rough, for I myself tried that experiment this afternoon.
If he leaves here it can only be through the scuttle, and with all of us
on the floor below, I question whether he would make much headway."

"But he can raise his voice to give an alarm," I answered, and Pierre
replied softly, turning toward the young Tory so that there might be no
question of his hearing the words:

"If he should dare to speak above a whisper, then I promise you, Fitz
Hamilton, that this gag goes into his mouth not to be removed until the
hour comes when we no longer fear his tongue."

It seemed to me reckless to leave the Tory sneak alone in the loft, even
though we would be on the floor below; but there had been so many
happenings within the past four and twenty hours which had aroused in me
needless fear, that I was ashamed to give words to what was in my mind,
lest Pierre begin to believe I was grown cowardly, and when the little
lad moved toward the scuttle, I caught him by the arm as I whispered in
his ear:

"What would you do? You have told the man below all you can, and now are
we to follow him meekly, in case it is his intent to drag us off to the
guard-house as spies?"

"I believe, if he gives us the name of spies, it will be a case of the
pot calling the kettle black," Pierre said cheerily. "Are you so
thick-headed, Fitz Hamilton, that you cannot understand somewhat of this
stranger's purpose? Surely if he was what his uniform gives token, we
would not have been treated so gently when he first came upon us; but,
instead, the alarm must have been given, and a squad of Britishers
summoned to take us away. From the instant he failed to call the guard I
began to suspect what he might be, therefore followed willingly his
directions."

"And I followed in fear and trembling," I replied shamefacedly, "for I
had no doubt but that he was leading me to the gallows."

"Then have you suffered needlessly, as do all who fail of taking heed to
everything which goes on around them, judging one incident from its
connection with another," little Frenchie said with a low, soft laugh,
and then, taking my hand in his as if he was the father and I a baby, he
led me to the scuttle, going down the ladder in advance cautiously, much
as though believing it would be necessary to aid my faltering steps.

CHAPTER VII

MORGAN, THE SPY

When Pierre and I were come to the lower floor I noted that some one had
thrown a bit of wood on the embers, a