The Minute Boys of Boston

Now, because of having succeeded so well thus far in my mission it may be I grew careless, although even to this day it seems as if I exercised every caution while on the way from my home to Mackrell lane.

Certain it was, however, that on going up Ann street to the town dock I failed to hear the sound of footsteps behind me, until a hand was laid on my shoulder, and a disagreeably familiar voice cried in a tone as of triumph:

"After what was done at Hog island, and then at Breed's hill, have you the courage to come into this town, Luke Wright?"

I wheeled suddenly as you may fancy, and it was as if the very blood grew chill in my veins when I saw that he who had spoken was none other than the traitorous cur, Seth Jepson.

CHAPTER XV

AN AWKWARD CAPTURE

I was thoroughly dazed at having let myself be come upon by the one lad in town who could do me the most mischief. It was literally impossible to speak for a full minute, and during such time as I remained staring stupidly into the lad's face there ran through my mind like a flash of lightning all it was possible for him to do, not only against myself, but those I had left behind in the cellar of Job Lord's house.

It is true that the Tory cur had then no means of knowing whether others had come into the town with me; but should he give an alarm and I be taken into custody, as must surely follow, then would that host of ours who claimed to be such a devoted friend to the Cause, make known the contents of his cellar in order to have a share in the credit of capturing "rebels."

I realized almost as soon as the scoundrel had spoken, that we two must not part; that the safety of all our little company depended upon my silencing him in some way; but how might it be done save at the expense of killing? Even though his death would have been of benefit to the Cause, I could not find it in my heart to do that which seemed much the same as murder.

"I little expected to find you at large in the streets of this town," Seth said in what he meant to be a jeering tone, but, with all my senses on the alert because of the imminence of the danger, I noticed that he looked uneasily out of the tail of his eye as if having it in mind to give me the slip, and this, as you may suppose, heartened me, although even while I stood gazing at him did I realize that he was simply casting about in his mind for some means whereby he might take advantage of thus meeting with me.

I answered boldly enough, however, and was well pleased to continue the conversation sufficiently long to have an opportunity of deciding upon my course of action, therefore said:

"Will you tell me how long since I have not had the privilege of walking the streets of Boston town, Seth Jepson?"

"That's a question easily answered. You lost the right when you attacked the king's men off Hog island."

"Well, and what did you lose when you showed yourself not only a traitor to the Cause, but a cur, gaining the confidence of your comrades only that you might betray them to a British prison? Can such as you walk the streets freely while I, who have made no pretense of being other than what your governor calls a rebel, must remain in hiding?"

"It is the duty of every true man, as well as lad, to serve the king, and there can be no such thing as treachery when one works in behalf of his lawful sovereign," Seth replied, wincing and raising his arm before his face as if thinking I counted on striking him.

"The lawful sovereign of these colonies is whosoever the people shall choose to be their ruler, and the time is speedily coming, Seth Jepson, when the lobster backs will be driven out of Boston. After that has been done you will be called upon to settle with the Minute Boys, and I assure you the debt won't be easily paid."

I was deliberately striving to work myself up into a fury that I might strike the cur senseless with a blow, taking the chance of killing him, for as the seconds sped I realized how great was our danger unless his tongue could be silenced.

He must have seen something of this in my face, for he wheeled about suddenly, crying at the full strength of his lungs as he attempted to flee:

"Murder! murder!"

He had no time to make further outcry, for as soon as the word was repeated I clutched him by the throat from behind, dragging him backward, and burying my fingers so deeply in his neck that he was like to be strangled.

It was only when his eyes bulged out and his tongue protruded, as after the hangman has finished his work, that I realized I was within an ace of taking a human life. Then I released my hold; kneeling on his breast, I pinned both his arms down to the ground so that he had no opportunity of escaping, or making an attack upon me.

No sooner had I done this, and he began to breathe more freely, than I realized that by my assault I had increased the danger, for surely, even at that time of night, those living near about must have heard that shrill, frantic cry.

To leave him now in condition to follow me, would be the greatest folly of all, and acting upon the impulse of the moment I clutched him by the collar, dragging the cur to his feet as if he had been of no more weight than a baby. Then I forced him on before me down Union street toward the mill pond as I said sharply, yet in a cautious tone, while I withdrew my knife from its sheath that he might see I had a weapon:

"I'm not minded you shall send me to a British prison, Seth Jepson, and I swear solemnly that if you raise your voice above a whisper, or fail to run at your best pace, I'll thrust this knife into your heart with the certainty of killing you."

"Would you do murder?" he asked in a hoarse whisper, and I knew from the tremor of his voice that he was in an agony of fear.

"It will not be murder to kill such as you, and I shall have no hesitation in doing so unless you obey every command promptly."

During such time as we had been speaking the pace was not slackened, and that the cowardly cur had lost all heart, I understood when he forged ahead at his best speed, as if believing implicitly in the threat I had made.

Running swiftly we were soon on the shore of the mill pond, having arrived without seeing or hearing anything to betoken pursuit, and believing it safe to slacken the pace that I might reserve my strength in case we were come to that pass where I must release the prisoner in order to save my own skin, I allowed the Tory cur to walk, but took good care to keep a firm grip on his collar as I mentally asked myself how it would be possible to rid myself of the prisoner with due regard to safety.

I began to realize that I had made an awkward capture; that I had under my hand one whom I dared not set free, and could not take with me. It was a most perplexing situation, and during a few seconds I well nigh lost heart because of having thus plunged my comrades into yet greater difficulties.

Yet what other could I have done? If, when he accosted me, I had turned to flee, he would have followed, and within two or three minutes a score of lobster backs must have been on my trail, when there could be no chance of escape. My only safety lay in holding fast to him, and yet by so doing was I increasing the peril.

He must have fancied I had grown faint-hearted to a certain degree, for as we walked on by the shore of the mill pond, he obeying every motion of mine as does a dog that has been whipped, the scoundrel began to whimper, being fool enough to think that by the use of soft words he could make his standing good once more.

"You do me wrong, Luke Wright, when you believe I led the Britishers up to Barton's point that night you were embarking for Hog island."

"Who has accused you of doing that?" I cried, giving way to temper because he should believe he might make excuses for his treachery.

"You have much the same as said so," he whined. "Because I was forced to go home for ever so short a time, having forgotten to do what my mother bade me, you immediately cried out that I was a traitor."

"How know you that, Seth Jepson, unless it be that you did play us false, and how was it you returned in company with the Britishers?"

"I didn't," Seth replied, not speaking as an honest lad would; but rather like a knave who is too thoroughly frightened to be able to tell a falsehood that can be believed. "The Britishers were there when I came up."

"We were but a short distance from the shore when you returned in their company, and heard the conversation that was held while you were accused of having brought them on a false scent," I cried hotly, and then realizing that no good could come from thus bandying words when at any moment we might come upon the patrol, I said sharply, forcing him once more into a run:

"You are to hold your tongue from this out, or as I live this knife shall find its way into your back."

"I will do whatsoever you say, so that you spare my life," he whined, and I could have kicked him for failing to show the spirit of a decent lad.

Not knowing whithersoever I ought to go; but having in mind a clear idea that I must make my way so far out of the town as to lessen the danger of coming upon a squad of lobster backs, I pushed him on until we were come to Boling Green, and then made a straight cut across Cambridge street, heading for Beacon hill at a smart pace until we were 'twixt there and the rope walk, where it seemed to me we were past the danger line for the time being.

Then it was I did a mighty deal of thinking. The first plan I formed was to cross over to the western shore of the town with the poor hope of finding there a skiff in which I might make way to Cambridge with my prisoner, even though in so doing I should be abandoning my comrades who, if I failed to return before daylight, would be set upon by Master Lord in whatsoever way he purposed to deal with them.

The thought that I would thus be purchasing my own safety, if indeed I was lucky enough to come upon a skiff on the shore, at the expense of my comrades shamed me, and, pulling Seth sharply around to the left, I continued at a yet swifter pace down past the powder house, across the Common, my brain in such a whirl that it seemed I must of necessity go once more to Cow lane.

By this time little clouds had begun to gather in the sky, so that the night was darker than it had been when I set out, and as we came to the end of Hog alley I believed it safe to stop there an instant in order to regain my breath, for now both captive and captor were breathing heavily.

Here, as we crouched within the shadow of an outhouse, Seth began his whining once more; but I cut him short with an extra twist in the collar of his shirt, at the same time warning him in a whisper that my knife would find its place in his back if he dared speak one word, however cautiously.

Now was come the time when I must decide upon what should be done, and, despite the danger, in my perplexity I decided to take the chances of regaining Master Lord's dwelling, saying to myself that the only hope remaining was to get Seth into that place of refuge which was at the same time our prison. Once there Hiram Griffin could decide whether we would not be warranted in turning our backs upon the mission which had brought us to Boston town, and make every effort to gain Cambridge with the prisoner.

It was a wondrous relief to have settled upon some plan, however poor and desperate, and without further loss of time I pushed Seth on once more, vowing that we should not slacken pace, unless it might be to avoid the patrol, until having come to Cow lane.

Down through the alley, across Newbury street; through the gardens there to Short street, and thence on to Blind lane; past the New South Church, and down Summer street, finally coming to our destination.

Even as I set this down it seems wondrous strange that we could have come thus far, and for a certain distance through a settled portion of the town, without having seen or heard anything of life. Yet such was indeed the case, else I had not been here to tell this poor story of our Minute Boys of Boston, for had we been captured while I held Seth Jepson in my power, then was the end speedily come for me, because every Tory in town would have seen to it that such charges were brought to my door as would lead to the gallows.

It was when we were come to the rear of Master Lord's house, I still clutching the Tory cur firmly by the collar, that my heart misgave me. How would it be possible for me to send him down through that narrow tunnel without his making an outcry, and should the plan succeed, how were we to keep him in hiding where we ourselves were prisoners?

However, I had come so far on the way that there was no turning back. The plan must be carried out as it had been hastily made, whether foolish or no, and if peradventure it brought us all to grief then I ought not be so severely censured, because there was naught else to be done, as it then appeared to me.