Then we were come to where the skiff had been hauled up on the sh.o.r.e. It was long past sunset, for we had walked leisurely giving no heed to making speed because of our desire not to arrive until after night had shut down, and the gathering clouds in the heavens stood our friends, inasmuch as they would serve to hide us from the view of General Gage's men who guarded the waterways. As a matter of fact, now was the moment above all others when we stood in danger, and I was more than willing to fancy the peril greater than it really was, to the end that the work we had performed might seem to be of some importance.

However, despite all my desire to make the service rendered appear perilous, I did not neglect any precautions for our safety, although I must confess to having been somewhat disappointed when, about midnight, we pulled in under the tumble-down wharf without having so much as seen the glint of a lobster back's belt buckle.

There is little need to say with what warmth mother welcomed me, after much pounding on the door I succeeded in making her understand that I was come home.

I fear that at the time I gave but slight heed to her loving words because of being so weary that it seemed almost impossible to keep my eyes open while standing, and tumbling, rather than laying down, upon the bed, I was soon gone into the land of dreams. Until eight of the clock I slept as only a tired boy can, and would not then have wakened but for the fact that Archie and Silas were standing by my bedside, both doing their best to arouse me into wakefulness.

I understood without being told that they were come to accompany me to Master Warren's house so we might deliver the reply to the message sent to Colonel Barrett, and promising my mother that I would speedily come back to breakfast, I hurried away with the lads, wondering how it was I could have slept so long when such an important question was to be settled; for, if you remember, we had agreed to leave the matter of raising a company of Minute Boys to Doctor Warren himself.

If at the home of Samuel Hadley we were treated with scant courtesy, and if Colonel Barrett had seemed to believe that which we had done was nothing remarkable when performed by three l.u.s.ty lads, we surely had no reason to complain when we met the doctor, for on the instant we presented ourselves before him he exclaimed in surprise that we had been able to return so speedily. It almost seemed as if he never would have done with praising us for our industry in behalf of the Cause.

"It turned out a simple matter, which anyone might have worked out," I said, striving to belittle our work even when believing it should be praised. "We had no opportunity of coming to grief on the way, however careless might have been our movements, for, except at the outset, when the guard-boat pa.s.sed just as we were getting under way, we have met none who appeared friendly to the king."

"I shall remember the service rendered, and it may be that sometime in the future I can repay you," the doctor said with one of his kindly smiles which always went deep into my heart when bestowed upon me.

"You may repay us now in full, if it so pleases you," Archie made bold to say.

"In what way, young master?"

"By deciding whether or no ten or twenty lads of this city by binding themselves together under, perhaps, the high-sounding name of Minute Boys, could be of service to the Cause?"

"And why might they not be of service?" the doctor asked quickly. "Think you that if such a company was enrolled, composed of boys who were to be trusted in every way, they could not do much in aid of the Cause? Even though called upon to perform only such work as you have just finished, they would be of valuable a.s.sistance, for now when Boston is in the hands of the enemy, and, as I hope, may soon be besieged by our friends, lads could come and go where men would be unable to move without exciting suspicion."

"Then you would advise that we raise a company?" I asked eagerly, and he replied "yes," so emphatically that there could be no doubt as to his approval.

"And think you it would sound simple to call ourselves Minute Boys?"

"By no means, lads, for that is what you count on being, and I venture to predict that in the days to come, when you are men grown old, such a t.i.tle will bring to your hearts more of pride than any which could be bestowed by a king. The time is not far distant when this colony shall be freed from British rule, and all those who have had a part in the work may well give thanks because G.o.d allowed them such abundant opportunity of serving their country."

Now after that think you we loitered in the work of enrolling the Minute Boys? So eager were we to set about it that I believe we left the kindly doctor with but scant ceremony, running into the open air like so many sheep set free.

Chance, or some evil fortune, decreed that the first lad we should meet after having left Master Warren's house, was that same Seth Jepson whom I was opposed to counting as a comrade, and Silas, eager to gain the first recruit for our company of Minute Boys, hailed him in a friendly fashion.

"Should we not wait until deciding more fully whether it will be well to let him come among us?" I asked, hoping even then that it might be possible to shut him out; but Archie said with somewhat of impatience:

"If we are to quibble over the name of each fellow who is likely to join our company, and strive to find in him ever so slight a leaning toward the king, then we may as well give over the effort at once, for certain it is we haven't enough time to raise recruits in such manner."

What could I have said after such a remark, which savored more of irritation than I am able to make appear by words? Even though I had had proof that Seth Jepson was not the kind of a lad we should take on as comrade, that which Archie said would have silenced me.

Silas did not wait many seconds before plunging into the business he was so eager to carry out, and in a twinkling Seth knew as much about the scheme as did we who had hatched it. Search his face with my eyes as I might, it was impossible to tell by any expression there whether the plan seemed to him good or ill; but when Silas was come to an end of his brief explanation the lad said, as if asking a question:

"And would you enroll me among your Minute Boys?"

