s waging so
desperately.

With us three lads to lend a hand, the struggle was soon brought to an
end, and when we had bound and gagged the stranger so securely that he
could not have made the slightest sound had his life depended on it, I
turned to Silas, crushing his hands in mine as I cried, giving no heed
to the possibility that there might be more enemies on the outside:

"We have got you, lad, from out the lion's jaws! How was it done?"

"I am yet bewildered," Silas replied as if in a maze. "Hiram had with
him a lobster back, who walked with us to the corner of the lane, and
therefore we had no opportunity for conversation."

"You can do your tongue wagging when we are clear of this blooming
town," Hiram cried sharply. "Stories will keep; but there's no telling
how soon the wind may shift against us, for we are sailing mightily
close-hauled. What about this lover of the king's?" and he stooped over
the man whose head had received Archie's blow as well as mine.

There was little need to spend much time in the examination. It was
certain he yet breathed; but more than that could not be said, and Hiram
cried as he rose to his feet:

"Now then, lads, move lively, for we must be under way within the next
five minutes, or take the chances of stopping here longer than will be
pleasant."

"Are any of the lobster backs suspicious?" I asked in a fever of fear,
and he replied in a grim tone:

"The lieutenant at the Bridewell failed to understand why Job Lord did
not come in person for the prisoner, and save that he feared to set awry
some plan of General Gage's, he would have held me there till word could
be sent to headquarters. There's no telling how soon he may get word to
those who will come to find out if everything is as it should be."

Even while speaking Hiram was descending the ladder, at the foot of
which Harvey stood white-faced, with staring eyes, for he had no means
of knowing how the battle was going, and I could understand full well in
what a turmoil must have been his mind.

"It's all right, lad," Hiram said reassuringly as he laid his hand on
Harvey's shoulder. "Pull yourself together, for we must make a quick
flitting. Best carry Seth up stairs, so he may have company while we are
gone."

"I thought it was agreed he would go with us," I cried hotly, not of the
mind to lose one of our prisoners even though we yet stood in so much of
danger.

"We can't take the chances of two, as matters stand n