and all the while telling what it was possible for them to do to St. Leger
and his force, as if anything of value could be done when the idiots did
not have sufficient sense to make inquiries of those who could give them
full information regarding the strength of the enemy whom they were so
soon to meet.

Even had Sergeant Corney not decided to follow the commander before the
line of march had been arranged, he would have done so later, because
General Herkimer beckoned us to approach when he took his place at the
head of the column.

"Are you counting on coming with me, despite the unnecessary danger which
we know will be encountered?" he asked, and Sergeant Corney replied,
promptly:

"Ay, sir, that we are, and had already settled it in our own minds."

"Which portion of the besieging troops are we likely to meet first, if we
follow the trail?" the general asked.

"Thayendanega's camp lies southeasterly from the fort; but how far it may
be from the trail, I cannot say."

At this moment the report of a rifle from the direction of where the
outermost sentinels were stationed startled every one, including those
bloodthirsty colonels, and for a moment all stood silent and motionless,
waiting to learn the cause of the alarm.

Then it was that the sentinel with whom the sergeant and I had already
spoken, came running into camp, for it seemed a favorite trick of his to