Kitabı oku: «The Minute Boys of Boston», sayfa 12

Hiram and Harvey worked the oars. I made myself as comfortable as possible in the stern-sheets, while Archie perforce remained in the bow of the craft in order that he might, as Griffin expressed it, "trim ship."

We went rapidly down past the two breastworks known as "number one" and "number two" without having been hailed by those on shore, and indeed there was no good reason why our people should interfere with any who were so far up the river.

Near to nightfall, however, when we were come to that three-gun battery which stood just above where Fort Brookline was afterward built, the sentinel made peremptory demand that we come on shore and give an account of ourselves.

"This is work for you to do, since you are the captain," Hiram said to me, and I retorted:

"I may be the captain of the Minute Boys, but I am surely not the leader of this expedition. If there is any question raised here against our continuing the voyage, you are the one who must answer it."

"That can be done in short order," Hiram replied laughingly as, swinging the bow of the boat around until it was stuck fast in the mud, he leaped ashore with the bearing of one who sets about some trifling task.

There was almost a hope in my mind that we might be prevented from going further on our hazardous venture, but when in less than ten minutes Hiram returned, looking as if he had never known a care in his life, I understood that either by making a clean breast of the matter, or by inventing some plausible reason for our leaving Cambridge, he had satisfied the officer in command of the battery.

It was long past midnight when we were arrived at the mouth of the river, and since there was no good reason why we should strive to come to an end of our journey a few hours sooner or later, we hauled the skiff ashore where grew a thicket of bushes, such as would conceal us from view of any who might pass either by land or water.

After the skiff was pulled up within the screen of foliage, Hiram spread out two of the blankets to protect us from the damp earth, and the others he proposed we should use as a covering of what he was pleased to call a "field bed."

Then we sat ourselves down to partake of food for the first time since leaving the encampment, and I noted with no little anxiety that if we continued to have such appetites during the next four and twenty hours, our store of food would be sadly diminished.

Despite my forebodings as to the outcome of this hazard, I fell asleep shortly after stretching myself out at full length between Archie and Harvey, nor did I awaken until Hiram shook me into consciousness, saying that the sun would rise in half an hour, and we should be well on our journey before the heat of the day had grown too great.

CHAPTER XII
IN BOSTON TOWN

It seemed as if Hiram grew bolder the nearer we advanced to the point of danger, for instead of going up Muddy river and from thence making our way across to Dorchester through Roxbury, as had been much the same as agreed upon the night previous, he put straight for Stony brook, and, hugging the eastern shore of the point, we made our way along until having come to the American outpost, arriving there about nightfall.

Here we had no difficulty in making ourselves known, owing to the fortunate circumstance that the captain who was in command at that time had seen us Minute Boys and Hiram more than once at Cambridge, therefore was he ready to welcome us in as hearty a manner as possible, sparing not his stores so that we might husband what little food we had brought from the encampment.

As a matter of course he was curious to know where we were bound, and when he asked questions concerning our purpose we lads would have put him off with evasive replies, believing Hiram desired to keep secret that which we would do, therefore was our surprise great when Griffin made a clean breast of the whole scheme, even going into details so far as lay in his power.

It seemed to me only natural the captain would cry out against such a hair-brained scheme, and so he did, speaking forcefully to the effect that while it was possible we might succeed, when all the circumstances were favorable, in sneaking past the red-coated sentinels, he was confident we would be made prisoners within four and twenty hours after arriving in town.

I rather encouraged him in his outcry against the venture, believing his opinion would have no little weight with Hiram; but it was much the same as pouring water on a duck's back, to argue against what our leader had already set his mind upon.

He listened to all the captain said, making no reply, and when the conversation had come to an end I believe of a verity he was more determined in his purpose than before.

"Are you still bound to find out what a British prison is like?" the captain asked just a trifle petulantly when he was come to an end of his remonstrances.

