“I don’t claim no credit for’t. It was all Gabe’s doin’s, an’ if I’d left him tied up to hum as I laid out to, our cake would all ’a’ ben dough.” “Here, Newton, here’s your man. Put him under guard with that Tory, Toombs,” said Allen. A tall man of noble, commanding presence, but of a quiet, modest mien, stooped to caress the hound. “Why,” he said, “it’s one of Sunderland’s dogs, that haven’t their equal in New England.” “You’ve got an eye for houn’ dogs, Capt’n Warner. He sartain is one o’ them dogs an’ll foller anything he’s told to, though ’t ain’t no gre’t trick to track a Canuck more’n an Injin. They’re both strong-scented critters.” CHAPTER XV—LEADERS AND GUIDE Even while Nathan watched Gabe and his master depart into the forest southward, he became aware the assemblage was moved by some new object of interest. Turning, he saw Colonel Allen and another gentleman, eagle-eyed, eagle-beaked, in handsome military dress, talking angrily in the midst of an excited group. At length Allen turned his passionate face toward the men and called in a loud voice: “Men, fall in for a moment. Here,” waving his hand toward his companion, as the men rapidly fell into line, “is Mr. Benedict Arnold. He bears a colonel’s commission from the Connecticut Committee of Safety, and claims the right to command you to-night. Men of the Green Mountains, whom do you follow—Arnold or Allen?” “Allen, Allen,” came in response, loud and decided. The chosen chief turned a triumphant smile upon his rival, who strode away in silence of restrained passion. Soon returning, however, he addressed Allen in a clear, steady voice: “Sir, I submit to the will of these men, but let me be a volunteer in this glorious enterprise. The Green Mountain Boys and their famous leader are too generous to refuse this.” Allen, touched at a vulnerable point, grasped the speaker’s hand heartily and answered: “Indeed, so brave a man as I well know you to be, is most welcome, and, by the Great Jehovah, if the men don’t object, you shall be second in command.” A shout of approval went up from the men, who gathered around their camp fires again, while Allen and Arnold, together with Warner, walked apart in amicable consultation. Soon the first called loudly for any information concerning a lad named Nathan Beeman. At the sound of his name, Nathan started, blushed, hesitated, and then stepped bashfully forward, and was quickly recognized by Allen in spite of his added stature. “Here, this is the youngster, Colonel Arnold, that Mr. John Brown tells of in this paper, whom he saw and conversed with last winter about Ticonderoga.” The two colonels then asked the boy many questions about the Fort, its entrance, the interior, the number of the garrison, and the disposal of the sentinels. Evidently satisfied with his straightforward replies, Allen said, low and impressively: