the scouts of the valley-第55节

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　to　send　help　to　those　farther　away。　　So　mighty　a　cry　of　distress　had　risen；　that　the　power　of　the　Iroquois　must　be　destroyed。　　As　the　warm　weather　came；　the　soldiers　began　to　march。

Rumors　that　a　formidable　foe　was　about　to　advance　reached　the　Iroquois　and　their　allies；　the　Tories；　the　English；　and　the　Canadians。　　There　was　a　great　stirring　among　the　leaders；　Thayendanegea；　Hiokatoo；　Sangerachte；　the　Johnsons；　the　Butlers；　Claus；　and　the　rest。　　Haldimand；　the　king's　representative　in　Canada；　sent　forth　an　urgent　call　to　all　the　Iroquois　to　meet　the　enemy。　　The　Tories　were'　extremely　active。　　Promises　were　made　to　the　tribes　that　they　should　have　other　victories　even　greater　than　those　of　Wyoming　and　Cherry　Valley；　and　again　the　terrible　Queen　Esther　went　among　them；　swinging　her　great　war　tomahawk　over　her　head　and　chanting　her　song　of　death。　　She；　more　than　any　other；　inflamed　the　Iroquois；　and　they　were　eager　for　the　coming　contest。

Timmendiquas　had　gone　back　to　the　Ohio　country　in　the　winter；　but；　faithful　to　his　promise　to　give　Thayendanegea　help　to　the　last；　he　returned　in　the　spring　with　a　hundred　chosen　warriors　of　the　Wyandot　nation；　a　reenforcement　the　value　of　which　could　not　be　estimated　too　highly。

Henry　and　his　comrades　felt　the　stir　as　they　roamed　through　the　forest；　and　they　thrilled　at　the　　　　　thought　that　the　crisis　was　approaching。　Then　they　set　　out　for　Lake　Otsego；　where　the　army　was　gathering　for　the　great　campaign。　　They　were　equipped　thoroughly；　and　they　were　now　so　well　known　in　the　region　that　they　knew　they　would　be　welcome。

They　traveled　several　days；　and　were　preparing　to　encamp　for　the　last　night　within　about　fifteen　miles　of　the　lake　when　Henry；　scouting　as　usual　to　see　if　an　enemy　were　near；　heard　a　footstep　in　the　forest。　　He　wheeled　instantly　to　cover　behind　the　body　of　a　great　beech　tree；　and　the　stranger　sought　to　do　likewise；　only　he　had　no　convenient　tree　that　was　so　large。　　It　was　about　the　twelfth　hour；　but　Henry　could　see　a　portion　of　a　body　protruding　beyond　a　slim　oak；　and　he　believed　that　he　recognized　it。　　As　he　held　the　advantage　he　would；　at　any　rate；　hail　the　stranger。

〃Ho；　Cornelius　Heemskerk；　Dutchman；　fat　man；　great　scout　and　woodsman；　what　are　you　doing　in　my　wilderness？　　Stand　forth　at　once　and　give　an　account　of　yourself；　or　I　will　shoot　off　the　part　of　your　body　that　sticks　beyond　that　oak　tree！〃

The　answer　was　instantaneous。　　A　round；　plump　body　revolved　from　the　partial　shelter　of　the　tree　and　stood　upright　in　the　open；　rifle　in　hand　and　cap　thrown　back　from　a　broad　ruddy　brow。

〃Ho；　Mynheer　Henry　Ware；〃　replied　Cornelius　Heemskerk　in　a　loud；　clear　tone；　〃I　am　in　your　woods　on　perhaps　the　same　errand　that　you　are。　　Come　from　behind　that　beech　and　let　us　see　which　has　the　stronger　grip。〃

Henry　stood　forth；　and　the　two　clasped　hands　in　a　grip　so　powerful　that　both　winced。　　Then　they　released　hands　simultaneously；　and　Heemskerk　asked：

〃And　the　other　four　mynheers？　　Am　I　wrong　to　say　that　they　are　near；　somewhere　？〃

