"Then listen. I know where Wharton, the Tory, has two horses stabled, and it will not be hard work to get them out after the groom has gone away for the night. If anything is done by the Britishers which our friends should know, we can take them, follow the Schuylkill up till we come to the bridge, and be at General Lafayette's camp before daylight."
"But that would be stealing!" Enoch cried.
"I don't think so, under the circumstances. It will be only an honest act, for we do it to save the lives of our friends."
"That would prevent our coming back to Philadelphia while the Britishers are here, and the stranger said we might be of more service in this city than we could in the army."
"So we shall if we carry such important news, and it is better for us to leave here on an errand like that than remain idle when the cause may suffer."
"I will do whatever you say is right, Jacob, but do not want to serve our country by becoming a thief."
"That you will not become, I tell you!" Jacob cried impatiently.
"It shall be as you say."
"Very well. Now I will go in one direction and you in another. We'll meet on High Street near Fourth. If nothing has been seen we must continue to walk around until certain the Britishers do not intend to leave the city."
Having thus mapped out his plan Jacob started up Walnut Street at his best pace, and Enoch went in the opposite direction, feeling rather doubtful of such honesty as displayed itself by the theft of two horses.