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Ethan Allen at once thought that a regiment of English was about to tryand wrest the fort from him.
He was agreeably disappointed when he saw that the men were his ownGreen Mountain Boys, led by Seth Warner.
Warner had been doing good work in Vermont, and, finding itadvantageous to join his chief, he had marched his men to Ticonderoga.
A warm welcome was accorded the captain and his men, and Allen at oncegave the command of the operations against Crown Point to Seth Warner.
The fortifications at Crown Point were erected at a cost of ten milliondollars, and up to that time had never a shot been fired from them.
Trusting to the strength of the stone barracks and the extensiveearthworks, England had kept only a small force at the fort, and at thetime of the capture of Ticonderoga only a sergeant and twelve mencomposed the garrison.
Seth Warner was delighted at the honor conferred upon him by his chief.
Ethan Allen had a reason for keeping as strong a garrison atTiconderoga as possible, for he feared that Delaplace might try toescape and perhaps recapture the fort.
Arnold was surly. He thought that Allen had lost confidence in him,but Allen reasoned the matter with his Connecticut hero, and satisfiedhim that no insult was intended.
Crown Point is about eleven miles north of Ticonderoga. The townitself lies six miles away from the fort.
Seth Warner started on his march, his men highly elated at the prospectof winning renown.
When about halfway they were met by a man dressed in the garb of a monk.
He carried a crucifix and a long staff.
His hair was white, and a long beard, which reached nearly to hiswaist, was as white as driven snow.
Waving his staff above his head, he called to the soldiers to stop.
Warner had no great liking for monks, though he was honest enough torespect every man's religion.
"What is it you would have, good father?" asked Warner.
"In the name of the ever true and good, I crave your assistance, and,if you will grant it, I will give you my blessing, which is better thanrubies and more valuable than gold."
"In what way can we assist you, good father?"
"You are soldiers of liberty. Heaven will bless your swords, and youwill live to see the flag of the tyrant go down in the dust, and a flagof a free nation will float over a free people. I am not allowed tofight, or I would gird on a sword and smite me right and left until thefriends of the tyrant were all beneath the sod!"
"We thank you for your patriotic exhortation, but we have a mission tofulfill and we must not loiter."
"The mission is one which will not fail; I know that you have capturedthe strong fort at Ticonderoga, and that you will enter within thefortifications of Crown Point, but will you assist me?"
"What would you have us do?"
"To the east of you, one mile and one hundred yards, stands a house.It is a farmhouse. Its owner is no friend of the Provincials, and hasa captive whom he holds for ransom."
"A captive? Held for ransom? Explain yourself!"
"This farmer, fearing that the English might be driven out of thecountry and that he would lose his possessions, because he is a greatworker for the enemy, did find a young girl, who was related to one ofthe leaders of your holy cause, and he lured her into his house andholds her as a hostage. Should the Provincials take possession of hisfarm, he will kill the girl, so he says, and a man's word should bebelieved, and therefore I did make a vow to rescue this maiden from thegrasp of the ungodly and restore her to her friends."
"Where did you say the farm was?"
"Tarry not, I beseech you, but travel to the east one mile and onehundred yards, and you will come to a snake fence; cross the field andyou will see a house with a number of vines growing up its sides. Thenask for Farmer Mervale, and you have the man who dares to imprison oneof the maidens the Lord loves."
Warner consulted with his friends, and they agreed that it would bewell to rescue the maiden.
"You will go with us?" asked Warner.
