die is
cast. I might have risen to a proud distinction had I remained loyal
to the king, but I have not, and so my lot is with the colonists, and
may they win, or our lives are of but little value. How could
Delaplace get the ear of the king? Zounds! I believe it was only to
tempt me into disloyalty to the colonies that he made the proposition."

His soliloquy was interrupted by the entrance of Eli Forest.

"Colonel, your advice is needed. Col. Allen wishes to confer with you."

"I will be with him immediately. Ah! here he is. You honor me too
much, Gen. Allen."

"Nay, we are on equal footing, my dear Arnold. I wanted to consult
with you about two things. We must secure Crown Point, that is a
settled fact, and we must maintain our possession of this fort. Now,
what shall we do with the prisoners?"

"Keep them well guarded and wait until some of our men fall into the
hands of the enemy, and then act with them as they do with us."

"Perhaps that will be the wisest plan. I had thought of liberating
them on parole."

"It would be madness."

"You think so?"

"I am sure of it. In the eyes of these men we are rebels and outlaws,
and their parole would not prevent them from bringing the whole force
of the English against us."

"You are right. Will you appoint the guard?"

"Let Forest have charge of the prisoners and the fort."

"An admirable suggestion! So it shall be done."

"Ay, Forest, and shoot anyone who attempts to leave the fort, whether
friend or foe."

"You are very stern, Arnold."

"These times demand sternness."

CHAPTER XVII.

CROWN POINT.

"Colonel, an army is approaching."

Ethan Allen at once thought that a regiment of English was about to try
and wrest the fort from him.

He was agreeably disappointed when he saw that the men were his own
Green Mountain Boys, led by Seth Warner.

Warner had been doing good work in Vermont, and, finding it
advantageous to join his chief, he had marched his men to Ticonderoga.

A warm welcome was accorded the captain and his men, and Allen at once
gave the command of the operations against Crown Point to Seth Warner.

The fortifications at Crown Point were erected at a cost of ten million
dollars, and up to that time had never a shot been fired from them.

Trusting to the strength of the stone barracks and the extensive
earthworks, England had kept only a small force at the fort, and at the
time of the capture of Ticonderoga only