Chapter 7

AN AMBUSCADE.

The energetic governor of New York had a spy present during the interview between the Green Mountain leader and the governor of New Hampshire.

Tryon had made up his mind to use his influence--and it was great--to have England amalgamate the two colonies and make him the ruler of the consolidated district.

In fact, he had already planned a scheme by which all of New England should be federated under his lead, thus creating a vice-gerency in the New World which should be all-powerful.

To carry out this plan he hoped to embroil the governor of New Hampshire with the mountaineers, and thus, by creating dissensions, show to England that a strong hand was needed.

When his trusted deputy heard from the spy the result of the interview between Allen and the governor, he called his aids together and asked their advice.

"Wentworth will give that fellow Allen all he asks," he said, "and our mission will be a failure."

"Cannot we capture this rebel and carry him over the border?"

"If we could we should be masters of the situation."

"Then we will do it."

"How?"

"Leave that to me. You must not know anything about it or it will compromise you."

"But, Edwards, unless I know the details how can I advise the governor or prove to him that it was justifiable?"

"That is the very thing you must not do until Allen and perhaps his men are in New York Colony. Then you can boldly say: 'Here is the rebel; hang him!'"

That evening, when the mountaineers were smoking their pipes in front of the inn, a man strolled leisurely along the street and looked at Allen and Warner, who were talking together.

He retraced his steps and stared at the men, hoping that they would resent the impertinence; but Allen did not notice him and Warner only smiled to himself.

"Can you tell me where I shall find a man they call Ethan Allen?" asked the man, after passing and repassing several times.

"I have the right to bear that name," answered Allen.

"Oh!"

"Why did you ask?"

"I wanted to see him."

"Well, you have seen him," Warner said, angrily.

"And who are you?"

"A better man than you."

"That I doubt."

"Very well; you are perfectly within your rights."

"I know that, but I would like to know your name."

"Seth Warner."

"I am Jack Edwards, at your service."

"Very well, Mr. Jack Edwards, you can serve me by going about your business."

"So I will, now that I have seen you. Good-day."

Warner did not answer the valedictory, and the man stooped down, and, picking up a handful of gravel, threw it at Warner.

"That's for your bad manners."

Warner, quick-tempered, was about to seize Edwards, when Allen pulled him back. "Sit down, Seth; the fellow is only trying to embroil us, so that our enemies may get the better of us."

"You may be right, Ethan, but I have got that fellow's face printed on my mind, and when I meet him, as I shall, I will pay him with compound interest."

Edwards saw that he could not provoke a breach of the peace, so he walked down the street, wondering of what sort of stuff this mountain hero was made, when he would restrain his friend from avenging an insult.

Early in the morning Gov. Wentworth sent for Ethan Allen and told him that he should refuse to meddle with the application for extradition, and that Allen could go back to the mountains and defend his right and title to the lands in any way he chose.

"Go tell your men that I have created an office for you. You shall be called the high custodian of the grants, and whatever you think necessary to repel the claims of the Yorkers you can do in my name."

Thus we have seen that the man sent for as a prisoner, with a gallows staring him in the face, left Concord a victor.

The conflict between the two colonies was to assume a new phase, and in that conflict Ethan Allen was to bear a most prominent part.

The Mountain Boys did not believe in wasting time, so they rallied their forces and started back as soon as they had attended to their horses and provided themselves with provisions for the journey.

Allen rode first with Seth Warner.

"Seth, what was that man's object in provoking a quarrel?"

"I am at a loss to understand."

"He was a Yorker."

"Think so?"

"Sure of it."

"Then it was mere curiosity to see you, and when he saw you he could not restrain his temper? He wanted to fight?"

"I don't think so."

"What is your idea then, colonel?"

"He wanted to embroil us in a quarrel so that the watch could be called out and we should be placed in the wrong."

"Perhaps you are right. Anyway, we are rid of him."

"Are we?"

"Yes, of course."

"Do not be too sure. The Yorkers will be mad enough to follow us, and, if a chance offers, we shall have to fight."

"What do you think of the dispute with the king?"

"For my part, I think the colonies should have the right to make their own laws."

"The king will give that right."

"No. George has all the pig-headedness of his ancestors. If the colonies get the right they will have to fight for it."