"Ay, else why should I spend my breath in recounting the plan," Silas cried impatiently. "Are you of the mind to join us, or is it more to your liking to follow Amos Nelson and act as lickspittle to any lobster back you chance to come upon?"

"I have never done so yet," Seth replied, and I waited in vain to hear him declare that his greatest desire was the success of the colonies in the coming struggle. "In case I set myself down as a member of your company, what may be expected of me?"

Now according to my belief, a lad of Boston town who had such a proposition made to him should, if he had been of the right metal, have jumped at it eagerly instead of waiting to learn whether he would have much or little work to perform, and I looked meaningly at Archie, believing he would detect in this hesitation of Seth's, as I did, a leaning toward Toryism; but he, thinking only of enrolling a sufficient number of names to make our company of decent size, apparently gave no heed to that which caused me so much of uneasiness.

Silas was at a loss to answer the question asked by Seth, for we had not gone so far in our speculations as to say what our duties might be before we could, and with truth, call ourselves Minute Boys; but finally he made reply stammeringly:

"You will be expected to do whatsoever you may in behalf of the Cause.

Now we three lads have ourselves been sent to Lexington by Doctor Warren to carry a message, and most likely similar work will fall to the share of the Minute Boys."

"You have just come from Lexington?" Seth cried, looking up sharply, and even Silas must have understood that he had been indiscreet, to say the least, in thus divulging what should have been kept a secret.

"I only spoke of that to show you what the Minute Boys may be called upon to do. As a matter of course, we will be under the command of others, and bound to set our hands to whatsoever work is found for us."

Seth did not appear very eager to take advantage of this opportunity to serve the colony. He stood there as if chewing it over in his mind until I said with somewhat of impatience, and no little hope that he might finally refuse:

"If the idea does not seem good to you there is no reason why you may not refuse to join us. We want only those lads who are eager to aid the Cause in so far as in them lies."

"I was only asking myself whether you might depend upon me to answer any call promptly, for my parents do not leave me as free as are some of you. However, I think you can reckon it a bargain, and I will do my best to obey orders."

"We are to have a meeting to-night at the old ship-yard, near to Luke Wright's home," Archie said, evidently thinking we had spent too much time over the gaining of this one recruit, and as we hurried away Seth cried, in what sounded to me like an odd tone:

"Don't fear but that I will be there."

I was so irritated because Seth had become our first recruit, and owing to the fact that Silas had publicly spoken of our journey to Lexington, that I could make no comment on what had been done, and as we walked on with our faces set toward my home, where I counted on breaking fast, Archie said laughingly:

"You are disgruntled because we chanced to run upon Seth."

"Whether I am or no makes little difference now, since he has agreed to join us," I replied, and the lad, to win me out of what was very like a sulky mood, continued:

"I am certain you wrong Seth, and you yourself can only give as a reason for suspecting him that he has often been seen with Tory lads. Now it is in my mind that if you and I had as our neighbors half a dozen of those foolish boys who had rather serve the king than the colony, we would often be seen in their company."

"There is no good reason why we should discuss the matter now that the mischief, if any comes of it, has been done," I replied, and then eager to be alone for the moment, suggested that I go home for something to eat, meeting my comrades an hour later near the city dock.

To this Silas agreed quickly, for he was eager to continue the work of gaining recruits, and had no stomach for idling the time away at my home.

Therefore it was that we three parted company, and when at somewhere near the time agreed upon I went to the rendezvous, neither Silas nor Archie were to be seen.

Their absence gave me no uneasiness, for it was possible to guess exactly why they had not come, and I loitered idly about, watching now a squad of General Gage's lobster backs as they marched upon some duty which was likely to be unpleasant to those who loved the Cause, and again listening to s.n.a.t.c.hes of conversation when two or three whom I knew to be Tories pa.s.sed in earnest converse. Without being able to give any reason, I became impressed, as while returning from Master Hadley's home, with the idea that something of moment was on foot--something of which I remained in ignorance,--and that it was important such as Doctor Warren should know of my suspicions.

It was not until the day had grown near to noon that I saw either of my comrades, and then it was Archie who came up, looking thoroughly well pleased as he said in a tone of triumph:

"What think you, Luke Wright, of our having enrolled fourteen lads as Minute Boys, and without having spent half a day at the task?"

Archie gave me the names, and, except in the case of the first recruit, I could find no fault with any.

Then the lad set about telling me how he and Silas had accomplished the work, making of it so long a story, and with so much of detail, that I gave little heed to anything he said, until from the opposite side of the dock that Tory cur, Amos Nelson, shouted in a tone of derision, speaking to one of his kindred spirits who was yet quite a distance away:

"There are two who count on raising a mob of rebels to drive the king's soldiers from Boston!"

CHAPTER III