aders　of　their　allies　were　already　out　of　sight。　　On　all　sides　the　allied　red　and　white　force　was　dissolving。　　　Precipitate　flight　was　saving　the　fugitives　from　a　greater　loss　in　killed　and　wounded…it　was　usually　Indian　tactics　to　flee　with　great　speed　when　the　battle　began　to　go　against　them…but　the　people　of　the　Long　House　had　suffered　the　greatest　overthrow　in　their　history；　and　bitterness　and　despair　were　in　the　hearts　of　the　Iroquois　chiefs　as　they　fled。
  The　American　army　not　only　carried　the　center　of　the　Indian　camp；　but　the　heavy　flanking　parties　closed　in　also；　and　the　whole　Indian　army　was　driven　in　at　every　point。　　The　retreat　was　becoming　a　rout。　　A　great；　confused　conflict　was　going　on。　　The　rapid　crackle　of　rifles　mingled　with　the　shouts　and　war　whoops　of　the　combatants。　　Smoke　floated　everywhere。　　The　victorious　army；　animated　by　the　memory　of　the　countless　cruelties　that　had　been　practiced　on　the　border；　pushed　harder　and　harder。　　The　Iroquois　were　driven　back　along　the　Chemung。　　It　seemed　that　they　might　be　hemmed　in　against　the　river；　but　in　their　flight　they　came　to　a　ford。　　Uttering　their　cry　of　despair；　〃Oonali！　　Oonali！〃　a　wail　for　a　battle　lost；　they　sprang　into　the　stream；　many　of　them　throwing　away　their　rifles；　tomahawks；　and　blankets；　and　rushed　for　the　other　shore。　　But　the　Scouts　and　a　body　of　riflemen　were　after　them。
  Braxton　Wyatt　and　his　band　appeared　in　the　woods　on　the　far　shore；　and　opened　fire　on　the　pursuers　now　in　the　stream。　　He　alone　among　the　white　men　had　the　courage；　or　the　desperation；　to　throw　himself　and　his　　men　in　the　path　of　the　pursuit。　　The　riflemen　in　the　water　felt　the　bullets　pattering　around　them；　and　some　were　struck；　but　they　did　not　stop。　　They　kept　on　for　the　bank；　and　their　own　men　behind　them　opened　a　covering　fire　over　their　heads。
  Henry　felt　a　great　pulse　leap　in　his　throat　at　the　sight　of　Braxton　Wyatt　again。　　Nothing　could　have　turned　him　back　now。　　Shouting　to　the　riflemen；　he　led　the　charge　through　the　water；　and　the　bank's　defenders　were　driven　back。　　Yet　Wyatt；　with　his　usual　dexterity　and　prudence；　escaped　among　the　thickets。
  The　battle　now　became　only　a　series　of　detached　combats。　　Little　groups　seeking　to　make　a　stand　here　and　there　were　soon　swept　away。　　Thayendanegea　and　Timmendiquas　raged　and　sought　to　gather　together　enough　men　for　an　ambush；　for　anything　that　would　sting　the　victors；　but　they　were　pushed　too　hard　and　fast。　　A　rally　was　always　destroyed　in　the　beginning；　and　the　chiefs　themselves　at　last　ran　for　their　lives。　　The　pursuit　was　continued　for　a　long　time；　not　only　by　the　vanguard；　but　the　army　itself　moved　forward　over　the　battlefield　and　deep　into　the　forest　on　the　trail　of　the　flying　Iroquois。
  The　scouts　continued　the　pursuit　the　longest；　keeping　a　close　watch；　nevertheless；　against　an　ambush。　　Now　and　then　they　exchanged　shots　with　a　band；　but　the　Indians　always　fled　quickly；　and　at　last　they　stopped　because　they　could　no　longer　find　any　resistance。　　They　had　been　in　action　or　pursuit　for　many　hours；　and　they　were　black　with　smoke；　dust；　and　sweat；　but　they　were　not　yet　conscious　of　any　weariness。　　Heemskerk　drew　a　great　red　silk　handkerchief　from　his　pocket；　and　wiped　his　glowing　face；　which　was　as　red　as　the　handkerchief。
