EBEN'S ADVENTURES.
Among the men who were to lead the colonial armies Allen had his
attention attracted to Richard Montgomery, who was to share with
Schuyler the responsibility of the invasion of Canada.
Montgomery was one of the most fascinating men who rallied to the
standard of the colonies.
He was an Irishman, the son of a member of the British parliament, and
was educated in Trinity College, Dublin.
In 1754 he obtained a commission in the army, and with his regiment
came to this country, and, although only eighteen years old, he
distinguished himself for personal bravery in many an action.
In 1760 he was with Gen. Wolfe, and became the adjutant of the regiment.
After distinguishing himself in the expedition against Havana and
Martinique, he returned to England and stayed there nine years.
But he yearned for America, and so sold his commission and came to New
York, where he married and took a leading part with the sturdy men who
refused to bow the knee to English tyranny.
When the Continental Congress was held Montgomery was a delegate, and
he pledged his sword in defense of the popular rights.
No wonder that Ethan Allen should be pleased with the Irishman. They
were kindred spirits.
Montgomery asked Allen to tell him of the struggle of the Vermonters
against the pretensions of New York.
Allen did so, but somewhat bitterly.
"Nay, my dear Allen, do not let that irritate you. We shall soon make
common cause, and instead of the colonies we shall have a nation, and
we shall be citizens, not subjects."
"Citizens!" Allen repeated.
"Yes, mark me. If the colonies become a nation there will be a free
government based on equal rights, and none will be subject to another,
but all be equal before the law."
Montgomery saw more clearly into the future than did even Washington.
When the Congress was over, and Washington commenced his work of
creating an army, Allen returned home, somewhat disappointed.
He had expected a commission in the new army, but his name was passed
over by Congress.
It was afterward proved that the omission was the result of
inadvertence, for it was supposed that he had a commission from the
general in command of the Colonials at Boston, and the order was made
confirming all such commissions.
The summer was passing, and no action had been taken.
Allen was getting weary of the delay.
He could not understand why Boston had not been taken and the English
driven out. Then he heard that Benedict Arnold had received a
commission, and was leading an army into Canada to attack Quebec.
In despair Allen left his home and crossed to Ticonderoga, determined
to offer his services to the Connecticut captain who was in command of
the little garrison.
He was sitting on a gun on the day of his arrival on the scene of his
great exploit, when a boy, dirty, ragged and half starved, entered the
fort and stood opposite Allen.
"Don't you know me, colonel?"
"Is that you, Eben?"
"Yes. I am Eben Pike, and right glad I am to see you."
"How did you enter? Where have you been?"
Eben did not answer. He was too weak. His body swayed, his limbs
trembled, and he would have fallen had not Allen caught him.
As gently as a mother carries her child, the hero of Ticonderoga bore
the half-famished boy into the barracks and asked that he should
receive attention.
The boy was undressed and washed, then little sips of beef tea were
given him.
In an hour he showed signs of returning vitality, and they knew that he
would live.
"He left here a month ago," explained the captain; "I sent him on a
delicate mission, knowing that he could be trusted. When he did not
return I thought him dead."
"You knew I should be true to the cause then?" whispered Eben.
"Yes, my boy; no one would ever doubt your loyalty. You shall tell
your adventures later. You must rest and get stronger."
"But I have news I must tell. Gen. Montgomery is on his way to
Ticonderoga to join Arnold in his invasion of Canada. He will be here
to-morrow."
The speech was long for him, and his flushed cheek and quivering voice
told how the message had shaken his frame.
Late that night he woke from a good sleep, and seeing Allen by his bed,
he put out one hand.
"I am so glad to see you, colonel. I feel all right now. I thought I
should die without seeing you."
"Where have you been?"
"I cannot tell you all, but when I left here I fell into the hands of a
tory, and he knew me. He called me a spy, and wanted to hang me, but
before he could get a rope a new idea came to him. He called some more
tories together and they laughed at his suggestion. He wanted to cover
me with tar and then set light to it."
"His name? I will serve him that way."
"The tar was poured all over me, and my clothes were saturated with it.
But when he went for a light to set me on fire, his little boy, a sweet
little fellow, ran from the house and called 'fire,' and just then a
flame did break out through the windows. The tory thought more of his
house than he did of me, so I ran away as fast as I could."
Eben rested after telling that adventure, and it was more than an hour
before he could resume his narrative.
"I ran as fast as I ever did in my life, and, as bad luck would have
it, I fell into the hands of some English soldiers. They did not know
me, and thought I was some ignorant country lad, so I fared pretty
well, and only stayed with them two days. When they broke camp they
insisted that I should go with them, and as I had told them I was going
in the very direction they intended going, I could not help myself."
"You were in hard luck."
"Yes, but that was not the last of my adventures, for I was recognized
by another tory, who had been birched by some of our men for his
treachery. He claimed me as his prisoner, and to get me had to swear
that I was his apprentice, who had run away."
"And of course the soldiers gave you to him?"
"Yes, and a nice time I had of it. The farmer stripped me and then
gave me fifty strokes with a strong cane----"
"The villain!"
"But that was not the worst. He threw me naked into a cellar and kept
me without food until I began to lose my senses, and then he gave me
these old clothes and some food. I managed after a long time to
escape, and for a week I wandered about the woods, living on what I
could pick up, until I managed to reach here. I dare not go to a
house, for the tories were searching for me, and I was afraid to even
jump into the river for fear that I might be seen and have no chance of
escape."
"Poor fellow. So you failed in obtaining the information for which you
set out."
"Failed? No, I got it, and though it is a trifle late, I find it is in
time."
Col. Hinman was so pleased with the thoroughness of Eben in everything
he undertook that he sent a special dispatch to Gen. Washington,
commending Pike as one of the best scouts and secret service officers
any country could produce.
Hinman tried to persuade Ethan Allen to join him, but the Green
Mountain hero wanted more stirring work than could be found in a fort
which might never be attacked.
The news that Montgomery was near the fort was sweetest music to him,
and he resolved to unite with his army, even as a private soldier.