Presently he paused and took a position behind a tree, gazing steadily ahead. He had caught sight of the Indians. He got down on his hands and knees and crawled forward, till he reached a point from which he could see the fort, and after a careful survey, he came to the conclusion that the Indians had not succeeded as yet in making the settlers surrender.
“Good,” thought Dick. “I’ll return and make my report to General Greene.”
As he started to turn, however, to make his way back to where he had left the patriot soldiers, he heard a rustling sound, and the next moment he was confronted by seven or eight Indian warriors, who had appeared from behind trees.
Dick was taken by surprise, but did not intend to permit the redskins to capture him, if he could help it, and drawing his pistols, he fired two shots quickly, dropping one Indian, dead, and wounding another. Then he sprang forward, in an attempt to make his escape, but the redskins, giving utterance to thrilling war-cries, leaped upon him and bore him struggling to the ground.
He fought fiercely, for he wanted to make his escape and get back with the patriot soldiers and help make the attack on the savages, but the redskins were too numerous and too strong. He presently, therefore, found himself made a prisoner, his wrists being bound with a piece of thong.
Then he was dragged forward into the presence of the main party of the tribe, who had appeared in all directions when they heard the shots and yells, and were advancing toward the spot where the encounter had taken place.
Dick was a prisoner in the hands of the redskins, within a few hundred yards of the settlers in the fort, and also within half a mile of the patriot soldiers.
CHAPTER IX
In Search of Tom
Dick’s capture by the redskins resulted in making it possible for the patriot soldiers to advance till close to the Indians without being discovered, owing to the fact that the redskins were giving their attention to their prisoner and were not keeping as sharp a lookout around them as usual.
When they did discover the soldiers, the latter were already within range, and as the Indians started to flee, Dick, with rare presence of mind, threw himself flat on the ground, at the same time yelling at the top of his voice. “Fire, comrades! You won’t hit me.”