the scouts of the valley-第62节

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n　the　open　spaces；　where　the　funeral　train　was　passing。　　Queen　Esther　still　stalked　at　its　head；　but　her　chant　was　now　taken　up　by　many　scores　of　voices；　and　the　volume　of　sound　penetrated　far　in　the　night。　　Henry　yet　relied　upon　the　absorption　of　the　Iroquois　in　this　ceremonial　to　give　him　a　chance　for　a　good　look　through　the　town；　and　he　and　his　comrades　advanced　with　boldness。

They　passed　by　many　of　the　houses；　all　empty；　as　　their　occupants　had　gone　to　join　in　the　funeral　lament；　but　they　soon　saw　white　men…a　few　of　the　Royal　Greens；　and　some　of　the　Rangers；　and　other　Tories；　who　were　dressed　much　like　Henry　and　his　comrades。　　One　of　them　spoke　to　Shif'less　Sol；　who　nodded　carelessly　and　passed　by。　　The　Tory　seemed　satisfied　and　went　his　way。

〃Takes　us　fur　some　o'　the　crowd　that's　come　runnin'　in　here　ahead　o'　the　army；〃　said　the　shiftless　one。

Henry　was　noting　with　a　careful　eye　the　condition　of　the　town。　　He　saw　that　no　preparations　for　defense　had　been　made；　and　there　was　no　evidence　that　any　would　be　made。　　All　was　confusion　and　despair。　　Already　some　of　the　squaws　were　fleeing；　carrying　heavy　burdens。　　The　three　coupled　caution　with　boldness。　　If　they　met　a　Tory　they　merely　exchanged　a　word　or　two；　and　passed　swiftly　on。　　Henry；　although　he　had　seen　enough　to　know　that　the　army　could　advance　without　hesitation；　still　pursued　the　quest。　　Shif'less　Sol　was　right。　　At　the　bottom　of　Henry's　heart　was　a　desire　to　know　whether　Braxton　Wyatt　was　in　Little　Beard's　Town；　a　desire　soon　satisfied；　as　they　reached　the　great　Council　House；　turned　a　corner　of　it；　and　met　the　renegade　face　to　face。

Wyatt　was　with　his　lieutenant；　the　squat　Tory；　Coleman；　and　he　uttered　a　cry　when　he　saw　the　tall　figure　of　the　great　youth。　　There　was　no　light　but　that　of　the　moon；　but　he　knew　his　foe　in　an　instant。

〃Henry　Ware！〃　he　cried；　and　snatched　his　pistol　from　his　belt。

They　were　so　close　together　that　Henry　did　not　have　time　to　use　a　weapon。　　Instinctively　he　struck　out　with　his　fist；　catching　Wyatt　on　the　jaw；　and　sending　him　down　as　if　he　had　been　shot。　　Shif'less　Sol　and　Tom　Ross　ran　bodily　over　Coleman；　hurling　him　down；　and　leaping　across　his　prostrate　figure。　　Then　they　ran　their　utmost；　knowing　that　their　lives　depended　on　speed　and　skill。

They　quickly　put　the　Council　House　between　them　and　their　pursuers；　and　darted　away　among　the　houses。　　Braxton　Wyatt　was　stunned；　but　he　speedily　regained　his　wits　and　his　feet。

〃It　was　the　fellow　Ware；　spying　among　us　again！　be　cried　to　his　lieutenant；　who；　half　dazed；　was　also　struggling　up。　　〃Come；　men！　　After　them！　　After　them！〃

A　dozen　men　came　at　his　call；　and；　led　by　the　renegade；　they　began　a　search　among　the　houses。　　But　it　was　hard　to　find　the　fugitives。　　The　light　was　not　good；　many　flitting　figures　were　about；　and　the　frantic　search　developed　confusion。　　Other　Tories　were　often　mistaken　for　the　three　scouts；　and　were　overhauled；　much　to　their　disgust　and　that　of　the　overhaulers。　　Iroquois；　drawn　from　the　funeral　ceremony；　began　to　join　in　the　hunt；　but　Wyatt　could　give　them　little　information。　　He　had　merely　seen　an　enemy；　and　then　the　enemy　had　gone。　　It　was　quite　certain　that　this　enemy；　or；　rather；　three　of　them；　was　still　in　the　town。

