“Don’t be afraid to trust him,” said Nat, warmly. “I never had a more faithful friend than he has proven himself.”
“I’ll speak to Dr. Warren,” said Revere, evasively. “It may be that the need he spoke of has passed. Come to-morrow at this time and I’ll let you know.”
Nat spent the remainder of the day and part of the next wandering about the city, looking curiously upon the closed stores, the military encampments, the trim looking warships and transports that rode at anchor in the river. But more than anything else he was interested in the people, the quiet, watchful people, so careful that no one should do anything that could be in any way considered an offence to the military. Boston knew that the day of blood was coming; but when it came she wanted to be able to say that she did not strike the first blow.
At about noon on the day following the departure of Ezra and Ben, Nat paused before a likely looking coffee-house in Orange Street not far from Allen’s Lane.
“Shall we go on to the ‘Dragon’ or shall we have something here?” asked he of the Porcupine.
“I do feel rather peckish,” returned the dwarf, “and the ‘Dragon’ is a long way off.”
So without more ado, Nat made his way into the place, followed by his odd-looking ally. There were oaken tables and chairs about the main room, and at the side were others screened by curtains of baize.
“It’ll be more comfortable here, I think,” said Nat, selecting one of these; and so they seated themselves and made known their wants to an attentive waiter. As they ate their thick barley soup with big pewter spoons and nibbled at bits broken from a crusty loaf, their eyes wandered about the great square room and through the door at the people who passed so quietly, up and down.
There were some prints upon the wall that after a little attracted Nat’s attention; and it was while examining these that he heard a sputtering cry from the Porcupine. Turning his head he found that the latter was apparently choking upon a morsel of bread and a mouthful of soup; but at the same time he was almost frantically pointing through the open door with his spoon.
Nat turned his gaze in that direction and his excitement almost equaled that of his companion when he saw, standing upon the pavement before the coffee-house, the tall stranger whom they had encountered at the Bristol inn.