At that time, when the Britishers were suspicious of the "rebels," and General Gage eager to find some cause of complaint whereby he might put in prison those who loved the colony, even a gathering of sixteen lads would not have escaped rigid scrutiny by those who misruled in Boston, and the most imprudent thing we could have done, would have been to come together in the open air where any who passed might see us. "They are under the wharf?" I said questioningly to Hiram, and he replied curtly: "Ay, your friend Silas told me they were to meet there," and then it seemed as if he was on the point of saying something more; but if such had been his intention he checked himself right suddenly, walking silently by my side until we were come to that point on the shore from whence we could look under the wharf. Silas stepped out as I came into view, and said in a whisper: "I have kept the lads out of sight lest some meddling lobster back should report a dangerous gathering. Every fellow is present, and eager to hear what you learned at Cambridge." "Have you not told them?" I asked in surprise. "I was not certain how far you cared to make public what had been said at the encampment, and therefore held my peace regardless of their questions, promising that you would tell them the story in due time." As I look back now to that moment when was first assembled the company of which I had been chosen captain, it seems passing strange I should have made a blunder which was near akin to a crime, before having been with them five minutes. After the advice, repeated so many times by my father and Doctor Warren, that I be prudent, it seems as if I showed myself the thickest-headed lad in all the colony, else would I have begun the business by keeping a closer tongue. Even while I was greeting the lads they cried out impatiently to know what I had heard and seen in Cambridge, and I, like a simple, must needs repeat parrot fashion all the instructions which had been given me, when common prudence would have dictated that I set the boys about gathering information, without making known that we were much the same as detailed as spies. In my folly I even went so far as to lay plans how and when we might best leave the town to make report, and even gave a list of those to whom we should apply for skiffs. While my tongue ran loose I fancied Hiram moved uneasily about, as if he would say something to me privately; but I, puffed up with pride because of taking upon myself for the first time command of the Minute Boys, gave no heed to him until I had stripped myself bare of information, so that if, peradventure, there was a traitor among us he could go direct to General Gage with a story of all that we proposed to do. Having finished the recital I asked if there were any who could give information concerning Archie which had not already been made public, and one of the lads spoke up promptly, saying: