Mighty　has　been　our　taking　of　scalps；　　　They　will　fill　all　the　lodges　of　the　Iroquois。　　　We　have　burned　the　houses　of　the　Bostonians。　　　Ever…victorious　is　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee。
  The　wolf　will　prowl　in　their　corn…fields；　　　The　grass　will　grow　where　their　blood　has　soaked；　　　Their　bones　will　lie　for　the　buzzard　to　pick。　　　Ever…victorious　is　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee。
  We　came　upon　them　by　river　and　forest；　　　As　we　smote　Wyoming　we　will　smite　the　others；　　　We　will　drive　the　Bostonians　back　to　the　sea。　　　Ever…victorious　is　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee。
  The　monotonous　chant　with　the　refrain；　〃Ever…victorious　is　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee；〃　went　on　for　many　verses。　　Meanwhile　the　old　squaws　never　ceased　to　feed　the　bonfire；　and　the　flames　roared；　casting　a　deeper　and　more　vivid　light　over　the　distorted　faces　of　the　dancers　and　those　of　the　chiefs；　who　sat　gravely　beyond。
  Higher　and　higher　leaped　the　warriors。　　They　seemed　unconscious　of　fatigue；　and　the　glare　in　their　eyes　became　that　of　maniacs。　　Their　whole　souls　were　possessed　by　the　orgy。　　Beads　of　sweat；　not　of　exhaustion；　but　of　emotional　excitement；　appeared　upon　their　faces　and　naked　bodies；　and　the　red　and　black　paint　streaked　together　horribly。
  For　a　long　time　this　went　on；　and　then　the　warriors　ceased　suddenly　to　sing；　although　they　continued　their　dance。　　A　moment　later　a　cry　which　thrilled　every　nerve　came　from　a　far　point　in　the　dark　background。　　It　was　the　scalp　yell；　the　most　terrible　of　all　Indian　cries；　long；　high…pitched；　and　quavering；　having　in　it
  something　of　the　barking　howl　of　the　wolf　and　the　fiendish　shriek　of　a　murderous　maniac。　　The　warriors　instantly　took　it　up；　and　gave　it　back　in　a　gigantic　chorus。
  A　ghastly　figure　bounded　into　the　circle　of　the　firelight。　　It　was　that　of　a　woman；　middle…aged；　tall　and　powerful；　naked　to　the　waist；　her　body　covered　with　red　and　black　paint；　her　long　black　hair　hanging　in　a　loose　cloud　down　her　back。　　She　held　a　fresh　scalp；　taken　from　a　white　head；　aloft　in　either　band。　　It　was　Catharine　Montour；　and　it　was　she　who　had　first　emitted　the　scalp　yell。　　After　her　came　more　warriors；　all　bearing　scalps。　　The　scalp　yell　was　supposed　to　be　uttered　for　every　scalp　taken；　and；　as　they　had　taken　more　than　three　hundred；　it　did　not　cease　for　hours；　penetrating　every　part　of　the　forest。　　All　the　time　Catharine　Montour　led　the　dance。　　None　bounded　higher　than　she。　　None　grimaced　more　horribly。
  While　they　danced；　six　men；　with　their　hands　tied　behind　them　and　black　caps　on　their　heads；　were　brought　forth　and　paraded　around　amid　hoots　and　yells　and　brandishing　of　tomahawks　in　their　faces。　　They　were　the　surviving　prisoners；　and　the　black　caps　meant　that　they　were　to　be　killed　and　scalped　on　the　morrow。　　Stupefied　by　all　through　which　they　had　gone；　they　were　scarcely　conscious　now。
