Had the lad shown the slightest token of courage I might have had some sympathy for him, for surely it was hard to thus suddenly find himself at the mercy of those whom he had wronged, at the very moment he must have believed everything was going his way; but the fellow was such a veritable coward that even the softest-hearted could not feel aught save contempt for him.
He whined and whimpered, declaring it had never been in his mind to do us wrong, and swearing to that which we knew was absolutely false, until Hiram cried angrily:
"Put a stopper on that fellow's jaw! It makes me sick to hear his howling. I have some respect for a lad or man who can take as well as give; but when it comes to working all the harm he may, and then showing the white feather so completely, my patience is soon gone."
Seth shut his mouth like a clam. I believe the coward would have tried to stand on his head, had Hiram given any such command, so eager was he to show his willingness to obey, and I said to myself that of the two, Job Lord, who had meditated worse treachery against the Cause than Seth could ever have hoped to work, was the better.
In due time Hiram had as appetizing a meal as could be prepared from all the stores to be found in the building, for once he had set about the work of a cook he did not scruple at overhauling the provisions in the room above, finding there many a toothsome dainty which had been supplied this miserable double-faced spy by his British friends.
We ate heartily, and with greater relish than at any time since this venture in aid of Silas had been proposed, for now was the greater portion of the burden removed from our hearts, and we could see our way out, where before all had been darkness with a British prison at the end.
When the meal was ready I would have put the gag back into Job Lord's mouth; but before it was possible to do so he said with the air of one who speaks the truth:
"I'm not minded to take so much of punishment as that involves, if it can in any way be avoided, therefore it is I give you my solemn word not to raise my voice above a whisper from now till sunset."
I looked at Hiram to see what he thought of the proposition, for there was in my mind a suspicion that Master Lord might have some scheme in his head to do us harm; but our comrade said decidedly:
"As a rule I wouldn't take the word of such as he for the value of a button; but since he knows full well that we could fall upon him before he had time to let out more than one yell, and also understands that that one yell would be his last, I'm thinking it is safe enough to let him have the use of his jaws."