The Minute Boys of Boston Part 28

Hiram motioned for me to bear a hand, and one by one we moved the casks.

Setting each down upon the beaten earth which formed the floor so that not the slightest noise would be made, we cleared all away until what had the appearance of a rubbish hole was brought to view. One might have guessed that this had originally been made as an entrance to the cellar from the outside, and afterward closed up carelessly with rocks and earth, the casks having been set before the place as a screen.

There was a look of triumph on Hiram's face as he wriggled amid the rubbish, pushing aside a rock here and sc.r.a.ping away the earth there until his body was almost hidden from view.

Then, while I stood with bated breath believing we had found what would serve us in time of need, he appeared to have come to an end of his exploration, for backing out, he straightway began brushing up the litter which had been pulled upon the floor, as carefully as a house-wife might have done, save that he used his hands instead of a broom.

More than once I made as if to ask what he had found further than I could see; but he gave me to understand that we must make no attempt at holding a conversation, and whispered that I go back to where it might be possible to learn when those who were above had left the building.

I did as he thus commanded; but my heart was lighter than at any time since we entered this prison-like hiding-place, for the belief was strong in my mind that if worse came to worse, and Master Lord was indeed the treacherous villain I believed him, we might be able to escape, so far as leaving the cellar was concerned.

While I remained by the wall, straining my ears to catch the lightest sound from above, Hiram continued his work as cook, and before the hum of conversation had ceased in the room over my head, the leg of lamb was done to a turn, while Griffin had ready for eating a tempting loaf of corn bread.

Then, somewhat to my surprise, after the food had been placed upon the table Hiram took my station by the wall, insisting that we three lads should partake of the meal, and because I was beginning now to have full faith that he was not allowing himself to be hood-winked by Master Lord, I did as commanded, although there was in my mind the idea that we might give over listening, at least during such time as would be necessary to satisfy our hunger.

Before we had come to an end of our eating it was possible to hear the outer door swung to with no little force, and there was a look of satisfaction upon Griffin's face as he joined us at the table.

"Unless my ears have played me false, the room above is empty. I heard at least three go out, and if only two entered when you were on duty, Luke, then we are alone in the building; but in order that we may take no chances, my advice is that none of us speak above a whisper."

"You think we have need of taking council together?" Archie asked, whereupon Hiram replied grimly:

"Aye, lad, if ever the time was that we needed to thrash out a matter in order to come upon the best road, surely it is now."

"Then you have come to believe that Master Lord is not such a friend to the Cause as he professes, even though the lieutenant at the battery declared he would trust the man with his life?" I asked.

"The lieutenant's eyes may have been shut just as Job Lord would shut ours," Hiram said with a smile, much as if it pleased him to have thus settled the matter in his own mind. "It must be that this man has done good service among our people, otherwise he would not have such a reputation for loyalty to the colony. But whatever he may have done in the past, it seems certain to me he is ready to play us false now."

"I fail to see why he need take any roundabout lane to get at such a knavish result," Harvey suggested. "If he counts to give us up to the lobster backs, it only needs that he call in the first squad which comes past the building, for here we are like rats in a trap, ready to be taken whenever it is the pleasure of those who have caught us."

"I wish it might be possible for me to make that part of it plain in my mind," Hiram said thoughtfully. "I can figure out all else; but why it should be his purpose to keep us here any length of time, instead of delivering us up at once, is more than I can come at. Certain it is he's playing a game, and it remains for us to learn what it may be."

"And in the meanwhile what about Silas?" Archie asked, whereupon Hiram replied sharply, as if it vexed him because the lad would carry the conversation so far afield:

"He is no more a prisoner than we are, and until it is possible for us to get out of this place, at the same time finding some means of preventing Job Lord from giving the lobster backs warning of our whereabouts, we need not trouble our heads concerning him. I have no mind to arouse your fears, lad, and surely you can understand the situation as well as I; but to my thinking we would be safer shut up in the Bridewell, as prisoners of war, than here in the power of this man who claims to be devoted heart and soul to the Cause."

Such words silenced me. I had come to believe that Hiram could see treachery in Master Lord's course; but until this moment had no idea he believed the situation to be so desperate. It must have been that he saw what was very like to fear written on my face, for he added after a short pause:

"Nay, nay, lad, do not let me persuade you into making mountains out of mole hills; but let us not fall into the mistake of failing to see the mole hills. You stood up bravely when we were on Breed's hill with three or four thousand lobster backs striving to kill us, and I saw no sign of fear on your face. Now we have but one man against us, and it will go hard indeed if we four cannot outwit the scoundrel, if scoundrel he be, providing he gives us time."

"But why should he give us time?" Harvey persisted, and again Hiram said:

"That's what puzzles me lad; but I am hoping to find out before many hours have pa.s.sed. In the meanwhile, when he comes here it is for us to make him believe we are not only willing, but pleased to remain as he would have us. Do not let it appear that we have any suspicions of him whatsoever, but fall in with all he suggests, for indeed we can do no less while shut up here."

"If that rubbish hole leads outside, why may we not escape by means of it?" I asked, and the reply came promptly:

"Because we would be jumping from the frying pan into the fire. It is evidently not Master Lord's intention to deliver us over to the lobster backs yet a while, providing we remain quietly here as he desires; but let us once take to flight, as he would discover within an hour or more after we had gone, and our liberty is not worth a day's purchase. You can see plainly that if he is the traitor we are beginning to believe him, it would be impossible for us to find another hiding-place in this town which the Britishers could not discover."

"We are setting it down as a fact that this Job Lord, who has probably made many of our people believe him true to the Cause, is a traitor,"

Archie said thoughtfully, as if he had been turning the matter over and over in his mind. "It seems to me that we should, until knowing to the contrary, at least put it in our reckoning that the chances are even he may be doing according to his professions. If that be the case, then we are making as much progress toward giving Silas aid as if we were on the outside; perhaps more, because Master Lord can succeed where we would fail."

"All of which means what?" I asked impatiently.

"That since we are powerless to do otherwise, but must remain here, let us say that perhaps matters are going as they should, which won't prevent keeping our eyes open to take advantage of any turn that may come in our favor."

It seemed as if all these words irritated Hiram, for, after having partaken sparingly of the appetizing food, he sprang to his feet with the air of one who has much work to perform.

"Give me your pocket-knife, Archie, and do you three lads remain at the table until it is impossible to eat more, for we who serve the Cause do not come upon such food often."

Archie did as was desired, and we all watched Hiram curiously as he began cutting cautiously at one of the crevices between the planks above our heads.

Not until he had been at work several moments did I come to understand what he would do, and then it flashed upon me that it was his purpose to make an aperture through which we might the better hear what was going on in the room above.

It was not reasonable to suppose he could cut away the planks to any extent without danger of his work being seen from above, and in fact, when he stepped aside as if the task had been performed, it appeared to me that he had enlarged the crevice no more than an eighth of an inch, and that for a distance, mayhap, of half a finger's length.

Wetting his hand, he took from the fire-place a small quant.i.ty of ashes, making them into a paste, and this he rubbed over the freshly cut s.p.a.ce until it had been darkened to a shade like unto the remainder of the flooring, while I, eager to aid in whatsoever of work was being done, picked up carefully each tiny shaving of wood, throwing them on the embers that they might be consumed.

Then Hiram went through the same operation at a place directly above the table, and within half an hour he had thus opened slight communication with the room above. There was not much reason for hoping these tiny apertures would serve the purpose for which they had been made; but yet there was a possibility we could hear better what was said or done by Master Lord's visitors, and to people in our situation every chance, however slight, must be caught at.

"Why not learn what we can about yonder rubbish hole?" I asked when Hiram seated himself at the table once more, as if there was nothing else which demanded attention.

"It is not well to make a try at going too far at one time," he replied with a certain air of content.

It was well I had not been looked upon as the leader of our little company, otherwise we might have come to grief even before we had well made a start toward arming ourselves against the possible treachery of Master Lord.

I would have continued the work which was begun by making the apertures, in the rubbish hole, regarding not the possibility of an interruption; but should have hardly more than have commenced before our host returned, when most-like everything might have been discovered.

As it was, thanks to Hiram's precaution, we four were seated at the table in a most comfortable manner, as if having nothing on our minds save pleasure, when Job Lord, who must have come into the house with the utmost caution in order to learn what we might be about, raised the trap-door suddenly, peering down before venturing to descend.

There was no question after this but that he was minded to make certain we followed his advice, and thus sneaking into the house like a spy to catch us unawares was further proof that he meditated mischief.

For the life of me I could not have greeted the scoundrel in a friendly tone; but Hiram hailed him as if believing he was our best friend, and asked in a jovial tone that he come down and partake of the sumptuous dinner.

Master Lord looked well content with himself, which meant that he was satisfied we were minded to do as he bade us, when he descended the ladder and took seat in a most affable manner at the table.

"I have been out on your business," he said, helping himself to a slice of roasted lamb.

"And I dare venture to say you have done more in an hour than we four could have accomplished in a full week," Hiram added genially.

"Well, I may say we have got along famously this day," Master Lord replied in a jolly tone. "Thanks to my acquaintance among the lobster backs, and their belief that I am devoted heart and soul to the king, it has been possible for me to enter that part of the Bridewell where the prisoners taken at Breed's hill are confined."

"Did you see Silas?" Harvey asked eagerly.

"There was but one boy in the place, and if so be your comrade is prisoner here, then have I seen him. It would have been ill advised had I attempted to get speech with him, because I was there professedly out of motives of curiosity, and took good care not to arouse suspicion by talking with any of the so-called rebels."

"Is the guard around the building as large as it was yesterday?" Hiram asked as if deeply interested, and having perfect confidence in what our host might tell him.

"As nearly as could be judged there has been no change; but I heard on the street that General Gage counts on advancing his outposts at Boston Neck with the idea of pushing our people back from Roxbury, in which case he will need all the men at his command, when I doubt not the guard at the Bridewell will be lessened."

"Then your opinion is the same as when we last talked together?" and Hiram urged Master Lord to partake more heartily of his own provisions.