as much chance of rescuing my father as we do of gettin'
speech with Colonel Gansevoort, an' surely you will not leave a friend to
be tortured to death?" Jacob said, pleadingly, and speaking incautiously
loud.

"Lad, we have no choice in the matter. If General Herkimer was in your
father's place I would turn my back on him until after our work had been
done. Can't you see that by loiterin' now we may be sacrificing all those
brave fellows who are making ready to march from the Oriskany in the hope
of aiding in holdin' the fort?"

"That is your final word?" Jacob asked, sharply, and Sergeant Corney
replied, feelingly:

"It cannot be otherwise. We are bound first to obey orders, even though a
dozen of our best friends were bein' led to the stake, an'--"

"Then you will obey them without me," Jacob said, in a tone which I knew
full well betokened a purpose from which he would not be turned by words.
"Two will stand a better chance of gainin' the fort than three, an' _my_
duty calls me to Thayendanega's camp."

"But surely you will not attempt to go there alone!" I cried, in horror.
"Even though you should come face to face with your father, you could not
hope to set him free!"

"I would rather die by his side than have him believe I remained idle
while he was in such terrible danger."

"If you cannot be persuaded, we must leave you, an' that without delay,"
the old man said, sadly. "God knows I would do all a man might to aid
Peter Sitz; but if he was here at this minute, knowin' that the stake was
bein' made ready for him, he would say that we were bound to keep on
toward the fort regardless of his fate."

"I shall go to him," Jacob replied, quietly, and Sergeant Corney turned
aside with a sigh.

But that I knew beyond a peradventure it was useless, I would have said
all in my power to keep him with us; but his mind was fixed, and, to tell
the truth, I could not well blame him for doing as I would have done,
regardless of any duty I might owe to General Herkimer.

"We can say nothing more, lad?" Sergeant Corney said to me, inquiringly,
and I shook my head, for so great was the grief in my heart that just then
I could make no reply.

I believe Jacob understood how keen was my sorrow at thus parting, when
the chances were that we would never meet again in this world, for, as if
to put an end to the agony, he turned abruptly, not even stopping to press
my hand, and in an instant was lost to view amid the gloom o