“Mr. Revere is going to ride back with Congress’ answer to those Suffolk resolves,” proceeded Ben. “And Ezra will more than likely go with him.”
“Why?” asked Nat. “I understood that he was here as clerk to the Adamses.”
“So he is. And it’s in Samuel Adams’ service he’ll go north, if he goes at all.”
Nat’s jaw set at this, and his brows came together. At the same moment he felt the Porcupine squirm; and he knew that the same thought had come to them both.
“Anything of importance?” inquired Nat, after they had ridden a little further.
“I don’t know,” answered Ben. “But I suppose so. It’s a private message, I think, and to Dr. Warren; so I’d judge that it would be of some consequence.”
Nat made no reply to this. Indeed, he spoke but seldom all the way home. Ben noticed it, but made no comment. However, he thought it a little odd.
“But then,” he told himself, “Nat’s been keeping to himself for a week back. Sometimes he goes moping around thinking and thinking like all possessed; and I’ve really begun to wonder if he isn’t homesick for those mountains of his, or something like that.”
After supper that evening Mr. Cooper, as was his custom, took a book and began pacing up and down the paths at the front of the house. He was generally left to himself on these occasions, as it was what he called his “study hour”; and so, when Nat came out and quietly fell into pace beside him, he was a little surprised.
“I hope I’m not disturbing you, sir,” said the lad.