delay, in order to learn if that officer would so far interest himself in
the fate of Peter Sitz as to make inquiries of Thayendanega regarding him,
in case the opportunity offered.

At first the old soldier was not inclined to ask for an interview with the
commander, claiming that his own rank was not sufficiently high to warrant
his making such a request; but those of the force who were listening to
our conversation insisted that the general was not a stickler for rank,
and would receive a private soldier with as much consideration as the
commander of a brigade.

Therefore it was that, after being alternately urged and entreated for
half an hour, Sergeant Corney agreed to do as Jacob desired, and
straightway set about seeking the leader, which was no difficult task,
since his camp was a lean-to of fir boughs standing hardly more than fifty
feet from where we were sitting.

After the old man had left us, one of the soldiers asked if we had seen
any Tories with Thayendanega's band, and I told him that, so far as I had
been able to learn, the only white man among them was Peter Sitz, although
we had not been so fortunate as to see him.

"Why did you want to know?" Jacob asked, with mild curiosity, and the man
replied:

"It struck me that if any of the Mohawk Valley Tories were with Brant,
General Herkimer would stand little chance of doing anything to aid the
prisoner."

"Why do you say that the general would hardly be able to do anythin' of
the kind?" I asked. "Surely to one so high in command Brant would listen,
when he might refuse even to speak with one of less rank."

"The thought was not in my mind that Thayendanega himself would be opposed
to our commander; but if you know what was done last year, it is easy to
understand my meaning."

To me the soldier was speaking in riddles, and I asked for an explanation,
whereupon he told us that more than a year ago, when the Johnsons had
collected a large force of men nearabout Johnson Hall, and among them
fully three hundred well-drilled Scotch soldiers, General Schuyler marched
with nearly three thousand militia to within four miles of the settlement,
demanding that Sir John surrender all arms, ammunition, and warlike stores
in his possession, together with the weapons and military accoutrements
then held by the Tories and Indians under his command. In addition to
which, the baronet was required to give his parole of honor that he would
not attempt any act agains