the scouts of the valley-第56节

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to　an　army　like　ours　in　an　ambush。〃

Shif'less　Sol　nodded；　and　they　said　no　more　until　an　hour　later；　when　they　heard　footsteps。　　They　awakened　the　others；　and　the　twelve；　crawling　to　the　edge　of　the　brushwood；　lay　almost　flat　upon　their　faces；　with　their　hands　upon　the　triggers　of　their　rifles。

Braxton　Wyatt　and　his　band　of　nearly　threescore；　Indians　and　Tories　in　about　equal　numbers；　were　passing。　　Wyatt　walked　at　the　head。　　Despite　his　youth；　he　had　acquired　an　air　of　command；　and　he　seemed　a　fit　leader　for　such　a　crew。　　He　wore　a　faded　royal　uniform；　and；　while　a　small　sword　hung　at　his　side；　he　also　carried　a　rifle　on　his　shoulder。　　Close　behind　him　was　the　swart　and　squat　Tory；　Coleman；　and　then　came　Indians　and　Tories　together。

The　watchful　eyes　of　Henry　saw　three　fresh　scalps　hanging　from　as　many　belts；　and　the　finger　that　lay　upon　the　trigger　of　his　rifle　fairly　ached　to　press　it。　　What　an　opportunity　this　would　be　if　the　twelve　were　only　forty；　or　even　thirty！　　With　the　advantage　of　surprise　they　might　hope　to　annihilate　this　band　which　had　won　such　hate　for　itself　on　the　border。　　But　twelve　were　not　enough　and　twelve　such　lives　could　not　be　spared　at　a　time　when　the　army　needed　them　most。

Henry　pressed　his　teeth　firmly　together　in　order　to　keep　down　his　disappointment　by　a　mere　physical　act　if　possible。　　He　happened　to　look　at　Shif'less　Sol；　and　saw　that　his　teeth　were　pressed　together　in　the　same　manner。　　It　is　probable　that　like　feelings　swayed　every　one　of　the　twelve；　but　they　were　so　still　in　the　brushwood　that　no　Iroquois　heard　grass　or　leaf　rustle。　　Thus　the　twelve　watched　the　sixty　pass；　and　after　they　were　gone；　Henry；　Shif'less　Sol；　and　Tim　Murphy　followed　for　several　miles。　　They　saw　Wyatt　proceed　toward　the　Chemung　River；　and　as　they　approached　the　stream　they　beheld　signs　of　fortifications。　　It　was　now　nearly　daylight；　and；　as　Indians　were　everywhere；　they　turned　back。　　But　they　were　convinced　that　the　enemy　meant　to　fight　on　the　Chemung。




CHAPTER　XX

A　GLOOMY　COUNCIL


The　next　night　after　Henry　Ware　and　his　comrades　lay　in　the　brushwood　and　saw　Braxton　Wyatt　and　his　band　pass；　a　number　of　men；　famous　or　infamous　in　their　day；　were　gathered　around　a　low　camp　fire　on　the　crest　of　a　small　hill。　　The　most　distinguished　of　them　all　in　looks　was　a　young　Indian　chief　of　great　height　and　magnificent　build；　with　a　noble　and　impressive　countenance。　　He　wore　nothing　of　civilized　attire；　the　nearest　approach　to　it　being　the　rich　dark…blue　blanket　that　was　flung　gracefully　over　his　right　shoulder。　　It　was　none　other　than　the　great　Wyandot　chief；　Timmendiquas；　saying　little；　and　listening　without　expression　to　the　words　of　the　others。

Near　Timmendiquas　sat　Thayendanegea；　dressed　as　usual　in　his　mixture　of　savage　and　civilized　costume；　and　about　him　were　other　famous　Indian　chiefs；　The　Corn　Planter；　Red　jacket；　Hiokatoo；　Sangerachte；　Little　Beard；　a　young　Seneca　renowned　for　ferocity；　and　others。

