at the way in which his men had been kept at
bay, snatched a musket from the hands of one of his men and fired at
Allen.

Although only a few yards distant, the ball missed, and Allen, not to
be thought wanting in reciprocal feelings, fired at the captain, but
both were too much blown to take aim, so the shots were wasted.

"Coward!" shouted Allen--"cowards all! To think that it took five
hundred men to capture twoscore patriots!"

The captain answered back and demanded surrender.

"As prisoners of war?" asked Allen.

"No. As rebels."

"Then, by the great Jehovah, I will die fighting! Men, let us resist
to the death!"

To the surprise of the English, a volley was fired into their ranks,
and the Americans prepared to load again.

Seven more of Allen's men had fallen wounded, while twelve of the
English had been made to bite the dust.

"On what terms will you surrender?" asked the captain.

"That we shall all be recognized as prisoners of war and receive
honorable treatment."

"On the word of a British officer, your terms shall be accepted."

The Americans threw down their arms.

As Allen presented his sword to the officer a naked savage, with
hellish visage, made still more repulsive by the fact that half his
head was shaved and the other half adorned with feathers, rushed at
Allen and placed his musket at his head.

Allen caught the English captain and swung him between the Indian and
himself, but the savage flew round with incredible swiftness and great
fury, trying to kill the brave mountaineer without injuring the officer.

Allen succeeded in keeping the Englishman between him and the savage,
but another Indian came rushing up and Allen gave all up as lost.

"Arrah, be jabers, if I can shtand that same!" shouted an Irishman in
the service of England.

He rushed forward with fixed bayonet, risking punishment for breaking
rank, and swearing by his forefathers that he would kill the "haythen,"
rescued Allen.

Thus, while Montgomery was waiting for him at St. John, Ethan Allen was
a prisoner in the hands of the English and being marched into Montreal
a captive.

In the barrack yard Gen. Prescott confronted him.

"Are you the Col. Allen who captured Ticonderoga?" he asked.

"I am."

A long string of expletives poured from the general's lips, and he
swore that Allen should be shot.

He raised his cane to strike Allen across the face, but the Green
Mountain Boy placed himself in fighting at