"I am sorry to see a promising young man like you, Neal, led astray by these fanatics, who dream of opposing his majesty's just and wise laws. You have too much solid sense to train in any such company."
"You seem to have a remarkably good opinion of me," Walter said, grimly.
"So I have, lad, so I have. I know you have been hoping to build a mill of your own on the Pascataqua, and am interested in the project, for it is a sensible one: there is plenty of money to be made in that section."
"According to appearances now I shan't reap any very large harvest this year."
"It depends upon yourself. If you had kept proper company there would have been no attachment made to-day.
"How did you know anything about that?" Walter asked, sharply.
"I heard the matter discussed, and feel certain you would have been given more time but for your own very unwise move last night."
"Then you know-"
Walter stopped suddenly on realizing that he was about to betray a secret, but Haines finished the remark.
"That you enrolled yourself among that rabble who call themselves the Sons of Liberty? Yes; I know it, and so do others."