When evening came, they stopped for a brief interval on the bank of a little stream. Here they built campfires, cooked and ate supper, and after resting an hour, set out again, it being moonlight till after midnight. They marched till the moon went down and it grew so dark they could not see to make their way onward. Then they stopped and went into camp for the rest of the night. They were up early next morning, however, these hardy patriots and after having eaten breakfast, again set out, marching steadily onward till noon, stopping then less than an hour, to eat a cold bite for dinner. They kept up the march till near midnight, again, with stops for supper, and to rest a few minutes at a time. Then slept four or five hours, and were up and away again. They arrived in the vicinity of Peaceful Valley about the middle of the following afternoon, and stopped about a mile away, while Dick went forward to reconnoiter and see what the Indians were doing, to ascertain if they were still there and the fort had not been captured. Dick advanced at a moderate pace, keeping a sharp lookout around him, till within about a third of a mile of the edge of the valley, and then he made his way forward at a slower pace, pausing frequently, to look about him, to see if there were any signs of redskins in the vicinity. 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.