o. The part I took
in bringing Hendricks to the Liberty Tree is enough to show that the
'bloody backs' can expect no favour from me."

"Yet your master has among his customers many who wear coats of red,
and you shave some of them."

"True; but it is not every one over whose face my razor passes, that I
call a friend. Since you are so suspicious, Amos Richardson, I will
explain my going to the Custom House," Hardy added, only after noting
the fact that several of those standing nearest were gazing at him
sternly. "You must know that many of the Britishers who come to Master
Piemont's shop to be served pay for the work at the end of every three
months, instead of doing so each day or week. Now, among these
redcoats who hold on to their money as long as possible, is one
Lieutenant Draper, whom I attend. When it was learned that he intended
to let his account run until three months had passed, Master Piemont
told me the bill should be mine in consideration of my strict
attention to duty. Master Piemont knows a good workman when he sees
one, and I have been in his shop a long while."

"But you are not a workman yet," a member of the party shouted. "You
are only an apprentice, Hardy."

"Well, and if I am? I may be as good as a journeyman for all that. If
I wasn't, it is hardly likely Master Piemont would have made me so
generous an offer, and of his own free will."

"Perhaps he thought it was the only way by which he could induce you
to attend to your work," some one shouted, laughingly, and Amos said,
sharply:

"We have not come here to make sport. Let him explain, without
interruption, why he was at the Custom House this morning, and then we
will decide how we can best bring Master Lillie to realise that he
must keep the agreement made with the other shopkeepers. What has
Lieutenant Draper and his account to do with your visit, Hardy?"

"It has everything to do, since I was there attending to my own
business. The officer's quarterly bill should have been paid last
Thursday, and, knowing he was on duty at the place, I went there in
the hope of getting my money. Does that seem reasonable?"

Amos looked around inquiringly at his companions, and Chris Snyder, a
German lad only eleven years of age, but who was allowed a voice in
the meetings beneath the Liberty Tree because of his staunch loyalty
and unfailing good nature, cried, impatiently:

"Let him tell his story. I am certain he has spoken nothing but the
truth