ve at the rendezvous.

"Perhaps a couple of hours. I did not take much heed of the time
because we were all speculating as to what duty might be required of us,
and therefore the minutes passed swiftly."

"Are all the others here?" and Hiram turned once more to me.

In order to be certain this time I called the names of each lad in turn,
and, counting them, found we had thirteen present, which, with Archie
and Silas, whom Hiram said were on board one of the sloops, made up our
full number.

It could readily be seen that Griffin was sorely disturbed in mind
because of Seth's absence, and his uneasiness was speedily shared by
Harvey and me as we put our heads together, trying to make out how the
lad might do us harm.

Once more I came to believe him an arrant Tory who had joined the
company only that he might betray it. This was the first opportunity he
had had to play the traitor, and it seemed of a verity he counted to
take advantage of it, understanding that now was come the time when the
king's men might find us in unlawful assemblage with a member of the
American army in our midst.

"He had no chance to betray us before, and has therefore acted as if his
desires and ours run in the same channel," I said bitterly to Harvey,
striving in vain to hit upon some plan by which we could thwart Seth's
purpose. "Now has come the time when he may lay us all by the heels, and
he intends to do it as surely as you and I stand here."

"Ay, so it appears to me," Harvey replied. "It is not reasonable to
suppose the fellow would have left home knowing he was like to be gone
several days, without first having made everything ready for his
absence. Thus suddenly remembering something his mother told him to do,
is a childish excuse, and shows that he thinks we are a party of idiots
to take any stock in him."

"How long think you would it take a lad to go from here to the
governor's house, have speech with him, and come back?" Hiram asked, and
I knew full well he was trying to figure how many moments of freedom
were left to us.

Harvey declared it might be done in less than two hours; but I was of
the mind that much more time would be required, because even a Tory lad
would not speedily be admitted into the presence of his high-mightiness,
Governor Gage. Then there were the chances that this governor sent by
the king might not be at home, or, receiving Seth at once, some little
time would be required to muster a squad of soldie