"There's no need of taking so much trouble. You and Archie are to stay here while Luke and I have a look over the house, and if so be Seth unwisely attempts to make a disturbance, put your knife into him, for we should be doing the Cause no little service by sending both these fellows out of the world."
Then, motioning to me, Hiram led the way up the ladder, and after some searching in that room which served Job Lord as a kitchen we found a store of tallow dips, one of which we lighted, because, since the shutters had been closed, it was almost dark within the dwelling.
Master Lord's home was not sumptuously furnished; but he was well outfitted with chests of drawers and cupboards such as housewives fancy, and among these we began our search, taking first that piece of furniture which was at the same time a desk for writing and a receptacle for books and papers.
We had not long to search, if to prove that Job Lord had been acting as a tool for the Britishers was our only aim. On the top of the desk, as if it had been but lately placed there, was a folded paper, and when Hiram opened it eagerly I read these words across the top:
"Information for Job Lord to send to the rebels."
Then followed what I knew to be a false account of the doings of the Britishers; but neither Hiram nor I cared to read it entirely.
"I reckon here's enough to hang Master Lord, if so be we had him in Cambridge," my companion said grimly, and then, his appetite for evidence being whetted by that which had come so conveniently to hand, he continued the search, finding four or five documents proving that our host was in friendly communication with the Britishers.
Then we came upon that which caused Hiram to cry aloud in triumph and satisfaction, for it was neither more nor less than a pass from General Gage himself, permitting the bearer and friends to leave the city by any route whatsoever.
"I'm allowing we won't have to swim from here to Cambridge!" Hiram said exultantly, as he carefully folded and placed the precious document inside his stocking.
I believed this would be the end of our search, because we had found all for which we came, and more. To people in our situation a safeguard from the king's governor was something of more value than can well be understood by those who did not live in the days when British might made right.