when the others sat +round the fire, he would move away and pace backward and forward in +anxious thought until the fire burned low and the party wrapped +themselves in their blankets and went off to sleep. + +<P>All the time the conversation had been going on the snow had fallen +heavily, and before it was concluded the clearing was covered deep +with the white mantle. There was little wind, and the snow fell +quietly and noiselessly. At night the Indians lay down round the +fire, while the white men crept under the canoes and were soon fast +asleep. In the morning it was still snowing, but about noon it +cleared up. It was freezing hard, and the snow glistened as the sun +burst through the clouds. The stillness of the forest was broken now +by sharp cracking sounds as boughs of trees gave way under the weight +of the snow; in the open it lay more than two feet deep. + +<P>"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we're off the better." + +<P>"I'll come in my own canoe," Pearson said. "One of the Injuns can +come with me and we'll keep up with the rest." + +<P>"There is room for you in the other canoes," Harold said. + +<P>"Plenty of room," the hunter answered. "But you see, Harold, the more +canoes the better. There aint no saying how close we may be chased, +and by hiding up the canoes at different places we give ourselves so +much more chance of being able to get to one or the other. They're +all large canoes, and at a pinch any one of them might hold the hull +party, with the two gals throwed in. But," he added to Harold in a +low voice, "don't you build too much on these gals, Harold. I +wouldn't say so while that poor fellow's listening, but the chance is +a desperate poor one, and I think we'll be mighty lucky ef we don't +leave all our scalps in that 'ere redskin village." The traps were +soon placed in the canoes, and just as the sun burst out the three +boats started. It was a long and toilsome journey. Stormy weather set +in, and they were obliged to wait for days by the lake till its +surface calmed. On these occasions they devoted themselves to hunting +and killed several deer. They knew that there were no Indian villages +near, and in such weather it would be improbable that any redskins +would be in the woods. They were enabled, therefore, to fire without +fear of the reports betraying their presence. The Senecas took the +opportunity of fabricating snowshoes for the whole party, as these +would be absolutely necessary for walking in the woods. Harold, Jake, +and Duncan Cameron at once began to practice their use. The negro was +comical in the extreme in his first attempts, and shouted so loudly +with laughter each time that he fell head foremost into the snow that +Peter said to him angrily: + +<P>"Look-a-here, Jake; it's dangerous enough letting off a rifle at a +deer in these woods, but it has to be done because we must lay in a +supply of food; but a musket-shot is a mere whisper to yer shouting. +Thunder aint much louder than you laughing—it shakes the hull place +and might be heard from here well-nigh to Montreal. Ef you can't keep +that mouth of your'n shut, ye must stop up the idée of learning to use +them shoes and must stop in the canoe while we're scouting on shore." + +<P>Jake promised to amend, and from this time when he fell in the soft +snow-wreaths he gave no audible vent to his amusement; but a pair of +great feet, with the snow-shoes attached, could be seen waving above +the surface until he was picked up and righted again. + +<P>Harold soon learned, and Cameron went at the work with grim +earnestness. No smile ever crossed his face at his own accidents or +at the wild vagaries of Jake, which excited silent amusement even +among the Indians. In a short time the falls were less frequent, and +by the time they reached the spot where they were determined to cross +the lake at the point where Lakes Huron and Michigan join, the three +novices were able to make fair progress in the snow-shoes. + +<P>The spot fixed upon was about twelve miles from the village of War +Eagle, and the canoes were hidden at distances of three miles apart. +First Pearson, Harold, and Cameron disembarked; Jake, Peter, and one +of the Indians alighted at the next point; and the Seneca chief and +two of his followers proceeded to the spot nearer to the Indian +village. Each party as they landed struck straight into the woods, to +unite at a point eight miles from the lake and as many from the +village. The hunters had agreed that, should any Indians come across +the tracks, less suspicion would be excited than would have been the +case were they found skirting the river, as it might be thought that +they were made by Indians out hunting. + +<P>Harold wondered how the other parties would find the spot to which +Pearson had directed them, but in due time all arrived at the +rendezvous. After some search a spot was found where the underwood +grew thickly, and there was an open place in the center of the clump. +In this the camp was established. It was composed solely of a low +tent of about two feet high, made of deer's hides sewed together, and +large enough to shelter them all. The snow was cleared away, sticks +were driven into the frozen ground, and strong poles laid across +them; the deerskin was then laid flat upon these. The top was little +higher than the general level of the snow, an inch or two of snow was +scattered over it, and to anyone passing outside the bushes the tent +was completely invisible. + +<P>The Indians now went outside the thicket and with great care +obliterated, as far as possible, the marks upon the snow. This could +not be wholly done, but it was so far complete that the slightest +wind which would send a drift over the surface would wholly conceal +all traces of passage. + +<P>They had, before crossing the lake, cooked a supply of food +sufficient for some days. Intense as was the cold outside, it was +perfectly warm in the tent. The entrance as they crept into it was +closed with a blanket, and in the center a lamp composed of deer's +fat in a calabash with a cotton wick gave a sufficient light. + +<P>"What is the next move?" Harold asked. + +<P>"The chief 'll start, when it comes dusk, with Pearson," Peter said. +"When they git close to the village he'll go in alone. He'll paint +Iroquois before he goes." + +<P>"Cannot we be near at hand to help them in case of a necessity," +Harold asked. + +<P>"No," Peter said. "It wouldn't be no good at all. Ef it comes to +fighting they're fifty to one, and the lot of us would have no more +chance than two. If they're found out, which aint likely, they must +run for it, and they can get over the snow a deal faster than you +could, to say nothing of Cameron and Jake. They must shift for +themselves and 'll make straight for the nearest canoe. In the forest +they must be run down sooner or later, for their tracks would be +plain. No, they must go alone." + +<P>When night came on the Seneca produced his paints, and one of his +followers marked his face and arms with the lines and flourishes in +use by the Iroquois; then without a word of adieu he took his rifle +and glided out from the tent, followed by Pearson. Peter also put on +his snow-shoes and prepared to follow. + +<P>"I thought you were going to stay here, Peter." + +<P>"No, I'm going halfway with 'em. I'll be able to hear the sound of a +gun. Then, ef they're trapped, we must make tracks for the canoes at +once, for after following 'em to the lake they're safe to take up +their back track to see where they've come from; so, ef I hear a gun, +I'll make back here as quick as I can come." + +<P>When the three men had started silence fell on the tent. The redskins +at once lay down to sleep, and Jake followed their example. Harold +lay quiet thinking over the events which had happened to him in the +last three years, while Cameron lay with his face turned toward the +lamp with a set, anxious look on his face. Several times he crawled +to the entrance and listened when the crack made by some breaking +bough came to his ear. Hours passed and at last Harold dozed off, but +Cameron's eyes never closed until about midnight the blanket at the +entrance moved and Peter entered. + +<P>"Hae ye seen the ithers?" Cameron exclaimed. + +<P>"No, and were not likely to," Peter answered. "It was all still to +the time I came away, and afore I moved I was sure they must have +left the village. They won't come straight back, bless ye; they'll go +'way in the opposite direction and make a sweep miles round. They may +not be here for hours yet; not that there's much chance of their +tracks being traced. It has not snowed for over a week, and the snow +round the village must be trampled thick for a mile and more, with +the squaws coming and going for wood and the hunters going out on the +chase. I've crossed a dozen tracks or more on my way back. Ef it +wasn't for that we daren't have gone at all, for ef the snow was new +fallen the sight of fresh tracks would have set the first Injun that +come along a-wondering; and when a redskin begins to wonder he sets +to to ease his mind at once by finding out all about it, ef it takes +him a couple of days' sarch to do so. No, you can lie down now for +some hours. They won't be here till morning." + +<P>So saying, the scout set the example by wrapping himself up and going +to sleep, but Cameron's eyes never closed until the blanket was drawn +on one side again and in the gray light of the winter morning the +Seneca and Pearson crawled into the tent. + +<P>"What news?" Harold asked, for Cameron was too agitated to speak. + +<P>"Both gals are there," Pearson answered. + +<P>An exclamation of thankfulness broke from Harold. A sob of joy issued +from the heart of the Scotchman, and for a few minutes his lips moved +as he poured forth his silent thankfulness to God. + +<P>"Waal, tell us all about it," Peter said. "I can ask the chief any +questions afterward." + +<P>"We went on straight enough to the village," the hunter began. "It +are larger than when I saw it last, and War Eagle's influence in the +tribe must have increased. I didn't expect to find no watch, the +redskins having, so far as they knew, no enemies within five hundred +mile of 'em. There was a lot of fires burning and plenty of redskins +moving about among 'em. We kept on till we got quite close, and then +we lay up for a time below a tree at the edge of the clearing. There +were a sight too many of 'em about for the Seneca to go in yet +awhile. About half an hour arter we got there we saw two white gals +come outen one of the wigwams and stand for a while to warm +theirselves by one of the fires. The tallest of the two, well-nigh a +woman, was Nelly Welch. I knew her, in course. The other was three or +four years younger, with yaller hair over her shoulders. Nelly seemed +quiet and sad-like, but the other 'peared more at home—she laughed +with some of the redskin gals and even jined in their play. You see," +he said, turning to Cameron, "she'd been captured longer and +children's spirits soon rise again. Arter a while they went back to +the wigwam." When the fires burned down and the crowd thinned, and +there was only a few left sitting in groups round the embers, the +Seneca started. For a long time I saw nothing of him, but once or +twice I thought I saw a figure moving among the wigwams. Presently +the fires burned quite down and the last Injun went off. I had begun +to wonder what the chief was doing, when he stood beside me. We made +tracks at once and have been tramping in a long circle all night. The +chief can tell ye his part of the business hisself." + +<P>"Well, chief, what have you found out?" Peter asked. + +<P>The Indian answered in his native tongue, which Peter interpreted +from time to time for the benefit of his white companions: + +<P>"When Deer Tail left the white hunter he went into the village. It +was no use going among the men, and he went round by the wigwams and +listened to the chattering of the squaws. The tribe were all well +contented, for the band brought back a great deal of plunder which +they had picked up on their way back from the army. They had lost no +braves and everyone was pleased. The destruction of the settlement of +the white man who had repulsed them before was a special matter for +rejoicing. The scalps of the white man and his wife are in the +village. War Eagle's son, Young Elk, is going to marry the white +girl. There are several of the braves whose heads have been turned by +the white skin and her bright eyes, but Young Elk is going to have +her. There have been great feastings and rejoicings since the return +of the warriors, but they are to be joined tomorrow by Beaver's band, +and then they will feast again. When all was quiet I went to the +wigwam where the white girls are confined. An old squaw and two of +War Eagle's daughters are with them. Deer Tail had listened while +they prepared for rest and knew on which side of the wigwam the tall +white maiden slept. He thought that she would be awake. Her heart +would be sad and sleep would not come to her soon, so he crept round +there and cut a slit in the skin close to where she lay. He put his +head in at the hole and whispered, 'Do not let the white girl be +afraid; it is a friend. Does she hear him?' She whispered, 'Yes.' +'Friends are near,' he said. 'The young warrior Harold, whom she +knows, and others, are at hand to take her away. The Iroquois will be +feasting to-morrow night. When she hears the cry of a night-owl let +her steal away with her little white sister and she will find her +friends waiting.' Then Deer Tail closed the slit and stole away to +his friend the white hunter. I have spoken." + +<P>"Jest what I expected of you, chief," Peter said warmly. "I thought +as how you'd manage to git speech with 'em somehow. If there's a +feast to-night, it's hard ef we don't manage to get 'em off." + +<P>"I suppose we must lie still all day, Peter." + +<P>"You must so," the hunter said. "Not a soul must show his nose +outside the tent except that one of the redskins'll keep watch to be +sure that no straggler has come across our tracks and followed 'em +up. Ef he was to do that, he might bring the hull gang down on us. +Ye'd best get as much sleep as ye can, for ye don't know when ye may +get another chance." + +<P>At nightfall the whole party issued from the tent and started toward +the Indian village. All arrangements had been made. It was agreed +that Pearson and the Seneca should go up to the village, the former +being chosen because he was known to Nelly. Peter and one of the +redskins were to take post a hundred yards further back, ready to +give assistance in case of alarm, while the rest were to remain about +half a mile distant. Cameron had asked that he might go with the +advance party, but upon Peter pointing out to him that his +comparatively slow rate of progression in snow-shoes would, in case +of discovery, lead to the recapture of the girls, he at once agreed +to the decision. If the flight of the girls was discovered soon after +leaving the camp, it was arranged that the Seneca and Peter should +hurry at once with them to the main body, while the other two Indians +should draw off their pursuers in another direction. In the event of +anything occurring to excite the suspicion of the Indians before +there was a chance of the girls being brought safely to the main +body, they were to be left to walk quietly back to camp, as they had +nothing to fear from the Indians. Peter and the Seneca were then to +work round by a circuitous route to the boat, where they were to be +joined by the main body, and to draw off until another opportunity +offered for repeating the attempt. + +<P>It was eight o'clock in the evening when Pearson and the Seneca +approached the village. The fires were burning high, and seated round +them were all the warriors of the tribe. A party were engaged in a +dance representing the pursuit and defeat of an enemy. The women were +standing in an outer circle, clapping their hands and raising their +voices in loud cries of applause and excitement as the dance became +faster and faster. The warriors bounded high, brandishing their +tomahawks. A better time could not have been chosen for the evasion +of the fugitives. Nelly Welch stood close to a number of Indian +girls, but slightly behind them. She held the hand of little Janet +Cameron. + +<P>Although she appeared to share in the interest of the Indians in the +dance, a close observer would have had no difficulty in perceiving +that Nelly was preoccupied. She was, indeed, intently listening for +the signal. She was afraid to move from among the others lest her +absence should be at once detected, but so long as the noise was +going on she despaired of being able to hear the signal agreed upon. +Presently an Indian brave passed close to her, and as he did so +whispered in her ear in English, "Behind your wigwam—friends there." +Then he passed on and moved round the circle as if intending to take +his seat at another point. + +<P>The excitement of the dance was momentarily increasing, and the +attention of the spectators was riveted to the movements of the +performers. Holding Janet's hand, Nelly moved noiselessly away from +the place where she had been standing. The movement was unnoticed, as +she was no longer closely watched, a flight in the depth of winter +appearing impossible. She kept round the circle till no longer +visible from the spot she had left. Then, leaving the crowd, she made +her way toward the nearest wigwams. Once behind these the girls stole +rapidly along under their shelter until they stood behind that which +they usually inhabited. Two figures were standing there. They +hesitated for a moment, but one of them advanced. + +<P>"Jack Pearson!" Nelly exclaimed, with a low cry of gladness. + +<P>"Jest that same, Nelly, and right glad to see you. But we've no time +for greeting now; the hull tribe may be after us in another five +minutes. Come along, pretty," he said, turning to Janet. "You'll find +somebody ye know close at hand." + +<P>Two minutes later the child was in her father's arms, and after a +moment's rapturous greeting between father and child and a very +delighted one between Nelly Welch and her Cousin Harold, the flight +was continued. + +<P>"How long a start do you think we may have?" + +<P>"Half an hour, maybe. The women may be some time afore they miss her, +and they'll sarch for her everywhere afore they give the alarm, as +they'll be greatly blamed for their carelessness." + +<P>There had been a pause in the flight for a few seconds when the +Seneca and Pearson arrived with the girls at the point where Peter +and the other Indian were posted, two hundred yards from the camp. Up +to this point the snow was everywhere thickly trampled, but as the +camp was left further behind the footprints would naturally become +more scarce. Here Pearson fastened to the girls' feet two pairs of +large moccasins; inside these wooden soles had been placed. They +therefore acted to some extent like snowshoes and prevented the +girls' feet from sinking deeply, while the prints which they left +bore no resemblance to their own. They were strapped on the wrong +way, so that the marks would seem to point toward the village rather +than away from it. Both girls protested that they should not be able +to get along fast in these encumbrances, but one of the men posted +himself on either side of each and assisted them along, and as the +moccasins were very light, even with the wooden soles inside, they +were soon able to move with them at a considerable pace. + +<P>Once united the whole party kept along at the top of their speed. +Peter Lambton assisted Cameron with Janet, and the girl, half-lifted +from the ground, skimmed over the surface like a bird, only touching +the snow here and there with the moccasins. Nelly Welch needed no +assistance from Harold or Pearson. During the long winters she had +often practiced on snow-shoes, and was consequently but little +encumbered with the huge moccasins, which to some extent served the +same purpose. + +<P>They had been nearly half an hour on their way when they heard a +tremendous yell burst from the village. + +<P>"They've missed you," Peter said. "Now it's a fair race. We've got a +good start and 'll git more, for they'll have to hunt up the traces +very carefully, and it may be an hour, perhaps more, before they +strike upon the right one. Ef the snow had been new fallen we should +have had 'em arter us in five minutes; but even a redskin's eye will +be puzzled to find out at night one track among such hundreds." + +<P>"I have but one fear," Pearson said to Harold. + +<P>"What is that?" + +<P>"I'm afeared that without waiting to find the tracks they may send +off half a dozen parties to the lake. They'll be sure that friends +have taken the gals away, and will know that their only chance of +escape is by the water. On land we should be hunted down to a +certainty, and the redskins, knowing that the gals could not travel +fast, will not hurry in following up the trail. So I think they'll at +once send off parties to watch the lake, and 'll like enough make no +effort to take up the trail till to-morrow morning." + +<P>This was said in a low whisper, for although they were more than two +miles from the village it was necessary to move as silently as +possible. + +<P>"You had best tell the others what you think, Pearson. It may make a +difference in our movements." + +<P>A short halt was called, and the Seneca and Peter quite agreed with +Pearson's idea. + +<P>"We'd best make for the canoe that's furthest off. When the redskins +find the others, which they're pretty sure to do, for they'll hunt +every bush, they're likely to be satisfied and to make sure they'll +ketch us at one or the other." + +<P>This much decided upon, they continued their flight, now less +rapidly, but in perfect silence. Speed was less an object than +concealment. The Indians might spread, and a party might come across +them by accident. If they could avoid this, they were sure to reach +their canoe before morning and unlikely to find the Indians there +before them. + +<P>It was about twelve miles to the spot where they had hidden the +canoe, and although they heard distant shouts and whoops ringing +through the forest, no sound was heard near them. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c15"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XV.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE ISLAND REFUGE.