The Minute Boys of Boston

"We three have always been close comrades, sir," Archie interrupted, "and while it may not be necessary that all should aid in carrying the message itself, two more hands in the skiff will shorten the journey to the Penny ferry, for there it would be well to take to the shore, rather than striving to work entirely around this town in order to gain the Cambridge river."

"The three shall have a part in the work," Doctor Warren cried, as if he had but just understood how eager we were to be of service to the Cause. "It is important that Colonel Barrett receive the missive before sunrise, and you are to set about the task as seems best to you, with the understanding that all are of equal rank in this matter. I will call you Minute Boys, and pledge my word that by seeking out the colonel at the earliest possible moment, you will be doing as valuable work as any Minute Men in the colony."

There was little need for him to say more. We were literally burning with desire to be off on our first task that had to do with the Cause, and he could not have worked us up to greater enthusiasm had he preached all night.

"You have first to make your parents acquainted with what you are about to do," the doctor said with a smile because of our eagerness. "I have the message with me; but there is no good reason why you should carry it while making arrangements for departure, lest it be lost or seized, therefore do what may be necessary, and meet me at this place in half an hour."

We could hardly have moved more quickly if each had been provided with wings. In a twinkling the three of us were off, every lad headed toward his own home, and for my part, I know that it seemed as if I hardly gave myself time to breathe, so eager was I to return to the rendezvous in the shortest possible space of time.

As I look at the matter now, I can understand why my mother cried out against the venture, declaring it was work that should be undertaken by men, when I repeated to her what the doctor had said, and the tears came very near my eyelids as I pleaded with her, for it seemed just then as if I should never again have such an opportunity of serving the Cause. I urged that we had given our word to Doctor Warren; that we would be shamed, and he have reason to set us down as cowards, if we failed to do as had been promised, winding up my entreaties with the assertion that if father was at home he would insist most strongly upon my doing whatsoever little I might in behalf of that effort to teach the king a lesson which seemed so near at hand.

I believe it was this last part of my argument which had most weight, for no sooner had I spoken of what my father would have me do, than she gave way, setting about making ready for me a small parcel of food before having said that she gave her permission.

Wild with delight, I gave little heed to the loving kiss she bestowed upon me, hardly returning it so eager was I to be again at the rendezvous, and taking the parcel without a word of thanks for her loving thoughtfulness, I hurried away at full speed, coming up with Archie in Salem street.

He also carried a parcel under his arm, and without slackening speed I ranged alongside him, asking, with difficulty because of my heavy breathing, if his mother had made any protest against his acting the part of messenger.

"At first she cried out that I should not risk my neck in a tom-fool matter; but when I made her understand that it was no less a man than Doctor Warren who required our services, she held her peace; yet I took note that the tears came into her eyes, as if she believed the business might be of danger."

"And so it is until we are ashore beyond Charlestown," I said with no little of satisfaction, for it pleased me to believe we were staking our lives, perhaps, on this venture which had to do with the Cause. "If our skiff is overhauled by the guards – "

"There isn't a king's boat, no matter of how many oars, that can overhaul us this night if we get well away from the ship-yard," the dear lad interrupted sharply. "Give us three minutes the start, and I'll agree that the whole boiling of his majesty's navy may come full cry after us."

It would have pleased me better if he had allowed that there was much of danger in the enterprise; but I would not speak further of such possibility lest he believe I had grown faint hearted with thinking of what might be, and in silence we continued on our way, arriving at the appointed meeting place only to find Silas there awaiting us. He had been even more eager than we, if that could be possible, and was returned a full five minutes in advance, despite all our efforts to move swiftly.

Doctor Warren did not show himself until after what seemed like a very long time of waiting, and we had grown impatient, fearing lest he had found some other who might be more to his liking, to carry the message. Had we been shut out from the enterprise just then, I know for my part it would have seemed as if all the world had gone wrong, therefore it was that I could have cried aloud with joy when he came toward us as if having walked down Union street.

"Are you lads ready for the journey?" he asked, speaking softly and looking around cautiously like one who fears his words may be overheard.

"We will set off in one minute after receiving your directions, sir," I made haste to say, speaking hurriedly because I was in haste to have him commit the message to us at once so we might know none other could get in ahead of us.

"It is only that you deliver this into the hands of Colonel James Barrett, who may be found 'twixt now and sunrise at the home of Samuel Hadley, near Lexington," he said, taking a folded paper from the inner pocket of his coat. "In case you arrive at whatsoever point you have decided upon, in safety, it will be well for one to procure a horse and rush on in advance, otherwise you may arrive too late – "

"We can trust our legs for getting us there as quickly as any farmer's nag could carry us," Archie interrupted with a laugh, and I was puffed up with pride when the doctor gave the paper into my keeping as he said gravely:

"It would work ill to the Cause if this was read by our enemies, therefore it must be destroyed in case you are like to be taken by any of the king's mercenaries."

"We won't be taken, sir," Archie said, speaking as if he was one who could read the future, like the witches they hanged at Salem. "Once we are under way in the skiff there is nothing in Boston harbor that can overtake us."

"Do not be over-confident, young gentleman," the doctor said in a tone of mild reproof. "While I do not admit that you will be in any serious danger, it is the part of a wise man to count all the cost, and give due heed to every possibility. Come to an end of your journey at the earliest moment, and until the message has been delivered, put no trust in strangers however fair they may speak you."

He stood looking at us as if everything necessary had been said, and, fortunately, I had wit enough to motion that my comrades follow me as I went toward the ship-yard without any other word to Doctor Warren, for at such times he who shows himself too ready to spend time in talking, gives proof that he may not be depended upon to work quickly.

