Page 4 of The Hero of Ticonderoga; or, Ethan Allen and His Green Mountain Boys

"I shall be sure to remember you, Remember."

"If my man won't join you, I will."

The people turned to look at the speaker, and as they encountered thefirm face of Mistress Cochrane, they knew she meant it.

"But I will join, Ethan," her husband, Robert Cochrane, said.

"Of course you will, Robert; but I don't know but I'd prefer a score ofwomen like Mistress Cochrane to twoscore men."

Mistress Cochrane was a big, well-formed woman, and as her sleeves wererolled up above her elbows, she showed a wealth of muscle which many aman might envy.

Twenty men gave in their names, and Ethan was delighted.

"I'm proud of my Green Mountain Boys," he said, "and I shall be prouderstill when we have won the victory."

"Hurrah for our leader!" shouted Seth Warner.

The next day Allen called his men together, and put them through theirdrill.

He wanted them to be soldiers, and so the discipline was strict.

He was elected colonel of the regiment, and Seth Warner was madecaptain.

The fame of the Green Mountain Boys grew, and many of the men aroundwished to join, but Allen had no idea of forming a large army, for hisobject was defense, not defiance.

He was sitting by the great open fireplace, looking at the blazing logsand watching the curling smoke ascend the chimney, when his brother,Ira, came in, and threw himself on the settee in the chimney corneropposite Ethan.

Ira was thirteen years younger than Ethan, but as bold and daring ashis brother.

At the date of the formation of the Green Mountain Boys, Ira waseighteen, and as bright a lad as ever shouldered musket or hunted abear.

"Ethan, I saw Eben Pike to-night."

"Well?"

"He wants to join us."

"Oh!"

"Won't you let him?"

"What to do? If we wanted a kitchenmaid he might apply."

"I told him I would speak to you."

"Well, you have done so."

"I wish you would admit him."

"Into the ranks?"

"Yes."

"My dear Ira, you forget that we may have to fight."

"I don't."

"What use would Eben be in a fight? He could run."