The Minute Boys of Boston

Therefore it was that after we had decided Silas should go to the encampment with the information already gathered, I cautioned him against letting Seth have any suspicions of his intention, and he replied confidently:

"Leave the matter to me, Luke. I'll guarantee to get away without any one's seeing me, and what is more, come back with a whole skin. I'm not such a simple as to give myself away to Seth, or any other lad, and therefore it is I propose that at such time as best suits me, and in whatsoever manner I please, to set off for the American camp 'twixt now and midnight, keeping secret even from my mother how and when I count on going."

It surprised me somewhat that he should be willing to go away at the very time when we believed it possible to hold some communication with Archie; but, as I afterward learned, he had little faith we could get speech with the lad, and was not without fear that one or more of us might be taken into custody for loitering around the prison. To his credit I must say, however, that the desire to see the encampment was so great as to shut out all else from his mind.

I went over with him all I believed it necessary to say to whosoever he should come upon in Cambridge, understanding that if I neglected anything of importance those whom he met would question him so closely as to bring from his lips all he had heard and seen.

"I have been keeping my eye on Seth Jepson since yesterday, whenever it could be done handily, and advise you to do the same," he said as he went out of the house, refusing to divulge anything whatsoever concerning his plans for the night.

With his words in mind I also went out into the street, counting on going to Dock square, thence past the prison and near the governor's house, with my ears open to catch any word which might be let drop by the lobster backs, and my eyes strained to get a glimpse of the lad I suspected.

Before having come to Union street, however, I fell afoul of Hiram Griffin, who looked so well content with himself that I could not refrain from asking what good fortune had befallen him, as if there could be anything good for us who loved the Cause and yet remained in Boston town.

"I have been taking a squint at the prison where I'm told your comrade is held, and am come to believe that unless these 'ere Britishers are much like weasels, it won't be such a hard thing to get him out of that scrape."

"What?" I cried in amaze and delight.

"There, there, lad, I allow I'm a good deal like you were yesterday, letting my tongue run away with me. What I counted on saying was something much after this fashion: If we could have a cloudy night, or, better still, a stormy one, and if so be he understood to what end we might be working; and in case we could get across the town after having pulled him out, without being overhauled by lobster back or patrol, why then there would be a chance, and such an one as would tempt me to make a try for it, you lads helping, as a matter of course."

"And shall it be done to-night?" I cried eagerly, thinking Hiram was minded to go about the task at once.

"If everything had happened as I've laid out, then we might start at once; but according to the looks of things this night is likely to be a fair one, while we are needing darkness. Pulling your comrade out from the clutches of the Britishers isn't such an easy task that you can begin it whenever you are feeling so disposed. Let him know what's in our minds, and be ready to help himself when the time comes to suit us. What about sending word to Cambridge?"

I told him all my conversation with Silas, and it appeared to please him greatly that the lad was not willing to explain how he counted on going.

"He'll turn the trick all right? When you find a boy who can be cautious to the extent of holding his tongue even among friends, it may be set down as a fact that he won't come to grief, unless meeting with the direst kind of an accident. Which reminds me that it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to overlook the doings of that same Seth Jepson."

"What of him?" I cried in dismay, fearing to hear ill news.

"Nothing that I can be certain of, lad, save that I saw him chumming with a couple of lobster backs down at the dock, and it strikes me they were amazingly friendly with a lad of his size, for he's not one a man would take to naturally – an honest man I mean."

"I will go after him at once; but there is little chance of learning anything, for if he is minded to play the traitor he'll keep a still tongue in his head when I overhaul him."

"Go your way, lad," Hiram said as if he pitied me because I fancied it would be possible to convict a traitor out of his own mouth. "I am minded to have speech with Silas Brownrigg before he sets off for Cambridge, and am allowing there is a chance of finding him at home now while it is yet day."

Then Hiram Griffin left me suddenly, as if it was dangerous to be seen speaking with me on the street, and I walked slowly toward Dock square, asking myself how I might so trap Seth Jepson as to prove that he was playing us foul, while at the same time I questioned whether there was a possibility we could free the dear lad who lay eating his heart out in prison.

CHAPTER VI

A CLOUDY NIGHT

It was not needed that I should walk very far in order to find Seth Jepson. He was on the westerly side of the dock when I came into the square, talking to two or three lads whom I had good reason to believe were of Tory leanings.

Instead of appearing disconcerted because of my finding him in such company, he acted much as if it gave him pleasure that I was come, and straightway leaving his companions, advanced eagerly to meet me.

"Have you been up to the prison in the hope of having speech with Archie Hemming?" he asked as soon as we were within speaking distance, and I, suspicious of the lad, believed he thus counted on learning what we might have in mind to do, therefore replied with somewhat of sourness in my tone:

"It is too dangerous a matter to be seen loitering about that place, especially for a lad like me, whose father is known to be a Son of Liberty."

"I have seen Harvey Pearson there more than once, and thought most like you had sent him."

