llingness to aid a comrade, even as we had shown ours in his behalf.

I looked at Hiram, believing he would cry out against any such desperate
hazard; but he remained silent as if agreeing with all Archie had said.

"Since the battle it stands to reason that the Britishers will keep a
sharper watch then ever before," I said, determined at the outset to
show all the dangers which were in the way of such an attempt as Archie
had suggested. "Even though we succeeded in getting into the town, what
could we accomplish, except it was possible to move about the streets
freely? You know full well that within an hour after we show ourselves,
some of the young Tories will spy us out, and there is no need for me to
say what would happen then."

"I am willing to agree the chances are much against us," Archie replied,
"and yet there is a possibility that by some lucky accident we could
come across Silas. I realize what it is to be held prisoner by the
lobster backs, and yet that which I suffered must be as nothing compared
with his situation, for more than one of the Britishers know he fought
desperately well. Perhaps the lad lies wounded, lacking attention,
lacking nursing. Are we to stay here in safety?"

"I'm not saying aught against our doing all that is possible," was my
hot retort; "but it is beyond reason to suppose we might help him even
in the slightest degree."

"So most like you said when I was in prison, and yet by a singular
combination of lucky accidents I was set free."

I understood full well that it would be useless for me to attempt
further to combat the resolution which my comrade had already formed,
and yet I could not bring myself to see in the two cases any likeness
one to the other. The dullest among us knew in what frame of mind the
Britishers must be after having been so nearly whipped by the "rag-tag"
of the colonies, and it was almost certain that the prisoners captured
during the battle, or the retreat, would be guarded so closely as to
prevent any such slight aid as we might be able to give.

What Harvey thought of the matter I could not guess. As we discussed it
I fancied now he took sides with me, and again that he believed Archie
to be in the right. As to Hiram, it was evident that any mad scheme
which might be proposed would meet with his favorable attention.

If I could have seen the least ray of hope in such an enterprise, none
would have been more eager than I; but to my mind there was not