behind."

Then he gently forced me to the edge of the thicket, where we halted an
instant to make certain there was no one in the immediate vicinity, after
which was begun such an advance as I hope never to be forced into again,
for of a verity it was nerve-shattering.

Strive as I might it was impossible, during the first two or three minutes
of the painful journey, to prevent myself from fancying that half a dozen
of Thayendanega's painted wolves were creeping up close behind me,
enjoying the mental torture caused by my suspense, and then suddenly my
mind was cleared of fears, even as the heavens are of clouds after a
storm, as I ceased to think of what lay behind, remembering that my
efforts _must_ be successful else patriot blood might flow in streams.

We were lying flat upon the ground, pulling ourselves painfully along by
our hands, and pushing with our toes whenever it was possible to get a
leverage on the hard earth, moving perhaps no more than twelve inches each
moment.

Had St. Leger's sentinels kept the strict watch which the siege demanded
of them, we would not have gone a dozen paces before being discovered.

But that we did move out from the thicket without causing an alarm was, as
I believe, due to the fact that the enemy contented themselves with
watching the main gate of the fort, fancying that only from such quarter
could any danger menace them. They had so many scouts out between the fort
and Oriskany that it probably seemed to be an absolute impossibility any
of the patriots could come through their lines undetected.