No sooner was the old gentleman fairly out of
sight than Jones' malady entirely disappeared. He
quickly drew out a billet, and turning, tossed it into
the lap of the astonished Miss Hendee.

`Here, mum,' said he, in a low, confidential tone,
`there's no time to be polite; but read that, and if
you want to scrabble off two lines, or so, in answer,
contrive to get it into my old hat there on the table,
in almost no time, as I'm in a taking of a hurry.
But stay, where's the Indian?'

`He has gone to take a letter for me to Major
Skene's colored man, now lying with his boat down
here at the landing, I believe,' replied the blushing
girl, already on her way to her apartment to read
and answer the billet, which a glance at the hand
writing told her was from her accepted lover.

`That's lucky,' said Jones; `now I want that
chap to go with us. We have got a trifling chore
to do to-night somewhere in the neighborhood of
Old Ti. Had I better speak to the old gentleman
about his going, or not?'

`My father should be consulted, and yet'—answered
Alma, hesitating, lest the suggested application
to Captain Hendee might in some way lead to
a discovery of her own secret—`I heard him promise
Neshobee's services to Colonel Allen, for such an
emergency. Perhaps you had better consult no one
but Neshobee himself, and if he is willing to go, I
will stand his friend in defending the delinquency,
if such it be.'

Captain Hendee now returned with the wood, and
found Pete's ague much as he left it. But as the
fire blazed up from the light combustibles which had
been thrown on to it, the attack seemed gradually
to subside. Meanwhile, Alma had retired, read the

[figure description] Page 030.[end figure description]

brief out-pouring of her lover's heart, and penned
in answer—

“From my heart I thank you for your kind note.
All as yet remains undiscovered,—painful, painful
exigency! which compels concealment of so important
a step from an only parent! And yet I regret
not my troth; and whatever of sorrow it may cost
me, I will not repine at the fruit of a tree of my
own planting. Heaven preserve you, my very dear
friend, in the hour of peril, and crown with success
your efforts in the cause of freedom.

By the time Alma had completed her note, and
managed, on her return to the room, to slip it, unobserved,
into the designated place of deposit, Jones
had so far recovered from his pretended indisposition,
that he announced himself in a condition for
proceeding on his way. And taking a coal of fire
between a couple of chips, by way of accounting to
the Captain for his call, and stopping a moment to
listen to the sage nostrums recommended by his host
to prevent the recurrence of his ague, he departed,
and joined his two newly enlisted associates, who
were impatiently awaiting his coming in the adjoining
field. It being now sufficiently dusk to prevent
all observation from the opposite garrison, they proceeded
immediately to the landing, which they found
guarded by two Green Mountain Boys, who, making
fishing their ostensible business, had, in pursuance of
the arrangement before mentioned, closely watched
the place during the two preceding days. Here,
also, they met Neshobee, who had just returned in a

[figure description] Page 031.[end figure description]

skiff, from Major Skene's scow, in possession, as before
intimated, of a stout negro, who, with two low,
sottish fellows under his command, having spent
that day at the fort to take in some loading, and visit
the soldiers previous to starting for home, as they
intended to do, the next morning, had come over
just at night and taken a fishing station near the landing.
Jones and his companions hesitated not to
open their project of obtaining this boat to Neshobee,
who very cheerfully agreed to co-operate with them
in duping the negro, and to assist in rowing the boat
up to the landing, where they were to be met by Allen's
forces. The boat was lying about a dozen rods
from the shore; and black Jack, as he was called,
and his men, having pulled up their anchor, were
now on the point of putting back for the fort; when
the party on shore, their plan of operations being
all arranged, hailed the black commander, and desired
him to haul up to the landing.

`Who the debil you, who want me do all dat for
notting?' replied Jack, in a swaggering, consequential
tone.

`O, pull up to the shore,' said Wilcox, `there are
three or four of us here who are wishing to make a
bargain with you.'

`Bargain, hey? you shackaroons, you! You
tink for play some deblish trick, don't you? Guess
you find out you no catch weasel sleep so easy as all
dat come to!' responded the negro, chuckling at his
own wit and sagacity.

`No, now, honestly, Captain Jack,' rejoined the
first speaker, `we want to go to Shoreham landing
to night, to be ready to join a wolf hunt which they
are going to start there early to-morrow morning.'

`Gosh all fire-lock!' exclaimed the black, whose

[figure description] Page 032.[end figure description]

opinion of his own importance was greatly raised by
being addressed as Captain: `You tink I row my
boat all de way up dare in de dark jest for commodate
you? No! see you all dam fus!'

`Now you are too bad, Captain; but you won't
damn our jug of old Jamaica, that we intended to offer
you for carrying us up there, will you?' said the
other, taking a jug from under his coat and swinging
it over his head, so that the black, whose taste
for liquor was well known to the young men, might
catch a view of it in the twilight.

`What you say, dere?' eagerly said Jack, stretching
forward his neck to see, and make sure of the
existence of the tempting impliment.

`We say,' replied the former, `that here is a gallon
of as good rum as ever run down your throat,
which is at your service, if you will close the bargain.
Come, give us your answer, for if we can't make a
trade with you, we must be off for a boat somewhere
else. What say you?—and mind ye, we will lend
you a stiff hand at the oars to boot.'

`You help row de boat, you say?' answered Jack,
in an altered and yielding tone. `Why de debil
you no say so fore? Dat be a case dat alter de circumstance.
You wery much to blame, gemmen,
dat you no mention so portant a difference in fus
place,' added the negro, while he and his men headed
round the boat, and handled the oars with such
effect that nearly the next moment she was lying at
the landing.

Within five minutes from this time, the magic
jug, which had effected such a wonderful change in
the aspect of affairs, having been well tested in the
meanwhile by Jack and his associates, all hands
were stripped and bending to the oars of the old

[figure description] Page 033.[end figure description]

scow, which, under the forceful strokes of Jones and
his party, aided by the rum-power of Jack's two besotted
boatmen, was surging through the waters towards
the south, as fast as their united strength
would drive her.

They were soon met, however, by puffs of south
wind, against which they found it impossible to make
but a very slow head way. And it was not till considerable
past midnight that they came to the last
reach, and hove in sight of the destined landing.
But here, overhauling Douglas with the other scow,
and the party he had enlisted to help man it, both
boats with renewed efforts of rival speed, pushed
forward for the appointed shore.

`Boat ahoy!' called out Allen from the landing
where, as the boats neared the place, his huge, tower-like
form, rising in bold relief over the stationary
group of officers around him, could now plainly
be discerned by the approaching crews: `boat ahoy!
who comes there?'

`Douglas and friends, in this,' was the reply from
the first boat, coming in about its length in advance
of the other.

`And who in the next?' asked Allen.

`Jones and a thunder cloud!' responded the well
known voice of the jolly woodsman. `Now you
needn't think I am fibbing, Colonel; for you will
see it lighten when we get ashore.'

`All is well, then,' said Allen, without heeding
the remarks of Jones, further than his announcement
of himself with a boat: `all is well, and glory
to God in the highest, that you have got here at last!
I thought you would have never come. Why, it has
been an age since dark! Some old sun-stopping
Joshua must be fighting on the other side of the

[figure description] Page 034.[end figure description]

earth, or, I swear, it would have been day light long
ago!'

By this time the first boat had struck the shore,
and the crew leaping out, were all readily recognized
by the leader, who then turned to the other boat,
at that instant driving up, with the astonished and
frightened negro, (now for the first time mistrusting
a trick,) gibbering and sputtering aloud,—

`What de hell all dis?—who all dese? what pretty
dam scrape you got me into here, you shackaroon
debils, you?'

