The Minute Boys of Boston
Then, somewhat to my surprise, after the food had been placed upon the table Hiram took my station by the wall, insisting that we three lads should partake of the meal, and because I was beginning now to have full faith that he was not allowing himself to be hood-winked by Master Lord, I did as commanded, although there was in my mind the idea that we might give over listening, at least during such time as would be necessary to satisfy our hunger.
Before we had come to an end of our eating it was possible to hear the outer door swung to with no little force, and there was a look of satisfaction upon Griffin's face as he joined us at the table.
"Unless my ears have played me false, the room above is empty. I heard at least three go out, and if only two entered when you were on duty, Luke, then we are alone in the building; but in order that we may take no chances, my advice is that none of us speak above a whisper."
"You think we have need of taking council together?" Archie asked, whereupon Hiram replied grimly:
"Aye, lad, if ever the time was that we needed to thrash out a matter in order to come upon the best road, surely it is now."
"Then you have come to believe that Master Lord is not such a friend to the Cause as he professes, even though the lieutenant at the battery declared he would trust the man with his life?" I asked.
"The lieutenant's eyes may have been shut just as Job Lord would shut ours," Hiram said with a smile, much as if it pleased him to have thus settled the matter in his own mind. "It must be that this man has done good service among our people, otherwise he would not have such a reputation for loyalty to the colony. But whatever he may have done in the past, it seems certain to me he is ready to play us false now."
"I fail to see why he need take any roundabout lane to get at such a knavish result," Harvey suggested. "If he counts to give us up to the lobster backs, it only needs that he call in the first squad which comes past the building, for here we are like rats in a trap, ready to be taken whenever it is the pleasure of those who have caught us."
"I wish it might be possible for me to make that part of it plain in my mind," Hiram said thoughtfully. "I can figure out all else; but why it should be his purpose to keep us here any length of time, instead of delivering us up at once, is more than I can come at. Certain it is he's playing a game, and it remains for us to learn what it may be."
"And in the meanwhile what about Silas?" Archie asked, whereupon Hiram replied sharply, as if it vexed him because the lad would carry the conversation so far afield:
"He is no more a prisoner than we are, and until it is possible for us to get out of this place, at the same time finding some means of preventing Job Lord from giving the lobster backs warning of our whereabouts, we need not trouble our heads concerning him. I have no mind to arouse your fears, lad, and surely you can understand the situation as well as I; but to my thinking we would be safer shut up in the Bridewell, as prisoners of war, than here in the power of this man who claims to be devoted heart and soul to the Cause."
Such words silenced me. I had come to believe that Hiram could see treachery in Master Lord's course; but until this moment had no idea he believed the situation to be so desperate. It must have been that he saw what was very like to fear written on my face, for he added after a short pause:
"Nay, nay, lad, do not let me persuade you into making mountains out of mole hills; but let us not fall into the mistake of failing to see the mole hills. You stood up bravely when we were on Breed's hill with three or four thousand lobster backs striving to kill us, and I saw no sign of fear on your face. Now we have but one man against us, and it will go hard indeed if we four cannot outwit the scoundrel, if scoundrel he be, providing he gives us time."
"But why should he give us time?" Harvey persisted, and again Hiram said:
"That's what puzzles me lad; but I am hoping to find out before many hours have passed. In the meanwhile, when he comes here it is for us to make him believe we are not only willing, but pleased to remain as he would have us. Do not let it appear that we have any suspicions of him whatsoever, but fall in with all he suggests, for indeed we can do no less while shut up here."
"If that rubbish hole leads outside, why may we not escape by means of it?" I asked, and the reply came promptly:
"Because we would be jumping from the frying pan into the fire. It is evidently not Master Lord's intention to deliver us over to the lobster backs yet a while, providing we remain quietly here as he desires; but let us once take to flight, as he would discover within an hour or more after we had gone, and our liberty is not worth a day's purchase. You can see plainly that if he is the traitor we are beginning to believe him, it would be impossible for us to find another hiding-place in this town which the Britishers could not discover."
"We are setting it down as a fact that this Job Lord, who has probably made many of our people believe him true to the Cause, is a traitor," Archie said thoughtfully, as if he had been turning the matter over and over in his mind. "It seems to me that we should, until knowing to the contrary, at least put it in our reckoning that the chances are even he may be doing according to his professions. If that be the case, then we are making as much progress toward giving Silas aid as if we were on the outside; perhaps more, because Master Lord can succeed where we would fail."
"All of which means what?" I asked impatiently.
"That since we are powerless to do otherwise, but must remain here, let us say that perhaps matters are going as they should, which won't prevent keeping our eyes open to take advantage of any turn that may come in our favor."
It seemed as if all these words irritated Hiram, for, after having partaken sparingly of the appetizing food, he sprang to his feet with the air of one who has much work to perform.