</H3> + +<P>The night was intensely cold and still and the stars shone brightly +through the bare boughs overhead. "Are you sure you are going all +right?" Nelly asked Harold. "It is so dark here that it seems +impossible to know which way we are going." "You can trust the +Indians," Harold said. "Even if there was not a star to be seen they +could find their way by some mysterious instinct. How you are grown, +Nelly! Your voice does not seem much changed, and I am longing to see +your face." + +<P>"I expect you are more changed than I am, Harold," the girl answered. +"You have been going through so much since we last met, and you seem +to have grown so tall and big. Your voice has changed very much, too; +it is the voice of a man. How in the world did you find us here?" + +<P>Pearson had gone on ahead to speak to the Seneca, but he now joined +them again. + +<P>"You mustn't talk," he said. "I hope there's no redskins within five +miles of us now, but there's never any saying where they may be." + +<P>There was, Harold thought, a certain sharpness in the hunter's voice, +which told of a greater anxiety than would be caused by the very +slight risk of the quietly spoken words being heard by passing +redskins, and he wondered what it could be. + +<P>They were now, he calculated, within a mile of the hiding place where +they had left the boat, and they had every reason for believing that +none of the Indians would be likely to have followed the shore so +far. That they would be pursued and that, in so heavily laden a +canoe, they would have great difficulty in escaping, he was well +aware, but he relied on the craft of the hunters and Senecas for +throwing their pursuers off the trail. + +<P>All at once the trees seemed to open in front, and in a few minutes +the party reached the river. A cry of astonishment and of something +akin to terror broke from Harold. As far as the eye could reach the +lake was frozen. Their escape was cut off. + +<P>"That's jest what I've been expecting," Pearson said. "The ice had +begun to form at the edge when we landed, and three days and nights +of such frost as we've had since was enough to freeze Ontario. What +on arth's to be done?" + +<P>No one answered. Peter and the redskins had shared Pearson's anxiety, +but to Harold and Cameron the disappointment was a terrible one; as +to Jake, he left all the thinking to be done by the others. Harold +stood gazing helplessly on the expanse of ice which covered the +water. It was not a smooth sheet, but was rough and broken, as if, +while it had been forming, the wind had broken the ice up into cakes +again and again, while the frost as often had bound them together. + +<P>They had struck the river within a few hundred yards of the place +where the canoe was hidden, and, after a short consultation between +the Seneca chief, Peter Lambton, and Pearson, moved down toward that +spot. + +<P>"What are you thinking of doing?" Harold asked when they gathered +round the canoe. + +<P>"We're going to load ourselves with the ammunition and deer's flesh," +Peter said, "and make for a rocky island which lies about a mile off +here. I noticed it as we landed. There's nothing to do but to fight +it out to the last there. It are a good place for defense, for the +redskins won't like to come out across the open, and, even covered by +a dark night, they'd show on this white surface." + +<P>"Perhaps they won't trace us." + +<P>"Not trace us!" the trapper repeated scornfully. "Why, when daylight +comes, they'll pick up our track and follow it as easy as you could +that of a wagon across the snow." + +<P>They were just starting when Harold gave a little exclamation. + +<P>"What is it, lad?" + +<P>"A flake of snow fell on my face." + +<P>All looked up. The stars had disappeared. Another flake and another +fell on the upturned faces of the party. + +<P>"Let's thank the great God," Peter said quietly. "There's a chance +for our lives yet. Half an hour's snow and the trail 'll be lost." + +<P>Faster and faster the snowflakes came down. Again the leaders +consulted. + +<P>"We must change our plans, now," Peter said, turning to the others. +"So long as they could easily follow our tracks it mattered nothing +that they'd find the canoe here; but now it's altogether different. +We must take it along with us." + +<P>The weight of the canoe was very small. The greater part of its +contents had already been removed. There was a careful look round to +see that nothing remained on the bank; then four of the men lifted it +on their shoulders, and the whole party stepped out upon the ice. The +snow was now falling heavily, and to Harold's eyes there was nothing +to guide them in the direction they were following. Even the Indians +would have been at a loss had not the Seneca, the instant the snow +began to fall, sent on one of his followers at full speed toward the +island. Harold wondered at the time what his object could be as the +Indian darted off across the ice, but now he understood. Every minute +or two the low hoot of an owl was heard, and toward this sound the +party directed their way through the darkness and snow. + +<P>So heavy was the fall that the island rose white before them as they +reached it. It was of no great extent—some twenty or thirty yards +across, and perhaps twice that length. It rose steeply from the water +to a height of from ten to fifteen feet. The ground was rough and +broken, and several trees and much brushwood grew in the crevices of +the rock. + +<P>The Seneca and the hunters made a rapid examination of the island, +and soon fixed upon the spot for their camp. Toward one end the +island was split in two, and an indentation ran some distance up into +it. Here a clear spot was found some three or four feet above the +level of the water. It was completely hidden by thick bushes from the +sight of anyone approaching by water. There the canoe was turned +over, and the girls, who were both suffering from the intense cold, +were wrapped up in blankets and placed under its shelter. The camp +was at the lower end of the island and would, therefore, be entirely +hidden from view of Indians gathered upon the shore. In such a +snowstorm light would be invisible at a very short distance, and +Peter did not hesitate to light a fire in front of the canoe. + +<P>For three hours the snow continued to fall. The fire had been +sheltered by blankets stretched at some distance above it. Long +before the snow ceased it had sunk down to a pile of red embers. A +small tent had now been formed of blankets for the use of the girls; +brushwood had been heaped over this, and upon the brushwood snow had +been thrown, the whole making a shelter which would be warm and +comfortable in the bitterest weather. A pile of hot embers was placed +in this little tent until it was thoroughly heated; blankets were +then spread, and the girls were asked to leave the shelter of the +canoe and take their place there. + +<P>The canoe itself was now raised on four sticks three feet from the +ground; bushes were laid round it and snow piled on, thus forming the +walls of which the canoe was the roof. All this was finished long +before the snow had ceased falling, and this added a smooth white +surface all over, so that, to a casual eye, both tent and hut looked +like two natural ridges of the ground. They were a cheerful party +which assembled in the little hut. The remainder of the embers of the +fire had been brought in, and, intense as was the cold outside, it +was warm and comfortable within. Tea was made and pipes filled, and +they chatted some time before going to sleep. + +<P>Duncan Cameron was like a man transfigured. His joy and thankfulness +for the recovery of his daughter were unbounded. Harold's pleasure, +too, at the rescue of his cousin was very great, and the others were +all gratified at the success of their expedition. It was true that +the Indians had as yet gained no scalps, but Harold had promised them +before starting that, should the expedition be successful, they +should be handsomely rewarded. + +<P>"We mustn't reckon as we are safe yet," Peter said in answer to one +of Harold's remarks. "The redskins aint going to let us slip through +their fingers so easy as all that. They've lost our trail and have +nothing but their senses to guide 'em, but an Injun's senses aint +easily deceived in these woods. Ef this snow begins again and keeps +on for two or three days they may be puzzled; but ef it stops they'll +cast a circle round their camp at a distance beyond where we could +have got before the snow ceased, and ef they find no new trails +they'll know that we must be within that circle. Then, as to the +boats, when they find as we don't come down to the two as they've +discovered, and that we've not made off by land, they'll guess as +there was another canoe hidden somewhere, and they'll sarch high and +low for it. Waal, they won't find it; and then they'll suppose that +we may have taken to the ice, and they'll sarch that. Either they'll +git to open water or to the other side. Ef there's open water +anywhere within a few miles they may conclude that we've carried a +canoe, launched it there, and made off. In that case, when they've +sarched everywhere, they may give it up. Ef there aint no such open +water, they'll sarch till they find us. It aint likely that this +island will escape 'em. With nine good rifles here we can hold the +place against the hull tribe, and as they'd show up against the snow, +they can no more attack by night than by day." + +<P>"I don't think our food will hold out beyond seven or eight days," +Harold said. + +<P>"Jest about that," Peter answered; "but we can cut a hole in the ice +and fish, and can hold out that way, if need be, for weeks. The wust +of it is that the ice aint likely to break up now until the spring. I +reckon our only chance is to wait till we git another big snowstorm +and then to make off. The. snow will cover our trail as fast as we +make it, and, once across to the other shore, we may git away from +the varmints. But I don't disguise from you, Harold, that we're in a +very awk'ard trouble, and that it 'll need all the craft of the +chief, here, and all the experience of Pearson and me to get us out +of it." + +<P>"The guid God has been vera merciful to us sae far," Duncan Cameron +said; "he will surely protect us to the end. Had he na sent the snow +just when he did, the savages could hae followed our trail at once; +it was a miracle wrought in our favor. He has aided us to rescue the +twa bairns frae the hands of the Indians, and we may surely trust in +his protection to the end. My daughter and her friend hae, I am very +sure, before lying down to sleep, entreated his protection. Let us a' +do the same." + +<P>And the old soldier, taking off his cap, prayed aloud to God to heed +and protect them. + +<P>Harold and the frontiersmen also removed their caps and joined in the +prayer, and the Senecas looked on, silent and reverent, at an act of +worship which was rare among their white companions. + +<P>As Peter was of opinion that there was no chance whatever of any +search on the part of the Indians that night, and therefore there was +no need to set a watch, the whole party wrapped themselves up in +their blankets and were soon asleep. + +<P>When Harold woke next morning it was broad daylight. The Senecas had +already been out and had brought news that a strong party of Indians +could be seen moving along the edge of the forest, evidently +searching for a canoe. One of the Indians was placed on watch, and +two or three hours later he reported that the Indians were now +entirely out of sight and were, when last seen, scouting along the +edge of the forest. + +<P>"Now," Peter said, "the sooner we git another snowstorm the better. +Ef we'd been alone we could have pushed on last night, but the gals +was exhausted and would soon have died of the cold. Now, with a fresh +start they'd do. Ef we can't cross the lake I calculate that we're +about thirty mile from a p'int on the north shore below the falls of +Ste. Marie, and we could land there and strike across through the +woods for the settlement. It'd be a terrible long journey round the +north of Huron, but we must try it ef we can't get across." + +<P>"But we could go off by night, surely," Harold said, "even if there +is no fresh snow." + +<P>"We could do that," Peter replied; "no doubt of it. But ef they were +to find our track the next day, ay, or within three days, they'd +follow us and overtake us afore we got to the settlements. Ef we was +alone, it'd be one thing; but with the gals it'd be another +altogether. No, we must stop here till a snowstorm comes, even if we +have to stop for a month. There's no saying how soon some of them +Injuns may be loafing round, and we daren't leave a trail for 'em to +take up." + +<P>They had scarcely ceased speaking when a low call from the Indian +placed on watch summoned the chief to his side. A minute later the +latter rejoined the group below and said a few words to Peter. + +<P>"Jest as I thought!" the latter grumbled, rising with his rifle +across his arm. "Here are some of the varmints coming out this 'ere +way. Likely enough it's a party of young braves jest scouting about +on their own account, to try and get honor by discovering us when +their elders have failed. It would have been better for them to have +stopped at home." + +<P>The party now crept up to the top of the rock, keeping carefully +below its crest. + +<P>"Ef you show as much as a hair above the top line," Peter said, +"they'll see you, sartin." + +<P>"Would it not be well," Harold asked, "for one of us to show himself? +There is no possibility of further concealment, and if they go off +without any of them being killed the others might be less bitter +against us than they would if they had lost some of their tribe." + +<P>Peter laughed scornfully. + +<P>"Ye haven't had much to do with Injuns, lad, but I should have +thought you'd have had better sense nor that. Haven't these Injuns +been a-murdering and a-slaying along the frontier all the summer, +falling on defenseless women and children? Marcy and pity aint in +their natur, and, fight or no fight, our scalps will dry in their +wigwams if they get us into their power. They know that we can shoot +and mean to, and that 'll make 'em careful of attacking us, and every +hour is important. Now," he said to the others, "each of you cover a +man and fire straight through your sights when I gives the word. +There's others watching 'em, you may be sure, and ef the whole five +go down together, it'll make 'em think twice afore they attack us +again." + +<P>Peering between some loose rocks, so that he could see without +exposing his head above the line, Harold watched the five Indians +approaching. They had evidently some doubts as to the wisdom of the +course they were pursuing, and were well aware that they ran a +terrible risk standing there in the open before the rifles of those +concealed, should the fugitives be really there. Nevertheless, the +hope of gaining distinction and the fear of ridicule from those +watching them on shore, should they turn back with their mission +unaccomplished, inspired them with resolution. When within three +hundred yards of the island they halted for a long time. They stood +gazing fixedly; but, although no signs of life could be perceived, +they were too well versed in Indian warfare to gain any confidence +from the apparent stillness. Throwing themselves flat on the snow and +following each other in single line, by which means their bodies were +nearly concealed from sight in the track which their leader made +through the light, yielding snow, they made a complete circuit of the +island. They paused for some time opposite the little forked entrance +in which the camp was situated, but apparently saw nothing, for they +kept round until they completed the circuit. + +<P>When they reached the point from which they had started there was, +apparently, a short consultation among them. Then they continued +their course in the track that they had before made until they +reached a spot facing the camp. Then they changed order, and, still +prone in the snow, advanced abreast toward the island. + +<P>"The varmints have guessed that, if we are here, this is the place +where we'd be hid," Peter whispered in Harold's ear. + +<P>As the Indians made their circuit the party in the island had changed +their position so as always to keep out of sight. They were now on +the top of the island, which was a sort of rough plateau. The girls +had been warned, when they left them, to remain perfectly quiet in +their shelter whatever noise they might hear. Peter and the Seneca +watched the Indians through holes which they had made with their +ramrods through a bank of snow. The others remained flat in the +slight depression behind it. At the distance of one hundred and fifty +yards the Indians stopped. + +<P>"The varmints see something!" Peter said. "Maybe they can make out +the two snow heaps through the bushes; maybe they can see some of our +footsteps in the snow. They're going to fire!" he exclaimed. "Up, +lads! They may send a bullet into the hut whar the gals is hid." + +<P>In an instant the line of men sprang to their feet. The Indians, +taken by surprise at the sudden appearance of a larger number of +enemies than they expected, fired a hasty volley and then sprang to +their feet and dashed toward the shore. But they were deadly rifles +which covered them. Peter, Harold, and Pearson could be trusted not +to miss even a rapidly moving object at that distance, and the men +were all good shots. Not in regular order, but as each covered his +man, the rifles were discharged. Four out of the five Indians fell, +and an arm of the fifth dropped useless by his side; however, he +still kept on. The whites reloaded rapidly, and Harold was about to +fire again when Pearson put his hand on his shoulder. + +<P>"Don't fire! We've shown them that we can shoot straight. It's jest +as well at present that they shouldn't know how far our rifles will +carry." + +<P>The four Senecas dashed out across the snow and speedily returned, +each with a scalp hanging at his belt. + +<P>A loud yell of anger and lamentation had risen from the woods +skirting the shore as the Indians fell, but after this died away deep +silence reigned. + +<P>"What will be their next move?" Cameron asked Peter, as they gathered +again in their low hut, having placed one of the Indians on watch. + +<P>"We'll hear nothing of 'em till nightfall," Peter said. "Their first +move, now they know as we're here, will be to send off to fetch up +all the tribe who're in search of us. When it comes on dark they'll +send scouts outside of us on the ice to see as we don't escape—not +that they'd much mind ef we did, for they could track us through the +snow and come up with us whenever they chose. No, they may be sure +we'll stay where we are. It may be they'll attack us to-night, maybe +not. It'd be a thing more risksome than redskins often undertake to +cross the snow under the fire of nine rifles. I aint no doubt they'd +try and starve us out, for they must know well enough that we can +have no great store of provisions. But they know as well as we do +that, if another snowstorm comes on, we might slip away from 'em +without leaving a foot-mark behind. It's jest that thought as may +make 'em attack." + +<P>"Well, we can beat them off, if they do," Harold said confidently. + +<P>"Waal, we may and we may not," the scout answered. "Anyhow we can +kill a grist of 'em afore they turn us out on this 'ere island." + +<P>"That's sartin enough," Pearson put in; "but they're a strong tribe, +and ef they can harden their hearts and make a rush it's all up with +us. I allow that it's contrary to their custom, but when they see no +other way to do with, they may try." + +<P>"I suppose if they do try a rush," Harold said, "they will do it +against this end of the island?" + +<P>"Yes, you may bet your money on that," the scout answered. "In other +places the rock goes pretty nigh straight up from the water, but here +it's an easy landing. Being so close to 'em they're sure to know all +about it; but even if they didn't, the chap that got away would tell +'em. I don't much expect an attack to-night—the bands won't be back +yet. They'll have a grand palaver to-night, and there'll be a big +talk afore they decide what is best to be done; so I think we're safe +for to-night. To-morrow we'll set to work and build a shelter for the +pretty ones up above, where they'll be safe from stray shots. Then +we'll throw up a breastwork with loose rocks on the top of the slope +round this cove, so as to give it to 'em hot when they land." + +<P>"You have plenty of powder?" Harold asked. + +<P>"Dollops," Peter replied; "more'n we could fire away if we was +besieged here for a month." + +<P>"Then you could spare me twenty pounds or so?" + +<P>"We could spare you a whole keg if you like; we've got three full. +But what are you thinking of now, young un?" + +<P>"I was thinking," Harold answered, "of forming a line of holes, say +three feet apart, in the ice across the mouth of the cove. If we were +to charge them with powder and lay a train between them, we could, +when the first dozen or so have passed the line, fire the train and +break up the ice. This would prevent the others following, and give +them such a bad scare that they would probably make off, and we could +easily deal with those who had passed the line before we fired it." + +<P>"That's a good idea of yours, lad. A fust-rate idea. The ice must be +a foot thick by this time, and ef you put in your charges eight +inches and tamp 'em well down you'll shiver the ice for a long way +round. The idea is a fust-rate one." + +<P>Pearson and Cameron assisted in the work, and the Indians, when Peter +had explained the plan to them, gave deep gutteral exclamations of +surprise and approval. The process of blasting was one wholly unknown +to them. + +<P>"I will mak' the holes," Cameron said. "I hae seen a deal of blasting +when I was in the army. I can heat the end of a ramrod in a fire and +hammer it into the shape of a borer." + +<P>"A better way than that, Cameron," Harold said, "will be to heat the +end of a ramrod white-hot. You will melt holes in the ice in half the +time it would take you to bore them. That was what I was thinking of +doing." + +<P>"Right you are, lad!" Pearson said. "Let's set about it at once." + +<P>A large fire was now lighted outside the hut, for there was no longer +any occasion for secrecy. The ends of three or four of the ramrods +were placed in the fire, and two lines of holes were bored in the ice +across the mouth of the little cove. These lines were twelve feet +apart, and they calculated that the ice between them would be +completely broken up, even if the fractures did not extend a good way +beyond the lines. The holes were of rather larger diameter than the +interior of a gun barrel. It was found that the ice was about fifteen +inches thick, and the holes were taken down ten inches. Three or four +charges of powder were placed in each; a stick of a quarter of an +inch in diameter was then placed in each hole, and pounded ice was +rammed tightly in around it until the holes were filled up, a few +drops of water being poured in on the top, so as to freeze the whole +into a solid mass. There was no fear of the powder being wetted, for +the frost was intense. Then the sticks were withdrawn and the holes +left filled with powder. With the heated ramrods little troughs were +sunk half an inch deep, connecting the tops of the holes; lines of +powder were placed in these trenches; narrow strips of skin were laid +over them, and the snow was then thrown on again. The two lines of +trenches were connected at the ends at the shore, so that they could +be fired simultaneously. + +<P>While the men were occupied with this work the girls had cooked some +venison steaks and made some cakes. + +<P>It was just nightfall when they had finished, and all sat down and +enjoyed a hearty meal. Peter and one of the Senecas undertook the +watch for half the night, when they were to be relieved by Pearson +and the chief. The early part of the night passed off quietly, but an +hour before morning the party were aroused by the sharp crack of two +rifles. Seizing their arms, all rushed out. + +<P>"What is it, Pearson?" + +<P>"Two of their scouts," Pearson answered, pointing to two dark bodies +on the snow at a distance of about one hundred yards. "I suppose they +wanted to see ef we was on the watch. We made 'em out almost as soon +as they left the shore, but we let 'em come on until we was sartin of +our aim. There aint no more about as we can see, so ye can all turn +in again for another hour or two." + +<P>There was no fresh alarm before morning, and, when the sun rose, it +shone over a wide expanse of snow, unbroken save where lay the bodies +of the two Indians—whose scalps already hung at the belt of the +Seneca—and those of their four comrades who had fallen in the first +attack. + +<P>The day passed quietly. Toward the afternoon two Indians were seen +approaching from the shore. They were unarmed and held their hands +aloft as a sign of amity. Peter and Pearson at once laid down their +guns, left the island, and advanced to meet them. They were Indian +chiefs of importance. + +<P>"Why have my white brothers stolen in at night upon the village of +War Eagle and slain his young men?" + +<P>"It is what you have been doing all last year, chief," Pearson, who +spoke the dialect better than Peter, replied. "But we injured no one. +We didn't kill women and children, as your warriors have done in the +white villages. We only came to take what you had stolen from us, and +ef your young men have been killed it's only because they tried to +attack us." + +<P>"The white men must see," the chief said, "that they cannot get away. +The water is hard, and their canoe will not swim in it. The snow is +deep, and the tender feet cannot walk through it. My warriors are +very numerous, and the white men cannot fight their way through them. +The white settlements are very far away, and their friends cannot +reach them; and it will be many months before the water softens, and +long before that the white men will have eaten their moccasins." + +<P>"Waal, chief," Pearson said, "we're in a tight hole, I grant you; but +I'm far from allowing that we aint no chances left to us yet. What do +you propose? I suppose you've some proposition to make." + +<P>"Let the white men leave behind them their guns and their powder and +the maidens they have taken from War Eagle's camp; then let them go +in peace. They shall not be harmed." + +<P>Pearson gave a short laugh. + +<P>"War Eagle must think the white men are foolish. What's to prevent +the red warriors from taking all our scalps when our arms are in +their hands?" + +<P>"The word of a great chief," War Eagle said. "War Eagle never lies." + +<P>"You may not lie, chief," Pearson said bluntly, "but I've known many +a treaty broken afore now. You and your people may not touch us, but +there's other redskins about, and I wouldn't give a beaver's skin for +our sculps ef we were to take the back trail to the settlements +without arms in our hands. Besides that, we've among us the father of +the gal who was stole far away off from Lake Champlain, and a +relative of hers whose parents you've killed down on the lake. Ef we +were to agree to give up our arms, it stands to reason it aint likely +they'd agree to give up the gals. No, no, chief; your terms aren't +reasonable. But I tell ye what we will do; ef you'll give us your +word that neither you nor your tribe'll molest us in our retreat +we'll go back to the settlements, and 'll engage that, when we get +back there, we'll send you nine of the best rifles money can buy, +with plenty of powder and ball, and blankets and such like." + +<P>The chief waved his hand in contemptuous refusal of the terms. + +<P>"There are six of my young men's scalps at your girdles, and their +places are empty. War Eagle has spoken." + +<P>"Very well, chief," Pearson said. "Ef nothing but sculps will content +you, to fighting it must come; but I warn you that your tribe'll lose +a good many more afore they get ours." + +<P>So saying, without another word, they separated, each party making +their way back to their friends. + +<P>"What on earth can he have proposed such terms as those for?" Harold +asked, when Pearson had related what had taken place between him and +the chief. "He must have known we should not accept them." + +<P>"I expect," Pearson said, "he wanted to see who we were and to judge +what sort of spirit we had. It may be, too, that there was a party +among the tribe who had no stomachs for the job of attacking this +place, and so he was obliged to make a show of offering terms to +please 'em; but he never meant as they should be accepted. No, I take +it they'll wait a few days to see what hunger'll do. They must be +pretty sure that we've not a very large supply of food." + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c16"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XVI.