ng the prisoner sharply all the while:

"He got it for some purpose which General Gage understood and approved,
and that purpose was all of a piece with our being held here! Some day
we shall learn the secret, and then I hope most earnestly that this same
Master Lord, who has claimed to be devoted body and soul to the Cause,
may be given over to my mercy even as he is at this moment."

They were high sounding words, perhaps, for a lad like me to use, and
yet Master Lord shrank under them as if in fear, which was the first
exhibition of feeling he had given since we came from the room above.

It can well be understood that after Archie and Harvey had recovered
from the amazement caused by reading the order from Governor Gage, our
tongues were loosened, and during a certain time we gave ourselves over
to rejoicing, as if already the task we had set ourselves was
accomplished. But even while we indulged in words of triumph, there was
in my heart a certain undefined fear because all this had come about in
such a mysterious way, having really been gained by that blunder of mine
in making a prisoner of Seth Jepson, when it had seemed as if such an
act on my part would lead to direst results.

Hiram still held to it that when nightfall was come he would present
himself at the Bridewell, and with that as a starting point we set
about laying plans for the future.

They were simple enough, if so be everything worked as we would have it,
because once with Silas in our company we could, thanks to the pass in
Hiram's stocking, march out over Boston Neck as bold as lions. The
stumbling block was, a possibility that the officer at the Bridewell
might be sufficiently well acquainted with Master Lord to take into
custody whoever presented the governor's order, and the greater part of
our discussion had to do with that chance.

Hiram claimed that we should allow no more than an hour to elapse from
the time he set off for the Bridewell, before taking to our heels if so
be he failed to return, because, as he said, within that time he would
either be returned to Cow lane with Silas by his side, or lie in one of
the cells of the jail.

"You shall take this pass, Luke Wright," he said, pulling the paper from
his stocking, "and see to it that if I'm held in custody you make all
speed out of the town, leaving me to my fate."

"Indeed I will do nothing of the kind," was my reply, and I refused to
take the paper from his hand. "If you are