  〃It's　the　best　job　that's　been　done　in　these　parts　for　many　a　year；〃　he　said。　　〃The　Iroquois　have　always　　thought　they　were　invincible；　and　now　the　spell's　been　broke。　　If　we　only　follow　it　up。〃
  〃That's　sure　to　be　done；〃　said　Henry。　　〃I　heard　General　Sullivan　himself　say　that　his　orders　were　to　root　up　the　whole　Iroquois　power。〃
  They　returned　slowly　toward　the　main　force；　retracing　their　steps　over　the　path　of　battle。　　It　was　easy　enough　to　follow　it。　　They　beheld　a　dead　warrior　at　every　step；　and　at　intervals　were　rifles；　tomahawks；　scalping　knives；　blankets；　and　an　occasional　shot　pouch　or　powder　horn。　　Presently　they　reached　the　main　army；　which　was　going　into　camp　for　the　night。　　Many　camp　fires　were　built；　and　the　soldiers；　happy　in　their　victory；　were　getting　ready　for　supper。　　But　there　was　no　disorder。　　They　had　been　told　already　that　they　were　to　march　again　in　the　morning。
  Henry；　Paul；　Tom；　Jim；　and　Shif'less　Sol　went　back　over　the　field　of　battle；　where　many　of　the　dead　still　lay。　　Twilight　was　now　coming；　and　it　was　a　somber　sight。　　The　earthwork；　the　thickets；　and　the　trees　were　torn　by　cannon　balls。　　Some　tents　raised　by　the　Tories　lay　in　ruins；　and　the　earth　was　stained　with　many　dark　splotches。　　But　the　army　had　passed　on；　and　it　was　silent　and　desolate　where　so　many　men　had　fought。　　The　twilight　drew　swiftly　on　to　night；　and　out　of　the　forest　came　grewsome　sounds。　　The　wolves；　thick　now　in　a　region　which　the　Iroquois　had　done　so　much　to　turn　into　a　wilderness；　were　learning　welcome　news；　and　they　were　telling　it　to　one　another。　　By　and　by；　as　the　night　deepened；　the　five　saw　fiery　eyes　in　the　thickets；　and　the　long　howls　came　again。
  〃It　sounds　like　the　dirge　of　the　people　of　the　Long　House；〃　said　Paul；　upon　whose　sensitive　mind　the　scene　made　a　deep　impression。
  The　others　nodded。　　At　that　moment　they　did　not　feel　the　flush　of　victory　in　its　full　force。　　It　was　not　in　their　nature　to　rejoice　over　a　fallen　foe。　　Yet　they　knew　the　full　value　of　the　victory；　and　none　of　them　could　wish　any　part　of　it　undone。　　They　returned　slowly　to　the　camp；　and　once　more　they　heard　behind　them　the　howl　of　the　wolves　as　they　invaded　the　battlefield。
  They　were　glad　when　they　saw　the　cheerful　lights　of　the　camp　fires　twinkling　through　the　forest；　and　heard　the　voices　of　many　men　talking。　　Heemskerk　welcomed　them　there。
  〃Come；　lads；〃　he　said。　　〃You　must　eat…you　won't　find　out　until　you　begin；　how　hungry　you　are…and　then　you　must　sleep；　because　we　march　early　to…morrow；　and　we　march　fast。〃
  The　Dutchman's　words　were　true。　　They　had　not　tasted　food　since　morning；　they　had　never　thought　of　it；　but　now；　with　the　relaxation　from　battle；　they　found　themselves　voraciously　hungry。
  〃It's　mighty　good；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol；　as　they　sat　by　a　fire　and　ate　bread　and　meat　and　drank　coffee；　〃but　I'll　say　this　for　you；　you　old　ornery；　long…legged　Jim　Hart；　it　ain't　any　better　than　the　venison　an'　bulffaler　steaks　that　you've　cooked　fur　us　many　a　time。〃