"We are not minded that they shall take us prisoners; but at the same time we are going into Boston, and if in all that town, where yet remain many who love the Cause, we cannot succeed in hiding ourselves past reasonable danger of being found, then do we deserve to be shut up within stone walls."

When Hiram had said this the captain looked at him pityingly, as I thought, and made reply:

"He who is pig-headed will go his way despite all that others can say to the contrary, therefore I but waste my breath in striving to point out the dangers which are known better by me, than by you lads."

With this he turned on his heels, leaving us to eat our supper, and when he was out of earshot Hiram said as if the captain's sharp words had pleased him not a little:

"I have known many who didn't have sufficient of pig-headedness in their nature, and we saw some of them in the battle; but, thank God! they were mighty few!"

All of which meant, as I interpreted it, that our leader had been strengthened in his purpose rather than weakened.

Well, we remained at the outpost all night, and by break of day set off on the highway for Dorchester, where we came upon more of our troops, and were forced to spend no little time explaining why we desired to continue on to Nook's hill.

Here, as at the Roxbury outpost, we were given much advice which I considered good, for it was to the effect that we go back to Cambridge rather than sacrifice our liberty, perhaps our lives, in what was little less than an act of folly.

You can fancy that these words had as little effect on Hiram as had the advice of the captain in Roxbury, and on we tramped until coming to where the highway ended in a pasture, when we turned sharply to the westward. On this last course we were headed for the shore, and, having arrived there, followed the line of the coast to a small gun-battery, nearby which was a block-house for the shelter of the men who were in charge of that apology for a fortification.

Here we found no one who could vouch for our loyalty to the Cause, and it was difficult to convince the lieutenant in charge that we were true Americans, for he failed utterly of understanding why, if we would serve the Cause, it was our intent to sacrifice ourselves.

However, before night had come Hiram succeeded in making the officer understand that we had told him no more than the truth, for it seemed that this lieutenant came from Concord, and Griffin was intimately acquainted with many of his friends.

When he found that it was not possible to turn us back, he set about doing all he could to further what he called "the mad plan," and to that end agreed that when everything was in favor of our making an attempt to enter Boston, meaning on the first cloudy or stormy night, he would provide us with a skiff. He also directed us to an old man who lived at Windmill point, by name of Job Lord, whom he declared would do for us all within his power, and insisted that we might trust him as we would our own fathers.

We remained with these soldiers four days, during which time even Hiram saw no fair opportunity to cross over into the town, and meanwhile we were eating our hearts out with impatience. As has already been said, too often, perhaps, I did not favor the plan, but yet before a suitable night came I was eager to be about the undertaking, for anything was better than remaining there twirling our thumbs, and it seemed certain that each day we lingered rendered it more difficult for us to come at Silas.

Then, near about sundown on a certain afternoon, clouds began to gather in the sky. There was a promise of rain in the southerly wind, and before darkness had fully come we saw to it that our skiff was made ready for the short journey; that the oars were muffled, and that such provisions as the men at the battery could spare, were bestowed among our clothing in such a way as would least hamper us in case we were forced to depend upon our heels for safety.

The men, whom we had come to know right well during our long stay, bade us "good bye" as if believing we would never meet again, and so solemn was the leave-taking that much of my eagerness to forward the venture was dispelled.

We waited until after nine of the clock, and then pushed cautiously out from the shore, heading as nearly as we might for Windmill point, it being our purpose to seek out this Job Lord, to whom we had been commended, before doing anything else. But there was much of danger in the way ere we could come upon the man, for the lieutenant had assured us that the vigilance of the Britishers before the battle at Breed's hill, was as nothing compared with what we would find it now.

Save the weather had favored us as it did on that night when we fled from Boston after having rescued Archie, no better time could have been chosen for the attempt. The rain did not bear out the token which the southerly wind gave; but the sky was covered with dense clouds, and had we been provided with a sail the journey might have been made in short order, unless, peradventure, it was interrupted by a British guard-boat.

