cried
breathlessly, and to my surprise Master Morgan said emphatically:

"It would be unwise to make any move in such a direction lest suspicion
be aroused regarding you and me. The lad is in no danger, and I dare
venture to say more comfortably situated than are you. Leave him alone;
do not even loiter around the building in the hope of getting a glimpse
of him, and you may be certain nothing of harm will come through the
Britishers just at this time. It is well to let sleeping dogs lie."

I cried out against what thus seemed to be an abandonment of our
comrade, and stupidly insisted that it was our duty to do all we could
to release him from his prison, regardless of what might come to
ourselves, whereupon little Frenchie reminded me in that silken voice of
his, that we had no right, even though the peril was greater, to run the
risk of bringing suspicion upon Morgan, whose life would most like pay
the penalty if it was known that he had any connection, however slight,
with those who favored the Cause.

We argued the matter back and forth half an hour or more, Pierre and
Morgan against me, until finally I was brought to a sense of my duty;
was made to understand that in this supreme effort of the colonists to
throw off the yoke of the king, the liberty or even the life of one or a
dozen such lads as us should count as nothing; that if by going down to
his death, Saul might avert suspicion from Morgan, thereby leaving him
where there was a possibility he could aid the Cause, then should a boy
be proud to die.

"Very well, I yield; you have shown me why I should desert my cousin,
and I am ready to do it. Now, perhaps you can say how we may replenish
our store of provisions, for we are about to eat the last morsel of
food."

I was angered because of having been beaten in the argument, and because
even Pierre sided against Saul, as it seemed to me, therefore spoke
hotly and in what I counted should be a scornful tone; but to my deep
surprise Morgan said in a tone of satisfaction:

"Like to be hungry, are you? Well, matters couldn't have turned out
better for me. I didn't dare dream you would be driven by necessity to
do that which I have in mind?"

"So it seems fortunate to you that we shall not be able to break our
fast to-morrow morning?" I cried hotly, and the Jerseyman replied with a
laugh:

"Ay, lad, so it does. I am not claiming that it will be impossible for
you to do as I desire; but by really being hun