There was nothing for it, however, but to crawl backward half a dozen
yards, and then make another detour, and while this was being done
Sergeant Corney had only a single question to ask, which was as to whether
I had seen white men or Indians.

"White men," I replied, "and no less than half a dozen standing in a
group, as if stationed there."

The old man paused an instant, as if quite as much perplexed as I, and
then whispered:

"Go on. We are like to run across more than one such snag, an', what is
worse, don't have a clear idea of whether we shall come plump on to the
fort, or go a considerable distance to one side of it."

Again I advanced, making an even wider detour than before, and in ten
minutes, perhaps, we were come upon a single sentinel,--a soldier,--who
stood leaning against a tree as if half-asleep, and I was less careful in
passing him because he did not appear to be particularly on the alert.

Again and again we nearly stumbled upon a squad of men, small parties of
Indians, or a single sentinel, until it seemed to me as if all St. Leger's
force must be distributed throughout the thicket, and I began to despair
of ever making our way through.

Now we were where it seemed as dangerous to retreat as to advance, and I
strove manfully to keep from my mind all thoughts of the perils that
surrounded us, lest I grow faint-hearted at the very time when all my
courage was needed if we would save our lives.

To do this it was only necessary I think of Jacob and his hazardous
venture, which could serve no good purpose even though he succeeded in
avoiding the enemy, therefore my mind dwelt on the perils which confronted
him, causing me in a measure to forget where I myself stood.

To go on in such a manner was most wearisome, and I was well-nigh at the
end of my strength when a faint lightness in the eastern sky gave warning
that the day was near at hand.

At the same moment I observed this fact, the sergeant gripped me by the
arm, and, understanding he would have speech with me, I halted.

"It is time we went into hidin', lad, although I did count we would come
within sight of the fort before bein' obliged to call a halt."

"Where can we hide here?" I asked, bitterly, and, strange as it may seem,
I began to realize, for the first time since the general had explained
what he would have us do, that we must remain concealed from view during
all the hours of daylight, and that while we were literally surr