It can well be supposed that we held our peace as we approached the point and heard the cries of the sentinels on the shore, and I believed of a verity that we could not put the skiff aground without being halted.

We came up on the eastern side of the point. Hiram steering with the oars after having cautioned that we should do no more than remain motionless, and when the water shoaled our leader stepped out over the port rail, motioning for us to do the same. When we were standing knee-deep in the water, Griffin gave the light skiff a vigorous thrust, sending her up past the town, for he did not count on her being found next morning to give proof that someone had made a landing.

We had come to the town, as you might say, without having seen a red-coated sentinel, and because I had believed it would not even be possible for us to approach the shore without being hailed, it seemed to me this was a good omen, therefore did my spirits rise higher than at any time since we set out on the venture.

About midway between the point and Darby's wharf we scrambled up on the land, Archie leading the way because he was better acquainted with this portion of the town than any other of the company, and headed across lots for South street, counting to gain Cow lane where we were told Job Lord lived.

As we made our way cautiously, noiselessly as Indians might have done, it was possible to hear loud voices coming from the direction of Hill's wharf, and I had no doubt but that a guard of Britishers was stationed there, being all the more convinced that such was a fact because of our not having come across any of the lobster backs when finally we stood at the corner of Cow lane.

If I remember rightly, there were then on the right-hand side as you faced Fort hill, three buildings. The first a small dwelling, next a stable, and then a house built partly of logs and partly of sawed timbers, in which last the lieutenant at the battery had told us Master Lord lived. The officer had also said that instead of going directly to the door to demand admittance, we must pass around to the easterly side and knock on the second shutter from the end.

Now it was Hiram's turn to take the lead, and he ordered us to remain within the shadow cast by the stable until having made certain there was no one on the street, after which he walked swiftly around the house in which Master Lord lived, and gave the signal as had been advised.

We followed closely upon his heels, as you can well imagine, and after he had rapped softly on the window I wondered what would be the result if we had hit upon the wrong building, when a cautious voice was heard from the inside.

"If you have aught of business with me go to the rear door."

This we did, and, still acting in accordance with the instructions of the lieutenant, Hiram said, not waiting for the door to be opened:

"We are come to learn if you can supply us with fish?"

"When do you want them?" was the answer, and our leader replied:

"As soon as possible, for fear some one will come up and interrupt the bargain."

All this conversation, we had been told, was necessary in order to convince Master Lord that his visitors were true to the Cause and desired his aid.

That we had repeated the words correctly was shown by the opening of the door, and although no one could be seen, we four stepped inside hurriedly, after which the door was closed and barred, when the screen was thrown from a lantern which set on a rude table. Then we saw before us the man whom we had been told would be able, above all others, to aid us in our dangerous venture.

Master Lord was a tall, thin, hatchet-faced person, with shifty eyes which gave you the impression that he had something to conceal. In fact, he was the reverse of the man in whom I would put confidence, and yet the lieutenant at the battery had assured us that again and again Job Lord had given evidence of his loyalty to the Cause.

However, it was not for us to find fault with his personal appearance, for however true or however false he might be, we were dependent upon him, or would be, after having explained the purpose of our coming.

Master Lord held up the unscreened lantern that he might scrutinize each in turn, and this he did in silence, devoting to it no little time, after which he commanded us to follow him as he led the way through a trap-door into the cellar.

I was considerably surprised at finding this place more comfortably furnished than the room above. There were two couches made of saplings and covered with beds of straw; a table, and a fire-place, behind which hung all the implements for cooking. Suspended from the beams were two large lanterns. One of these Master Lord lighted, carrying back the smaller lantern to the room above, and, rejoining us, took his seat on a stool at the table, asking sharply with much the air of a judge:

"What brings you lads into Boston at this time?"

"It is an overly long story," Hiram replied, drawing up to the table a stool for himself and sitting down as if to begin the tale; but before he could say more Master Lord interrupted him by demanding of Archie:

"Is not your father that John Hemming who is known as a Son of Liberty?"

