United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Juvenile fiction
Save the weather had favored us as it did on that night when we fled
from Boston after having rescued Archie, no better time could have been
chosen for the attempt. The rain did not bear out the token which the
southerly wind gave; but the sky was covered with dense clouds, and had
we been provided with a sail the journey might have been made in short
order, unless, peradventure, it was interrupted by a British guard-boat.
It can well be supposed that we held our peace as we approached the
point and heard the cries of the sentinels on the shore, and I believed
of a verity that we could not put the skiff aground without being
halted.
We came up on the eastern side of the point. Hiram steering with the
oars after having cautioned that we should do no more than remain
motionless, and when the water shoaled our leader stepped out over the
port rail, motioning for us to do the same. When we were standing
knee-deep in the water, Griffin gave the light skiff a vigorous thrust,
sending her up past the town, for he did not count on her being found
next morning to give proof that someone had made a landing.
We had come to the town, as you might say, without having seen a
red-coated sentinel, and because I had believed it would not even be
possible for us to approach the shore without being hailed, it seemed to
me this was a good omen, therefore did my spirits rise higher than at
any time since we set out on the venture.
About midway between the point and Darby's wharf we scrambled up on the
land, Archie leading the way because he was better acquainted with this
portion of the town than any other of the company, and headed across
lots for South street, counting to gain Cow lane where we were told Job
Lord lived.
As we made our way cautiously, noiselessly as Indians might have done,
it was possible to hear loud voices coming from the direction of Hill's
wharf, and I had no doubt but that a guard of Britishers was stationed
there, being all the more convinced that such was a fact because of our
not having come across any of the lobster backs when finally we stood at
the corner of Cow lane.
If I remember rightly, there were then on the right-hand side as you
faced Fort hill, three buildings. The first a small dwelling, next a
stable, and then a house built partly of logs and partly of sawed
timbers, in which last the lieutenant at the battery had told us Master
Lord lived. The officer had also said that instead of going directly to
the door to demand admittance, we must pass around to the easterly side
and knock on the second shutter from the end.
Now it was Hiram's turn to take the lead, and he ordered us to remain
within the shadow cast by the stable until having made certain there was
no one on the street, after which he walked swiftly around the house in
which Master Lord lived, and gave the signal as had been advised.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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