ooking curiously at the stranger.

"Ay, and won't be long in the giving of it, seeing as it's no written
word. Your father, if so be your name is Luke Wright," he added turning
to me, "would have you and a lad named Archie Hemming come to Cambridge
as soon as may be."

"But what for?" Archie asked sharply, and Griffin, looking at him in
surprise because he thus interrupted the conversation, said curtly:

"It was not for me to ask why Luke was wanted. My part was to bring the
message, if so be I could get into this town, and I allow General Gage
would need more lobster backs than he has now to keep me out if once I
was set on entering."

"When are we to start?" Archie asked again, and Griffin cried:

"And who may you be, young sir?"

"I am Archie Hemming."

"Oho! so it seems I have killed my two birds with one stone, eh? Well,
that may turn out luckily, for I am little acquainted with the streets
of Boston, and was counting on having somewhat of trouble to find your
home."

"How did you know where we lived?" I asked.

"Your father put it in words so plainly that I could not have missed my
aim after once coming upon the ship-yard. Now if you have done with
questioning, suppose we set off?"

"Do you mean that the lads are to go to Cambridge at once?" my mother
asked in mingled surprise and anxiety, whereupon Hiram Griffin said with
a clumsy bow:

"Those were the orders. Master Wright claimed that it would not be safe
for us to make any try at leaving Boston save at night, and unless we
set off at once four and twenty hours will be wasted just when time is
most precious."

It can well be imagined that I was in the highest state of excitement at
thus being summoned to where the friends of the Cause were gathering to
continue the rebellion against the king which had been begun at
Lexington. It seemed that although our Minute Boys had failed to take
advantage of their first opportunity, it might yet be possible to do
something which would bring them among those who were devoting
themselves to the colony.

"You are to understand that the lobster backs wrecked my boat, therefore
another will be needed, unless you count on leaving town by way of the
Neck," Hiram said while Archie and I were hurriedly dressing, and then,
if never before, did I bless the inclination to buy, a short twelve
months since, out of my slender purse, the skiff which was hidden under
the dock at the ship-yard.

"We have all we may need i