Under the Liberty Tree Part 6

"Oh, they have done nothing to us, eh?" the barber's apprentice cried, as if in a fury. "You stand here and say that, after what has happened this afternoon?"

"Well, what _has_ happened?" and Jim caught the excited barber by the coat collar, shaking him vigorously, as if he believed by such energetic measures he might be restored to his scanty senses.

"Come down under the Liberty Tree and you'll find out all about it. I tell you that this sort of thing can't go on much longer. We'll rise in our might, as Attucks says; that's what we'll do, and I'll help in the rising!"

"Instead of continuing such ridiculous threats as you have been making since the funeral, suppose you tell us what happened this afternoon to put you in such a state of excitement. Has some other Britisher refused to pay your master's bill?"

"This is a matter which the people of Boston must take up, and that's exactly what they will do?" Hardy cried, stammering in his eagerness to relate the exciting news. "This forenoon one of the 'b.l.o.o.d.y backs'

was down by your father's ropewalk,[D] and got into a little trouble with one of the workmen. Nothing would do but that they must fight it out, and the redcoat got a beating."

"Well?" Amos asked, placidly, as Hardy paused for breath.

"Well, and what does the Britisher do, but walk straight up to Murray's Barracks,[E] get a crowd of his chums, and go back to Gray's place, where they pounded five or six of the rope-makers almost to death. While you fellows have been sitting here idle, people who have more love for their country are gathering under the Liberty Tree, and if you go there now you'll hear what is to be done."

Jim looked at Amos as if to ask whether he believed all the barber's apprentice had told them, and the latter replied by an incredulous shake of the head, as he said:

"We'll go down to Liberty Hall; but I don't think the inhabitants of Boston are nearly as much excited as Hardy believes. He and that mulatto friend of his, I reckon, are the only ones representing the people in this case."

"Come with me, and you will soon see who is doing the representing,"

Hardy cried, angrily. "You fellows don't know everything, even though you think you do."

"We have never made claim to such distinction, nor do we believe we are expected to drive the redcoats out of Boston. But if the city is in such a turmoil as you would have us think, why are you here, instead of at Liberty Hall?"

"I have been there since an hour before noon, and only left when I had to go for something to eat. Now I am on my way back."

"We'll go with you," and Amos began to believe that perhaps there was more truth in Hardy's story than he had previously been willing to admit. "Have you abandoned Master Piemont entirely?" he asked, as the three went into the street.

"I may go back there when the Britishers are driven away; but it ain't likely I shall much before then. When there's work like this to be done, you'll find me with those who love their country."

"And that is brawling on the waterside, I suppose?"

Hardy was about to make an angry reply, when a throng of men and boys were seen marching in something approaching military precision up Corn Hill, shouting from time to time:

"Drive the rascals out! Down with the 'b.l.o.o.d.y backs!'"

Now there could no longer be any question in the minds of Jim and Amos but that Hardy's story was more nearly true than was at first believed, and immediately they began to share his excitement.

"Perhaps you think now that I'm the only one who is stirred up, eh?"

the barber's apprentice asked, triumphantly. "This crowd is going to Liberty Hall. When you get there you'll find more than a thousand, all shouting the same thing."

That which caused Amos and Jim more surprise than anything else, was the fact that not a soldier could be seen upon the streets. Ordinarily one could not walk through Corn Hill without meeting many privates, as well as officers, lounging on the sidewalk.

That the citizens were deeply excited over what had occurred, both the boys understood as they continued on toward the common meeting-place; but they had no idea how deeply the populace were moved, until arriving within sight of the Liberty Tree, where they saw the ground immediately beneath its broad limbs literally packed with human beings.

The gathering in front of Master Theophilus Lillie's shop had been as nothing compared with this.

There the throng had been composed chiefly of boys, but here men were gathered, and Amos had a better idea of the gravity of the situation when he recognised on the outskirts of the crowd reputable merchants, whom he knew could not be easily induced to lend countenance to anything which did not really affect the welfare of the Colony.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Forcing their way here and there among the excited mult.i.tude, where were a dozen speakers, each haranguing those nearest him, the boys learned that the determination of the citizens was that the soldiers should be forced to leave the city, and that the affray between the military and the rope-makers was but an incident which had brought about the uprising at this particular time, rather than something to be avenged.

