did not
shut my ears to his words, believing it would be to the advantage of all
here if I learned as much as he knew."

The lad spoke fairly, although, as I fancied, with too much of boldness,
and just a spice of anger in his tones.

I could find no fault, for of a verity he had learned that which might
be of importance to us, and yet all the old suspicions that had been in
my heart came back with redoubled force, the stronger, perhaps, because
I had put myself and my comrades so wholly in his power.

The mischief was worked now, however, and the only course was for me to
do what I might toward keeping, or having kept, a close watch on Seth
Jepson, in the future holding my tongue in his presence as to what we
would do.

To this end, and in the hope that it might be possible to take advantage
of the information he had given, I proposed that a certain number of
lads should loiter about the town to learn if there was anything new
going on among the Britishers; afterward whispering to Silas that he
send with Seth one whom he could trust thoroughly well, in order to make
certain the lad held no communication with Amos Nelson.

"I will do it," Silas replied; "but to what purpose? You have suspected
him from the first, and yet allowed that he should hear what our people
want us to do."

"And in talking so freely I showed myself a fool. Now I would, if
possible, do what I can to remedy the evil."

"All of which will be very little, because we cannot keep a spy at
Seth's heels every hour, and when he has gone home for the night what
will prevent him from having speech with Amos Nelson?"

Then, as if not considering the matter of so much importance as I would
make it, Silas moved about among the company, suggesting that this
couple go here and the other there, until he had sent away all save two,
and these were lads whom he and I knew might not with truth be accused
of being other than loyal to the Cause.

"Have you aught to say?" I asked when they made as if to draw near to
where Hiram and I were standing, and Silas said quickly:

"It has been in my mind that we might send some of the company down near
the prison to loiter there in the hope of gaining speech with Archie,
if so be Seth Jepson's words are true."

"I know where the room is, in which Amos Nelson declared he was held a
prisoner," Harvey Pearson said. "If all that has been told us be true, I
warrant you I can get word with him after the night has come,