the scouts of the valley-第46节

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The　party　of　Henry　and　Heemskerk　numbered　fourteen；　but　every　one　was　a　veteran；　full　of　courage；　tenacity；　and　all　the　skill　of　the　woods。　　They　had　supreme　confidence　in　their　ability　to　beat　the　best　of　the　Iroquois；　man　for　man；　and　they　carried　the　very　finest　arms　known　to　the　time。

It　was　decided　that　four　of　the　men　should　remain　on　the　hill。　　The　others；　including　the　five；　Heemskerk；　and　Taylor；　would　make　a　circuit；　cross　the　creek　a　full　mile　above；　and　come　down　on　the　flank　of　the　ambushing　party。　　Theirs　would　be　the　main　attack；　but　it　would　be　preceded　by　sharpshooting　from　the　four；　intended　to　absorb　the　attention　of　the　Iroquois。　　The　chosen　ten　slipped　back　down　the　hill；　and　as　soon　as　they　were　sheltered　from　any　possible　glimpse　by　the　warriors；　they　rose　and　ran　rapidly　westward。　　Before　they　had　gone　far　they　heard　the　crack　of　a　rifle　shot；　then　another；　then　several　from　another　point；　as　if　in　reply。

〃It's　our　sharpshooters；〃　said　Henry。　　〃　They've　begun　to　disturb　the　Iroquois；　and　they'll　keep　them　busy。〃

〃Until　we　break　in　on　their　sport　and　keep　them　still　busier；〃　exclaimed　Heemskerk；　revolving　swiftly　through　the　bushes；　his　face　blazing　red。

It　did　not　take　long　for　such　as　they　to　go　the　mile　or　so　that　they　intended；　and　then　they　crossed　the　creek；　wading　in　the　water　breast　high；　but　careful　to　keep　their　ammunition　dry。　　Then　they　turned　and　rapidly　descended　the　stream　on　its　northern　bank。　　In　a　few　minutes　they　heard　the　sound　of　a　rifle　shot；　and　then　of　another　as　if　replying。

〃The　Iroquois　have　been　fooled；〃　exclaimed　Heemskerk。　　〃Our　four　good　riflemen　have　made　them　think　that　a　great　force　is　there；　and　they　have　not　dared　to　cross　the　creek　themselves　and　make　an　attack。〃

In　a　few　minutes　more；　as　they　ran　noiselessly　through　the　forest；　they　saw　a　little　drifting　smoke；　and　now　and　then　the　faint　flash　of　rifles。　　They　were　coming　somewhere　near　to　the　Iroquois　band；　and　they　practiced　exceeding　caution。　　Presently　they　caught　sight　of　Indian　faces；　and　now　and　then　one　of　Johnson's　Greens　or　Butler's　Rangers。　　They　stopped　and　held　a　council　that　lasted　scarcely　more　than　half　a　minute。　　They　all　agreed　there　was　but　one　thing　to　do；　and　that　was　to　attack　in　the　Indian's　own　way…that　is；　by　ambush　and　sharpshooting。

Henry　fired　the　first　shot；　and　an　Iroquois；　aiming　at　a　foe　on　the　other　side　of　the　creek；　fell。　　Heemskerk　quickly　followed　with　a　shot　as　good；　and　the　surprised　Iroquois　turned　to　face　this　new　foe。　　But　they　and　the　Tories　were　a　strong　band；　and　they　retreated　only　a　little。　　Then　they　stood　firm；　and　the　forest　battle　began。　　The　Indians　numbered　not　less　than　thirty；　and　both　Braxton　Wyatt　and　Coleman　were　with　them；　but　the　value　of　skill　was　here　shown　by　the　smaller　party；　the　one　that　attacked。　　The　frontiersmen；　trained　to　every　trick　and　wile　of　the　forest；　and　marksmen　such　as　the　Indians　were　never　able　to　become；　continually　pressed　in　and　drove　the　Iroquois　from　tree　to　tree。　　Once　or　twice　the　warriors　started　a　rush；　but　they　were　quickly　driven　back　by　sharpshooting　such　as　they　had　never　faced　before。　　They　soon　realized　that　this　was　no　band　of　border　farmers；　armed　hastily　for　an　emergency；　but　a　foe　who　knew　everything　that　they　knew；　and　more。

