n that line," Archie said cheerily, and I
could well understand how glad was his heart because this summons had
come to us. "But for that which was done at Lexington, Luke Wright and I
would have sought you in Cambridge long ere this."

"Sought me?" Griffin repeated in perplexity.

"Ay, so we promised your mother," Archie replied, and then he went on to
tell of our halt on the road from Master Hadley's, and when he was done
Hiram said fervently:

"God bless her, her heart was ever as large as that of an ox, and she
could no more see man or boy pass by hungry without trying to make
amends for it, than she could fly. Some day, please God, the three of us
will go to the home which isn't much to look at; but no lad ever had a
better one so far as a mother's love and care counts."

It seemed as if the visitor was recalled by this outburst of devotion,
to his immediate duty, for on the instant he changed his tune by crying
gruffly:

"Are we to stand here until the sun is so near to rising that we will
find it a ticklish job to slip by the guard-boats?"

"Archie and I have never had any trouble in leaving Boston, or of coming
into it when we were so minded, and we will set you on the road to
Cambridge without turning a hair."

"I am told that the lobster backs are keeping sharper watch since
Lexington, than ever before, and for a certainty around this end of the
town the guard-boats are as thick as fleas on a dog, therefore I'm
thinking it is best we set off before the night gets old."

By this time both Archie and I were ready; that is, we were fully
clothed, and since the journey, in case it was not interrupted, would be
short, there were no further preparations to be made, except that we
first go to warn my comrade's mother of his intended departure.

I proposed that Hiram Griffin should remain at my home until we were
done with this part of the business; but he, having found us so readily,
was not willing we should give him the slip even for a moment, and
therefore it was we doubled the danger of being brought to an accounting
by the patrol, in taking him across to Hull street.

All might have gone well if we had contented ourselves with this much,
leaving to my mother and Archie's the task of notifying the other Minute
Boys of our whereabouts; but I must needs attend to more than was
necessary, thinking my position as captain demanded it, and after
leaving Hull street, instead of embarking without delay as we s