andfather, "I wish to make you comprehend the
position of the British troops in King Street. This is the same which we
now call State Street. On the south side of the town-house, or Old State
House, was what military men call a court of guard, defended by two brass
cannons, which pointed directly at one of the doors of the above edifice.
A large party of soldiers were always stationed in the court of guard. The
custom-house stood at a little distance down King Street, nearly where the
Suffolk bank now stands; and a sentinel was continually pacing before its
front."

"I shall remember this, to-morrow," said Charley; "and I will go to State
Street, so as to see exactly where the British troops were stationed."

"And, before long," observed Grandfather, "I shall have to relate an
event, which made King Street sadly famous on both sides of the Atlantic.
The history of our chair will soon bring us to this melancholy business."

Here Grandfather described the state of things, which arose from the
ill-will that existed between the inhabitants and the red-coats. The old
and sober part of the town's-people were very angry at the government, for
sending soldiers to overawe them. But those gray-headed men were cautious,
and kept their thoughts and feelings in their own breasts, without putting
themselves in the way of the British bayonets.

The younger people, however, could hardly be kept within such prudent
limits. They reddened with wrath at the very sight of a soldier, and would
have been willing to come to blows with them, at any moment. For it was
their opinion, that every tap of a British drum within the peninsula of
Boston, was an insult to the brave old town.

"It was sometimes the case," continued Grandfather, "that affrays happened
between such wild young men as these, and small parties of the soldiers.
No weapons had hitherto been used, except fists or cudgels. But, when men
have loaded muskets in their hands, it is easy to foretell, that they will
soon be turned against the bosoms of those who provoke their anger."

"Grandfather," said little Alice, looking fearfully into his face, "your
voice sounds as though you were going to tell us something awful!"

Chapter V

Little Alice, by her last remark, proved herself a good judge of what was
expressed by the tones of Grandfather's voice. He had given the above
description of the enmity between the town's-people and the soldiers, in
order to prepare the mind