Braxton　Wyatt　and　his　friend　Coleman　fought　with　the　Iroquois；　and　Wyatt　in　particular　was　hot　with　rage。　　He　suspected　that　the　five　who　had　defeated　him　so　often　were　among　these　marksmen；　and　there　might　be　a　chance　now　to　destroy　them　all。　　He　crept　to　the　side　of　the　fierce　old　Seneca　chief；　Hiokatoo；　and　suggested　that　a　part　of　their　band　slip　around　and　enfold　the　enemy。

Old　Hiokatoo；　in　the　thick　of　battle　now；　presented　his　most　terrifying　aspect。　　He　was　naked　save　the　waist　cloth；　his　great　body　was　covered　with　scars；　and；　as　he　bent　a　little　forward；　he　held　cocked　and　ready　in　his　hands　a　fine　rifle　that　had　been　presented　to　him　by　his　good　friend；　the　king。　　The　Senecas；　it　may　be　repeated；　had　suffered　terribly　at　the　Battle　of　the　Oriskany　in　the　preceding　year；　and　throughout　these　years　of　border　were　the　most　cruel　of　all　the　Iroquois。　　In　this　respect　Hiokatoo　led　all　the　Senecas；　and　now　Braxton　Wyatt　used　as　he　was　to　savage　scenes；　was　compelled　to　admit　to　himself　that　this　was　the　most　terrifying　human　being　whom　he　had　ever　beheld。　　He　was　old；　but　age　in　him　seemed　merely　to　add　to　his　strength　and　ferocity。　　The　path　of　a　deep　cut；　healed　long　since；　but　which　the　paint　even　did　not　hide；　lay　across　his　forehead。　　Others　almost　as　deep　adorned　his　right　cheek；　his　chin；　and　his　neck。　　He　was　crouched　much　like　a　panther；　with　his　rifle　in　his　hands　and　the　ready　tomahawk　at　his　belt。　　But　it　was　the　extraordinary　expression　of　his　eyes　that　made　Braxton　Wyatt　shudder。　　He　read　there　no　mercy　for　anything；　not　even　for　himself；　Braxton　Wyatt；　if　he　should　stand　in　the　way；　and　it　was　this　last　fact　that　brought　the　shudder。

Hiokatoo　thought　it　a　good　plan。　　Twenty　warriors；　mostly　Senecas　and　Cayugas；　were　detailed　to　execute　it　at　once；　and　they　stole　off　toward　the　right。　　Henry　had　suspected　some　such　diversion；　and；　as　he　had　been　joined　now　by　the　four　men　from　the　other　side　of　the　creek；　he　disposed　his　little　force　to　meet　it。　　Both　Shif'less　Sol　and　Heemskerk　had　caught　sight　of　figures　slipping　away　among　the　trees；　and　Henry　craftily　drew　back　a　little。　　While　two　or　three　men　maintained　the　sharpshooting　in　the　front；　he　waited　for　the　attack。　　It　came　in　half　an　hour；　the　flanking　force　making　a　savage　and　open　rush；　but　the　fire　of　the　white　riflemen　was　so　swift　and　deadly　that　they　were　driven　back　again。　　But　they　had　come　very　near；　and　a　Tory　rushed　directly　at　young　Taylor。　　　The　　Tory；　like　Taylor；　had　come　from　Wyoming；　and　he　had　been　one　of　the　most　ruthless　on　that　terrible　day。　　When　they　were　less　than　a　dozen　feet　apart　they　recognized　each　other。　　Henry　saw　the　look　that　passed　between　them；　and；　although　he　held　a　loaded　rifle　in　his　hand；　for　some　reason　he　did　not　use　it。　　The　Tory　fired　a　pistol　at　Taylor；　but　the　bullet　missed；　and　the　Wyoming　youth；　leaping　forth；　swung　his　unloaded　rifle　and　brought　the　stock　down　with　all　his　force　upon　the　head　of　his　enemy。　　The　man；　uttering　a　single　sound；　a　sort　of　gasp；　fell　dead；　and　Taylor　stood　over　him；　still　trembling　with　rage。　　In　an　instant　Henry　seized　him　and　dragged　him　down；　and　then　a　Seneca　bullet　whistled　where　he　had　been。

〃He　was　one　of　the　worst　at　Wyoming…I　saw　him！〃　exclaimed　young　Taylor；　still　trembling　all　over　with　passion。

〃He'll　never　massacre　anybody　else。　　You've　seen　to　that；〃　said　Henry；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　Taylor　was　quiet。　　The　sharpshooting　continued；　but　here　as　elsewhere；　the　Iroquois　had　the　worst　of　it。　　Despite　their　numbers；　they　could　not　pass　nor　flank　that　line　of　deadly　marksmen　who　lay　behind　trees　almost　in　security；　and　who　never　missed。　　Another　Tory　and　a　chief；　also；　were　killed；　and　Braxton　Wyatt　was　daunted。　　Nor　did　he　feel　any　better　when　old　Hiokatoo　crept　to　his　side。

〃We　have　failed　here；〃　he　said。　　〃They　shoot　too　well　for　us　to　rush　them。　　We　have　lost　good　men。〃　Hiokatoo　frowned；　and　the　scars　on　his　face　stood　out　in　livid　red　lines。

〃It　is　so；〃　he　said。　　〃　These　who　fight　us　now　are　of　their　best；　and　while　we　fight；　the　army　that　destroyed　Oghwaga　is　coming　up。　　Come；　we　will　go。〃

The　little　white　band　soon　saw　that　the　Indians　were　gone　from　their　front。　　They　scouted　some　distance；　and；　finding　no　enemy；　hurried　back　to　Colonel　Butler。　　The　troops　were　pushed　forward；　and　before　night　they　reached　Cunahunta；　which　they　burned　also。　　Some　farther　advance　was　made　into　the　Indian　country；　and　more　destruction　was　done；　but　now　the　winter　was　approaching；　and　many　of　the　men　insisted　upon　returning　home　to　protect　their　families。　　Others　were　to　rejoin　the　main　Revolutionary　army；　and　the　Iroquois　campaign　was　to　stop　for　the　time。　　The　first　blow　had　been　struck；　and　it　was　a　hard　one；　but　the　second　blow　and　third　and　fourth　and　more；　which　the　five　knew　were　so　badly　needed；　must　wait。

Henry　and　his　comrades　were　deeply　disappointed。　　They　had　hoped　to　go　far　into　the　Iroquois　country；　to　break　the　power　of　the　Six　Nations；　to　hunt　down　the　Butlers　and　the　Johnsons　and　Brant　himself；　but　they　could　not　wholly　blame　their　commander。　　The　rear　guard；　or；　rather；　the　forest　guard　of　the　Revolution；　was　a　slender　and　small　force　indeed。

Henry　and　his　comrades　said　farewell　to　Colonel　Butler　with　much　personal　regret；　and　also　to　the　gallant　troops；　some　of　whom　were　Morgan's　riflemen　from　Virginia。　　The　farewells　to　William　Gray；　Bob　Taylor；　and　Cornelius　Heemskerk　were　more　intimate。

〃I　think　we'll　see　more　of　one　another　in　other　campaigns；〃　said　Gray。

〃We'll　be　on　the　battle　line；　side　by　side；　once　more；〃　said　Taylor；　〃and　we'll　strike　another　blow　for　Wyoming。〃

〃I　foresee；〃　said　Cornelius　Heemskerk；　〃that　I；　a　peaceful　man；　who　ought　to　be　painting　blue　plates　in　Holland；　will　be　drawn　into　danger　in　the　great；　dark　wilderness　again；　and　that　you　will　be　there　with　me；　Mynheer　Henry；　Mynheer　Paul；　Mynheer　the　Wise　Solomon；　Mynheer　the　Silent　Tom；　and　Mynheer　the　Very　Long　Jam