The doctor made no effort to detain us; but, looking back over my shoulder, I saw that he remained as we had left him until the gloom shut him out from my view.

"I would we had been asked for a service of more importance than simply carrying a written message," Silas said in a tone that was almost one of discontent, as we made our way toward the place where my skiff was hidden, and Archie, ever cautious and wise, added in reproof:

"It is not well we say anything which might show that we are bent on an errand of importance, for no one can tell how many Tory ears may be hidden hereabout. We are going out for a sail, pleasing ourselves by showing that we three can leave this town of lobster backs whenever it is our pleasure to do so, and of more than that it is not necessary to speak."

I understood by the lad's tone that he looked upon this mission of ours as something which might be of vital importance to the Cause, and the fact that he deemed it dangerous for us even to discuss the business in the streets, went farther toward rendering me cautious than any words of the doctor's might have done.

Citizens of Boston, save they were rank Tories, were not given to roaming the streets of the town after nightfall, therefore we met but few while making our way to the ship-yard, and those few gave no heed to us. At this time the so-called rebels were so small in numbers as compared with our oppressors, that, save to make us the object of their sport, as Amos Nelson had attempted to do, little attention was given to us, most like because it was believed we could not break through the net General Gage had thrown around us.

We arrived at the ship-yard without interruption, and then it behooved us to move with more of caution, for if so be the guards saw three lads embarking in a skiff, there would be little delay in halting them by means of a bullet.

Under what remained of a small wharf which had fallen into decay long before I could remember, we kept the craft, so securely hidden that he who would seek her out must needs have sharp eyes, and we had pulled away the timbers in such manner that it was possible to get on board and make ready for hoisting the mast and sail before hauling her out into view of any passer-by.

After making certain that we had not been observed, the three of us let ourselves down between the rotten timbers into the skiff, and while Archie and Silas took up the oars, I made ready for hoisting the spar, which was of no great weight or size.

"Now then!" Archie whispered. "It is not so dark but that we can be seen a long distance away, and until we are sheltered by the shore of Charlestown, it will not be well that we indulge in much speaking."

He gave way on the oar at the same moment; Silas did the same, and we were no more than well out from under the old timbers than I saw, even while raising the short spar, one of the guard-boats within less than an hundred feet.

It was the only time we had ever come upon the king's men in the dozen or more voyages we had made from Boston town simply through a spirit of bravado, and my heart leaped into my mouth, so to speak, for it seemed certain we were about to be called to an accounting before having gotten well started on our first mission in behalf of the Cause.

Fortunately Archie was a quick-witted lad, as I have said before, otherwise we should have been made prisoners in a twinkling; but he backed water with his oar before we were well out from the shadow of the old dock, thus forcing the skiff among the timbers instantly, and we three sat like statues, our hearts thumping loudly as trip hammers, waiting to learn whether the enemy had seen us.

There were no less than ten men in the guard-boat, and they were so busily engaged trying to explain one to the other exactly what General Gage ought to do in order to put a speedy end to the rebellion, as to have given no heed to anything near them.

They passed so near the head of the ruined wharf that I could have tossed my hat aboard their craft, and the only screen we had was the shadows cast by the timbers; but they saw us not. Going on their way in ignorance, and happy in the belief that at the first overt show of rebellion we of Boston would be crushed out of existence, the king's men continued their round, and verily it seemed as if the good God had interposed to render it possible for us lads to carry the message which had been entrusted to our keeping by Doctor Warren.

Not until they were so far in the distance that it was no longer possible to hear the sound of their oars, did we venture to draw a long breath, and then it was that Archie said in a whisper:

"Now then, Silas, pull well out into the current, and the sooner Luke gets the mast into place, the quicker we'll be heading toward Charlestown. Put a hand over your oar to prevent any creaking, and don't open your mouth save when it is necessary to breathe."

Both Silas and I understood that Archie was the one who should act as commander of our small expedition, and we obeyed in silence, the skiff darting ahead once she felt the weight of the wind, as if understanding full well the need of speed.

Not until we were well off Morton's point did either of us venture to break the silence, and then Silas asked suddenly, as if he had been stewing over the matter for some time:

"Why shouldn't there be Minute Boys as well as Minute Men, and why, since we have begun to work for the Cause in good earnest, shouldn't we raise a company?"

CHAPTER II

RAISING A COMPANY

That which Silas proposed startled and at the same time surprised me. Of course there was no good reason why we lads should not be banded together in the service of the colony, and yet it seemed a forward thing to do, thus to ape our elders.

Archie, however, was greatly taken with the idea from the start, and Silas had hardly more than finished speaking when he cried, incautiously loud as it appeared to me:

"Well, and why shouldn't we raise a company of Minute Boys? What is there to prevent, if so be we are minded to stake our lives for the Cause, even as our fathers are doing?"

"It is for them to say whether we be permitted to bind ourselves together," I replied, having a doubt as to the wisdom of Silas's scheme, and yet wishing most fervently that it might be carried out.

"Think you your father or mine, Luke Wright, would set their faces against our raising a company of Minute Boys after Doctor Joseph Warren has seen fit to intrust to us a mission of importance? If we are capable of doing Master Warren's work, then of a verity have we proven our ability, if not our right, to serve the Cause as Minute Boys."

There was much of truth in what Archie said, and yet I could not bring myself on the moment to believe we might do what seemed a most venturesome thing. Since, however, I could not well answer the arguments he brought up, I set about as if to throw cold water on the scheme, by saying with the air of a lad who knows it all:

"I fear it would be a small company we could raise, if, peradventure, we were forced to find all our recruits in Boston town. I believe truly that I can count on the fingers of one hand, all whom we could trust. Of course you would reckon on keeping the matter a secret if it so chanced that we set about enrolling lads?"