As the days rolled on and we neither saw those of our number who had fled to Cambridge, nor were called upon for any service, it began to appear to me as if I need not have been so eager to remain in Boston because of the Minute Boys, since most like there were so many men joining the American army that lads were no longer considered of any account. Then came the day when Hiram Griffin suddenly appeared, coming to my home at the moment when my mother and I were breaking our fast, and one might have fancied from his manner and the business-like way in which he spoke, that no more than a dozen hours had passed since we last saw him. I literally overwhelmed him with questions, so eager was I to learn of Archie, and what progress our people might have been making against the king which had not come to us in Boston, until before each had satisfied the other's curiosity the forenoon was nearly half spent. He told me that he and my comrade had arrived at Cambridge the morning after the escape, having encountered no danger on the way, and being forced to land at the Penny ferry owing to the fact that the wind blew so strongly they could not hope to pull the boat down to the Charles river. Silas had gained the encampment and unfolded his budget of news before they arrived. From some of our people who came out of the town under pass from General Gage, it was learned that no action had been taken by the Britishers regarding Archie's escape, yet it was not safe for him to venture into Boston. Silas had remained with the army because, so his father believed, there was no real need of his coming back until work had been found for us Minute Boys to do. Master Brownrigg claimed that there were enough of us in town to get all the information regarding the Britishers that could be desired. In fact, as Hiram represented it, there was little need for us lads to act the part of spies while so many of our people could procure a British pass. Now, however, was come the time when we lads, were called upon to show of what metal we were made, and, therefore, Hiram had been sent to summon the Minute Boys; not on an expedition of a warlike nature, much to my sorrow, but simply to aid in the work of gathering supplies for the army at Cambridge. Our soldiers numbered no less than sixteen thousand, so Hiram assured me, and while the people from the country round about gave generously from their stores, it was a difficult matter for the leaders, all unprepared as they were to care for such a body of men, to keep up the supply of provisions. It had been decided that, not only in order to provide rations for our own people, but to aid in cutting off food from the enemy, the farms on the islands near to Boston were to be ravaged and everything eatable, whether belonging to friend or foe, was to be transported to Cambridge, if indeed that might be done.