"Give me your pocket-knife, Archie, and do you three lads remain at the table until it is impossible to eat more, for we who serve the Cause do not come upon such food often."
Archie did as was desired, and we all watched Hiram curiously as he began cutting cautiously at one of the crevices between the planks above our heads.
Not until he had been at work several moments did I come to understand what he would do, and then it flashed upon me that it was his purpose to make an aperture through which we might the better hear what was going on in the room above.
It was not reasonable to suppose he could cut away the planks to any extent without danger of his work being seen from above, and in fact, when he stepped aside as if the task had been performed, it appeared to me that he had enlarged the crevice no more than an eighth of an inch, and that for a distance, mayhap, of half a finger's length.
Wetting his hand, he took from the fire-place a small quantity of ashes, making them into a paste, and this he rubbed over the freshly cut space until it had been darkened to a shade like unto the remainder of the flooring, while I, eager to aid in whatsoever of work was being done, picked up carefully each tiny shaving of wood, throwing them on the embers that they might be consumed.
Then Hiram went through the same operation at a place directly above the table, and within half an hour he had thus opened slight communication with the room above. There was not much reason for hoping these tiny apertures would serve the purpose for which they had been made; but yet there was a possibility we could hear better what was said or done by Master Lord's visitors, and to people in our situation every chance, however slight, must be caught at.
"Why not learn what we can about yonder rubbish hole?" I asked when Hiram seated himself at the table once more, as if there was nothing else which demanded attention.
"It is not well to make a try at going too far at one time," he replied with a certain air of content.
It was well I had not been looked upon as the leader of our little company, otherwise we might have come to grief even before we had well made a start toward arming ourselves against the possible treachery of Master Lord.
I would have continued the work which was begun by making the apertures, in the rubbish hole, regarding not the possibility of an interruption; but should have hardly more than have commenced before our host returned, when most-like everything might have been discovered.
As it was, thanks to Hiram's precaution, we four were seated at the table in a most comfortable manner, as if having nothing on our minds save pleasure, when Job Lord, who must have come into the house with the utmost caution in order to learn what we might be about, raised the trap-door suddenly, peering down before venturing to descend.
There was no question after this but that he was minded to make certain we followed his advice, and thus sneaking into the house like a spy to catch us unawares was further proof that he meditated mischief.
For the life of me I could not have greeted the scoundrel in a friendly tone; but Hiram hailed him as if believing he was our best friend, and asked in a jovial tone that he come down and partake of the sumptuous dinner.
Master Lord looked well content with himself, which meant that he was satisfied we were minded to do as he bade us, when he descended the ladder and took seat in a most affable manner at the table.
"I have been out on your business," he said, helping himself to a slice of roasted lamb.
"And I dare venture to say you have done more in an hour than we four could have accomplished in a full week," Hiram added genially.
"Well, I may say we have got along famously this day," Master Lord replied in a jolly tone. "Thanks to my acquaintance among the lobster backs, and their belief that I am devoted heart and soul to the king, it has been possible for me to enter that part of the Bridewell where the prisoners taken at Breed's hill are confined."
"Did you see Silas?" Harvey asked eagerly.
"There was but one boy in the place, and if so be your comrade is prisoner here, then have I seen him. It would have been ill advised had I attempted to get speech with him, because I was there professedly out of motives of curiosity, and took good care not to arouse suspicion by talking with any of the so-called rebels."
"Is the guard around the building as large as it was yesterday?" Hiram asked as if deeply interested, and having perfect confidence in what our host might tell him.
"As nearly as could be judged there has been no change; but I heard on the street that General Gage counts on advancing his outposts at Boston Neck with the idea of pushing our people back from Roxbury, in which case he will need all the men at his command, when I doubt not the guard at the Bridewell will be lessened."
"Then your opinion is the same as when we last talked together?" and Hiram urged Master Lord to partake more heartily of his own provisions.
"Aye, that seems to me wisest. In fact, there is nothing else for you to do, and surely you are comfortable here as any four so-called rebels to be found in the colony could be."
"That we are, sir, thanks to you, but for our having found this very agreeable hiding-place, which is guarded by a man so deeply devoted to the Cause, most-like we would be keeping our comrade company in the Bridewell by this time," and one would have said from Hiram's tone that he firmly believed Master Lord was the only person in all this world who could have lent us aid. "We would be unwise as well as ungrateful should there be any thought in our minds of doing other than as you advise."
There is no need why I repeat all which was said between Job Lord and Hiram Griffin, for each was bent on deceiving the other, as it appeared to me, and the words which were spoken amounted to nothing, so far as our work of releasing Silas was concerned.
The result of it was, however, as I fancied, that Hiram succeeded in making Master Lord believe we had the fullest confidence in him, and at the same time was firmly convinced our host to be as thorough paced a scoundrel as when we had talked with him previously.
