The Minute Boys of Boston Part 10

It must have been that General Gage received the same news as had come to us, for on the hour orders were issued that no person should be allowed to leave the town without a pa.s.s, and everyone caught while attempting to depart would be imprisoned.

The Tories themselves had begun to understand that our people might be a power in the land, for straightway two hundred of them were enrolled as a military company, with that arch traitor, Timothy Ruggles, as their captain.

"It seems that the Minute Boys have nothing to do," I said bitterly to Hiram Griffin when he and I came together at my home on the evening after the Tory company had paraded on the Common. "It is from Cambridge that the important news is being sent, and we who are shut up here have no word of news to tell."

"It strikes me, lad, that you have already got quite a budget of information which our people in Cambridge should hear. Mayhap it is already known in the encampment that no one can leave Boston town without a permit, and it's also possible they know of the arming of the Tories; but you who were a.s.signed to the duty of gathering news should not set yourselves down idly and say that it has already been made public."

"Meaning that we should go our way carrying stale information at the risk of being arrested, and repeating what no one cares to hear?"

"Ay, lad, that is exactly what I mean. You were not asked to seek this or that; but to carry to Cambridge information of what was going on in town. It is for General Ward to say whether that which you bring him is of importance or no."

"But it seems that we have other work on hand which should come first,"

I said, having kept back a bit of news which I knew would startle him.

"Harvey Pearson succeeded this afternoon in seeing Archie--"

"How did he get into the prison?"

"There's no such good word as that. What I mean is that he attracted his attention from the outside, and by dint of gestures, with a word here and there, made him understand that at midnight, after the guard has been changed, he will attempt to have speech with him."

Hiram looked at me in surprise, as if not crediting all I told him, and then, much as if dismissing the matter from his mind, he said:

"If I were the captain of the Minute Boys of Boston, I should strive to send a messenger to Cambridge this night. I myself have picked up such bits of news as I believe General Ward would be pleased to hear."

"But how can I go, when there is a chance of having word with Archie to-night?"

"I fail to see any reason why you should in every case act as messenger 'twixt here and Cambridge. Send some other of your company. It is true we lost the boat in which you and I came, because of having left her where any blundering lobster back might stumble upon the craft; but you said this morning that it would be possible for us to get two small skiffs at any time." Then he asked abruptly, "How high from the street is the window of the room where your comrade is held prisoner?"

"Not more than five or six feet," I replied, failing to understand; but, making no explanation, he rose quickly to his feet, clapping his hat on his head as he said:

"I'm off for a stroll. There are many things in this town I haven't seen as yet, and it would be a pity if I was suddenly called to Cambridge without having learned all that may be come at."

He went out before I could stop him, and but for the fact that Silas came in immediately afterward, I might have followed to learn what Hiram was about.

As a matter of course, my comrade was all afire with the possibility that we might soon have speech with Archie, and would have explained exactly how Harvey counted on bringing the matter about, had I not told him Hiram's opinion as to what should be done in the way of sending information to the American encampment.

Much to my surprise he pressed eagerly for permission to go as messenger, saying that above all else he desired to see the encampment so he might compare our troops with those under the command of General Gage, and, knowing he could make the journey as well or even better than I, there was no reason in my mind why he should not undertake the venture.

I must set down here the fact that from the time of our first meeting as Minute Boys, which is the same as saying during the past four and twenty hours, more than one of us had kept constant watch over Seth Jepson without seeing aught to blame in him. It was possible, as a matter of course, that he might have had speech with Amos Nelson; but we could not believe he had told the Tory cur all I had so foolishly divulged else, as Silas and I reasoned, we would have been brought before General Gage on some such serious charge as that of treason, unless perchance he could make of our movements a more serious offence.

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 sc.r.a.pe."

"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: