It was this last portion of the force which my uncle and I accompanied, and I, surprised that a part of the brigade rode at full speed, while we loitered, as it were, asked the reason.
"Those in advance are mounted in such fashion that they may easily outrun the enemy, and it is the plan that they appear before Barfield's force as if intending to make an attack," my uncle replied. "After thus showing themselves the squad will beat a retreat, causing it to appear as if they were surprised by seeing so large a force. Then, unless the Tories are quicker witted than I give them credit for being, a goodly portion of the band will be led into ambush."
It was the Indian's favorite method of warfare, and, cruel though I had ever considered it, at this moment it gave me most intense pleasure.
I had said to myself that we could hope to do little less than die in the vain attempt to rescue Percy; but now it seemed as if, should our lives be demanded as a sacrifice, we might sell them dearly.
Well, all went as our commander had counted upon.
We hid ourselves in the thicket either side the road, three hundred and fifty horsemen, with not a man dismounted, for we counted upon riding the Tories down when they should retreat after the first volley had warned them that they had been led into a trap.
There we waited upwards of an hour, no man venturing to so much as speak, and each looking well after his steed lest one of the animals whinny at the supreme moment, thus giving the enemy a clew, before they were fairly within our grasp, of what awaited them.
During that hour I resolutely kept my thoughts on trifles, such as caring for the animal I bestrode, making certain I was in such position that it would be possible to get out of the wood with the least possible delay when the enemy was thrown into confusion, and by these and other means prevented myself from dwelling upon Percy's fate.
Then came that sound for which we had waited—the thunder of horses' feet upon the beaten road.
We heard cries of fear, which were uttered by our decoys to entice the Tories into yet hotter pursuit, and far in the distance could be distinguished the crack of rifles and the rattle of muskets.