l soon settle that. Men of New York, in the King's name I call
on you to arrest Ethan Allen, rebel and traitor. Kill him if he will
not submit."

The sheriff's posse rushed forward, and Ethan stood in the doorway,
unarmed, and calmly said:

"The moon is at the full."

Instantly the Green Mountain Boys filled the room.

They came from all sorts of hiding places and all were armed.

The sheriff fell back, but only for a moment.

Advancing again, he asked:

"Do you intend to resist by force?"

"I do. I shall fight for my home against the governor of New York--ay,
against the king himself. Stand back! You have no warrant for my
arrest and no writ of dispossession."

"I had, but I have been robbed,"

"A likely story that. If it is as you say, then you are not a fit
person to be a sheriff."

"I own I was careless, but that will not help you."

"I shall not surrender without a writ."

"But you will be a prisoner, anyway, for there is a warrant out for
your arrest as a rebel and a traitor."

"Was that stolen, also?"

"Mine was but a duplicate; the original has been sent by the hand of
Sheriff Alston."

"Where is he?"

A man stepped forward and announced himself as Alston, a sheriff duly
appointed by Gov. Tryon, of the Colony of New York.

"It is enough."

"You surrender?"

"No, by heaven, no! The Yorkers have no power over me. I hold my farm
from New Hampshire, and only to the governor of New Hampshire will I
relinquish it."

"Then we shall use force."

"So shall we."

"It is treason."

"It is loyalty to my country. Boys, these men are crazy; they are so
because the moon is at the full."

Instantly the Green Mountain Boys were ready to resist any attack.

The sheriff gave the order to fire.

Both sides obeyed the sheriff, and a blinding smoke rose from the old
muskets.

No one was hurt, for neither side liked to be the first to shed blood.

Another volley was fired, and one of the defenders was wounded.

At the word they rushed out and threw themselves on the sheriff's
posse, and, with muskets clubbed, they drove the Yorkers back, breaking
many a head and inflicting more damage than they received.

The Yorkers rallied and loaded their muskets.

Sheriff Merrit, with a courage worthy of a better cause, addressed his
men.

"Yorkers, we must have the body of Ethan Allen, dead or alive. We must
quell this revolt against lawful authority. Will you follow me?"

"Ay, to the dea