Page 61 - A Hero of Ticonderoga

"Oh, is it true about the fight? How I wish I could go and help our folks.
Father’d go quick."

"Well, well, stay where ye be. If it goes on, it’s sure to strike the ol’

war-path," and the old ranger swept his arm towards the lake. "There’ll be
work for us here. The sign o’ that fresh water mairmaid is comin’ true agin."

They passed a week in restless, impatient waiting, when, unheralded by the
hound, Newton again entered the cabin and chanced to come face to face

with the boy.

"Well, here you be," he said, without surprise and smiling good-humoredly;

"I s’pected as much t’other day when I see the extry knife an’ pile o’
mushrats. Say, Job, how is’t? Can I speak out afore him consarnin’ the

business we was talkin’ on?"

"To be sure. He’s close-mouthed an’ he’s achin’ to go an’ jine our folks

down in the ol’ Bay Colony."

"Good; he’s the same stuff as his father." He laid his friendly hand on
Nathan’s shoulder and continued in a low, earnest voice: "There’s a plan all
fixed to take Ti and Crown P’int. It seems a Connecticut feller named

Brown started the thing a-goin’ some weeks ago. There’s nigh ontu two
hunderd and fifty men in the Grants engaged to do the job. Ethan Allen

commands. We muster at Beeman’s Crik, day after to-morrow night. You’ll
be there?" Job stretched forth his hand to his friend, who warmly clasped it.

"Me, too; let me go, too." Nathan’s heart swelled with pride, and he felt
himself suddenly leaping to manhood and a place among men.

"He’s a stout lad an’ he handles a gun like a man. Let him come," said Job.
"But how be we goin’ to git across the lake? There hain’t boats enough

hereabouts to take more’n thirty men to oncet."

"Colonel Skeene’s is goin’ to be borrowed, an’ there’s a plan to git some
more without askin’ at Crown P’int; with them an’ what we can pick up