the ammunition
cellar; for the American spy who had spent the previous day within the
works had explained to the ranger the situation of this important
compartment. The ringing blows of the woodman's axe doubtless awakened
many of the sleeping soldiery. In half a minute the stout oak door was
down. "There, Nuck Harding!" cried the long ranger, "I leave you to
guard that 'ere. If they show fight, fire your rifle into the place. If
so be, we'll all go up together; but Old Ti is ourn and if we're driven
forth we'll wreck the fortifications as we go."

Meanwhile Ethan Allen, knowing well the sleeping quarters of Captain De
la Place, having received his information from the same source as
Bolderwood, leaped up the stairway to the apartment of the commander of
the fort. His shoulder burst in the door without the loss of an instant,
and he found the astounded captain sitting up in bed. "What is this,
sir? Who are you?" cried the British officer.

"I call on ye to surrender, Captain De la Place!" cried the Green
Mountain leader.

"In whose name do ye make this demand, sir?"

"In the name of the great Jehovah and the Continental Congress!" replied
Allen, sternly. Then, describing a circle about his head with his sword,
he added in a tone not to be mistaken: "I demand the surrender of your
fort and all the stores and goods it may contain; and, sir, unless you
comply with my demand and parade your men without arms at once, I'll
send your head, sir, spinning across this floor!" and the whistling
steel blade was advanced until the British officer shrank in fear.

"I surrender! I surrender!" he cried, and word was passed at once to
both the garrison and the Americans on the parade below. And thus the
strongest British fortress within the borders of the disaffected
colonies, capitulated to the American arms without a gun being fired.
What if, when the news of the remarkable feat reached Philadelphia where
the Continental Congress was in session, the act of Ethan Allen and his
brave Green Mountain Boys was deplored, and a considerable party was for
returning the stronghold to the king, while others wished to withdraw
the American garrison, believing that the Champlain forts were too far
on the frontier to be held successfully against the enemy? These
suggestions were but the result of over-cautiousness on the part of some
members of Congress. Happily their wishes were overborne and Ticonderoga
remained an American fort until the