Both Isaac and Nathan believed it was their duty to accompany the prisoners; but Captain Baker insisted that they remain at his home in order to gain the repose which was needed, promising that they should arrive at Ticonderoga nearly as soon as if they had gone with the company escorting the Tories.
Therefore it was the boys remained, well content with the work they had performed, and not until the morning of the twelfth of May was the return journey begun.
Then the wind was blowing gently from the southward, and Nathan said mournfully:
"We have of a surety lost the chance of going to Crown Point, for the hunter will be up and doing this morning, and is likely well on his way by this time."
"Ay, lad if he didn't get there yesterday, which I misdoubt, you may count that he started before daybreak this morning; but you can have the satisfaction of knowing that save for your work, his task might not be so easy."
"Think you he can surprise the garrison?" Isaac asked.
"I see no reason why it should not be done, especially after your capture of the Tories, for thus far Colonel Allen has succeeded in keeping his movements a secret, at least from the people in this section of the country, and why may you not say the same of Crown Point?"
To the surprise of the boys no less than twenty men were assembled in front of Captain Baker's house by the time breakfast had been eaten, and on making inquiry Isaac learned that these were all of the Green Mountain Boys who had been ordered by their leader to rendezvous at Sudbury until summoned elsewhere.
The company, under command of Captain Baker, took up the line of march over an old trail through the woods, marching to a point on the shore of the lake nearly two miles further down from where the boys had landed, when they came from the fort.
There, snugly hidden in the thicket ready for just such an emergency as had already come, were found four stout boats, each capable of carrying not less than a dozen men, and after all were embarked and the little fleet pushed off from the shore, it appeared quite formidable.
Each craft boasted of a sail, and with the wind from the southward there was no need of labor at the oars, therefore this portion of the journey promised to be most pleasant.