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE GREAT STORM.</H3> + +<P>"Let us overhaul our packages," Harold said, "and see what provisions +we have left. It would be as well to know how we stand." + +<P>It was found that they had a sufficient supply of flour to last, with +care, for a fortnight. The meal was nearly exhausted; of tea they had +an abundance; the sugar was nearly out, and they had three bottles of +spirits. + +<P>"Could we not make the flour last more than the fourteen days by +putting ourselves on half rations?" Harold asked. + +<P>"We might do that," Peter said, "but I tell you the rations would be +small even for fourteen days. We've calkilated according to how much +we eat when we've plenty of meat, but without meat it'd be only a +starvation ration to each. Fortunately we've fish-hooks and lines, +and by making holes in the ice we can get as many fish as we like. +Waal, we can live on them alone, if need be, and an ounce or two of +flour, made into cakes, will be enough to go with 'em. That way the +flour would last us pretty nigh two months. I don't say that, if the +wust comes to the wust, we might not hold on right to the spring on +fish. The lake's full of 'em, and some of 'em have so much oil in 'em +that they're nigh as good as meat." + +<P>"Do you think, Peter, that if the Indians make one great attack and +are beaten off they will try again?" + +<P>"No one can say," Peter answered. "Injun natur' can't never be +calkilated on. I should say if they got a thundering beating they +aint likely to try again; but there's never no saying." + +<P>"The sooner they attack and get it o'er the better," Cameron said. "I +hae na slept a wink the last twa nights. If I doze off for a moment I +wake up, thinking I hear their yells. I am as ready to fight as ony +o' you when the time comes, but the thought o' my daughter, here, +makes me nervous and anxious. What do you say, Jake?" + +<P>"It all de same to Jake, Massa Cameron. Jake sleeps bery sound, but +he no like de tought ob eating nothing but fish for five or six +months. Jake neber bery fond ob fish." + +<P>"You'll like it well enough when you get used to it, Jake," Pearson +said. "It's not bad eating on a pinch, only you want to eat a sight +of it to satisfy you. Well, let's see how the fish'll bite." + +<P>Four holes were cut in the ice at a short distance apart. The hooks +were attached to strong lines and baited with deer's flesh, and soon +the fishing began. The girls took great interest in the proceeding. +Nelly was an adept at the sport, having generally caught the fish for +the consumption of the household at home. She took charge of one of +the lines, Harold of another, while Jake and one of the Senecas +squatted themselves by the other holes. There had been some +discussion as to whether the fishing should take place on the side of +the island facing the shore or behind the rocks, but the former was +decided upon. This was done because all were anxious that the +expected attack should take place as soon as possible, and the event +was likely to be hastened when the Indians saw that they were +provided with lines and were thus able to procure food for a +considerable time. + +<P>It was soon manifest that, if they could live upon fish, they need +feel no uneasiness as to its supply. Scarcely had the lines been let +down than fish were fast to them. Harold and the other men soon had +trout, from three to six pounds, lying on the ice beside them, but +Nelly was obliged to call Pearson to her assistance, and the fish, +when brought to the surface, was found to be over twenty pounds in +weight. An hour's fishing procured them a sufficient supply for a +week's consumption. There was no fear as to the fish keeping, for in +a very short time after being drawn from the water they were frozen +stiff and hard. They were hung up to some boughs near the huts, and +the party were glad enough to get into shelter again, for the cold +was intense. + +<P>As before, the early part of the night passed quietly; but toward +morning Peter, who was on watch, ran down and awakened the others. + +<P>"Get your shooting-irons and hurry up," he said. "The varmints are +coming this time in arnest." + +<P>In a minute everyone was at the post assigned to him. A number of +dark figures could be seen coming over the ice. + +<P>"There's nigh two hundred of 'em," Peter said. "War Eagle has brought +the whole strength of his tribe." + +<P>Contrary to their usual practice the Indians did not attempt to crawl +up to the place they were about to attack, but advanced at a run +across the ice. The defenders lost not a moment in opening fire, for +some of their rifles would carry as far as the shore. + +<P>"Shoot steady," Peter said. "Don't throw away a shot." + +<P>Each man loaded and fired as quickly as he could, taking a steady +aim, and the dark figures which dotted the ice behind the advancing +Indians showed that the fire was an effectual one. The Indians did +not return a shot. Their chief had, no doubt, impressed upon them the +uselessness of firing against men lying in shelter, and had urged +them to hurry at the top of their speed to the island and crush the +whites in a hand-to-hand fight. + +<P>It was but three or four minutes from the time the first shot was +fired before they were close to the island. They made, as Peter had +expected, toward the little cove, which was indeed the only place at +which a landing could well be effected. Harold ran down and hid +himself in a bush at the spot where the train terminated, carrying +with him a glowing brand from the fire. + +<P>"War Eagle means to have our sculps this time," Peter said to +Pearson. "I never seed an uglier rush. White men couldn't have done +better." + +<P>The Indians had run in scattered order across the ice, but they +closed up as they neared the cove. As they rushed toward it four fell +beneath the shots of half the defenders, and another four a few +seconds later from a volley by the other section. + +<P>In a wonderfully short time the first were ready again, and the +Indians wavered at the slaughter and opened fire upon the breastwork, +behind which the defenders were crouching. Those behind pressed on, +and, with terrific yells, the mass of Indians bounded forward. + +<P>Harold had remained inactive, crouching behind the bush. He saw the +head of the dark mass rush past him and then applied the brand to the +train. + +<P>There was a tremendous explosion. Yells and screams rent the air, and +in an instant a dark line of water, twenty feet wide, stretched +across the mouth of the cove. + +<P>In this were pieces of floating ice and numbers of Indians struggling +and yelling. Some made only a faint struggle before they sank, while +others struck out for the side furthest from the island. + +<P>The main body of the Indians, appalled by the explosion, checked +themselves in their course and at once took to flight; some, unable +to check their impetus, fell into the water upon the wounded wretches +who were struggling there. Those who had crossed stood irresolute, +and then, turning, leaped into the water. As they struggled to get +out on the opposite side the defenders maintained a deadly fire upon +them, but, in two or three minutes, the last survivor had scrambled +out, and all were in full flight toward the shore. + +<P>"I think we've seen the last of the attacks," Peter said, as they +came down from their breastwork and joined Harold in the cove. "That +was a first-rate notion of yours, lad. Ef it hadn't been for that we +should have been rubbed out, sure enough; another minute and we'd +have gone down. They were in arnest and no mistake; they'd got steam +up and was determined to finish with us at once, whatever it cost +'em." + +<P>The instant the attack had ceased Cameron had hastened to the hut +where the girls were lying, to assure them that all danger was over +and that the Indians were entirely defeated. In an hour a fresh skim +of ice had formed across the streak of water, but, as through its +clear surface many of the bodies of the Indians could be seen, the +men threw snow over it, to spare the girls the unpleasantness of such +a sight every time they went out from the cove. The bodies of all the +Indians who had fallen near the island were also covered with snow. +Those nearer the shore were carried off by the Iroquois in their +retreat. + +<P>"I suppose, Peter," Harold said as they sat round the fire that +evening, "you have been in quite as awkward scrapes as this before +and have got out all right?" + +<P>"Why, this business aint nothing to that affair we had by Lake +Champlain. That were as bad a business, when we was surrounded in +that log hut, as ever I went through—and I've been through a good +many. Pearson and me nigh got our har raised more nor once in that +business of Pontiac's. He were a great chief and managed to get up +the biggest confederation agin us that's ever been known. It were +well for us that that business didn't begin a few years earlier when +we was fighting the French; but you see, so long as we and they was +at war the Indians hoped as we might pretty well exterminate each +other, and then they intended to come in and finish off whoever got +the best of it. Waal, the English they drove the French back and +finally a treaty was made in Europe by which the French agreed to +clear out. + +<P>"It was jest about this time as Pontiac worked upon the tribes to lay +aside their own quarrels and jine the French in fighting agin us. He +got the Senecas, and the Delawares, and the Shawnees, the Wyandots, +and a lot of other tribes from the lakes and the hull country between +the Niagara River and the Mississippi. + +<P>"Jack Pearson and me, we happened to be with the Miamis when the +bloody belt which Pontiac were sending round as a signal for war +arrived at the fort there. Jack and me knew the redskins pretty well, +and saw by their manner as something unusual had happened. I went to +the commandant of the fort and told him as much. He didn't think much +of my news. The soldier chaps always despises the redskins till they +see 'em come yelling along with their tomahawks, and then as often as +not it's jest the other way. Howsumdever, he agreed at last to pay +any amount of trade goods I might promise to the Miamis if the news +turned out worth finding out. I discovered that a great palaver was +to be held that evening at the chief's village, which was a mile away +from the fort. + +<P>"I'd seen a good deal of the Miamis and had fought with 'em against +the Shawnees, so I could do as much with 'em as most. Off Pearson and +I goes to the chief; and I says to him, 'Look ye here, chief, I've +good reasons to believe you've got a message from Pontiac and that it +means trouble. Now don't you go and let yourself be led away by him. +I've heard rumors that he's getting up a great confederation agin the +English. But I tell you, chief, if all the redskins on this continent +was to jine together, they couldn't do nothing agin the English. I +don't say as you mightn't wipe out a number of little border forts, +for no doubt you might; but what would come of it? England would send +out as many men as there are leaves in the forest, who would scorch +up the redskin nations as a fire on the prairie scorches up the +grass. I tell yer, chief, no good can come on it. Don't build yer +hopes on the French; they've acknowledged that they're beaten and are +all going out of the country. It'd be best for you and your people to +stick to the English. They can reward their friends handsomely, and +ef you jine with Pontiac, sooner or later trouble and ruin will come +upon you. Now I can promise you, in the name of the officer of the +fort, a good English rifle for yerself and fifty guns for your braves +and ten bales of blankets ef yer'll make a clean breast of it, and +first tell us what deviltry Pontiac is up to and next jine us +freely—or anyway hold aloof altogether from this conspiracy till yer +see how things is going.' + +<P>"Waal, the chief he thought the matter over and said he'd do his best +at the palaver that night, but till that was over, and he knew what +the council decided on, he couldn't tell me what the message was. I +was pretty well satisfied, for Prairie Dog were a great chief in his +tribe, and I felt pretty sartin he'd git the council to go the way he +wanted. I told him I'd be at the fort and that the governor would +expect a message after the council was over. + +<P>"It was past midnight when the chief came with four of his braves. He +told us that the tribe had received a bloody belt from Pontiac and a +message that the Mingoes and Delawares, the Wyandots and Shawnees +were going to dig up the hatchet against the whites, and calling upon +him and his people to massacre the garrison of the fort and then +march to jine Pontiac, who was about to fall upon Detroit and Fort +Pitt. They were directed to send the belt on to the tribes on the +Wabash, but they loved the English and were determined to take no +part against them; so they delivered the belt to their friend the +white commander, and hoped that he'd tell the great king in England +that the Miamis were faithful to him. The governor highly applauded +their conduct and said he'd send the news to the English governor at +New York, and at once ordered the presents which I promised to be +delivered to the chief for himself and his braves. When they'd gone +he said: + +<P>"'You were right, Peter. This news is important indeed, and it's +clear that a terrible storm's about to bust upon the frontier. +Whether the Miamis will keep true is doubtful; but now I'm on my +guard they'll find it difficult to take the fort. But the great thing +is to carry the news of what's happened to Detroit, to put them on +their guard. Will you and Pearson start at once?' + +<P>"In course we agreed, though it was clear that the job was a risksome +one, for it wouldn't be no easy matter to journey through the woods +with the hull redskin tribes on the war-path. + +<P>"The commander wanted me to carry the belt with me, but I said, 'I +might jest as well carry my death warrant to the first redskins as I +come across.' Major Gladwin, who commanded at Detroit, knew me, and I +didn't need to carry any proof of my story. So, afore the Miamis had +been gone half an hour, Jack and me took the trail for Detroit. We +had got a canoe hid on the lake a few miles away, and we was soon on +board. The next morning we seed a hull fleet of canoes coming down +the lake. We might have made a race with 'em, but being fully manned +the chances was as they'd have cut us off, and seeing that at present +war had not been declared, we judged it best to seem as if we weren't +afeared. So we paddles up to 'em and found as they were a lot of +Wyandots whose hunting-grounds lay up by Lake Superior. In course I +didn't ask no questions as to whar they was going, but jest mentioned +as we was on our way down to Detroit. 'We're going that way, too,' +the chief said, 'and 'll be glad to have our white brothers with us.' +So we paddled along together until, about noon, they landed. Nothing +was said to us as how we were prisoners, but we could see as how we +was jest as much captives as ef we'd been tied with buckskin ropes. + +<P>"Jack and me talked it over and agreed as it was no manner o' use +trying to make our escape, but that as long as they chose to treat us +as guests we'd best seem perfectly contented and make no show of +considering as they was on the war-path; although, seeing as they had +no women or children with 'em, a baby could have known as they were +up to no good. + +<P>"The next morning they started again at daybreak, and after paddling +some hours landed and hid away their canoes and started on foot. +Nothing was said to us, but we saw as we was expected to do as they +did. We went on till we was within ten mile of Detroit and then we +halted. I thought it were best to find out exactly how we stood, so +Jack and I goes up to the chief and says that as we was near Detroit +we would jest say good-by to him and tramp in. + +<P>"'Why should my white brothers hurry?' he said. 'It is not good for +them to go on alone, for the woods are very full of Indians.' 'But,' +I said, 'the hatchet's buried between the whites and the redskins, so +there's no danger in the woods.' The chief waved his hand. 'My white +brothers have joined the Wyandots, and they will tarry with them +until they go into Detroit. There are many redskins there, and there +will be a grand palaver. The Wyandots will be present.' + +<P>"Jack and me made no signs of being dissatisfied, but the position +weren't a pleasant one, I can tell you. Here was the redskins +a-clustering like bees around Detroit, ready to fall upon the +garrison and massacre 'em, and we, who was the only men as knew of +the danger, was prisoners among the redskins. It was sartin, too, +that though they mightn't take our lives till they had attacked the +garrison, they was only keeping us for the pleasure of torturing us +quietly arterward. The situation was plain enough; the question was, +what were to be done? There was about sixty of the varmints around us +sitting by their fires and looking as ef they didn't even know as we +was there, but we knew as sharp eyes was watching us and that, afore +we'd gone five yards, the hull lot would be on our track. + +<P>"Jack and me didn't say much to each other, for we knew how closely +we was watched and didn't want 'em to think as we was planning our +escape, so after a few words we sat down by one of the fires till it +got time to lie down for the night; but we had both been a-thinking. +We saw, when we lay down, that the Injuns lay pretty well around us, +while two on 'em, with their rifles ready to hand, sat down by a fire +close by and threw on some logs, as if they intended to watch all +night. + +<P>"It was a goodish-size clearing as they'd chose for a camping-ground, +and we should have had to run some distance afore we got to the +shelter of the trees. The moon too was up, and it were well-nigh as +light as day, and anxious as we was to git away, we agreed that there +were no chance of sliding off, but that it'd be better to wait till +next day. + +<P>"When we woke our guns was gone. We complained to the chief, who said +coldly that his young men would carry the guns and give 'em back to +us when we got to Detroit. It were no use saying more, for he might +at any moment have ordered us to be bound, and it were better to keep +the use of our legs as long as we could. + +<P>"For two days we stayed there, not seeing the shadow of a chance of +gitting away. Several redskin runners come in and spoke to the chief, +and we got more and more anxious to be off. We was still allowed to +walk about, provided we didn't go near the edge of the clearing; +whenever we went that way two Injuns, who kept guard by turns over +us, shouted to us to go no furder. + +<P>"The third morning, after a runner had come in, the chief gave the +word for a move and we set out. We saw they wasn't taking the direct +line to Detroit, although still going in that direction, and after +two hours' marching through the woods we got down on to the Detroit +River. Here was a big encampment, and some three or four hundred +Shawnees and Delawares was gathered here. A chief come up to us as we +entered the open. He gave an order to the Wyandots, and in a minute +we was bound hand and foot, carried to a small wigwam, and chucked +down inside like two logs of wood. + +<P>"After a little talk Jack and I agreed as after all we had a better +chance of escaping now than when we was watched by a hull tribe, and +we concluded that there weren't no time to be lost. The Wyandots had +no doubt been brought up in readiness to strike the blow, and even if +we'd known nothing about the belt we'd have been, sure that mischief +was intended when these three bands of red varmints had gathered so +close to the fort. It was sartin we couldn't do nothing till night, +but we both strained our cords as much as possible to get 'em to +stretch a bit and give us a better chance of slipping out of 'em. No +one come near us for some time, and as we could hear the sound of +voices we guessed that a great council was taking place, and we +agreed at once to loosen the knots, so as to be in readiness for +work, as like enough they'd put a sentry over us at night. + +<P>"It was a risky thing to try, for we might be disturbed at any +minute. Still we thought it were our only chance, so Jack set to work +with his teeth at my knots and in a quarter of an hour had loosened +them; then I undone his. We unbound our thongs and then fastened 'em +up again so that to the eye they looked jest the same as before but +really with a jerk they'd fall off. + +<P>"I must teach you how to do that, Harold, some time; ye may find it +of use. The knots was tied up as tightly as before, and it would have +needed a close examination to see that we was not tied as tight as +ever. Not a word was spoken and, we was as quiet as mice, for we +could hear two redskins talking outside. You may guess we was pretty +slick about it; and I don't know as ever I felt so thankful as when +we laid ourselves down again, jest as we had been throwed, without +the slit in the tent having opened and a red face peered in. + +<P>"A quarter of an hour later a redskin come in and looked at us. +Seeing, as it seemed to him, as we hadn't moved, he went out again. +Jest before nightfall two on 'em came in together, rolled us over, +and looked at the knots; they found as these was all right; then one +sat down jest in the door of the tent and the other took his place +outside. We waited some hours. + +<P>"At last the fires burned low and the camp got quiet. We knew it was +well-nigh hopeless to wait for 'em all to be asleep, for redskin +natur' is a restless one, and especially when there's anything on +hand they'll turn out two or three times in the night to smoke their +pipes by the fires, and they'd be the more restless since, as we'd +seen, there was only four or five wigwams and all would be sleeping +on the ground. At last I thought the time were come and gave Jack a +nudge, and we both sat up. + +<P>"It were a ticklish moment, young un, I can tell ye, for we knew that +it were scarce possible to get off without the alarm being raised. Ef +the wigwam had stood close to the edge of the forest it would have +been compar'tively easy, for once among the trees we might have hoped +to have outrun 'em, though the moon was so pesky bright; but +unfortunately it was built not far from the river, and we should have +to cross the hull clearing to gain the woods. The chances weren't +good, I can tell you, but it was clear as we had to try 'em. We had +purposely moved about pretty often, so that our movements would not +attract the attention of the Injun now. It didn't take a minute to +slip out of the cords, which, tight as they looked, really were not +fastened at all, there being two loose double ends between our arms +and our bodies. We could see the outside sentry through the open +door, and we waited till he turned his back and looked out on the +river. Then suddenly I gripped the redskin sitting at the entrance by +the neck with both my hands, pretty tight, as you may reckon, and +Jack ketched his knife from his belt and buried it in his body. + +<P>"That was soon over, and not a sound made as would have startled a +mouse. Then, standing up, I made a spring on to the sentry, while +Jack used his knife as before. We let him drop softly down and +prepared to bolt, when of a sudden the war-whoop sounded not twenty +feet away. One of the redskins, finding the ground hard, I suppose, +was strolling up to speak to the sentry when he saw us tackle him. +For a moment he were too much surprised to holler, but when he did he +gave a yell as brought the hull tribe to their feet. Jack had taken +up the sentry's rifle. + +<P>"'Ye'd better have held yer tongue,' he said as he leveled on the +redskin, and before the whoop was out of his lips the bullet hit him +and he went down like a log. It didn't need to look round to see as +there was no chance of getting to the trees, for two hundred redskins +was between us and them. 