midnight before
Sorely did I blame Jacob for having forced us into such a position of danger , when there was little hope any good could be effected by our coming , and more than once I promised myself that , if by any fortunate chance I succeeded in arriving at Cherry Valley again , no one could tempt me to leave it . It was useless , however , to mourn over what could not be cured . We had come there voluntarily , and , unless both of us were willing to write ourselves down as cowards , must perform the task . It was well-nigh midnight before we heard anything of the enemy , and then a faint hum of voices in the distance told that Sergeant Corney had led the way truly and wonderfully well . Never again would I say that he was not thoroughly versed in woodcraft . The old soldier gripped my arm to make certain I understood that we had come near to the enemy , and then inch by inch we moved forward , halting a few moments every time we incautiously caused a rustling among the foliage . -LSB- Illustration : `` Three or four hundred Indians were dancing wildly around a huge fire '' -RSB- How long that slow progress continued I can not rightly say ; but it seemed to me as if the morning was near at hand when we were arrived , having miraculously passed such stragglers , scouts , or sentinels as might have been in the vicinity , at a point where we could have a view of this particular portion of the encampment .