On the heels of such fact came to me the belief that the time was now at hand when our company of Minute Boys might be able to give further proof that they could play the part of soldiers nearly as well as men. In this tunnel of Eben Towle’s we would be securely hidden in the very heart of the valley, keeping in touch with those who remained at Forty Fort, and it would go hard, indeed, if we did not give good account of ourselves before Butler’s wolves returned to Johnson Hall. Giles March would have gone at once to the mouth of the tunnel, in order to see for himself that which I had found, but Master Bartlett prevented him by saying, sharply: “None of that, lad! We went in and out of the cave without heed to leaving a trail, thinking none of Butler’s curs would come upon us there, and yet they found the hiding-place. To go in simply to gratify your curiosity will be to leave just so many more invitations for those who are prowling around to have a look at it. We will first see what can be done toward opening an entrance from the ruins, so that we may get the helpless ones inside without leaving a sign-board behind them.” There is no good reason why I should set down all we said while trying to decide just what it was best to do at once; it is enough if I say that after more talk than I believed necessary, in view of the situation, it was decided that we could not bring down the women and children during the night, owing to all the difficulties, and it would not be safe to do so next day, because of the possibility that the savages might come sooner than we expected. It seemed better they remain in the cave until we had beaten off the Indians when they made the next attack, and this we believed would be a comparatively easy matter, if the plans already formed should be carried out. Therefore it was agreed that Master Bartlett should spend the night at the ruins, making an entrance through them to the tunnel, while Giles March and I went back to get so many of the party as Stephen Morley thought best after we had explained to him all the situation. Night had come before we arrived at this decision, and we two lads started at once, travelling swiftly because it did not seem probable there was any danger, and with light hearts, owing to the hopes for the future which had so lately been born. It was near to midnight when we were come to the fringe of bushes which screened the entrance of the cave; but immediately I sounded the catbird’s note, it was replied to without delay, and in another instant Esther Hinchman came out to meet us. “I persuaded Master Morley and Daniel to take some rest, while I stood guard,” she began, and I interrupted by asking sharply: “Why did not Miles Parker do his share of the duty?” “He was sleeping so soundly that it seemed a pity to awaken him when I was fit for the work; but where is Master Bartlett?” she asked in alarm, noting for the first time that he was not with us.