The Minute Boys of the Mohawk Valley | Page 6

a
prisoner."
"True for you, lad, an' I know full well how you're feelin'; but the
question is whether we can hope for anythin' while there's sich a crowd
of 'em?"
"I'm not expectin' you an' Noel will run your heads into too much
danger," Jacob said, passionately. "I know you would help father if the
chance came your way; but it's my duty to take every risk, an' I count
on doin' so even though we part company within the hour! Do you
suppose I can loiter at a safe distance from the painted devils when my
father is expectin' to see some sign that I'm doin' all I may to help
him?"
"I question if Peter Sitz expects that any one from Cherry Valley will
follow Thayendanega's snakes. He knows their strength, an' is man
enough to understand what might be the price of an attempt to rescue
him."

Although Sergeant Corney spoke calmly, as if he had no vital interest
in the matter, I knew him well enough to feel certain he was even then
trying to settle in his own mind how a rescue might be effected; but
Jacob was so blinded by his grief that at the moment I believe he really
thought we would let him push ahead alone, therefore I said in as
hearty a tone as was possible:
"You should know, Jacob, that both of us stand ready to do all men
may to aid your father, an' you may be certain we'll not let you go on
alone; but just now Sergeant Corney must be our leader, since he
knows better than you an' I put together what ought to be done."
"But will he do his best?" Jacob cried, in a passion. "Will he help me,
or does he think the work is done when we have learned where Joseph
Brant has gone on his work of bloodshed?"
I waited for the old soldier to make reply to this demand, and he
hesitated so long that I began to fear I had been mistaken as to that
which I had supposed was in his mind. At last, when it seemed as if
Jacob could no longer restrain his impatience, Sergeant Corney said,
speaking slowly, as if weighing well each word:
"I will do my best, heedin' not my own safety, givin' no thought to the
labor or difficulties, if it so be you lads are minded to do as I shall say,
without questionin' when it seems as if I might be goin' wrong--"
I would have interrupted him with an assurance that we were willing to
serve him faithfully; but he checked me with a gesture, and added:
"As Peter Sitz would were he in my place, so will I. He was my friend;
I know if it was a question of savin' the lives of those at Cherry Valley,
or turnin' his back on me, what he would do, an' even so shall I."
"Meanin' what?" Jacob demanded, fiercely.
"Meanin' that while we can do our duty by those who sent us, we will
strain every nerve in his behalf; but if it should so chance that their
safety depended upon us, we would give service to the greatest

number."
Jacob stared as if not understanding what the old man had said, and I
made haste to add:
"He means that if, while followin' Brant with the hope of aidin' your
father, we found out that danger threatened the settlement, it would be
our duty to warn them rather than hold on for him."
The old soldier nodded in token that I had but given different words to
his idea, and Jacob replied in a tone of satisfaction:
"I can ask for nothin' more. If it so happens that you must turn back, I
can keep on, for two would aid the settlement as much as three."
"Ay, lad, you shall then do as seems best to you," Sergeant Corney said,
solemnly, and thus it was settled that, while it did not interfere with our
duty as Minute Boys of the Mohawk Valley, all our efforts should be
for the relief of the unfortunate prisoner, although at the time I had little
hope the savages would allow him to live many days.
Having thus pledged himself to Jacob, Sergeant Corney showed no
further disposition to "husband his strength," but led us on the march
once more, and this time at a pace which we lads found difficult to
maintain without actually running.
Now it is not my purpose to set down all we did and said during this
long chase. It would be of no interest to a stranger, since one hour was
much like another until we were come near to the Indian town of
Oghkwaga, where Brant usually