Daniel Hinchman, quite naturally, urged eagerly that we go out in search of his sister, and his entreaties, to which, because of the grief in his heart, I could make no protest, only served to add fuel to the flame of insubordination which had been kindled so quickly. Giles March, quick to see how this poor, grieving lad was weakening my authority, urged his prayers, and I believe of a verity that, had I delayed one full moment longer, the fort would have been abandoned, some to follow Daniel, and others to set out for their homes, believing we were all too weak to perform the work which had been undertaken. The anger which possessed me at that instant was so overpowering I gave no heed whatsoever to the fact that I was talking to friends; I saw before me only those reckless spirits who would imperil all the settlers in the valley, simply because of not being willing to wait and understand the situation, and, priming my musket, I leaped in front of the small gate, where I would be within a dozen paces of whosoever should attempt to unbar the main entrance, as I cried: “So true as I live, I will shoot, making every effort to kill, the lad who shall attempt to leave this stockade on any pretext whatsoever! You are to remain here at least one hour, that you may have time in which to consider fully the situation, and then, if so be you are minded to desert the post of duty at the very moment when your best efforts are needed, I will say that I no longer claim, nor deserve the right, to stand as your captain.” “And in an hour my sister will have been carried so far away that there can be no possibility of overtaking her!” Daniel Hinchman shouted, passionately. “In an hour your sister will be at Wintermoot’s Fort, if those who seized her were, as you believe, Mohawks!” I cried, the idea coming into my mind like a flash that whatsoever of savages were in that vicinity must be in league with those of the Tory nest. I could see that this shot told on Giles March, for his voice, which had been loud and angry, was lowered on the instant, and, thinking to follow up the advantage, if such it was, I said to them much like this: “Elias Shendle is risking his life to learn that which it is necessary you should know in order to keep yourselves alive, for, if the rumors be true that a number of white men and Indians have lately gained entrance to Wintermoot’s, then do we stand more than a good chance of being attacked. Wait until he makes his report. Wait until we know how much of danger menaces us and those whom we are trying to guard. Think of what would be said in your homes if you came there hotfoot in the night, crying out that you had deserted because your captain refused to allow you to go in a useless effort to trail savages in the darkness! Do you fancy they would believe you returned because of that, or on account of having grown so timorous, and your hearts had turned so white, you no longer dared to stand in a place of danger?”