"Double your guard. If Capt. Delaplace escapes I shall hold you responsible, and your neck will feel the effects of a tightened noose."
It was a blunt way of speaking, but Arnold never was very courteous to those of lesser rank.
"I hate that man," Arnold soliloquized, "and yet—well, the die is cast. I might have risen to a proud distinction had I remained loyal to the king, but I have not, and so my lot is with the colonists, and may they win, or our lives are of but little value. How could Delaplace get the ear of the king? Zounds! I believe it was only to tempt me into disloyalty to the colonies that he made the proposition."
His soliloquy was interrupted by the entrance of Eli Forest.
"Colonel, your advice is needed. Col. Allen wishes to confer with you."
"I will be with him immediately. Ah! here he is. You honor me too much, Gen. Allen."
"Nay, we are on equal footing, my dear Arnold. I wanted to consult with you about two things. We must secure Crown Point, that is a settled fact, and we must maintain our possession of this fort. Now, what shall we do with the prisoners?"
"Keep them well guarded and wait until some of our men fall into the hands of the enemy, and then act with them as they do with us."
"Perhaps that will be the wisest plan. I had thought of liberating them on parole."
"It would be madness."