ll, now that I have seen you. Good-day."

Warner did not answer the valedictory, and the man stooped down, and,
picking up a handful of gravel, threw it at Warner.

"That's for your bad manners."

Warner, quick-tempered, was about to seize Edwards, when Allen pulled
him back. "Sit down, Seth; the fellow is only trying to embroil us,
so that our enemies may get the better of us."

"You may be right, Ethan, but I have got that fellow's face printed on
my mind, and when I meet him, as I shall, I will pay him with compound
interest."

Edwards saw that he could not provoke a breach of the peace, so he
walked down the street, wondering of what sort of stuff this mountain
hero was made, when he would restrain his friend from avenging an
insult.

Early in the morning Gov. Wentworth sent for Ethan Allen and told him
that he should refuse to meddle with the application for extradition,
and that Allen could go back to the mountains and defend his right and
title to the lands in any way he chose.

"Go tell your men that I have created an office for you. You shall be
called the high custodian of the grants, and whatever you think
necessary to repel the claims of the Yorkers you can do in my name."

Thus we have seen that the man sent for as a prisoner, with a gallows
staring him in the face, left Concord a victor.

The conflict between the two colonies was to assume a new phase, and in
that conflict Ethan Allen was to bear a most prominent part.

The Mountain Boys did not believe in wasting time, so they rallied
their forces and started back as soon as they had attended to their
horses and provided themselves with provisions for the journey.

Allen rode first with Seth Warner.

"Seth, what was that man's object in provoking a quarrel?"

"I am at a loss to understand."

"He was a Yorker."

"Think so?"

"Sure of it."

"Then it was mere curiosity to see you, and when he saw you he could
not restrain his temper? He wanted to fight?"

"I don't think so."

"What is your idea then, colonel?"

"He wanted to embroil us in a quarrel so that the watch could be called
out and we should be placed in the wrong."

"Perhaps you are right. Anyway, we are rid of him."

"Are we?"

"Yes, of course."

"Do not be too sure. The Yorkers will be mad enough to follow us, and,
if a chance offers, we shall have to fight."

"What do you think of the dispute with the king?"

"For my part, I think the colonies should have