chief in this town of York than any other, had found out
our hiding place, and what was even worse, had seen in our midst, as if
taking council with us, a British soldier, for Master Morgan still
retained so much of his uniform that it might be readily
distinguishable.

My limbs trembled as if I was suffering from an attack of the palsy, and
in my great terror I saw no way to counteract this last stroke of
misfortune. I could bring to mind no act of ours which would tend to
relieve us from the danger that menaced, and I might almost fancy that
at his heels he had brought a squad of red-coated soldiers to carry us
off to prison, from which we would emerge only to stand under the
gallows.

Involuntarily I glanced toward Pierre, for the little French lad had
ever shown himself of such ready wit that in time of great danger all my
hopes were centered in him, and again did I have cause for fear. The
lad, keeping his eyes fixed upon Abel Hunt that he might watch his every
movement as a cat watches the movements of a mouse with which she is
playing, was slowly yet surely moving around the room toward the door,
and in my folly I said to myself that we were in such desperate straits
that Pierre Laurens was not only willing, but striving, to give us the
slip.

Although knowing him so well, I imagined that he, like me, was well nigh
overcome with terror, and intent only on saving his own skin without
giving heed to whatsoever might come upon his companions.

During a single instant my eyes fell upon the Jerseyman, and I saw what
I fancied was already pictured plainly on my own face, until he, like
me, had a glimpse of Pierre. Then it was as if a wave of satisfaction
and approbation passed over his features, whereupon he turned to Abel
Hunt, who still stood in the center of the room grinning in triumph at
each of us in turn, and began to engage him in conversation.

It seemed to me that the Jerseyman uttered the words of a foolish
person, when he said to the grinning fellow who was burning to humiliate
and bring us to our death:

"There is no good reason, Hunt, for such I gather to be your name, why
you should not sit down. Let us discuss the situation. I admit that you
have caught us foul; but there is no need to hasten affairs, and we may
as well speak of the matter among ourselves while there is yet time, for
I am of the belief that it may be mended."

"You'll mend nothing with me, you renegade Britisher!" Abel Hunt
sna