'We must take to the river, Jack,' I said. +It were but thirty yards away. I expected every moment, as we run, to +hear the rifle bullets whistle round us, but I guess Pontiac had +given orders that no gun was to be fired lest it might be heard at +the fort. Anyhow, not a shot was fired and we got down safe to the +bank." + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c17"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XVII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE SCOUT'S STORY.</H3> + +<P>"Luckily enough there was a canoe lying close at our feet. 'Shove it +out, Jack,' says I, 'and then keep along the bank.' We gave it a +shove with all our strength and sent it dancing out into the river. +Then we dived in and swum down close under the bank. There was bushes +growing all along, and we came up each time under 'em. The redskins +was some little distance behind us as we reached the river, and in +course thought we had throwed ourselves flat in the canoe. In a +minute or two they got another and paddled off to it, and we soon +heard the shout they raised when they found it was empty. By this +time we was a hundred yards below the spot where we had taken to the +water, and knowing as they would be off along the bank and would find +us in no time, we scrambled straight up and made for the trees. + +<P>"We was within fifty yards of the edge of the forest, and none of the +redskins was near us, as the hull body Had clustered down at the spot +where we had jumped in. We hadn't fairly set foot on the bank afore +they saw us and, with a whoop—which sometimes wakes me even now in +my sleep and makes me sit up with the sweat on my forehead—they +started. I could run faster then than I can now, and ye may guess I +went my best. We plunged into the trees and went as hard as we could +foot it, the redskins being fifty or sixty yards behind. + +<P>"Our hope was to find a place with a thickish underwood. It was +darker a deal under the trees than in the clearing, still it was not +dark enough to hide us from redskin eyes. We run straight, for we +knew they could see us, and arter about four hundred yards we come +upon a place where the undergrowth grew thick. Here we began to dodge +'em, turning now one way and now another, keeping always low in the +bushes. They had lost us by sight now, but there was so many of 'em +that we pretty nigh despaired of getting through. Some of 'em had +tried to follow us, but the best part had run straight on for a bit, +and then, when sure they had headed us, scattered right and left, so +that they were ahead of us now as well as on our traces, and we could +hear 'em shouting all round us, so we did the only thing there was to +be done and made the best of our way back to the clearing, keeping +low and taking good care not to cross any patch where the moonlight +through the trees fell on the ground. + +<P>"It were lucky for us that it was a camp of braves. Had it been an +ordinary redskin encampment there would have been squaws, and boys, +and wuss still, dogs, who would have seed us the moment we got back; +but being all braves on the war-path the hull gang had started arter +us, and not a soul had remained in the clearing. We did not rest +there long, you may be sure, but made straight down to the water. +There we picked out a canoe, crossed the river, and got into the +shade of the trees the other side. Then we kept along down it till we +got close to the fort of Detroit. + +<P>"We could see a good many smoldering fires out afore it, and guessed +that a strong body of redskins, pretending to be friends, had camped +there. We made round 'em and reached the gate of the fort safe. The +sentries wouldn't let us in, but when a sergeant was fetched it +turned out as he knew us, seeing that we had been scouting out from +thar in the summer. Pretty thankful we was when the gate closed arter +us. Our news would keep, so we waited till morning afore we saw the +major, and then told him the whole history of the matter, and how +Pontiac had raised all the tribes east of the Mississippi against us. + +<P>"We found that Pontiac had been into the camp with fifty of his +warriors three days afore, professing great friendship, and had said +that in two or three days he would call again and pay a formal visit. + +<P>"Detroit then was but a trading post, defended by a stockade twenty +feet high and twelve hundred yards in circumference. About fifty +houses of traders and storekeepers stood within it. The garrison was +composed of 120 men of the Eighteenth Regiment and 8 officers. They +had three guns—two six-pounders, and a three-pounder—and three +mortars, but their carriages was so old and rotten that they was of +no real service. Two vessels, mounting some small guns, lay in the +river off the fort. The governor was a good soldier, but he was +naturally startled at hearing that there was something like a +thousand redskins in the woods round; but he said that now he had +warning he was not afraid of 'em. A messenger was sent off in a canoe +to carry the tidings east and to ask for re-enforcements, and the +traders was all told to get their arms ready. + +<P>"At eight o'clock in the morning Pontiac was seen a-coming with three +hundred warriors. There had been no declaration of war, and the +redskins was supposed to be friendly, so the major didn't like to be +the first to commence hostilities, as folks who knew nothing of it +might likely enough have raised an outcry about massacring the poor +Injuns. Howsumever, he called all the troops under arms and disposed +'em behind the houses. The traders, too, with their rifles, were +drawn up ready. The gates was opened when Pontiac arrived, and he and +his warriors entered. They had left their rifles behind them, as they +pretended that their mission was a peaceful one, but they had all got +their tomahawks and knives under their blankets. They advanced in a +body toward where Major Gladwin and his officers was standing in +front of his quarters. + +<P>"Jack and me and two or three scouts who happened to be in the fort +stood just behind, careless like, with our rifles, so that, in case +of any sudden attack, we could keep them back for a moment or two. I +noticed that Pontiac carried in his hand a wampum belt. I noticed it +because it was green on one side and white on the other, and it +turned out arterward that when he twisted that belt with two hands it +was to be the signal for an attack. + +<P>"Pontiac spoke soft for a time. He was a fine redskin; that can't be +denied. He was a Catawba by birth, but had been adopted into the +tribe of Ottawas and had risen to be their chief. He were a great +brave and one of the best speakers I ever heard. He was a wise chief, +as you may guess by the way he got all the tribes to lay aside their +private quarrels and make common cause against us. I watched him +close. He kept his eyes on the major and spoke as cool and as calm as +if he had nothing on his mind; but I could see the warrior glancing +about, wondering, no doubt, what had become of the soldiers. +Presently the chief changed his tone and began to pretend as he was +in a rage at some grievance or other. + +<P>"The major jest put his whistle to his lips, and in a moment from +behind the houses the soldiers and traders marched out, rifle in +hand. You never saw a more disgusted crew than them redskins. I'll do +Pontiac justice to say that he never so much as moved, but jest went +on talking as if he hadn't noticed the troops at all. The major +answered him in the same way, and after half an hour's talk the +redskins went out again without so much as a knife having been shown. +Major Gladwin gave Jack and me papers testifying as how we had saved +Detroit from destruction, and sent an account of it to Governor +Amherst, and to this day Jack and me draws special pensions for that +'ere business, besides what we earned as British scouts." + +<P>"That was an adventure, Peter!" Harold said. "They did not take +Detroit after all, did they?" "No; we beat 'em off handsome when +they tried it. Then they laid siege to Fort Pitt and tried very hard +there, too, but the place held out till some troops who had come up +marched out from here and raised the siege. At some of the little +places they succeeded. Lots of settlers was massacred. At Fort +Sandusky Ensign Paulli and the garrison was massacred by a party of +Hurons and Ottawas who come in as friends. This was on the same day +as they had intended to do for us at Detroit. + +<P>"At St. Joseph's an English ensign with fourteen soldiers was killed +by the Pottawatomies, but nowhere did Pontiac obtain any real +successes. The French in Illinois were preparing to leave, and he +couldn't git no assistance from them. After the siege of Fort Pitt +was raised peace was patched up again. Pontiac's confederacy, finding +as they hadn't got none of the successes he promised 'em, was +beginning to break up, and the English saw no chance of doing any +good by hunting the redskins among the forests, so both parties was +willing for peace. + +<P>"Pontiac never gave any more trouble, and some years arterward, +coming into one of the towns, he was killed by an Injun who had a +private grudge agin' him. And now I'm longing for a quiet pipe, and +you'd better turn in. There's no saying whether we'll have a quiet +night of it". + +<P>A fortnight passed without further incident. Then the sky became +overcast, and Peter and the Indians agreed that snow would soon fall. +All hands were at once set to work to make up their stores into +packages. The deerskins and blankets were tied in bundles; besides +these there were only two kegs of powder and about two hundred pounds +of frozen fish. + +<P>Harold was in high glee at the thought that their imprisonment was to +come to an end, although there was no doubt that the attempt would be +a hazardous one, as the backwoodsmen were sure that the instant the +snow began to fall the Indians would be out in great numbers round +the island, to prevent the defenders taking advantage of the storm. + +<P>Several times Harold observed the two backwoodsmen talking with the +Seneca chief and looking at the sky, and he thought that their +countenances expressed some anxiety. + +<P>"What is it, Peter?" he asked at length. "Don't you think we shall +have a snowstorm?" + +<P>"We may have snow," Peter said, "but I think it's more than a +snowstorm that's coming. The clouds are flying past very fast, and it +seems to me as ef we're in for a big gale of wind." + +<P>"But that will drift the snow and cover our footsteps almost as well +as a snowstorm," Harold said. + +<P>"Yes, it 'll do all that," the scout answered. + +<P>"What is the objection to it, Peter?" + +<P>"In the first place, lad, ef it don't snow we may stop where we are, +for there'd be no chance of getting through the Injuns unless it +snowed so thick you couldn't see five feet away. It'll be difficult +enough, anyhow. There'll be four or five hundred of the varmints out, +for they'll bring even their boys with 'em, so as to form a pretty +close line round the island. Our only chance'll be for the Senecas to +go first, and to silence, afore they can give the alarm, any they +might meet on our line. That might be done in a heavy snowstorm, but +without snow it would be impossible. In the next place, even if we +got through 'em, we'd have to carry our canoe." + +<P>"Why?" Harold asked, surprised. "What good could the canoe be to us, +with the lake frozen hard?" + +<P>"You see, the wind is on the shore here, lad, and when it does blow +on these lakes it blows fit to take the har off your head. It's as +much as a man can do to make way agin' it, and I doubt whether the +gals could face it, even with our help. As to carrying a canoe in its +teeth, it couldn't be done." + +<P>"But why carry the canoe at all, Peter? That's what I cannot +understand." + +<P>"Waal, you see, lad, the force of the wind acting on sech a big sheet +of ice will move it, and like enough you'd see it piled up in a bank +forty feet high on this side of the lake, and there'll be a strip of +clear water half a mile wide on the other. That's why we must take +the canoe." + +<P>Harold was silent. In the face of such a probability it was clear +that they must encumber themselves with the canoe. + +<P>The prevision of the scout proved well founded. Before evening the +wind was blowing with tremendous force. Small flakes of snow were +driven before it, inflicting stinging blows on the face and eyes of +those who ventured out of shelter. As it became dark the lookout +announced that he could, see large numbers of Indians starting from +the shore at some distance to the right and left of them, showing +that the redskins were fully alive to the possibility of the garrison +of the island taking advantage of the storm, which would hide their +trail, to effect their escape. + +<P>Every hour the fury of the gale increased, and it was unanimously +agreed that until it diminished it would be impossible for the girls, +and for men carrying a canoe, to face it. + +<P>Two men were placed on watch at the mouth of the cove, where mines +similar to the first had been sunk in the ice in a semicircle some +little distance outside that before exploded. This precaution had +been taken on the day succeeding the great repulse of the enemy, +although the scouts felt assured that the attempt would not be +repeated. But it was thought possible that the Indians might toward +morning, if they found the whites did not attempt to pass them, take +advantage of the storm to attempt a surprise. + +<P>After it became dark Cameron and Harold, as was their custom, went +into the girls' hut to chat until it was time to turn in. The +deerskin and blankets had again been unrolled, and the covering of +snow kept the interior warm in spite of the storm without. + +<P>"What is that noise?" Nelly asked in a pause of the conversation. + +<P>"I don't know," Harold answered. "I have heard it for some time." + +<P>All were silent, intent upon listening. Even above the fury of the +gale a dull grinding sound, with occasional crashes, could be heard. + +<P>"I think it must be the ice," Harold said. "I will go out and see." + +<P>On issuing from the hut he was for a time blinded by the force of the +wind and the flying particles of snow. The din was tremendous. He +made his way with difficulty in the teeth of the storm to the edge of +the rocks. Then he started in surprise. A great bank of cakes and +fragments of ice was heaped up against the wall of the rock, crashing +and grinding against each other as they were pressed onward by fresh +additions from beyond. Already the bank was nearly level with the top +of the rock, and some of the vast blocks, two feet in thickness, had +been thrust on to it. The surface of the lake beyond was no longer a +brilliant white. Every particle of snow had been swept away and the +dull gray of the rough ice lay unbroken. + +<P>He made his way at once to the hut of the men, and just as he reached +the entrance Peter (who had also been out to reconnoiter) came up, +and before Harold had turned to speak he put his head into the hut. + +<P>"Turn out!" he said. "I tell ye we're in a fix. This aint no common +gale. I don't know as ever I've been in a worse one." + +<P>"What's the use of turning out?" Pearson asked. "We can't do nothing, +and it's warmer here a sight than it is outside." + +<P>"I tell ye ye've got to go. The ice is breaking up fast and it's +level with the top of the island already. Unless I'm mistaken +there'll be forty foot of ice piled over this island afore an hour." + +<P>This was, indeed, alarming news. And in a minute the occupants of the +hut were all in the open air. + +<P>"You can call in your scouts, Seneca. There aint no fear of an attack +to-night. No mortal soul—not even an Injun—could stand the force of +the wind out on the lake." + +<P>A very short examination sufficed to show the truth of Peter's +anticipations. + +<P>Already the upper part of the bank was sliding over the rock, and it +was clear that in a very short time the whole would be covered. + +<P>"What is to be done, Peter?" Harold shouted. + +<P>"We must take to the canoe. There's clear water on the other side." + +<P>Harold crossed the island and saw that what Peter said was correct. A +broad strip of black water stretched away in the darkness toward the +shore. The whole ice-sheet was moving bodily before the wind, and as +the island stood up in its course the ice to windward of it was +forced up over it, while under its lee the lake was clear. Not a +moment was lost. The canoe was got out, carried over the rocks, and +carefully lowered into the water under shelter of the island. All the +stores and provisions were lowered into it. A deerskin was spread on +the bottom, and the girls, having been helped down into the boat, +were told to lie down and were then covered with blankets. The men +wrapped themselves up in skins and blankets and took their places in +the canoe, the four Indians taking paddles. + +<P>Quickly as the preparations had been made, there were but a few feet +of the island uncovered by the ice, as the last man descended into +the boat and they pushed off and, after a couple of strokes, lay with +the boat's head facing toward the island at a distance of fifty yards +from it. Although somewhat sheltered from the wind, the Indians were +obliged to paddle hard to maintain their position. Harold wondered at +first that they had not kept closer to the island, but he soon +understood their reason for keeping at a distance. The massive blocks +of ice, pressed forward by, the irresistible force behind, began to +shoot from the top of the island into the water, gliding far on +beneath the surface with the impetus of the fall, and then shooting +up again with a force which would have destroyed the canoe at once +had they touched it. + +<P>Soon a perfect cataract of ice was falling. Peter and Pearson took +their places on each side of the bow of the canoe, with poles to push +off the pieces as they drifted before the gale toward the shore. The +work required the utmost strength and care. One touch from the +sharp-edged blocks would have ripped open the side of the bark canoe +like a knife, and in the icy cold water, encumbered by floating +fragments of ice, even the best swimmer could not have gained the +solid ice. The peril was great, and it needed all the strength and +activity of the white men and the skill of the paddlers to avoid the +danger which momentarily threatened them. So quickly did the blocks +float down upon them that Pearson thought it might be impossible to +avoid them all. The skins, therefore, were hung round the boat, +dropping some inches into the water, and these, although they could +not have prevented the boat from being stove in, by the larger +fragments, yet protected its sides from the contact of the smaller +ones. + +<P>For upward of an hour the struggle continued, and Harold felt +something like despair at the thought of a long night passed in such +a struggle. Presently sounds like the booming of cannon were heard +above the gale. + +<P>"What is that?" he shouted to the Seneca chief, next to whom he was +sitting. + +<P>"Ice break up," the chief replied. "Break up altogether." + +<P>This proved to be the case. As the ice was driven away from the +further side of the lake the full force of the wind played upon the +water there, and as the streak widened a heavy sea soon got up. The +force of the swell extended under the ice, aiding the effect of the +wind above, and the vast sheet began to break up. The reports +redoubled in strength, and frequently the ice was seen to heave and +swell. Then, with a sound like thunder, it broke and great cakes were +forced one on the top of another, and soon, instead of a level plain +of ice, a chaos of blocks were tossing about on the waves. + +<P>Harold watched the change with anxiety. No longer was the channel on +either side marked by regular defined lines, but floating pieces +encroached upon it, and, looking toward the shore, the channel +appeared to be altogether lost. The danger was overwhelming, but the +Indians, paddling with increased strength, urged the boat forward +until within a few yards of the island. + +<P>A few minutes before such an approach would have assured the +immediate destruction of the boat. But Harold saw with surprise that, +almost simultaneously with the breaking up of the ice-sheet, the fall +of blocks from the island had ceased. A moment's reflection showed +him the reason of this phenomenon. With the break-up of the ice-field +the pressure from behind had suddenly ceased. No longer were the +blocks piled on the island pushed forward by the tremendous pressure +of the ice-field. The torrent was stayed and they could approach the +island with safety. As soon as they were assured that this was so the +canoe was brought close to the rocks. + +<P>Pearson leaped ashore, climbed the rocks and the ice piled twenty +feet above them, and with his pole convinced himself that at this +point there were no loose blocks likely to fall. Having satisfied +himself on this head, he descended again and took his place in the +boat. This was moored by a rope a few feet long to a bush growing +from a fissure in the rock close to the water's edge. He and Peter +remained on watch with their poles, to fend off any pieces of ice +which might be brought round by the waves, while the rest of the +crew, wrapping themselves up in their blankets, lay down at the +bottom of the boat. + +<P>The next morning the storm still raged, and the lake presented the +appearance of an angry sea. Sheltered under the lee of the island, +the party were protected from its effects, although the light canoe +rose and fell on the heavy swell. The ice had wholly disappeared from +the lake, the pieces having been ground to atoms against each other +in the storm. Along the line of shore there was a great bank of ice +as high as the tree-tops. + +<P>"The ways of the Lord are won'erful," Duncan Cameron said. "The storm +which threatened to be our destruction has proved our salvation. When +it abates we shall be able to paddle down the lake without fear of +interruption." + +<P>"Yes," Peter said, "the varmints are not likely to follow us. In the +first place, unless they thought of taking their canoes into the +forest when the storm first began, which aint likely, as they was +a-thinking only of cutting off our escape, they'd 've been smashed +into tinder. In the second place, they couldn't ketch us if they had +canoes, for, as we've eight paddles, counting them we made out of the +seats when we was on shore, we'd be able to laugh at 'em. And lastly, +they've had such a taste of the quality of our rifles that, even if +they had a dozen canoes on hand, I doubt if they'd care to attack us. +No, sir; when this storm's over we have nothing to do but paddle down +to the settlements at the other end of the lake." + +<P>Toward the afternoon the storm abated, and next morning the sun was +shining brilliantly and the waves had gone down sufficiently to +enable the canoe to start on her voyage. + +<P>"Now, boys," Pearson said cheerfully, "ef ye don't want to git froze +up again you'd best be sharp, for I can tell ye about thirty-six +hours of this weather and the lake'll be solid again." + +<P>Five minutes later the canoe with its eight sturdy paddlers started +on its way, speeding like an arrow from the ice-covered island which +had done them such good service in their greatest need. + +<P>"Now, Jake," Peter said, "the more strength you put into that paddle +of yourn the sooner you'll have a piece of meat atween your jaws." + +<P>The negro grinned. + +<P>"Don't talk ob him, Massa Peter; don't say a word about him until I +see him. Fish bery good when dere's noting else to eat, but Jake +never want to see him again. He hab eat quite enough for the rest ob +his life." + +<P>Cameron, who was not accustomed to the use of the paddle, sat in the +stern with the two girls; but the others were all used to the +exercise, and the boat literally bounded along at each stroke from +the sinewy arms, and by nightfall they had reached the opposite +shore. After some hours' work together two of them had rested, and +from that time they took it by turns, six paddles being kept +constantly going. + +<P>Without any adventure they arrived safely at the end of the lake. The +clearing where Nelly had lived so long, and where her father and +mother had been killed, was passed in the night, much to Harold's +satisfaction, as he was afraid that she would have been terribly +upset at the many sad memories which the sight of the place could not +but call up. On their way down they had seen many gaps in the forest +caused by the gale, but it was not until they reached their landing +place that the full effect of its destructive force was visible. +Several scows and other boats lay wrecks upon the shore, every house +in the little village was leveled to the ground, the orchards were +ruined, palings and fences torn down, and the whole place strewn with +fragments. + +<P>A few people were moving among the ruins. They gazed with a dull +apathy upon the new-comers, apparently dazed by the misfortune that +had befallen them. Harold learned, on questioning them, that +twenty-seven persons had been killed and the majority of the +survivors more or less seriously injured. With the exception of the +few whom they saw, about all the survivors had been taken off to the +town in boats down the river, or in wagons lent by neighbors whose +villages, sheltered in the woods, had escaped the ravages of the +gale. After a few hours' halt, having obtained meat and other stores, +they proceeded on their way to Detroit. + +<P>Here Nelly had several friends, who had long believed her to have +fallen at the massacre at the farm. By them she was gladly received, +and she took up her abode in a family with some daughters of her own +age. Harold found that there was a considerable sum of money in the +bank in her father's name, and from this, after a consultation with +her, a sum of money sufficient to provide the Seneca and his +followers with blankets, powder, and Indian finery for years was +drawn and bestowed upon them. + +<P>A day or two afterward the Indians left for their own country, highly +gratified with the success of the expedition and proud of the +numerous scalps which hung from each of their girdles. + +<P>Harold learned that there was but little fighting going on along the +Canadian frontier. The winter had set in again with extreme severity; +the St. Lawrence would be frozen, and he would have no means of +leaving Canada; he was therefore well content to settle down until +the spring at Detroit, where he received numerous and hearty +invitations to stay, for any time, from the various friends of his +cousins. Jake, of course, remained with him. Peter went up to +Montreal, where he had some relatives residing; Harold promising to +call for him on his way East in the spring. Pearson, after a few +days' stay in Detroit, started again with a comrade on a hunting +expedition. Cameron and his daughter also spent the winter at +Detroit. + +<P>The months passed very pleasantly to Harold. Since the war began he +had had no period of rest or quiet, and he now entered with zest into +the various amusements, sleighing, and dancing, which helped to while +away the long winter in America. He also joined in many hunting +parties, for in those days game abounded up to the very edge of the +clearings. Moose were abundant, and the hunt of these grand deer was +full of excitement. Except when the snow is on the ground these +animals can defy their pursuers, but the latter with their snowshoes +go lightly over the frozen snow, in which the moose sink heavily. + +<P>There were many discussions as to the future of Nelly. Several of her +friends would gladly have adopted her as a member of their family, +but Harold warmly urged that she should go to England and take up her +abode with his mother, who was her nearest relative, and Nelly, +somewhat to the surprise of her friends, finally agreed to this +proposal. A purchaser was readily found for the farm, which was an +excellent one, and the proceeds of the sale, with the amount of +savings in the bank, gave her a little fortune of some twenty-five +hundred pounds. + +<P>When the spring came and the navigation of the lake was open, Harold, +Nelly, the Camerons, and Jake started in a ship for Montreal. There +they were joined by Peter and sailed down to Quebec, where Nelly and +the Camerons took passage for England. Very deep was the gratitude +which Duncan expressed to the friends who had restored his daughter +to him. He had had enough of the colonies, and intended to spend the +rest of his life among his own people in Scotland. Harold, Peter, and +Jake sailed to join the English army in the South. