Pittsfield stated that one thousand dollars had been
advanced from the Provincial Treasury of Connecticut to pay the expenses
of the expedition; that the sixteen men making up the following of the
committee were recruits who had pledged themselves to capture this
important fortress which formed the key of communication between New
York and the Canadas, and that they proposed to march through the
country to Shoreham, opposite Ticonderoga, recruiting as they went, with
the belief that on arriving there their force would be sufficiently
large to capture the fort.

The boys as well as the men were highly excited, as was but natural, by
such rumors, and a certain Isaac Rice, who prided himself upon being
fourteen years old, instead of gathering with his companions, listening
eagerly to every word which dropped from the lips of the older members
of the community, conceived the idea of applying to what he believed to
be the fountain-head of all information regarding military matters.

This supposedly wise man was none other than Corporal Elijah Watkins,
generally known as "Corporal 'Lige," sometimes spoken of as "Master
Watkins;" but always to Isaac Rice, "the corporal."

He was looked upon as an old man when he served under Abercrombie at
Ticonderoga in '58, and believed of a surety he was as well informed in
military affairs as Isaac Rice, his ardent disciple, fancied him to be.

Ever ready to give advice on important matters; not backward about
criticising the alleged mistakes of his superiors, and holding himself
as with the idea that during the late troubles with the French he had
learned all the art of warfare; but yet with such possibly disagreeable
qualities, Corporal 'Lige had shown himself to be a brave soldier,
willing at any time to do more even than was his duty.

The old man was sitting outside the door of a tiny log building which he
called home, smoking peacefully, much as he might have done had the
committee from Connecticut never passed that way, and this apparent
indifference surprised the boy.

"Why, corporal, don't you know what's going on in the town? Haven't you
heard that they are talking of taking the fort at Ticonderoga, and
running the king out of the country?"

"First and foremost, Isaac lad, are you so ignorant as to think the king
is here in this 'ere province to be run out? An' then agin, can't you
realize that talkin's one thing an' doin's another?"

"Yes; but, corporal, haven't you hear