escaping the bullets than the one who remained in the rear.

"Are we to go now?" I asked, striving earnestly to prevent my voice from
trembling.

"Ay, lad, I reckon it's time," and the old man tightened his belt as he
spoke. "Throw away your rifle, or strap it on your back where there's no
chance it will hinder the progress, an', once havin' started, keep your
mind well on the fact that we must get there, heedin' not what lies
behind."

Then he gently forced me to the edge of the thicket, where we halted an
instant to make certain there was no one in the immediate vicinity, after
which was begun such an advance as I hope never to be forced into again,
for of a verity it was nerve-shattering.

Strive as I might it was impossible, during the first two or three minutes
of the painful journey, to prevent myself from fancying that half a dozen
of Thayendanega's painted wolves were creeping up close behind me,
enjoying the mental torture caused by my suspense, and then suddenly my
mind was cleared of fears, even as the heavens are of clouds after a
storm, as I ceased to think of what lay behind, remembering that my
efforts _must_ be successful else patriot blood might flow in streams.

We were lying flat upon the ground, pulling ourselves painfully along by
our hands, and pushing with our toes whenever it was possible to get a
leverage on the hard earth, moving perhaps no more than twelve inches each
moment.

Had St. Leger's sentinels kept the strict watch which the siege demanded
of them, we would not have gone a dozen paces before being discovered.

But that we did move out from the thicket without causing an alarm was, as
I believe, due to the fact that the enemy contented themselves with
watching the main gate of the fort, fancying that only from such quarter
could any danger menace them. They had so many scouts out between the fort
and Oriskany that it probably seemed to be an absolute impossibility any
of the patriots could come through their lines undetected.

However it may be, we did succeed in crossing that open space without
being seen by those who would have delighted in torturing us to death; but
it was as if I lived a full lifetime before coming within the deep shadows
cast by the walls on the west side, at the point decided upon by Sergeant
Corney.

Some moments before we arrived I understood, and my heart literally
bounded with joy, that those on the inside were already aware of our
approach, and wa