`What in the name of all that is black and red
have you got here, Jones?' cried Allen, in surprise,
stepping up and peering into the boat, on hearing
Jack's exclamations.

`Why, just what I told you, Colonel. Here!
don't you see it lighten, now?' said Pete, pointing
to the negro's eyes, which, glaring wide with fear
and astonishment, at what he saw and heard, glimmered
like fire bugs in the dark. `But the English
of it is, Colonel, that we came across Major Skene's
scow, commanded by Captain Darkey, with his two
oarsmen, here, who for a gallon of rum were kind
enough to bring us along to join a hunting match at
Shoreham, where we have now arrived, safe and
sound:' he continued, turning to the black, `so
now, Captain Jack, you have fulfilled your bargain
with us; and we have nothing more to say, as far
as we are concerned. If these rough looking chaps
here want to employ you further, they will let you
know it, likely.'

`Jones, you deserve a pension for life!' exclaimed
Allen, comprehending the whole affair in an instant.
`You, and your friends here, have killed more
birds with one stone than you dreamed of yourselves,

[figure description] Page 035.[end figure description]

perhaps. But we have not a moment to lose, so
leap out my lads. And as to Major Skene's boat,
it is my lawful prize; and Major Skene's negro, and
Major Skene's negro's understrappers here, are all
my prisoners!'

`O, no, totally unpossible to stop, gemmen!' said
Jack, in a good lord, good devil sort of tone, being
doubtful whether they really intended to make him
prisoner, or engage him and his boat to carry them
to some other place: `I have provision for de Major's
family, aboard. Dey all out ob supply for dere necessity.
Quite unpossible, gemmen.'

`We will take care of the provisions. So out with
you in no time, you black Satan!' said Allen, impatiently.

`O, it be out ob all question I stop!' persisted the
negro with increasing alarm, `I have odder portant
business—I have letter from de young leddy at Captain
Hendee's to de young leddy ob Colonel Reed
at de Major's dat I oblige for deliver, early in de
morning.'

`We will undertake the delivery of the letter,'
said Selden and Warrington, simultaneously.

`Tumble them out, boys!' sternly exclaimed Allen.

`O, Lordy, I den be ruin! totally, foreber ruin!'
groaned the distressed and frightened black, as the
men seized him and his two drunken associates, and
led them to the rear to be put under guard.

The boats were now instantly headed round, the
oars muffled, careful oarsmen selected and placed in
their seats; when, after each boat had been filled
with as many troops as their respective burthens
would safely permit, they pushed off from the shore,
preceded a short hailing distance by a skiff,

[figure description] Page 036.[end figure description]

occupied by Allen and Arnold, with Phelps to pilot them to
their contemplated landing, on the opposite shore.
The wind had some time since died wholly away;
and the elements were now all hushed, as if in the
slumbers of death; while the deeply freighted crafts
glided slowly on, impelled by the light dip of the
feathery oars, which, in the hands of the experienced
and careful men who plied them, unitedly rose
and fell as noiseless as the feet of fairies on beds of
flowers. At length the dark, massy walls of the
fortress, looming up, and marking their broad outlines
against the western sky, became discernable to
the men. And yet, as they drew near these frowning
walls, pierced by a hundred cannon, over which,
for aught they knew, the lighted matches were suspended,
awaiting but the signal to send their iron
showers of death to every man of their devoted band,
on misgivings, no weak relentings came over them: but
at a moment like this, and that which followed at
the onset,—moments, furnishing, perhaps, a more
undoubted test of courage than those of the half
frantic, half mechanical charges of the disciplined
legions of Napoleon, at the later fields of Austerlitz
and Marengo—at a moment like this, we say, their
stout hearts, nothing daunted at the dangers before
them, beat high and proudly at the thought of the
coming encounter, and with stern determination
gleaming in every eye, and with the low whispered
words of impatience for the moment of action to arrive,
they moved steadily on to their daring purpose.

Passing down obliquely by the works, they landed
some distance to the north of them. The instant
they touched the shore the troops leaped on the
banks; and scarcely had the last foot been lifted
from the boats before they were backed, wheeled,

[figure description] Page 037.[end figure description]

and on their return for another load, leaving those
on shore to await in silence the arrival of a reinforcement
from their companions left behind, before
marching to the onset. Those companions, howevever,
were not destined to share in the glory of this
splendid achievement of the eighty Green Mountain
Boys who had landed: for in a few moments, to the
dismay of Allen, the faint suffusions of dawning
day became visible in the east. Cursing the luck
which had caused such delays, and chafing like a
chained lion held back from his prey, that impetuous
leader for a few moments rapidly paced the shore before
his men, in an agony of impatience,—now casting
an eager look at the fort, still silent and undisturbed,
now straining his vision after the receding boats,
which, to him, seemed to move like snails across the
waters, and now throwing an uneasy glance at the
reddening east, whose twilight glow, growing broader
and brighter every instant, plainly told him that
before another detachment of troops could arrive,
his forces would be discovered, and the enterprise,
in all probability, would thus be defeated. Maddened
at the thought, he stopped short in his walk,
paused an instant, and brought his foot with a significant
stamp to the ground, showing that his resolution
was taken. And quickly calling out Jones and
Neshobee, he dispatched them to go forward, cautiously
reconnoiter the fort on all sides, and return
as speedily as possible to report their discoveries.
He then formed his men in three ranks and addressed
them.

`You see, my friends and fellow soldiers,' he commenced,
pointing his sword towards the east, `that
day light will reveal us to the enemy before a reinforcement
can possibly arrive. But can you, who

[figure description] Page 038.[end figure description]

have so long been the scourge of tyrants, bring your
minds to relinquish this noble enterprise, and with it
the proud name you have achieved, by turning your
backs on the glorious prize, when it is now almost
within your grasp?'

He paused for a reply; when `no! no! no!' ran
through the lines in eager response.

`I see, I see, my brave fellows,' resumed the gratified
leader, `I see what you would do. I read it in
your deeply breathed tenes of determination—in
your quick and short drawn respirations, and in your
restless and impatient movements. But have you all
well considered? I now propose to lead you through
yonder gate; and I fear not to tell men of your
stamp, that we incur no small hazard of life in the
attempt. And, as I would urge no man to engage
against his own free will, I now give free and full
permission to all, who choose, to remain behind.
You, therefore, who will voluntarily accompany me,
poise your guns!'

Every man's gun was instantly brought to a poise,
with a motion which told with what good will it was
made.

`God bless you, my noble fellows!' exclaimed
Allen, proudly, and with emotion: `Courage like
that'—he continued, in tenes of concentrated energy,
`courage like that, with hearts of oak, and nerves
of steel like yours, must, will, and, by the help of the
God of hosts, shall triumph! Come on, then! follow
me—march while I march—run and rush when
I set the example; and if I fall, still rush on, and
over me, to vengeance and victory! To the right
wheel! march!'

When the band arrived within about a furlong of
the ramparts, they were met by the scouts, who

[figure description] Page 039.[end figure description]

reported that all was quiet in and about the fort, while
the open gate was guarded only by one sluggish and
sleepy looking sentinel. Halting no longer than was
necessary to hear this report, Allen, placing himself
at the head of the centre column, silently waved
his sword to the troops as a signal for resuming the
march; when they all again moved forward with
rapid but cautious steps towards the guarded gateway.
And so noiseless and unexpected was their
approach, that they came within twenty paces of
the entrance before they were discovered by the
drowsy sentry, who was slowly pacing to and fro,
with shouldered musket before it. Turning round
with a start, the aroused soldier glared an instant at
the advancing array, in mute astonishment and alarm;
when he hastily cocked, and levelled his piece at
Allen, who was striding towards him, several yards
in advance of his men. It was an instant on which
hung the fate of the hero of the Green Mountains,
and probably, also the destinies of Ticonderoga.
But the gun missed fire. The life of the daring
leader was safe, and the garrison slept on, unalarmed,
and unconscious of their danger. Leaping forward
like the bounding tiger on his victim, Allen followed
up the retreating soldier so hotly that, with
all the speed which fear could lend him, he could
scarcely keep clear of the rapidly whirling sword of
his fiery pursuer, till he gained the interior of the
fortress; when he gave a loud screech of alarm, and,
making a desperate leap for a bomb proof, disappeared
within its recesses. Meanwhile, the rushing
column of troops came sweeping like a whirlwind
through the gate; when, fairly gaining the parade
ground in front of the barracks, they gave three
cheers which made the old walls tremble with the

[figure description] Page 040.[end figure description]

deafening reverberations, and caused the slumbering
garrison to start from their beds in wild dismay at
the unwonted sound. Scarcely had the last huzza
escaped the lips of the men and their leader, who
disdained not to mingle his own stentorian voice in
the peals of exultation and defiance, which rose in
thunders to heaven, before the latter was rapidly
threading his way through flying sentries and half
dressed officers, towards the quarters of the commandant
of the fortress. Pausing an instant on his
way, to chastize a dastard sentinel whom he caught
making a pass at one of our officers with his bayonet,
and whom, with one blow with the flat of his
sword, he sent reeling to the earth with the cry of
mercy on his lips, the daring leader bounded up the
stair-way leading to the commandant's room, and
thundering at the door, called loudly to that officer
to come forth. Captain La Place, who had
just leaped from his bed, on hearing the tumult
below, soon made his appearance with his clothes in
his hand, but suddenly recoiling a step, he stood gazing
in mute amazement at the stern and threatening
air, and the powerful and commanding figure of
the man before him.

`I come, sir, to demand the immediate surrender
of this fortress!' sternly said Allen, to the astonished
commander.

`By what authority do you make this bold demand
of His Majesty's fort, sir?' said the other, almost
distrusting his senses.

`By what authority?' thundered Allen. `I demand
it, sir, in the name of the Great Jehovah and
the Continental Congress!'

`The continental Congress?' stammered the

[figure description] Page 041.[end figure description]

hesitating officer, `I know of no right—I don't acknowledge
it, sir'—

`But you soon will acknowledge it, sir!' fiercely
interrupted the impatient leader. `And hesitate to
obey me one instant longer, and by the eternal heavens!
I will sacrifice every man in your fort!—beginning
the work, sir,' he added, whirling his sword
furiously over the head of the other, and bringing
the murderous blade at every glittering circle it made
in the air, nearer and nearer the head of its threatened
victim, `beginning the work, sir, by sending
your own head dancing across this floor!'

`I yield, I yield!' cried the shrinking commandant.

`Down! down, then, instantly!' exclaimed Allen,
`and communicate the surrender to your men
while any of them are left alive to hear it!'

Scarcely allowing the crest-fallen officer time to encase
his legs in his breeches, Allen hurried him down to
the scene of action, in the open parade below. Here
they found the Green Mountain Boys eagerly engaged
in the work of capturing the garrison, who were
making considerable show of resistance. Two of
the barrack doors had been beaten down, and about a
third of the enemy already made prisoners. And
the fiery Arnold was on the point of blowing a third
door from its hinges with a swivel, which he had
caused to be drawn up for the purpose; while a
fourth was shaking and tottering under the tremendous
blows of an axe, wielded by the long and powerful
arms of Pete Jones, who was found among the
foremost in the contest.

`Cease, cease ye, all!' cried Allen, in the loud
voice of command, as he appeared among them with
La Place by his side.

[figure description] Page 042.[end figure description]

`Now, raaly, Colonel,' said Jones, suspending his
elevated implement, and holding it back over his
head in readiness for another blow, `I wish you
would let me settle with this deivelish old oak door
before I stop. Why, I never was so bothered with
such a small potato in my life!'

`No, no!' answered the other, smiling, `let us
have silence a moment, and we will save you all
troubles of that kind.'

`Well, then, here goes for a parting blessing!' exclaimed
the woodsman, bringing down his axe with
a tremendous blow, which brought the shattered door
tumbling to the ground.

The British commandant then calling his officers
around him, informed them that he had surrendered
the fortress, and ordered them to parade the men
without arms. While this was in performance, a
second detachment of Green Mountain Boys reached
the shore, and, having eagerly hastened on to the
fort to join their companions, now with Warrington
at their head, came pouring into the arena. A single
glance sufficed to tell the latter, that he was too
late to participate in aught but the fruits of the victory.
With a disappointed and mortified air he halted
his men, and approached to the side of his leader.

`Ah! Colonel,' said he, `is this the way you appropriate
all the laurels to yourself, entirely forgetful
of your friends?'

`Pooh! pooh! Charles,' replied Allen, turning to
the other with a soothing, yet self complaisant smile,
at the half reproachful compliment thus conveyed,
`you need not mourn much lost glory in this affair.
Why, the stupid devils did not give us fight enough
to whet our appetites for breakfast! But never

[figure description] Page 043.[end figure description]

mind, Charles, there is more business yet to be done;
Crown Point and Major Skene's stone castle must
both be ours to-night. The taking of the first shall
be yours to perform. And after breakfast and a few
bumpers in honor of our victory, we will dispatch
you for that purpose, with a corps of your own selection.
'

`Thank you, thank you, Colonel,' replied the other
with a grateful smile. But the expedition to
Skenesboro'—may I not speak a word for our friend,
Selden?'

`Aha?' replied Allen, laughing, `then his offer
to take charge of the negro's letter had its meaning,
eh? I don't know exactly about that chip of a British
Colonel for a Yankee patriot. Now, yours, Major,
I acknowledge to be a true Cynosure. But his,
I fear, will prove a Dog-star. However, that is his
own hunt; and as he is a finished fellow, and doubtless,
brave and true, I think I will give him the command
of the expedition, unless claimed by Easton.
But hush! the commandant is about to go through
the forms of the surrender. I must away, but will
see you again.'

The brief ceremonies of the surrender were soon
over; when, as the fortress was pronounced to be in
full possession of the conquerors, the heavens were
again rent by the reiterated huzzas of the Green
Mountain Boys, while British cannon were made to
peal forth with their deep-mouthed thunders to the
trembling hills and reverberating mountains of the
country around, the proclamation of victory!—the
first triumph of Young Freedom over the arms of
her haughty oppressor.

CHAPTER III.

“A thousand evil things there are that hate
To look on happiness; these hurt impeae,
And leagued with time, circumstance and fate,
Keep kindred heart from heart, to pine and pant and bleed.”
Mrs. Brooks.

[figure description] Page 044.[end figure description]

It is time, perhaps, that we should recur a little,
to trace the operations of some personages of our
story, whose agency, though unnoted by us through
several of the last chapters, had yet, in the mean
while, been actively exercised in bringing about the
events that were destined to follow. And it is with
a sort of reluctance of feeling that we turn from the
soul-kindling task of describing the noble exploits
of Allen and his patriot companions, to the low and
despicable plottings of the base Sherwood, and his
still more execrable associate in crime. Though
twice foiled in his attempts to procure the destruction
of Warrington, under the sanction of a despotic
law, of which advantage was taken mainly to
cloak the true motives of the act,—though signally
defeated in this, and the bolder attempt at assassination,
which was subsequently made at his instigation,
yet still restless as the dark spirit of evil, this
plotter of mischief, instead of relinquishing his object,
was now only the more intently engaged in devising
and putting in practice, new ways of accomplishing
his nefarious designs.

On the evening that Darrow had attempted the
life of Warrington in the woods, Sherwood was sitting
in his house, which was kept by a simple

[figure description] Page 045.[end figure description]

couple, wholly in the interests of their employer. He
had just arrived from a visit to the house of Captain
Hendee, where, as the reader has been apprised, he
had been sowing the seeds of discord in that hapless
family. And the chilly reception, with which his
parting advances had been met by the indignant
girl, whom they were intended to soften and deceive,
more than ever confirming him in what his jealousy
had long since suggested, that her inclinations were
setting strongly towards his hated rival, and foreseeing
that some thing must speedily be done to counteract
the current, he was now revolving over the
different schemes that rose in his teeming brain for
effecting his purpose, in case of the failure of his
minion to remove the object, alike of his hatred and
his fears. While thus occupied in mind, Darrow,
whose coming was not wholly unlooked for, arrived,
and sulkily entered the apartment.

`Ah, Darrow!' exclaimed Sherwood, with his
usual hypocritical smile, `very glad to see you. I
knew not whether you would come to night, or return
to the fort.'

`Why,' replied the other, `when I concluded to
give it up for a d—n bad day's work, I found myself
nearer your house than the fort; so I came,
that's all.'

`Glad you did. So come, unrig, and sit down.
The old woman, in the other room, will have us
some supper ready soon. But no luck with your rifle
to day?' said Sherwood with a significant smile.

`None—except getting half tired to death, in this
cursed wild goose chase of yours,' petulantly replied
the surly minion.

`What! not even get a sight of the game, after
so much beating of the bush?'

[figure description] Page 046.[end figure description]

`Yes, twice; and failed both times, as the devil,
who sent me on the errand, would have it,' answered
Darrow, with an equivocal glance at the other.

`Failed! how?' said Sherwood, without appearing
to notice the half intentional sarcasm of Darrow.

`Why, the first time, the devilish rifle missed fire,
for a rarity—the second, its owner missed his aim,
and had to take to his legs to save his bacon.'

`All this is very singular, Mr. Darrow,' observed
Sherwood, with a disappointed, and somewhat incredulous
look.

`Yes, but true for all that. Believe it or not, just
as you please, I care not a groat.'

`What mean you, Darrow?'

`Exactly what I say; and I am beginning to
mean something more, too.'

`You are a strange fellow, Darrow. But let us
have all your meanings, wants, and wishes, in a lump.
I am now in no humour for riddles.'

`Nor I neither. Well, then, though the fellow
escaped my bullet by no intended fault of mine, yet
I am not sorry I missed him. I have been thinking
over the business coming along, and for all your talk
about his life being forfeited, I can't make it out
much better than killing—not to use a worse word,—
which they say gives a fellow ugly dreams. So I
have made up my mind to let you do your own jobs
of this sort, in future. And if you persist in urging
me further'—

`Killing! who asked you to kill him?' interrupted
Sherwood in feigned surprise.

`Curse you, Jake, you know well enough you
meant that. But I am still willing to help take the
fellow, and hand him over to the Yorkers to punish,

[figure description] Page 047.[end figure description]

or lend you a hand to carry any other point, if you
will do the clean thing by me. But in the first
place you must tell me what you fear from this fellow,
and why you are so specially set on having him
taken, more than Allen, or any other outlaw?'

`That is more than I intended to tell any one;
but as I suppose you will better serve my interests
by understanding this, you shall know the whole business:
well, after I had been here awhile, I noticed
that the girl, when the Captain said any thing in
praise of this Howard, as he supposed his name was,
never joined her father in praises of the fellow,
though she never had any ears for any thing else
while the slightest mention was made of him. And
if I so much as asked a question implying a doubt
about the fellow's perfection, she would show resentment
as plain as looks could do it. Now, Darrow,
if you would discover whether a girl entertains any
secret liking for a man, just introduce his name in
her presence, contriving both to praise and censure
him, and if she refuse to join you in either, but is all
attention when you praise, and grows restless when
you censure him, you may safely set it down that
love is secretly lurking about her heart. It was
something like this that led me to think, that this
Howard had made an impression, which I little relished.
This suspicion caused me to to obtain from
the old Captain a minute description of the fellow,
and having before had one of Warrington, it occurred
to me that this favorite might be no other than
the outlaw, himself. And being determined to
ascertain whether my conjectures were correct, I
made a secret journey to Bennington, where I got a
sight at Warrington, and where, by professing great
wrath against the Yorkers, I was let into secrets

[figure description] Page 048.[end figure description]

which confirmed me in my suspicions. There, also,
I made arrangements for being apprised of Warrington's
future movements with one Willoughby,
who sent the word, which enabled me to ferret out
him and his band at Lake Dunmore. All this, however,
I kept secret from the Hendees, but took especial
pains to inspire the old man, and more particularly
his daughter, with a horror of the character of
Warrington. And now, Darrow, after the insufferable
scoundrel has caused me to be tied up and whipped
like a dog, and, to cap the climax, has found
his way into this family, and attempted to beguile
from me my betrothed, can you ask why I wish to
see him brought to justice?'

`Why, you seem to make out considerable of a
case of it, to be sure,' replied the other carelessly, as he
rolled his tobacco quid in his lips. `But betrothed
do you call her? Why, I thought you cared so little
about the girl, that you was quite undetermined
whether you would have her, or not?'

`Well, whatever I may have said before, I am not
undetermined now,—for the girl, in spite of men, or
devils, I swear I will have!'

`What mighty object is there, Jake, in breaking
your neck for her? Besure, she is a snug piece
enough, but you can catch other fish as fair, and
those, too, who will bring you hundreds to her none.'

`I have plenty of objects to answer: one is to defeat
this hated scoundrel,—another, to punish her
for presuming to like him. I don't say now I will
marry her. But she shall be mine, to do with as I
choose. I will have her, and keep her in a spot
where it shall be mine, not hers, to decide whose
wife she shall become. That, indeed, was mainly
my motive in drawing her into an engagement in the

[figure description] Page 049.[end figure description]

first place: for you know, Darrow, that in case the
old concerns should happen to be ripped up, a matrimonial
plaster would cure all. And so long as I
kept things in this posture, I should have the remedy
at hand.'

`Yes, but what chance do you consider there is
of ripping up old matters?' asked the Sergeant,
throwing a keen enquiring glance at the other.

`Why, such a thing is possible, you know. The
old man, my father, I mean, as he grows weak and
childish, may repent, and kick over his own kettle,
and, of course, mine. Indeed, I have great fears of
this: for, though he never said any thing to me of
the kind, not dreaming that I ever met with you
here, or discovered by any other means the secrets
of his former management, yet I have lately observed
in him a sort of growing uneasiness, a whining,
melancholly way, which, with his great anxiety that
I should marry this girl, has made me rather jealous,
that his firmness is giving way in this quarter. Besides
this, there are other dangers: that boy, who,
you say the old man still thinks, was done for, may
yet be alive, and return to make me trouble.'

`Well, if he should, he would be a no very lousy
foe for you to contend with, Jake,—that is, if he is
as smart for a man as he was for a boy—I tell you,
he was a bright one for a four-year old. I liked him,
and never had the least notion of harming a hair of
his head.'

`What object had you, then, in making the old
man believe as you did?'

`Why, I mistrusted that would please the old man
best, and I'll be hanged if I don't believe it did,
Jake, if he is your father.'

[figure description] Page 050.[end figure description]

`Well, there are these chances against me, and
then'—

`And then Bill Darrow may leak, you was going
to say, was you, Jake?' sneeringly asked the minion.

