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love a fight； an' that you are lookin' fur one。〃
But Cornelius Heemskerk sighed； and shook his head。
〃It is flattery that you give me； and you are trying to make me brave when I am not；〃 he said。 〃I only say once more that I ought to be in Holland painting blue plates； and not here in the great woods holding on to my scalp； first with one hand and then with the other。〃
He sighed deeply； but Solomon Hyde； reader of the hearts of men； only laughed。
Colonel Butler's force stopped about three o'clock for food and a little rest； and the five； who had not slept since the night before； caught a few winks。 But in less than an hour they were up and away again。 The five riflemen were once more well in advance； and with them were Taylor and Heemskerk； the Dutchman； grumbling over their speed； but revolving along； nevertheless； with astonishing ease and without any sign of fatigue。 They discovered no indications of Indian scouts or trails； and as the village now was not many miles away； it confirmed Henry in his belief that the Iroquois； with their friends； the Wyandots； would not stay to give battle。 If Thayendanegea and Timmendiquas were prepared for a strong resistance； the bullets of the skirmishers would already be whistling through the woods。
The waning evening grew colder； twilight came； and the autumn leaves fell fast before the rising wind。 The promise of the night was dark； which was not bad for their design； and once more the five…now the seven approached Oghwaga。 From the crest of the very same hill they looked down once more upon the Indian houses。
〃It is a great base for the Iroquois；〃 said Henry to Heemskerk；〃 and whether the Indians have laid an ambush or not； Colonel Butler must attack。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Heemskerk； silently moving his round body to a little higher point for a better view； 〃now I feel in all its fullness the truth that I should be back in Holland； painting blue plates。〃
Nevertheless； Cornelius Heemskerk made a very accurate survey of the Iroquois village； considering the distance and the brevity of the time； and when the party went back to Colonel Butler to tell him the way was open； he revolved along as swiftly as any of them。 There were also many serious thoughts in the back of his head。
At nine o'clock the little colonial force was within half a mile of Oghwaga； and nothing had yet occurred to disclose whether the Iroquois knew of their advance。 Henry and his comrades； well in front； looked down upon the town； but saw nothing。 No light came from an Indian chimney； nor did any dog howl。 just behind them were the troops in loose order； Colonel Butler impatiently striking his booted leg with a switch； and William Gray seeking to restrain his ardor； that he might set a good example to the men。
〃What do you think； Mr。 Ware？〃 asked Colonel Butler。
〃I think we ought to rush the town at once。〃
〃It is so！〃 exclaimed Heemskerk； forgetting all about painting blue plates。
〃The signal is the trumpet； you blow it； Captain Gray； and then we'll charge。〃
William Gray took the trumpet from one of the men and blew a long； thrilling note。 Before its last echo was ended； the little army rushed upon the town。 Three or four shots came from the houses； and the soldiers fired a few at random in return； but that was all。 Indian scouts had brought warning of the white advance； and the great chiefs； gathering up all the people who were in the village； had fled。 A retreating warrior or two had fired the shots； but when the white men entered this important Iroquois stronghold they did not find a single human being。 Timmendiquas； the White Lightning of the Wyandots； was gone； Thayendanegea； the real head of the Six Nations； had slipped away； and with them had vanished the renegades。 But they had gone in haste。 All around them were the evidences。 The houses； built of wood； were scores in number； and many of them contained furniture such as a prosperous white man of the border would buy for himself。 There were gardens and shade trees about these； and back of them； barns； many of them filled with Indian corn。 Farther on were clusters of bark lodges； which had been inhabited by the less progressive of the Iroquois。
Henry stood in the center of the town and looked at the houses misty in the moonlight。 The army had not yet made much noise； but he was beginning to hear behind him the ominous word；〃Wyoming；〃 repeated more than once。 Cornelius Heemskerk had stopped revolving； and； standing beside Henry； wiped his perspiring； red face。