Henry　and　his　comrades　were　crafty。　　Trained　by　ambush　and　escape；　flight　and　pursuit；　they　practiced　many　wiles　to　deceive　their　pursuers。　　When　Wyatt　and　Coleman　were　hurled　down　they　ran　around　the　Council　House；　a　large　and　solid　structure；　and；　finding　a　door　on　the　opposite　side　and　no　one　there　or　in　sight　from　that　point；　they　entered　it；　closing　the　door　behind　them。

They　stood　in　almost　complete　darkness；　although　at　length　they　made　out　the　log　wall　of　the　great；　single　room　which　constituted　the　Council　House。　　After　that；　with　more　accustomed　eyes；　they　saw　on　the　wall　arms；　pipes；　wampum；　and　hideous　trophies；　some　with　long　hair　and　some　with　short。　　The　hair　was　usually　blonde；　and　most　of　the　scalps　had　been　stretched　tight　over　little　hoops。　　Henry　clenched　his　fist　in　the　darkness。

〃Mebbe　we're　walkin'　into　a　trap　here；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。

〃I　don't　think　so；〃　said　Henry。　　〃At　any　rate　they'd　find　us　if　we　were　rushing　about　the　village。　　Here　we　at　least　have　a　chance。〃

At　the　far　end　of　the　Council　House　hung　mats；　woven　of　rushes；　and　the　three　sat　down　behind　them　in　the　very　heart　of　the　Iroquois　sanctuary。　　Should　anyone　casually　enter　the　Council　House　they　would　still　be　hidden。　　They　sat　in　Turkish　fashion　on　the　floor；　close　together　and　with　their　rifles　lying　across　their　knees。　　A　thin　light　filtered　through　a　window　and　threw　pallid　streaks　on　the　floor；　which　they　could　see　when　they　peeped　around　the　edge　of　the　mats。　　But　outside　they　heard　very　clearly　the　clamor　of　the　hunt　as　it　swung　to　and　fro　in　the　village。　　Shif'less　Sol　chuckled。　　It　was　very　low；　but　it　was　a　chuckle；　nevertheless；　and　the　others　heard。

〃It's　sorter　takin'　an　advantage　uv　'em；〃　said　the　shiftless　one；　〃layin'　here　in　thar　own　church；　so　to　speak；　while　they're　ragin'　an'　tearin'　up　the　earth　everywhar　else　lookin'　fur　us。　　Gives　me　a　mighty　snug　feelin'；　though；　like　the　one　you　have　when　you're　safe　in　a　big　log　house；　an'　the　wind　an'　the　hail　an'　the　snow　are　beatin'　outside。〃

〃You're　shorely　right；　Sol；〃　said　Tom　Ross。

〃Seems　to　me；〃　continued　the　irrepressible　Sol；　〃that　you　did　git　in　a　good　lick　at　Braxton　Wyatt；　after　all。　　Ain't　he　unhappy　now；　bitin'　his　fingers　an'　pawin'　the　earth　an'　findin'　nothin'？　　I　feel　real　sorry；　I　do；　fur　Braxton。　　It's　hard　fur　a　nice　young　feller　to　have　to　suffer　sech　disappointments。〃

Shif'less　Sol　chuckled　again；　and　Henry　was　forced　to　smile　in　the　darkness。　　Shif'less　Sol　was　not　wholly　wrong。　　It　would　be　a　bitter　blow　to　Braxton　Wyatt。　　Moreover；　it　was　pleasant　where　they　sat。　　A　hard　floor　was　soft　to　them；　and　as　they　leaned　against　the　wall　they　could　relax　and　rest。

〃What　will　our　fellows　out　thar　in　the　woods　think？〃　asked　Tom　Ross。

〃They　won't　have　to　think；〃　replied　Henry。　　〃They'll　sit　quiet　as　we're　doing　and　wait。〃