〃You　are　not　wrong；〃　replied　Henry。　　〃They　are　alive；　well　and　hungry；　not　a　mile　from　here。　　There　is　one　man　whom　they　would　be　very　glad　to　see；　and　his　name　is　Cornelius　Heemskerk；　who　is　roaming　in　our　woods　without　a　permit。〃

The　round；　ruddy　face　of　the　Dutchman　glowed。　　It　was　obvious　that　he　felt　as　much　delight　in　seeing　Henry　as　Henry　felt　in　seeing　him。

〃My　heart　swells；〃　he　said。　　〃I　feared　that　you　might　have　been　killed　or　scalped；　or；　at　the　best；　have　gone　back　to　that　far　land　of　Kentucky。〃

〃We　have　wintered　well；〃　said　Henry；　〃in　a　place　of　which　I　shall　not　tell　you　now；　and　we　are　here　to　see　the　campaign　through。〃

〃I　come；　too；　for　the　same　purpose；〃　said　Heemskerk。　〃We　shall　be　together。　　It　is　goot。〃　　　　〃Meanwhile；〃　said　Henry；　〃our　camp　fire　is　lighted。　　Jim　Hart；　whom　you　have　known　of　old；　is　cooking　strips　of　meat　over　the　coals；　and；　although　it　is　a　mile　away；　the　odor　of　them　is　very　pleasant　in　my　nostrils。　　I　wish　to　go　back　there；　and　it　will　be　all　the　more　delightful　to　me；　and　to　those　who　wait；　if　I　can　bring　with　me　such　a　welcome　guest。〃

〃Lead　on；　mynheer；〃　said　Cornelius　Heemskerk　sententiously。

He　received　an　equally　emphatic　welcome　from　the　others；　and　then　they　ate　and　talked。　　Heemskerk　was　sanguine。

〃Something　will　be　done　this　time；〃　he　said。　　〃Word　has　come　from　the　great　commander　that　the　Iroquois　must　be　crushed。　　The　thousands　who　have　fallen　must　be　avenged；　and　this　great　fire　along　our　border　must　be　stopped。　　If　it　cannot　be　done；　then　we　perish。　　We　have　old　tales　in　my　own　country　of　the　cruel　deeds　that　the　Spaniards　did　long；　long　ago；　but　they　were　not　worse　than　have　been　done　here。〃

The　five　made　no　response；　but　the　mind　of　every　one　of　them　traveled　back　to　Wyoming　and　all　that　they　had　seen　there；　and　the　scars　and　traces　of　many　more　tragedies。

They　reached　the　camp　on　Lake　Otsego　the　next　day；　and　Henry　saw　that　all　they　had　heard　was　true。　　The　most　formidable　force　that　they　had　ever　seen　was　gathering。　　There　were　many　companies　in　the　Continental　buff　and　blue；　epauletted　officers；　bayonets　and　cannon。　　The　camp　was　full　of　life；　energy；　and　hope；　and　the　five　at　once　felt　the　influence　of　it。　　They　found　here　old　friends　whom　they　had　known　in　the　march　on　Oghwaga；　William　Gray；　young　Taylor；　and　others；　and　they　were　made　very　welcome。　　They　were　presented　to　General　James　Clinton；　then　in　charge；　received　roving　commissions　as　scouts　and　hunters；　and　with　Heemskerk　and　the　two　celebrated　borderers；　Timothy　Murphy　and　David　Elerson；　they　roamed　the　forest　in　a　great　circle　about　the　lake；　bringing　much　valuable　information　about　the　movements　of　the　enemy；　who　in　their　turn　were　gathering　in　force；　while　the　royal　authorities　were　dispatching　both　Indians　and　white　men　from　Canada　to　help　them。

