This said, the officers withdrew once more, and now that their colonel was no longer there to check them the Green Mountain Boys set up a shout of triumph, which was answered by derisive yells from Corporal ’Lige’s troop, and apparent indifference by the men from Stockbridge.
“I reckon I may as well go home now,” Nathan said in a low tone to Isaac. “There don’t seem to be any chance of a row because the men are going to give in easy enough; but I’d like to see ’em find their way into the fort. It ain’t so easy as they’re countin’ on.”
“Who is this boy, Isaac?” Corporal ’Lige asked as he stepped toward the lads, apparently glad of an opportunity to disengage himself from those who had shown they were ready to obey his commands.
Isaac gave such explanation as was within his power, and the old man asked, addressing Nathan:
“What do you know about Fort Ticonderoga?”
The boy made reply much as he had to Isaac, and the corporal questioned him sharply:
“Have you been allowed to roam over the fortification at will?”
“There was no reason why I shouldn’t. I know all the boys who live in the fort, an’ after I finished what I went for, who’d stop us from goin’ ’round?”
“How many soldiers are there in the place?”
“Somewhere about fifty, I should think.”