"All the part he took was to help carry the pole from my house over to Hanover Street. Amos had charge of the whole matter, and yet you believe he is friendly with the 'bloody backs,' just because he happens to have an uncle who is no honour to the family."
"We shouldn't have known anything about it, but for the barber, and if you think he hasn't had enough, we'll finish flogging him."
Hardy, who had not dared to move from the moment Amos ceased punishing him, now looked even more terrified than before, until the latter replied:
"No good will come of abusing him. Let him alone, and in the future I reckon he'll tell the truth."
"He will never tell us anything again that we shall believe," one of the attacking party said. "I'm sorry we let a liar like him lead us on to what we've done against you, and I'll agree we won't make such a mistake again, if you'll call it settled. Come down to the Liberty Tree with us, you two fellows, and let's see what's going on there."
Amos, eager to get the throng away from his father's house, accepted the invitation at once, and he and Jim marched in the midst of their late enemies, while Master Piemont's assistant was left alone to nurse, at the same time, his wounds and his anger.
The throng at Liberty Hall was as great as Amos had ever seen it at any time; but decidedly more quiet and orderly than on the previous evening.
It was as if, having decided upon a definite plan, the people were willing to wait quietly until the hour set for action should arrive.
It was rumoured that the Sons of Liberty, as an organisation, had agreed to head the populace in a peremptory demand for the removal of the troops, which was to be made on the following Monday; but Amos failed to learn that there was any good foundation for this rumour. It was known positively that the Sons of Liberty had laid the grievances of the people before the Governor and Council, but there were many at Liberty Hall who doubted if the members of the Society would countenance the actions of the mob.
"It seems as if poor little Chris was forgotten already," Jim Gray said, after he and Amos had listened to several hot-headed speakers urging the people to rise in their might. "Now they talk only of the attack upon the rope-makers, and hardly mention his name."