`O, no!' quickly responded the consummate dissembler
with a gracious smile, and a surprised air,
as if such a thought never entered his head. `No,
indeed. I should as soon fear myself. But I was
thinking, and about to say, that besides these chances,
Warrington's communication with the girl will
prove dangerous to my plans, and that they must be
stopped.'

`Well, how are you a going to do it, short of following
up the plan we have already been acting on
to so little purpose?'

`Why, I have already taken one step to day, by
informing Hendee, that his friend Howard was no
less than the outlaw Warrington in disguise. This,
was touching fire to his gun-powder temper; and
has pretty effectually blown the fellow up as regards
any open communication with the girl.'

`That may be, but it has also blown up your best
trap for taking him, you see, don't you?'

`Perhaps so, but I dare not risk his visits with the
standing he evidently held in their minds. And now
having broken off all open intercourse between the
girl and the audacious rascal, we must go to work
to sunder those ties, which may yet secretly remain.'

`Hum! That, I should think, would be like trying
to cut off sun-beams with a jack-knife. I should
like to know how the old boy you calculate to do
that?'

`O, easy enough, though my plan is not quite

[figure description] Page 051.[end figure description]

made up. I will tell you in the morning. But will
you assist me in carrying it out?'

`Don't know but I will. But supposing I do, and
see you fairly through the whole scrape, what do
you finally intend to do for me?'

`Any thing almost that you may ask, Darrow.
You will own that the earnest money I gave you the
other day was a handsome affair?'

`Hum!—Yes, decent.'

`Well, from the late news, I suppose we shall
have war. Warrington and most of these rascally
settlers will be with the rebels. I, from several motives,
shall go for the king. And I have made up
my mind to get a Captain's commission, and raise a
company to act in this quarter. You shall be my
Lieutenant. And then we will use up these refractory
settlers in a way they little dream of. But hark!
The old woman is rapping for us to come to supper.
I will mature my plans, and open them to you, as I
said, in the morning.'

CHAPTER IV.

“I something fear my father's wrath; but nothing
(Always reserv'd my holy duty,) what
His rage can do on me. You must begone
And I shall here abide the hourly shot
Of angry eyes; not comforted to live,
But that there is this jewel in the world,
That I may see again.”

[figure description] Page 052.[end figure description]

The developement made by Sherwood, at his late
visit, seemed to produce on Captain Hendee, whose
mind had been previously prejudiced and poisoned
for the purpose, all the effect which the former could
have desired. The Captain's feelings of pride were
deeply touched at the thought of having entertained,
and welcomed in his family, a man acting under the
disguise of an assumed name, and consequently harboring,
as he reasoned, no honorable purposes. And
these views going to confirm all the falsehoods and
dark insinuations, by which that Iago in malice and
subtlety had accompanied his disclosures concerning
Warrington, the mind of the irritable old gentleman
had been wrought up to a pitch of exasperation and
bitterness, which he pretended neither to disguise
nor control, and which he failed not to vent on all
around him, but more particularly upon his unhappy
daughter. To her, indeed, his whole demeanor
became changed; and his treatment was marked by
a distrustful coldness, and continued austerity of
manner, which she had never before, for so long a
time, experienced from her passionate, but hitherto
quickly relenting, parent. And yet she, who was
happily the very reverse of her father in temper, had

[figure description] Page 053.[end figure description]

neither manifested, nor felt, the least wish to resent
the unkindness; but calm and aimiable in disposition,
as she was fearless and spirited in action, she
had borne all with the most forgiving patience, prudently
awaiting the subsiding of the tempest of his
passion, before she should attempt, as she was resolved
to do, to exculpate Warrington, and gradually
bring about a change in his views and feelings, in
regard to the connection with Sherwood. She well
knew that he was now laboring under many false
impressions, which she felt conscious of her ability
to remove, as soon as he should become sufficiently
calm to listen to the voice of reason. Day after
day, therefore, she had anxiously watched for some
appearance of relenting, some more softened mood,
which should afford her an opportunity of making
this attempt with a reasonable hope of success. But
till the evening on which Jones called at the house,
she had observed nothing that indicated the least relaxation
in her father's feelings. And being then interrupted
by the woodsman's call, at an hour which
usually afforded her the only opportunity she had
through the day of conversing with her parent alone,
she deferred her purpose to another day. But the next
day brought along with it events, which so engrossed
her time and attention, that this desired object
was not again sought to be obtained, till circumstances
intervened, which destroyed every motive and
wish she could entertain for accomplishing it.

Such was the state of feelings, and such the relative
position in which the father and daughter stood
towards each other on the day which proved so triumphant
to the American arms on lake Champlain.
In the early part of that day the attention of this
family, as well as that of all the inhabitants of the

[figure description] Page 054.[end figure description]

vicinity of the lake, was aroused by heavy and repeated
discharges of cannon, in the direction of Ticonderoga.
Little dreaming of the fact that this
cannonading, which was filling the whole valley of
the lake with its echoing thunders, was the harbinger
of a victory already won, the whole neighborhood
was instantly in commotion,—some riding post haste
into the interior to carry the news, or rally volunteers,
some flying from house to house to interchange
the expressions of their fears and sympathies, and
the greater number, rushing down to the nearest
landing on the lake shore, to gain the first tidings
of their friends engaged in the deadly conflict, which
they supposed was at that moment raging round the
walls of the hostile fortress. In a short time the door
yard of Captain Hendee's cottage was filled with a
group of excited boys and anxious females. And
agonizing were the sensations of many an affectionate
wife and sister, and oft and fervent their trembling
ejaculations to Heaven for the preservation of
husbands, brothers and lovers, in this hour of danger.
And not the most indifferent among those
thus oppressed with painful solicitude for the event,
which they believed involved the fate of all they held
dear on earth, was Alma Hendee. To her, whose
lover might be expected to be among the foremost
of those engaged in the perilous assault, every gun
that came booming over the waters brought with it
a pang for her agitated bosom. Nor was her anxiety
the less painfully felt, because circumstances compelled
her to endure it in silence. The firing at
length ceased, and all awaited in trembling solicitude
some arrival, which should bring them information
of the result. This, however, continued for
several, and to most of them, long and tedious hours,

[figure description] Page 055.[end figure description]

to rest in uncertainty. But at length a horseman,
covered with dust, and lashing his foaming horse to
speed, came furiously galloping down the road
from the south. All, with beating hearts and breathless
expectation, awaited the announcement of the
rapidly approaching messenger. The next moment,
as he neared them, he swung his hat round his head,
exclaiming `Victory! victory! hurra for the Green
Mountain Boys! Ticonderoga is taken, and not a
man killed! hurra! hurra!' and, without scarcely
checking the speed of his horse, on he dashed, to
carry to others the joyful tidings. The cracked
voice of the war-worn and veteran Hendee was the
next instant mingling with the shrill and high keyed
cry of the boys around him, in the responsive hurra
that now involuntarily burst from their lips. With
tears of joy and thankfulness gushing over many a
fair cheek, the females hurried on such habiliments
as they had laid aside, and the company, immediately
dispersing, hastened to their respective homes
with the gladdening news, leaving Captain Hendee
and his daughter again by themselves, and their cottage
to relapse into its usual quietness. The day,
however, was not destined to close upon them without
the occurrence of other events of stirring interest.
Towards sunset, several batteaux filled with
armed men, made their appearance on the lake, approaching
from the south, and as they neared, were
soon discovered to be bearing down upon the fortress
of Crown Point.

`Bring me out my old spy glass, Alma!' cried
Captain Hendee, hobbling from the garden, where
he had been to work, towards the house, and turning
round every few steps to look at the little armament,
which he had discovered approaching. `Here

[figure description] Page 056.[end figure description]

comes more trouble for the British—or else that fellow
fooled us with his news, and these are a reinforcement
for the garrison. Come, step quick, girl, I
can't make them out with certainty.'

`Would British troops be likely to come in that
direction, father?' asked Alma, in accents tremulous
with emotion, as she approached, and handed the
required instrument to the other.

`Why, no, I should hardly have expected it; but
let us see,' replied the Captain, adjusting his glass
and placing it to his eye. `By heavens, the girl is
right! Those boats contain any thing but British
regulars. No, they must be Green Mountain Boys,
about to make an onset on the fort. See! how
stiffly they bear down towards the old walls!' he
continued with animation. `Gad! they are bold
fellows, to say the least, to be sailing directly in the
teeth of yonder war-dogs! But here, child, your
eye is keener than mine;—take the glass and watch
their movements.'

The girl took the glass, and bringing the boats
within its field of vision, looked long and intently
without speaking.

`They are coming to a halt now, are they not?'
asked the Captain.

`Yes, they have nearly ceased rowing now,' replied
the maiden. `Why, how plainly I can see even
their features! Now there is one, who has mounted
a bench, and appears to be giving commands to
the rest. Now he has turned his face this way, as
if—as if'—

`Why! how unsteady the girl's hand is! nonsense!
child, you need not be frightened,—they are
not coming near us,' half pettishly, half encouragingly,
exclaimed the Captain, supposing his

[figure description] Page 057.[end figure description]

daughter's very visible agitation proceeded from an apprehension
that the commander was about to order the
boats to cross over the lake towards the house.

`I am not afraid, father, only—but see! their
boats are turning to the shore. They appear now
to be putting into a small cove.'

`There is where they are cunning,' observed the
other. `They don't think it altogether safe to approach
much nearer in the range of those murderous
long guns. If I had been there in command of
the fort, I think they would have seen trouble some
time ago. Thank God, however, the stupid fools
within there have lost their best chance! But what
are they doing now?'

`They have landed, nearly all landed now, and
seem to be forming on the bank.'

“Good! now, Alma, you will have a chance to
see a little of your father's old trade—that is, if the
garrison have sense and courage enough to make use
of the advantages they possess for repelling their assailants.
Are they moving forward yet for the fort?'

`No, the commander appears to be addressing
two men apart from the rest, one of whom seems to
be unrolling something white. Ah! I see, now; it
is a white flag. The two now advance along the
path leading to the fort, while the rest appear to
stand in a waiting attitude, anxiously watching the
motions of their two companions as they approach
the gate.'

`It is a summons from the commander, girl—a
summons for the surrender of the fort. Now you
will see whether they will obey it, and yield without
a blow the prize that cost the king so much toil and
blood in the winning, as my sad experience can well
attest. Many a dark and fearful night, Alma, have

[figure description] Page 058.[end figure description]

I ranged these woods, while the savage foe were lurking
around us in every direction. Old Major Put,
as we used to call that dare-devil, and myself once'—

`There! there! father,' interrupted the other,
`the messengers have now approached near to the
walls. A man appears on the top. They are conferring
together. The messengers point to their
companions. The man on the walls seems to hesitate.
They now seem to direct his attention to
something down the lake. Look, father, and see if
any thing is to be seen coming in that direction.'

`Now the Lord be with the assailants for a sudden
rush, or their game is up!' exclaimed the Captain
as, in compliance with his daughter's request,
he turned and threw an enquiring look along the
lake towards the north. `Two boats filled with
armed men are coming up the lake rowing for life—
British, no doubt, hastening to succour the garrison.'

`No, father, no!' joyfully exclaimed the girl as
with trembling haste she turned the glass to the armament
in question. `You are again mistaken.
These, too, are Green Mountain Boys, coming on to
join their companions.'

`Green Mountain Boys! from that quarter? where
should they come from?'

`From the Winooski river, father. Captain Baker
has been on there, and'—eagerly replied the other,
but stopping short and blushing, as it occurred to
her that the remark would lead to the discovery
of the source of her information.

`Really, girl! one would suppose you had been
at the council of war, where this campaign was planned,
' said the Captain, with an air of surprise; but
being too much occupied with present objects to
trace the association, he, to the great relief of his

[figure description] Page 059.[end figure description]

confused daughter, reverted to the scene before him,
and said, `You may be right after all,—if so, victory
is certain. But turn now to the fort and see
what is going on there.'

`I will—I am, father,' replied the flustered girl.
`Ah! I have a view again: now the conference between
the commander, or man on the walls and the
two messengers, seems to be broken off. The latter
are departing. But now the man seems to be
calling them back. They turn to him again and
hold parley. Now the messengers turn quickly
round, and wave their flag to their companions, who
seem suddenly to be put in motion. And, see! see!
their whole body is rushing towards the fort. How
their guns glimmer through the trees as they pour
along the path! How their commander's sword
flashes in the sun, as half turning, he whirls it about
his head to motion them on! There! there! father,
they mount the swell!—they approach the
walls—the gate is thrown open; and now they disappear
within the works, and all is still.'

`And all without a single gun being fired in defence
of Old Frederick! impossible!' exclaimed the
Captain, with mingled feelings of joy for the success
of his countrymen, and shame for the garrison,
who would surrender, without resistance, a fortress
which years of his life had been spent in helping to
wrest from the Frenchmen.

`Here! look, look, father!' again exclaimed the
excited girl. `The Lion flag goes down! another of
a lighter colour goes up! Have they not conquered,
father?—They have! They have! and oh! how
thankful!'

`Yes! 'tis all over!' responded the Captain, rubbing
his hands in extacy. `Quick work, by

[figure description] Page 060.[end figure description]

heavens! Not a gun fired!—not a man killed, and the
old Lion is flat on his back! The command of the
whole of lake Champlain is ours! Huzza for liberty!
' he shouted, leaping from the ground, forgetful
of his lameness in the excitement of the moment,
and throwing his hat into the air: `Huzza for the
Green Mountain Boys! They deserve a hecatomb
for their victories!'

At this instant a dozen columns of smoke shot
out fiercely from the walls of the fortress, and the
deafening peal of cannon, which followed, announced
to the shuddering hills around the surrender of
the last controlling foot-hold of British power on the
waters of Lake Champlain, to the prowess and patriotism
of the Green Mountain Boys.

Alma now delivering up the spy-glass to her father,
hastened into the house, and took a seat in her
window, where, unobserved by any, she could observe
what further movements might transpire at
the scene of action, and at the same time freely
indulge in her emotions of joy and gratitude for the
preservation of her lover, whom she had distinctly
made out to be the leader of the victorious party.

An hour or two after the surrender, a skiff, containing
a single individual, put off from the shore
under the fort, and directed its course to the landing
below the cottage. The individual, on reaching
the shore, came directly towards the house, and was
soon ascertained to be Neshobee by the Captain,
who, still remaining in his garden, had been watching
the coming boat. The Indian rather sheepishly
approached his master, conscious, perhaps, that as
far as regarded the Captain, he had played the truant
in joining the expedition.

`Well, Neshobee,' said the Captain, as the other,

[figure description] Page 061.[end figure description]

with averted face came carelessly along, `where
have you been all this time?'

`Umph! me been go learn fight um.'

`I thought it likely enough they had got you away
for that, as I suspected, from several things I noticed
yesterday, that this business was afoot. But how
did you know I should be willing you should join in
these doings?'

`What you tell big Cappen—Colonel, who make
believe drunk todder night?'

`Well, well, my lad, I don't mean to scold you
much for joining in so good a work, though you
might have talked with me a little before you went.
But have you been with the big Captain, who is no
other than Ethan Allen, Mr. Sherwood informed me?'

`Me have.'

