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less 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 〃Indian〃 Butler moved； and his swart face flushed as much as it could。
〃You know as much about the king as I do； Joe Brant；〃 he replied。 〃We are fighting here for your country as well as his； and you cannot say that Johnson's Greens and Butler's Rangers and the British and Canadians have not done their part。〃
〃It is true；〃 said Thayendanegea； 〃but it is true； also； that one must fight with wisdom。 Perhaps there was too much burning of living men at Wyoming。 The pain of the wounded bear makes him fight the harder； and it； is because of Wyoming that Oghwaga yonder burns。 Say； is it not so； Colonel John Butler ？〃
〃Indian〃 Butler made no reply； but sat； sullen and lowering。 The Tory； Coleman； whispered to Braxton Wyatt； but Timmendiquas was the only one who spoke aloud。
〃Thayendanegea；〃 he said； 〃I； and the Wyandots who are with me； have come far。 We expected to return long ago to the lands on the Ohio； but we were with you in your village； and now； when Manitou has turned his face from you for the time； we will not leave you。 We stay and fight by your side。〃
Thayendanegea stood up； and Timmendiquas stood up； also。
〃You are a great chief； White Lightning of the Wyandots 〃 he said； 〃 and you and I are brothers。 I shall be proud and happy to have such a mighty leader fighting with me。 We will have vengeance for this。 The power of the Iroquois is as great as ever。〃
He raised himself to his full height； pointing to the fire； and the flames of hate and resolve burned in his eyes。 Old Hiokatoo； the most savage of all the chiefs； shook his tomahawk； and a murmur passed through the group of Indians。
Braxton Wyatt still talked in whispers to his new friend； Coleman； the Tory； who was more to his liking than the morose and savage Walter Butler； whom he somewhat feared。 Wyatt was perhaps the least troubled of all those present。 Caring for himself only； the burning of Oghwaga caused him no grief。 He suffered neither from the misfortune of friend nor foe。 He was able to contemplate the glowing tower of light with curiosity only。 Braxton Wyatt knew that the Iroquois and their allies would attempt revenge for the burning of Oghwaga； and he saw profit for himself in such adventures。 His horizon had broadened somewhat of late。 The renegade； Blackstaffe； had returned to rejoin Simon Girty； but be had found a new friend in Coleman。 He was coming now more into touch with the larger forces in the East； nearer to the seat of the great war； and he hoped to profit by it。
〃This is a terrible blow to Brant；〃 Coleman whispered to him。 〃The Iroquois have been able to ravage the whole frontier； while the rebels； occupied with the king's troops； have not been able to send help to their own。 But they have managed to strike at last； as you see。〃
〃I do see；〃 said Wyatt； 〃and on the whole； Coleman； I'm not sorry。 Perhaps these chiefs won't be so haughty now； and they'll soon realize that they need likely chaps such as you and me； eh； Coleman。〃
〃You're not far from the truth；〃 said Coleman； laughing a little； and pleased at the penetration of his new friend。 They did not talk further； although the agreement between them was well established。 Neither did the Indian chiefs or the Tory leaders say any more。 They watched the tower of fire a long time； past midnight； until it reached its zenith and then began to sink。 They saw its crest go down behind the trees； and they saw the luminous cloud in the south fade and go out entirely； leaving there only the darkness that reined everywhere else。
Then the Indian and Tory leaders rose and silently marched northward。 It was nearly dawn when Henry and his comrades lay down for the rest that they needed badly。 They spread their blankets at the edge of the open； but well back from the burned area； which was now one great mass of coals and charred timbers； sending up little flame but much smoke。 Many of the troops were already asleep； but Henry； before lying down； begged William Gray to keep a strict watch lest the Iroquois attack from ambush。 He knew that the