"I have a writ of dispossession, and I am to enforce it. It means that you are required to give up and surrender this farm, and afterward to make such terms with His Excellency Gov. Tryon as he may suggest."

Allen had allowed the sheriff to finish his speech. In fact, it really appeared to the Yorker that Allen was afraid.

"Let me see the writ."

"You do not doubt my word?"

"No, only as I am a loyal subject I have a right to see that the order is in a legal form."

"Oh, it is legal enough, and properly sealed as well."

"In that case there ought to be no difficulty. Let me see the writ."

Sheriff Merrit opened his wallet, never once doubting that he had the writs and warrants safe in his possession.

He drew forth the seal and was ready to drop with excitement, for the seal was all he had; the writ had been torn away.

"I have been robbed," he cried. "Gerston, I have been robbed!"

"That is a pretty tough thing to say. Do you mean to say that you have not the writ you spoke about?"

"I had. I have been robbed. See, that is the seal which was at the bottom of it. You see that seal?"

"Yes, but I am not going to surrender the farm unless you can produce the writ."

"You refuse?"

"I do."

"Then, by thunder, I shall have to arrest you."

"Indeed, you are mistaken. The moon has risen."

"What has that to do with the matter? I tell you that you are my prisoner."

"And I say that the moon has risen and therefore I am not your prisoner."

CHAPTER V.

DEFIANCE.

"We will soon settle that. Men of New York, in the King's name I call on you to arrest Ethan Allen, rebel and traitor. Kill him if he will not submit."

The sheriff's posse rushed forward, and Ethan stood in the doorway, unarmed, and calmly said:

"The moon is at the full."

Instantly the Green Mountain Boys filled the room.

They came from all sorts of hiding places and all were armed.

The sheriff fell back, but only for a moment.

Advancing again, he asked:

"Do you intend to resist by force?"

"I do. I shall fight for my home against the governor of New York--ay, against the king himself. Stand back! You have no warrant for my arrest and no writ of dispossession."

"I had, but I have been robbed,"

"A likely story that. If it is as you say, then you are not a fit person to be a sheriff."

"I own I was careless, but that will not help you."

"I shall not surrender without a writ."

"But you will be a prisoner, anyway, for there is a warrant out for your arrest as a rebel and a traitor."

"Was that stolen, also?"

"Mine was but a duplicate; the original has been sent by the hand of Sheriff Alston."

"Where is he?"

A man stepped forward and announced himself as Alston, a sheriff duly appointed by Gov. Tryon, of the Colony of New York.

"It is enough."

"You surrender?"

"No, by heaven, no! The Yorkers have no power over me. I hold my farm from New Hampshire, and only to the governor of New Hampshire will I relinquish it."

"Then we shall use force."

"So shall we."

"It is treason."

"It is loyalty to my country. Boys, these men are crazy; they are so because the moon is at the full."

Instantly the Green Mountain Boys were ready to resist any attack.

The sheriff gave the order to fire.