"There are Tories everywhere," said he, at length.

"I am not speaking of Tories," said Ezra, "but of what looks like a regularly organized system of British espionage."

Then he related his experiences to Ben, who sat in round-eyed wonder, drinking in the story. When he had finished there was a long silence; then Ben said:

"It seems to be a sort of place of call for them, with an officer of the British service in command?"

Ezra nodded.

"But," continued Ben, "it all seems very queer to me. Why is such a strange person as you describe this Abdallah to be concerned in it? And why is a place, so out of the way as that one, selected as a headquarters?"

"To be out of the way, must be an advantage in a matter of their kind,"

smiled Ezra.

"No doubt. But that is not just what I mean. This adventurer, Gilbert Scarlett, for example, brings a packet of papers from Cambridge. They are read upon your delivering them; and you are sent with an answer to a gentleman at a place near Charlestown. Why is that? It would have been much simpler and less inconvenient to have sent the message to the 'Indian's Head' in the first place."

Again Ezra nodded.

"I get your point," he said. "And I have been thinking over the same thing ever since I left Abdallah's house."

Ben glanced quickly at his friend; there was that in his tone that attracted his attention.

"And you have made up your mind to something, I know," said he.

"Not altogether. But I have figured out some possibilities. This spy system, while under the supervision of a British officer, has been organized by Abdallah. He was imported by Gage for just this purpose. It is possible that it is his profession. Experience has probably taught him to isolate himself. But his spies, who are perhaps unknown to each other, are scattered all about. When they have anything to report, they send a rider who can be trusted; and he in turn carries the answer, if one is called for, to a person who stands close to Gage and his counselors."

Ben rapped the oaken table smartly with his knuckles by way of applause.

"Good!" cried he. "That is just the way of it!" He looked at his friend in high admiration for a moment. "And it is very fortunate that you stumbled across it. Yes," thoughtfully, as he renewed his inroads on the bacon, "Abdallah is the chief spy, as you think. His little tilts with Major Buckstone show that plainly enough."

They discussed the matter for a long time, over the remnants of their meal. The fact that the British had discovered the practically unguarded condition of Boston Neck worried the boys not a little. One swift rush of the trained regiments of the King might undo all the good that had been accomplished. They spoke in low voices, for the landlord, and now and then some other of the inn people, were constantly about; at length some patrons entered and took seats at no great distance.

Safe in a hamlet where practically all were united in hatred of the laws of Parliament, the boys gave little heed to those who came or went. The newcomers ordered elaborately of the fare of the "Plow and Harrow"; the host, in high good humor, bustled about giving them his best attention.

"Your horses, gentlemen," said he, "should be rubbed down and unsaddled.

It will do them much good."

"Leave them as they are," said one of the strangers; "we may require them at--"

The thin hand of one of his fellows tugged at his sleeve.

"Sh-h-h!" whispered the owner of the hand, warningly.

The first speaker laughed.

"But you are right," admitted he, with great candor. "It is a well established fault of mine that I talk too much."

It so chanced that Ben Cooper sat facing the strangers. He caught the landlord's words and the answer that followed. He also heard the warning "Sh-h-h!" and saw the tug at the speaker's sleeve.

Lowering his voice, he described the scene to Ezra.

"Why," said the latter, "there is something familiar about that."

"Just what I thought," agreed Ben. "The warning reminds me a great deal of what you have just told me of your acquaintance Jason Collyer."

"I wonder," said Ezra, "could it, by any chance, be he?"

"If it is, he has followed you," replied Ben.

As Ezra was opposite his friend, his back was to the newcomers; but some little distance away there was a broad framed mirror, and by sitting in a certain way he discovered that he could get a very good view of them, indeed.

There were four in the party and all were attired in the soiled dress of farm laborers. However, three of them bore themselves in a swaggering manner much out of keeping with their apparent station. And all of them wore pistols belted at their waists. The fourth man, and much the smaller, sat in a shadow and for a time Ezra could not make him out.

However, he finally turned his head to reply to a remark of one of his companions and his countenance was fairly reflected in the gla.s.s. There was no mistaking the furtive eyes and ferret features. It was Jason Collyer.

When the lad made this discovery known to Ben, the latter became greatly excited.

"He's followed you. You thought he suspected you all along, and you were right."

"And who, I wonder, are these others that he has brought with him?" said Ezra, regarding the reflections in the gla.s.s with much interest. "They look like tall, active fellows, and of a stamp that would not hesitate at a trifle like a man's life."

"Would they dare, do you think, attack us here?"

"Why not? Jason Collyer has learned that I did not ride in the direction of Charlestown. He probably suspected my presence among the trees opposite Abdallah's house when they came out and then made a quiet investigation later. That is why no one answered the second cry of the mastiffs. When he learned positively that I was not what I seemed, he gathered this small, but very competent-looking force and made after me.

In his eyes I am a dangerous person; and in days like these, dangerous persons are not treated very gently, as you know."

"True enough," replied Ben, his round face seeming to grow rounder as he examined the strangers. "But, still, there is so much danger of a hue and cry being started in a place like this."

"They have not overlooked that," Ezra told him quietly. "The fact that they desired the landlord to leave their horses ready for mounting proves that."

"Well, what do you think we'd better do?" asked Ben, a combative expression coming into his face.

"Nothing as yet. We must first see what they intend doing, and act accordingly."

They had no great while to wait, for one of the men arose and came toward their table. He leaned familiarly upon it, gazing into each of their faces in turn. He was a hard-featured man with a great thatch of reddish hair; and a wide, mocking sort of grin displayed a set of strong, yellow teeth.

"I give you good-evening," said he, the grin growing wider.

"Good-evening to you," replied Ezra, with great coolness.

The man examined them once more. Then he continued:

"You are strangers hereabouts, I take it."

Ezra leaned back and regarded the speaker in turn.

"And, sir," said he, "I'd take the same of you."

The mocking grin lost a little of its tone; and a flush came into the coa.r.s.e, heavy-featured face.