was the case; but when they asked for permission to
serve the king under his command, he roughly told them to present
themselves to Sir John Johnson, declaring that the regulars would not
receive them as companions-in-arms.

Just at that moment it was impossible for them to find Sir John, and, more
hungry than they had ever been inside Fort Schuyler, they wandered about
until arriving face to face with a party of Indians, who had come from
their encampment to lounge around near the white soldiers, from whom they
begged rum and tobacco.

That meeting sealed their fate, and the poor wretches came to understand
what was in store for them, even before St. Leger had agreed that they
might be turned over to the tender mercies of his savage allies.

During an hour they did their best to escape, but only to be dragged back
with many a kick and blow each time they endeavored to sneak out of the
encampment.

As nearly as the unhappy men could understand, there was a long, angry
interview between Sir John, Thayendanega, and some of the British officers
before the matter was settled, and then they were delivered up to the
Indians, even the Tories shutting their ears to the prayers for mercy.

It was not necessary I should hear what he had to say about the treatment
the deserters received in the Indian encampment prior to being led out to
the stake. I knew full well what suffering must have been theirs before
the hour arrived when all was to be ended. I had had some slight
experience as a prisoner in the power of the savages, and even then could
not listen to another's story of similar treatment without severe mental
pain.

The three who were reserved for the second evening's entertainment
suffered nearly all the agonies of death when their comrades were
tortured, for the Indians forced them to be present as spectators, and it
is little wonder they were half-dead with fear when their turn came to
afford amusement for those who found their greatest delight in listening
to screams of agony from helpless victims.

The first shot from the fort killed two of the deserters outright and
overturned the post to which Cox was being bound. He could not tell very
much about the execution done by the balls, for at first he believed it
was some new form of torture which the savages had invented; but when the
painted crew fled across the river in abject fear, leaving him
comparatively at liberty, he began to understand that the comrades who