I passed on to where Lewis was sitting on a log. It was fearfully hot, as the high hills on each side of the river shut out the free air and made the camp an oven. On recognizing me, the colonel's eyes flickered with surprise, as the report of my capture had spread far. He rose and took my hand and quietly said: "I knew they couldn't hold you unless they killed you on the spot. What about Miss Dale?" I informed him of her safety and his face lighted wonderfully. "That's good!" he softly exclaimed. "A beautiful young woman, the kind that Virginia is always proud of. Ericus Dale was lucky to die without being tortured. Now for your news; for you must be bringing some." I told him of the mighty gathering at Chillicothe and of the influx of the fierce Ottawas. Lost Sister's warning to me to keep clear of the Great Kanawha impressed him deeply. It convinced him, I think, that the astute Cornstalk had planned to attack the army before it could cross the Ohio, and that the Shawnees on learning of the assembling at the levels knew the advance must be down the Kanawha. The Indian who escaped after Clay was killed was back on the Scioto by this time. After musing over it for a bit he insisted that it did not necessarily follow the attack would be in force. "That was Cornstalk's first plan. But now he knows Governor Dunmore has an army at the mouth of the Little Kanawha. He may choose to attack him instead of me. I hope not, but there's a strong chance he'll do that while making a feint to fool me, and then float down the river and give me a real battle." He kindly offered to attach me to one of the companies as sergeant, with the possibility of appointing me an ensign, but I preferred to act as scout and enjoy more independence of action. "That's the trouble," he remarked. "All these fellows want to be scouts and range the woods free of discipline. They want to whip the Indians but they want to do it their own way. They persist in wasting ammunition, and it now looks as if we would go into battle with less than one-fourth of a pound of powder per man. "If any man speaks up and says he is the best marksman in Virginia then every man within hearing challenges him to prove it. And they'll step one side and have a shooting-match, even if they know Cornstalk's army is within a couple of miles of us. They're used to bear- and deer-meat. They don't want to eat bullock-meat. I'll admit the beef is a bit tough. And every morning some of them break the rules by stealing out to kill game. This not only wastes powder, but keeps the outposts alarmed." Before I was dismissed I asked about Cousin. The colonel's face became animated. "Oh, the young man with the sad history? He's out on a scout. That fellow is absolutely fearless. I am surprised every time he lives to return to make a report. It's useless to lay down a route for him to scout; he prowls where he will. But he's valuable, and we let him have his own way."