Page 79 of The Hero of Ticonderoga; or, Ethan Allen and His Green Mountain Boys

A cry pierced the walls of the miserable temporary hospital.

"Ethan Allen killed! Who could be his murderer?"

The words were shouted out as though some one was in great distressover the great tragedy.

"What did he say?" asked Eben.

"It sounded like 'Ethan Allen murdered,' but, perhaps, I am mistaken."

"Go and see. Stay, I will go, and if any one has killed the best manon earth I will find him and kill him!"

The blood was coursing faster through the boy's veins; the color hadcome back to his cheeks and he forgot his wound. His only thought wasabout Allen.

"You stay here; I will go and see about it."

"Let me go, please do, doctor?"

"No, you stay here. If the report is true you will need all yourstrength to avenge the death of the brave man."

"You are right. But, doctor, I feel right enough. I wonder what mademe think I was going to die?"

"I will tell you all later. Now lie still. I will not be gone long."

"Don't be a minute, please, doctor, or I shall have to come after you."

The surgeon smiled to himself with great satisfaction as he sought thepresence of Ethan Allen.

"Well, how did it go?" asked the mountaineer.

"Like magic. No sooner did he hear the cry than he wanted to get upand seek your murderer. He is as well as ever he was, though he willbe weak for a day or so."

"Shall I go and see him?"

"Not yet. Wait until I summon you."

The doctor returned to Eben.

"Well, doctor, it is not true--say it is not true!"

"No, the alarm was a false one."

"Thank Heaven!"

"I am just as well pleased as you. Now try and get some sleep."

"Will you ask the colonel to call and see me?"

"Yes. Ah, here he is."

Eben caught Allen's hand and the hot tears flowed over it. He kissedthe hard hand of the mountaineer and stroked it until nature came tothe rescue and Eben fell back asleep.

"He is saved. The countershock did what nothing else could. It was aninteresting experiment."

CHAPTER XXVII.

A PRISONER.

Three days later Allen received another command to penetrate intoCanada and seek to interest the Canadians, especially the French, inthe colonial cause.