The Minute Boys of Boston

"But suppose you, coming back with Silas, having compassed his release without trouble, find here two or three demanding admittance?"

"Then it will be a case of waiting a short time, and if they persist in hanging around we must take the chances of a fight. I will knock on the shutter as has been agreed upon, and if when Silas and I come in there are others who follow us, we must be ready to do by them as we have by Job Lord: but I'm hoping we won't be put to that trouble."

Hiram laughed as he spoke these last words, yet I could not believe that it was from mirth, but rather a desire to hearten me by letting it appear he had no fear as to the final result, when all the while I knew there must be in his mind many a question as to whether he could play his part before the officers of the Bridewell, as he had with the thick-headed sergeant.

Then he went out with never a word of farewell, and strode off into the gloom, walking steadily with head upright like the true man he had ever shown himself to be, and I closed and barred the door while a fervent but unspoken prayer went up from my heart that it might be permitted him to pass unscathed through the danger which menaced, because of the justness of the Cause for which he labored.

Again we three lads sat near the prisoners in what was very like fear. I know for my part that I was trembling so violently that I failed in attempting to take up a bit of meat in order to carry out Hiram's instructions, and I know full well that any one close by might have heard the beating of my heart.

"We are not filling our stomachs as Hiram commanded," Archie cried, striving to appear light-hearted as he rose to his feet and set about arranging the provisions on the table so they might look more palatable. "Everything must be in readiness for a quick start when he comes back, and eating is the first of the duties to be performed."

"You'll have plenty of time to eat 'twixt now and his return," Master Lord growled. "The next person who enters this house will be one of his majesty's officers, come to learn how General Gage's order passed from my possession into that of the rebels'."

We made no reply to this remark, not being in a mood to bandy words with the villain, for all our thoughts and hearts had gone out with Hiram, while in fancy we could see him meeting with suspicion when he was come to the Bridewell, and finally clapped into a cell without having been so near Silas as to have speech with him.

I had no desire for food, and doubtless my comrades felt much the same; but yet we ate because of having been told so to do, and forced the meat down our throats when it was like to choke us.

Seth Jepson was not as averse to filling his stomach as were we, and ate greedily when Harvey fed him, while Master Lord positively refused to accept a mouthful of anything save water, of which he drank eagerly at short intervals, thus telling me that there was, despite all his brave words, a fear in his heart which parched his tongue.

Now because it was past sunset, when, according to what Job Lord had said some time before, there might be danger of Tory visitors, we took all precautions to prevent our prisoners from crying out. In fact, Archie proposed that we gag them then and there; but I, believing Hiram, even though he succeeded in all his purpose, would be long delayed, had no heart to cause them suffering which might be avoided. I proposed that we pull the bed out from the wall so that he could sit with bare knife by the side of Seth, while I looked after the man who had deceived our people so many days, and once more we promised to take their worthless lives without compunction if they raised their voices ever so slightly.

The time passed slowly, wearingly, painfully on, and there we sat by the side of the prisoners ready to take their lives if need be, while Harvey paced to and fro, or ascended the ladder to the upper room only to descend, until the noise of his footsteps well nigh drove me to distraction, and I cried out that unless he remained quiet I should lose my senses.

"You lost them when you embarked in such an enterprise as this of making me prisoner," Job Lord snarled. "But what could be expected of three boys, led on by a crazy man? I would have set your comrade free, and sent you on your way in safety; but that you must needs upset all my plans."

"The setting of Silas free and sending us back to our friends was not a part of your plan, Job Lord," I said in a low tone, fearing lest even then some one might be approaching the house; but determined to thrash the matter out with the double-faced villain, if for no other purpose than to occupy the time which was dragging so painfully.

"How else could it be, since I failed to deliver you up to the British?" he asked with an air of innocence. "Had I been so minded, you would have been made prisoners within an hour after coming into this house, and the fact that you were not taken into custody shows that I was playing honestly with you."

"Which proves that you had some plan in mind which could be made to work more of harm to the Cause if we were held here," I said, and then there came into my mind Hiram's words when he was telling the story of the British sergeant, and I added sharply, as if having discovered all his scheming, "We were to be held here as bait in a trap for some of our people whom you hoped to catch, and who would be more of value to General Gage than we three lads."

He turned his eyes toward me quickly, as a deep flush overspread his face, and I knew full well that I had hit the mark while repeating much the same as Hiram had invented for the benefit of the sergeant.

I continued to dwell upon the matter, hoping he might be provoked into telling me for what purpose he counted on taking from the Bridewell one of our people who had been captured at Breed's hill; but the scoundrel was sharp enough to hold his peace regardless of what I said, never letting out a word that could serve as an inkling to that portion of the plan.

As I sat there by his side, my ears strained to catch the first sound which should tell of Tory visitors or of Hiram's return, I believed I knew it was Silas Brownrigg whom he would have selected from among the prisoners, and that he had been trying to keep us quiet, not daring to bring the lad down from the Bridewell until the last moment lest we should insist on leaving Boston immediately afterward.

Once such a thought came into my mind, I repeated it to him, catching again a glimpse of the dark flush which told, to my mind at least, that the blow had struck home.

