Then it was I did a mighty deal of thinking. The first plan I formed was to cross over to the western shore of the town with the poor hope of finding there a skiff in which I might make way to Cambridge with my prisoner, even though in so doing I should be abandoning my comrades who, if I failed to return before daylight, would be set upon by Master Lord in whatsoever way he purposed to deal with them.
The thought that I would thus be purchasing my own safety, if indeed I was lucky enough to come upon a skiff on the shore, at the expense of my comrades shamed me, and, pulling Seth sharply around to the left, I continued at a yet swifter pace down past the powder house, across the Common, my brain in such a whirl that it seemed I must of necessity go once more to Cow lane.
By this time little clouds had begun to gather in the sky, so that the night was darker than it had been when I set out, and as we came to the end of Hog alley I believed it safe to stop there an instant in order to regain my breath, for now both captive and captor were breathing heavily.
Here, as we crouched within the shadow of an outhouse, Seth began his whining once more; but I cut him short with an extra twist in the collar of his shirt, at the same time warning him in a whisper that my knife would find its place in his back if he dared speak one word, however cautiously.
Now was come the time when I must decide upon what should be done, and, despite the danger, in my perplexity I decided to take the chances of regaining Master Lord's dwelling, saying to myself that the only hope remaining was to get Seth into that place of refuge which was at the same time our prison. Once there Hiram Griffin could decide whether we would not be warranted in turning our backs upon the mission which had brought us to Boston town, and make every effort to gain Cambridge with the prisoner.
It was a wondrous relief to have settled upon some plan, however poor and desperate, and without further loss of time I pushed Seth on once more, vowing that we should not slacken pace, unless it might be to avoid the patrol, until having come to Cow lane.
Down through the alley, across Newbury street; through the gardens there to Short street, and thence on to Blind lane; past the New South Church, and down Summer street, finally coming to our destination.
Even as I set this down it seems wondrous strange that we could have come thus far, and for a certain distance through a settled portion of the town, without having seen or heard anything of life. Yet such was indeed the case, else I had not been here to tell this poor story of our Minute Boys of Boston, for had we been captured while I held Seth Jepson in my power, then was the end speedily come for me, because every Tory in town would have seen to it that such charges were brought to my door as would lead to the gallows.
It was when we were come to the rear of Master Lord's house, I still clutching the Tory cur firmly by the collar, that my heart misgave me. How would it be possible for me to send him down through that narrow tunnel without his making an outcry, and should the plan succeed, how were we to keep him in hiding where we ourselves were prisoners?
However, I had come so far on the way that there was no turning back. The plan must be carried out as it had been hastily made, whether foolish or no, and if peradventure it brought us all to grief then I ought not be so severely censured, because there was naught else to be done, as it then appeared to me.