"Only general ones; he is wide awake, and knows just as well as I do what ought to be done."
"Don't you think the 'mad monk' will betray us?"
"No; he is a sympathizer with our cause, and—— Let us change the subject; one of these soldiers is getting suspicious."
When the party reached Sabrevous the sergeant handed his prisoners over to the proper authorities and reported that he was convinced that a mistake had been made, and that the prisoners were peaceful merchants and not American rebel spies.
The monk was examined in secret, and he also bore testimony to the truth and honor of the chief prisoner.
The accuser was called and asked about the murder he had committed, and under the terror of the accusation he made a full confession, but asked for mercy, because he had followed Ethan Allen and handed him over to the authorities.
His plea for mercy helped Allen, for the English officer believed that the accusation against Allen was only made to obtain favor with the authorities.
He was remanded to prison until the civil power could take him and mete out the punishment he merited.
Allen and his party received the apologies of the officers for their arrest and detention, and were at once liberated.
It had been a narrow escape, but they did not value their liberty any the less for that fact.