  〃An'　that　I'm　likely　to　cook　fur　you　many　a　time　more；〃　said　Long　Jim　complacently。
  〃But　it　will　be　months　before　you　have　any　chance　at　buffalo　again；　Jim；〃　said　Henry。　　〃We　are　going　on　a　long　campaign　through　the　Iroquois　country。〃
  〃An'　it's　shore　to　be　a　dangerous　one；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃Men　like　warriors　o'　the　Iroquois　ain't　goin'　to　give　up　with　one　fight。　　They'll　be　hangin'　on　our　flanks　like　wasps。〃
  〃That's　true；〃　said　Henry；　〃but　in　my　opinion　the　Iroquois　are　overthrown　forever。　　One　defeat　means　more　to　them　than　a　half　dozen　to　us。〃
  They　said　little　more；　but　by　and　by　lay　down　to　sleep　before　the　fires。　　They　had　toiled　so　long　and　so　faithfully　that　the　work　of　watching　and　scouting　that　night　could　be　intrusted　to　others。　　Yet　Henry　could　not　sleep　for　a　long　time。　　The　noises　of　the　night　interested　him。　　He　watched　the　men　going　about；　and　the　sentinels　pacing　back　and　forth　around　the　camp。　　The　sounds　died　gradually　as　the　men　lay　down　and　sank　to　sleep。　　The　fires　which　had　formed　a　great　core　of　light　also　sank；　and　the　shadows　crept　toward　the　camp。　　The　figures　of　the　pacing　sentinels；　rifle　on　shoulder；　gradually　grew　dusky。　　Henry's　nerves；　attuned　so　long　to　great　effort；　slowly　relaxed。　　Deep　peace　came　over　him；　and　his　eyelids　drooped；　the　sounds　in　the　camp　sank　to　the　lowest　murmur；　but　just　as　he　was　falling　asleep　there　came　from　the　battlefield　behind　then　the　far；　faint　howl　of　a　wolf；　the　dirge　of　the　Iroquois。
  CHAPTER　XXII
  LITTLE　BEARD'S　TOWN
  The　trumpets　called　early　the　next　morning；　and　the　five　rose；　refreshed；　ready　for　new　labors。　　The　fires　were　already　lighted；　and　breakfast　was　cooking。　　Savory　odors　permeated　the　forest。　　But　as　soon　as　all　had　eaten；　the　army　marched；　going　northward　and　westward；　intending　to　cut　through　the　very　center　of　the　Iroquois　country。　　Orders　had　come　from　the　great　commander　that　the　power　of　the　Six　Nations；　which　had　been　so　long　such　a　terrible　scourge　on　the　American　frontier；　must　be　annihilated。　　They　must　be　made　strangers　in　their　own　country。　　Women　and　children　were　not　to　be　molested；　but　their　towns　must　perish。
  As　Thayendanegea　had　said　the　night　before　the　Battle　of　the　Chemung；　the　power　beyond　the　seas　that　had　urged　the　Iroquois　to　war　on　the　border　did　not　save　them。　　It　could　not。　　British　and　Tories　alike　had　promised　them　certain　victory；　and　for　a　while　it　had　seemed　that　the　promises　would　come　true。　　But　the　tide　had　turned；　and　the　Iroquois　were　fugitives　in　their　own　country。
  The　army　continued　its　march　through　the　wilderness；　the　scouts　in　front　and　heavy　parties　of　riflemen　on　either　flank。　　There　was　no　chance　for　a　surprise。　　Henry　and　his　comrades　were　aware　that　Indian　bands　still　lurked　in　the　forest；　and　they　had　several　narrow　escapes　from　the　bullets　of　ambushed　foes；　but　the　progress　of　the　army　was　irresistible。　　Nothing　could　check　it　for　a　moment；　however　much　the　Indian　and　Tory　chiefs　might　plan。