no sooner
did her bow grate upon the shingle than he leaped over, clasping me in
his arms as if I had only recently escaped from the grave, but to my
mind there was no time to indulge in any show of affection, and almost
thrusting him from me, I whispered:

"It is plain Seth Jepson has played the traitor, by going after the
lobster backs to take us into custody while we remain here. There is no
time to be lost; we must embark on the instant."

There was little need for me to urge that the moments were precious.

As three boats, one after another, came up to the shore, our company of
Minute Boys leaped into them until each had its full cargo, and I
believe not more than four minutes passed from the time Archie had
clasped me in his arms before we pushed off and were heading out into
the darkness toward where the sloop lay.

And we had left that shore none too soon, for our little fleet could
hardly have been swallowed up by the gloom before we heard the tramp of
men, and a few seconds later came the sound of angry voices, telling of
the Britishers' disappointment in failing to trap us.

We had turned a neater trick on Seth Jepson than would have been
possible had we gone back to our homes when the matter was first
suggested, for now he might indeed give our names to the king's
officers; but they would fail to find us in Boston town, and who could
say when we had left?

CHAPTER VIII

HOG ISLAND

We were safe on board the sloop, which lay about half a mile from the
shore, and once there I ceased to speculate overmuch as to what might be
the result of Seth Jepson's treachery. That he had proven himself a
traitor there was no longer the slightest chance for doubt, and I was
resolved that if my life was spared the day should come when he would
pay a heavy penalty for his dastardly crime.

Now, however, he had no part in our lives, nor would it be in his power
to work us a wrong unless we might make an attempt to enter Boston town
while the Britishers held possession.

For the time being it was enough that our company was at last fully
embarked upon some service which had to do with the Cause, and while it
would have pleased me beyond the power of words to express, if we had
been called for some service with more of danger and more befitting
soldiers than that of the transportation of grain, I was in a certain
degree content, even if for no other reason than that our people at
Cambridge had remembered the