“Captain Howell got back to the camp, but with a broken leg and in a high fever. His condition is such that he is not likely to take any interest in military affairs for several days. Therefore the British officers know nothing about the dam, and it is safe. You may go back to your homes, if you so please.”
Ira waited until the five continentals had disappeared down the south ridge. Then he closed the cabin, went back to his canoe, and began his return to the encampment.
Entering the enclosure from the same direction he had departed a few hours previous, his absence created no suspicion, and soon after midnight he was sleeping soundly in his own bed.
During the following day the engineers succeeded in removing the obstructions from the narrow pass, and the entire army advanced among the hills to the margin of the swamp. Here they were again stopped, not only by great barricades, but by a flood over the road-bed to the depth of at least three feet deep. The uncertain footing either side the way, the many turns in the road-bed, the numerous barricades, and the depth of the water, all forced the impatient commander to halt, while he sent forth men in every direction to learn, if possible, the cause of the flood.
It created no surprise when Ira joined that company which went to the north end of the great swamp, and when they, wearied by a long tramp and fruitless search, turned to retrace their steps, no one noted that he lagged behind.
When night fell he was far enough in the rear to make his way to the hidden canoe and paddle off among the trees towards the creek. Once in this watercourse, he made rapid progress, and soon was in the cabin listening to Dan’s tale.
“First,” he said, “I’ll tell you ’bout my own trip. After leavin’ you I struck out pretty smart for the fort. Reachin’ it, I found the general away, so had to wait till the next mornin’ ’fore I could see him. He understood your plan at once, an’ was mighty tickled with it. He told me to say that in two weeks we could let the water off, an’ ’low the red-coats to come on as fast as they might. He’d be ready for them.”
“What are they doing?” Ira asked eagerly. “Are they strengthening the fort?”
“No,” was the answer. “The general has chosen Bemis Heights, ’cross the Hudson, as the place to get in his work, and Kosciusko, that Polish officer, is plannin’ the fortifications. It’s there our troops will fight it out with Burgoyne.”
“General Schuyler counts on abandoning Fort Edward, then?” Ira remarked musingly.