`Well, he was commander of the expedition, I
suppose—what did he and his men do there at Ticonderoga?
'

`They take um red-coats,—pile up their guns for
no let um have um more,—fire big guns, more fifty—
hoo! bang!' replied the Indian with significant
gestures.

`And was it the big Captain who come on with
the men to take this fort?'

`No, young Cappen, Major, what you call Misser
Howard.'

`Well, you may go, now,' said Hendee, impatiently,
motioning the other to go on to the house.

`How proud I should now be of that same Warrington,
outlaw though he be, but for this accursed
business!' muttered the Captain to himself, after the
Indian had departed, with a tone and manner in
which admiration and dislike, kindness and resentment,
regret and bitterness, were strangely blended.

[figure description] Page 062.[end figure description]

`Hang me! if I don't almost think the better of the
girl for liking him. Though if Jake's stories are
true!—I wonder now if the fellow did not lie to me?—
would to God things had been different! But
they are not different, and won't be; and hell town I
what am I talking about? It can't go—no, no! and
by the powers of earth! it shan't go, an inch further,
or I will make the house too hot for her!'

While the passionate and unhappy father was
thus giving vent to his conflicting feelings, the Indian
entered the house, and proceeded to the apartment
of the daughter, who had also noted his approach,
and beckoned him from the window to come
to her room.

`Now tell me, in the first place, Neshobee,' said
she eagerly, `whether Mr. Sherwood was over there
to be taken prisoner with the rest?'

`Me no see him.'

`You said yesterday, he was then there.'

`Me see him, as me say, then,—no there to day
when we come—guess him run.'

`Very likely, but Darrow was there, of course,
was he not?'

`Him no there, too.'

`How unfortunate!' exclaimed the maiden with
an air of disappointment and regret. `Not even
one of them, then, is secured! Well, well, Heaven
knows best; and in that I will still put my trust.
But what have you there? she added, as her quick
eye caught the hand of the other fumbling for something
in his pocket.

`Cappen send um,' quietly answered Neshobee,
pulling out a billet, which was instantly snatched
from his hands by the eager girl.

`O, why not have told me, before! But you may

[figure description] Page 063.[end figure description]

go now, Neshobee;' and with a quick, impatient
waving of her hand, she motioned him away.

With a beating heart and glowing cheek, the happy
girl read, and re-read, many times, the precious
note; when, after pondering anxiously and deeply,
awhile, she took her sheet and wrote.—

“Your few lines, my dear sir, have been received,
and read, I know not how many times over, and
with an interest which I dare not acknowledge.
Your propositions, too, have been all candidly, and
even anxiously weighed. And it is with many, very
many regrets, my more than friend, that I am
forced to the conclusion that, at present, it were better,
that they be not complied with. You first propose
to come here openly, explain to my father the
reasons which compelled you to that course, which
he pretends so much to censure, and claim the privilege
of addressing me:—all the explanations, which
it may be needful to make, would, I am satisfied,
with my father's present feelings and impressions,
be better listened to from me than yourself. And
most assuredly they shall be made to him as soon as
his mood shall be such as shall warrant the belief
that they will be received, without passion or prejudice.
And before you take the step you propose, I
could wish also to see to some change in his views
relative to the match he has marked out for me. And
changed, believe me, they sooner or later will be.
Reason will at length resume her sway; and, to say
nothing of your character, the character of one of
whom I would not willingly speak my opinion, must
soon be better known to him. And he will see, and
feel, for himself, that his present requirements are
neither wise nor generous. But do not, for my sake,

[figure description] Page 064.[end figure description]

for your own sake, beloved friend, attempt to accomplish
all this now, under circumstances so inauspicious:
for I feel it would be useless; and not only
so, but lead, probably, to the defeat of the objects,
and consequently the happiness of us both. No,
Warrington, be patient, trust in Heaven to expose
guilt, and reward inocence, and rely on the constancy
of her, who is resolved to bring about a state of
things when her lover can be received in her father's
house with the kindness and respect to which
he is entitled.

“As an alternative, in case I disapprove your first
proposal, you request to be favored with secret, or
stolen interviews,—Warrington, Charles Warrington!
would you recommend such a course to a beloved
sister? With your delicacy of sentiment,
with your admiration of exalted virtue, I know you
would not. Why, then, ask it of one whom you
propose to make more than a sister? Again, dearest
friend, I must say to you, no! I have ever disapproved
of clandestine meetings:—there is an air
of guilt about them—a something that seems to imply
a consciousness of wrong, which innocence and
rectitude of purpose should never stoop thus tacitly
to acknowledge. And the same views, which have
led to the disapprobation of these, have, in most respects,
an equal application to the measure that you
hint it may be expedient for us, as a final resort, to
adopt,—a private elopement. In some countries,
and in some states of society, such a measure may,
perhaps, be sometimes justifiable; but is it so in a
land like ours, where force is rarely, if ever, used, to
defeat the engagements of lovers? While armed
with the panoply of virtue and reason, and possessed
of the moral courage which these should ever

[figure description] Page 065.[end figure description]

impart, few females, I apprehend, need here resort
to this questionable practice. And were I to be wed
to you to day, Mr. Warrington, it should be done
openly, and, if permitted, in the presence of my
natural protector. But if the ceremony were forbidden,
I would then, after frankly apprising him of
my intentions, as openly depart with you to a place
where it would be allowed. And if force were employed
to restrain me, I would then throw myself on
the protection of him who would defend, or deserve
to lose me.”

“You know not how rejoiced is my heart to hear
of your personal safety,—how proud to learn your
brilliant successes, and how gratified at the promotion
you have received. You say you are about to
proceed south, to make enlistments for an expedition
into Canada. Go!—deserve well of your country,
be true and constant, and, while you remain
what I now believe you, count me so, and be assured,
that all the reward that this poor heart and hand
can confer, shall be eventually yours. My prayers
will attend you amidst the perils of war. Apprise
me often—as often as possible, of your situation.
And, notwithstanding I have declined your present
proposals, O, do not believe me now, do not hereafter
think me, less devotedly yours.

When Alma had finished her letter, she sought
her trusty messenger, and confided it to his charge,
with instructions to convey it to Warrington at the fort
that night, or as soon as he could absent himself
without exciting the observation of her father; after
which she again returned to her solitary apartment,
and soon sought her pillow, to escape the perplexities
of the present in the bright visions of the future.

[figure description] Page 066.[end figure description]

During the next day, her time and attention were
more than usually occupied by calls at the house,
from those passing to and from the fort. And it
was not till nearly night, that she found an opportunity
to escape from the company, with which, in
successive parties, the cottage had been thronged
through the day. But being relieved at length from
these hospitable duties, and wearied with bustle, in
which she had been engaged, she threw a light kerchief
over her head, and wandered into the fields to
indulge in those solitary musings so grateful to seperated
lovers. The golden sun was just sinking behind
the western hills. The earth was a variegated carpet
of flowers beneath her feet; and tempted by
the beauty of the evening, she continued her course
almost unconsciously, down the little vale towards
the woods; and before she was aware how far she
had wandered, she had arrived at the border of the
field, and was standing by the tree beneath which
Warrington had first breathed to her the word `love.'
After indulging awhile in the associations which this
sequestered spot awakened in her mind, she turned,
and was retracing her steps homeward, when she
was startled by the sharp rattling voice of some one
a few rods below her, and turning, she beheld Pete
Jones making his way up the slope towards her.

`Hold up a little bit there, lady, that is, if you're
a mind to,' he said, respectfully approaching and
holding up a letter between his thumb and finger.
`There's a little concern of a letter, which Captain
Selden handed me to give you.'

