"I had hoped you would wait on some chance of being able to help us set Archie free," I said after a moment's hesitation. "An' that were true, I would loiter here till the month's end, giving no heed to what those in the encampment might think of my absence," he replied heartily. "Then stay!" I cried. "Greater things than freeing a lad who is shut up in the cell of a prison, has been done by poorer tools than can be found among us Minute Boys. You shall lodge at my home, going and coming as best pleases you." "I'll stay, lad," Hiram said promptly, "and am all the more willing to do so because it strikes me you need a deal of watching." I fancied it was possible to read in his face the thought which he had in mind, and my cheeks were flaming red as I said in the tone of one who admits his error: "You believe I made a blunder in telling the lads all that the Committee of Safety would have us do?" "It was more than a blunder, lad, unless you could answer for all of your comrades as you can for yourself. No harm would have come if you had held your peace, simply telling them it was necessary you should know all that was going on in order the better to guard against evil." "Instead of which I laid myself bare," I cried bitterly, "and at the same time was suspicious of that lad, Seth Jepson. Not until he admitted getting information concerning Archie from Amos Nelson, did I realize my mistake." "Well," Hiram said soothingly, "no good ever came of crying over spilt milk. You must try to conjure up some plan for holding Seth Jepson in such fashion that he will be harmless, or, if so much cannot be done, see to it he is kept ignorant as to what you would do." There was no reason why we should linger under the old wharf, and I was eager to be alone despite the fact that I craved Hiram's companionship, for it seemed as if I must work out some scheme by which it would be possible to prevent Seth Jepson from playing us false. Therefore it was I led the way to my house, and said when we were come to the door: "You are free here to do as you will; but I'm thinking it may be wiser if we two are not seen together overly much. I am counting on going across the Common with the idea of helping Silas, if he believes it safe to bring the boat around." "Never fear but what I'll look after myself," he said cheerily as he entered the house, and I went my way alone. Now it is not needed that I set down too many words in striving to tell that which is of little importance. It will be as well if I pass over four and twenty hours, and come to the afternoon of the day following my woeful blunder. During that time many things had happened, and instead of our sending information to Cambridge, great news had come from there to us in Boston who were loyal to the Cause.