"You do not think there will be war between England and the colonies?"

"I do not know, but if there should be I shall ask that our mountain lands shall be independent."

"With you as first governor."

"I care not for that. I only want to see the people get all they deserve. Look, Seth! What do you see over there?"

"It looks to me like a number of horsemen."

"Yes, and they are trying to head us off."

"Think so?"

"Why, look! Baker, come here. What are those men doing over there?"

Remember Baker shaded his eyes with his hand and looked for several minutes before speaking.

"'Pears like as though they were trying to ambush by the side of the road and stop us."

"Just what I thought. Ask Sunderland to come here."

Peleg Sunderland was a good scout. He was a hunter from Wayback, and could find the trail of a deer or a bear quicker than any man in the Green Mountains.

"Colonel, we are in for it. Them fellows are waiting for us."

"Dismount!"

The order was obeyed, though many of the men wondered what could be the reason.

"We will have lunch----"

"But, colonel, I----"

"We will have lunch."

"Eben, get onto the trail, my boy. Find out who those men are about a mile ahead of us, and report quickly. Take care you are not seen."

The boy started off in a direction which was at right angles with the road by which the men were camped.

Ethan Allen bade the men appear to eat, whether they were hungry or not.

He told them that he feared a surprise.

The mountaineers rather liked the idea of a fight, though the odds were against them.

Every man had his musket ready for use and awaited the order to move.

Eben returned and reported that there were twenty-two men, well armed and apparently waiting for the Vermonters.

"They are led by that man who wanted to fight you, captain."

"Are you sure?"

"I took his measure when he was at the inn and I cannot be mistaken."

"Then they are Yorkers."

"That is just what they are. And, colonel, would it not be better to pass them on the road to the right, and then return and fight?"

"No, Eben. If we pass them we will not return. If we are attacked we shall give as good as we receive."

"Fight it will be."

"Yes, Seth, and we shall have tough work before we are through."

"We are ready to follow you."

"Boys, are you all ready?"

"Ay, Allen."

"I think they will let us reach them before they emerge, and they will fire at us from each side; so, Seth, you take half our men and I will look after the others. You give back good answers to the men on the right; we will take notice of those on the left."

"All right, sir."

"Mount!"

The men swung themselves in the saddles as unconcerned as though they had been partaking of lunch and suspected no enemy to be on the lookout for them.

They rode forward, and were within a few yards of the enemy, when the Yorkers leaped from their ambush and massed themselves on the road.

"In the name of the king, surrender, Ethan Allen!"

"In the name of common sense, who are you? A lot of clowns from a country fair?"

"We are the king's good subjects, and command you to surrender yourself a prisoner."

"Stand out of the way, you fool, or I will have to teach you a lesson."

Allen had spoken sharply, for he was sick of the formality which prefaced the fight which was to come.

Both sides were well matched. All were on good horses, and every man possessed a heavy musket.

"Do you refuse to surrender?"

"A Green Mountain Boy only surrenders to superiors."

"Then we shall have to make you, unless you acknowledge us as your superiors."

"Men of the mountains!" shouted Allen, "ride through these fellows--ride over them if they will not get out of the way."

Edwards ordered his men to resist and to fire upon the mountaineers.

"So you want to play the part of highwaymen, do you? Boys, return the fire."

One volley was fired by each party, and then the two opposing bodies became mixed up in inextricable confusion.

Muskets were clubbed and heads were cracked as the heavy butts descended on them.

Horses reared, and plunged, and knocked down those men who had become unhorsed.

The fight was furious for a few minutes.

Ethan and his brother, Ira, were in the thick of the struggle all the time, while Seth Warner seemed a very Trojan in valor.

Both sides fought well, and had the contest been a short one it would have been impossible to say which would have been the victor, but it was prolonged, and the mountaineers had the physical stamina which the men of the valleys lacked, and the longer the fight lasted the greater was the victory of the brave followers of Ethan Allen.

Edwards was taken prisoner, and on the understanding that he would reveal all he knew of the plot against the men of the grants, Allen allowed all the others to go free.

Two Yorkers were killed, while Allen's ranks had lost only one, and he only wounded, though severely.

In triumph the boys returned to the green hills of Vermont, and were received with many congratulations.