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Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander), 1862-1919

"The Scouts of the Valley"


"It was one long, long tramp for me, Mynheer Henry," said
Heemskerk, as he revolved slowly up to the camp fire where Henry
was eating his breakfast," and I am now very tired. It was like
walking four or five times around Holland, which is such a fine
little country, with the canals and the flowers along them, and
no great, dark woods filled with the fierce Iroquois."
"Still, I've a notion, Mynheer Heemskerk, that you'd rather be
here, and perhaps before the day is over you will get some
fighting hot enough to please even you."
Mynheer Heemskerk threw up his hands in dismay, but a half hour
later he was eagerly discussing with Henry the possibility of
overtaking some large band of retreating Iroquois.
Urged on by all the scouts and by those who had suffered at
Wyoming, Colonel Butler gathered his forces and marched swiftly
that very morning up the river against another Indian town,
Cunahunta. Fortunately for him, a band of riflemen and scouts
unsurpassed in skill led the way, and saw to it that the road was
safe. In this band were the five, of course, and after them
Heemskerk, young Taylor, and several others.
"If the Iroquois do not get in our way, we'll strike Cunahunta
before night," said Heemskerk, who knew the way.


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