On　the　other　side　of　the　fire　sat　the　white　men：　the　young　Sir　John　Johnson；　who；　a　prisoner　to　the　Colonials；　had　broken　his　oath　of　neutrality；　the　condition　of　his　release；　and　then；　fleeing　to　Canada；　had　returned　to　wage　bloody　war　on　the　settlements；　his　brother…in…law；　Colonel　Guy　Johnson；　the　swart　and　squat　John　Butler　of　Wyoming　infamy；　his　son；　Walter　Butler；　of　the　pallid　face；　thin　lips；　and　cruel　heart；　the　Canadian　Captain　MacDonald；　Braxton　Wyatt；　his　lieutenant；　the　dark　Tory；　Coleman；　and　some　others　who　had　helped　to　ravage　their　former　land。

Sir　John　Johnson；　a　tall　man　with　blue　eyes　set　close　together；　wore　the　handsome　uniform　of　his　Royal　Greens；　he　had　committed　many　dark　deeds　or　permitted　them　to　be　done　by　men　under　his　command；　and　he　had　secured　the　opportunity　only　through　his　broken　oath；　but　he　had　lost　greatly。　　The　vast　estates　of　his　father；　Sir　William　Johnson；　were　being　torn　from　him；　and　perhaps　he　saw；　even　then；　that　in　return　for　what　he　had　done　he　would　lose　all　and　become　an　exile　from　the　country　in　which　he　was　born。

It　was　not　a　cheerful　council。　　There　was　no　exultation　as　after　Wyoming　and　Cherry　Valley　and　the　Minisink　and　other　places。　　Sir　John　bit　his　lip　uneasily；　and　his　brother…in…law；　resting　his　hand　on　his　knee；　stared　gloomily　at　the　fire。　　The　two　Butlers　were　silent；　and　the　dark　face　of　Thayendanegea　was　overcast。

A　little　distance　before　these　men　was　a　breastwork　about　half　a　mile　long；　connecting　with　a　bend　of　the　river　in　such　a　manner　that　an　enemy　could　attack　only　in　front　and　on　one　flank；　that　flank　itself　being　approached　only　by　the　ascent　of　a　steep　ridge　which　ran　parallel　to　the　river。　　The　ground　about　the　camp　was　covered　with　pine　and　scrub　oaks。　　Many　others　had　been　cut　down　and　added　to　the　breastwork。　　A　deep　brook　ran　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　on　which　the　leaders　sat。　　About　the　slopes　of　this　hill　and　another；　a　little　distance　away；　sat　hundreds　of　Indian　warriors；　all　in　their　war　paint；　and　other　hundreds　of　their　white　allies；　conspicuous　among　them　Johnson's　Royal　Greens　and　Butler's　Rangers。　　These　men　made　but　little　noise　now。　　They　were　resting　and　waiting。

Thayendanegea　was　the　first　to　break　the　silence　in　the　group　at　the　fire。　　He　turned　his　dark　face　to　Sir　John　Johnson　and　said　in　his　excellent　English：　〃The　king　promised　us　that　if　we　would　take　up　arms　for　him　against　the　Yankees；　he　would　send　a　great　army；　many　thousands；　to　help　us。　　We　believed　him；　and　we　took　up　the　hatchet　for　him。　　We　fought　in　the　dark　and　the　storm　with　Herkimer　at　the　Oriskany；　and　many　of　our　warriors　fell。　　But　we　did　not　sulk　in　our　lodges。　　We　have　ravaged　and　driven　in　the　whole　American　border　along　a　line　of　hundreds　of　miles。　　Now　the　Congress　sends　an　army　to　attack　us；　to　avenge　what　we　have　done；　and　the　great　forces　of　the　king　are　not　here。　　I　have　been　across　the　sea；　I　have　seen　the　mighty　city　of　London　and　its　people　as　numerous　as　the　blades　of　grass。　　Why　has　not　the　king　kept　his　promise　and　sent　men　enough　to　save　the　Iroquois　？〃