`Indeed! an answer from Skenesboro' so soon?'
said Alma, with a subsiding blush, which was raised
by the thought first occurring to her mind that the
message came from another quarter.

[figure description] Page 067.[end figure description]

`Answer to the letter the nigger had,—d'ye mean?—
why, yes, rather spose so. Any how, I believe it
came from that little hum-bird of a girl that we
caught at that small scrape we had with the old podunk
of a Scotchman and his folks, at the Lower
Falls, a week or two ago.'

`You mean Miss Reed, probably—have you been
up to Skenesboro', since you were here?'

`O, yes, a lot of us went up there yesterday, after
things had been pretty well fixed at Old Ti.'

`For what purpose, if I may ask, sir?'

`Why only just to let the Major there know, that
the Continental Congress had kinder taken a fancy
to his stone house. At all events, Captain Selden
told them something of that sort, as we made them
all prisoners there.'

`What! the ladies and all?—I trust they will
have no reason to complain'—

`Ah, you needn't borry no trouble there, mum, I
guess. The ladies won't be very likely to cry their
eyes out, at falling into the hands of such a chap as
Captain Selden—now you see if they do? For instance,
mum, by way of a similar,' continued Pete,
beginning to look mischievous, being no longer able
to keep down his ruling propensitiy for joking, `for
instance, suppose now, that Major Warrington should
come over here with men enough—and twouldn't
take over a thousand neither, mayhap'—

`You need not trouble yourself to explain, sir,'
interrupted Miss Hendee, rather flurriedly. `The
letter will inform me of all particulars, doubtless.
You will now excuse me, as I must return. But perhaps
you will go to the house for some refreshment,
or to remain with us through the night?'

`Why, no,—thank'ee mum,' replied the other,' a

[figure description] Page 068.[end figure description]

little abashed at the dignity which the girl had assumed.
`No, I must be off to my traps: I am a
sort of a water-mail to carry orders to day. Captain
Selden sent me on, this morning, with dispatches
to old thunder-bolt, Colonel Allen, you know.
Well, the Colonel, he sent me with my little bird of
a canoe agoing again, like a foot ball, down here to
Crown Point, to notify the Major to come up to a
council there, to-night, or in the morning. So you
see I must put on with my errand, as I havn't been
to the fort yet. You may just tell the old Captain
at the house, if you're a mind to, that my ague,
since I was there, hasn't been very desput, considering.
'

So saying, the jolly borderer turned, and bounded
down the slope like a young colt, giving vent to
the exuberance of his animal spirits, as soon as he
was fairly out of the restraining presence of the lady,
in his favorite old chorus, `Trol, lol, lol de larly!
'

Hastening to the house, and then to her room,
Miss Hendee eagerly tore open the letter just received,
and read as follows:

`Be astonished, O, ye heavens! and Alma Hendee,
be you thunder struck! as I know you will be,
when you learn, that we are—every man of us,—the
Major and all, prisoners of war! Yes, I am a second
time a prisoner to Mr. Selden! What means
it, Alma? There is some strange fatality about it,
that passes my poor comprehension. O, for some
one deeply skilled in scanning the future—some one
gifted with the second sight, which is claimed by our
Highland seers in Scotland, to divine to me the portent
of this singular happening! How very

[figure description] Page 069.[end figure description]

surprised we all were when they landed—a body of
armed men—and marched up, taking possession of
the yard, and disarming our soldiers.

The Major was in the house, and never mistrusted,
I really believe, what could be their object, till
they had seized the sloop and batteaux, and by their
rapid movements in surrounding the men, put it out
of his power to make any resistance. All this was,
seemingly, the work of a moment. And before we
had recovered from the first shock of the surprise,
Mr. Selden, who appeared to be chief in command,
had entered the house, and, with drawn sword, stood
before us. The Major then, indeed, began to show
some symptoms of uneasiness—more, however, even
then, I thought, at the presence of one, whom he
evidently has both feared and hated, since the former
visit, than because he really supposed he was in
earnest about capturing the establishment. After
Mr. Selden had politely saluted us, ladios, he bowed
formally to the Major, who returned the compliment
only by a vain attempt to get his organs of
speech in motion.

`Who?—what?—Hem!' he stammered, stepping
restlessly about the room, and looking daggers at the
other: `Why, sir—I should like to know, sir—yes,
sir—let me tell you, sir, what I think of you, sir'—

`O, never trouble yourself, Major,' replied Mr. S.
with a satirical smile, `it might take you a longer
time than I could possibly spare to devote to so unimportant
a purpose.'

`Why, sir!' resumed my doughty warrior of a
lady's parlour,—`d—n you, sir! do you mean to
insult, sir?—I'll just let you know, sir—you'll just
please to walk out of the house, sir!'

`O, be patient, Major,' rejoined Selden, with the

[figure description] Page 070.[end figure description]

most provoking coolness. `Let me explain to these
ladies the nature of our call, lest they be unnecessarily
alarmed.'

He then informed us of the outbreaking of the
war, the capture of Ticonderoga—and the determination
of the Americans to possess themselves of
this post, also; and consequently the necessity of
our removal to some other place, to which he assured
us of a safe escort.

`Now, Major,' said he, turning to the other, who
had several times broken in on Mr. S., `I have only
to say to you, that both you, and all your men are
prisoners of war.'

Even then the Major could scarcely comprehend
what had befallen him; for he again began to bluster
and threaten. But Selden, at once cutting him
short, ordered him away; when they both left the
house together. I never saw creatures so puzzled
and confounded as were Marge and Merry Skene.
They neither knew what to say, or how to act. As
for myself, I could hardly hold in till the gentlemen
had left the room, when I fairly shed tears with the
laughter, which I could not repress, at the ludicrous
scene I had witnessed. In regard to the valient
Major, he will not, probably, make much more fuss
about the affair to day. To-morrow he will be considerably
moved at the disaster; and by the next
day, he will have so collected his ideas and his wrath,
that he will be tremendously mad.

They took the place about noon;—since which
we ladies have held our council of war. And it has
been decided that we take our departure to-morrow
morning for Albany, where we shall at present remain,
with a connection of the Skenes'. I should
have certainly preferred, for myself, to go and reside

[figure description] Page 071.[end figure description]

with you. But I dare not name it to them; for the
girls are already as jealous of me as witches; and I
well knew, that should I make such a proposition, it
would be attributed to a secret wish to be where I
could see more of Mr. S. And further, I am not
quite sure, but they might be so kind as to communicate
their suspicions to father; for I have a father,
who may claim a voice in some matters as well as
you. Now don't draw any inferences from that observation,
Alma; because, positively, there are none
to draw.

Mr. Selden handed me your letter, brought by
black Jack, till he fell into the hands of the powers
that be. I read it with much interest,—the more
so, perhaps, as I thought of the possibility that we
may yet have cause to mingle our sympathies.

I shall probably remain with the Skenes till father
returns—if he does return; for now we have
war, I am rather uncertain what course he will pursue.
Should he receive a commission that suits him,
he may engage in the war. This, however, is doubtful.
And I think it very likely he will remain neutral,
as I suspect he thinks the government have not
done him justice. At all events, I don't believe he
feels very bitter towards the Americans; but if he
does, I know of one who don't.

P. S. Mr. Selden is to escort us in person to Albany;
and what is better, the Major is compelled to
go with the other prisoners to Ticonderoga. His
face is most unreasonably long at this arrangement—
I think he will be crazy by to-morrow. Marge is
secretly rejoiced, and I know of another who is less
sad about it than she might be. I have had a conversation
with Mr. Selden, alone, which has shown
me that he can be serious when he pleases. But I

[figure description] Page 072.[end figure description]

have no time left me to state particulars. In my
next I will be more explicit.