"Aye, sir, that he is."

"Then you four must have been in the party that set off from Barton's point not long since, and were afterward heard of at Hog island?"

"That we were, sir," Archie replied.

"And it may be you know somewhat concerning the doings at Breed's hill?"

"These lads should be well acquainted with what took place there, since they acted a manly part," Hiram cried before anyone else could speak. "There was no man in the ranks who behaved in better fashion than they."

"And having kept clear of the Britishers that day, you are come to give them another chance at you?" Master Lord inquired, still looking at Archie, and again Hiram took it upon himself to make reply:

"You had best hear the story as to why these lads have come," he said, fearing, as I believed, lest Master Lord insist that we take advantage of the darkness to retrace our steps.

Then, without waiting for permission, Hiram told all that we had learned concerning Silas; explained why we left the encampment, and gave the details of our stay at the battery near Nook's hill, adding in conclusion:

"When the Britishers come to know that Silas Brownrigg was of that same party which carried away the provisions from Hog island, and begin to suspect he might have been concerned in releasing a prisoner, they will most like treat him with greater severity than may be shown those unfortunates who were captured at the close of the battle, having no worse record than love of the colonies."

Master Lord nodded, as if to say that he quite agreed with Hiram; but remained silent so long that it seemed as if he had forgotten we were there, and I ventured to ask with no little timidity:

"Do you know, sir, where the prisoners taken at Breed's hill are confined?"

"Some of them are in the Queen-street prison, and a goodly number have been taken to the Bridewell. Who could give information to the Britishers that you were concerned in the work at Hog island?" he asked, turning squarely upon me.

"Seth Jepson," I replied, and then I told him of our having enrolled that young Tory among the Minute Boys, as well as the reason we had for suspecting him before he openly played the traitor by bringing the lobster backs to Barton's point.

Again Master Lord fell silent, and this time none of us ventured to question him. We sat there, Hiram drumming with his fingers impatiently upon the table while we three lads stared at our host, until it seemed to me a full five minutes had passed when Master Lord, his eyes shifting uneasily from one to the other, began as if simply giving words to his thoughts:

"This place has served many a time, since General Gage began making trouble, as a refuge for those who were in sore need of hiding, and thus far the Britishers have had no suspicion that I did all within my power to serve the Cause. To make any attempt at releasing a prisoner now, when the lobster backs are so sore over that victory at Breed's hill, which was nothing more nor less than defeat, promises to reveal the work which has been carried on here."

He ceased speaking a full minute, and then cried out as if believing we suspected him of being afraid:

"Not that I care about myself, for I'll engage to give the Britishers the slip if I have five minutes warning of their intent to take me into custody; but I'm questioning whether we might not be doing more harm to the Cause by making known the secret of this place in order to rescue from prison a single lad, than if we left him to his fate, keeping secure our refuge here for those who may stand in greater need than he does of liberty."

"We were not counting on your taking any hand in this matter," Hiram said promptly when the old man ceased speaking. "Our first need is a hiding-place until we get true knowledge of where the lad may be, and possibly you can send us to some trusty person who, knowing all the circumstances, would give us shelter."

"It is certain you can do nothing this night, and I am willing to confess that you have accomplished a great deal by getting into Boston, for it has not been an easy matter since the battle. Are you in need of food?"

"We have had for supper all that four persons could desire," I replied quickly, fearing lest he might think we had it in mind to depend upon him entirely.

"Then lie down and take your rest, giving no heed to anything you may hear in the night. Regardless of what takes place, hold your peace, and I'll answer for it that no one will suspect there are any hiding here. When the day comes I shall strive to learn what I may regarding your comrade, and meet you again at the first opportunity."

Having said this, and without giving us a chance to add a word, he went up the ladder which led to the kitchen above, leaving us staring at each other in something very like perplexity and doubt.

