.' For all that, he
had no fear of the result and knew 'that although the
Boston people were resolute, yet the King would humble
them.'

The meeting did not break up before there were signs of
coming violence, but finally better feelings appeared to
prevail and they decided to assemble again on the following
morning.

In the interval Herkimer is said to have devised one of
the vilest schemes that has ever been charged against a
man of his rank. He selected a settler, named Joseph
Waggoner, and three other trusty men as his accomplices.
These persons were to assist him in a conspiracy against
Brant's life that was simply an attempt at murder. The
details of the plot were furnished in a confession made
afterwards by Waggoner. As the parties stood in the
circle, the four accomplices were to take a cue from
Herkimer and shoot the Indians down without warning. But
Herkimer was reckoning without his host. Joseph Brant
was far too shrewd to walk headlong into such an open
snare. It is plain that he had come to suspect the
intentions of his adversary. Next morning, as he stepped
into the circle, he assumed a grave and dignified mien.
Addressing Herkimer, he spoke in stern accents:

'I have five hundred warriors with me, armed and ready
for battle. You are in my power; but as we have been
friends and neighbours, I will not take advantage of you.'

As he ended, a great band of redskins advanced from the
engirdling forest, and the war-whoop rent the air. Backed
by his faithful warriors, the War Chief could speak in
tones of authority to his foe. He did not forget to thank
him for his coming, but bade him direct his steps once
again towards his home on the Mohawk. Thereupon Brant
turned about and strode away among the trees. Just then
thick clouds blotted out the sky; a terrible storm swept
in violence across the land, a fitting presage, as men
thought, of the scourge of war that must now bring ruin
and havoc in its wake.

CHAPTER VII

FORT STANWIX AND ORISKANY

Fresh from undoing Herkimer's ugly plot, Brant abandoned
the Susquehanna and went off in the direction of Lake
Ontario. A great Indian council was to be held at Oswego,
and possibly he was hurrying to this meeting.

A vigorous campaign had been set on foot for the midsummer
of 1777 by General Burgoyne, who was now in command of
the British forces at Montreal. It was arranged that
Burgoyne should strike southward with the main army until
he reached t