f the forest.

Already had our venture, so it appeared to me, cost the life of one of our
small party, and mentally I reproached myself bitterly for having left
Cherry Valley to take service with this General Herkimer, who could as
well have sent some other in our place, for surely all in his command were
not known to Thayendanega's following. I, as captain of the Minute Boys
stationed at Cherry Valley, could not have been accused of refusing to aid
the Cause had I failed to serve under the general, so far from my post of
duty.

As it was, however, we had come a long distance from our friends, and
already sacrificed a life uselessly, so it seemed to me then in my
bitterness of spirit.

"Come, lad," Sergeant Corney whispered, shaking me roughly by the shoulder
as if he would drive from my mind the painful thoughts. "We cannot do as
Jacob would have us, and there is an end of that matter. Get to work, and
it may be that 'twixt now an' morning but one of us will remain to carry
the message."

I had never before heard the old man speak in so despondent a tone, and it
seemed an evil omen, coming as the words did when we were ready to plunge
into the most dangerous portion of the work.

In silence I led the way once more, making such a detour as I thought
would carry us safely past that party of savages from which we had gained
such painful information, and perhaps half an hour was spent in advancing
at a snail's pace; but in the direction where we supposed the fort stood.

Now it was I realized that some one well acquainted with the locality
should have been sent with us, for we were obliged to go on blindly, as it
were, trusting that chance, and what we might see of the disposition of
the enemy's forces, would bring us to the point we desired to gain, for
neither of us had ever visited Fort Schuyler.

At the end of half an hour I came to a sudden standstill, for we were
within a few paces of half a dozen white men, as could be told even in the
darkness by the outlines of their clothing.

These last appeared to be stationed at that point, for none of them made
any attempt to go away during the two or three minutes I remained
motionless, although why so many should have been placed there as
sentinels, when one would have served the purpose, I failed to understand,
and it perplexed me not a little, for it was necessary that we should know
whether we were inside the lines, or simply confronting their outlying
pickets.