Archie must have been in much the same frame of mind as was I before beginning this conversation with Job Lord, for now he cried out sharply, as if the sound of my voice jarred upon his quivering nerves:

"In the name of all that's good, Luke Wright, hold your peace! We can't better ourselves by bandying words with such as Master Lord, and it may be some one from the outside will hear you."

Even as he spoke there came to our ears distinctly three smart raps on the outer door, and I leaned over Master Lord with my knife upraised, for I knew that now was come our time of greatest peril.

CHAPTER XVIII

TURNING THE TRICK

Archie glanced up at me with a look of fear on his face, as he whispered in a tremulous voice:

"Don't take any chances!" and, softly making his way to the center of the room, he took from the floor Harvey's coat, which had been thrown there when we were minded to gag Seth Jepson. This he gave to me nervously, and, holding the knife between my teeth, I rolled one end of it into a wad such as would fit snugly into the mouth of that man who had counted on delivering us over to the Britishers.

Master Lord opened his jaws without waiting to be bidden, for he must have seen on my face a determination to put an end to his career of treachery at the lightest token of making an outcry.

While I was doing this, Harvey, understanding the need of securing both the prisoners beyond any possibility they could do us a mischief by raising their voices, tore off the sleeve of his shirt, and Archie speedily thrust it into Seth Jepson's mouth.

When this had been done there seemed little chance either of the captives could do more than give utterance to moans; but, lest they might succeed in loosening their bonds, I whispered to Harvey:

"You must stay here and keep sharp watch over them, while Archie and I go to the room above."

"To what end?" he asked in surprise, and I replied hurriedly:

"Hiram may return at any moment, and we must be ready to open the door for him."

Just then the summons was repeated more sharply than before, and I dared not linger to explain to Harvey what had been agreed upon between Hiram and myself, therefore, motioning for Archie to follow, I went up the ladder with all possible speed, yet at the same time taking extra good care, as may be supposed, not to make so much of noise as could be heard by those on the outside.

Once on the floor above I halted to whisper in Archie's ear that which was to be done in case Hiram returned before these unwelcome visitors had departed, and meanwhile we could hear voices on the outside, as if those who awaited the opening of the door were discussing among themselves the cause of Master Lord's delay in giving them entrance.

Involuntarily Archie looked around hurriedly for something which would serve him as a weapon in case we should be obliged to give battle, and, thus reminded that we would be at a disadvantage unless having other than our bare fists with which to strike a blow, I followed his example.

Nothing fitting met my gaze save a three-legged stool which had been thrown in one corner, the top shattered, and this I seized hastily, finding it possible to pull out one of the legs without making any noise worth mentioning.

Archie armed himself with a second leg, and I laid the third up where it might be come at conveniently in case, by any mischance, one of us should need a spare weapon.

Verily it seemed as if a kind Providence was watching over us, for no sooner were we thus prepared to meet Job Lord's Tory friends, if perchance it became necessary to give them entrance, when we heard loud voices, as if other visitors had come up, and Archie took me by the hand to hearten himself as well as me, for now did it seem certain a conflict was near at hand.

One can the better understand what a long head was Hiram Griffin's, when I set it down that before leaving the house he had lighted a tallow dip, leaving it in one corner of the room where the feeble rays of light could not be seen through the crevices of the shutter, and but for his forethought in this regard we would have been in darkness, which is the same as saying we must find ourselves at a great disadvantage in event of a fight with Master Lord's friends.

Archie and I stood within three paces of the door, still clasping each other by the hand and striving to hear what was being said on the outside to the end that we might have some inkling of how many had come, when two loud, deliberate knocks on the shutter told that Hiram Griffin was returned.

My heart literally ceased beating for the instant, and it seemed as if I was in danger of suffocation, so great was my excitement and anxiety. Hiram had come back from the Bridewell; but had he brought with him Silas Brownrigg?

Whether he had or no, it was necessary we open the door without delay, and at the same time stand ready for a rough and tumble fight, because there was no question but that those who first demanded admittance were still there, while it was also positive Hiram had decided upon carrying into execution the plan agreed upon before he set out.

Motioning Archie to take station on one side of the door where he might be ready to strike a blow at the first opportunity, I whispered in a tremulous voice:

"Be careful not to miss your aim, and put sufficient of strength into the blow to bring down your man. Hiram will send the Tories in first, as a matter of course."

Then, with all the blood in my body seemingly surging into my head, I opened the door, and on the instant heard Hiram say in an exceedingly friendly tone:

"Enter, good sirs. Master Lord will return within a short time to conclude the business concerning which you squabbled the other night."

These words were spoken, no doubt, to warn Archie and me that there could be no question as to the character of those to whom they were addressed, and I raised the leg of the stool high above my head, understanding full well that if we failed of overcoming them at the onset, our race in Boston town had come to a speedy end.

Unfortunately it so chanced that both Archie and I struck at the man who was in the lead, and the fellow had no more than got well across the threshold when he pitched headlong, as an ox falls under the axe of the butcher.

Even as this was done I could see that the second man attempted to leap backward, a cry of fear escaping his lips, and my heart grew cold, for it needed not any one should tell me that if he succeeded in giving us the slip the lobster backs would soon learn what kind of a trick we had striven to play.