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The sheriff gave the order to fire.
Both sides obeyed the sheriff, and a blinding smoke rose from the oldmuskets.
No one was hurt, for neither side liked to be the first to shed blood.
Another volley was fired, and one of the defenders was wounded.
At the word they rushed out and threw themselves on the sheriff'sposse, and, with muskets clubbed, they drove the Yorkers back, breakingmany a head and inflicting more damage than they received.
The Yorkers rallied and loaded their muskets.
Sheriff Merrit, with a courage worthy of a better cause, addressed hismen.
"Yorkers, we must have the body of Ethan Allen, dead or alive. We mustquell this revolt against lawful authority. Will you follow me?"
"Ay, to the death!"
"The courts have decided that the land belongs to New York; the king,God bless him! has confirmed the decree, and opposition to it istreason. Ay, treason, which our king has called upon us to stamp out.Are you ready?"
"Ay, we will give our lives for the king."
Ethan Allen knew that the very name of the king was sufficient tostrike awe into the minds of the people.
At that time the king was looked upon as the anointed of Heaven, andonly the boldest would dare to say a word against him.
Allen was too democratic to look upon George as infallible, and to himhe was only the head of the nation, and no better than any other man.
But the mass of the people had not shaken off their Old World ideas ofroyalty.
"Boys, it may be that his majesty has confirmed the decree," saidAllen, "but he was misinformed, and when he hears from our owngovernor, the governor from whom we hold our lands, he will change hisopinion and secure us in our titles. Until then shall we defend themourselves?"
"Ay, to the death," answered Seth Warner.
"Then load your guns, and let us drive back these Yorkers into theirown colony."
The Green Mountain Boys fell into line, Ethan Allen and Seth Warner infront, and in that order they marched against the sheriff's posse.
Volley after volley was fired, and several on each side fell wounded,some fatally.
Back fell the Yorkers, and still onward went the gallant boys underAllen's lead.
Allen thought the march too slow, and he gave the order to go at doublequick.
The Yorkers had but little time to load their muskets, and they had notthe quickness possessed by the mountaineers.
The unfortunate Sheriff Merrit many times tried to halt his men so thatthey might pour a volley into the ranks of the mountain boys, but theyhad become too demoralized to make any determined stand.
Merrit, with the courage which almost ennobled him, snatched a musketfrom the hands of one of his men and, standing in the middle of theroad, took deliberate aim at Ethan Allen and fired.
The ball went wide of its mark, but the intrepid sheriff loaded quicklyand again attempted to fire, but he spilled the powder from his pan,and the spark did not fire the musket.
Then he clubbed the weapon and rushed forward to meet the brave leaderof the Mountain Boys, and was within a few feet of Allen when hetripped and fell.
His musket fell under him, and by some unaccountable chance was fired,blowing off the top of Merrit's head.
The Yorkers were thrown in a panic by the sight, and ran faster thanthey had ever thought possible until they were over the border andconsidered themselves safe from pursuit.
The victory was with the Mountain Boys, but Allen feared that it wouldprove dearly bought, for the laws were so strict at that time, and allhis party might be held responsible for the death of the sheriff, who,being a king's officer, was sacred.