"It must not be that I spend all my time with you lads, pleasant though your company is," Master Lord said after having made a hearty meal, and at the same time satisfied himself that we were not meditating any move other than as he directed. "I must pick up all the information I can concerning General Gage's intentions to advance on the outposts at the Neck, in order that word be sent to Cambridge without delay; therefore it is necessary I go abroad for a while."
"Do as you would if we were not here," Hiram replied, "and above all, neglect not the work of the Cause in order to show your kindly disposition toward us."
Then after a few more friendly, and, as I believed, false words, Master Lord ascended the ladder; the trap-door was shut and bolted, and while this was being done Hiram clambered upon the table softly that he might approach his ear to the aperture made in the floor, motioning me to take my former station, while Archie clambered up on a stool to hear what he might from the other crevice.
Between us all we contrived to make out with reasonably certainty when our host, having moved about the room a few minutes as if searching for something, left the building, locking the door behind him, and after mayhap five minutes had passed in silence, Hiram said in a low tone as he came down from his perch:
"I'm allowing the worthy Master Lord will remain abroad, striving earnestly to aid the Cause, for at least an hour, and during such time, if you lads are so disposed, we will see what may be done with that rubbish hole, which, as I believe, points out to us the fairest road we could have for the thwarting of treacherous schemes."
You can fancy with what eagerness I set about removing the casks, believing we might speedily effect our purpose; but it was not in Hiram's mind that we should be rash.
"Fair and softly, lad, else by too much haste you spoil the whole broth. That which chokes the passage must be disposed of if we would count on opening it, and where do you reckon we may put what is taken out, so that when our host visits us again he shall see no signs of our labor?"
I had shown myself thick-headed many a time before; but never so dull as now when I would have begun pulling out the rubbish without means of hiding it, and I stepped back in despair, not understanding how we might at the same time remove and keep it hidden from view.
It seems that Hiram had already been making plans to such end, for he at once began taking out some of the larger stones, and stowing them in two of the casks from which the heads had been removed.
"We can get rid of considerable in this way, and after that much has been done it may be possible to pack the earth down so closely that we can drive a tunnel through," he said, working energetically, and we three lads, understanding what was in his mind, lost no time in bearing a hand.
CHAPTER XIV
THE SECRET PASSAGE
Fortunately for us all the casks save two were unheaded, and these we filled in short order, for it can well be supposed that every one worked with utmost speed, not knowing how soon Job Lord might take it into his head to return.
Once filled, they were placed in front of the rubbish hole very nearly in the same position, save in so far that a narrow passage was left behind them, through which we might, with some difficulty, force ourselves.
On top of these, especially in order to prevent our host from seeing what had been done, the two unheaded casks were placed, and then Job Lord must have been keen-eyed indeed to have observed any change at that portion of the room.
It was Hiram who had remained inside the passage, passing out rocks or clods of earth, and when we had come thus far in our labor he decided it would be safer to cease work a short time, lest he who was apparently holding us prisoners should succeed in returning secretly.
"How far have you got toward the outside?" I asked as Hiram came from behind the casks, brushing his clothing carefully, and washing his hands that no token of the labor could be seen when next our host visited us.
"I am of the belief that we have made what you might call a tunnel straight through, and within a dozen inches of the surface," he replied. "I had no means of guessing as to the distance, except by taking the flooring of the building as being well on the level, and from that I feel positive I had made my way upward to a point equal in height to the last rung of the ladder. The question that bothers me is, how we can break through the crust of earth without leaving behind token of what has been done?"
"Why should we care whether any person saw how we escaped?" Archie asked in bewilderment. "Once Job Lord fails to find us he will know we have gone, and it matters little how soon he discovers the tunnel."
"Aye, if so be we counted on taking to our heels at once; but there is in my mind an idea that we may play this double-faced Master Lord a reasonably neat trick. It is agreed that we want to stay in Boston until it is possible to aid Silas, or we have come to know that nothing can be done, and where could we find a better hiding-place than this?"
"But surely we can't count on going in and out at our pleasure, for the chances would be against us. Master Lord might come at any time, and when we attempted to return the jig would be up."
"As to that I am not certain," Hiram said as, having removed all traces of the work from his person, he seated himself at the table evidently ready to enter into an argument should any of us dispute his proposition. "While working in the tunnel the idea came to me that if we carried the digging through successfully, one of us might be on the outside, and Master Lord fail to discover the fact even if he paid us a visit."
"How do you make that out?" Harvey asked incredulously.
"Suppose, for instance, Luke ventured outside through the passageway, if so be we can hit upon a plan of preventing the end of the tunnel from being seen on the surface. Now then, it should not be a very difficult job for us to rig up a dummy which would have somewhat the appearance of a lad lying on the bed as if asleep. Then we will say that you, Harvey, lie down beside the figure, pretending to be asleep. Master Lord comes; finds Archie and me sitting here at the table; glances at the bed, sees Harvey's face, and also what appears to be Luke's head. Think you he would have any suspicion that matters were wrong?"
