The Minute Boys of Boston Part 12

"Then you believe this night would serve our purpose?" I said in what you might call a tearful tone, for I was near to crying with vexation because of having wasted a goodly part of the afternoon loitering about the town when I might have had everything in readiness for a hasty flight.

"Ay, lad, yonder clouds mean plenty of rain and wind, and I am much mistaken if within the hour the night be not so black and stormy that you might pa.s.s in the same street a squad of Britishers, and they be none the wiser."

"And it may be a month before such an opportunity comes again," I said mournfully. "We shall most like have storms in plenty; but never one at exactly the right moment, as this promises."

Hiram made no reply; but having satisfied himself there were no enemies in the immediate vicinity he strode on in advance swiftly, carrying the oaken stick on his arm as if it were a musket, and I could almost fancy from his bearing that he had in mind some purpose which he would strive earnestly to carry out, even though our preparations were not completed.

That this purpose was the rescue of Archie, I need not say, for just then we had none other, and I trembled with fear at the thought that we might succeed in freeing the dear lad only to find ourselves pursued, captured and clapped into prison with him, where we would be powerless either to aid the Cause or to work to his advantage.

Once at the corner of Hanover street it was possible for me to find the way through gardens and waste land until we were come to Brattle street church, from whence the journey to the prison must be made in the open.

The clouds had gathered so quickly that by this time they veiled the stars until one could hardly see ten paces in advance, therefore we had little hesitation in going boldly to that place where we counted on meeting Harvey Pearson, nor did we count in vain. The lad came out from between two buildings as we approached, and seizing me by the arm, led us into his hiding place where we might talk, if so be we spoke in whispers, without danger of being overheard.

"Archie is on the alert, and expects our coming," he said guardedly.

"Within ten minutes have I clambered up until getting a hold on the window ledge where I could tap the gla.s.s, and he returned the signal, therefore you need not linger long if you would have speech with him."

"There is no reason why we shouldn't wait here to get our breath," Hiram said in an odd tone. "I'm thinking it won't be a waste of time, and half an hour more or less can make little difference to him since he must perforce stay where he is."

"How could you tap on the gla.s.s?" I asked of Harvey. "Are there no bars outside that window?"

"Ay, and in plenty; iron bars standing less than six inches apart; but there was room to thrust my fingers between and thus come at the gla.s.s."

I turned suddenly to lay my hand upon the oaken stick which Hiram had been carrying, understanding now for the first time to what purpose he intended using it, and feeling, rather than seeing, my gesture, he whispered:

"Ay, lad, you have caught the idea at last. With this we should be able to make short work of one or two of those bars, providing we are not interrupted, and if so be there is thunder enough to drown whatsoever of noise may be made."

It was well nigh impossible for me to control myself so far as to act in any way approaching a decent fashion. The knowledge that Hiram was not only bent upon making an effort to rescue Archie that very night, but had come prepared for it, and the weather promised to be all we could desire, so wrought upon me that I was literally atremble with excitement until it was difficult to remain in one place five seconds at a time.

That Harvey was in a similar condition I could well understand, when he asked in a whisper so tremulous that only with difficulty could I understand the words:

"Do you believe he counts on doing anything to-night?"

Hiram overheard the question, spoken cautiously though it was, and replied decisively:

"Ay, lad, that's exactly what I count on doing, and save for the fact that we have no boats ready, matters could not be more to our liking. In less than half an hour, unless I have lost all power of judging the weather, we are like to have as heavy a thunder gust upon us as this town has ever seen. What more could be asked? How long think you we might be forced to wait for another such opportunity?"

"But the boats!" Harvey exclaimed. "Of what avail may it be to release him from prison when the Britishers will make short work in their search after the day has come?"

"That part of the business is what we must take our chances on, lad. The hardest portion of the work is to get him out of yonder jail, and that done we'll trust to luck for the rest. Have you no skiffs in mind that could be come upon by some search?"

"There are boats in plenty near to Long wharf," Harvey replied; "but there the Britishers have so many men on duty that what between their guards, marines pa.s.sing to and fro from the sh.o.r.e to the ships, and the sentinels, it would be impossible to give them the slip."

"How was Silas to get out of town?" Hiram asked, turning to me.

"Master Fish has a skiff hidden near his smokehouse, and the lad was counting on taking it."

"In all this town do you know of none other?" and Hiram shook me violently, as if he would force from my mouth that which he most desired to know.

"The skiffs belonging to our friends are hidden, for by General Gage's orders all craft that could be found have been taken possession of by the lobster backs. We might search a full day without coming upon any."

"Well, as I have said, the first thing is to get the lad out of prison.

We'll trust to accident, chance, or whatever you choose to call it, for the balance."

[Ill.u.s.tration: "THE SECOND FLASH OF LIGHTNING SHOWED ME THIS SCENE."]

By this time the rain drops were beginning to fall in token of the oncoming shower, and Hiram stretched out his hand to learn how heavy was the downpour, for, screened as we were by the building, one could hardly judge of what might be going on.

Then came a flash of lightning, followed by a peal of thunder so loud that we knew the heart of the storm was directly upon us, and clutching Harvey and me by the arms Hiram literally burst, as it were, from our hiding place, as he said:

"Now has come the time; work quickly; have your wits about you, and remember that to waste ten seconds may be the ruin of our plans."

There was little need for Hiram to thus incite us. I was strung up to the highest tension until it seemed as if all the nerves in my body had suddenly been laid bare, and a moment appeared like a half-hour, so keenly did I realize that the critical time had come.

When we went out into the street the rain was falling like unto a second deluge, and it seemed to me I had not taken a dozen steps before my clothing was soaked with water; but I heeded it not save as cooling application upon my fevered body.

Harvey led us around the prison until we were come to the window of that room where we believed Archie was still confined, and without waiting a single second--it seemed almost as if while continuing the advance--, Hiram thrust the end of his oaken stick between two center bars, standing there like a statue waiting for the next volley of thunder.

The second flash of lightning showed me this scene which is yet engraven on my memory as if painted upon canvas: Hiram holding one end of the heavy stick like a young giant; Harvey standing beside him looking up with expectancy written on his face, and I crouching near by ready to follow the slightest movement of our leader.

Then came the heavy, deafening roll of thunder. Even in the darkness I fancied I could see Hiram put all his weight and strength upon the oaken lever, and I believed that the bars gave way; but so heavy was the cannonading in the heavens that I could hear no sound, yet, as we learned an instant later, he had not only fetched away the iron screen, but crashed through the gla.s.s of the window.

Whether Archie had been aware that we stood there ready to make this supreme effort, I cannot say; but something must have warned him that the time for action had come, because the crash of thunder had not died away when I could see dimly his head and shoulders through the aperture.

Hiram must have instantly thrown aside the stout lever which had thus opened the way for Archie's liberty, because, moving with the quickness of thought, he leaped up as does a cat, seizing the lad by the shoulders and pulling him out into the street as if he had been no more than a bundle of rags.

During the merest fraction of time we stood silent and motionless, every nerve aquiver, listening with bated breath for that fatal token which would tell that the Britishers inside had been aroused, and then Hiram pushed me forward violently as he said in a hoa.r.s.e whisper:

"Now then, lad, let your heels save your head, and make for Long wharf."

"But the Britishers!" I cried even as I obeyed his command.

"Let them go hang, so that we find a boat wheresoever it may be. Before this storm has come to an end we must be out of Boston town, or count on taking up our quarters in this same prison."

How we ran! Archie clasped my hand--there was no time for words--, and we two led the way at a swifter pace than I ever showed before, or ever expect to again; but even while putting forth every effort in the race was my heart grown sore with fear, for truly did it seem that Hiram had lost his wits to take such chances as would come if we tried to get from the Britishers themselves means for leaving the town.

"Better we had attempted to make our escape across the Neck," I said to myself, burning to speak my thoughts to him who had thus far led us safely, and yet not daring to slacken pace in order so to do. "There is one chance in an hundred that we might get past the guards during the tempest; but none whatsoever that we shall succeed in making our way by water, for before we can lay hands on a boat we shall be overpowered."

Luckily I did not dare slacken speed; fortunate was it indeed that Hiram had his way in the matter, and that he urged us on even while we were putting forth every effort. Had I been given command at that moment, then it is almost the same as certain we had been taken before another night came; but, thanks to the son of that good woman who fed us when we were hungry, the seemingly impossible was accomplished.

So rapid were our movements from the very beginning of the attempt at rescue, that the thunder tempest was hardly grown to its height before we gained the water front at Long wharf, and there to my amazement we met no one; indeed, we might almost have touched shoulders with a dozen and yet not been able to see them because of the darkness and the seemingly unbroken sheets of water which descended.

Now it was that Hiram took the lead, as if fearful lest our courage might fail us, and wading waist-deep into the water alongside the wharf, he came upon a small boat which was made fast stem and stern.

We followed close at his heels, not because of belittling the danger; but because there was no other course. The peril would have been greater had we attempted to beat a retreat, and since it seemed to me that capture was absolutely certain, we might as well go one way as another.

Hiram had not stopped to unmoor the boat; but taking from his pocket a knife, slashed here and there at the hawsers until she was adrift, and the wind, driving from the south in furious gusts, sent her whirling in the direction of Hudson's point as if impelled by a dozen pairs of oars.

It was only by the merest accident that we lads succeeded in getting aboard, for Hiram was like a fury unchained, giving no heed to anything whatsoever save that goal which he had set before him. I only know that Archie and I had been swept off our feet by the waves when the craft whirled past us, yet we contrived to clutch the gunwale and were dragged, as it seemed to me, an hundred yards before succeeding in clambering aboard.