the
encampment with the information already gathered, I cautioned him
against letting Seth have any suspicions of his intention, and he
replied confidently:

"Leave the matter to me, Luke. I'll guarantee to get away without any
one's seeing me, and what is more, come back with a whole skin. I'm not
such a simple as to give myself away to Seth, or any other lad, and
therefore it is I propose that at such time as best suits me, and in
whatsoever manner I please, to set off for the American camp 'twixt now
and midnight, keeping secret even from my mother how and when I count on
going."

It surprised me somewhat that he should be willing to go away at the
very time when we believed it possible to hold some communication with
Archie; but, as I afterward learned, he had little faith we could get
speech with the lad, and was not without fear that one or more of us
might be taken into custody for loitering around the prison. To his
credit I must say, however, that the desire to see the encampment was so
great as to shut out all else from his mind.

I went over with him all I believed it necessary to say to whosoever he
should come upon in Cambridge, understanding that if I neglected
anything of importance those whom he met would question him so closely
as to bring from his lips all he had heard and seen.

"I have been keeping my eye on Seth Jepson since yesterday, whenever it
could be done handily, and advise you to do the same," he said as he
went out of the house, refusing to divulge anything whatsoever
concerning his plans for the night.

With his words in mind I also went out into the street, counting on
going to Dock square, thence past the prison and near the governor's
house, with my ears open to catch any word which might be let drop by
the lobster backs, and my eyes strained to get a glimpse of the lad I
suspected.

Before having come to Union street, however, I fell afoul of Hiram
Griffin, who looked so well content with himself that I could not
refrain from asking what good fortune had befallen him, as if there
could be anything good for us who loved the Cause and yet remained in
Boston town.

"I have been taking a squint at the prison where I'm told your comrade
is held, and am come to believe that unless these 'ere Britishers are
much like weasels, it won't be such a hard thing to get him out of that
scrape."

"What?" I cried in amaze and delight.

"There, there, lad, I allow I'm a good deal like you