By this time it was clear to me that Seth was striving to learn if we had any plan on foot to release Archie, and striving to appear indifferent, as if to my mind the matter was so fraught with difficulties that it would be useless to make any attempt, I said:

"If Harvey chooses to loiter where there is great danger of being taken into custody, it is no affair of mine. On first learning that Archie had been imprisoned, I was so foolish as to say, without really believing it could be done, that we would form some plan for his rescue; but came to see right soon that it would be a piece of folly to raise our hands in such direction."

"And you will let him stay there?" Seth asked as if in surprise.

"Let him?" I repeated laughingly. "It's a question of his being obliged to stay there, and has nothing to do with us. General Gage is the one who is allowing him to remain there."

Seth appeared perplexed by my seeming indifference, and while one might have counted twenty he stood silent as if considering some matter, after which, his face brightening a bit, he led me a short distance toward Union street, where we might stand in the open with no fear any eavesdroppers could come upon us unawares, and whispered:

"Believing it would be possible for me to get more information, such as you say is needed in Cambridge, at the houses of the Tories than anywhere else, I dropped in at Amos Nelson's home, and while there heard his father talking with Master Landers, saying that a town meeting is to be held to-morrow evening. General Gage has decided that, if the selectmen will agree, the people who wish to go out of Boston may do so with their household belongings, provided they leave all weapons of whatsoever kind in Faneuil Hall, the same to be returned to them at some suitable time. Now it seems that the Tories, according to what Amos's father said, are opposed to such an arrangement, claiming that once the rebels have departed they will not scruple to burn the place, and such men as Master Nelson and Master Landers have decided to urge that General Gage hold the women and children in the town, instead of allowing them to leave with their husbands and fathers."

Now this was information of value, particularly the latter part of it, and, therefore, much of my suspicions regarding Seth's loyalty vanished. I counted it in his favor that he had given us such a bit of news, and then came the thought that Silas should add this to the budget he was carrying to Cambridge, yet I did not believe myself warranted in going to his home, for Hiram was probably there by this time, and if too many called at the house the enemy might grow curious.

In order that Seth should not believe I was eager to leave him, I loitered in the vicinity a full half hour talking of this and that which was of no particular importance, except that all the while I strove to trap the lad into betraying his traitorous desire, if so be he had one, by some hasty word.

He spoke me fairly, even going back to that which I had said to him under the old wharf, regarding his keeping company with lads who were known to favor Toryism, and declared that it would be possible for him to learn more from them than in any other way, speaking with such an air of innocence and earnestness that I almost came to reproach myself for having suspected him.

"So long as I am on friendly terms with Amos Nelson, it is a simple matter for me to go into many places where the Britishers congregate, which would otherwise be closed in my face. Amos's father, as you well know, is a particular friend of Timothy Ruggles, and thus it is possible for the lad to be present when the enemies of the Cause meet for deliberation, as you may understand from what I have told you already in regard to their purpose of holding the women and children in Boston town as hostages. When I joined your company of Minute Boys it was with the understanding I do whatsoever I might in behalf of the colony; but if you believe I should shut off all intercourse with Tory lads, then shall it be done."

What else could I say than advise him to keep on the same path he was traveling? At the time I was impressed by his words; but later, after having had an opportunity to turn them over in my mind, I came to ask myself why he should at that moment have so strongly defended himself when I had charged him with no evil.

The result of this interview was that I not only urged the lad to continue as he had been doing; but came to have more faith in him than ever before, yet was I sufficiently prudent to hold my tongue concerning our doings, and he got nothing from me that he could turn to the advantage of his Tory friends.

With the exception of Silas, Harvey, and Hiram, none of our company knew there was any hope or intention of striving to release Archie, and I was determined the matter should remain a profound secret if any word or act of mine could compass that end.

Although burning to speak with Silas, when I left Seth it was to saunter in the direction of Queen street as if I walked aimlessly, rather than with a purpose, and fortune so favored me that on turning into Corn hill I came upon Harvey Pearson.

"Is it well for you to remain near to the prison after having warned Archie?" I asked sharply, and the lad replied with a laugh:

"Don't fear that I'll make such a simple of myself as to do anything of the kind. I haven't been on Queen street since I warned the lad that we would be there this night."

"Have you met any others of the company?"

"Yes, mayhap four or five, all of whom are loitering about with their ears and eyes wide open; but I fancy they haven't caught much that would be of value to our people at Cambridge."

"Have you said to other than Silas or me that you count on getting speech with Archie to-night?"

"Never a word."

"Then see that you don't. I have just left Seth Jepson, and because of his questions it came to me he was eager to learn what we counted on doing; but I gave him no satisfaction."

Harvey soon set my mind at rest regarding his intention to keep our secret, and then, still having in mind to find Silas before he should leave the town, I roamed up School street, through Treamount, and down Hanover until coming to Back street, when, having idled away the greater part of the afternoon, I was so lucky as to come upon Hiram Griffin.

Hurriedly I repeated to him that which Seth Jepson had told me, and he replied with a grin:

"I got all that three hours ago, and Silas will repeat it to our friends. But doesn't the fact that Seth brought to you such news as early as possible, go far toward showing that you were wrong in suspecting him?"