h is yet engraven
on my memory as if painted upon canvas: Hiram holding one end of the
heavy stick like a young giant; Harvey standing beside him looking up
with expectancy written on his face, and I crouching near by ready to
follow the slightest movement of our leader.

Then came the heavy, deafening roll of thunder. Even in the darkness I
fancied I could see Hiram put all his weight and strength upon the oaken
lever, and I believed that the bars gave way; but so heavy was the
cannonading in the heavens that I could hear no sound, yet, as we
learned an instant later, he had not only fetched away the iron screen,
but crashed through the glass of the window.

Whether Archie had been aware that we stood there ready to make this
supreme effort, I cannot say; but something must have warned him that
the time for action had come, because the crash of thunder had not died
away when I could see dimly his head and shoulders through the aperture.

Hiram must have instantly thrown aside the stout lever which had thus
opened the way for Archie's liberty, because, moving with the quickness
of thought, he leaped up as does a cat, seizing the lad by the shoulders
and pulling him out into the street as if he had been no more than a
bundle of rags.

During the merest fraction of time we stood silent and motionless, every
nerve aquiver, listening with bated breath for that fatal token which
would tell that the Britishers inside had been aroused, and then Hiram
pushed me forward violently as he said in a hoarse whisper:

"Now then, lad, let your heels save your head, and make for Long
wharf."

"But the Britishers!" I cried even as I obeyed his command.

"Let them go hang, so that we find a boat wheresoever it may be. Before
this storm has come to an end we must be out of Boston town, or count on
taking up our quarters in this same prison."

How we ran! Archie clasped my hand--there was no time for words--, and
we two led the way at a swifter pace than I ever showed before, or ever
expect to again; but even while putting forth every effort in the race
was my heart grown sore with fear, for truly did it seem that Hiram had
lost his wits to take such chances as would come if we tried to get from
the Britishers themselves means for leaving the town.

"Better we had attempted to make our escape across the Neck," I said to
myself, burning to speak my thoughts to him who had thus far led us
safely, and yet not daring to slacken pace i