Chapter XX. A Gloomy Council

by Joseph A. Altsheler

　　The next night after Henry Ware and his comrades lay in thebrushwood and saw Braxton Wyatt and his band pass, a number ofmen, famous or infamous in their day, were gathered around a lowcamp fire on the crest of a small hill. The most distinguishedof them all in looks was a young Indian chief of great height andmagnificent build, with a noble and impressive countenance. Hewore nothing of civilized attire, the nearest approach to itbeing the rich dark-blue blanket that was flung gracefully overhis right shoulder. It was none other than the great Wyandotchief, Timmendiquas, saying little, and listening withoutexpression to the words of the others.

　　Near Timmendiquas sat Thayendanegea, dressed as usual in hismixture of savage and civilized costume, and about him were otherfamous Indian chiefs, The Corn Planter, Red jacket, Hiokatoo,Sangerachte, Little Beard, a young Seneca renowned for ferocity,and others.

　　On the other side of the fire sat the white men: the young SirJohn Johnson, who, a prisoner to the Colonials, had broken hisoath of neutrality, the condition of his release, and then,fleeing to Canada, had returned to wage bloody war on thesettlements; his brother-in-law, Colonel Guy Johnson; the swartand squat John Butler of Wyoming infamy; his son, Walter Butler,of the pallid face, thin lips, and cruel heart; the CanadianCaptain MacDonald; Braxton Wyatt; his lieutenant, the dark Tory,Coleman; and some others who had helped to ravage their formerland.

　　Sir John Johnson, a tall man with blue eyes set close together,wore the handsome uniform of his Royal Greens; he had committedmany dark deeds or permitted them to be done by men under hiscommand, and he had secured the opportunity only through hisbroken oath, but he had lost greatly. The vast estates of hisfather, Sir William Johnson, were being torn from him, andperhaps he saw, even then, that in return for what he had done hewould lose all and become an exile from the country in which hewas born.

　　It was not a cheerful council. There was no exultation as afterWyoming and Cherry Valley and the Minisink and other places. SirJohn bit his lip uneasily, and his brother-in-law, resting hishand on his knee, stared gloomily at the fire. The two Butlerswere silent, and the dark face of Thayendanegea was overcast.

　　A little distance before these men was a breastwork about half amile long, connecting with a bend of the river in such a mannerthat an enemy could attack only in front and on one flank, thatflank itself being approached only by the ascent of a steep ridgewhich ran parallel to the river. The ground about the camp wascovered with pine and scrub oaks. Many others had been cut downand added to the breastwork. A deep brook ran at the foot of thehill on which the leaders sat. About the slopes of this hill andanother, a little distance away, sat hundreds of Indian warriors,all in their war paint, and other hundreds of their white allies,conspicuous among them Johnson's Royal Greens and Butler'sRangers. These men made but little noise now. They were restingand waiting.

　　Thayendanegea was the first to break the silence in the group atthe fire. He turned his dark face to Sir John Johnson and saidin his excellent English: "The king promised us that if we wouldtake up arms for him against the Yankees, he would send a greatarmy, many thousands, to help us. We believed him, and we tookup the hatchet for him. We fought in the dark and the storm withHerkimer at the Oriskany, and many of our warriors fell. But wedid not sulk in our lodges. We have ravaged and driven in thewhole American border along a line of hundreds of miles. Now theCongress sends an army to attack us, to avenge what we have done,and the great forces of the king are not here. I have beenacross the sea; I have seen the mighty city of London and itspeople as numerous as the blades of grass. Why has not the kingkept his promise and sent men enough to save the Iroquois ?"

　　Sir John Johnson and Thayendanegea were good friends, but thesoul of the great Mohawk chief was deeply stirred. Hispenetrating mind saw the uplifted hand about to strike-and thetarget was his own people. His tone became bitterly sarcastic ashe spoke, and when he ceased he looked directly at the baronet ina manner that showed a reply must be given. Sir John moveduneasily, but he spoke at last.

　　"Much that you say is true, Thayendanegea," he admitted, "but theking has many things to do. The war is spread over a vast area,and he must keep his largest armies in the East. But the RoyalGreens, the Rangers, and all others whom we can raise, even inCanada, are here to help you. In the coming battle your fortunesare our fortunes."

　　Thayendanegea nodded, but he was not yet appeased. His glancefell upon the two Butlers, father and son, and he frowned.

　　"There are many in England itself," he said, "who wish us harm,and who perhaps have kept us from receiving some of the help thatwe ought to have. They speak of Wyoming and Cherry Valley, ofthe torture and of the slaughter of women and children, and theysay that war must not be carried on in such a way. But there aresome among us who are more savage than the savages themselves, asthey call us. It was you, John Butler, who led at Wyoming, andit was you, Walter Butler, who allowed the women and children tobe killed at Cherry Valley, and more would have been slain therehad I not, come up in time."

　　The dark face of "Indian" Butler grew darker, and the pallid faceof his son grew more pallid. Both were angry, and at the sametime a little afraid.

　　"We won at Wyoming in fair battle," said the elder Butler.

　　"But afterwards?" said Thayendanegea.

　　The man was silent.

　　"It is these two places that have so aroused the Bostoniansagainst us," continued Thayendanegea. "It is because of themthat the commander of the Bostonians has sent a great army, andthe Long House is threatened with destruction."

　　"My son and I have fought for our common cause," said "Indian"Butler, the blood flushing through his swarthy face.

　　Sir John Johnson interfered.

　　"We have admitted, Joseph, the danger to the Iroquois," he said,calling the chieftain familiarly by his first Christian name,"but I and my brother-in-law and Colonel Butler and CaptainButler have already lost though we may regain. And with thisstrong position and the aid of ambush it is likely that we candefeat the rebels."

　　The eyes of Thayendanegea brightened as he looked at the longembankment, the trees, and the dark forms of the warriorsscattered numerously here and there.

　　"You may be right, Sir John," he said; "yes, I think you areright, and by all the gods, red and white, we shall see. I wishto fight here, because this is the best place in which to meetthe Bostonians. What say you, Timmendiquas, sworn brother ofmine, great warrior and great chief of the Wyandots, the bravestof all the western nations?"

　　The eye of Timmendiquas expressed little, but his voice wassonorous, and his words were such as Thayendanegea wished tohear.

　　"If we fight-and we must fight-this is the place in which to meetthe, white army," he said. "The Wyandots are here to help theIroquois, as the Iroquois would go to help them. The Manitou ofthe Wyandots, the Aieroski of the Iroquois, alone knows the end."

　　He spoke with the utmost gravity, and after his brief reply hesaid no more. All regarded him with respect and admiration.Even Braxton Wyatt felt that it was a noble deed to remain andface destruction for the sake of tribes not his own.

　　Sir John Johnson turned to Braxton Wyatt, who had sat all thewhile in silence.

　　"You have examined the evening's advance, Wyatt," he said. "Whatfurther information can you give us?"

　　"We shall certainly be attacked to-morrow," replied Wyatt, "andthe American army is advancing cautiously. It has out strongflanking parties, and it is preceded by the scouts, thoseKentuckians whom I know and have met often, Murphy, Elerson,Heemskerk, and the others."

　　"If we could only lead them into an ambush," said Sir John. "Anykind of troops, even the best of regulars, will give way beforean unseen foe pouring a deadly fire upon them from the deepwoods. Then they magnify the enemy tenfold."

　　"It is so," said the fierce old Seneca chief, Hiokatoo. "When wekilled Braddock and all his men, they thought that ten warriorsstood in the moccasins of only one."

　　Sir John frowned. He did not like this allusion to the time whenthe Iroquois fought against the English, and inflicted on them agreat defeat. But he feared to rebuke the old chief. Hiokatooand the Senecas were too important.

　　"There ought to be a chance yet for an ambuscade," he said. "Thefoliage is still thick and heavy, and Sullivan, their general, isnot used to forest warfare. What say you to this, Wyatt?"

　　Wyatt shook his head. He knew the caliber of the five fromKentucky, and he had little hope of such good fortune.

　　"They have learned from many lessons," he replied, and theirscouts are the best. Moreover, they will attempt anything."

　　They relapsed into silence again, and the sharp eyes of therenegade roved about the dark circle of trees and warriors thatinclosed them. Presently he saw something that caused him torise and walk a little distance from the fire. Although his eyesuspected and his mind confirmed, Braxton Wyatt could not believethat it was true. It was incredible. No one, be he ever sodaring, would dare such a thing. But the figure down there amongthe trees, passing about among the warriors, many of whom did notknow one another, certainly looked familiar, despite the Indianpaint and garb. Only that of Timmendiquas could rival it inheight and nobility. These were facts that could not be hiddenby any disguise.

　　"What is it, Wyatt?" asked Sir John. "What do you see? Why doyou look so startled?"

　　Wyatt sought to reply calmly.

　　"There is a warrior among those trees over there whom I have notseen here before," he replied. "he is as tall and as powerful asTimmendiquas, and there is only one such. There is a spy amongus, and it is Henry Ware."

　　He snatched a pistol from his belt, ran forward, and fired at theflitting figure, which was gone in an instant among the trees andthe warriors.

　　"What do you say?" exclaimed Thayendanegea, as he ran forward, "aspy, and you know him to be such!"

　　"Yes, he is the worst of them all," replied Wyatt. "I know him.I could not mistake him. But he has dared too much. He cannotget away."

　　The great camp was now in an uproar. The tall figure was seenhere and there, always to vanish quickly. Twenty shots werefired at it. None hit. Many more would have been fired, but thecamp was too much crowded to take such a risk. Every moment thetumult and confusion increased, but Thayendanegea quickly postedwarriors on the embankment and the flanks, to prevent the escapeof the fugitive in any of those directions.

　　But the tall figure did not appear at either embankment or flank.It was next seen near the river, when a young warrior, strivingto strike with a tomahawk, was dashed to the earth with greatforce. The next instant the figure leaped far out into thestream. The moonlight glimmered an instant on the bare head,while bullets the next moment pattered on the water where it hadbeen. Then, with a few powerful strokes, the stranger reclaimedthe land, sprang upon the shore, and darted into the woods withmore vain bullets flying about him. But he sent back a shout ofirony and triumph that made the chiefs and Tories standing on thebank bite their lips in anger.