the scouts of the valley-第24节

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They　met　more　fugitives；　and　it　was　now　too　dangerous　to　go　farther　up　the　valley。　　But　not　willing　to　turn　back；　they　ascended　the　mountains　that　hem　it　in；　and　from　the　loftiest　point　that　they　could　find　sought　a　sight　of　the　enemy。

It　was　an　absolutely　brilliant　day　in　summer。　　The　blue　of　the　heavens　showed　no　break　but　the　shifting　bits　of　white　cloud；　and　the　hills　and　mountains　rolled　away；　solid　masses　of　rich；　dark　green。　　The　river；　a　beautiful　river　at　any　time；　seemed　from　this　height　a　great　current　of　quicksilver。　　Henry　pointed　to　a　place　far　up　the　stream　where　black　dots　appeared　on　its　surface。　　These　dots　were　moving；　and　they　came　on　in　four　lines。

〃Boys；〃　he　said；　〃you　know　what　those　lines　of　black　dots　are？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Shif'less　Sol；　〃it's　Butler's　army　of　Indians；　Tories；　Canadians；　an'　English。　　They've　come　from　Tioga　Point　on　the　river；　an'　our　Colonel　Butler　kin　expect　'em　soon。〃

The　sunlight　became　dazzling；　and　showed　the　boats；　despite　the　distance；　with　startling　clearness。　　The　five；　watching　from　their　peak；　saw　them　turn　in　toward　the　land；　where　they　poured　forth　a　motley　stream　of　red　men　and　white；　a　stream　that　was　quickly　swallowed　up　in　the　forest。

〃They　are　coming　down　through　the　woods　on　the　fort；　said　Tom　Ross。

〃And　they're　coming　fast；〃　said　Henry。　　〃It's　for　us　to　carry　the　warning。〃

They　sped　back　to　the　Wyoming　fort；　spreading　the　alarm　as　they　passed；　and　once　more　they　were　in　the　council　room　with　Colonel　Zebulon　Butler　and　his　officers　around　him。

〃So　they　are　at　hand；　and　you　have　seen　them？〃　said　the　colonel。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Henry；　the　spokesman；　〃they　came　down　from　Tioga　Point　in　boats；　but　have　disembarked　and　are　advancing　through　the　woods。　　They　will　be　here　today。〃

There　was　a　little　silence　in　the　room。　　The　older　men　understood　the　danger　perhaps　better　than　the　younger；　who　were　eager　for　battle。

〃Why　should　we　stay　here　and　wait　for　them？〃　exclaimed　one　of　the　younger　captains　at　length…some　of　these　captains　were　mere　boys。　　〃Why　not　go　out；　meet　them；　and　beat　them　？〃

〃They　outnumber　us　about　five　to　one；〃　said　Henry。　　〃Brant；　if　he　is　still　with　them；　though　be　may　have　gone　to　some　other　place　from　Tioga　Point；　is　a　great　captain。　　So　is　Timmendiquas；　the　Wyandot；　and　they　say　that　the　Tory　leader　is　energetic　and　capable。〃

〃It　is　all　true！〃　exclaimed　Colonel　Butler。　　〃We　must　stay　in　the　fort！　　We　must　not　go　out　to　meet　them！　　We　are　not　strong　enough！〃

A　murmur　of　protest　and　indignation　came　from　the　younger　officers。

〃And　leave　the　valley　to　be　ravaged！　　Women　and　children　to　be　scalped；　while　we　stay　behind　log　walls！〃　said　one　of　them　boldly。　　

The　men　in　the　Wyoming　fort　were　not　regular　troops；　merely　militia；　farmers　gathered　hastily　for　their　own　defense。

Colonel　Butler　flushed。

〃We　have　induced　as　many　as　we　could　to　seek　refuge；〃　he　said。　　〃It　hurts　me　as　much　as　you　to　have　the　valley　ravaged　while　we　sit　quiet　here。　　But　I　know　that　we　have　no　chance　against　so　large　a　force；　and　if　we　fall　what　is　to　become　of　the　hundreds　whom　we　now　protect？〃

