"The lieutenant's eyes may have been shut just as Job Lord would shut ours," Hiram said with a smile, much as if it pleased him to have thus settled the matter in his own mind. "It must be that this man has done good service among our people, otherwise he would not have such a reputation for loyalty to the colony. But whatever he may have done in the past, it seems certain to me he is ready to play us false now."
"I fail to see why he need take any roundabout lane to get at such a knavish result," Harvey suggested. "If he counts to give us up to the lobster backs, it only needs that he call in the first squad which comes past the building, for here we are like rats in a trap, ready to be taken whenever it is the pleasure of those who have caught us."
"I wish it might be possible for me to make that part of it plain in my mind," Hiram said thoughtfully. "I can figure out all else; but why it should be his purpose to keep us here any length of time, instead of delivering us up at once, is more than I can come at. Certain it is he's playing a game, and it remains for us to learn what it may be."
"And in the meanwhile what about Silas?" Archie asked, whereupon Hiram replied sharply, as if it vexed him because the lad would carry the conversation so far afield:
"He is no more a prisoner than we are, and until it is possible for us to get out of this place, at the same time finding some means of preventing Job Lord from giving the lobster backs warning of our whereabouts, we need not trouble our heads concerning him. I have no mind to arouse your fears, lad, and surely you can understand the situation as well as I; but to my thinking we would be safer shut up in the Bridewell, as prisoners of war, than here in the power of this man who claims to be devoted heart and soul to the Cause."
Such words silenced me. I had come to believe that Hiram could see treachery in Master Lord's course; but until this moment had no idea he believed the situation to be so desperate. It must have been that he saw what was very like to fear written on my face, for he added after a short pause:
"Nay, nay, lad, do not let me persuade you into making mountains out of mole hills; but let us not fall into the mistake of failing to see the mole hills. You stood up bravely when we were on Breed's hill with three or four thousand lobster backs striving to kill us, and I saw no sign of fear on your face. Now we have but one man against us, and it will go hard indeed if we four cannot outwit the scoundrel, if scoundrel he be, providing he gives us time."
"But why should he give us time?" Harvey persisted, and again Hiram said:
"That's what puzzles me lad; but I am hoping to find out before many hours have passed. In the meanwhile, when he comes here it is for us to make him believe we are not only willing, but pleased to remain as he would have us. Do not let it appear that we have any suspicions of him whatsoever, but fall in with all he suggests, for indeed we can do no less while shut up here."
"If that rubbish hole leads outside, why may we not escape by means of it?" I asked, and the reply came promptly: