"Hah!" said the man. "You are very apt in your answers, I see."

"It's a habit that's like to grow upon one after a little experience with the world," answered Ezra, evenly.

"You are very young to have had much experience of any sort," spoke the man. He pushed back the platters and cups in a most offensive way and seated himself upon a corner of the table.

"Age does not always bring experience, any more than it brings manners,"

returned Ezra, pointedly.

The grin disappeared entirely; two points of anger showed in the man's eyes.

"You grow more and more apt in your sayings," spoke he. Then in a jeering way: "I have no doubt but that you think yourself a smart and proper youth, indeed."

"And you may also have no doubt, sir," replied the boy, "that there are many things that pa.s.s through your mind that give me very little concern."

A subdued burst of laughter came from the man's comrades; his face darkened and he rose up from the table, his hands clenched. What he would have done Ezra never knew; just then the lad caught the reflection of Jason Collyer in the mirror; he was beckoning the man away. And, with a shrug of the shoulders and a snap of his strong jaws, he obeyed.

"They aim to fasten a quarrel upon us," breathed Ben. "Have you your pistol?"

"No," replied Ezra. "It is in my holster."

"And mine," said Ben. "I had no idea that we'd ever need them here."

Ben was ready enough when left to himself but when accompanied by Ezra, usually left the planning of any important step to him. And now, as he looked at him, expecting some ready ruse that would enable them to evade danger, he was not disappointed. Ezra's face was confident and unruffled. Indeed, there was a humorous twinkle in his eyes, as he said:

"I want you to make some sort of an excuse to go outside. It must be a good one or they will prevent your going. When you get there, slip off the bridles of two of their horses and loosen their saddle girths. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly," answered Ben.

The four men were whispering together and casting undisguisedly hostile glances at the boys. The landlord and some of the inn's people who lingered about noticed this, and began to exhibit concern.

Ben Cooper arose with much self-possession.

"Landlord," said he, "what is our bill? Your inn is a fairly good one, but much too uncomfortable for persons who desire to be unmolested."

The stout host mentioned the sum, and Ben put a hand in his pocket. A look of dismay came into his face, and turning quickly to Ezra he said:

"I'll have to see to my saddle-bags. I'm growing very careless of late."

He hastily crossed to the door, and went out. The hard-faced man rose and went to a window overlooking the s.p.a.ce before the inn; he stood there with his back turned to those in the room, his whole att.i.tude indicative of watchfulness.

"That won't do," said Ezra to himself. "If my plan is to come to anything he must not stand there."

He was casting about in his mind for a means of drawing the man's attention from Ben, when Jason Collyer spoke to the host.

"Landlord, I take it that you are not troubled a great deal with Tories in these parts."

"No, gentlemen," replied the stout man fervently, "I am thankful to say that we are not. Those who were of that way of thinking went their way into Boston; you see, it was made unpleasant for them hereabouts. If they loved Gage and his army so well, we thought it better that they should be there where they could see them every day."

"And quite right," spoke Jason Collyer. Ezra noticed that he no longer took the trouble to keep in the background. At first he had done so, but now, apparently, his plans had changed. "Quite right," repeated Jason Collyer. "Such folks are most dangerous, and scarcely of the kind that honest folk care to mingle with."

From indications, the subject of Tories was one that had great interest for the stout host of the "Plow and Harrow." He puffed out his cheeks and smoothed the white ap.r.o.n carefully.

"Preserve me from any such!" said he. "They come sneaking into one's house, prying and asking questions. And all the time they have it in their hearts to send one to the gallows. They should be dealt with hardly!"

"They are a poisonous tribe," said Jason Collyer. He darted a covert look at Ezra as he said this, and the boy noted a smile of satisfaction upon his thin lips. Like an inspiration, the other's intention flashed upon the boy.

"He's sounded the landlord upon this subject with one thought in his mind," Ezra told himself. "He'll tell him that Ben and I are Tories; and so these friends of his will be left to work their wills with us."

Ezra was not a lad to sit and ponder while something to his injury was going forward. With the solution of the other's plan, came a counterplot with which he hoped to balk it.

"If you will pardon me, sir," spoke he, leaning forward, his elbows upon the table, "I would like to agree with you in what you have said. The greatest enemies of the colonies are those who should naturally be at one with us-the Tories."

"Truly spoken, young gentleman," beamed the landlord, "and very well spoken too."

Jason Collyer was about to say something, but Ezra calmly waved him down, riveting the host's attention with a look.

"And, as you say, sir," with a little bow, "they intrude themselves into one's very house with the basest of intentions against one's peace. And they come when least expected, also in many guises."

He looked coolly toward the man who still stood watching from the window, and proceeded, slightly lifting his voice:

"It is all but impossible to detect them in time. One seldom suspects them. For example," and he gestured toward the man at the window, "that gentleman over there, for all we know, may be a Tory."

Ezra knew perfectly well that the next few moments must precipitate a struggle. In order that Ben might have an opportunity to do his work, the watcher at the window must relax his attention.

The raised voice and the boy's bold insinuation had the effect which he intended. Instantly the man turned from the window, a snarl upon his lips; he approached Ezra menacingly.

"So, my lad, I hear from you again," spoke he, gratingly. "Perhaps if you knew me better, you would not be so ready with your tongue."

Ezra regarded him quietly. That his ruse had succeeded greatly delighted the young patriot; but he concealed his pleasure under a mask of indifference.

"As you suggest," replied he, "if I knew you better, I might hesitate in speaking to you." He was looking the man coolly in the eye; it would take a practiced hand like Ben Cooper's but a moment to strip off a brace of bridles, and he did not now care what action the red-haired man might take. So he proceeded with even greater nonchalance than before:

"And it is also possible that, in the same case, I might go to even greater lengths than I have."

For an instant the man glared at the boy as though dazed by his boldness. Then he leaped toward him in a fury.

But Ezra was prepared for the attack. Like a flash he was upon his feet; the heavy oaken table fell, with a crash of crockery, before the man; unable to stay himself, he went sprawling over it. Ezra's quick eye had noted the concerted action of the man's friends at the moment of the attack. All had leaped up, their hands fingering the locks of their pistols.

But the boy gave them no time to think after the fall of the table. With a series of soft-footed bounds he reached the window. Placing his hands upon the sill, he vaulted out into the night, and ran toward a group of horses, at no great distance from the door.

"This way," cried Ben Cooper. In another moment the boys were in the saddle and tearing madly away from the "Plow and Harrow."

CHAPTER VI

SHOWS HOW EZRA ADVENTURED TOWARD THE "INDIAN'S HEAD"