s secretly; it is to be supposed he took good care
no one should see him, therefore how may it be said, if we run our noses
into danger, that he has had any part in it?"

"Would you set out with me now to do whatsoever we might toward
releasing Saul, for verily, Pierre Laurens, he may be released if simply
held prisoner in that house belonging to the Widow Marshall, because it
is as crazy a building as the one we have just left."

"I am not saying I would do aught toward releasing him this very night,
for that could not be other than dangerous. No matter for what slight
misdemeanor he may have been arrested, once he has made his escape the
hue-and-cry will be raised. What I have in mind is simply to let the lad
know we are watching over him, and stand ready to do all within our
power when the proper time comes."

Verily Pierre was wise beyond his years. It had not occurred to me that
Morgan had some particular reason for keeping us closely housed; but now
it was as if I understood all his purpose. He counted on our being where
he could lay his hand on us at any moment when it might be necessary we
should act in his behalf, therefore advised that we leave Saul out of
the question for the time being.

Pierre had apparently agreed with the Jerseyman, while at the same time
it was in his mind to do that which we were setting out to accomplish,
and I had no scruples about following him, for ponder over the matter as
I might, I failed to see how anything suspicious on our part could bring
trouble or danger to the spy, or in any way menace the Cause.

It was more than possible we might run our own noses into danger, and
suffer thereby; but we alone would be called on to pay the penalty.

I led the way through the village to the Widow Marshall's, meeting here
and there a single soldier, or the red-coated gentry in squads, none of
whom gave any particular heed to us, because there were other lads then
ourselves in this village of York, whose parents had not seen fit to run
away when the Britishers took possession.

As we made a detour around the building I said to Pierre, taking good
care not to point lest I attract attention:

"Yonder is the house, where the soldier stands in front of the door. Do
you see that the only bars to the windows are puncheon planks? If a lad
was so minded, and no one approached the rear of the building during a
certain length of time, he could dig his way through that chimney of
sticks and mud