order. But at length our little force stood in three detachments on the
river's bank, their captains repeating again and again the part which
each was to play, that none might mistake his duty. The two larger ones
were to surround the town, while the picked force under Simon Kenton
himself was to storm the fort. Should he gain it by surprise and without
battle, three shots were to be fired in quick succession, the other
detachments were to start the war-whoop, while Duff and some with a
smattering of French were to run up and down the streets proclaiming that
every habitan who left his house would be shot. No provision being made
for the drummer boy (I had left my drum on the heights above), I chose
the favored column, at the head of which Tom and Cowan and Ray and McCann
were striding behind Kenton and Colonel Clark. Not a word was spoken.
There was a kind of cow-path that rose and fell and twisted along the
river-bank. This we followed, and in ten minutes we must have covered
the mile to the now darkened village. The starlight alone outlined
against the sky the houses of it as we climbed the bank. Then we halted,
breathless, in a street, but there was no sound save that of the crickets
and the frogs. Forward again, and twisting a corner, we beheld the
indented edge of the stockade. Still no hail, nor had our moccasined
feet betrayed us as we sought the river side of the fort and drew up
before the big river gates of it. Simon Kenton bore against them, and
tried the little postern that was set there, but both were fast. The
spikes towered a dozen feet overhead.

"Quick!" muttered Clark, "a light man to go over and open the postern."

Before I guessed what was in his mind, Cowan seized me.

"Send the lad, Colonel," said he.