“You mean the destruction of the liquor will anger them?”

“Anger?  It’ll drive ’em plum crazy,—­they’ll be ravin’ maniacs!  It’s the hope o’ spoils thet’s held ’em back so long.  They ’ve wanted the Fort to be ’vacuated, so as they could plunder it,—­thet’s been the song o’ the chiefs to hold their young men from raisin’ ha’r.  But come, sonny, thar ‘s nothin’ gained a-stayin’ here, an’ dern me if I want ter meet any Injun with thet thar smell in the air.  I don’t swim no river smellin’ like thet one does.  We ’ll hev ter go further up, I reckon, an’ cross over by the ol’ agency buildin’.”

We crept up the edge of the stream, keeping well in under the north bank, and moving with the utmost caution, for the chances were strong that this portion of the river would be closely watched by the redskins.  We met with no obstacle, however, nor were we apparently even observed from the stockade, as we slowly passed its overhanging shadow.  I could distinguish clearly its dark outlines, even making out a head or two moving above the palisades; but no hail of any kind rang out across the intervening water, and we were soon beyond the upper block-house, where a faint light yet shone.  We could see the dim shape of the two-story factory building, looking gloomy and deserted on the south shore.  Burns lay flat at the water’s edge, studying the building intently; and his extreme caution made me a bit nervous, although I could scarcely determine why, for I had thus far marked not the slightest sign of danger.

“I reckon we ’ll hev ter risk it,” he said at length, as he bound his powder-horn upon his head with a dark cloth.  “Come right ’long arter me, and don’t make no splashin’.”

He slipped off so silently that I scarcely knew he was gone, until I missed the dark outline of his figure at my side.  With all possible caution, I followed him.  The current was not strong, but I partially faced it, and struck out with a long, steady stroke, so that my progress, as nearly as I could judge, was almost directly across the stream.  Burns had been completely lost to my sight, although as I looked along the slightly glistening water I could see for some distance ahead.  I remember a black log bearing silently down upon me, and how I shrank from contact with it, fearful lest it might conceal some human thing.  Soon after it had swirled by, my feet touched the shelving bank, and I crept cautiously up into the overhanging shadow.  Burns was there, and had already reconnoitred our position; for my first knowledge of his presence came when he slowly lowered himself down the bank until he lay close beside me.

“They’re thar,” he said, soberly.  “Thought most likely they wud be.”

“Indians?” I asked, doubtfully,—­for I had an impression the factory might be garrisoned by some of our own people.

“Sure; I heerd as how the sojers hed been drawed in, an’ naturally reckoned the Injuns would n’t be over-long findin’ it out.  ’Nother fool thing fer the sojers ter dew.”