"Men, fall in for a moment. Here," waving his hand toward his companion, as the men rapidly fell into line, "is Mr. Benedict Arnold. He bears a colonel's commission from the Connecticut Committee of Safety, and claims the right to command you to-night. Men of the Green Mountains, whom do you follow--Arnold or Allen?"
"Allen, Allen," came in response, loud and decided.
The chosen chief turned a triumphant smile upon his rival, who strode away in silence of restrained passion. Soon returning, however, he addressed Allen in a clear, steady voice:
"Sir, I submit to the will of these men, but let me be a volunteer in this glorious enterprise. The Green Mountain Boys and their famous leader are too generous to refuse this."
Allen, touched at a vulnerable point, grasped the speaker's hand heartily and answered:
"Indeed, so brave a man as I well know you to be, is most welcome, and, by the Great Jehovah, if the men don't object, you shall be second in command."
A shout of approval went up from the men, who gathered around their camp fires again, while Allen and Arnold, together with Warner, walked apart in amicable consultation. Soon the first called loudly for any information concerning a lad named Nathan Beeman. At the sound of his name, Nathan started, blushed, hesitated, and then stepped bashfully forward, and was quickly recognized by Allen in spite of his added stature.
"Here, this is the youngster, Colonel Arnold, that Mr. John Brown tells of in this paper, whom he saw and conversed with last winter about Ticonderoga."
The two colonels then asked the boy many questions about the Fort, its entrance, the interior, the number of the garrison, and the disposal of the sentinels. Evidently satisfied with his straightforward replies, Allen said, low and impressively:
"You have such a chance to serve your country as don't often fall to a boy. Will you lead us into the Fort to-night? Will you do it faithfully?"
Nathan looked steadily into the earnest, searching eyes fixed upon him, but did not answer.
"If the commandant's lady won't be hurt, I will," he said at last, his left hand thrust into his pocket, fumbling his cherished shilling piece.
Allen laughed good-humoredly. "So the lady is a friend of yours. Well, never fear. We may disturb her morning nap, but she shall not be harmed. We are not waging war in the wilderness against women and children. Here, my boy, stick this twig of hemlock in your hat. Don't you see we've all mounted it? There, now," as he himself put the evergreen sprig in Nathan's hatband, "you wear the Green Mountain Boy's cockade. See that you never disgrace it."