red,
blowing off the top of Merrit's head.

The Yorkers were thrown in a panic by the sight, and ran faster than
they had ever thought possible until they were over the border and
considered themselves safe from pursuit.

The victory was with the Mountain Boys, but Allen feared that it would
prove dearly bought, for the laws were so strict at that time, and all
his party might be held responsible for the death of the sheriff, who,
being a king's officer, was sacred.

He gave the order to march back to their homes and see to the wounded.

Only one man died from the effects of his wounds, though others were in
a bad way.

Save for the attendance upon the wounded, the farmers of Bennington
might have thought the fight with and pursuit of the Yorkers only a
dream, so readily did they settle down to their farm duties.

Several weeks passed and no sign of any move was made by the Yorkers.

Ethan Allen had sent a full account of the affair to the Governor of
New Hampshire, by the hands of his brother Ira, but save for saying
that the account should be read carefully, the governor had taken no
further notice.

Seth Warner had a cousin in Albany, and he induced him to send regular
reports of the doings in New York, in so far as they effected the New
Hampshire grants.

And during all those weeks the news came that nothing was being done.
Ethan believed in the old adage that a quiet always preceded a storm,
and he held himself in readiness to meet it.

The Green Mountain Boys were drilled regularly, and the watchword was
looked for whenever any met the chosen messengers of the colonel.

Eben had proved himself very useful, but for several days he had been
away, and Ethan was getting uneasy about him.

July had come, with all its heat and unpleasantness, and still Eben was
absent.

That something had happened to him all believed, for he had never been
known to absent himself from his friends for so long a time before.

It was on the tenth of July that Eben craved entrance to the residence
of Ethan Allen.

"Where have you been?" asked the colonel.

"Do not be cross with me. I have only been doing what I thought ought
to be done. I have been in Concord."

"What have you been doing there?"

"Keeping my mouth shut and my ears open."

"And what have you heard?"

"Much that you ought to know, and I will tell you if you are not cross
with me."

"I am never cross with you, Eben."

"Then you are to be sent fo