ccount had been given
him in consideration of strict attention to duty, went from his home
directly to Hanover Street, instead of to the hair-dressing
establishment of Master Piemont, as he should have done.

Once on Hanover Street, all thought of duty was forgotten as he
viewed, with no slight degree of pride, that scene of excitement, in
the cause of which he had assisted.

The pole, surmounted by the mutilated figurehead of the sloop and
decorated with the names of the merchants who had been faithless to
their agreement, was yet in position, as he and his companions had
left it a short time previous, and, although the new day was but half
an hour old, the throng in front of Master Lillie's shop was so great
as to entirely block the street.

The first passerby, after the darkness of night was so far dissipated
that the object could be readily distinguished, had stopped several
moments to read the inscription--a difficult task, owing to the faint
light. While deciphering, with no slight amount of labour, the result
of Jim Gray's work as a painter, the man had been joined by one and
another, until the walk directly in front of the shop was crowded to
overflowing with the curious, the throng swelling far out into the
street, and added to each moment, until, when Hardy Baker arrived, it
had become a mob--a good-natured, careless gathering, but yet a mob,
which needed but slight provocation to render it unmanageable and
dangerous.

It filled Hardy Baker's sensation-loving heart with joy to see the
result of the labour in which he had assisted.

For the moment he forgot that the idea of this symbol of warning was
Jim Gray's, and took upon himself all the credit of having thus
aroused the populace.

"Could Lieutenant Draper know I have been able to do so much he would
be more ready to settle his account, I fancy," Hardy muttered. "If he
thinks a barber's apprentice has no influence, he should look at this
scene. There are nearly as many people here as saw the informer tarred
and feathered, and I have had considerably more than a finger in both
pies. This should show the good people of Boston what I can do. Hello,
Chris! Both Christophers, eh?"

This salutation was addressed to little Chris Snyder, who was early
abroad according to the agreement made on the night previous, and his
companion, Christopher Gore,[B] a lad whom Master Snyder had brought
to the scene under promise of showing him something rare.

"Has Mas