de," said Baker, exultingly.

"Ay, but not out," answered Forest, rather gloomily.

"Form into line!" shouted Arnold.

The men formed, facing the barracks, and were ready to fire should the
garrison show fight.

Allen left the command of the men in the hands of Arnold, while he
rushed to the quarters of the commandant.

Capt. Delaplace was asleep.

He had not heard the shout, though it was loud enough to wake the dead
almost.

A sentinel stood guard outside the commandant's door.

Allen placed a pistol at his head and ordered him to stand aside.

The man obeyed like one in a dream.

Allen stood by the bedside of the sleeping commandant.

"Get up!" shouted the mountaineer.

The voice was loud enough to rouse the sleeper, who thought that the
French had taken a fancy to come down the lake and try to recapture the
fortress.

"Get up!"

The commandant sat up in bed.

"What do you want? Who are you?"

"Surrender this fortress instantly."

"By what authority?"

Allen flourished his sword as he replied:

"In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress!"

Delaplace did not hesitate.

A sword was in close proximity to his heart, the shouts of the men
outside showed that the enemy was in possession of the fort, so what
could he do but surrender?

He reached to the side of the bed and took his sword.

"There is my sword, sir. I trust that you will allow me to dress."

"Certainly; report to me in half an hour. Sorry to disturb your sleep,
captain, but war, you know, is not always considerate."

The English flag was borne on the breeze, and floated proudly over the
fort.

Allen looked up at it and sighed.

It was a gallant flag, and a brave man does not like to see a flag of a
great nation humiliated, even though he is fighting against it.

"Haul down the flag!"

"What shall we run up, colonel?"

The Provincials had no flag, and Allen ordered the English flag to be
again run up, but with the Union down.

Across the waters of the lake the men were watching, and when they saw
the flag run up, with the Union down, they knew that the fort had been
taken, and they set up a cheer that could be heard across the water.

A hundred and twenty cannon and a vast amount of military stores fell
into the hands of the Americans.

Great Britain had expended forty million dollars on Fort Ticonderoga
from first to last, and a few undisciplined Mountain Boys wrested this
proud possession fr