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c18"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XVIII.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE SIEGE OF SAVANNAH.</H3> + +<P>After the surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga the English +Parliament made another effort to obtain peace, and passed an act +renouncing all rights to tax the colonists and yielding every point +as to which they had been in dispute. Commissioners were sent over +with full authority to treat, and had the colonists been ready +nominally to submit to England, a virtual independence, similar to +that possessed by Canada and the Australian colonies at the present +time, would have been granted. As a very large body of the Americans +had from the first been desirous of coming to terms, and as the +paralyzed state of trade caused great and general distress, it is +probable that these terms might have been accepted had it not been +for the intervention of France. That power had all along encouraged +the rebellion. She had smarted under the loss of Canada, and although +her rule in her own colonies was far more arbitrary than that of +England in America, she was glad to assist in any movement which +could operate to the disadvantage of this country. Hitherto, +nominally she had remained neutral, but now, fearing that the offers +of the English would induce the colonists to make peace, she came +forward, recognized their independence, and engaged herself to +furnish a large fleet for their assistance. + +<P>The colonists joyfully accepted the offer, seeing that the +intervention of France in the struggle would completely alter its +conditions. Heretofore the British had been enabled to send over men +and stores at will, but were they blockaded by a French fleet their +difficulties would be immensely increased. + +<P>As there had been no cause of quarrel between England and France, +this agreement was an act of wanton hostility on the part of the +latter. On obtaining information of the signature of the treaty +between France and the colonies, the English ambassador was recalled +from Paris and both countries prepared vigorously for war. + +<P>The first result was that the English deemed it prudent to evacuate +Philadelphia and retreat to New York. Washington endeavored to cut +off their retreat, and a battle took place at Freehold Court House, +in which the Americans were worsted. Washington drew off his army, +and the British army continued its march to New York without further +opposition. Early in May the French sent off a fleet of twelve ships +of the line and six frigates, carrying a large number of troops +commanded by Count D'Estaing. An English fleet, under Admiral Byron, +was lying at Portsmouth, and this sailed on June 9 in pursuit; for it +was not until that time that information was received of the intended +destination of the French fleet. + +<P>D'Estaing reached the American coast upon the very day on which the +English army re-entered New York, and after making a demonstration +before that town the French fleet sailed for Rhode Island to expel +the British troops, under Sir Robert Pigott, who held it. + +<P>Lord Howe sailed with the fleet from New York to give battle to that +of D'Estaing. For two days the fleets maneuvered in sight of each +other. Howe, being inferior in force, wished to gain the +weather-gauge before fighting. Failing to do this, on the third day +he offered battle, but a tremendous storm prevented the engagement +and dispersed both fleets. The French vessels retired to Boston and +the English to New York. + +<P>Taking advantage of the departure of the French fleet, Sir Robert +attacked the American force, which had crossed to Rhode Island to act +with the French, and drove them from it. While crossing the Atlantic +the fleet under Admiral Byron had met with a tremendous storm, which +had entirely dispersed it, and the vessels arrived singly at New +York. When their repairs were completed the whole set out to give +battle to the French, but D'Estaing, finding that by the junction of +the two English fleets he was now menaced by a superior force, sailed +away to the West Indies. + +<P>After his departure an expedition was sent down along the coast to +Georgia and East Florida. This met with great success. Savannah was +captured and the greater part of South Carolina was occupied. The +majority of the inhabitants joyfully welcomed the troops and many +companies of volunteers were raised. + +<P>Harold had arrived in New York early in the spring. He had been +offered a commission, but he preferred remaining with his two +comrades in the position of scout. In this way he had far greater +independence, and while enjoying pay and rations sufficient for his +maintenance, he was to a great extent master of his own movements. At +an earlier period of the war he was offered by General Howe a +commission in the army, and his father would have been glad had he +accepted it. Harold, however, although determined to fight until the +struggle between the colonists and the mother country came to an end +one way or the other, had no great liking for the life of an officer +in the regular army, but had resolved at the conclusion of the war to +settle down upon a farm on the lakes—a life for which he felt far +more fitted than for the strict discipline and regularity of that of +an officer in the army. + +<P>As, with the exception of the attack by the French fleet and American +army upon Rhode Island, both parties remained quiet all through the +summer of 1778, the year passed uneventfully to him, and the duties +of the scouts were little more than nominal. During the winter +fighting went on in the Carolinas and Georgia with varied success. + +<P>In the spring of 1779 Harold and his comrades were, with a party of +scouts, sent down to Georgia, where constant skirmishes were going on +and the services of a body of men accustomed to outpost duty were +required. They were landed in May and joined General Prevost's force +on the island of St. John, situated close to the mainland and +connected with it by a bridge of boats, at the end of which on the +mainland a post had been erected. Shortly afterward General Prevost +left for Savannah, taking with him most of the troops, which were +carried away in the sloops which had formed the bridge of boats. On +the American side General Lincoln commanded a considerable army, +which had been dispatched by Congress to drive the English from that +State and the Carolinas. + +<P>Lieutenant Colonel Maitland, who commanded the post on the mainland, +was left with only a flat-boat to keep up his communication with the +island. He had under his command the first battalion of the +Seventy-first Highlanders, now much weakened in numbers, part of a +Hessian regiment, some provincial volunteers, and a detachment of +artillery, the whole not exceeding 500 effective men. Hearing that +General Lincoln was advancing against him, Colonel Maitland sent all +his sick, baggage, and horses across to the island, and placed the +post as far as possible in a defensive position. Most of the scouts +who had come down from New York had accompanied General Prevost to +Savannah, but Harold, with Peter Lambton, Jake, and three or four +others, had been ordered to remain with Colonel Maitland, and were +sent out to reconnoiter when the enemy were known to be approaching. + +<P>"This is something like our old work, Peter, upon Lake Champlain," +Harold said, as with his two comrades he took his way in the +direction from which the enemy were advancing. + +<P>"Ay, lad, but they've none of the redskins with 'em, and there'll be +no great difficulty in finding out all about 'em. Besides, we've got +Jake with us, and jest about here Jake can do better nor we can. +Niggers swarm all over the country and are as ready to work for one +side as the other, jest as their masters go. All Jake has got to do +is to dress himself as a plantation nigger and stroll into their +camp. No question will be asked him, as he will naturally be taken +for a slave on some neighboring estate. What do you say, Jake?" + +<P>Jake at once assented, and when they approached the enemy he left his +comrades and carried their plan into execution. He was away six +hours, and returned saying that the enemy were 5000 strong, with +eight pieces of artillery. + +<P>"We must hurry back," Peter said. "Them are big odds agin' us. Ef all +our troops was regulars, I don't say as they might not hold the +place; but I don't put much count on the Germans, and the colonists +aint seen no fighting. However, Colonel Maitland seems a first-rate +officer. He has been real sharp in putting the place into a state of +defense, and I reckon ef the Yankees thinks as they're going to eat +us up without trouble they'll be mistaken." + +<P>Jake reported that the enemy were on the point of marching forward, +and the scouts hurried back to give Colonel Maitland news of their +coming. + +<P>It was late in the afternoon when they reached the post. + +<P>"At what time do you think they will arrive here?" the colonel asked, +when Jake had made his report. "Dey be pretty close by dark, for +sure," Jake replied. + +<P>"But I don't think, sir," Peter added, "they'll attack before +morning. They wouldn't be likely to try it in the dark, not knowing +the nature of the place." + +<P>The commander was of the same opinion, but to prevent the possibility +of surprise he placed pickets at some distance round the fort, the +scouts being, of course, of the party. + +<P>The night passed quietly, but at seven in the morning Peter, Harold, +and Jake, who were at some distance in advance of the others, saw the +enemy approaching. They fired their pieces and fell back upon the +outposts. Their position was rather to the right of the line of +defense. The pickets were about to fall back when 70 men, being two +companies of the Seventy-first under Captain Campbell, were sent out +to feel the enemy. + +<P>"We're going to have a skirmish," Peter said. "I know these +Highlanders. Instead of jest firing a bit and then falling back, +they'll be sticking here and fighting as if they thought they could +lick the hull army of the Yankees." + +<P>It was as Peter predicted. The Highlanders took post behind a hedge +and maintained a desperate resistance to the advance of the enemy. +Harold and his comrades for some time fought with them. + +<P>"It's time for us to be out of this," Peter said presently. "Let's +jest get back to the fort." + +<P>"We cannot fall back till they do, Peter" + +<P>"I don't see that," Peter said. "We're scouts, and I don't see no +advantage in our chucking away our lives because these hot-headed +Highlanders choose to do so. Peter Lambton's ready to do a fair share +of fighting, but when he's sure that fighting aint no good, then he +goes." + +<P>And suiting the action to the word, Peter rose from his recumbent +position and began to make his way back to the camp, taking advantage +of every bit of cover. + +<P>Harold could not help laughing. For an instant he remained +irresolute, and then, seeing the overwhelming forces with which the +enemy were approaching, he called to Jake and followed Peter's +example. So obstinately did the Highlanders fight that they did not +retreat until all their officers were killed or wounded, and only 11 +men out of the two companies succeeded in regaining the camp. + +<P>The whole force of the enemy now advanced against the works, and +halting at a distance of three hundred yards opened a tremendous fire +from their cannon on the intrenchments. The defenders replied, but so +overwhelming was the force of the assailants that the Hessians +abandoned the portion of the works committed to them and fell back. + +<P>The enemy pressed forward and had already gained the foot of the +abattis, when Colonel Maitland brought up a portion of the +Seventy-first upon the right, and these gallant troops drove the +Americans back with slaughter. Colonel Maitland and his officers then +threw themselves among the Hessians and succeeded in rallying them +and bringing them back to the front. The provincial volunteers had +also fought with great bravery. They had for a time been pressed +backward, but finally maintained their position. + +<P>The Americans, finding that all their efforts to carry the post were +unavailing, fell back to the forest. On the English side the loss +amounted to 129. The Americans fought in the open and suffered much +more heavily. + +<P>The position of matters was suddenly changed by the arrival of Count +D'Estaing with a fleet of forty-one ships-of-war off the coast. The +American general, Lincoln, at once proposed to him to undertake a +combined movement to force the English to quit Georgia. The arrival +of the French fleet was wholly unexpected, and the <I>Experiment</I>, a +frigate of fifty guns, commanded by Sir James Wallace, having two or +three ships under his convoy, fell in with them off the mouth of the +Savannah River. Although the <I>Experiment</I> had been much crippled by a +gale through which she had recently passed, Sir James Wallace would +not haul down his flag and opposed a desperate resistance to the +whole of the French fleet, and did not surrender until the +<I>Experiment</I> was completely dismasted and riddled with shot. + +<P>Upon the news that the French fleet was off the mouth of the river, +Captain Henry, who commanded the little squadron of four small +English ships, fell back to Savannah after removing all the buoys +from the river. He landed his guns from the ships and mounted them on +the batteries, and the marines and blue-jackets were also put on +shore to assist in the defense. Two of the brigs of war were sunk +across the channel below the town to prevent the French frigates +coming up. A boom was laid across above the town to prevent +fire-rafts from being sent down. + +<P>D'Estaing landed the French troops at the mouth of the river, and, +marching to the town, summoned General Prevost to surrender. The +English commander, who had sent off a messenger to Colonel Maitland, +ordering him to march instantly to his assistance with the force +under him, which now amounted to 800 men, asked for twenty-four hours +before giving an answer. D'Estaing, who knew that General Lincoln was +close at hand, made sure that Prevost would surrender without +resistance, and so granted the time asked for. Before its expiration +Colonel Maitland, after a tremendous march, arrived at the town. As +the French commanded the mouth of the river he had been obliged to +transport his troops in boats through the marshes by a little creek, +which for two miles was so shallow that the troops were forced to +wade waist-deep, dragging the boats by main force through the mud. + +<P>Upon the arrival of this re-enforcement General Prevost returned an +answer to Count D'Estaing that the town would be defended to the +last. Some time was spent by the enemy in landing and bringing up +heavy artillery from the ships, and the French and Americans did not +begin their works against the town until September 23. The garrison +had utilized the time thus afforded to them to erect new defenses. +The allied force of the assailants consisted of more than 10,000 +Americans and 5000 French troops, while the garrison, including +regulars, provincial corps, sailors, militia, and volunteers, did not +exceed 2500. + +<P>Nevertheless, they did not allow the enemy to carry on their work +without interruption. Several sorties were made. The first of these, +under Major Graham of the Sixteenth Regiment, reached the lines of +the enemy and threw them into confusion. Large re-enforcements came +up to their assistance, and as Graham's detachment fell back upon the +town, the enemy incautiously pursued it so close up to the British +lines that both artillery and musketry were brought to bear upon +them, and they lost a large number of men before they could regain +their works. On the morning of October 4 the batteries of the +besiegers opened fire with fifty-three pieces of heavy artillery and +fourteen mortars. General Prevost sent in a request to Count +D'Estaing that the women and children might be permitted to leave the +town and embark on board vessels lying in the river, there to await +the issue of the fight; but the French commander refused the request +in a letter couched in insulting terms. + +<P>The position of Savannah was naturally strong. The river protected +one of its sides and a deep swamp, partially flooded by it, covered +another. The other two were open to the country, which in front of +them was for several miles level and clear of wood. The works which +had been thrown up on these sides were extremely strong. When the +French first landed there were but ten pieces of cannon upon the +fortifications, but so incessantly did the garrison work that before +the conclusion of the siege nearly one hundred pieces of artillery +were mounted on the redoubts and batteries erected round the town. +Upon the side of the swamp there was not much fear of attack, but +three redoubts were erected to prevent a surprise from this +direction. The defense on the right face of the town was conducted +by Colonel Maitland. The defense on the left, consisting of two +strong redoubts and several batteries, was commanded by Lieutenant +Colonel Cruger. In the center were several strong works, of which +General Prevost himself took the special supervision. The whole +British line, except where the swamp rendered no such defense +necessary, was surrounded by a thick abattis. The French fire made +no sensible impression upon the English defenses, and finding that +the British artillery equaled his own, D'Estaing determined to +discontinue the attack by regular approaches and to carry the place +by storm. His position was a perilous one. He had already spent a +long time before the place, and at any moment the English fleet might +arrive from the West Indies and attack his fleet, which was weakened +by the men and guns which had been landed to carry on the siege. He +therefore determined to risk an assault rather than remain longer +before the town. To facilitate the attack an officer with 5 men on +October 8 advanced to the abattis and set fire to it. The wood, +however, was still green, and the flames were easily extinguished. + +<P>The attack was fixed for the following morning. Bodies of the +American militia were to feign attacks upon the center and left, +while a strong force of the combined armies was to make a real attack +in two columns upon the right. The troops composing the two columns +consisted of 3500 French soldiers and 950 Americans. The principal +force, commanded by Count D'Estaing in person, assisted by General +Lincoln, was to attack the Springfield redoubt, which was situated at +the extreme right of the British central line of defense and close to +the edge of the swamp. The other column, under the command of Count +Dillon, was to move silently along the margin of the swamp, pass the +three redoubts, and get into the rear of the British lines. + +<P>The troops were in motion long before daylight. The attempt to burn +the abattis had excited the suspicion of the English that an assault +might be intended, and accordingly pickets were thrown out in front +of the intrenchments and the scouts were ordered to keep a sharp +watch among the trees which grew in and near the swamp. + +<P>Harold with his friends had accompanied Colonel Maitland's column in +its march to Savannah and had labored vigorously at the defenses, +being especially occupied in felling trees and chopping wood for the +abattis. Before daybreak they heard the noise made by the advance of +the enemy's columns through the wood and hurried back to the +Springfield redoubt, where the garrison at once stood to arms. In +this redoubt were a corps of provincial dismounted dragoons, +supported by the South Carolina regiment. + +<P>Just as daylight appeared the column led by Count D'Estaing advanced +toward the Springfield redoubt, but the darkness was still so intense +that it was not discovered until within a very short distance of the +works. Then a blaze of musketry opened upon it, while a destructive +cross-fire was poured in from the adjoining batteries. So heavy was +the fire that the head of the column was almost swept away. The +assailants kept on with great bravery until they reached the redoubt; +here a desperate hand-to-hand contest took place. Captain Tawse fell +with many of his men, and for a moment a French and an American +standard were planted upon the parapet; nevertheless the defenders +continued to cling to the place and every foot was desperately +contested. + +<P>At this moment Colonel Maitland, with the grenadiers of the Sixtieth +Regiment and the marines, advanced and fell upon the enemy's column, +already shaken by the obstinate resistance it had encountered and by +its losses by the fire from the batteries. The movement was decisive. +The assailants were driven headlong from the redoubt and retreated, +leaving behind them 637 of the French troops killed and wounded and +264 of the Americans. + +<P>In the mean time the column commanded by Count Dillon mistook its way +in the darkness and was entangled in the swamp, from which it was +unable to extricate itself until it was broad daylight and it was +fully exposed to the view of the garrison and to the fire from the +British batteries. This was so hot and so well directed that the +column was never able even to form, far less to penetrate into the +rear of the British lines. + +<P>When the main attack was repulsed Count Dillon drew off his column, +also. No pursuit was ordered as, although the besiegers had suffered +greatly, they were still three times more numerous than the garrison. + +<P>A few days afterward the French withdrew their artillery and +re-embarked on board ship. + +<P>The siege of Savannah cost the allies 1500 men, while the loss of the +garrison was only 120. The pleasure of the garrison at their +successful defense was marred by the death of Colonel Maitland, who +died from the effects of the unhealthy climate and of the exertions +he had made. + +<P>A few days after the raising of the siege the French fleet was +dispersed by a tempest, and Count D'Estaing, with the majority of the +ships under his command, returned to France. + +<P>During the course of this year there were many skirmishes round New +York, but nothing of any great importance took place. Sir Henry +Clinton, who was in supreme command, was unable to undertake any +offensive operations on a large scale, for he had not received the +re-enforcements from home which he had expected. England, indeed, had +her hands full, for in June Spain joined France and America in the +coalition against her and declared war. Spain was at that time a +formidable marine power, and it needed all the efforts that could be +made by the English government to make head against the powerful +fleets which the combined nations were able to send to sea against +them. It was not only in Europe that the Spaniards were able to give +effective aid to the allies. They were still a power on the American +continent, and created a diversion, invading West Florida and +reducing and capturing the town and fort of Mobile. + +<P>In the spring of 1780 Sir Henry Clinton sent down an expedition under +the command of Lord Cornwallis to capture Charleston and reduce the +State of South Carolina. This town was extremely strongly fortified. +It could only be approached by land on one side, while the water, +which elsewhere defended it, was covered by the fire of numerous +batteries of artillery. The water of the bay was too shallow to admit +of the larger men-of-war passing, and the passage was defended by +Fort Moultrie, a very formidable work. Admiral Arbuthnot, with the +<I>Renown, Romulus, Roebuck, Richmond, Blonde, Raleigh</I>, and <I>Virginia</I> +frigates, with a favorable wind and tide ran the gantlet of Fort +Moultrie, succeeded in passing up without great loss, and co-operated +on the sea face with the attack of the army on the land side. + +<P>A force was landed on Sullivan's Island, on which Fort Moultrie +stood, and the fort, unprepared for an attack in this direction, was +obliged to surrender. The American cavalry force which had been +collected for the relief of the town was defeated by the English +under General Tarleton. The trenches were pushed forward with great +vigor, and the batteries of the third parallel opened at short range +on the town with great execution. The advances were pushed forward at +the ditch, when the garrison, seeing that further resistance was +impossible, surrendered. Five thousand prisoners were taken, 1000 +American and French seamen, and ten French and American ships-of-war. + +<P>With the fall of Charleston all resistance ceased in South Carolina. +The vast majority of the inhabitants made their submission to the +British government and several loyalist regiments were raised. + +<P>Colonel Tarleton, with 170 cavalry and 100 mounted infantry, was +dispatched against an American force under Colonel Burford, +consisting of 350 infantry, a detachment of cavalry, and two guns, +which had taken post on the border of North Carolina. Tarleton came +up with him, and after a sharp action the Americans were entirely +defeated. One hundred and thirteen were killed on the spot and 207 +made prisoners, of whom 103 were badly wounded. + +<P>For some months the irregular operations were continued, the +Americans making frequent incursions into the Carolinas. The British +troops suffered greatly from the extreme heat and the unhealthiness +of the climate. + +<P>In August the American General Gates advanced toward Camden, and Lord +Cornwallis also moved out to that town, which was held by a British +garrison. The position there was not hopeful. Nearly 800 were sick, +and the total number of effectives was under 2000, of whom 500 were +provincials. The force under General Gates amounted to 6000 men, +exclusive of the corps of Colonel Sumpter, 1000 strong, which were +maneuvering to cut off the English retreat. Cornwallis could not fall +back on Charleston without abandoning the sick and leaving all his +magazines and stores in the hands of the enemy, besides which a +retreat would have involved the abandonment of the whole State with +the exception of Charleston. He therefore decided upon giving battle +to the enemy, who were posted at Rugeley's Mills, a few miles +distant, leaving the defense of Camden to Major M'Arthur, with some +provincials and convalescent soldiers and a detachment of the +Sixty-third Regiment, which was expected to arrive during the night. + +<P>The army marched in the following order: The first division, +commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Webster, consisting of four companies +of light infantry and the Twenty-third and Thirty-third regiments, +preceded by an advanced guard of 40 cavalry. The second division, +consisting of provincial troops and two battalions of the +Seventy-first Regiment, followed as a reserve. The dragoons of the +legion formed the rear guard. The force marched at ten o'clock on the +night of August 16, intending to attack at daybreak the next morning, +but it happened that at the very same hour in which the British set +out, General Gates, with his force, was starting from Rugeley's Mills +with the intention of attacking Camden in the morning. + +<P>At two o'clock in the night the advanced guards of the two armies met +and fired into each other. In the confusion some prisoners were taken +on both sides, and the generals, finding that the two armies were +face to face, halted and waited till morning. Lord Cornwallis placed +Webster's division on the right; the second division, which was under +the command of Lord Rawdon, on the left; the battalion known as the +Volunteers of Ireland were on the right of Lord Rawdon's division and +communicated with the Thirty-third Regiment on the left of Webster. +In the front line were two six-pounders and two three-pounders under +the command of Lieutenant Macleod, R. A. The Seventy-first, with two +six-pounders, was in reserve, one battalion being placed behind each +wing. The dragoons were held in reserve, to charge in the event of a +favorable opportunity. + +<P>The flanks of the English position were covered by swamps, which +somewhat narrowed the ground and prevented the Americans from +utilizing fully their great superiority of numbers. The Americans +were also formed in two lines. + +<P>Soon after daybreak Lord Cornwallis ordered Colonel Webster to +advance and charge the enemy. So fiercely did the English regiments +attack that the Virginia and North Carolina troops who opposed them +quickly gave way, threw down their arms, and fled. General Gates and +General Casswell in vain attempted to rally them. They ran like a +torrent and spread through the woods in every direction. Lord Rawdon +began the action on the left with no less vigor and spirit than Lord +Cornwallis on the right, but here and in the center the contest was +more obstinately maintained by the Americans. + +<P><IMG SRC="illustrations/3.gif" ALT="Plan of the Battle Fought Near Camden, August 16th, 1780."> + +<P>Their reserves were brought up, and the artillery did considerable +execution. Their left flank was, however, exposed by the flight of +the troops of Carolina and Virginia, and the light infantry and +Twenty-third Regiment were halted in the pursuit, and, wheeling +around, came upon the flank of the enemy, who, after a brave +resistance of nearly three-quarters of an hour, were driven into +total confusion and forced to give way on both sides. Their rout was +continued by the cavalry, who continued their pursuit twenty-two +miles from the field of action. + +<P>Between eight and nine hundred of the enemy were killed and about +1000, many of whom were wounded, were taken prisoners. Among these +were Major General Baron de Kalb and Brigadier General Rutherford. +All the baggage, stores, and camp packages, a number of colors, and +several pieces of cannon were taken. General Gates, finding himself +unable to rally the militia, fled first to Charlotte, 90 miles from +the seat of action, and then to Hillsborough, 180 from Camden. +General Gist, alone of all the American commanders, was able to keep +together about 100 men, who, flying across the swamp on their right, +through which they could not be pursued by the cavalry, made their +escape in a body. The loss of the British troops amounted to 69 +killed, 245 wounded, and 11 missing. The loss of the Americans in +killed, wounded, and prisoners exceeded the number of British regular +troops engaged by at least 300. It was one of the most decisive +victories ever won. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c19"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XIX.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">IN AN AMERICAN PRISON.</H3> + +<P>Upon the morning after the victory of Camden Lord Cornwallis +dispatched Colonel Tarleton with the light infantry and the German +legion, 350 men in all, to attack Colonel Sumpter, who, with 800 men +and two pieces of cannon, had, upon hearing late at night of General +Gates' defeat, marched away at all speed. Thinking himself out of +danger he halted at midday to rest his men. The British came upon +them by surprise. One hundred and fifty were killed or wounded and +300 made prisoners. The rest scattered as fugitives. Two guns, one +thousand stand of arms, and all the stores and baggage were taken, +and 250 prisoners, some of them British soldiers and the rest loyal +militiamen, whom Sumpter had captured near Camden, were released. + +<P>Lord Cornwallis, after obtaining supplies for his troops and taking +steps for the pacification of the State, was about to move forward +into North Carolina, when he received news of the destruction of a +column under Major Fergusson. This officer, with a detachment of 150 +British regulars and 800 provincials, was attacked by 5000 mounted +partisans, most of them border men accustomed to forest fighting. +Fergusson took up a position on a hill called King's Mountain. This +from its height would have been a good position for defense, but +being covered with wood it offered great opportunities for the +assailants, who dismounted and fought behind trees in accordance with +the tactics taught them in Indian warfare. Again and again the +English charged with the bayonet, each time driving their assailants +back, but these instantly recommenced their destructive fire from +their shelter behind the trees. In little over an hour from the +commencement of the fight 150 of the defenders were killed and many +more wounded. Still they repulsed every attack until their commander +fell dead; then the second in command, judging further resistance in +vain, surrendered. + +<P>On the news of this misfortune Lord Cornwallis fell back, as the +western frontiers of South Carolina were now exposed to the +incursions of the band which had defeated Fergusson. In the retreat +the army suffered terribly. It rained for several days without +intermission. The soldiers had no tents, and the water was everywhere +over their shoes. The continued rains filled the rivers and creeks +prodigiously and rendered the roads almost impassable. The climate +was most unhealthy, and for many days the troops were without rum. +Sometimes the army had beef and no bread, sometimes bread and no +beef. For five days it was supported on Indian corn, which was +collected in the fields, five ears being served out as a daily +allowance to each two soldiers. They had to cook it as they could, +and this was generally done by parching it over the fire. One of the +officers of the quartermaster's department found some of the loyal +militia grating their corn. This was done by breaking up a canteen +and punching holes in the bottom with their bayonets, thus making a +kind of rasp. The idea was communicated to the adjutant general and +afterward adopted for the army. + +<P>The soldiers supported their hardships and privations cheerfully, as +their officers were no better provided than themselves and the fare +of Lords Cornwallis and Rawdon was the same as their own. + +<P>The toilsome march came to an end at last, and the army had rest +after its labors. The only other incident of importance which +occurred was an action between a force under Colonel Tarleton and one +of considerably superior strength under General Sumpter, strongly +posted on a commanding position. The British attack was repulsed, but +General Sumpter, being badly wounded, was carried off the field +during the night, and the force under his command at once dispersed. + +<P>No other event occurred, and the army passed its time in winter +quarters till the spring of 1781. During this winter the enemies of +Great Britain were re-enforced by the accession of the Dutch. At this +time the efforts which England was called upon to make were indeed +great. In Europe France, Spain, and Holland were banded against her; +in India our troops were waging a desperate war with Hyder Ali; while +they were struggling to retain their hold on their American colonies. +Here, indeed, the operations had for the last two years languished. +The re-enforcements which could be spared were extremely small, and +although the British had almost uniformly defeated the Americans in +every action in which there was any approach to equality between the +forces engaged, they were unable to do more than hold the ground on +which they stood. Victorious as they might be, the country beyond the +reach of their rifles swarmed with their enemies, and it became +increasingly clear to all impartial observers that it was impossible +for an army which in all did not amount to more than 20,000 men to +conquer a continent in arms against them. + +<P>Harold was not present at the later events of the campaign of 1780. +He and Jake had been with the column of Major Fergusson. Peter +Lambton had not accompanied him, having received a bullet wound in +the leg in a previous skirmish, which, although not serious, had +compelled him to lay up for a time. + +<P>"Me no like de look ob dis affair, Massa Harold," Jake said, as the +Americans opened fire upon the troops gathered at the top of King's +Mountain. "Dese chaps no fools; dey all backwoodsmen; dey know how to +fight de redskins; great hunters all ob dem." + +<P>"Yes," Harold agreed, "they are formidable opponents, Jake. I do not +like the look of things. These men are all accustomed to fighting in +the woods, while our men have no idea of it. Their rifles are +infinitely superior to these army muskets, and every man of them can +hit a deer behind the shoulder at the distance of 150 yards, while at +that distance most of our men would miss a haystack." + +<P>The scouts and a few of the provincials who had been accustomed to +forest warfare, took up their position behind trees and fought the +advancing enemy in their own way. The mass of the defenders, however, +were altogether puzzled by the stealthy approach of their foes, who +advanced from tree to tree, seldom showing as much as a limb to the +fire of the defenders, and keeping up a deadly fire upon the crowd of +soldiers. + +<P>Had there been time for Major Fergusson, before being attacked, to +have felled a circle of trees and made a breastwork round the top of +the hill, the result might have been different. Again and again the +British gallantly charged down with the bayonet, but the assailants, +as they did so, glided away among the trees after firing a shot or +two into the advancing troops, and retreated a hundred yards or so, +only to recommence their advance as soon as the defenders retired +again to their position. The loss of the assailants was very slight, +the few who fell being for the most part killed by the rifles of the +scouts. + +<P>"It am no use, Massa Harold," Jake said. "Jest look how dem poor +fellows am being shot down. It's all up wid us dis time." + +<P>When upon the fall of Major Fergusson his successor in command +surrendered the post, the defenders were disarmed. The Kentucky men, +accustomed only to warfare against Indians, had no idea of the usages +of war and treated the prisoners with great brutality. Ten of the +loyalist volunteers of Carolina they hung at once upon trees. There +was some discussion as to the disposal of the rest. The border men, +having accomplished their object, were anxious to disperse at once to +their homes. Some of them proposed that they should rid themselves of +all further trouble by shooting them all. This was overruled by the +majority. Presently the prisoners were all bound, their hands being +tied behind them, and a hundred of the border men surrounded them and +ordered them to march across the country. + +<P>Jake and several other negroes who were among the captives were +separated from the rest, and, being put up at auction, were sold as +slaves. Jake fell to the bid of a tall Kentuckian who, without a +word, fastened a rope round his neck, mounted his horse, and started +for his home. The guards conducted the white prisoners to Woodville, +eighty miles from the scene of the fight. This distance was +accomplished in two days' march. Many of the unfortunate men, unable +to support the fatigue, fell and were shot by their guards; the rest +struggled on, utterly exhausted, until they arrived at Woodville, +where they were handed over to a strong force of militia gathered +there. They were now kindly treated, and by more easy marches were +taken to Richmond, in Virginia, where they were shut up in prison. +Here were many English troops, for the Americans, in spite of the +terms of surrender, had still retained as prisoners the troops of +General Burgoyne. + +<P>Several weeks passed without incident. The prisoners were strongly +guarded and were placed in a building originally built for a jail and +surrounded by a very high wall. Harold often discussed with some of +his fellow-captives the possibility of escape. The windows were all +strongly barred, and even should the prisoners break through these +they would only find themselves in the courtyard. There would then be +a wall thirty feet high to surmount, and at the corners of this wall +the Americans had built sentry-boxes, in each of which two men were +stationed night and day. Escape, therefore, seemed next to +impossible. + +<P>The sentries guarding the prison and at the gates were furnished by +an American regiment stationed at Richmond. The wardens in the prison +were, for the most part, negroes. The prisoners were confined at +night in separate cells; in the daytime they were allowed, in parties +of fifty, to walk for two hours in the courtyard. There were several +large rooms in which they sat and took their meals, two sentries with +loaded muskets being stationed in each room. Thus, although +monotonous, there was little to complain of; their food, if coarse, +was plentiful, and the prisoners passed the time in talk, playing +cards, and in such games as their ingenuity could invent. + +<P>One day when two of the negro wardens entered with, the dinners of +the room to which Harold belonged, the latter was astounded at +recognizing in one of them his faithful companion Jake. It was with +difficulty that he suppressed an exclamation of gladness and +surprise. Jake paid no attention to him, but placed the great tin +dish heaped up with yams, which he was carrying, upon the table, and, +with an unmoved face, left the room. A fortnight passed without a +word being exchanged between them. Several times each day Harold saw +the negro, but the guards were always present, and although, when he +had his back to the latter, Jake sometimes indulged in a momentary +grin or a portentous wink, no further communication passed between +them. + +<P>One night at the end of that time Harold, when on the point of going +to sleep, thought he heard a noise as of his door gently opening. It +was perfectly dark, and, after listening for a moment he laid his +head down again, thinking that he had been mistaken, when he heard +close to the bed the words in a low voice: + +<P>"Am you asleep, Massa Harold?" + +<P>"No, Jake," he exclaimed directly. "Ah, my good fellow! how have you +got here?" + +<P>"Dat were a bery easy affair," Jake said. "Me tell you all about it." + +<P>"Have you shut the door again, Jake? There is a sentry coming along +the passage every five minutes." + +<P>"Me shut him, massa, but dere aint no fastening on dis side, so Jake +will sit down wid him back against him." + +<P>Harold got up and partly dressed himself and then sat down by the +side of his follower. + +<P>"No need to whisper," Jake said. "De walls and de doors bery thick; +no one hear. But de sentries on de walls hear if we talk too loud." + +<P>The windows were without glass, which was in those days an expensive +article in America, and the mildness of the climate of Virginia +rendered glass a luxury rather than a necessity. Confident that even +the murmur of their voices would not be overheard if they spoke in +their usual way, Jake and Harold were enabled to converse +comfortably. + +<P>"Well, massa," Jake said, "my story am not a long one. Dat man dat +bought me he rode in two days someting like one hundred miles. It wor +a lucky ting dat Jake had tramp on his feet de last four years, else +soon enough he tumble down, and den de rope round him neck hang him. +Jake awful footsore and tired when he git to de end ob dat journey. +De Kentucky man he lib in a clearing not far from a village. He had +two oder slaves; dey hoe de ground and work for him. He got grown-up +son, who look after dem while him fader away fighting. Dey not afraid +ob de niggers running away, because dere plenty redskin not far away, +and nigger scalp jest as good as white man's. De oder way dere wor +plenty ob villages, and dey tink nigger git caught for sure if he try +to run away. Jake make up his mind he not stop dere bery long. De +Kentuckian was a bery big, strong man, but not so strong as he was +ten years ago, and Jake tink he more dan a match for him. Jake pretty +strong himself, massa?" + +<P>"I should think you were, Jake," Harold said. "There are not many +men, white or black, who can lift as great a weight as you can." + +<P>"For a week Jake work bery hard. Dat Kentuckian hab a way ob always +carrying his rifle about on his arm, and as long as he do dat dere no +chance ob a fair fight. De son he always hab a stick, and he mighty +free wid it. He hit Jake seberal times, and me say to him once, +'Young man, you better mind what you do.' Me suppose dat he not like +de look dat I gib him. He speak to his fader, and he curse and swear +awful, and stand wid de rifle close by and tell dat son ob his to +larrup Jake. Dat he do, massa, for some time. Jake not say noting, +but he make a note ob de affair in his mind. De bery next day de son +go away to de village to buy some tings he want. De fader he come out +and watch me at work; he curse and swear as usual; he call me lazy +hound and swear he cut de flesh from my back; presently he come quite +close and shake him fist in Jake's face. Dat was a foolish ting to +do. So long as he keep bofe him hands on de gun he could say what he +like quite safe, but when he got one hand up lebel wid Jake's nose, +dat different ting altogether. Jake throw up his hand and close wid +him. De gun tumble down and we wrastle and fight. He strong man for +sure, but Jake jest a little stronger. We roll ober and ober on de +ground for some minutes; at last Jake git de upper hand and seize de +white man by de t'roat, and he pretty quick choke him life out. Den +he pick up de gun and wait for de son; when he come back he put a +bullet t'rough him. Den he go to de hut and git food and powder and +ball and start into de woods. De oder niggers dey take no part in de +affair. Dey look on while the skirmish lasts, but not interfere one +way or oder. When it ober me ask dem if dey like to go wid me, but +dey too afraid ob de redskins; so Jake start by himse'f. Me hab +plenty ob practice in de woods and no fear ob meeting redskins, +except when dey on de warpath. De woods stretch a bery long way all +ober de country, and Jake trabel in dem for nigh t'ree weeks. He +shoot deer and manage bery well; see no redskin from the first day to +de last; den he come out into de open country again, hundreds ob +miles from de place where he kill dat Kentuckian. He leab his gun +behind now and trabel for Richmond, where he hear dat de white +prisoners was kept. He walk all night and at day sleep in de woods or +de plantations, and eat ears ob corn. At last he git to Richmond. Den +he gib out dat him massa wanted him to fight on de side ob de English +and dat he run away. He go to de prison and offer to work dere. Dey +tink him story true, and as he had no massa to claim him dey say he +State property, and work widout wages like de oder niggers here; dey +all forfeited slaves whose massas had jined de English. Dese people +so pore dey can't afford to pay white man, so dey take Jake as +warden, and by good luck dey put him in to carry de dinner to de bery +room where Massa Harold was." + +<P>"And have you the keys to lock us up?" + +<P>"No, massa, de niggers only cook de dinners and sweep de prison and +de yard, and do dat kind ob job; de white wardens—dere's six ob +dem—dey hab de keys." + +<P>"Then how did you manage to get here, Jake?" + +<P>"Dat not bery easy matter, Massa Harold. Most ob de wardens drink +like fish; but de head man, him dat keep de keys, he not drink. For +some time Jake not see him way, but one night when he lock up de +prisoners he take Jake round wid him, and Jake carried de big bunch +ob keys—one key to each passage. When he lock up de doors here and +hand de key to Jake to put on de bunch agin, Jake pull out a hair ob +him head and twist it round de ward ob de key so as to know him agin. +Dat night me git a piece ob bread and work him up wid some oil till +he quite like putty, den me steal to de chief warden's room, and dere +de keys hang up close to him bed. Jake got no shoes on, and he stole +up bery silent. He take down de bunch ob keys and carry dem off. He +git to quiet place and strike a light, and search t'rough de keys +till he find de one wid de hair round it; den he take a deep +impression ob him wid de bread; den he carry back the keys and hang +'em up. Jake not allowed to leabe de prison. We jest as much +prisoners as de white men, so he not able to go out to git a key +made; but in de storeroom dere's all sorts ob tools, and he git hold +ob a fine file; den he look about among de keys in de doors ob all de +storerooms and places which wor not kept locked up. At last he find a +key jest de right size, and dough de wards were a little different +dey was ob de right shape. Jake set to work and filled off de knobs +and p'ints which didn't agree wid de shape in de bread. Dis morning, +when you was all out in de yard, me come up quietly and tried de key +and found dat it turned de lock quite easy. Wid a fedder and some oil +me oil de lock and de key till it turned widout making de least, +noise. Den to-night me waited till de sentry come along de corridor, +and den Jake slip along and here he is." + +<P>"Capital, Jake!" Harold said. "And now what is the next thing to do? +Will it be possible to escape through the prison?" + +<P>"No, Massa Harold, dere am t'ree doors from de prison into de yard +and dere's a sentry outside ob each, and de main guard ob twenty men +are down dere, too. No possible to git out ob doors widout de alarm +being given." + +<P>"With the file, Jake, we might cut through the bars." + +<P>"We might cut t'rough de bars and git down into de courtyard; dat +easy enough, massa. Jake could git plenty ob rope from de storeroom, +but we hab de oder wall to climb." + +<P>"You must make a rope-ladder for that, Jake." + +<P>"What sort ob a ladder dat, massa?" + +<P>Harold explained to him how it should be made. + +<P>"When you have finished it, Jake, you should twist strips of any sort +of stuff, cotton or woolen, round and round each of the wooden steps, +so that it will make no noise touching the wall as we climb it. Then +we want a grapnel." + +<P>"Me no able to make dat, massa." + +<P>"Not a regular grapnel, Jake, but you might manage something which +would do." + +<P>"What sort ob ting?" Jake asked. + +<P>Harold sat for some time in thought. + +<P>"If the wall were not so high it would be easy enough, Jake, for we +could do it by fastening the rope within about three inches of the +end of a pole six feet long and three inches thick. That would never +pull over the wall, but it is too high to throw the pole over." + +<P>"Jake could t'row such a stick as dat ober easy enough, massa—no +difficulty about dat; but me no see how a stick like dat balance +massa's weight." + +<P>"It would not balance it, Jake, but the pull would be a side pull and +would not bring the stick over the wall. If it were only bamboo it +would be heavy enough." + +<P>"Bery well, Massa Harold; if you say so, dat's all right. Jake can +git de wood easy enough; dere's plenty ob pieces among de firewood +dat would do for us." + +<P>"Roll it with strips of stuff the same way as the ladder steps, so as +to prevent it making a noise when it strikes the wall. In addition to +the ladder we shall want a length of rope long enough to go from this +window to the ground, and another length of thin rope more than twice +the height of the wall." + +<P>"Bery well, Massa Harold, me understand exactly what's wanted; but +it'll take two or t'ree days to make de ladder, and me can only work +ob a night." being caught. We must choose a dark and windy night. +Bring two files with you, so that we can work together, and some +oil." + +<P>"All right, massa. Now me go." + +<P>"Shut the door quietly, Jake, and do not forget to lock it behind +you," Harold said, as Jake stole noiselessly from the cell. + +<P>A week passed without Jake's again visiting Harold's cell. On the +seventh night the wind had got up and whistled around the jail, and +Harold, expecting that Jake would take advantage of the opportunity, +sat down on his bed without undressing, and awaited his coming. It +was but half an hour after the door had been locked for the night +that it quietly opened again. + +<P>"Here me am, sar, wid eberyting dat's wanted; two files and some oil, +de rope-ladder, de short rope for us to slide down, and de long thin +rope and de piece ob wood six feet long and thick as de wrist." + +<P>They at once set to work with the files, and in an hour had sawn +through two bars, making a hole sufficiently wide for them to pass. +The rope was then fastened to a bar, Harold took off his shoes and +put them in his pocket and then slid down the rope into the +courtyard. With the other rope Jake lowered the ladder and pole to +him and then slid down himself. Harold had already tied to the pole, +at four inches from one end, a piece of rope some four feet long, so +as to form a loop about half that length. The thin rope was put +through the loop and drawn until the two ends came together. + +<P>Noiselessly they stole across the yard until they reached the +opposite wall. The night was a very dark one, and although they could +make out the outline of the wall above them against the skyline, the +sentry-boxes at the corners were invisible. Harold now took hold of +the two ends of the rope, and Jake, stepping back a few yards from +the wall, threw the pole over it. Then Harold drew upon the rope +until there was a check, and he knew that the pole was hard up +against the edge of the wall. He tied one end of the rope-ladder to +an end of the double cord and then hauled steadily upon the other. +The rope running through the loop drew the ladder to the top of the +wall. All this was done quickly and without noise. + +<P>"Now, Jake, do you go first," Harold said. "I will hold the rope +tight below, and do you put part of your weight on it as you go up. +When you get to the top, knot it to the loop and sit on the wall +until I come up." + +<P>In three minutes they were both on the wall, the ladder was hauled up +and dropped on the outside, while the pole was shifted to the inside +of the wall; then they descended the ladder and made across the +country. + +<P>"Which way we go, massa?" Jake asked. + +<P>"I have been thinking it over," Harold replied, "and have decided on +making for the James River. We shall be there before morning and can +no doubt find a boat. We can guide ourselves by the stars, and when +we get into the woods the direction of the wind will be sufficient." + +<P>The distance was about twenty miles, but although accustomed to +scouting at night, they would have had difficulty in making their way +through the woods by morning had they not struck upon a road leading +in the direction in which they wanted to go. + +<P>Thus it was still some hours before daylight when they reached the +James River. They had followed the road all the way, and at the point +where it reached the bank there was a village of considerable size, +and several fishermen's boats were moored alongside. Stepping into +one of these, they unloosed the head-rope and pushed out into the +stream. The boat was provided with a sail. The mast was soon stepped +and the sail hoisted. + +<P>Neither Harold nor Jake had had much experience in boat-sailing, but +the wind was with them and the boat ran rapidly down the river, and +before daylight they were many miles from their point of starting. +The banks of the James River are low and swampy, and few signs of +human habitation were seen from the stream. It widened rapidly as +they descended and became rougher and rougher. They therefore steered +into a sheltered spot behind a sharp bend of the river and anchored. + +<P>In the locker they found plenty of lines and bait, and, setting to +work, had soon half a dozen fine fish at the bottom of the boat. They +pulled up the kedge and rowed to shore and soon made a fire, finding +flint and steel in the boat. The fish were broiled over the fire upon +sticks. The boat was hauled in under some overhanging bushes, and, +stretching themselves in the bottom, Harold and Jake were soon fast +asleep. + +<P>The sun was setting when they woke. + +<P>"What you going to do, sar?" Jake asked. "Are you tinking ob +trabeling by land or ob sailing to New York?" + +<P>"Neither, Jake," Harold answered. "I am thinking of sailing down the +coast inside the line of keys to Charleston. The water there is +comparatively smooth, and as we shall be taken for fishermen it is +not likely that we shall be overhauled. We can land occasionally and +pick a few ears of corn to eat with our fish, and as there is +generally a breeze night and morning, however still and hot the day, +we shall be able to do it comfortably. I see that there is an iron +plate here which has been used for making a fire and cooking on +board, so we will lay in a stock of dry wood before we start." + +<P>The journey was made without any adventure. While the breeze lasted +they sailed; when it fell calm they fished, and when they had +obtained a sufficient supply for their wants they lay down and slept +under the shade of their sail stretched as an awning. Frequently they +passed within hail of other fishing-boats, generally manned by +negroes. But beyond a few words as to their success, no questions +were asked. They generally kept near the shore, and when they saw any +larger craft they either hauled the boat up or ran into one of the +creeks in which the coast abounds. It was with intense pleasure that +at last they saw in the distance the masts of the shipping in +Charleston harbor. + +<P>Two hours later they landed. They fastened the boat to the wharf and +made their way into the town unquestioned. As they were walking along +the principal street they saw a well-known figure sauntering +leisurely toward them. His head was bent down and he did not notice, +them until Harold hailed him with a shout of "Halloo, Peter, old +fellow! How goes it?" + +<P>Peter, although not easily moved or excited, gave a yell of delight +which astonished the passers-by. + +<P>"Ah, my boy!" he exclaimed, "this is a good sight for my old eyes. +Here have I been a-fretting and a-worrying myself for the last three +months, and cussing my hard luck that I was not with you in that +affair on King's Mountain. At first, when I heard of it, I says to +myself, 'The young un got out of it somehow. He aint going to be +caught asleep.' Waal, I kept on hoping and hoping you'd turn up, till +at last I couldn't deceive myself no longer and was forced to +conclude that you'd either been rubbed out or taken prisoner. About a +month ago we got from the Yankees a list of the names of them they'd +captured, and glad I was to see yours among 'em. As I thought as how +you weren't likely to be out as long as the war lasted, I was +a-thinking of giving it up and going to Montreal and settling down +there. It was lonesome like without you, and I missed Jake's laugh, +and altogether things didn't seem natural like. Jake, I'm glad to see +ye. Your name was not in the list, but I thought it likely enough +they might have taken you and set you to work, and made no account of +ye." + +<P>"That is just what they did; but he got away after settling his score +with his new master, and then made for Richmond, where I was in +prison; then he got me loose, and here we are. But it is a long +story, and I must tell it you at leisure." + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c20"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XX.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE WAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA.</H3> + +<P>The fishing-boat was disposed of for a few pounds, and Harold and +Jake were again fitted out in the semi-uniform worn by the scouts. On +December 13, the very day after their arrival, a considerable +detachment of troops, under General Leslie, arrived, and on the 19th +marched, 1500 strong, to join Lord Cornwallis. Harold and his mates +accompanied them, and the united army proceeded northwest, between +the Roanoke and Catawba rivers. Colonel Tarleton was detached with a +force of 1000 men, consisting of light and German legion infantry, a +portion of the Seventh Regiment and of the first battalion of the +Seventy-first, 350 cavalry, and two field-pieces. His orders were to +pursue and destroy a force of some 800 of the enemy under General +Morgan. The latter, finding himself pressed, drew up his troops for +action near a place called the Cowpens. Then ensued the one action in +the whole war in which the English, being superior in numbers, +suffered a severe defeat. + +<P>Tarleton, confident of victory, led his troops to the attack without +making any proper preparations for it. The infantry advanced bravely, +and, although the American infantry held the ground for a time with +great obstinacy, they drove them back and the victory appeared to be +theirs. Tarleton now sent orders to his cavalry to pursue, as his +infantry were too exhausted, having marched at a rapid pace all +night, to do so. The order was not obeyed, and Major Washington, who +commanded the American cavalry, advanced to cover his infantry. These +rallied behind their shelter and fell upon the disordered British +infantry. Thus suddenly attacked when they believed that victory was +in their hands, the English gave way and were driven back. A panic +seized them and a general rout ensued. Almost the whole of them were +either killed or taken prisoners. + +<P>Tarleton in vain endeavored to induce his German legion cavalry to +charge; they stood aloof and at last fled in a body through the +woods. Their commander and 14 officers remained with Tarleton, and +with these and 40 men of the Seventeenth Regiment of dragoons he +charged the whole body of the American cavalry and drove them back +upon the infantry. + +<P>No partial advantage, however brilliant, could retrieve the +misfortune of the day. All was already lost, and Tarleton retreated +with his gallant little band to the main army under Lord Cornwallis, +twenty-five miles from the scene of action. The British infantry were +all killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, with the exception of a +small detachment which had been left in the rear, and who fell back +hastily as soon as the news of the result of the action reached them. +The legion cavalry returned to camp without the loss of a man. + +<P>The defeat at Cowpens had a serious influence on the campaign. It +deprived Lord Cornwallis of the greater portion of his light +infantry, who were of the greatest utility in a campaign in such a +country, while the news of the action had an immense influence in +raising the spirits of the colonists. Hitherto they had uniformly met +with ill success when they opposed the British with forces even +approaching an equality of strength. In spite of their superior arms +and superior shooting, they were unable to stand the charge of the +British infantry, who had come almost to despise them as foes in the +field. The unexpected success urged them to fresh exertions and +brought to their side vast numbers of waverers. + +<P>General Morgan, who was joined by General Greene, attempted to +prevent Cornwallis passing the fords of the Catawba. It was not till +February 1 that the river had fallen sufficiently to render a passage +possible. Colonel Webster was sent with his division to one of the +principal fords, with orders to open a cannonade there and make a +feint of crossing, while the general himself moved toward a smaller +and less-known ford. General Davidson, with 300 Americans, was +watching this point, but the brigade of guards were ordered to +commence the passage and were led by their light infantry companies +under Colonel Hall. The river was five hundred yards across, and the +stream so strong that the men, marching in fours, had to support one +another to enable them to withstand its force. The ford took a sharp +turn in the middle of the river. + +<P>The night being dark, the guards were not perceived until they had +reached this point, when the enemy immediately opened fire upon them. +The guide at once fled, without his absence being noticed until it +was too late to stop him. Colonel Hall, not knowing of the bend in +the ford, led his men straight forward toward the opposite bank, and +although their difficulties were much increased by the greater depth +of water through which they had to pass, the mistake was really the +means of saving them from much loss, as the Americans were assembled +to meet them at the head of the ford, and would have inflicted a +heavy loss upon them as they struggled in the stream. They did not +perceive the change in the direction of the column's march until too +late, and the guards, on landing, met them as they came on and +quickly routed and dispersed them. The British lost 4 killed, among +whom was Colonel Hall, and 36 wounded. + +<P>The rest of the division then crossed. Colonel Tarleton, with the +cavalry, was sent against 500 of the Americans who had fallen back +from the various fords, and, burning with the desire to retrieve the +defeat of the Cowpens, the legion horse charged the enemy with such +fury that they were completely routed, 50 of them being killed. + +<P>Morgan and Greene withdrew their army through the Roanoke River, +hotly pursued by the English. For a few days the British army +remained at Hillsborough, but no supplies of food sufficient for its +maintenance could be found there, so it again fell back. General +Greene, being re-enforced by a considerable force, now determined to +fight, and accordingly advanced and took up a position near Guilford +Court House. + +<IMG SRC="illustrations/4.gif" ALT="Battle of Guilford Fought on the 15th of March 1781."> + +<P>The American force consisted of 4243 infantry and some 3000 +irregulars—for the most part backwoodsmen from the frontier—while +the British force amounted to 1445, exclusive of their cavalry, who, +however, took little part in the fight. About four miles from +Guilford the advanced guards of the army met and a sharp fight +ensued—the Americans, under Colonel Lee, maintaining their ground +stanchly until the Twenty-third Regiment came up to the assistance of +Tarleton, who commanded the advance. + +<P>The main American force was posted in an exceedingly strong position. +Their first line was on commanding ground, with open fields in front; +on their flanks were woods, and a strong fence ran along in front of +their line. The second line was posted in a wood three hundred yards +in rear of the first, while four hundred yards behind were three +brigades drawn up in the open ground round Guilford Court House. +Colonel Washington, with two regiments of dragoons and one of +riflemen, formed a reserve for the right flank; Colonel Lee, with his +command, was in reserve on the left. + +<P>As soon as the head of the British column appeared in sight two guns +upon the road opened fire upon them and were answered by the English +artillery. While the cannonade continued the British formed in order +of attack. The Seventy-first, with a provincial regiment, supported +by the first battalion of the guards, formed the right; the +Twenty-third and Thirty-third, led by Colonel Webster, with the +grenadiers and second battalion of guards, formed the left. The light +infantry of the guards and the cavalry were in reserve. + +<P>When the order was given to advance the line moved forward in perfect +steadiness, and at 150 yards the enemy opened fire. The English did +not fire a shot till within 80 yards, when they poured in a volley +and charged with the bayonet. The first line of the enemy at once +fell back upon the second; here a stout resistance was made. Posted +in the woods and sheltering themselves behind trees, they kept up for +some time a galling fire which did considerable execution. General +Leslie brought up the right wing of the first battalion of guards +into the front line and Colonel Webster called up the second +battalion. The enemy's second line now fell back on their third, +which was composed of their best troops, and the struggle was a very +obstinate one. + +<P>The Americans, from their vastly superior numbers, occupied so long a +line of ground that the English commanders, in order to face them, +were obliged to leave large gaps between the different regiments. +Thus it happened that Webster, who with the Thirty-third Regiment, +the light infantry, and the second battalion of guards turned toward +the left, found himself separated from the rest of the troops by the +enemy, who pushed in between him and the Twenty-third. These again +were separated from the guards. The ground was very hilly, the wood +exceedingly thick, and the English line became broken up into +regiments separated from each other, each fighting on its own account +and ignorant of what was going on in other parts of the field. + +<P>The second battalion of guards was the first that broke through the +wood into the open grounds of Guilford Court House. They immediately +attacked a considerable force drawn up there, routed them, and took +their two cannon with them; but, pursuing them with too much ardor +and impetuosity toward the woods in the rear, were thrown into +confusion by a heavy fire from another body of troops placed there, +and being instantly charged by Washington's dragoons, were driven +back with great slaughter and the cannon were retaken. + +<P>At this moment the British guns, advancing along the road through the +wood, issued into the open and checked the pursuit of the Americans +by a well-directed fire. The Seventy-first and the Twenty-third now +came through the wood. The second battalion of guards rallied and +again advanced, and the enemy were quickly repulsed and put to +flight. The two guns were recaptured, with two others. + +<P>Colonel Webster, with the Thirty-third, returned across the ravine +through which he had driven the enemy opposed to him, and rejoined +the rest of the force. The Americans drew off in good order. The +Twenty-third and Twenty-first pursued with the cavalry for a short +distance and were then recalled. The fight was now over on the center +and left, but on the right heavy firing was still going on. Here +General Leslie, with the first battalion of guards and a Hessian +regiment, had been greatly impeded by the excessive thickness of the +woods, which rendered it impossible to charge with the bayonet. As +they struggled through the thicket the enemy swarmed around them, so +that they were at times engaged in front, flanks, and rear. The enemy +were upon an exceedingly steep rise, and lying along the top of this +they poured such a heavy fire into the guards that these suffered +exceedingly; nevertheless they struggled up to the top and drove the +front line back, but found another far more numerous drawn up behind. +As the guards struggled up to the crest they were received by a +tremendous fire on their front and flanks and suffered so heavily +that they fell into confusion. The Hessian regiment, which had +suffered but slightly, advanced in compact order to the left of the +guards, and, wheeling to the right, took the enemy in the flank with +a very heavy fire. Under cover of this the guards re-formed and moved +forward to join the Hessians and complete the repulse of the enemy +opposed to them. They were again attacked both in the flank and the +rear, but at last they completely dispersed the troops surrounding +them and the battle came to an end. + +<P>This battle was one of the most obstinate and well-contested +throughout the war, and the greatest credit is due to the British, +who drove the enemy, three times their own number, from the ground +chosen by them and admirably adapted to their mode of warfare. + +<P>The loss, as might have been expected, was heavy, amounting to 93 +killed and 413 wounded—nearly a third of the force engaged. Between +two and three hundred of the enemy's dead were found on the field of +battle, and a great portion of their army was disbanded. The +sufferings of the wounded on the following night were great. A +tremendous rain fell, and the battle had extended over so large an +area that it was impossible to find and collect