Allen's men,
tryin' to make up my mind what they'd do when we struck the first blow,
and I haven't decided yet."

"You're a coward! You claimed to be an old soldier, and to know more of
warfare than any one in this encampment, not excepting the commanders,
but yet you don't dare lead fifty men against a dozen!"

"If I don't dare it isn't because I'm afraid of bodily injury; but I
can't afford to stake my reputation as a soldier where the chances are
likely to be so heavy against us. It's one thing to have a good plan,
an' just as important to know when to carry it out. If we hang together
an' are ready to take advantage of the first opportunity that comes,
then we'll be showing our strength; but not by rushing in hilter-skilter
like a crowd of boys primed for a rough-an'-tumble fight."

Corporal 'Lige's argument was evidently considered a good one, for at
once the outcries which had been raised against him died away, the men
yet remaining in position as if ready to act upon any suggestion he
might make.

"I don't reckon there's goin' to be much trouble 'round here after all,"
Nathan said in a tone of disappointment, and Isaac gave vent to a sigh
of relief. "It strikes me that old man crawled out of a pretty small
hole."

"Do you mean to say he wouldn't dare do what the men wanted?"

"Well, he would be a pretty poor stick if he didn't. There's four of
this crowd to one of that. What I allow is he's afraid of the officers,
and if this is any kind of a military company he's got good cause to be,
accordin' to the way things run up to the fort. There you wouldn't hear
privates tellin' who should command 'em, an' who shouldn't, else they'd
find themselves in trouble."

At this moment a great shout went up from the Green-Mountain Boys, and
as the two factions who had stood facing each other ready for the
encounter glanced around quickly, they saw Colonel Ethan Allen
approaching.

Then the Stockbridge men set up a shout, for Colonel Arnold stepped to
Allen's side as if of equal rank, and the Pittsfield detachment remained
silent, because Colonel Easton was walking in the rear of these two
officers.

"It looks as if our colonel had given in, an' wasn't countin' on
standin' up for his own rights," Corporal 'Lige said mournfully. "Let
one of you run over there an' tell him what we're ready to do. Say we'll
begin the scrimmage as soon as he gives the word."

This order was obeyed, and the little troop watched the mess