d to Detroit. The
prone figure in the bushes rejoiced without noise.

"What will be the result of it all?" asked Blackstaffe, his tone showing
anxiety.

Girty--most detested name in American history, next to that of Benedict
Arnold--considered. The side of his face was turned to Henry, and the
bold youth wished that they were standing in the open, face to face,
arms in hand. But he was compelled to lie still and wait. Nor could he
foresee that Girty, although he was not destined to fall in battle,
should lose everything, become an exile, go blind and that no man
should know when he met death or where his body lay. The renegade at
length replied:

"It means that we cannot now destroy Kentucky without a supreme effort.
Despite all that we do, despite all our sieges and ambuscades, new men
continually come over the mountains. Every month makes them stronger,
and yet only this man Clark and a few like him have saved them so far.
If Caldwell and a British force would make a campaign with us, we might
yet crush Clark and whatever army he may gather. We may even do it
without Caldwell. In this vast wilderness which the Indians know so well
it is almost impossible for a white army to escape ambush. I am, for
that reason, in favor of going on and joining Timmendiquas. I want a
share in the victory that our side will win at the Indian towns. I am
sure that the triumph will be ours."

"It seems the best policy to me," said Braxton Wyatt. "Timmendiquas does
not like me any more than he does you, but the Indians appreciate our
help. I suppose we'd better follow at once."

"Take it easy," said Girty. "There's no hurry. We can overtake
Timmendiquas in a day, and we are quite sure that there are no
Kentuckians in the woods. Besides, it will take Clark a considerable
time to assemble a large force at the Falls, and weeks more to march
through the forest. You will have a good chance then, Braxton, to show
your skill as a forest leader. With a dozen good men hanging on his
flank you ought to cause Mr. Clark much vexation."

"It could be done," replied Wyatt, "but there are not many white men out
here fighting on our side. In the East the Tories are numerous, and I
had a fine band there, but it was destroyed in that last fight at the
big Indian town."

"Your old playmate, Henry Ware, had something to do with that, did he
not?" asked Girty, not without a touch of sarcasm.

"He did," replied Wyatt venomously, "and it's a good thing