I mean I will not delay."

Once more alone, he showed his restlessness.

"They order me--me!--Capt. Benedict Arnold! Well, let me join Allen
and his Green Mountain Boys, and I shall do the ordering, or my star
has dimmed its luster."

One hour later he called together his guards and told them that they
were to be ready to march at a moment's notice.

"A soldier's first lesson is that of obedience," he said to them, "and
I am going to try you in many ways. In the expedition we are about to
undertake I shall only be of the same rank as yourselves. Obey whoever
may be your commander, but be ready to accept me as your leader at any
time."

Eli, on behalf of the guards, promised that whatever Arnold might order
it would be their pleasure to obey.

"Sergt. Eli Forest, stand forward."

Eli obeyed and saluted.

"Lieut. Percival has obtained leave of absence. He will join the army
in Cambridge when that leave expires. The grade of lieutenant is an
important one, and I appoint you, Eli Forest, first lieutenant of the
Governor's Guards."

Eli thanked his chief for the new honor, and Arnold had bound him still
closer to him.

CHAPTER XIV.

ARNOLD'S POWERS OF FASCINATION.

"On the choice of friends
Our good or evil name depends."

"Colonel, a number of armed men are marching this way, and I like not
their appearance," said the young Eben Pike, hurriedly and with gasping
breath, as he entered the presence of Ethan Allen.

"They most likely are friends, Eben."

"They may be, colonel, but I thought you ought to know."

"You acted wisely, as you usually do. Did you meet Mistress Baker?"

"Yes, colonel, and a fair young maiden she is. I wish I had a sister
like her."

Allen laughed and looked at the boy, whose face was a brighter color
than usual.

"You will learn to like some one else's sister better than your own, if
you had one."

Eben blushed still more and was about to leave when the colonel made
him send Baker at once.

Remember Baker had a sister, pretty and winsome. She had been visiting
for a year in New Haven, and decided to return to her brother's home at
the very time he was on the march with Allen.

Baker had an aunt living near Lake Champlain, and he decided to place
Martha with her. Good friends escorted Martha to a place a few miles
from where the Mountain Boys were to camp prior to their attack on Fort
Ticonderoga, and Eben was dispatched to escort the young maiden to h