necessary. Therefore he was not surprised, save because of never having
come across me. I explained this last by saying what you know to be
true, which was that I had been in the American camp looking about to
see what I could pick up."

By this time I had come to understand that Hiram was speaking no more
than the truth, and could thoroughly enjoy the story which he was
telling with so much of pleasure.

"I showed the sergeant General Gage's order for one of the Bridewell
prisoners to be delivered, and then told him that we were counting to
set a trap for some rebels who were of importance. That this prisoner
taken at Breed's Hill was to be the cheese with which we should bait it,
all of which amused him hugely. Then, in order to explain why Master
Lord was not the head and front of this trick, I told him Job was not
quite himself to-day; was suffering a little; could not move about
without considerable difficulty, which was also true, and he swallowed
it as a baby swallows fresh milk."

"Yes, but how did you get the skiff?" I cried, now impatient to hear the
result of all this scheming.

"That came in right naturally when I told him about the trap, and that
it must be set on the Roxbury shore. I simply asked him what boat Job
Lord used when he made an excursion among the rebels on General Gage's
business, and he at once pointed out a craft that lay alongside the
wharf, saying it was the property of Master Lord. Well, that seemed to
work in very reasonably, and I told him I reckoned I would bring it down
along shore because it was necessary that what we did be kept secret
even from those who served the king. He quite agreed with me, so the
boat is within five minutes' walk of this house, and our friend, the
sergeant, stands ready to help us leave town, because of the pass we
have, at any time that may best suit our pleasure. Now do you think I
went out to satisfy a whim, Luke Wright?"

"Hiram, you have a longer head than any man I ever met, and save for you
our company of Minute Boys would have played a mighty small part since
their enrollment. But I wonder that you dared attempt to hood-wink the
Britisher."

"I had to do it, lad, for it struck me that we were in about as delicate
a position as any four could possibly get into, and I doubted whether,
unless we could cook up some scheme like the one which has worked so
successfully, it would be possible for us to get away with whole skins."

"But while talking