thing of the kind, lad, for we have done only our
duty. I'm hoping every one of us would have worked just as eagerly had
the prisoner been a stranger, for we who count on aiding the Cause must
reckon everyone who loves it, as a friend."

It was Hiram who spoke, and his tone was so fervent, I might almost say
devout, that I was moved by it more than by the dangers through which we
had just passed, and came to understand better what it meant when we of
the colonies armed ourselves against the king's men.

"I was expecting to see you because of what Harvey told me; but did not
think for a minute you would dare make any effort to set me free,"
Archie said after a long pause, and Hiram added with a chuckle of mirth
which I could hear even above the whistling of the wind and the swish of
the waves:

"It must have surprised you when that 'ere glass was broken in; but I
noticed it didn't take a great while to get your wits about you."

"I had been warned. Standing near by the window when the lightning
flashed, I saw you, and knew what might be your purpose."

"'Tis a great night for business like this," and again Hiram chuckled as
if the whole matter was a huge joke. "Here we are in one of his
majesty's own boats, snug as bugs in a wet rug, and being carried faster
than any ten-oared barge could move, we not raising a hand. Talk about
getting out of Boston town! I can't say that it is any great trick, and
we are going as comfortably as possible except, perhaps, that there's a
little too much water about. If this 'ere thunder gust holds out ten
minutes longer we should be well off the Penny ferry. It would give
Silas a good shaking up if we got into camp before he did," and Hiram
laughed long and loud, seeming to enjoy making a noise now that we were
the same as free from pursuit.

Then it was that Harvey put me to shame by much the same as proving I
had not head enough to hold command of the Minute Boys.

"I can see full well why Archie should go to Cambridge," he said, forced
almost to scream in order to make his words heard above the noise of the
tempest; "but what puzzles me is why Luke Wright and I are going? It
appears as if we were advertising the fact that we had a hand in the
lad's escape, whereas, by returning to our homes now, and showing
ourselves to-morrow morning in the usual places, no suspicion would be
aroused."

Hiram stared at the speaker as if in surprise during a dozen seconds,
and then said emphati