them. The troops had +had no food during the day and had marched several miles before they +came into action. Nearly 50 of the wounded died during the night. + +<P>Decisive as the victory was, its consequences were slight. Lord +Cornwallis was crippled by his heavy loss, following that which the +force had suffered at the Cowpens. The two battles had diminished the +strength of his little force by fully half. Provisions were difficult +to obtain, and the inhabitants, some of whom had suffered greatly +upon previous occasions for their loyal opinions, seeing the weakness +of the force and the improbability of its being enabled to maintain +itself, were afraid to lend assistance or to show their sympathy, as +they would be exposed on its retreat to the most cruel persecutions +by the enemy. + +<P>Three days after the battle Lord Cornwallis retired, leaving 70 of +the wounded, who were unable to move, under the protection of a flag +of truce. From Guilford Court House he moved his troops to +Wilmington, in North Carolina, a seaport where he hoped to obtain +provisions and stores, especially clothing and shoes. + +<P>General Greene, left unmolested after his defeat, reassembled his +army, and receiving re-enforcements, marched at full speed to attack +Lord Rawdon at Camden, thinking that he would, with his greatly +superior force, be able to destroy him in his isolated situation. The +English commander fortified his position and the American general +drew back and encamped on Hobkirk Hill, two miles distant, to await +the coming of his heavy baggage and cannon, together with some +re-enforcements. Lord Rawdon determined to take the initiative, and +marching out with his whole force of 900 men, advanced to the attack. +The hill was covered at its foot by a deep swamp, but the English +marched round this and stormed the position. The Americans made an +obstinate resistance, but the English climbed the hill with such +impetuosity, in spite of the musketry and grape-shot of the enemy, +that they were forced to give way. Several times they returned to the +attack, but were finally driven off in confusion. One hundred +prisoners were taken, and Lord Rawdon estimated that 400 of the enemy +were killed and wounded. The American estimate was considerably +lower, and as the Americans fought with all the advantage of +position, while the English were exposed during their ascent to a +terrible fire, which they were unable to return effectively, it is +probable that the American loss, including the wounded, was inferior +to that of the English, whose casualties amounted to 258. + +<P>Harold and his companions did not take part either in the battle of +Guilford Court House or in that of Hobkirk Hill, having been attached +to the fort known as Ninety-six, because a milestone with these +figures upon it stood in the village. The force here was under the +command of Lieutenant Colonel Cruger, who had with him 150 men of a +provincial corps known as Delancey's, 200 of the second battalion of +the New Jersey volunteers, and 200 local loyalists. The post was far +advanced, but so long as Lord Rawdon remained at Camden its position +was not considered to be dangerous. The English general, however, +after winning the battle of Hobkirk Hill, received news of the +retirement of Lord Cornwallis toward Wilmington, and seeing that he +would thereby be exposed to the whole of the American forces in South +Carolina and would infallibly be cut off from Charleston, he +determined to retire upon that port. Before falling back he sent +several messengers to Colonel Cruger, acquainting him of his +intention. But so well were the roads guarded by the enemy that none +of the messengers reached Ninety-six. + +<P>Colonel Cruger, being uneasy at the length of time which had elapsed +since he had received any communication, sent Harold and the two +scouts out with instructions to make their way toward the enemy's +lines and, if possible, to bring in a prisoner. This they had not +much difficulty in doing. Finding out the position of two parties of +the Americans, they placed themselves on the road between them. No +long time elapsed before an American officer came along. A shot from +Peter's rifle killed his horse, and before the officer could recover +his feet, he was seized by the scouts. They remained hidden in the +wood during the day and at night returned with their prisoner to +Ninety-six, thirty miles distant, avoiding all villages where +resistance could be offered by hostile inhabitants. + +<P>From the prisoner Colonel Cruger learned that Lord Rawdon had +retreated from Camden and that he was therefore entirely isolated. +The position was desperate, but he determined to defend the post to +the last, confident that Lord Rawdon would, as soon as possible, +undertake an expedition for his release. + +<P>The whole garrison was at once set to work, stockades were erected, +earthworks thrown up, a redoubt—formed of casks filled with +earth—constructed, and the whole strengthened by ditches and +abattis. Blockhouses were erected in the village to enable the troops +to fire over the stockades, and covered communications made between +various works. The right of the village was defended by a regular +work called the Star. To the left was a work commanding a rivulet +from which the place drew its supply of water. + +<P>Colonel Cruger offered the volunteers, who were a mounted corps, +permission to return to Charleston, but they refused to accept the +offer, and, turning their horses into the woods, determined to share +the fate of the garrison. In making this offer the colonel was +influenced partly by motives of policy, as the stock of provisions +was exceedingly scanty, and he feared that they would not last if the +siege should be a long one. Besides this, he feared that, as had +already too often happened, should the place fall, even the solemn +engagement of the terms of the surrender would not be sufficient to +protect the loyalists against the vengeance of their countrymen. + +<P>On May 21 General Greene, with his army, appeared in sight of the +place and encamped in a wood within cannon-shot of the village. He +lost no time, and in the course of the night threw up two works +within seventy paces of the fortifications. The English commander did +not suffer so rash and disdainful a step to pass unpunished. The +scouts, who were outside the works, brought in news of what was being +done, and also that the working parties were protected by a strong +force. + +<P>The three guns which constituted the entire artillery of the +defenders were moved noiselessly to the salient angle of the Star +opposite the works, and at eleven o'clock in the morning these +suddenly opened fire, aided by musketry from the parapets. The +covering force precipitately retreated, and 30 men sallied out from +the fort, carried the intrenchments, and bayoneted their defenders. +Other troops followed, the works were destroyed, and the intrenching +tools carried into the fort. General Greene, advancing with his whole +army, arrived only in time to see the last of the sallying party +re-enter the village. + +<P>"I call that a right-down good beginning," Peter Lambton said, in +great exultation. "There's nothing like hitting a hard blow at the +beginning of the fight. It raises your spirits and makes t'other chap +mighty cautious. You'll see next time they'll begin their works at a +much more respectful distance." + +<P>Peter was right. The blow checked the impetuosity of the American +general, and on the night of the 23d he opened his trenches at a +distance of four hundred yards. Having so large a force, he was able +to push forward with great rapidity, although the garrison made +several gallant sorties to interfere with the work. + +<P>On June 3 the second parallel was completed. A formal summons was +sent to the British commander to surrender. This document was couched +in the most insolent language and contained the most unsoldierlike +threats of the consequences which would befall the garrison and its +commander if he offered further resistance. Colonel Cruger sent back +a verbal answer that he was not frightened by General Greene's +menaces and that he should defend the post until the last. + +<P>The American batteries now opened with a heavy cross-fire, which +enfiladed several of the works. They also pushed forward a sap +against the Star fort and erected a battery, composed of gabions, +thirty-six yards only from the abattis and raised forty feet high so +as to overlook the works of the garrison. The riflemen posted on its +top did considerable execution and prevented the British guns being +worked during the day. + +<P>The garrison tried to burn the battery by firing heated shot into it, +but from want of proper furnaces they were unable to heat the shot +sufficiently, and the attempt failed. They then protected their +parapets as well as they could by sand-bags with loop-holes, through +which the defenders did considerable execution with their rifles. + +<P>Harold and his two comrades, whose skill with their weapons was +notorious, had their post behind some sand-bags immediately facing +the battery, and were able completely to silence the fire of its +riflemen, as it was certain death to show a head above its parapet. + +<P>The enemy attempted to set fire to the houses of the village by +shooting blazing arrows into them, a heavy musketry and artillery +fire being kept up to prevent the defenders from quenching the +flames. These succeeded, however, in preventing any serious +conflagration, but Colonel Cruger ordered at once that the whole of +the houses should be unroofed. Thus the garrison were for the rest of +the siege without protection from the rain and night air, but all +risk of a fire, which might have caused the consumption of their +stores, was avoided. + +<P>While the siege had been going on the town of Augusta had fallen, and +Lieutenant Colonel Lee, marching thence to re-enforce General Greene, +brought with him the British prisoners taken there. With a scandalous +want of honorable feeling he marched these prisoners along in full +sight of the garrison, with all the parade of martial music, and +preceded by a British standard reversed. + +<P>If the intention was to discourage the garrison it failed entirely in +its effect. Fired with indignation at so shameful a sight, they +determined to encounter every danger and endure every hardship rather +than fall into the hands of an enemy capable of disgracing their +success by so wanton an insult to their prisoners. + +<P>The Americans, strengthened by the junction of the troops who had +reduced Augusta, began to make approaches against the stockaded fort +on the left of the village, which kept open the communication of the +garrison with their water supply. The operations on this side were +intrusted to Colonel Lee, while General Greene continued to direct +those against the Star. + +<P>On the night of June 9 a sortie was made by two strong parties of the +defenders. That to the right entered the enemy's trenches and +penetrated to a battery of four guns, which nothing but the want of +spikes and hammers prevented them from destroying. Here they +discovered the mouth of a mine intended to be carried under one of +the defenses of the Star. + +<P>The division on the left fell in with the covering party of the +Americans, killed a number of them, and made their commanding officer +a prisoner. + +<P>On the 12th Colonel Lee determined to attempt a storm of the stockade +on the left, and sent forward a sergeant and six men, with lighted +combustibles, to set fire to the abattis. The whole of them were +killed before effecting their purpose. A number of additional cannon +now arrived from Augusta, and so heavy and incessant a fire was +opened upon the stockade from three batteries that on the 17th it was +no longer tenable, and the garrison evacuated it in the night. + +<P>The suffering of the garrison for want of water now became extreme. +With great labor a well had been dug in the fort, but no water was +found, and none could be procured except from the rivulet within +pistol-shot of the enemy. In the day nothing could be done, but at +night negroes, whose bodies in the darkness were not easily +distinguished from the tree-stumps which surrounded them, went out +and at great risk brought in a scanty supply. The position of the +garrison became desperate. Colonel Cruger, however, was not +discouraged, and did his best to sustain the spirits of his troops by +assurances that Lord Rawdon was certain to attempt to relieve the +place as soon as he possibly could do so. + +<P>At length one day, to the delight of the garrison, an American +royalist rode right through the pickets under the fire of the enemy +and delivered a verbal message from Lord Rawdon to the effect that he +had passed Orangeburg and was on his march to raise the siege. + +<P>Lord Rawdon had been forced to remain at Charleston until the arrival +of three fresh regiments from Ireland enabled him to leave that place +in safety and march to the relief of Ninety-six. His force amounted +to 1800 infantry and 150 cavalry. General Greene had also received +news of Lord Rawdon's movements, and, finding from his progress that +it would be impossible to reduce the fort by regular approaches +before his arrival, he determined to hazard an assault. + +<P>The American works had been pushed up close to the forts, and the +third parallel had been completed, and a mine and two trenches +extended within a few feet of the ditch. On the morning of June 18 a +heavy cannonade was begun from all the American batteries. The Whole +of the batteries and trenches were lined with riflemen, whose fire +prevented the British from showing their heads, above the parapets. +At noon two parties of the enemy advanced under cover of their +trenches and made a lodgment in the ditch. These were followed by +other parties with hooks to drag down the sand-bags and tools to +overthrow the parapet. They were exposed to the fire of the +block-houses in the village, and Major Green, the English officer who +commanded the Star fort, had his detachment in readiness behind the +parapet to receive the enemy when they attempted to storm. + +<P>As the main body of Americans did not advance beyond the third +parallel and contented themselves with supporting the parties in the +ditch with their fire, the commander of the fort resolved to inflict +a heavy blow. Two parties, each 30 strong, under the command of +Captains Campbell and French, issued from the sally-port in the rear, +entered the ditch, and, taking opposite directions, charged the +Americans who had made the lodgment with such impetuosity that they +drove everything before them until they met. The bayonet alone was +used and the carnage was great—two-thirds of those who entered the +trenches were either killed or wounded. + +<P>General Greene, finding it useless any longer to continue the +attempt, called off his troops, and on the following day raised the +siege and marched away with all speed, having lost at least 300 men +in the siege. Of the garrison 27 were killed and 58 wounded. + +<P>On the 21st Lord Rawdon arrived at Ninety-six and, finding that it +would be hopeless for him to attempt to overtake the retreating +enemy, who were marching with great speed, he drew off the garrison +of Ninety-six and fell back toward the coast. + +<P>A short time afterward a sharp fight ensued between a force under +Colonel Stewart and the army of General Greene. The English were +taken by surprise and were at first driven back, but they recovered +from their confusion and renewed the fight with great spirit, and +after a desperate conflict the Americans were repulsed. Two cannon +and 60 prisoners were taken; among the latter Colonel Washington, who +commanded the reserve. The loss on both sides was about equal, as 250 +of the British troops were taken prisoners at the first outset. The +American killed considerably exceeded our own. Both, parties claimed +the victory; the Americans because they had forced the British to +retreat; the British because they had ultimately driven the Americans +from the field and obliged them to retire to a strong position seven +miles in the rear This was the last action of the war in South +Carolina. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<A NAME="c21"></A> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">CHAPTER XXI.</H2> + +<H3 ALIGN="CENTER">THE END OF THE STRUGGLE.</H3> + +<P>Being unable to obtain any supplies at Wilmington, Lord Cornwallis +determined to march on into Virginia and to effect a junction with +the British force under General Arnold operating there. Arnold +advanced to Petersburg and Cornwallis effected a junction with him on +May 20. The Marquis de la Fayette, who commanded the colonial forces +here, fell back. Just at this time the Count de Grasse, with a large +French fleet, arrived off the coast, and, after some consultation +with General Washington, determined that the French fleet and the +whole American army should operate together to crush the forces under +Lord Cornwallis. + +<P>The English were hoodwinked by reports that the French fleet was +intended to operate against New York, and it was not until they +learned that the Count de Grasse had arrived with twenty-eight ships +of the line at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay that the true object +of the expedition was seen. A portion of the English fleet +encountered them, but after irregular actions, lasting over five +days, the English drew off and retired to New York. The +commander-in-chief then attempted to effect a diversion, in order to +draw off some of the enemy who were surrounding Cornwallis. The fort +of New London was stormed after some desperate fighting, and great +quantities of ammunition and stores and fifty pieces of cannon taken. +General Washington did not allow his attention to be distracted. +Matters were in a most critical condition, for although to the +English the prospect of ultimate success appeared slight indeed, the +Americans were in a desperate condition. Their immense and +long-continued efforts had been unattended with any material success. +It was true that the British troops held no more ground now than they +did at the end of the first year of the war, but no efforts of the +colonists had succeeded in wresting that ground from them. The people +were exhausted and utterly disheartened. Business of all sorts was at +a standstill. Money had ceased to circulate, and the credit of +Congress stood so low that its bonds had ceased to have any value +whatever. The soldiers were unpaid, ill fed, and mutinous. If on the +English side it seemed that the task of conquering was beyond them, +the Americans were ready to abandon the defense from sheer +exhaustion. It was then of paramount necessity to General Washington +that a great and striking success should be obtained to animate the +spirits of the people. + +<P>Cornwallis, seeing the formidable combination which the French and +Americans were making to crush him, sent message after message to New +York to ask for aid from the commander-in-chief, and received +assurances from him that he would at once sail with 4000 troops to +join him. Accordingly, in obedience to his orders, Lord Cornwallis +fortified himself at Yorktown. + +<P>On September 28 the combined army of French and Americans, consisting +of 7000 of the former and 12,000 of the latter, appeared before +Yorktown and the post at Gloucester. Lord Cornwallis had 5960 men, +but so great had been the effects of the deadly climate in the autumn +months that only 4017 men were reported as fit for duty. + +<P>The enemy at once invested the town and opened their trenches against +it. From their fleet they had drawn an abundance of heavy artillery, +and on October 9 their batteries opened a tremendous fire upon the +works. Each day they pushed their trenches closer, and the British +force was too weak, in comparison with the number of its assailants, +to venture upon sorties. The fire from the works was completely +overpowered by that of the enemy, and the ammunition was nearly +exhausted. Day after day passed and still the promised re-enforcements +did not arrive. Lord Cornwallis was told positively that the fleet +would set sail on October 8, but it came not, nor did it leave port +until the 19th, the day on which Lord Cornwallis surrendered. + +<P>On the 16th, finding that he must either surrender or break through, +he determined to cross the river and fall on the French rear with his +whole force and then turn northward and force his way through +Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the Jerseys. In the night the light +infantry, the greater part of the guards, and part of the +Twenty-third were embarked in boats and crossed to the Gloucester +side of the river before midnight. At this critical moment a violent +storm arose which prevented the boats returning. The enemy's fire +reopened at daybreak, and the engineer and principal officers of the +army gave it as their opinion that it was impossible to resist +longer. Only one eight-inch shell and a hundred small ones remained. +The defenses had in many places tumbled to ruins, and no effectual +resistance could be opposed to an assault. + +<P>Accordingly Lord Cornwallis sent out a flag of truce and arranged +terms of surrender. On the 24th the fleet and re-enforcements arrived +off the mouth of the Chesapeake. Had they left New York at the time +promised, the result of the campaign would have been different. + +<P>The army surrendered as prisoners of war until exchanged, the +officers with liberty to proceed on parole to Europe and not to serve +until exchanged. The loyal Americans were embarked on the <I>Bonito</I>, +sloop of war, and sent to New York in safety, Lord Cornwallis having +obtained permission to send off the ship without her being searched, +with as many soldiers on board as he should think fit, so that they +were accounted for in any further exchange. He was thus enabled to +send off such of the inhabitants and loyalist troops as would have +suffered from the vengeance of the Americans. + +<P>The surrender of Lord Cornwallis' army virtually ended the war. The +burden entailed on the people in England by the great struggle +against France, Spain, Holland, and America, united in arms against +her, was enormous. So long as there appeared any chance of recovering +the colony the English people made the sacrifices required of them, +but the conviction that it was impossible for them to wage a war with +half of Europe and at the same time to conquer a continent had been +gaining more and more in strength. Even the most sanguine were +silenced by the surrender of Yorktown, and a cry arose throughout the +country that peace should at once be made. + +<P>As usual under the circumstances, a change of ministry took place. +Negotiations for peace were at once commenced, and the war terminated +in the acknowledgment of the entire independence of the United States +of America. + +<P>Harold with his companions had fallen back to Charleston with Lord +Rawdon after the relief of Ninety-six, and remained there until the +news arrived that the negotiations were on foot and that peace was +now certain. Then he took his discharge and sailed at once for +England, accompanied by Jake; Peter Lambton taking a passage to +Canada to carry out his intention of settling at Montreal. + +<P>Harold was now past twenty-two, and his father and mother did not +recognize him when, without warning, he arrived at their residence in +Devonshire. It was six years since his mother had seen him, when she +sailed from Boston before its surrender in 1776. + +<P>For a year he remained quiet at home, and then carried out his plan +of returning to the American continent and settling in Canada. + +<P>Accompanied by Jake, he sailed for the St. Lawrence and purchased a +snug farm on its banks, near the spot where it flows from Lake +Ontario. + +<P>He greatly improved it, built a comfortable house upon it, and two +years later returned to England, whence he brought back his Cousin +Nelly as his wife. + +<P>Her little fortune was used in adding to the farm, and it became one +of the largest and best managed in the country. Peter Lambton +found Montreal too crowded for him and settled down on the estate, +supplying it with fish and game so long as his strength enabled him +to go about, and enjoying the society of Jack Pearson, who had +married and established himself on a farm close by. As years went +on and the population increased the property became very valuable, +and Harold, before he died, was one of the wealthiest and most +respected men in the colony. So long as his mother lived he and his +wife paid occasional visits to England, but after her death his +family and farm had so increased that it was inconvenient to leave +them; his father therefore returned with him to Canada and ended his +life there. Jake lived to a good old age and was Harold's faithful +friend and right-hand man to the last. + +<BR> + +<BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="CENTER">THE END.</H2> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of True to the Old Flag, by G. A. 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