y much nearer to the Seneca Castle, and saw sure
indications that it was still inhabited, as the Iroquois evidently were
not aware of the swift advance of the riflemen. Henry had learned that
this was one of the largest and strongest of all the Iroquois towns,
containing between a hundred and two hundred wooden houses, and with a
population likely to be swollen greatly by fugitives from the Iroquois
towns already destroyed. The need of caution--great caution--was borne
in upon him, and he paid good heed.

The riflemen sought another covert in the deep forest, now about three
miles from Little Beard's Town, and lay there, while Henry, according
to his plan, went forth at night with Shif'less Sol and Tom Ross. He was
resolved to find out more about this important town, and his enterprise
was in full accord with his duties, chief among which was to save the
vanguard of the army from ambush.

When the complete darkness of night had come, the three left the covert,
and, after traveling a short distance through the forest, turned in
toward the river. As the town lay on or near the river, Henry thought
they might see some signs of Indian life on the stream, and from this
they could proceed to discoveries.

But when they first saw the river it was desolate. Not a canoe was
moving on its surface, and the three, keeping well in the undergrowth,
followed the bank toward the town. But the forest soon ceased, and they
came upon a great field, where the Senecas had raised corn, and where
stalks, stripped of their ears and browned by the autumn cold, were
still standing. But all the work of planting, tending, and reaping this
great field, like all the other work in all the Iroquois fields, had
been done by the Iroquois women, not by the warriors.

Beyond the field they saw fruit trees, and beyond these, faint lines
of smoke, indicating the position of the great Seneca Castle. The dry
cornstalks rustled mournfully as the wind blew across the field.

"The stalks will make a little shelter," said Henry, "and we must cross
the field. We want to keep near the river."

"Lead on," said Shif'less Sol.

They took a diagonal course, walking swiftly among the stalks and
bearing back toward the river. They crossed the field without being
observed, and came into a thick fringe of trees and undergrowth along
the river. They moved cautiously in this shelter for a rod or two,
and then the three, without word from any one of them, stopped
simu