f they were in the forest again they would be as bitter
enemies as ever. It was a relief to him to meet Holderness and another
young officer, Desmond, also a recent arrival from England, and quite as
ignorant as Holderness of wilderness ways and warfare. He found them
fair and generous opponents and, in his heart, he absolved them from
blame for the terrible consequences following upon the British alliance
with the Indians.

They took Henry on the entire inside circuit of the walls, and he, as
well as they, was specially interested in the outlook over the river. A
platform four feet wide was built against the palisade the same distance
from the top. It was reached at intervals by flights of narrow steps,
and here in case of attack the riflemen would crouch and fire from their
hidden breastwork. Close by and under the high bank flowed the river, a
broad, deep stream, bearing the discharge from those mighty inland seas,
the upper chain of the Great Lakes. The current of the river, deep, blue
and placid and the forests beyond, massive, dark, and green, made Henry
realize how bitter it was to be a prisoner. Here separated from him by
only a few feet was freedom, the great forest with its sparkling waters
that he loved. In spite of himself, he sighed, and both Holderness and
Desmond, understanding, were silent.

Near them was a sort of trestle work that ran out toward the river,
although it did not reach it by many feet.

"What is that?" asked Henry, as he looked at it curiously.

"It was intended to be a pier or wharf for loading or unloading boats,"
replied Holderness. "They tell me that Colonel Hamilton started it, in
the belief that it would be useful in an emergency, but when Colonel de
Peyster succeeded to the command he stopped the work there, thinking
that it might be of as much service to an enemy as to a friend."

Henry took little more notice of the unfinished pier, and they descended
from the platform to the ground, their attention being attracted by a
noise at the most distant gate. When they took a second look at the
cause of the tumult, they hurried forward.

CHAPTER XI

THE CRY FROM THE FOREST

The spectacle that met the eyes of Henry and his English friends was one
likely to excite curiosity and interest. The party of ten soldiers and
two Wyandots that had gone forth to take the youth's four comrades was
returning, but they brought with them no prisoners, nor any trophies
from the slain. Ins