During the days that followed, Nat Brewster saw a great deal of Ezra Prentiss. One day the latter would ride to Germantown. On the next, perhaps, the cousins would go into the city.
On September 5th, the Congress met for the first time, at Carpenter’s Hall, with Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, as its president and with representatives present from every colony except Georgia.
On the very next day, the famous Suffolk resolves were passed at Milton, Massachusetts; on the 17th a rider arrived in Philadelphia bearing a copy of this document to the Congress, and when a hint of the radical nature of the resolutions became known, the city was in a state of feverish suspense.
It happened that Ezra Prentiss had spent the preceding night at the Cooper place; and that day Ben and Nat rode in company with him into the city. As they dismounted in the yard of the City Tavern, Ezra noticed a well-made, good-natured looking man of middle age rubbing away at a powerful bay horse.
“What!” exclaimed the young New Englander. “Is it possible that it is Mr. Revere?”
The man paused in his rubbing and looked up. As he caught sight of Ezra, a cheery smile overspread his face.
“Why bless my heart and body!” cried he, “it’s young Ezra Prentiss, as large as life!”
Ezra hastened forward to shake hands with the speaker. A hostler who took Nat’s mount said in a low tone, in which there was considerable respect:
“It’s the rider of the Suffolk Convention. He’s made the trip from Boston in six days.”
“I don’t wonder at it,” put in another one of the inn’s people who stood idly by, chewing at a long straw. “That’s a remarkable animal he’s got there.”