"Well, and why not?" I asked, in surprise.

"Because it does not please me to linger when there is other work to be
done."

"But there was no real need of undertakin' this task," I said, with
irritation.

"Yet it gave us an excuse to which he would listen for leavin', when, had
we told the truth, I question if he had not tried to stop us."

"Well, what is the truth?" I cried, sharply.

"Is there nothin' in your mind that we are bound to do, now the message
has been delivered?"

"Do you mean to aid Jacob?" I asked, as a sudden light began to dawn on
me.

"Ay, lad, all of that. Neither you nor I would have let him gone alone in
the hopeless task of rescuin' his father, had it not been that duty
demanded of us to keep our faces turned toward yonder fort. Now we have
done that which General Herkimer required, we can set out to fulfil our
duty toward the lad, an' this goin' back on the road to Oriskany is but
little more than we would be forced to do in order to gain the spot where
we parted with him, for I'm countin' that he was then near by the place
where his father is held prisoner."

I could have hugged the old man, but that he might have fancied I had