"Well, no, not just at Boston. But out Concord way, and at Lexington,
and on the road back to Boston, I should reckon a few things _had_
happened." And then, leaving off his exasperating drawl, he very
speedily related the terrible occurrence of the nineteenth of
April--terrible because 'twas warlike bloodshed in a peaceful land,
between the king's soldiers and the king's subjects, between men of
the same race and speech, men of the same mother country; and because
of what was to follow in its train. I remember how easily and soon the
tale was told; how clearly the man's calm voice, though scarce raised
above a usual speaking tone, stood out against the Sunday morning
stillness, with no sound else but the twittering of birds in the trees
near by.

"Get up!" said the messenger, not waiting for our thanks or comments;
and so galloped into the town, leaving us to stare after him and then
at each other.

"'Faith, this will make the colonies stand together," said Philip at
last.

"Ay," said I, "against the rebellious party."

"No," quoth he, "when I say the colonies, I mean what you call the
rebellious party in them."

"Why, 'tis not the majority, and therefore it can't be said to
represent the colonies."

"I beg your pardon--I think we shall find it is the majority,
particularly outside of the large towns. This news will fly to every
corner of the land as fast as horses can carry it, and put the country
folk in readiness for whatever the Continental Congress may decide
upon."

"Why, then, 'twill put our people on their guard, too, for whatever
the rebels may attempt."

Philip's answer to this brought about some dispute as to whether the
name rebels, in its ordinary sense, could properly be applied to those
colonists who had what he termed grievances. We both showed heat, I
the more, until he, rather than quarrel, fell into silence. We had
turned back into the town; choosing a roundabout way for home, that we
might observe the effect of the messenger's news upon the citizens. In
a few streets the narrow footways were thronged with people in their
churchgoing clothes, and many of these had already gathered into
startled groups, where the rider who came in such un-Sabbath-like
haste had stopped to justify himself, and satisfy the curiosity of
observers, and ask the whereabouts of certain gentlemen of the
provincial assembly, to whom he had letters. We heard details
repeated, and opinions uttered guardedly, and gra