full of joy.

He was the more pleased that he had called the men together, when, on
the very morning of the gathering, he received a notice from Concord
that the king had forbidden the colony to take an active part against
New York in the matter of the grants.

In other words it meant that the king would protect New York and oppose
all claims of New Hampshire to the lands.

"Men of the mountains," Allen commenced, "we are met to form laws to
protect ourselves and our property. We must rely on ourselves alone.
I think that the time has come when we should declare ourselves
independent of any colony, and apply to the king for a charter."

"Good!"

"That is talk of the right kind."

"Why cannot we have our own laws, our own governor and our own army?"

"You are rather previous, Sunderland."

"Not a bit of it. I say that the king has never done anything for us,
and New Hampshire has betrayed us into the hands of the Yorkers."

"We will call ourselves the Green Mountain Colony."

"I think, if you will let me suggest, that if we are going to have a
new name it should be a pretty one."

"Is not the Green Mountain Colony pretty?"

"Yes; but I have thought that Vermont--it means Green Mountains--would
sound good."

"Nothing could be better," assented Allen, "so we will commence our
deliberations with the declaration: 'We, the men of Vermont, in
convention assembled'; that will place our name above controversy."

"I propose that Ethan Allen be our governor."

"Stay, that will never do. The king must appoint a governor, so we can
only declare our desire to be independent of New Hampshire, and until
the king accepts our independence we must nominally recognize Gov.
Wentworth as our governor."

It is not our purpose to give the proceeding of that convention _in
extenso_, but this much we have given, in order that the whole country
may know that the sturdy mountain boys talked of independence and
liberty with spirit even before the Revolution began.

Warner stood on a chair and waved his hand for attention.

"I have heard," he said, "that Gen. Gates is pressing the people of
Boston so hard that the English are getting themselves disliked in that
city, and I should not be surprised if a rebellion was talked of."

"The sooner the better, say I."

"Yes; why should England govern us?"

"We are too far away. The king----"

"Leave his name out of the question. We can be loyal to him, even if
we become inde