〃Now that I am here； I think again of the blue plates of Holland； Mr。 Ware；〃 he said。 〃It is a dark and sanguinary time。 The men whose brethren were scalped or burned alive at Wyoming will not now spare the town of those who did it。 In this wilderness they give blow for blow； or perish。〃
Henry knew that it was true； but he felt a certain sadness。 His heart had been inflamed against the Iroquois； he could never forget Wyoming or its horrors； but in the destruction of an ancient town the long labor of man perished； and it seemed waste。 Doubtless a dozen generations of Iroquois children had played here on the grass。 He walked toward the northern end of the village； and saw fields there from which recent corn had been taken； but behind him the cry； 〃Wyoming！〃 was repeated louder and oftener now。 Then he saw men running here and there with torches； and presently smoke and flame burst from the houses。 He examined the fields and forest for a little distance to see if any ambushed foe might still lie among them； but all the while the flame and smoke behind him were rising higher。
Henry turned back and joined his comrades。 Oghwaga was perishing。 The flames leaped from house to house； and then from lodge to lodge。 There was no need to use torches any more。 The whole village was wrapped in a mass of fire that grew and swelled until the flames rose above the forest； and were visible in the clear night miles away。
So great was the heat that Colonel Butler and the soldiers and scouts were compelled to withdraw to the edge of the forest。 The wind rose and the flames soared。 Sparks flew in myriads； and ashes fell dustily on the dry leaves of the trees。 Bob Taylor； with his hands clenched tightly； muttered under his breath； 〃Wyoming！ Wyoming！〃
〃It is the Iroquois who suffer now；〃 said Heemskerk； as he revolved slowly away from a heated point。
Crashes came presently as the houses fell in； and then the sparks would leap higher and the flames roar louder。 The barns； too； were falling down； and the grain was destroyed。 The grapevines were trampled under foot； and the gardens were ruined。 Oghwaga； a great central base of the Six Nations； was vanishing forever。 For four hundred years； ever since the days of Hiawatha； the Iroquois had waxed in power。 They had ruled over lands larger than great empires。 They had built up political and social systems that are the wonder of students。 They were invincible in war； because every man had been trained from birth to be a warrior； and now they were receiving their first great blow。
From a point far in the forest； miles away； Thayendanegea； Timmendiquas； Hiokatoo； Sangerachte； 〃Indian〃 Butler； Walter Butler； Braxton Wyatt； a low； heavybrowed Tory named Coleman； with whom Wyatt had become very friendly； and about sixty Iroquois and twenty Tories were watching a tower of light to the south that had just appeared above the trees。 It was of an intense； fiery color； and every Indian in that gloomy band knew that it was Oghwaga； the great； the inviolate； the sacred； that was burning； and that the men who were doing it were the white frontiersmen； who； his red…coated allies had told him； would soon be swept forever from these woods。 And they were forced to stand and see it； not daring to attack so strong and alert a force。
They sat there in the darkness among the trees； and watched the column of fire grow and grow until it seemed to pierce the skies。 Timmendiquas never said a word。 In his heart； Indian though he was； he felt that the Iroquois had gone too far。 In him was the spirit of the farseeing Hiawatha。 He could perceive that great cruelty always brought retaliation； but it was not for him； almost an alien； to say these things to Thayendanegea； the mighty war chief of the Mohawks and the living spirit of the Iroquois nation。
Thayendanegea sat on the stump of a tree blown down by winter storms。 His arms were folded across his breast； and he looked steadily toward that red threatening light off there in the south。 Some such idea as that in the mind of Timmendiquas may have been passing in his own。 He was an uncommon Indian； and he had had uncommon advantages。 He had not believed that the colonists could make head against so great a kingdom as England； aided by the allied tribes； the Canadians； and the large body of Tories among their own people。 But he saw with his own eyes the famous Oghwaga of the Iroquois going down under their torch。
〃Tell me； Colonel John Butler；〃 he said bitterly； where is your great king now？ Is his arm long enough to reach from London to save our town of Oghwaga； which is perhaps as much to us as his great city of London is to him？〃
The thickset figure of 〃Indi