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at he would use them to ambush the trail。
Therefore Wetzel decided he would try to strike Miller's tracks far west of the river。 He risked a great deal in attempting this because it was possible he might fail to find any trace of the spy。 But Wetzel wasted not one second。 His course was chosen。 With all possible speed； which meant with him walking only when he could not run； he traveled northwest。 If Miller had taken the direction Wetzel suspected； the trails of the two men would cross about ten miles from the Ohio。 But the hunter had not traversed more than a mile of the forest when the dog put his nose high in the air and growled。 Wetzel slowed down into a walk and moved cautiously onward； peering through the green aisles of the woods。 A few rods farther on Tige uttered another growl and put his nose to the ground。 He found a trail。 On examination Wetzel discovered in the moss two moccasin tracks。 Two Indians had passed that point that morning。 They were going northwest directly toward the camp of Wingenund。 Wetzel stuck close to the trail all that day and an hour before dusk he heard the sharp crack of a rifle。 A moment afterward a doe came crashing through the thicket to Wetzel's right and bounding across a little brook she disappeared。
A tree with a bushy； leafy top had been uprooted by a storm and had fallen across the stream at this point。 Wetzel crawled among the branches。 The dog followed and lay down beside him。 Before darkness set in Wetzel saw that the clear water of the brook had been roiled； therefore； he concluded that somewhere upstream Indians had waded into the brook。 Probably they had killed a deer and were getting their evening meal。
Hours passed。 Twilight deepened into darkness。 One by one the stars appeared； then the crescent moon rose over the wooded hill in the west； and the hunter never moved。 With his head leaning against the log he sat quiet and patient。 At midnight he whispered to the dog； and crawling from his hiding place glided stealthily up the stream。 Far ahead from the dark depths of the forest peeped the flickering light of a camp…fire。 Wetzel consumed a half hour in approaching within one hundred feet of this light。 Then he got down on his hands and knees and crawled behind a tree on top of the little ridge which had obstructed a view of the camp scene。
From this vantage point Wetzel saw a clear space surrounded by pines and hemlocks。 In the center of this glade a fire burned briskly。 Two Indians lay wrapped in their blankets； sound asleep。 Wetzel pressed the dog close to the ground； laid aside his rifle； drew his tomahawk； and lying flat on his breast commenced to work his way； inch by inch； toward the sleeping savages。 The tall ferns trembled as the hunter wormed his way among them； but there was no sound； not a snapping of a twig nor a rustling of a leaf。 The nightwind sighed softly through the pines； it blew the bright sparks from the burning logs； and fanned the embers into a red glow； it swept caressingly over the sleeping savages； but it could not warn them that another wind； the Wind…of…Death； as near at hand。
A quarter of an hour elapsed。 Nearer and nearer； slowly but surely drew the hunter。 With what wonderful patience and self…control did this cold…blooded Nemesis approach his victims！ Probably any other Indian slayer would have fired his rifle and then rushed to combat with a knife or a tomahawk。 Not so Wetzel。 He scorned to use powder。 He crept forward like a snake gliding upon its prey。 He slid one hand in front of him and pressed it down on the moss； at first gently； then firmly； and when he had secured a good hold he slowly dragged his body forward the length of his arm。 At last his dark form rose and stood over the unconscious Indians； like a minister of Doom。 The tomahawk flashed once； twice in the firelight； and the Indians； without a moan； and with a convulsive quivering and straightening of their bodies； passed from the tired sleep of nature to the eternal sleep of death。
Foregoing his usual custom of taking the scalps； Wetzel hurriedly left the glade。 He had found that the Indians were Shawnees and he had expected they were Delawares。 He knew Miller's red comrades belonged to the latter tribe。 The presence of Shawnees so near the settlement confirmed his belief that a concerted movement was to be made on the whites in the near future。 He would not have been surprised to find the woods full of redskins。 He spent the remainder of that night close under the side of a log with the dog curled up beside him。
Next morning Wetzel ran across the trail of a white man and six Indians。 He tracked them all that day and half of the night before he again rested。 By noon of the following day he came in sight of the cliff from which Jonathan Zane had watched the sufferings of Col。 Crawford。 Wetzel now made his favorite move； a wide detour； and came up on the other side of the encampment。
From the top of the bluff he saw down into the village of the Delawares。 The valley was alive with Indians； they were working like beavers； some with weapons； some painting themselves； and others dancing war…dances。 Packs were being strapped on the backs of ponies。 Everywhere was the hurry and bustle of the preparation for war。 The dancing and the singing were kept up half the night。
At daybreak Wetzel was at his post。 A little after sunrise he heard a long yell which he believed announced the arrival of an important party。 And so it turned out。 Amid thrill yelling and whooping； the like of which Wetzel had never before heard； Simon Girty rode into Wingenund's camp at the head of one hundred Shawnee warriors and two hundred British Rangers from Detroit。 Wetzel recoiled when he saw the red uniforms of the Britishers and their bayonets。 Including Fipe's and Wingenund's braves the total force which was going to march against the Fort exceeded six hundred。 An impotent frenzy possessed Wetzel as he watched the orderly marching of the Rangers and the proud bearing of the Indian warriors。 Miller had spoken the truth。 Ft。 Henry vas doomed。
〃Tige； there's one of them struttin' turkey cocks as won't see the Ohio；〃 said Wetzel to the dog。
Hurriedly slipping from round his neck the bullet…pouch that Betty had given him； he shook out a bullet and with the point of his knife he scratched deep in the soft lead the letter W。 Then he cut the bullet half through。 This done he detached the pouch from the cord and running the cord through the cut in the bullet he bit the lead。 He tied the string round the neck of the dog and pointing eastward he said： 〃Home。〃
The intelligent animal understood perfectly。 His duty was to get that warning home。 His clear brown eyes as much as said： 〃I will not fail。〃 He wagged his tail； licked the hunter's hand； bounded away and disappeared in the forest。
Wetzel rested easier in mind。 He knew the dog would stop for nothing； and that he stood a far better chance of reaching the Fort in safety than did he himself。
With a lurid light in his eyes Wetzel now turned to the Indians。 He would never leave that spot without sending a leaden messenger into the heart of someone in that camp。 Glancing on all sides he at length selected a place where it was possible he