They also heard that the mob had a.s.sembled near the barracks early in the afternoon for the evident purpose of taking up the quarrel of the workmen, but had been dispersed by the troops.

It was also reported that the commanding officer of the Twenty-ninth Regiment had made formal complaint to Lieutenant-Governor Hutchinson, not only of the insults which his men had received at the rope-walk, but from the citizens at different times.

"They take possession of the city against our expressed will, and now complain because they are not treated politely!" one of the speakers cried. "Their ideas of gentle breeding are so different from ours that the only amends we can make for our rudeness is to give them an emphatic invitation to go elsewhere in search of people who love redcoats."

"Down with the 'b.l.o.o.d.y backs'! Drive them out! They have no business here!" the crowd shouted, and for a moment Amos and Jim believed a desperate conflict was near at hand.

The more violent of the speakers were followed by merchants who deprecated any hasty movement, and in a short time that which had been almost an ungovernable mob was rapidly becoming an a.s.semblage of earnest, thinking citizens, desirous of doing in a crisis that which would best and most effectually right the wrongs under which they were suffering.

"This is a work which cannot be done in a day," a venerable looking gentleman said, when some on the outskirts of the crowd demanded to be led to the barracks. "What is begun now must be finished. To make the demand that the British soldiers leave the city, and not enforce it, would be far worse than to remain silent. Much time may be needed."

"We have all there is. No other work shall be done until this job is finished!" one of the company cried.

"Then set about it methodically," the orator continued. "To-day is Friday, and in an hour it will be ended. If we begin on Sat.u.r.day, we may be tempted to desecrate the Sabbath; therefore, as good citizens, I pray that you will first consider your duty to your G.o.d, and not forget to keep holy His day. The soldiers will be here on Monday. Let us begin our work then, and finish it before the following Sat.u.r.day night."

There was something in this suggestion which pleased the throng wonderfully well. The idea of remaining inactive forty-eight hours rather than take the chances of desecrating the Sabbath pleased them, because it savoured of more serious purpose than if they had begun hurriedly, without preparation, like an unreasoning mob, to open the struggle.

There were a few, however, who raised their voices against this delay, and Amos whispered to Jim, as a particularly shrill cry was heard now and then demanding that something be done immediately:

"That is Hardy Baker! He believes that he has brought all this about, and if it should be that the soldiers are driven from the city, he will claim the whole credit."

"This will be more serious than warning Master Lillie, terrible as was the result there. What shall we do, Amos?"

"Follow these gentlemen, of course," and Amos pointed to several well-known citizens, who were standing near by. "We cannot do anything wrong by acting with them; but I question much if the morrow will pa.s.s without serious brawls, for Hardy Baker and those with whom he is a.s.sociated are ripe for mischief, regardless of the justice of their cause."

"But can we, unarmed, drive the soldiers out of the city?"

"When such a man as Master Samuel Adams declares they must go, and is backed by these good citizens here, Governor Hutchinson and General Gage must listen to the voice of the people. Come over this way; Hardy and Attucks are moving toward us, and I don't care to be seen in their company."

Amos had not observed the barber's apprentice soon enough to escape him, for, before he and Jim had taken a dozen steps toward hiding themselves among the throng, Hardy Baker shouted, shrilly:

"Hold on, boys! We want to talk with you!"

Jim would have continued on, regardless of the command, but that his companion said, in a whisper:

"We may as well wait and hear what he has to say, otherwise he will follow wherever we go."

"I want you fellows to come with Attucks and me," the barber's apprentice said, in a peremptory tone.

"Why should we?" Amos asked, sharply.

"Because there is work for all hands, and you must do your share."

"And since when has Master Piemont's apprentice had the right to command us to come here or go there?"

"Your high and mighty airs don't count for much with me, Amos Richardson. If my uncle had been the one who murdered Chris Snyder, I should try to do everything in my power to show I didn't side with informers and those who are ready to kiss the feet of the 'b.l.o.o.d.y backs'!"