with that order from Governor
Gage, might speedily find himself a prisoner with the tables turned
completely in favor of Job Lord.

"Aye, lad, I have already reckoned on that, yet at the same time when
night has come it is my purpose to go to the Bridewell as boldly as that
double-faced villain would have done, trusting I can get my nose out of
the scrape if so be the officer on duty chances to know the scoundrel we
have got tied up below."

"It is a desperate chance," I said with an inward tremor that was much
like faint-heartedness, and he replied laughingly:

"Tell me, Luke Wright, how much more desperate is it to go out armed
with a safeguard from the king's governor, and due authority to take
charge of a prisoner, than was your act in capturing Seth Jepson at the
very time when we ourselves were captives?"

"I did that because there was nothing else to be done," I cried.

"And so shall I go to the Bridewell, because there is nothing else to be
done if we would aid Silas Brownrigg."

It was not my intention to say aught which might discourage him from
taking advantage of the document so strangely come into our possession.
As a matter of course I burned to have him do it; but I could not for
the life of me refrain from considering all the chances against us.

Snuffing out the tallow dip, we two went into the cellar, Hiram holding
'twixt his thumb and finger the precious order from Governor Gage, and
when we were come to where Job Lord lay, Griffin took up the lantern
that the scoundrel might see what we had found.

There was no change of expression on his face. The villain knew full
well that we would come upon evidence against him after ever so careless
a search of his belongings, and therefore counted on our having this
paper through which he hoped to work some wild scheme.

"What is it? What are you showing him?" Archie asked eagerly, and Hiram,
disappointed because the prisoner had failed to show any signs of
surprise or distress, held it up for the lad to read.

"But that cannot be!" Archie cried in amazement. "Governor Gage would
never issue any such order!"

"But he has done so, else another must have stolen the king's seal,"
and Hiram pointed triumphantly to the impression in wax which was
fastened to a short length of blue ribbon.

"But how could it be that Job Lord would be allowed to choose a prisoner
from among those taken at Breed's hill?" Archie continued in
bewilderment, and I cried, eyei