een his clenched
teeth, and I was really pleased, even while standing there facing death,
to see that the French lad's anger could be aroused.

Without loss of time we drove Horry Sims up the ladder, and when he was
in the loft Pierre and I fettered him securely with strips of blanket,
threatening him with the gag if he moved a hand's breadth in either
direction.

Then we went to the floor below, ready to do our share in hoisting into
his attic-prison the scoundrel who would have denounced us as spies.

The Jerseyman had already put the gag in Hunt's mouth, and when we came
down he was telling the fellow what he might expect if any resistance
was offered.

"Here is a pistol with mayhap a dozen charges of powder and ball,"
Master Morgan said as he drew from his ragged trousers a weapon and a
small package which I knew contained ammunition. "Whichever of you lads
stands guard over the prisoner, and close watch must be kept night and
day if you would preserve your lives, will have by him every moment this
pistol ready loaded and primed. At the first sign of an attempt to
escape, or to give an alarm, which you see Abel Hunt display, put the
weapon to his head and blow his brains out regardless of everything,
even though there might be a squad of soldiers standing beneath the
scuttle, for his life must be as of no value if you would hope to come
out from this British nest with whole skins."

Then looking at Hunt, who perforce lay there motionless and silent, the
Jerseyman repeated to him very much the same as he had said to us,
assuring the fellow over and over again that if the Britishers should
come to his aid, or if it was discovered either through his exertions or
by accident that he lay there a prisoner, we lads were bound to kill him
because of what he could tell to our disadvantage.

I have seen a wild-cat held helpless in a trap, and there was much of
his look about Abel Hunt's face as he glared at Pierre and me, unable to
stir even a finger, while Master Morgan was threatening.

It seemed as though the fellow must have realized that we would have no
compunction about taking his life in cold blood if so be he stood
between us and liberty, yet was he like the wild-cat, ready and willing
to struggle to the very last even though the odds were so heavy against
him, and when we strove to carry him into the loft he did his best to
prevent it, although both hands and feet were bound securely.

It was not until we h