"Yah, I will be finding oud who has been shots firing into mein sleep yet," Fritz added.
The men of the tribe all filed off into the darkness, following Telca's lead, and Dick and the German boy followed. With all their knowledge and experience in wood-craft, the two Patriots found it difficult to keep up with the running Indians, but they managed to hold their own, although Fritz grunted considerably when he fell over an old log in his path.
Suddenly the men in the front halted and gathered about in a circle. Dick, coming up behind them, saw that they were grouped about three half-naked Indians whom he took to be the young men they had left behind. Evidently one of them was missing. The Indians were talking excitedly in quick, sharp sentences, and Dick gathered that they had come upon the Redcoat camp, taken a few shots at the pickets, and in the running fight that had followed one of them had fallen and had been overtaken before they could help him. They were uncertain as to whether their comrade had been wounded or had been overpowered. At any rate he was now a prisoner in the camp of their enemies, and even the older men counselled an attempt at rescue. They were eager to be avenged on their ancient enemies.
"We will bring our brother back with us. Let us remember our little sister also," said Telca.
"Ve haf no love lost on those Britisher fellows, too," said Fritz. "A few shoots vill berhabs stop their chasing us the whole vorld ofer."
"If you see two white boys in camp without uniforms, that is, Redcoats, don't fire at them," said Dick to the Indians. "They may be our brothers, held by the red coats as prisoners."
Telca communicated this to the warriors, and again they spread out and moved swiftly through the black forests. Here and there, little natural glades let in the starlight, and helped them to follow each other, but for the most part, all was inky darkness around them.
Almost before he expected it, Dick saw the twinkling fire lights of the English camp below them. Their pace decreased to a more careful one, and the whole party spread out into a fan shape, without any orders, each man his own general, as is the Indian custom.
Dick and Fritz were far to the right and they began a stealthy approach toward the British. Their comrades were soon hidden from view, except for Telca, who kept near them. They had drawn close to the line that should have marked the posts of the British pickets when Dick, Fritz and Telca caught the sound of a voice close at hand. No figures was visible, which afterward proved to be an important thing, but nevertheless, the three paused and listened intently. Telca finally motioned the boys to creep forward again. They were all mystified about the lack of soldiers about the fires in the distance. The blazes burned brightly, but no forms showed between them and the silent red-men. Suddenly from the other side of the circle came the call of a night bird, and the tribe knew that the other end of the line had reached their position. When Telca answered that call the fight was to begin. But the chief never had to answer it. The sound of the bird call had just died away into silence when a voice near the little group said softly in a rich Irish accent,
"Faith and it's stiff Oi'm afther gettin' to be. If——"