Sir　John　Johnson　and　Thayendanegea　were　good　friends；　but　the　soul　of　the　great　Mohawk　chief　was　deeply　stirred。　　His　penetrating　mind　saw　the　uplifted　hand　about　to　strike…and　the　target　was　his　own　people。　　His　tone　became　bitterly　sarcastic　as　he　spoke；　and　when　he　ceased　he　looked　directly　at　the　baronet　in　a　manner　that　showed　a　reply　must　be　given。　　Sir　John　moved　uneasily；　but　he　spoke　at　last。

〃Much　that　you　say　is　true；　Thayendanegea；〃　he　admitted；　〃but　the　king　has　many　things　to　do。　　The　war　is　spread　over　a　vast　area；　and　he　must　keep　his　largest　armies　in　the　East。　　But　the　Royal　Greens；　the　Rangers；　and　all　others　whom　we　can　raise；　even　in　Canada；　are　here　to　help　you。　　In　the　coming　battle　your　fortunes　are　our　fortunes。〃

Thayendanegea　nodded；　but　he　was　not　yet　appeased。　　His　glance　fell　upon　the　two　Butlers；　father　and　son；　and　he　frowned。

〃There　are　many　in　England　itself；〃　he　said；　〃who　wish　us　harm；　and　who　perhaps　have　kept　us　from　receiving　some　of　the　help　that　we　ought　to　have。　　They　speak　of　Wyoming　and　Cherry　Valley；　of　the　torture　and　of　the　slaughter　of　women　and　children；　and　they　say　that　war　must　not　be　carried　on　in　such　a　way。　　But　there　are　some　among　us　who　are　more　savage　than　the　savages　themselves；　as　they　call　us。　　It　was　you；　John　Butler；　who　led　at　Wyoming；　and　it　was　you；　Walter　Butler；　who　allowed　the　women　and　children　to　be　killed　at　Cherry　Valley；　and　more　would　have　been　slain　there　had　I　not；　come　up　in　time。〃

The　dark　face　of　〃Indian〃　Butler　grew　darker；　and　the　pallid　face　of　his　son　grew　more　pallid。　　Both　were　angry；　and　at　the　same　time　a　little　afraid。

〃We　won　at　Wyoming　in　fair　battle；〃　said　the　elder　Butler。

〃But　afterwards？〃　said　Thayendanegea。

The　man　was　silent。

〃It　is　these　two　places　that　have　so　aroused　the　Bostonians　against　us；〃　continued　Thayendanegea。　　〃It　is　because　of　them　that　the　commander　of　the　Bostonians　has　sent　a　great　army；　and　the　Long　House　is　threatened　with　destruction。〃

〃My　son　and　I　have　fought　for　our　common　cause；〃　said　〃Indian〃　Butler；　the　blood　flushing　through　his　swarthy　face。

Sir　John　Johnson　interfered。

〃We　have　admitted；　Joseph；　the　danger　to　the　Iroquois；〃　he　said；　calling　the　chieftain　familiarly　by　his　first　Christian　name；　〃but　I　and　my　brother…in…law　and　Colonel　Butler　and　Captain　Butler　have　already　lost　though　we　may　regain。　　And　with　this　strong　position　and　the　aid　of　ambush　it　is　likely　that　we　can　defeat　the　rebels。〃

The　eyes　of　Thayendanegea　brightened　as　he　looked　at　the　long　embankment；　the　trees；　and　the　dark　forms　of　the　warriors　scattered　numerously　here　and　there。

〃You　may　be　right；　Sir　John；〃　he　said；　〃yes；　I　think　you　are　right；　and　by　all　the　gods；　red　and　white；　we　shall　see。　　I　wish　to　fight　here；　because　this　is　the　best　place　in　which　to　meet　the　Bostonians。　　What　say　you；　Timmendiquas；　sworn　brother　of　mine；　great　warrior　and　great　chief　of　the　Wyandots；　the　bravest　of　all　the　western　nations？〃

The　eye　of　Timmendiquas　expressed　little；　but　his　voice　was　sonorous；　and　his　words　were　such　as　Thayendanegea　wished　to　hear。

〃If　we　fight…and　we　must　fight…this　is　the　place　in　which　to　meet　the；　white　army；〃　he　s