"But suppose he did?" I insisted, determined to understand all the possibilities of Hiram's scheme; but not allowing that it might be put through successfully.
"Well, we will suppose his suspicions are aroused, and he goes over to the bed to make certain Luke is there. How much worse off are we in case he discovers the trick? We know him to be our enemy, regardless of the confidence which our people may put in him, and it is also a fact that we are bound to keep our eyes open for the first move he shall make, because the end of this matter, from his point of view, is our capture by the Britishers when the time comes that all his purposes are served."
"Well, what then?" I demanded impatiently. "Once he has made the discovery that I am outside, can you prevent him raising an alarm, and thus bringing the lobster backs upon those who are inside?"
"Aye, that seems to me a very simple matter," Hiram replied. "The moment our double-faced friend went toward the dummy to make certain he had been tricked, our plan would be to fall upon him, and I'll eat my head if the three of us can't truss him up like a fowl ready for the roasting, however much of a fight he may make."
"Well, and if we have him prisoner, what then?"
"We'll simply hold him here until we get ready to leave town, and I'm thinking that won't be any difficult matter," Hiram said laughingly. "With him bound hand and foot, and one of us ready to plump a gag in his mouth if he makes too much noise in the way of calling for assistance, it seems to me he would be about as harmless as a kitten in a cage. As a matter of fact, it is very nearly what we must do finally, for I am not counting to take to my heels through yonder passage, leaving him behind free to give word to the lobster backs that we are somewhere in the town, or striving to get out of it. We are in such a box, lads, that it would be worse than useless to hesitate at anything which promises, however slightly, to aid us," and now Hiram spoke in a grave tone, as does one who speculates upon some hazardous venture. "We shall not be able to leave this place without having a tussle with Master Lord, and no one can say how soon that may be necessary, therefore I hold to it we are warranted in taking many chances, if so be we are working toward the end that we set ourselves when leaving Cambridge. Even though we may not hold this place as a refuge eight and forty hours before the trick is discovered, then have we gained just so much time."
I could think of no argument against this plan of Hiram's, ponder over it as I might. We were in desperate straits, and all of us knew full well that the danger would not be so great when Master Lord had discovered that we had a means of escape, providing we could hold him prisoner, than if he remained in ignorance of our purpose and at liberty to set the lobster backs on us whenever he chose.
"The only thing against your plan, Hiram, is that which you yourself have confessed," Archie said thoughtfully. "The difficulty of concealing the mouth of the tunnel after one of us has made his way through it."
"Aye, there's the rub, lad; but it strikes me that 'twixt the four of us, seeing's how we have all got some share of common-sense, we ought to be able to overcome that trouble in course of time. I cannot say just now what way it may be done; but we will hit upon an idea lads, we'll hit upon an idea."
It may seem that this slight change in the situation was not so favorable to our enterprise as to warrant very much in the way of rejoicing, and yet I felt more nearly light-hearted after Hiram was at an end of explaining what he had done, and how the tunnel might be made to serve us, than at any time since I left Cambridge, although I am bound to confess we were no nearer accomplishing our purpose because of this secret passage, than before. In fact, we had simply succeeded in entering the town, and then plunged ourselves into greater difficulties than ever, therefore it is possible the means of escape was simply a step toward righting the mistake that had been made.
Then it was that Harvey asked suddenly, as if it was a matter of great moment:
"Who knows whether it yet be day, or has the night come?"
As a matter of course we had lost all knowledge of time, shut up in that cellar where no ray of light penetrated, sleeping and eating as our desires prompted, and now the question had been raised I grew keen to know whether another night had come, or if we had been there as prisoners less than four and twenty hours.
"It was nearabout midnight when we came into this place," Hiram replied to Harvey's question, as if still working out a problem in his mind. "We spent much time with Master Lord; let us say until daybreak. Then we slept, and the chances are it must have been near to another night fall when we were awakened by a racket overhead. I'm allowing it was the next night after our arrival, perhaps late in the evening, when our double-faced host brought us the provisions, and that we most-like have spent one entire night eating and working on the tunnel. Therefore to my mind it is some time in the second day after our arrival. Surely it cannot be very late in the night, else would Master Lord have returned."
All this seemed good reasoning, and yet now that we had seemingly settled the matter, of what did it avail us? What mattered whether the sun was shining, or the earth shrouded in darkness, so that we dared not venture out in either case?
Hiram speedily settled this matter, as in fact he did every one we discussed, by asking:
"What say you to my making our first venture through the secret passage after that scoundrel who professes to be working in our interests, visits us the next time?"
"Meaning that you would go out whether it was night or day?" Archie asked.
