PTER XXIII.

FORAGING.

Eben's news was in every point correct. Gen. Schuyler had been
stricken down by sickness, and Montgomery assumed command of one of the
armies of invasion.

Allen went out to meet the Irish general and received a warm welcome.

Montgomery was full of praise of the plan of invasion.

Arnold and Morgan were marching through Maine to attack the citadel of
Quebec, and Montgomery was to march into Canada to the westward, and
after capturing Montreal and other important places, form a junction
with Arnold and drive the English out of Quebec.

"That man has a great brain," Montgomery remarked, as he told Allen the
plan.

"To whom do you refer?"

"Gen. Benedict Arnold."

"What has he done?"

"He formulated the plan and sent it to Gen. Washington----"

"He did?"

"Yes, and the commander was so pleased with it that he wrote a personal
letter to Arnold, thanking him and saying that the plan should be put
into immediate execution."

"And Arnold really took the credit, if credit there be?"

"Of course; why not?"

"I am not surprised, and yet----"

"You are not jealous?"

"Jealous? No, not of a thief."

"A thief?"

"Yes, a thief. I drew up that plan and copied it in duplicate, so that
if one got lost the other would remain. I took one copy to Albany and
laid it before the assembly."

"And the copy?"

"I left it at Ticonderoga."

"What became of it?"

"I do not know; at least I find that I know now, though I had no
suspicion. When I returned from the Continental Congress I asked for
the plan, and was told it had been lost. The truth is that Arnold took
it away with him."

"Gen. Washington shall know this."

"No, never mind. I care not who gets credit for the plan if it is only
successful; but if I should fall let the people of Vermont know that
the plan was mine."

"Rest assured of that."

"I have the original with me, and you shall read it, for I want no one
to accept my word for anything."

Allen was right. Benedict Arnold had read the plan, and had actually
appropriated the copy and sent it in Allen's writing to Philadelphia.

Once he was asked about Allen's statement, and he replied that he had
employed Ethan Allen to make copies from his rough draft.

The young Irish general of division did not believe in loitering, and
after a day's rest at Ticonderoga the march was resumed.

Allen had joined, but having no commission, he was placed in rather a
delicate