“The picket was only obeying orders,” Hiram Le Geyt said in a soothing tone. “Come up to the colonel’s tent. You can give us your tidings there.”
“I won’t! I won’t!” screamed the old man, jumping up and down. “Let General Herkimer come with his eight hundred men and reinforce the garrison, if he wants to. Let him camp at Oriskany, where he can be surprised before morning and defeated, for all of me. I would have given you the chance of your life, but you are all fools, fools, fools! Not one of you knows enough to strike a good blow for the king. I’ll leave you alone, and let the rebels walk right by you.”
He had now worked himself into such a passion that he pulled his hair, tore his whiskers, and stamped upon the ground in a fury.
It was Colonel St. Leger who pacified him. He laid his hand on the old man’s arm, saying:
“It is men like you, Master Daggett, that I need. You must advise me, yes, lead my troops to the place where I can destroy that Yankee force. Come with me, and we will arrange for the forced march which will be necessary if we are to reach Oriskany before sunrise.”
The soothing words, the gentle touch, calmed the raging man, and soon he followed the officer and his son-in-law into the lines.
As the three disappeared the young scouts arose from their hiding-place, and crept off down the creek. For three miles they moved in silence, and then, coming to a place where the trail emerged into another, both paused.
“Go and signal the fort,” Late said to his comrade in a whisper. “I will warn General Herkimer,” and he hastened along the trail leading southeasterly.
Joe gained the great pine, and, climbing into its branches, gave the hoots which told the listening sentinel that the approaching reinforcements were to be attacked. Then he slipped to the ground, intending to follow his comrade to Oriskany, when he was seized by two Indians. A desperate struggle followed, but at length the lad succeeded in breaking away from his captors, and ran toward the fort.
The report of a rifle rang out, and the fugitive spun around like a top until he fell to the ground. The lad regained his feet in an instant, however, and sped on, but his right arm hung limply by his side.