Then the whole force is to march on Fort Stanwix, capture it, and come
down the Valley!"

You may guess how eagerly I listened to the details which Enoch
gave--details of the gravest importance, which I must hasten to send west
to Herkimer and east to Schuyler. When this vital talk was ended, I
returned to the personal side of the matter with a final query:

"But why get yourself arrested?"

"Because I wanted to see you. My errand wasn't finished till I had given
you Philip Cross's message. 'Tell that Dutchman,' he said, 'if you can
contrive to do it without peril to yourself, that when I come into the
Valley I will cut out his heart, and feed it to a Missisague dog!'"




Chapter XXIX.

The Message Sent Ahead from the Invading Army.



The whole forenoon of this eventful day was occupied in transmitting to
the proper authorities the great tidings which had so fortuitously come
to us.

For this purpose, after breakfast, John Frey, who was the brigade major as
well as sheriff, rode down to Caughnawaga with me, four soldiers bringing