t for a light to set me on fire, his little boy, a sweet
little fellow, ran from the house and called 'fire,' and just then a
flame did break out through the windows. The tory thought more of his
house than he did of me, so I ran away as fast as I could."

Eben rested after telling that adventure, and it was more than an hour
before he could resume his narrative.

"I ran as fast as I ever did in my life, and, as bad luck would have
it, I fell into the hands of some English soldiers. They did not know
me, and thought I was some ignorant country lad, so I fared pretty
well, and only stayed with them two days. When they broke camp they
insisted that I should go with them, and as I had told them I was going
in the very direction they intended going, I could not help myself."

"You were in hard luck."

"Yes, but that was not the last of my adventures, for I was recognized
by another tory, who had been birched by some of our men for his
treachery. He claimed me as his prisoner, and to get me had to swear
that I was his apprentice, who had run away."

"And of course the soldiers gave you to him?"

"Yes, and a nice time I had of it. The farmer stripped me and then
gave me fifty strokes with a strong cane----"

"The villain!"

"But that was not the worst. He threw me naked into a cellar and kept
me without food until I began to lose my senses, and then he gave me
these old clothes and some food. I managed after a long time to
escape, and for a week I wandered about the woods, living on what I
could pick up, until I managed to reach here. I dare not go to a
house, for the tories were searching for me, and I was afraid to even
jump into the river for fear that I might be seen and have no chance of
escape."

"Poor fellow. So you failed in obtaining the information for which you
set out."

"Failed? No, I got it, and though it is a trifle late, I find it is in
time."

Col. Hinman was so pleased with the thoroughness of Eben in everything
he undertook that he sent a special dispatch to Gen. Washington,
commending Pike as one of the best scouts and secret service officers
any country could produce.

Hinman tried to persuade Ethan Allen to join him, but the Green
Mountain hero wanted more stirring work than could be found in a fort
which might never be attacked.

The news that Montgomery was near the fort was sweetest music to him,
and he resolved to unite with his army, even as a private soldier.

CHA