“I saw my chance at once for getting the letter I carried into the hands of the colonel. Watching for a favorable moment, I concealed it on the person of the dead chief, and waited for it to be discovered. Within half an hour it was brought to me with the question:
“‘What is it? Who is it for?‘
“Pretending to be surprised at the finding, I explained that it was a message of some kind, and was intended for Colonel St Leger.
“‘It should be carried to him at once,’ I declared.
“Immediately a brother of the dead man hurried off to headquarters with it. Fearing there might be an investigation into the circumstances attending the discovery of the letter, I hurriedly visited the other tribes in the encampment, learning that many of the savages had already left for their villages, and that others were preparing to go. My announcement to the Indian squad last night was clearly beginning to bear fruit; but I added a little more seed as I went from band to band.
“Once I had gone the rounds, I left the encampment and sought the shelter of the forest. Choosing a spot where I could watch the Indians, I remained several hours, noting with no little pleasure that every few minutes a squad of savages went away. More than two hundred must have left while I sat there.”
“Didn’t the red-coats make any effort to stop them?” Late asked.
“Judging by the way the British officers were continually coming and going, I should say they did,” was the answer; “and once I saw a delegation of chiefs marching to Colonel St. Leger’s headquarters, probably for a council with him. But the yeast is working, and he cannot prevent the stampede which has already begun.”
“He’ll wonder where that redskin got the message,” young Wentworth said with a chuckle of satisfaction.
“Yes, and who the white man was that came and went so suddenly. But I can stand the mystery if he can,” was the laughing reply.