had accompanied me to the river. "With a craft like
that I would have no hope of escape if peradventure the lobster backs
gave chase."

"I reckon the two of us can manage to make a decent show of speed,"
Hiram said with a laugh, and then it was I learned that he counted on
going with me into the town, taking his chances of getting back later,
rather than allow me to go alone.

"You had better join us Minute Boys and have done with it, Hiram," I
said gleefully, taking my seat in the boat after having bidden my father
good by. "It seems to me you are like to meet with more of adventure in
our company, than loitering behind here at Cambridge where all are much
like a flock of sheep without a leader."

"Faith, and I begin to believe that myself," Hiram replied as he took up
the oars, and a moment later we were gliding down the river in the
twilight which would be deepened to darkness before we were come within
sight of Boston.

No sooner were we well under way than there came to me again the same
hope I had had during a portion of the time we lay hidden on Noddle
island, regarding the possibility of being able to free Archie from
prison, and I asked in what I intended should be a careless tone:

"Hiram, if it so chanced while you were in Boston town that there was
the shadow of a hope of getting Archie out of prison, would you lend a
hand?"

"Give me half a show to do aught toward thwarting the lobster backs, and
I'll stay with you till the crack of doom, if so be I live that long and
the job is not finished before."

"Then we'll find the way," I said as if believing the words were true,
even though at the same moment I deemed it little less than the fancy of
a madman to think anything could be done to aid the dear lad while he
was held so closely by the enemy.

After we were arrived at the mouth of the river, came the question as to
what part of Boston we would aim to strike. There was much of danger
that we might be overhauled by the guard-boats if so be we attempted to
pull around Hudson's point, and yet perchance greater peril in striving
to land anywhere between West and Fox hill.

"I favor the shortest voyage by water," Hiram said when I had laid
before him that which was in my mind. "If so be you can hide the boat as
well on this side as at your ship-yard, then let's make the venture, for
I'm thinking we'll meet no more lobster backs ashore than afloat."

And so it was we headed for the nearest point, tak