'What! Joseph Brant?' said the youth, as a sharp thrill
went coursing through his veins.

'No!' answered the warrior, 'I am a cousin of his'; but
a smile lit up his dark countenance, and the boy knew
that his denial was just a bit of native humour. Thereupon
Brant disappeared in the direction of Foster's house.
The boy at once rushed from the field to the fortified
post near by to tell his story, and a hue and cry was
soon raised. A party hurried to the loyalist's house to
seek Brant, but he was not there. Foster said that he
had never come and that he knew nothing of him. So,
checkmated in their search, the group of would-be captors
had to wheel about and go back disappointed to their
fortress.

Brant was fast gaining an unsavoury reputation which he
but partly merited. Owing to the character of the country
in which he was fighting, and to the lack of discipline
in the force under his command, destruction of property
and plunder were certain to occur. Brant, as we shall
see, did little to discourage this among his warriors.
His argument was that his antagonists had taken up arms
against their lawful king. As rebels, their lands and
property were forfeited to the crown and were justly
liable to seizure by the king's forces. To the settlers
on the border, however, Brant was looked upon as a ruthless
marauder, thirsting for blood. Whenever acts of wanton
cruelty took place, the blame was generally laid at his