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When his name was mentioned by Adams he left the hall.
He was afraid to remain for fear he should be called upon to accept.
He wanted time for deliberation.
The congress adjourned until the following Thursday.
The delegates talked the matter over, and when the Congress reassembledGeorge Washington was the unanimous choice of the delegates.
But before he was asked to give his answer, articles of confederationwere drawn up and signed, and the colonies became one for the purposes ofmutual defense.
"I fear that this day will mark the downfall of my reputation," saidWashington to Patrick Henry when he heard he was unanimously selected toorganize an army of twenty thousand men, who were undisciplined, withoutweapons, without arms of any kind worth speaking of, and having no moneyto pay for the food they would require, not mentioning arms.
The question of salary was next discussed, but Washington stopped it byemphatically declaring that he would not touch one penny of salary, andonly asked that out-of-pocket expenses should be paid.
In the midst of the cheering which these words evoked, Ethan Allenentered the hall.
"Who is that man?" asked John Hancock.
"Ethan Allen, the hero of Ticonderoga," answered Sam Adams.
The cheering broke out again, but this time it was for the Green Mountainleader.
Again and again did the walls re-echo with the plaudits.
Then Sam Adams called Ethan Allen to the chairman's desk, and JohnHancock warmly congratulated the hero.
A resolution of thanks was passed, and Allen was asked to introduce hisfriends.
Seth Warner and Remember Baker were welcomed as able coadjutors, andAllen took care to say that they were typical of all the Mountain Boys,and that what they had done was only a foretaste of what they would do ifnecessary.
Eben Pike was called up, and the boy bashfully wriggled--no one couldcall it walking--up to John Hancock's desk.
When Allen told of the bravery of the young scout and of the way in whichhe had so recently saved his friends from falling into the hands of theEnglish, Hancock rose from his seat and called for three hearty cheersfor the young hero.
Then the Congress settled down to work and appointed officers to assistWashington.
What a brave lot of men! Their names cannot be too often repeated.
The major-generals were Artemus Ward, Charles Lee, Phillip Schuyler andIsrael Putnam--the famous wolf-den Putnam. Then the brigadier-generalscomprised Richard Montgomery, Seth Pomeroy, David Wooster, William Heath,Joseph Spencer, John Thomas and Nathaniel Greene. The adjutant-generalwas Horatio Gates.
Allen overheard Gen. Schuyler speak of Canada and of its importance.
Allen made his acquaintance and asked him to allow him to tell of theplan New York had rejected.
Schuyler was delighted, and thanked the Vermonter warmly.
"If ever you are in command of such an army of invasion," said Allen, "Ishall ask to be allowed to join as a volunteer."
"My dear Allen, there is not a man in all Philadelphia at the presentmoment I would rather have," answered the general.
Alas! what suffering was to follow that conversation!
CHAPTER XXII.
EBEN'S ADVENTURES.
Among the men who were to lead the colonial armies Allen had hisattention attracted to Richard Montgomery, who was to share withSchuyler the responsibility of the invasion of Canada.
