"You could not have released me single-handed," Archie cried, "however might have been your inclination, and therefore it is I shall go whether you are willing or not." The other two were quite as decided in their intention to take part in the venture, and, realizing how useless it would be to make any effort at bringing about a change of opinion, I agreed that we would all go, even though believing that we were not warranted in so doing. Once this matter had been settled Hiram seemed to consider himself the leader of our party, regardless of the fact that I had been chosen captain of the company, and straightway began to lay plans, thus showing, to my mind at least, that he had decided, even before awakening me, on some such scheme. Had the matter been left to my decision, I would have held that our efforts at gaining the town must be made by water, either from Mystic river or Willis creek; but Hiram said in a tone which admitted of no argument: "We'll go down the Cambridge to Muddy river in a skiff, and from there strike into Dorchester where we shall find a small body of our own troops." "And also, where we'll be bottled up in great shape, for even you cannot believe there will be any chance of our getting past the British fortifications on Boston Neck," I said, believing I had found such a defect in his plan that he would not attempt to carry it out. "I'm at a loss to see how we are bottled up any worse in Dorchester, than here, and because our people haven't been making many attempts to get into the town from that direction, I believe our best chance of success lies there. It is not absolutely necessary we attempt to go over the Neck; but it should be possible, on a dark night, to slip across in a boat from nearabout Nook's hill to some part of the town south of Windmill point." "And what then?" I asked with no slight show of impatience, for it seemed as if there was mighty little of common sense in this plan of his by which we were to risk our necks. "That's as far as we can get by laying out the work in advance. All the rest must come about through accident." "But once in the town," I insisted, "how is it going to be possible for us to learn where the prisoner is confined, since we do not dare show ourselves in broad day?" "There are yet people in Boston town who love the Cause?" Hiram said as if asking a question, and I contented myself with nodding, for it seemed much as if he would put me off with empty words. "Aye," I replied, "most like hundreds of them." "And you lads who have lived there should be able to find a hiding-place without going among those who might be suspected of harboring a rebel." "I could go to twenty such places, and yet not be able to say how we would be able to provide ourselves with food while keeping under cover."