  Midnight　came。　　The　Iroquois　still　danced　and　sang；　and　the　calm　stars　looked　down　upon　the　savage　and　awful　scene。　　Now　the　dancers　began　to　weary。　　Many　dropped　unconscious；　and　the　others　danced　about　them　where　they　lay。　　After　a　while　all　ceased。　　Then　the　chiefs　brought　forth　a　white　dog；　which　Hiokatoo　killed　and　threw　on　the　embers　of　the　fire。　　When　it　was　thoroughly　roasted；　the　chiefs　cut　it　in　pieces　and　ate　it。　　Thus　closed　the　Festival　of　Thanksgiving　for　the　victory　of　Wyoming。
  CHAPTER　XIII
  A　FOREST　PAGE
  When　the　survivors　of　the　band　of　Wyoming　fugitives　that　the　five　had　helped　were　behind　the　walls　of　Fort　Penn；　securing　the　food　and　rest　they　needed　so　greatly；　Henry　Ware　and　his　comrades　felt　themselves　relieved　of　a　great　responsibility。　　They　were　also　aware　how　much　they　owed　to　Timmendiquas；　because　few　of　the　Indians　and　renegades　would　have　been　so　forbearing。　　Thayendanegea　seemed　to　them　inferior　to　the　great　Wyandot。　　Often　when　Brant　could　prevent　the　torture　of　the　prisoners　and　the　slaughter　of　women　and　children；　he　did　not　do　it。　The　five　could　never　forget　these　things　in　after　life；　when　Brant　was　glorified　as　a　great　warrior　and　leader。　　Their　minds　always　turned　to　Timmendiquas　as　the　highest　and　finest　of　Indian　types。
  While　they　were　at　Fort　Penn　two　other　parties　came；　in　a　fearful　state　of　exhaustion；　and　also　having　paid　the　usual　toll　of　death　on　the　way。　　Other　groups　reached　the　Moravian　towns；　where　they　were　received　with　all　kindness　by　the　German　settlers。　　The　five　were　able　to　give　some　help　to　several　of　these　parties；　but　the　beautiful　Wyoming　Valley　lay　utterly　in　ruins。　　The　ruthless　fury　of　the　savages　and　of　many　of　the　Tories；　Canadians；　and　Englishmen；　can　scarcely　be　told。　　Everything　was　slaughtered　or　burned。　　As　a　habitation　of　human　beings　or　of　anything　pertaining　to　human　beings；　the　valley　for　a　time　ceased　to　be。　　An　entire　population　was　either　annihilated　or　driven　out；　and　finally　Butler's　army；　finding　that　nothing　more　was　left　to　be　destroyed；　gathered　in　its　war　parties　and　marched　northward　with　a　vast　store　of　spoils；　in　which　scalps　were　conspicuous。　　When　they　repassed　Tioga　Point；　Timmendiquas　and　his　Wyandots　were　still　with　them。　　Thayendanegea　was　also　with　them　here；　and　so　was　Walter　Butler；　who　was　destined　shortly　to　make　a　reputation　equaling　that　of　his　father；　〃Indian〃　Butler。　　Nor　had　the　terrible　Queen　Esther　ever　left　them。　　She　marched　at　the　head　of　the　army；　singing；　horrid　chants　of　victory；　and　swinging　the　great　war　tomahawk；　which　did　not　often　leave　her　hand。
  The　whole　force　was　re…embarked　upon　the　Susquehanna；　and　it　was　still　full　of　the　impulse　of　savage　triumph。　　Wild　Indian　songs　floated　along　the　stream　or　through　the　meadows；　which　were　quiet　now。　　They　advanced　at　their　ease；　knowing　that　there　was　nobody　to　attack　them；　but　they　were　watched　by　five　woodsmen；　two　of　whom　were　boys。　　Meanwhile　the　story　of　Wyoming；　to　an　extent　that　neither　Indians　nor　woodsmen　themselves　suspected；　was　spreading　from　town　to　town　in　the　East；　to　invade　thence　the　whole　civilized　world；　and　to　stir　up　an　indignation　and　horror　that　would　make　the　name　Wyoming　long　memorable。　　Wyoming　had　been　a　victory　for　the　flag　under　which　the　invaders　fought；　but　it　sadly　tarnished　the　cause　of　that　flag；　and　the　consequences　were　to　be　seen　soon。
