y determined that
such honor as might be gained should be their colonel's, and in a brief
space of time these new-fledged patriots were ripe for riot.

Now was come the hour when Corporal 'Lige had shown him some portion of
that consideration which he believed due his experience in military
affairs.

Those members of Colonel Easton's militia regiment which had joined the
expedition, jealous because their leader had given way to Colonel Allen,
now demanded loudly and publicly that he must lead the party or they
would turn back.

Inasmuch, however, as this portion of the troops amounted to fifty or
thereabouts, they had a small showing when the Green Mountain boys, who
were more than two hundred strong, came forth in turn with their
threats.

Colonel Allen was to be retained first in command, as had been decided
upon the previous evening, or they should march back to Bennington
without an hour's delay.

On the other hand, the men from Stockbridge insisted that Colonel Arnold
was the lawful commander because he was the only one who held a
commission for such purpose, and threatened that neither money nor
munitions of war should be given up unless his claims were fully
recognized.

On this morning of the eighth of May the men were divided into three
divisions according to their opinions, and it seemed much as if the
officers were willing they should settle it without interference, for
those highest in command remained in council among themselves, giving no
heed to the threats which were uttered here and there until it seemed
positive personal encounters must soon take the place of words.

The men from round about Pittsfield, recognizing the need of a leader in
what might properly be termed a mutiny, selected Corporal 'Lige as if by
common consent, and Isaac had but just written his mother's name on the
missive which had cost him so much labor, when he and the corporal were
surrounded by the faction to which belonged their neighbors and friends.

One of these, a butcher, whose home was in Pittsfield, thus addressed
the old man, using at the beginning of his remark just that compliment
best calculated to please him.

"You, who have had so much experience in military affairs, Corporal
'Lige, should be able to settle this matter without any great loss of
time, for according to my way of thinking it must be arranged among the
men themselves, or not at all."

"I have seen plenty of fightin'," the corporal began slowl