"I am willing to agree the chances are much against us," Archie replied, "and yet there is a possibility that by some lucky accident we could come across Silas. I realize what it is to be held prisoner by the lobster backs, and yet that which I suffered must be as nothing compared with his situation, for more than one of the Britishers know he fought desperately well. Perhaps the lad lies wounded, lacking attention, lacking nursing. Are we to stay here in safety?"
"I'm not saying aught against our doing all that is possible," was my hot retort; "but it is beyond reason to suppose we might help him even in the slightest degree."
"So most like you said when I was in prison, and yet by a singular combination of lucky accidents I was set free."
I understood full well that it would be useless for me to attempt further to combat the resolution which my comrade had already formed, and yet I could not bring myself to see in the two cases any likeness one to the other. The dullest among us knew in what frame of mind the Britishers must be after having been so nearly whipped by the "rag-tag" of the colonies, and it was almost certain that the prisoners captured during the battle, or the retreat, would be guarded so closely as to prevent any such slight aid as we might be able to give.
What Harvey thought of the matter I could not guess. As we discussed it I fancied now he took sides with me, and again that he believed Archie to be in the right. As to Hiram, it was evident that any mad scheme which might be proposed would meet with his favorable attention.
If I could have seen the least ray of hope in such an enterprise, none would have been more eager than I; but to my mind there was not one chance in an hundred that we could even succeed in getting into the town, yet a word from Harvey caused me to become as eager as either Archie or Hiram to set about the apparently hopeless attempt.
"If there are but seven of our Minute Boys here in the encampment, it is the duty of those who have come out from the battle unscathed to learn the fate of the others. Who can say that the lobster backs may not have more than Silas in their clutches?"
It was much the same as if Harvey had said that I, as captain of the Minute Boys, was in duty bound to learn the fate of those who were absent, regardless of how much danger might be attached to such an effort, and from that instant I was ready, even showed eagerness, to undertake anything whatsoever which they should propose so long as it had reference to the missing members of our company.
It so chanced that my father passed near at about this time, and I ran to have speech with him, explaining what my comrades would have me do, and why there was apparent reason for our making every effort to enter Boston town.
"It is not to be thought of," he cried sharply, before I was come to an end of the story. "There is no hope of your being able to aid the lad, if so be he is a prisoner; you would only be venturing your heads into the lion's mouth to no purpose."