de his way along
Middle Street,[37] with his lantern and staff. He was not expecting to
encounter a burglar, breaking and entering a shop, store, or
residence. He heard the clock strike once more, and was just pursing
his lips to cry, "Two o'clock, and all's well," when he caught a
glimpse of a figure in front of Theophilus Lillie's store.[38] Was it
a burglar? The man was standing stock-still, as if scanning the
premises. The watchman dodged back behind the building on the corner
of the street, hid his lantern, and peered slyly at the thief, who was
still looking at the store. What was the meaning of such mysterious
inaction? The watchman, instead of waiting to catch the culprit in the
act of breaking and entering, stepped softly forward. Grasping his
staff with a firm grip, to give a sudden whack, should the villain
turn upon him,--"What ye 'bout, sir!" he shouted.

[Footnote 37: The section of the present Hanover Street east of
Blackstone Street was called Middle Street.]

[Footnote 38: Mr. Theophilus Lillie was one of the six merchants who
refused to sign the association paper not to import goods from
England, thereby making himself exceedingly obnoxious to the people.
Other merchants had agreed not to make any importation, and had
violated the agreement.]

The burglar did not reply, neither turn his head.

"Is the fellow dead, I wonder--frozen stiff, this bitter night, and
standing still?" the question that flashed through the watchman's
brain.

"Bless my soul! It's Mr. Lillie's head,--his nose, mouth, chin. Looks
just like him. And the post is set in the ground. I'll bet that
carving is Abe Duncan's work. Nobody can carve like him. But what is
it here for? Ah! I see. Lillie has gone back on his agreement not to
import tea. The Sons of Liberty have rigged it up to guy him. Ha, ha!"

The watchman laughed to himself as he examined the figure.

"Well, that's a cute job," he said reflectively. "The ground is frozen
stiff a foot deep. They had to break it with a crowbar, but not a
sound did I hear. Shall I say anything about it? Will not the
selectmen make a fuss if I don't notify 'em at once? But what's the
use of knocking 'em up at two o'clock in the morning? The thing's
done. 'Taint my business to pull it up. The post won't run away. I'll
report what time I found it."

Remembering that he had not cried the hour, he shouted:--

"Two o'clock, all's well!"

He secreted himself in a doorway awhile, to see if