But　the　murmur　of　protest　grew。　　All　the　younger　men　were　indignant。　　They　would　not　seek　shelter　for　themselves　while　others　were　suffering。　　A　young　lieutenant　saw　from　a　window　two　fires　spring　up　and　burn　like　torch　lights　against　the　sky。　　They　were　houses　blazing　before　the　Indian　brand。

〃Look　at　that！；〃　he　cried；　pointing　with　an　accusing　finger；　〃and　we　are　here；　under　cover；　doing　nothing！〃

A　deep　angry　mutter　went　about　the　room；　but　Colonel　Butler；　although　the　flush　remained　on　his　face；　still　shook　his　head。　　He　glanced　at　Tom　Ross；　the　oldest　of　the　five。

〃You　know　about　the　Indian　force；〃　he　exclaimed。　　What　should　we　do？〃

The　face　of　Tom　Ross　was　very　grave；　and　he　spoke　slowly；　as　was　his　wont。

〃It's　a　hard　thing　to　set　here；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃but　it　will　be　harder　to　go　out　an'　meet　'em　on　their　own　ground；　an'　them　four　or　five　to　one。〃

〃We　must　not　go　out；〃　repeated　the　Colonel；　glad　of　such　backing。

The　door　was　thrust　open；　and　an　officer　entered。

〃A　rumor　has　just　arrived；　saying　that　the　entire　Davidson　family　has　been　killed　and　scalped；〃　he　said。　

A　deep；　angry　cry　went　up。　　Colonel　Butler　and　the　few　who　stood　with　him　were　overborne。　　Such　things　as　these　could　not　be　endured；　and　reluctantly　the　commander　gave　his　consent。　　They　would　go　out　and　fight。　　The　fort　and　its　enclosures　were　soon　filled　with　the　sounds　of　preparation；　and　the　little　army　was　formed　rapidly。

〃We　will　fight　by　your　side；　of　course；〃　said　Henry；　〃but　we　wish　to　serve　on　the　flank　as　an　independent　band。　　We　can　be　of　more　service　in　that　manner。〃

The　colonel　thanked　them　gratefully。

〃Act　as　you　think　best；〃　he　said。

The　five　stood　near　one　of　the　gates；　while　the　little　force　formed　in　ranks。　　Almost　for　the　first　time　they　were　gloomy　upon　going　into　battle。　　They　had　seen　the　strength　of　that　army　of　Indians；　renegades；　Tories；　Canadians；　and　English　advancing　under　the　banner　of　England；　and　they　knew　the　power　and　fanaticism　of　the　Indian　leaders。　　They　believed　that　the　terrible　Queen　Esther；　tomahawk　in　hand；　had　continually　chanted　to　them　her　songs　of　blood　as　they　came　down　the　river。　　It　was　now　the　third　of　July；　and　valley　and　river　were　beautiful　in　the　golden　sunlight。　　The　foliage　showed　vivid　and　deep　green　on　either　line　of　high　hills。　　The　summer　sun　had　never　shown　more　kindly　over　the　lovely　valley。

The　time　was　now　three　o'clock。　　The　gates　of　the　fort　were　thrown　open；　and　the　little　army　marched　out；　only　three　hundred；　of　whom　seventy　were　old　men；　or　boys　so　young　that　in　our　day　they　would　be　called　children。　　Yet　they　marched　bravely　against　the　picked　warriors　of　the　Iroquois；　trained　from　infancy　to　the　forest　and　war；　and　a　formidable　body　of　white　rovers　who　wished　to　destroy　the　little　colony　of　〃rebels；〃　as　they　called　them。

