The Minute Boys of Boston. Otis James
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could give information concerning Archie which had not already been made public, and one of the lads spoke up promptly, saying:
"He is not so badly treated in prison, when you remember his father's standing among the Sons of Liberty, for instead of occupying a cell, he is locked in one of the small rooms near the end of the building."
"Who told you that?" I asked, wondering how so much of information could have been come at by our lads, and he answered, pointing with his finger:
"It was Seth Jepson told me."
Wheeling about suddenly to face the lad whom I had suspected when it was first proposed he be allowed to join the Minute Boys, I fancied there was a look of uneasiness, almost of fear, upon his face, as if he had just realized the danger of having imparted too much information. Then, like a flash, there came upon me a great wave of self-reproach because I had spoken so freely concerning our plans. If Seth Jepson was inclined to be a traitor, verily he had it now in his power to do us gravest injury.
"How did you learn so much regarding Archie?" I asked sharply. "Have you been allowed to visit the prison?"
"It was Amos Nelson told me," Seth replied, and again I fancied I saw a troubled look come over his face.
Because of blaming myself for having told all I knew, it was much as if I strove at this time to make a scape-goat of some other.
"Do you think it well," I asked sharply, "now that you have been enrolled as a Minute Boy, promising to do whatsoever you may in behalf of the Cause, to hold converse with as rank a Tory lad as Amos Nelson?"
"And why should I not?" he cried boldly. "Would you have me advertise the fact that I am a member of this company by refusing to speak with a neighbor? For some reason, I know not what, Amos was taken into the prison, most like to work for the soldiers on duty there, and he saw Archie Hemming, or heard that the lad was locked up in the small room. It was no more than natural he should tell me the news, and I did not shut my ears to his words, believing it would be to the advantage of all here if I learned as much as he knew."
The lad spoke fairly, although, as I fancied, with too much of boldness, and just a spice of anger in his tones.
I could find no fault, for of a verity he had learned that which might be of importance to us, and yet all the old suspicions that had been in my heart came back with redoubled force, the stronger, perhaps, because I had put myself and my comrades so wholly in his power.
The mischief was worked now, however, and the only course was for me to do what I might toward keeping, or having kept, a close watch on Seth Jepson, in the future holding my tongue in his presence as to what we would do.
To this end, and in the hope that it might be possible to take advantage of the information he had given, I proposed that a certain number of lads should loiter about the town to learn if there was anything new going on among the Britishers; afterward whispering to Silas that he send with Seth one whom he could trust thoroughly well, in order to make certain the lad held no communication with Amos Nelson.
"I will do it," Silas replied; "but to what purpose? You have suspected him from the first, and yet allowed that he should hear what our people want us to do."
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