CHAPTER XVIII
FIRELIGHT
Now, no sooner did I reach my camp with my prisoner than my people camecrowding around us from their watch-fire, which burned dull because theyhad made a smudge of it, black flies being lively after dark.
I drew Nick aside and told him all.
"You shall take Johnny Silver," said I, "and set off instantly forSummer House and the Continental camp. You shall deliver a letter toMajor Westfall, and then you shall search with your lanterns every faceyou encounter; for I am beginning to believe that I truly saw StephenWatts and Lieutenant Hare in the orchard at Summer House Point thisnight. And if I did, then they are a pair o' damned spies, and should betaken; and suffer as such!"
"My God," says he, "Lady Johnson's brother!"
"And my one-time friend. Is it not horrible, Nick? But any hesitationmakes me a traitor to my own people."
I sat down in the dull firelight, a block of wood for a seat, fished outmy carnet, wrote a line to Major Westfall, and handed it to Nick.
Silver came with a lantern and both rifles.
"Use the canoe," said I, "and have a care that you reply clearly andpromptly when challenged, for yonder Continentals are prone to shoot."
They went off with their rifles and the lantern, and I waited until Iheard the dip of paddles in the dark.
"Throw a dry log on the fire, Godfrey," said I. And to Joe de Golyer:"Bring that prisoner here."
Joe fetched him, and he stood before me, arms trussed up and headhanging. Tahioni approached.
"Untie him," said I.
Whilst they were fumbling with the knotted rope of thrums, I said toTahioni:
"Luysnes is on guard, I take it?"
"My French brother watches."
"That is well. Now, tell my Oneida brothers that here we have taken avery dangerous man; and that if he makes any move to escape from wherehe stands beside that fire, they shall not attempt to take him _alive_!"
The young warrior turned calmly and translated. I saw my Oneidas loosentheir knives and hatchets. The Saguenay quietly strung his short, heavybow, and, laying an arrow across the string, notched it.
"Thiohero!" I called.
"I listen, my elder brother," said the little maid of Askalege.
"You shall take a trade-rifle, move out one hundred paces to the west,and halt all who come. And fire on any who refuse to halt."
"I listen," she said coolly.
"You shall call to us if you need us."
"I continue to listen."
"And if there comes a wagon, then you shall take the horses by the headand lead them this way until the fire shines on their heads. Go, littlesister."
She took a trade-rifle from the stack, primed it freshly, and crossedthe circle on light, swift feet.
When she had gone into the darkness, I bade de Golyer kick the fire. Hedid so and it blazed ruddy, painting in sanguine colour the sombre,unhealthy visage of my prisoner.
"Search him," said I briefly.
Joe and my Oneida rummaged him to the buff. It was in his boots theydiscovered, at last, a sheaf of papers.
I could not read what was writ, for the writing was in strange signs andfigures; so presently I gave over trying and looked up at my prisoner,who now had dressed again.
"You are Captain Moucher?"
He denied it hoarsely; but I, having now no vestige of doubt concerningthis miserable man's identity, ignored his answer.
"What is this paper which was taken from your boot?"
He seemed to find no word of explanation, but breathed harder andwatched my eyes.
"Is it writ in a military cipher?"
"I do not know."
"How came these papers in your boot?"
He stammered out that somebody who had cleansed his boots must havedropped them in, and that, in pulling on his boots that morning, he hadneither seen nor felt the papers.
"Where did you dress this morning?"
"At the Johnson Arms in Johnstown."
"You wear the uniform of an officer in the Canajoharie Regiment. Are youattached to that regiment?"
He said he was; then contradicted himself, saying he had been obliged toborrow the clothing from an officer because, while bathing in the Mohawkat Caughnawaga, his own clothing had been swept into the water andengulfed.
Over this lie he was slow in speech, and stammered much, licking his drylips, and his reddish, furtive eyes travelling about him as though hisstealthy mind were elsewhere.
"Do you recollect that we supped in company at Johnson Hall--you andI--and not so long ago?" I demanded.
He had no remembrance.
"And Lieutenant Hare and Captain Watts were of the company?"
He denied acquaintance with these gentlemen.
"Or Hiakatoo?"
Had never heard of him.
I bade Joe lay more dry wood on the fire and kick it well, for thesphagnum moss still dulled it. And, when it flared redly, I rose andwalked close to the prisoner.
"What are you doing here?"
He had merely come out of curiosity to see the camp at Summer House.
"In disguise?"
He had no other clothing, and meant no harm. If we would let him go hewould engage to return to Albany and never again to wear any clothing towhich he was not entitled.
"Oh. Who was your mate there in the orchard, who also wore theCanajoharie regimentals?" I demanded.
An acquaintance made en passant, nothing more. He did not even know hisname.
"I'll tell you his name," said I. "That man was Lieutenant Hare. And youare Captain Moucher. You are spies in our camp. We've taken you; weought to take him before midnight.
"The paper I have of you is writ in British military cipher.
"Now, before I send you to Colonel Dayton, with my report of thisexamination, what have you to confess that I might add to my report, inextenuation?"
He made no answer. Presently a fit of ague seized him, so that he couldscarce stand. Then he reeled sideways and, by accident, set foot in thelive coals. And instantly went clean crazed with fright.
As the Oneida caught him by the shoulder, to steady him, he shrieked andcowered, grasping Joe's arm in his terror.
"They mean to murder me!" he yelled. "Keep your savages away, I tellyou!"--struggling between Tahioni and Joe--"I'll say what you wish, ifthey won't burn me!----"
"Be silent," I said. "We mean no bodily harm to you. Compose yourself,Captain Moucher. Do you take me for a monster to threaten you withtorture?"
But the awful fear of fire was in this whimpering wretch, and I wasashamed to have my Oneidas see a white man so stricken with cowardlyterrors.
His honour--what there was of it--he sold in stammering phrases to buymercy of us; and I listened in disgust and astonishment to hisconfession, which came in a pell-mell of tumbling words, so that I wasput to it to write down what he babbled.
He had gone on his knees, held back from my feet by the Oneida; and hispoltroonery so sickened me that I could scarce see what I wrote down inmy _carnet_.
Every word was a betrayal of comrades; every whine a plea for his ownblotched skin.
To save his neck--if treachery might save it--he sold his King, hiscause, his comrades, and his own manhood.
And so I learned of him that Stevie Watts, disguised, had been thatnight at Summer House with Lieutenant Hare; that they had brought newsto Lady Johnson of Sir John's safe arrival in Canada; that they had metand talked to Claudia Swift; had counted our men and made a veryaccurate report, which was writ in the military cipher which wediscovered, and a copy of which Captain Watts also carried upon hisproper person.
I learned that Walter Butler, now a captain of Royalist Rangers, alsohad come into the Valley in disguise, for the purpose of spying and ofraising the Tory settlers against us.
I learned that Brant and Guy Johnson had been in England, but were ontheir way hither.
I learned that our army in Canada, decimated by battle, by smallpox, byfever, was giving ground
and slowly retreating on Crown Point; and thatArnold now commanded them.
I learned that we were to be invaded from the west, the north, and thesouth by three armies, and thousands of savages; that Albany must burn,and Tryon flame from Schenectady to Saint Sacrement.... And I wrote alldown.
"Is there more?" I asked, looking at him with utter loathing.
"Howell's house," he muttered, "the log house of JohnHowell--tonight----"
"The cabin on the hard ridge yonder?"
"Yes.... A plot to massacre this post.... They meet there."
"Who?"
"King's people.... John Howell, Dries Bowman, the Cadys, the Helmers,Girty, Dawling, Gene Grinnis, Balty Weed----"
"_Tonight!_"
"Yes."
"Where are they now?"
"Hid in the tamaracks--in the bush--God knows where!----"
"When do they rendezvous?"
"Toward midnight."
"At John Howell's cabin?"
He nodded, muttering.
I got up, took him by the arm and jerked him to his feet.
"Read this!" I said, and thrust the paper of cipher writing under hisnose.
But he could not, saying that Steve Watts had writ it, and that he wasto carry it express to Oswego.
Now, whilst I stood there, striving to think out what was best to do andhow most prudently to conduct in the instant necessity confronting me,there came Thiohero's sweet, clear whistle of a Canada sparrow, warningus to look sharp.
Then I heard the snort of a horse and the rattle and bump of a wagon.
"Tie the prisoner," said I to Godfrey; and turned to see the little maidof Askalege, her rifle shouldered, leading in two horses, behind whichrumbled the wagon carrying our pay, food, arms, and clothing sent fromJohnstown.
Two armed Continental soldiers sat atop; one, a corporal, driving,t'other on guard.
I spoke to them; called my Indians to unload the wagon, and badeThiohero sling our kettle and make soupaan for us all.
The Continentals were nothing loth to eat with us. Tahioni had killedsome wood-duck and three partridges; and these, with some dozen wildpigeons from the Stacking Ridge, furnished our meat.
I heaped a wooden platter and Godfrey squatted by Captain Moucher tofeed him; but the prisoner refused food and sat with head hanging andthe shivers shaking him with coward's ague.
When the meal was ended, I took the Continentals aside, gave theCorporal my report to Colonel Dayton, and charged them to deliver myprisoner at Johnstown jail. This they promised to do; and, as all wasready, horses fed, and a long, slow jog to Johnstown, the Corporalclimbed to his seat and took the reins, and the other soldier aided myprisoner to mount.
"Will you speak for me at the court martial?" pleaded Moucher, in hoarseand dreadful tones. "Remember, sir, as God sees me, my confession wasvoluntary, and I swear by my mother's memory that I now see the errorand the wickedness of my ways! Say that I said this--in Christ'sname----"
The Corporal touched his cocked hat, swung his powerful horses. I amsure they were of Sir William's stock and came from the Hall.
"Mr. Drogue!" wailed the doomed wretch, "let God curse me if I meant anyharm----"
I think the soldier beside him must have placed his hand over the poorwretch's mouth, for I heard nothing more except the rattle of wheels andthe corporal-driver a-whistling "The Little Red Foot."
* * * * *
In my absence that day my men had erected an open-face hut for ourstores.
Here we set lanterns, and here divided the clothing, including thestockings given me by Penelope--which I distributed with a heavy heart.
There was laid aside new buckskin clothing and fresh underwear forLuysnes, for Nick, and for Johnny Silver.
Then I paid the men, and gave a cash bonus to every Indian, and also anew rifle each,--not the trade-gun, but good weapons carrying an ounceball.
To each, also, a new hatchet, new knife, blanket, leggins, tobacco,paints, razor, mirror, ammunition, and a flask of sweet-smelling oil.
I think I never have seen any Iroquois so overjoyed as were mine. And asfor my Saguenay, he instantly squatted by the fire, fixed his mirror ona crotched stick, and fell to adorning himself by the red glow of thecoals.
But I had scant leisure for watching them, where they moved aboutlaughing and gossiping excitedly, comparing rifles, trying locks andpans, sorting out finery, or smearing themselves with gaudy symbols.
For, not a hundred rods east of us, across the ridge, stood that log hutof Howell's; and the owl-haunted tamaracks stretched away behind it ina misty wilderness. And in that swampy forest, at this very moment, werehidden desperate men who designed our deaths--men I knew--neighbors atFonda's Bush, like the Cadys, Helmers, and Dries Bowman!--men who latelyserved in my militia company, like Balty Weed and Gene Grinnis.
Now, as I paced the fire circle, listening and waiting for Nick andJohnny Silver, I could scarce credit what the wretch, Moucher, had toldme, so horrid bloody did their enterprise appear to me.
That they should strive to kill us when facing us in proper battle, thatI could comprehend. But to plan in the darkness!--to come by stealth intheir farmer's clothes to surprise us in our sleep!--faugh!
"My God," says I to Godfrey, who paced beside me, "why have they not atleast embodied to do us such a filthy business? And if they were only acompany with some officer to make them respectable--militia, minute men,rangers, anything!"
"They be bloody-minded folk," said he grimly. "No coureur-du-bois isharder, craftier, or more heartless than John Howell; no forest runnermore merciless than Charlie Cady. These be rough and bloody men, John.And I think we are like to have a rude fight of it before sun-up."
I thought so too, but did not admit as much. I had ten men. Theymustered ten--if Moucher's accounts were true. And I did not doubt it,under the circumstances of his pusillanimous confession.
The River Reed came to me to show me her necklace of coloured glass. AndI drew her aside, told her as much as I cared to, and bade her prepareher Oneidas for a midnight battle.
At that moment I heard the Canada sparrow. Thiohero answered, sweet andclear. A few seconds later Nick and Silver came in, carrying the canoepaddles.
"They've gone," said Nick, with an oath. "Two mounted men and a ledhorse rode toward Johnstown two hours since. They wore Canajoharieregimentals. Major Westfall sent a dozen riders after 'em; but men whocame so boldly to spy us out are like to get away as boldly, too."
He plucked my arm and I stepped apart with him.
"Westfall's in his dotage; Dayton is too slow. Why don't they send upWillett or Herkimer?"
"I don't know," said I, troubled.
"Well," says Nick, "it's clear that Stevie Watts was there and hasspoken with Lady Johnson. But what more is to be done? She's ourprisoner. I wish to God they'd sent her to Albany or New York, where shecould contrive no mischief. And that other lady, too. Lord! but MajorWestfall is in a pother! And I wager Colonel Dayton will be in another,and at his wit's ends."
The business distressed me beyond measure, and I remained silent.
"By the way," he added, "your yellow-haired inamorata sends you abillet-doux. Here it is."
I took the bit of folded paper, stepped aside and read it by thefirelight:
"Sir:
"I venture to entertain a hope that some day it may please you to converse again with one whose offense--if any--remains a mystery to her still.
"P. G."
I read it again, then crumpled it and dropped it on the coals. I hadseen Steve Watts kiss her. That was enough.
"There's a devil's nest of Tories gathering in Howell's house tonight tocut our throats," said I coldly. "Should we take them with ten men, orcall in the Continentals?"
"Who be they?" asked Nick, astounded.
"The old pack--Cadys, Helmers, Bowman, Weed, Grinnis. They are tenrifles."
He got very red.
"This is a domestic business," said I.
"Shall we wash our bloody linenfor the world to see what filth chokes Fonda's Bush?"
"No," said he, slowly, with that faint flare in his eyes I had seen attimes, "let us clean our own house o' vermin, and make no brag of whatis only our proper shame."