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Eben glided away as noiselessly as he came, and Allen woke Baker asquickly as possible.
"Heigho! Have we to continue our journey?"
"Hush! do not utter a word! We have a chance to escape, if you willlisten and not speak."
Allen told him all that had been done, and then quietly cut the other'scords.
Both men were free.
They lay as still as though the cords still bound their bodies.
Allen sang another song in a low, tremulous voice.
Again it had the effect of disarming suspicion.
A bird warbled in a tree, rather strangely for so late at night, but asone of the men remarked that it was the bird's lookout and not his, nonotice was taken of it.
And then the warbling ceased and the peculiar call of the catbird washeard.
Instantly the two prisoners were on their feet and making for the wood.
They had got some yards before their movement was noticed.
At once the soldiers seized their guns, and a volley was fired afterthe fugitives.
The shots did not reach the mark, and pursuit was commenced.
Allen heard the catbird again and again, and by its sound guided hisfootsteps.
The soldiers were close behind and were gaining every minute, but theMountain Boys ran pluckily, for it was a race for life in reality.
They rushed into the dense wood and followed the narrow path, which wasreally a deer run.
Some of the soldiers fired again, and a ball struck a tree andricochetted, injuring the leader of the little band of pursuers.
The accident made the men more furious, and they ran so fast that itseemed Allen and Baker must certainly fall into their hands.
Suddenly the scene changed.
From behind every tree there leaped out a Mountain Boy, and with onevoice a shout went up:
"Surrender!"
It was no use resisting.
The Yorkers were outnumbered.
They were blown with the long run, while their enemies were fresh andtheir muskets loaded.
"To whom are we to surrender?" asked the officer.
"To Col. Allen and his Green Mountain Boys," was the answer.
"On what terms?"
"The same you gave us," answered Baker.
"Yes, you are invaders of another colony, and must be treated asmarauders," added Allen.
