"But I am not playing the spy," and now Seth began to grow angry. "I came out here to render you a service, at the risk of being flogged if it is known that I left the city for such a purpose. I intend to enlist as soon as the Britishers have left Philadelphia."
"Indeed? Is that true, my lad? You will enlist when we are on the winning side, and not before, eh?"
"Can I see Colonel Powers?" Seth asked hotly. "Or will you take me to some one equal in rank with him?"
"You shall have an opportunity of seeing an officer in the Continental army, don't fear as to that; but if you count on going back to Philadelphia in time to give valuable information to the Britishers, you are mistaken. They will look for their spy quite a spell before seeing him."
"I tell you I am not a spy!" Seth interrupted.
"That you shall have an opportunity to prove. Have you any weapons?"
"Indeed I haven't."
"Look him over, Hubbard, and make certain he isn't telling more lies," the leader said to one of his followers, and the man dismounted at once, searching Seth's person so roughly that the boy forgot Grimshaw's warning to control his temper.
"You shall be made sorry for this!" he cried hotly. "You shall learn—"
A blow on the side of the head caused him to reel, and he would have fallen but that he staggered against one of the horses.