“Most urgent news for you at least,” said Gilbert Scarlett.
He pulled up his soft leather boots and twirled one point of his moustache.
“At first,” said he, “like the others here I was not at all sure as to which side you favored in this struggle. But since becoming more intimate with you, I have discovered at least enough,” laughing, “to make up my mind.”
“A son of James Prentiss could not be for anything else than liberty,” said the ex-first mate of the “Champion,” stoutly.
“Thank you, Mr. Stacey,” said Ezra, quietly.
“Well,” said the adventurer, “let’s to our news. It has transpired,” he proceeded to Ezra, “that General Gage will at last make a move. A large body of troops will cross the river with entrenching tools within the next three nights.”
“But you don’t know exactly when or where?”
“No,” replied the innkeeper as the other hesitated. “I had the news from a source that can’t be wrong; but it went no farther than to say that the movement would be carried out within three nights.”
Ezra sat for a moment regarding his friends.
“There are two reasons, then,” he said at length, “why I should leave Boston at once.”