taggered me.

Was it possible, I asked myself, that we were mistaken? Had we allowed
ourselves to be blinded by suspicion, and was Job Lord all he professed?

We knew from what the lieutenant at the battery had told us, that this
man whom we claimed to be in league with the Britishers, had been of
great service to the Cause, having sent much valuable information to our
people and aided many a man who otherwise might have fallen into the
clutches of the enemy. Could it be that all these things had been done
as a blind, and we four the first who discovered his double dealings?

I looked around at my comrades and saw mingled doubt and fear written
upon the faces of Archie and Harvey, showing that they also were
beginning to question whether we had not made a grievous mistake. With
Hiram, however, the matter was different. He had settled in his mind
that Job Lord would work us harm as soon as it suited his purpose, and
there was nothing the man might say which would convince him to the
contrary.

"You talk well, Master Lord," he said, holding the coat ready to be
thrust into the mouth of the villain if so be he attempted to make any
outcry, "and I know full well that you could give proof of having served
the Cause to a certain extent; but if you haven't worked greater
advantage to the king, I'll agree to crawl on all fours so long a time
as I may live."

"If I had counted on playing false, why were you allowed to remain here
all this time, and why did I make you as comfortable as was in my
power?" Master Lord asked, now beginning to understand that soft words
would be of but little avail with one like Hiram.

"Those are questions which I cannot answer just now; but after we have
put you in such plight that it will be no longer possible to make an
outcry, I'm counting on doing what I may at finding out. It will go hard
if there isn't something in the room above that will disprove your
words."

For the first time since we had fallen upon him did I see the man wince,
and on the instant all my fears that we might have made a grievous
mistake were dispelled, for I knew as well as if he had told me in so
many words, that evidence would be found against him if the house was
searched.

"You've hit it right, Hiram!" I cried; "but don't spend too much time
talking here, lest those who have visited him before should come again
and discover that the trap-door is open."

"Run up the ladder, lad, and see to it that doors and w