earched everywhere?"

The sheriff lowered his weapon, and all went on their hands and knees
and felt among the grass, searching very diligently, but no wallet
could be found.

A council of war was held. If the writs could not be found the sheriff
would be punished. What excuse could be given?

"What shall we do?"

"Let us go to this man Allen's house, and surprise him. He will not
resist, and we can take him prisoner, and in the meantime another writ
can be obtained."

It was a risky thing to attempt, but there seemed no other course open,
so the march was recommenced.

The loss of the wallet was a mystery. Not one of the posse believed it
had been stolen, for they could not think a thief could have escaped
detection.

The only surmise was that some squirrels had carried it up a tree. It
was a ridiculous assumption, but the only one tenable.

When within a mile of Bennington Crossroads, where the Allens lived,
one of the posse caught his foot in the root of a tree and fell flat on
his face.

As he raised himself he felt something soft and slippery. He picked it
up, and holding it above his head, cried out:

"The wallet! The wallet!"

The others, who had been a little behind, ran forward, and the sheriff
at once accused him of having had the wallet all the time, and only
when he fell and dropped it would admit its possession.

The man was indignant at the charge, but the suspicion was so strong
that most of his companions believed the sheriff was right.

The latter opened the wallet and saw the great red seal. That was all
he cared about it, and, placing it in his pocket securely, he very
generously proposed that no more should be said about it.

CHAPTER IV.

"THE RISING OF THE MOON."

Eben Pike burst open the door of Ethan Allen's house without any
ceremony.

Ethan and Seth Warner were sitting on the settee in the chimney,
talking about the inaction of the governor of New York.

Off flew one of the bolts, and Ethan jumped to his feet and caught the
lad by the shoulder, and was giving him a good shaking, when Eben cried
out:

"Kill me if you like, colonel, but hear me first."

"Well, what is it?"

"The sheriff of Albany and a big lot of armed men are on their way
here. I heard all their plans, and I have run all the way from Eagle's
Bridge to tell you. You, colonel, are to be dispossessed first, and
then Seth Warner, and if they can kill you, colonel, they will do so."

"Is