Despite all that had been said in Master Lord's favor by the lieutenant at the battery, I could not put full confidence in this man as being a true friend to the Cause. His general appearance was against him, so I thought, and those shifty eyes, which never met yours squarely, were well calculated to breed distrust.

Now it is true that a lad like myself had no right to judge adversely of another who had proven himself true, and yet as I looked into the faces of my companions after our host had gone into the upper room, I saw, or fancied I did, written there much the same as was in my mind.

Certain it is that Hiram was not particularly well pleased because we had given ourselves so unreservedly into the power of Master Lord, and of this he gave proof by saying when we were alone:

"Having come thus far on the venture we must take things as we find them; but it will do no harm if we keep a sharp watch over every one we meet, and it would seem that the four of us should be able to discover anything smacking of treachery."

"Meaning that you have doubts concerning – "

I did not finish the sentence, which was spoken in a whisper, but pointed with my thumb upward so that he might know who I meant, whereupon he said quickly:

"Meaning no one in particular, and everybody in general."

"I would that we had come into this town trusting none but ourselves," Archie said, and Hiram cried much as though the words irritated him:

"Since we are come, and since we have given our secret to another, there is no good sense in harking back to what might have been done. We have set our faces toward Silas, and so long as we remain alive and free they are not to be turned from the goal. Instead of sitting here conjuring up old women's fancies which can do nothing save make the heart faint, suppose we follow Master Lord's advice and get a night's rest, for no one may say when we shall have another such opportunity?"

After this long speech Hiram set the example by throwing himself down on one of the beds of straw, and we lads soon followed him, for it was disheartening to sit there giving words to our fears and doubts when we were at the mercy of the man we distrusted.

How long I slept after my eyes were closed in uneasy slumber, it is impossible for me to say; but looking back at the matter afterward I fancied at least three hours had passed since we entered this cellar, when the sound of loud voices in the room above brought the four of us to our feet as if moved by a single spring of steel.

The floor was of roughly hewn planks, looking, so far as one might see by the light of the lantern, to be very heavy, and we who were in the cellar could not distinguish words spoken in an ordinary tone; but now so excited and apparently angry were the speakers, that we could catch a word here and there, although not in sufficient numbers as to give any inkling to the trend of the conversation.

It seemed to me, judging from the sounds, as if there were three or four in the room just over our heads, and that all were on the eve of a quarrel – fight would be the better word – so menacing were some of the tones.

It was evident Master Lord had been expecting there would be trouble before morning in this home of his, else why had he warned us against making any outcry or movement if we heard aught that might alarm? Surely his angry visitors could hardly be friends of the Cause, for they would not dare raise their voices so high lest the attention of the patrol be attracted, and if they were not of our people, why was this man, so greatly to be trusted by us "rebels," having any connection with them?

Before we had been awake three minutes came a clattering as if the table was overturned, and I distinguished sounds betokening the splintering of wood, telling that some article of furniture had been destroyed, while above such noises came the trampling of heavy feet, and shouts, and cries.

When this disturbance was at its height Hiram ran toward the ladder as if it was his intent to ascend, despite the warning which had been given; but I clutched his arm, holding him back by main strength as I said in a hoarse whisper:

"If Master Lord is not to be trusted, you would be making a bad matter worse by showing yourself at this time. In case he is true to the Cause, then most like you would do an injury to our people such as could not be repaired."

"You are right," Hiram said after the briefest hesitation, and he went back from the ladder to take a seat on the bed.

The lantern was still burning. None of us had been minded to extinguish the flame when we laid down to rest, because of the doubts which assailed us all, and therefore it was we could look into each others' faces during that seemingly desperate struggle which was going on above, mutely asking for some solution to what was a fearsome mystery.

Once when the uproar was greatest, Archie whispered that he would go to the top of the ladder, hoping it might be possible there to distinguish something of what was said; but he failed in the attempt, coming back to report that he could see no glimmer of light around the edges of the door, therefore believed it must be covered on the upper side, either to prevent those same visitors from seeing the entrance to the cellar, or to shut out from us all sound.