Small　though　it　might　be；　it　was　a　gallant　army。　　Young　and　old　held　their　heads　high。　　A　banner　was　flying；　and　a　boy　beat　a　steady　insistent　roll　upon　a　drum。　　Henry　and　his　comrades　were　on　the　left　flank；　the　river　was　on　the　right。　　The　great　gates　had　closed　behind　them；　shutting　in　the　women　and　the　children。　　The　sun　blazed　down；　throwing　everything　into　relief　with　its　intense；　vivid　light　playing　upon　the　brown　faces　of　the　borderers；　their　rifles　and　their　homespun　clothes。　　Colonel　Butler　and　two　or　three　of　his　officers　were　on　horseback；　leading　the　van。　　Now　that　the　decision　was　to　fight；　the　older　officers；　who　had　opposed　it；　were　in　the　very　front。　　Forward　they　went；　and　spread　out　a　little；　but　with　the　right　flank　still　resting　on　the　river；　and　the　left　extended　on　the　plain。

The　five　were　on　the　edge　of　the　plain；　a　little　detached　from　the　others；　searching　the　forest　for　a　sign　of　the　enemy；　who　was　already　so　near。　　Their　gloom　did　not　decrease。　　Neither　the　rolling　of　the　drum　nor　the　flaunting　of　the　banner　had　any　effect。　　Brave　though　the　men　might　be；　this　was　not　the　way　in　which　they　should　meet　an　Indian　foe　who　outnumbered　them　four　or　five　to　one。

〃I　don't　like　it；〃　muttered　Tom　Ross。

〃Nor　'　do　I；〃　said　Henry；　〃but　remember　that　whatever　happens　we　all　stand　together。〃

〃We　remember！〃　said　the　others。

On…they　went；　and　the　five　moving　faster　were　now　ahead　of　the　main　force　some　hundred　yards。　　They　swung　in　a　little　toward　the　river。　　The　banks　here　were　highland　off　to　the　left　was　a　large　swamp。　　The　five　now　checked　speed　and　moved　with　great　wariness。　　They　saw　nothing；　and　they　heard　nothing；　either；　until　they　went　forty　or　fifty　yards　farther。　　Then　a　low　droning　sound　came　to　their　ears。　　It　was　the　voice　of　one　yet　far　away；　but　they　knew　it。　　It　was　the　terrible　chant　of　Queen　Esther；　in　this　moment　the　most　ruthless　of　all　the　savages；　and　inflaming　them　continuously　for　the　combat。

The　five　threw　themselves　flat　on　their　faces；　and　waited　a　little。　　The　chant　grew　louder；　and　then　through　the　foliage　they　saw　the　ominous　figure　approaching。　　She　was　much　as　she　had　been　on　that　night　when　they　first　beheld　her。　　She　wore　the　same　dress　of　barbaric　colors；　she　swung　the　same　great　tomahawk　about　her　head；　and　sang　all　the　time　of　fire　and　blood　and　death。

They　saw　behind　her　the　figures　of　chiefs；　naked　to　the　breech　cloth　for　battle；　their　bronze　bodies　glistening　with　the　war　paint；　and　bright　feathers　gleaming　in　their　hair。　　Henry　recognized　the　tall　form　of　Timmendiquas；　notable　by　his　height；　and　around　him　his　little　band　of　Wyandots；　ready　to　prove　themselves　mighty　warriors　to　their　eastern　friends　the　Iroquois。　　Back　of　these　was　a　long　line　of　Indians　and　their　white　allies；　Sir　John　Johnson's　Royal　Greens　and　Butler's　Rangers　in　the　center；　bearing　the　flag　of　England。　　The　warriors；　of　whom　the　Senecas　were　most　numerous；　were　gathered　in　greatest　numbers　on　their　right　flank；　facing　the　left　flank　of　the　Americans。　　Sangerachte　and　Hiokatoo；　who　had　taken　two　English　prisoners　at　Braddock's　defeat；　and　who　had　afterwards　burned　them　both　alive　with　his　own　hand；　were　the　principal　leaders　of　the　Senecas。　　Henry　caught　a　glimpse　of　〃Indian〃　Butler　in　the　center；　with　a　grea