serting that they
themselves were desirous to have peace, and threatening that in case of
refusal all the horrors of Indian cruelty would be visited upon them.
Also they called upon the principal men of the valley to come up to
Fort Schuyler and compel its garrison to surrender, as they would be
forced to do in the end."

"Did the men in the fort give up then, papa?" queried Grace.

"No, no indeed, little daughter!" he replied. "They were brave men, and
staunch patriots, and had no intention to surrender so long as they
could possibly hold out; but fearing ammunition might give out, their
supply of provisions too, they resolved to send word to General
Schuyler, who was then at Stillwater, asking for aid from him in their
sore extremity.

"Of course it would be a hazardous attempt, but Colonel Willett offered
to be the messenger, and one stormy night he and Lieutenant Stockwell
left the fort at ten o'clock by the sally-port, each armed with a spear,
and crept along the morass on hands and knees, to the river, which they
crossed upon a log. Their way lay through a tangled wood and they soon
lost it. The bark of a dog presently warned them that they were near an
Indian camp, and fearing to either advance or retreat they stood still
there for several hours.

"But at length the dawn of day showed them where they were, so that they
were able to find the right road and pursue their way. They took a
zigzag course, now on land, now through the bed of a stream, to foil any
attempt on the part of some possible pursuer to gain upon them by the
scent of their footsteps.

"They arrived safely at the German Flats, mounted fleet horses, and sped
down the valley to the quarters of General Schuyler. On arriving they
learned that he had already heard of the defeat of Herkimer, and was
preparing to send succor to the besieged in the fort.

"Meanwhile St. Leger was pressing his siege, and the garrison, hearing
nothing of the successful journey of their messengers, or of aid coming
to them from any quarter, many of them began to grow despondent and to
hint to their commander that it might be best to surrender, as their
supply of both provisions and ammunition was getting low.

"But Gansevoort was too brave and hopeful to think of so doing. He told
the despondent ones that in case help did not arrive before their
supplies were exhausted, they would sally forth in the night and cut
their way through the enemy's camp.

"But relief cam