Part 94 (2/2)
When I returned to our breastworks, Lois and her mother were standing there, looking at the fiery smoke in the sky, listening to the noise of the unseen soldiery. But on my explaining the situation, they went back to the little house together, after bidding us all good night.
So I set the first watch for the coming night, rolled myself in my blanket, and went to sleep with the lightest heart I had carried in my breast for many a day.
At dawn I was awakened by the noise of horses and cattle and the shouting of the gra.s.s-guard, where they were rounding to the half-wild stock from Catharines-town, and our own hoofed creatures which had strayed in the flat-woods.
A great cloud of smoke was belching up above the trees to the northward; and we knew that Catharines-town was on fire, and the last lurking enemy gone.
Long before Lois was astir, I had made my way through our swarming soldiery to Catharines-town, where there was the usual orderly confusion of details pulling down houses or firing them, troops cutting the standing corn, hacking apple-trees, kindling the stacked hay into roaring columns of flame.
Regiment after regiment paraded along the stream, discharged its muskets, filling the forests with cras.h.i.+ng echoes and frightening our cattle into flight again; but they were firing only to clean out their pieces, for the last of our enemies had pulled foot before sunset, and the last howling Indian dog had whipped his tail between his legs and trotted after them.
Suddenly in the smoke I saw General Sullivan, mounted, and talking with Boyd; and I hastened to them and reported, standing at salute.
”So that d.a.m.ned Red Sachem escaped you?” said the General, biting his lip and looking now at me, now at Boyd.
Boyd said, glancing curiously at me:
”When we came up we found the entire Tory army here. I must admit, sir, that we were an hour late, having been blocked by the pa.s.sage of two hundred Hurons and Iroquois who crossed our trail, cutting us from the north.”
”What became of them?”
”They joined Butler, Brant, and Hiokatoo at this place, General.”
Then the General asked for my report; and I gave it as exactly as I could, the General listening most attentively to my narrative, and Boyd deeply and sombrely interested.
When I ended he said:
”We have taken also a half-breed, one Madame Sacho. You say that Madame de Contrecoeur is at the Vale Yndaia with her daughter?”
”Guarded by my Indians, General.”
”Very well, sir. Today we send back ten wagons, our wounded, and four guns of the heavier artillery, all under proper escort. You will notify Madame de Contrecoeur that there will be a wagon for her and her daughter.”
”Yes, General.”
He gathered his bridle, leaned from his saddle, and looked coldly at Boyd and me.
”Gentlemen,” he said, ”I shall expect you to take Amochol, dead or alive, before this command marches into the Chinisee Castle. How you are to accomplish this business is your own affair. I leave you full liberty, except,” turning to Boyd, ”you, sir, are not to enc.u.mber yourself again with any such force as you now have with you. Twenty men are too many for a swift and secret affair. Four is the limit--and four of Mr. Loskiel's Indians.”
He sat still, gnawing at his lip for a moment, then:
”I am sorry that, through no fault apparently of your own, this Sorcerer, Amochol, escaped. But, gentlemen, the service recognizes only success. I am always ready to listen to how nearly you failed, when you have succeeded; I have no interest in hearing how nearly you succeeded when you have failed. That is all, gentlemen.”
We stood at salute while he wheeled, and, followed by his considerable staff, walked his fine horse away toward the train of artillery which stood near by, the gun-teams harnessed and saddled, the guns limbered up, drivers and cannoneers in their saddles and seats.
”Well,” said Boyd heavily, ”shall we be about this matter of Amochol?”
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