These　great　scouting　expeditions　saved　the　five　from　much　impatience。　　It　takes　a　long　time　for　an　army　to　gather　and　then　to　equip　itself　for　the　march；　and　they　were　so　used　to　swift　motion　that　it　was　now　a　part　of　their　nature。　　At　last　the　army　was　ready；　and　it　left　the　lake。　　Then　it　proceeded　in　boats　down　the　Tioga　flooded　to　a　sufficient　depth　by　an　artificial　dam　built　with　immense　labor；　to　its　confluence　with　the　larger　river。　　Here　were　more　men；　and　the　five　saw　a　new　commander；　General　James　Sullivan；　take　charge　of　the　united　force。　　Then　the　army；　late　in　August；　began　its　march　upon　the　Iroquois。

The　five　were　now　in　the　van；　miles　ahead　of　the　main　guard。　　They　knew　that　no　important　movement　of　so　large　a　force　could　escape　the　notice　of　the　enemy；　but　they；　with　other　scouts；　made　it　their　duty　to　see　that　the　Americans　marched　into　no　trap。

It　was　now　the　waning　summer。　　The　leaves　were　lightly　touched　with　brown；　and　the　grass　had　begun　to　wither。　　Berries　were　ripening　on　the　vines；　and　the　quantity　of　game　had　increased；　the　wild　animals　returning　to　the　land　from　which　civilized　man　had　disappeared。　　The　desolation　seemed　even　more　complete　than　in　the　autumn　before。　　In　the　winter　and　spring　the　Iroquois　and　Tories　had　destroyed　the　few　remnants　of　houses　that　were　left。　　Braxton　Wyatt　and　his　band　had　been　particularly　active　in　this　work；　and　many　tales　had　come　of　his　cruelty　and　that　of　his　swart　Tory　lieutenant；　Coleman。　　Henry　was　sure；　too；　that　Wyatt's　band；　which　numbered　perhaps　fifty　Indians　and　Tories；　was　now　in　front　of　them。

He；　his　comrades；　Heemskerk；　Elerson；　Murphy；　and　four　others；　twelve　brave　forest　runners　all　told；　went　into　camp　one　night　about　ten　miles　ahead　of　the　army。　　They　lighted　no　fire；　and；　even　had　it　been　cold；　they　would　not　have　done　so；　as　the　region　was　far　too　dangerous　for　any　light。　　Yet　the　little　band　felt　no　fear。　　They　were　only　twelve；　it　is　true；　but　such　a　twelve！　　No　chance　would　either　Indians　or　Tories　have　to　surprise　them。

They　merely　lay　down　in　the　thick　brushwood；　three　intending　to　keep　watch　while　the　others　slept。　　Henry；　Shif'less　Sol；　and　Heemskerk　were　the　sentinels。　　It　was　very　late；　nearly　midnight；　the　sky　was　clear；　and　presently　they　saw　smoke　rings　ascending　from　high　hills　to　their　right；　to　be　answered　soon　by　other　rings　of　smoke　to　their　left。　　The　three　watched　them　with　but　little　comment；　and　read　every　signal　in　turn。　　They　said：　〃The　enemy　is　still　advancing；〃　〃He　is　too　strong　for　us。。。。。。　We　must　retreat　and　await　our　brethren。〃

〃It　means　that　there　will　be　no　battle　to…morrow；　at　least；〃　whispered　Heemskerk。　　〃　Brant　is　probably　ahead　of　us　in　command；　and　he　will　avoid　us　until　he　receives　the　fresh　forces　from　Canada。〃

〃I　take　it　that　you're　right；〃　Henry　whispered　back。　　〃Timmendiquas　also　is　with　him；　and　the　two　great　chiefs　are　too　cunning　to　fight　until　they　can　bring　their　last　man　into　action。〃

〃An'　then；〃　said　the　shiftless　one；　〃we'll　see　what　happens。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Henry　very　gravely；　〃we'll　see　what　happens。　　The　Iroquois　are　a　powerful　confederacy。　　They've　ruled　in　these　woods　for　hundreds　of　years。　　They're　led　by　great　chiefs；　and　they're　helped　by　our　white　enemies。　　You　can't　tell　what　would　happen　even　to　an　army　like　ours　in　an　ambush。〃

Shif'less　Sol　nodded；　and　they　said　no　more　until　an　hour　lat