"The lieutenant at the Bridewell failed to understand why Job Lord did not come in person for the prisoner, and save that he feared to set awry some plan of General Gage's, he would have held me there till word could be sent to headquarters. There's no telling how soon he may get word to those who will come to find out if everything is as it should be."
Even while speaking Hiram was descending the ladder, at the foot of which Harvey stood white-faced, with staring eyes, for he had no means of knowing how the battle was going, and I could understand full well in what a turmoil must have been his mind.
"It's all right, lad," Hiram said reassuringly as he laid his hand on Harvey's shoulder. "Pull yourself together, for we must make a quick flitting. Best carry Seth up stairs, so he may have company while we are gone."
"I thought it was agreed he would go with us," I cried hotly, not of the mind to lose one of our prisoners even though we yet stood in so much of danger.
"We can't take the chances of two, as matters stand now, and Job Lord is the more valuable to our friends in Cambridge," Hiram said, speaking hurriedly as he began to cast off the bonds from the man's feet. "The lobster back who went with me to the Bridewell knows I was given but one, and he is to aid us in embarking, therefore to have two would cause a suspicion to enter even his thick head."
Hiram had Master Lord in shape for walking by this time; but the fellow flatly refused to rise from the bed, declaring that his limbs were so cramped he had no control over them.
"It will be well that you get them into shape in short order, for we count on taking you with us, or leaving you here dead, and there is little time in which to make a choice," Hiram said in a tone which gave proof that his were no idle words. "Carry the boy up the ladder, and leave him on the floor," he added to me, and this Harvey and I did with all speed, while Archie and Silas stood by to lend our leader a hand if so be he might need it.
I had no opportunity of hearing whether Master Lord made further protest against doing as he had been commanded; but it seemed to me that Harvey and I had no sooner laid Seth Jepson by the side of the Tory who had been so severely injured, than Hiram appeared at the top of the ladder with the double-faced scoundrel by his side.
"Do you know where the ship-yard that is owned by a man named Edes may be located?" Hiram asked immediately he had come up into the room, and we lads soon gave him to understand that the place was familiar to us.
"Then lead the way, stepping out lively, for I am not minded to linger here many minutes," he said sharply, turning to seize Master Lord by the collar.