The　noise　of　the　hunt　went　on　for　a　long　time　outside。　War　whoops　came　from　different　points　of　the　village。　　There　were　shrill　cries　of　women　and　children；　and　the　sound　of　many　running　feet。　　After　a　while　it　began　to　sink；　and　soon　after　that　they　heard　no　more　noises　than　those　of　people　preparing　for　flight。　　Henry　felt　sure　that　the　town　would　be　abandoned　on　the　morrow；　but　his　desire　to　come　to　close　quarters　with　Braxton　Wyatt　was　as　strong　as　ever。　　It　was　certain　that　the　army　could　not　overtake　Wyatt's　band；　but　he　might　match　his　own　against　it。　　He　was　thinking　of　making　the　attempt　to　steal　from　the　place　when；　to　their　great　amazement；　they　heard　the　door　of　the　Council　House　open　and　shut；　and　then　footsteps　inside。

Henry　looked　under　the　edge　of　the　hanging　mat　and　saw　two　dusky　figures　near　the　window。




CHAPTER　XXIII

THE　FINAL　FIGHT


Shif'less　Sol　and　Tom　Ross　were　also　looking　under　the　mats；　and　the　three　would　have　recognized　those　figures　anywhere。　　The　taller　was　Timmendiquas；　the　other　Thayendanegea。　　The　thin　light　from　the　window　fell　upon　their　faces；　and　Henry　saw　that　both　were　sad。　　Haughty　and　proud　they　were　still；　but　each　bore　the　look　that　comes　only　from　continued　defeat　and　great　disappointment。　　It　is　truth　to　say　that　the　concealed　three　watched　them　with　a　curiosity　so　intense　that　all　thought　of　their　own　risk　was　forgotten。　　To　Henry；　as　well　as　his　comrades；　these　two　were　the　greatest　of　all　Indian　chiefs。

The　White　Lightning　of　the　Wyandots　and　the　Joseph　Brant　of　the　Mohawks　stood　for　a　space　side　by　side；　gazing　out　of　the　window；　taking　a　last　look　at　the　great　Seneca　Castle。　　It　was　Thayendanegea　who　spoke　first；　using　Wyandot；　which　Henry　understood。

〃Farewell；　my　brother；　great　chief　of　the　Wyandots；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　come　far　with　your　warriors；　and　you　have　been　by　our　side　in　battle。　　The　Six　Nations　owe　you　much。　　You　have　helped　us　in　victory；　and　you　have　not　deserted　us　in　defeat。　　You　are　the　greatest　of　warriors；　the　boldest　in　battle；　and　the　most　skillful。〃

Timmendiquas　made　a　deprecatory　gesture；　but　Thayendanegea　went　on：

〃I　speak　but　the　truth；　great　chief　of　the　Wyandots。　　We　owe　you　much；　and　some　day　we　may　repay。　　Here　the　Bostonians　crowd　us　hard；　and　the　Mohawks　may　yet　fight　by　your　side　to　save　your　own　hunting　grounds。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Timmendiquas。　　〃There；　too；　we'　must　fight　the　Americans。〃

〃Victory　was　long　with　us　here；〃　said　Thayendanegea；　〃but　the　rebels　have　at　last　brought　an　army　against　us；　and　the　king　who　persuaded　us　to　make　war　upon　the　Americans　adds　nothing　to　the　help　that　he　has　given　us　already。　　Our　white　allies　were　the　first　to　run　at　the　Chemung；　and　now　the　Iroquois　country；　so　large　and　so　beautiful；　is　at　the　mercy　of　the　invader。　　We　perish。　　In　all　the　valleys　our　towns　lie　in　ashes。　　The　American　army　will　come　to…morrow；　and　this；　the　great　Seneca　Castle；　the　last　of　our　strongholds；　will　also　sink　under　the　flames。　　I　know　not　how　our　people　will　live　through　the　Winter　that　is　yet　to　come。　　Aieroski　has　turned　his　face　from　us。〃

But　Timmendiquas　spoke　words　of　courage　and　hop