  Henry　Ware；　Paul　Cotter；　Sol　Hyde；　Tom　Ross；　and　Jim　Hart　were　thinking　little　of　distant　consequences；　but　they　were　eager　for　the　present　punishment　of　these　men　who　had　committed　so　much　cruelty。　　From　the　bushes　they　could　easily　follow　the　canoes；　and　could　recognize　some　of　their　occupants。　　In　one　of　the　rear　boats　sat　Braxton　Wyatt　and　a　young　man　whom　they　knew　to　be　Walter　Butler；　a　pallid　young　man；　animated　by　the　most　savage　ferocity　against　the　patriots。　　He　and　Wyatt　seemed　to　be　on　the　best　of　terms；　and　faint　echoes　of　their　laughter　came　to　the　five　who　were　watching　among　the　bushes　on　the　river　bank。　　Certainly　Braxton　Wyatt　and　he　were　a　pair　well　met。
  〃Henry；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol　longingly；　〃I　think　I　could　jest　about　reach　Braxton　Wyatt　with　a　bullet　from　here。　　I　ain't　over　fond　o'　shootin'　from　ambush；　but　I　done　got　over　all　scruples　so　fur　ez　he's　concerned。　　Jest　one　bullet；　one　little　bullet；　Henry；　an'　ef　I　miss　I　won't　ask　fur　a　second　chance。〃
  〃No；　Sol；　it　won't　do；〃　said　Henry。　　〃They'd　get　off　to　hunt　us。　　The　whole　fleet　would　be　stopped；　and　we　want　'em　to　go　on　as　fast　as　possible。〃
  〃I　s'pose　you're　right；　Henry；〃　said　the　shiftless　one　sadly；　〃but　I'd　jest　like　to　try　it　once。　　I'd　give　a　month's　good　huntin'　for　that　single　trial。〃
  After　watching　the　British…Indian　fleet　passing　up　the　river；　they　turned　back　to　the　site　of　the　Wyoming　fort　and　the　houses　near　it。　　Here　everything　had　been　destroyed。　　It　was　about　dusk　when　they　approached　the　battlefield；　and　they　heard　a　dreadful　howling；　chiefly　that　of　wolves。
  I　think　we'd　better　turn　away；〃　said　Henry。　　〃　We　couldn't　do　anything　with　so　many。〃
  They　agreed　with　him；　and；　going　back；　followed　the　Indians　up　the　Susquehanna。　　A　light　rain　fell　that　night；　but　they　slept　under　a　little　shed；　once　attached　to　a　house　which　had　been　destroyed　by　fire。　　In　some　way　the　shed　had　escaped　the　flames；　and　it　now　came　into　timely　use。　　The　five；　cunning　in　forest　practice；　drew　up　brush　on　the　sides；　and　half…burned　timber　also；　and；　spreading　their　blankets　on　ashes　which　had　not　long　been　cold；　lay　well　sheltered　from　the　drizzling　rain；　although　they　did　not　sleep　for　a　long　time。
  It　was　the　hottest　period　of　the　year　in　America；　but　the　night　had　come　on　cool；　and　the　rain　made　it　cooler。　　The　five；　profiting　by　experience；　often　carried　with　them　two　light　blankets　instead　of　one　heavy　one。　　With　one　blanket　beneath　the　body　they　could　keep　warmer　in　case　the　weather　was　cold。
  Now　they　lay　in　a　row　against　the　standing　wall　of　the　old　outhouse；　protected　by　a　six…　or　seven…foot　slant　of　board　roof。　　They　had　eaten　of　a　deer　that　they　had　shot　in　the　morning；　and　they　had　a　sense　of　comfort　and　rest　that　none　of　them　had　known　before　in　many　days。　　Henry's　feelings　were　much　like　those　that　he　had　experienced　when　he　lay　in　the　bushes　in　the　little　canoe；　wrapped　up　from　the　storm　and　hidden　from　the　Iroquois。　　But　here　there　was　an　importa