"Of course you will, Robert; but I don't know but I'd prefer a score of women like Mistress Cochrane to twoscore men."
Mistress Cochrane was a big, well-formed woman, and as her sleeves were rolled up above her elbows, she showed a wealth of muscle which many a man might envy.
Twenty men gave in their names, and Ethan was delighted.
"I'm proud of my Green Mountain Boys," he said, "and I shall be prouder still when we have won the victory."
"Hurrah for our leader!" shouted Seth Warner.
The next day Allen called his men together, and put them through their drill.
He wanted them to be soldiers, and so the discipline was strict.
He was elected colonel of the regiment, and Seth Warner was made captain.
The fame of the Green Mountain Boys grew, and many of the men around wished to join, but Allen had no idea of forming a large army, for his object was defense, not defiance.
He was sitting by the great open fireplace, looking at the blazing logs and watching the curling smoke ascend the chimney, when his brother, Ira, came in, and threw himself on the settee in the chimney corner opposite Ethan.