said I. "And this is my comrade, Nicholas Stoner, of Fonda"s Bush, and first sergeant in my little company."
"Brother John," said he, "then listen to this news we Oneidas bring from the North: a Canada war-party is now on the Iroquois trail, looking for Sir John to guide them to the Canadas!"
Taken aback, I stared at the young warrior for a moment, then, recovering composure, I translated for Nick what he had just told me.
Then I turned again to Tahioni, the Wolf:
"Where is this same war-party?" I demanded, still scarce convinced.
"At West River, near the Big Eddy," said he. "_They have taken scalps._"
"Why--why, then, it _is_ war!" I exclaimed excitedly. "And what people are these who have taken scalps in the North? Are they Caniengas?"
"Mohawks!" He fairly spat out the insulting term, which no friendly Iroquois would dream of using to a Canienga; and the contemptuous word seemed to inflame the other Oneidas, for they all picked up their rifles and crowded around me, watching my face with gleaming eyes.
"How many?" I asked, still a little stunned by this reality, though I had long foreseen the probability.
"Thirty," said the girl Thiohero, turning from Nick, to whom she had been translating what was being said in the Oneida tongue.
Now, in a twinkling, I found myself faced with an instant crisis, and must act as instantly.
I had two good men on Maxon, the French trapper, Johnny Silver and Benjamin De Luysnes; Nick and I counted two more. With four Oneida, and perhaps Joe de Golyer and G.o.dfrey Shew--if we could pick them up on the Vlaie--we would be ten stout men to stop this Mohawk war-party until the garrisons at Summer House Point and Fish House could drive the impudent marauders North again.
Turning to Thiohero, I said as much in English. She nodded and spoke to the others in Oneida; and I saw their eager and brilliant eyes begin to glitter.
Now, I carried always with me in the bosom of my buckskin shirt a _carnet_, or tablet of good paper, and a pencil given me years ago by Sir William.
And now I seated myself on a rock and took my instruments and wrote:
"Hans Creek, near Maxon Brook, June 13th, 1776.
"To the Officer comm{d"ng} ye Garrison at ye Summer House on Vlaie,
"Sir:
"I am to acquaint you that this day, about two o"clock, afternoon, arrived in my camp four Oneidas who give an account that a Mohawk War Party is now at ye Big Eddy on West River, headed south.
"By the same intelligence I am to understand that this War Party _has taken scalps_.
"Sir, anybody familiar with the laws and customs of the Iroquois Confederacy understands what this means.
"Murder, or mere slaying, when not accompanied by such mutilation, need not const.i.tute an act of war involving nation and Confederacy in formal declaration.
"But the taking of a single scalp means only one thing: that the nation whose warrior scalps an enemy approves the trophy and declares itself at war with the nation of the victim.
"I am aware, sir, that General Schuyler and Mr. Kirkland and others are striving mightily in Albany to placate the Iroquois, and that they still entertain such hope, although the upper Mohawks are gone off with Brant, and Guy Johnson holds in his grasp the fighting men of the Confederacy, save only the Oneida, and also in spite of news, known to be certain, that Mohawk Indians were in battle-paint at St. John"s.
"Now, therefore, conscious of my responsibility, and asking G.o.d"s guidance in this supreme moment, lest I commit error or permit hot blood to confuse my clearer mind, I propose to travel instantly to the West River with my scout of four Rangers, and four Oneidas, and ask of this Mohawk War Party an explanation in the name of the Continental Congress and His Excellency, our Com{"nder} in Chief.
"Sir, I doubt not that you will order your two garrisons to prepare for immediate defense, and also to support my scout on the Sacandaga; and to send an express to Johnstown as soon as may be, to acquaint Colonel Dayton of what measures I propose to take to carry out my orders which are _to stop the Sacandaga trail_.
"This, sir, it is my present endeavour to do.
"I am, sir, with all respect,
"Yr most obedient
"John Drogue, L{ieut} Rangers."
When I finished, I discovered that Nick and the Oneidas had fastened on their blanket-packs and were gathered a little distance away in animated conversation, the little maid of Askalege translating.
Nick had fetched my pack; I strapped it, picked up my rifle, and walked swiftly into the woods; and without any word from me they fell into file at my heels, headed west for Fish House and the fateful river.
My scout of six moved very swiftly and without noise; and it was not an hour before I caught sight of a Continental soldier on bullock guard, and saw cattle among low willows.
The soldier was scared and bawled l.u.s.tily for his mates; but among them was one of the Sammons, who knew me; and they let us through with little delay.
Fish House was full o" soldiers a-sunning in every window, and under them, on the gra.s.s; and here headquarters guards stopped us until the captain in command could be found, whilst the gaping Continentals crowded around us for news, and stared at our Oneidas, whose quiet dignity and war paint astonished our men, I think. To the west and south, and along the river, I saw many soldiers in their shirts, a-digging to make an earthwork; and presently from this redoubt came a Continental Captain, out o" breath, who listened anxiously to what news I had gathered, and who took my letter and promised to send it by an express to Summer House Point.
A quartermaster"s sergeant asked very civilly if I desired to draw rations for my scout; and I drew parched corn, salt, dried fish, jerked venison, and pork from the brine, for ten men; and Nick and I and my Oneidas did divide between us the burthen.
"The dogs!" he kept repeating in a confused way--"the dirty dogs, to take our scalps! And I pray G.o.d your painted Oneidas yonder may do the like for them!"
I saw a horse saddled and a soldier mount and gallop off with my letter.
That was sufficient for me; I gave the Continental Captain the officers"
salute, and looked around at my men, who had made a green fire for me on the gra.s.s in front of the house.
It was smoking thickly, now, so I took a soldier"s watch-coat by the skirts, glanced up at Maxon Ridge, then, flinging wide the garment above the fire, kept it a-flutter there and moved it up and down till the jetted smoke mounted upward in great clots, three together, then one, then three, then one.
Presently, high on Maxon, I saw smoke, and knew that Johnny Silver understood. So I flung the watch-coat to the soldier, turned, and walked swiftly along the river bank, where sheep grazed, then entered the forest with Nick at my heels and the four Oneidas a-padding in his tracks.
CHAPTER XIV
THE LITTLE RED FOOT
By dusk we were ten rifles; for an hour after we left Fish House Johnny Silver and Luysnes joined us on the Sacandaga trail; and, just as the sun set behind the Mayfield mountains, comes rushing down stream a canoe with G.o.dfrey Shew"s bow-paddle flashing red in the last rays and Joe de Golyer steering amid the rattling rapids, nigh buried in a mountain of silvery spray.
And here, by the river, we ate, but lighted no fire, though it seemed safe to do so.
I sent G.o.dfrey Shew and the Water-snake far up the Iroquois trail to watch it. The others gathered in a friendly circle to munch their corn and jerked meat, and the Frenchmen were merry, laughing and jesting and casting sly, amorous eyes toward Thiohero, who laughed, too, in friendly fashion and was at her ease and plainly not displeased with gallantry.
It had proved a swift comradery between us and our young Oneidas, and I marvelled at the rapid accomplishment of such friendly accord in so brief a time, yet understood it came through the perfect faith of these Oneidas in their young Athabasca witch; and that what their prophetess found good they did not even think of questioning.
Her voice was soft, her smile bewitching; she ate with the healthy appet.i.te of an animal, yet was polite to those who offered meat. And her sweet "neah-wennah"[9] never failed any courtesy offered by these rough Forest Runners, who now, for the first time in their reckless lives, I think, were afforded a glimpse of the forest Indian as he really is when at his ease and among friends.