earning your food, because it is as free as the wind that
blows. You'll earn all you get here, and much more, when the time for
real work comes."

"Is that like to be soon?" Archie asked.

"As matters are moving, I believe you will find enough to keep you busy
after getting back to Cambridge."

"I would we might start this very day!" Hiram exclaimed in so earnest a
tone that I knew full well the words had come from his heart, without
any thought of speaking for the sake of keeping up the pretense of
friendship with Job Lord.

"So do I, lad, for your sake, because it must be dull work here; but
remember that such a task as you have set yourselves is not to be
performed in a minute, and you can well afford to wait many a long day
if finally you are successful."

"What o'clock is it?" Hiram asked.

"Seven in the morning, and a dull day with a misty rain falling."

"Just the kind of weather for a visit to the Bridewell, if so be matters
were right there," Hiram said quickly.

"Even though it were the worst tempest that ever raged, you could do
nothing there while so many Britishers are on guard," Master Lord cried
in a decisive tone, as if to put an end to any such conversation; but
Hiram was not disposed to let the matter drop.

"It was in your mind that some of the lobster backs might be drawn off
while General Gage is pushing his outposts on the Neck. How can you say
that such may not have been done this very morning?"

"I shan't need many hours in which to settle that question, for it is
in my mind to go there now, hoping I may be so fortunate as to get
speech with your comrade."

At this moment I was cutting up the leg of lamb, putting the slices into
a frying-pan as if intending to warm them, and Master Lord eyed me
curiously, most like thinking I was an awkward lad at such work. His
steady gaze annoyed me because I feared each instant he might discover
that the position of the casks had been changed, and in my nervousness I
went toward the table in order to place there the frying-pan, intending
to give over my attempt at playing the cook.

While doing so, naturally my gaze was fixed upon the face of this man
whom we knew to be an enemy while he professed to be a friend, and I saw
an expression of surprise suddenly come over it as his eyes were fixed
upon the screen to the tunnel.

"Been playing house-wife by setting things to rights?" he asked in an
odd tone, as he rose to his feet and started with an