Munro’s head rose, and he met Duncan’s gaze. A chimney had been prominently etched on Brandt’s secret map of the Crown Point road.
“I take it this is not your first encounter with His Majesty’s troops,” Duncan said after they had been riding a few minutes.
“They be right handy when we’re at war,” Allen said, “but otherwise they want to nibble away at a man’s lawful business.”
“The business of land speculation.”
“The business of opening these grand vistas to fruitful labor. Making it possible for honest men to raise new families in this forest paradise.”
Ethan Allen had already shown that he was savvy about surviving on the frontier. He was also fluent in the language of the land huckster.
“A noble calling,” Duncan observed. “I was impressed that you have a commission from the governo
