nervously to attract his attention, I sprang upon the newcomer, believing
him to be some Indian straggler whom it was absolutely necessary we should
silence in order to save our own lives.

So quick had been my motions that the fellow had no opportunity to get
away, save at the cost of betraying himself to us, and by what seemed to
be the most fortunate chance, I succeeded, when leaping blindly forward,
in gripping him by the throat.

We went down together, I on top striving most earnestly to strangle him to
death, and he fighting quite as strenuously to throw off my hold.

Before one could have counted ten I began to realize that this stranger
who was at my mercy appeared quite as much afraid of making a noise as did
I, and involuntarily my grasp was loosened ever so slightly, for I
understood that had it been an Indian he would have done his best to
attract the attention of those near the camp-fire.

With this thought came the knowledge that I had beneath me one clad much
like myself, and not the half-naked body of such villains as marched in
Thayendanega's train.

Then it was, and just as Sergeant Corney came up to us, that I loosened my
grasp entirely in order to pass my hands over the stranger's face and
head.

There were no feathers, no daubs of paint, which should have been
apparent to the touch, and I whispered, with my mouth close to the
fellow's ear, while yet pinioning his arms in such a fashion that he could
not well move: