“Except for dividing a party already too small to hold one stockade comfortably, I believe we might take the fort this night; but even if it was open for us to walk in, we would have no right to take possession, because of the fact that, once inside, we might find it difficult to get out again, and it is as Master Bartlett has just said--they will soon be needing us at the Wilkesbarre stockade.” We had hardly more than gained the shadows of the opposite shore when from around a bend came a canoe in which were three savages, heading as if to join the fellows we had just routed, and I motioned for those at the paddles to hold our canoe motionless. “I’ll take the one in the bow; Giles March shall aim at the second fellow, and Daniel Hinchman will look after the third,” I whispered. “One, two, three, fire!” The three reports rang out like one, and the canoe swung around with the current, having in it nothing of life, for our aim had been true. “It is such work as we will continue to do until every wolfish savage and Tory cur is driven out of the valley!” I said, exultantly, and then gave the word for both canoes to be put in to the shore. There could be no question but that those nearabout the fort had heard the firing, and we might expect some of them would come to learn the cause. We had no desire for a regular battle on that side of the river, therefore did I believe it best to get under cover. By the time we had landed and hauled the canoes out of water at the foot of a huge oak-tree, where we might be able to find them again without too much searching, it was possible to hear cries from the opposite shore, as those who had retreated in such haste called for their comrades to ferry them across, while near at hand were such sounds as told that the red villains were disturbed. “While they are hunting around here for us, we will make our way to the fort, and then come down upon them once more in the rear,” I said to my comrades. “If we can double on them two or three times, as when we began this work, I’m of the mind they will believe themselves completely surrounded.” Then, without waiting to hear what they might think of the plan, I pressed forward in the direction where I knew the fort lay, but taking good care to get away from the river bank with all speed. By skulking behind this ruin or that, crawling across the open places, and running when having gained what would serve as cover, we arrived in the rear of the fort at about the same time that a large number of half-naked imps passed out of the big gates, heading toward the river. Now that we had arrived I was wholly at a loss to decide what it might be possible to do. I had sufficient sense to understand that it would be more than foolhardy to venture inside, for even though only a few remained there, they might be strong enough to hold us in play until some of those from the river bank could come up, when the capture of our party would be well-nigh certain.