iendly tone:

"Wait one moment, Captain Brant. I would make inquiries concerning a
prisoner from Cherry Valley, whom it is said your people hold at this
moment."

"I know of no prisoner in our encampment," Brant replied, stiffly.

"Let us not quibble on words, captain. Whether he be in your camp here, or
at Oghkwaga, makes no difference. I ask if you will tell me concerning one
Peter Sitz, who, but a few days since, when Lieutenant Wormwood of the
American army was killed in ambush, your people made a prisoner?"

"My young men may be able to tell you somewhat concerning him. I will ask
them."

"And will you, as a favor to a neighbor and an old friend, do whatsoever
you may toward releasing the unfortunate man?" General Herkimer insisted.

"I will ask my young men," was all the reply Brant would make, and then
the powwow was brought to a sudden close as the sachem stalked toward the
encampment, followed by all his people, and we of General Herkimer's party
were left alone in the clearing.

Now the word was given that we rejoin the main body quietly, and in double
file, with no man straying from the ranks; but Sergeant Corney and I led
Jacob between us, for the lad was well-nigh frantic with grief because no
satisfaction concerning his father had been obtained from Thayendanega.

We two said all we could in order to cheer the sorrowing lad, and that all
was little. Neither he, nor we, nor General Herkimer himself, could effect
anything whatsoever, save through the favor of the Mohawk sachem, and that
was withheld for at least four and twenty hours, with the chances that at
the expiration of such time we would receive nothing better from the wily
savage than a refusal to answer any questions.

I shall not attempt to set down very much concerning this long time of
waiting for the second powwow, when it was doubtful if we would be allowed
to leave the encampment without a bloody battle.

Even General Herkimer had lost all hope of being able to dissuade Joseph
Brant from the course he had already marked out for himself, and shared
with his men the suspicion that before the second interview was come to
an end we would be the victims of the sachem's treachery. This last we
knew from the information which was whispered about the encampment, to the
effect that the general had charged one of the soldiers--a man by the name
of Wagner--with the duty of selecting two others, that the three might
stand directly behind him at