uld be
doing, but only for a few minutes, for we saw other vessels moving into
the harbor, and then the cannon belched forth in salute. The noise
deafened us, and the jarring broke lots of windows. We soon knew that
ten thousand men had arrived in the harbor, and that England was going
to crush us----"

"You mean to try and crush us."

"Yes. Three generals had come over with reinforcements; they were
Howe, Clinton and Burgoyne. Gage was like a mad creature. He danced
and shouted like a boy getting an unexpected vacation. Then he said he
would hang Adams and Hancock with his own hands on Boston Common, but
Burgoyne stopped him and suggested trying an offer of pardon----"

"Of pardon?"

"Yes. There is a proclamation signed by Gage, offering pardon to all
who will surrender and acknowledge that they have done wrong, except
Samuel Adams and John Hancock, and these are said to be guilty of
treason and must die; that is, when Gage catches them."

"Well, what say the people?"

"That we will fight it out."

"Good!"

"And that if Adams and Hancock are traitors, so are they all."

"Well?"

"Gage heard of the defiance, and at once gave notice that he should
sally out of Boston and burn all the neighboring towns and devastate
the country."

"He did, eh?"

"Yes, and the people say they will give him a warm reception."

"Warner, shall we join the men at Boston?"

"You are commissioned to hold Ticonderoga," said the messenger, "and so
prevent the British using it against us."

"That we will do. Warner, give orders that all the cannon and the
ammunition we can spare be sent as rapidly as possible to the patriots.
We must help them all we can."

"That is the right way to talk, colonel; I feel ever so much better
now; there is a rope ready for my neck if I fail."

The messengers who brought the news from the patriots of Massachusetts
were entertained right royally, and took back with them a good
impression of Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys.

But it was not an opinion only that they took back with them, for they
had an escort of fifty men, and with them were twenty heavy cannon,
with good ammunition, and a promise of as many more heavy guns as soon
as horses could be procured to haul them.

"Tell Gen. Gage, if you see him," said Allen, "that the rope which he
has for Sam Adams must be long enough and strong enough for Ethan Allen
and his Mountain Boys, for they will never surrender as long as the