I think the quarrel, or fight, whichever it may be called, continued upward of half an hour, and then it seemed much as if those who had taken part in it were become friends again, for we heard nothing betokening anger, while now and then came the tramp of footsteps across the floor, showing that the visitors yet remained in the house.

After a time slumber lay so heavy on my eyelids that I stretched myself out on the bed once more, falling asleep almost immediately, and when I next awakened there was the belief in my mind that another day had come.

Because of being in the cellar, which was wholly underground, no light could come to us from the outside; but the lantern burned dimly as if the oil had been nearly consumed, and I fancied it was day.

My comrades awakened very shortly afterward like lads who have had their fill of slumber, and we lay on the beds trying for at least the twentieth time to get some glimmer of an idea regarding the strange doings of the night before, as well as questioning whether it might not be possible for us to learn whether Master Lord was at home.

While we talked Hiram, growing impatient, went boldly up the ladder, setting his shoulder against the trap-door; but failing to move it ever so slightly, and at this seeming evidence of our being held prisoners we grew alarmed.

So narrow was the ladder that two of us could not stand side by side on the upper rung in order to come at the barrier, and when each in turn had spent his strength against the heavy timbers without effect, we came together near the table, groping about that we might touch hands, for by this time the flame of the lantern had died away entirely, leaving us in total darkness.

"If Master Lord wanted to make friends with the Britishers, he would be on a fair road to so doing by giving us up to General Gage," I suggested, striving to speak in a mirthful tone as if in my mind there was no possibility of such treachery on his part, and Harvey clutched me by the hand nervously, as he whispered:

"Don't! Don't give words to what seems so very like the truth!"

"Have done with talk like that!" Hiram cried angrily. "To judge Master Lord an enemy is the same as calling the lieutenant, who treated us in such friendly fashion, a traitor."

"But why are we locked in here when it surely must be daylight?"

"There can be no answer to that question until Master Lord himself comes to make it, and I am bound to hold him a good man and true because of what we have been told, until he proves the contrary."

I believe Hiram himself was more than a little alarmed, for it seemed to me he struggled overly much to convince us he was apparently easy in mind, and we were yet giving words to our painful doubts when, without our having heard a sound previously, the trap-door was raised, letting into the cellar a flood of light as if the day had already grown old.

It was no more than natural we should step quickly toward the foot of the ladder, meeting there Master Lord himself, who looked about as if surprised because we were in darkness, and then, ascending quickly, he returned before we had time to follow, bringing with him the smaller lantern.

Not until he had set this aflame and placed it on the table did he give any heed to the questions which we were showering upon him; but then he said with the air of one who is vexed with too many words:

"Yes, it is full noon. I would have come to you before; but was on your business, and believed you could content yourselves, even in this poor place, knowing that your work was being forwarded. Are you suffering for food?"

"We can bear with hunger many hours and make no complaint, as has already been shown at Breed's hill," Hiram replied in a tone of sharpness. "Because of what we heard last night, and through knowing that we were locked in here as prisoners, did we come to be somewhat uneasy in mind."

"Then you tried to get out when there was trouble above, regardless of my warning?" the old man cried angrily.

"We held ourselves as you commanded," and now Hiram's voice rang with temper. "It was this morning we strove to learn whether we were free to come and go as we pleased, and found that such was not the case."

"Neither are you free, so far as leaving this house without my consent is concerned. I have much the same as promised to aid you, and am doing so, even at risk to myself and injury to the Cause, therefore it is you are holden here until I shall give the word that you may depart without endangering the secret of this place."

Master Lord spoke with such an air of authority, as if he understood full well we were thoroughly in his power, that I was more alarmed than at any time since we came into the town, and mayhap there was somewhat of the same feeling in Hiram's heart, for he asked as if he had the right to know: