Beside the officers, there were eighty-three, including himself and Nathan, and it was no longer reasonable to expect that those who had been sent to Skenesborough and Panton would arrive in time to be of assistance.
“Will they try to take the fort with so few?” he asked in a whisper of Corporal ’Lige, and the latter added emphatically:
“If all that is told of Colonel Allen be true, he wouldn’t hesitate to make an attempt single-handed.”
“But surely we cannot hope to do much, for fifty men behind a fort should be a much larger force than ours.”
“Savin’ and exceptin’ these men be surprised, as our leader counts them in Fort Ticonderoga will be,” the corporal replied, and then placed his finger on his lips that the lad should cease talking, for the order had 163 been passed from boat to boat just before the fleet left the shore that no conversation be indulged in.
Nathan, sulky because of having been put in charge of the man whom he disliked, gave no apparent attention to anything.
In almost perfect silence the journey by water was made, and brought to an end just as the day was breaking, when, in obedience to signals rather than words, the men disembarked and were formed in three ranks close to the water’s edge.
Then it was that Colonel Allen advanced to where the men might hear when he spoke in the tone of ordinary conversation, and said with a calmness which in itself was impressive:
“There are but few of us here to undertake the work which was cut out; but yet each of you should be a match for any two 164 whom we may meet. Should we delay until all the force can be ferried across, there will be no longer opportunity to surprise the garrison; therefore we must act for our comrades as well as ourselves, remembering that should we falter we cast shame on them also. Now, lads, it is my purpose to march into the fort, and I only ask that you follow where I lead.”
The officers stepped forward quickly to make certain there should be no cheering, and wheeling about with true military precision Colonel Allen started forward, Colonel Arnold by his side, and Corporal ’Lige with Nathan and Isaac directly in the rear.