Part 44 (1/2)

There was no sign of life at the house, though the guide called:

”Jacques--Jacques!”

”Where can he have got to? Enter, monsieur, and I will find the man who has the skins.”

Allen, followed by the others, entered the house, which seemed to consist of one room and an extension kitchen downstairs, and a room upstairs.

In a few minutes a man dressed in a red s.h.i.+rt entered, and said his brother had sent him to entertain them, as he would be detained getting some skins he believed the messieurs wanted.

Everything seemed so quiet and innocent that even Eben was inclined to think he had been unjustly suspicious.

But while Jacques chattered--and he did so rattle along that it was quite impossible for anyone to get in a word--there was a movement outside which was ominous had Allen but known it.

Jacques was telling a hunting story and raised his voice at a most exciting point, when the door was quickly opened and a dozen soldiers from the neighboring garrison sprang into the room and demanded the surrender of the party.

It was impossible to decline the unpleasant invitation, for at each head was a pistol.

As Allen raised his head and looked at the door, he saw the pseudo guide, grinning like a hyena, and in a voice which was very English the man emphasized his laugh by saying:

”Ha, ha, ha! trapped! I have followed Ethan Allen all the way from Ticonderoga, and waited until I could be sure he would be hanged. Now I denounce him as a spy!”

CHAPTER XXV.

DIPLOMACY.

”You denounce me?”

”Yes, I say that you are Ethan Allen, the man who surprised the garrison at Ticonderoga.”

”Am I to understand that these soldiers have listened to the ravings of a creature like you?”

The sergeant in command of the squad saluted Allen, and replied:

”I am compelled to obey orders. This man reported that he could lead into ambush one Ethan Allen, and I was detailed to effect his arrest.”

”Sergeant, I acknowledge that you have a duty to perform, but cannot a merchant pa.s.s through Canada without being suspected of being a spy?”

”With that I have nothing to do; I must ask you to surrender.”

”The asking is compulsion. With a pistol at each head, how can we do anything else but surrender?”

Allen wished to delay surrender as long as possible, for he was a firm believer in the doctrines of possibility, and a chance of escape might present itself.

The sergeant laughed at Allen's question.

”It does look like surrender or death, but my orders were to take Ethan Allen, dead or alive.”

”Is he then so much feared?”