here men would be unable to move without
exciting suspicion."

"Then you would advise that we raise a company?" I asked eagerly, and he
replied "yes," so emphatically that there could be no doubt as to his
approval.

"And think you it would sound simple to call ourselves Minute Boys?"

"By no means, lads, for that is what you count on being, and I venture
to predict that in the days to come, when you are men grown old, such a
title will bring to your hearts more of pride than any which could be
bestowed by a king. The time is not far distant when this colony shall
be freed from British rule, and all those who have had a part in the
work may well give thanks because God allowed them such abundant
opportunity of serving their country."

Now after that think you we loitered in the work of enrolling the Minute
Boys? So eager were we to set about it that I believe we left the kindly
doctor with but scant ceremony, running into the open air like so many
sheep set free.

Chance, or some evil fortune, decreed that the first lad we should meet
after having left Master Warren's house, was that same Seth Jepson whom
I was opposed to counting as a comrade, and Silas, eager to gain the
first recruit for our company of Minute Boys, hailed him in a friendly
fashion.

"Should we not wait until deciding more fully whether it will be well to
let him come among us?" I asked, hoping even then that it might be
possible to shut him out; but Archie said with somewhat of impatience:

"If we are to quibble over the name of each fellow who is likely to join
our company, and strive to find in him ever so slight a leaning toward
the king, then we may as well give over the effort at once, for certain
it is we haven't enough time to raise recruits in such manner."

What could I have said after such a remark, which savored more of
irritation than I am able to make appear by words? Even though I had had
proof that Seth Jepson was not the kind of a lad we should take on as
comrade, that which Archie said would have silenced me.

Silas did not wait many seconds before plunging into the business he was
so eager to carry out, and in a twinkling Seth knew as much about the
scheme as did we who had hatched it. Search his face with my eyes as I
might, it was impossible to tell by any expression there whether the
plan seemed to him good or ill; but when Silas was come to an end of his
brief explanation the lad said, as if asking a question:

"And