Understanding what was in their minds, I grew uneasy lest that be done which might be a black mark against us as soldiers, for such we surely were then, even though by age we were forced to call ourselves boys. When Seth Hastings was at liberty, and we searching for him, it seemed to me as if there was no punishment we could deal out which would be too great for the injury he would have inflicted; but now that he was in our power I began to fear lest the lads would wreak such a vengeance as might cause us shame in after years. Much of that which was in my mind I repeated to Gabriel as we walked through the encampment, and he replied in a whisper: “The general has the same fear, as he told me at the first opportunity after we arrived. He begs that we treat him as an ordinary prisoner, leaving aside our anger against him for a later time, when we are no longer seeking to serve our country as Minute Boys.” We did not have further chance for private converse. Our comrades began to clamor for judgment against the traitor, and it was necessary the matter be settled at once, else might some of the hotter-headed take it into their own hands to deal out punishment. Gabriel was not disposed to waste any time, but, calling for the lads to follow him, led the way beyond the encampment, where we might discuss the situation without fear of being overheard by the troopers. I wish it was possible for me to set down all that was said when we discussed Seth Hastings’s affairs, for then it would be seen how difficult it was for Gabriel and me to hold the Minute Boys in check. Archie Gordon was as insistent as any of the others that we take some signal revenge, claiming that since it was against him, as one of the original Minute Boys, Seth had first tried to do a grievous wrong, he had a right to name at least a third of the punishment to be inflicted. “And what would you say should be done with him?” Gabriel asked. “Give him plenty of time to realize what was coming, and then hang the cur to a tree till his miserable life was fled!” Nor was Archie the most vindictive of our company. More than one believed we would be warranted in flogging him once each day for a week before putting him to death, and only two besides Gabriel and myself claimed that we had no right to pay off private scores while we professed to be serving the Colonies as soldiers. Not until Gabriel had called for his brother to say what he believed right, did we succeed in stilling the cries for revenge, and even then the majority of our company claimed the right to do as they saw fit, without regard to the general’s views, insisting that the traitor had shown his cloven foot before there was such an organization as the Minute Boys. However, by noon we had silenced those who would have tortured the prisoner, even though without convincing them, and Gabriel whispered to me as the conference broke up: