Off flew one of the bolts, and Ethan jumped to his feet and caught the lad by the shoulder, and was giving him a good shaking, when Eben cried out: "Kill me if you like, colonel, but hear me first." "Well, what is it?" "The sheriff of Albany and a big lot of armed men are on their way here. I heard all their plans, and I have run all the way from Eagle's Bridge to tell you. You, colonel, are to be dispossessed first, and then Seth Warner, and if they can kill you, colonel, they will do so." "Is this true?" "Every word. I stole the wallet containing the writs, and here they are. I took them out of the wallet and threw that away, 'cause they might recognize it and find out how it was lost. Then I tore the governor's seal off the writs, 'cause that would be treason to steal them." Eben handed the mutilated writs to Allen, and he saw that they were genuine enough. "Will they come, now that they have lost the writs?" asked Warner. "Yes, they will make believe they have got them." "Then we must rally all the boys. Eben, you are a brave boy." "Thank you, colonel. Do you want to shake me now?" "No, my boy, and you can break off the bolts from every door in the house if you like." "I'll go and fetch the boys." "You are tired." "No, Col. Allen, running never tired me yet. Let Ira go one way and I will go the other, for no time must be lost." "You ought to be a general; you know just what should be done." If Eben had been tired, those words of praise would have been enough to take away all feeling of fatigue. Ethan made out a list of the men he wanted and gave each boy a copy. "Keep as quiet as you can. Whisper your instructions. All you need say is, 'The moon will rise tonight,' and then the answer will be, 'At what time?' to which you will reply, 'As early as you are ready to see it.' That is all you need say." "Will they come here then?" "Yes, at once." Warner hurried home to see that all was in readiness there to withstand an attack, and he left a speedy messenger to hurry to Allen's house in case the sheriff should go to Warner's first. The first man met by Eben was Silvanus Brown. "Silvanus, the moon will rise to-night." Silvanus looked at the boy for a moment as though bewildered, but that feeling passed away, and he asked: "At what time?" "As early as you are ready to see it." "Good! I am ready." Silvanus stepped quite lively, and Eben, on looking back, saw him going toward the colonel's with his musket over his shoulder. The next farm was occupied by John Smith. "John Smith, are you there?" shouted Eben, as he opened the door and looked in. "Ah, my boy! What brings you here now?" "The moon will rise to-night." "Is that so? That is great news. At what time?" "As early as you are ready to see it." "Good! I would leave the best boiled dinner or get up at any hour of the night to see the moon rise. What do you think? Will there be any bears about a night like this?" "Most likely."