Neal, the Miller: A Son of Liberty Part 3

That gentleman was in and disengaged, as was seen when he came to the door for a view of the new arrival.

"What! Is it you, Walter Neal?"

"There is no doubt about it in my mind, although my joints are so stiff from long riding that if I was less acquainted with myself I might believe I was only a portion of the saddle," Walter said, laughingly, as he dismounted, and added, in a graver tone, "I must speak with you alone, Friend Cotton."

"I am alone now. Take your horse to the stable, and come back at once."

"I will leave him where he is; perhaps it will not be well for you to know anything about him." And then hurriedly entering the store, Walter explained why he must reach Boston without delay, after which he gave a brief account of his misadventures.

William Cotton, although a sympathizer with those who were about to offer resistance to the commands of his most gracious majesty, was a prudent man, and feared to be known as a disloyal citizen.

The fact that Samuel Haines would probably soon arrive in search of his horse caused Master Cotton no little disquietude of mind, and he said, reprovingly,--

"It is well to be zealous in a good cause, Walter; but it is wrong to commit a crime in order to compa.s.s your own ends."

"What crime have I committed?"

"The theft of the horse will be charged against you, and those who are intrusted with the execution of the law do not favour such an a.s.sociation as that in which you have enlisted."

"My getting possession of him was the fortune of war, not a theft. I was a prisoner, made so unlawfully, and had the right to escape as best I could."

"That argument is good here; but will be of little avail to those who look upon you as a disloyal youth, who should be deprived of his liberty.'

"If I am to be charged with horse-stealing because of what has been done, it cannot be avoided now. Before I am arrested I must carry the message with which I have been entrusted, and to do so I need another horse. I had believed I could get one from you without difficulty."

"So you can, lad but at the same time you must not think hardly of me if I use proper precaution to save myself from being caught in the meshes of the law. You know where my stable is. Take an animal from there without my permission, and I cannot prevent it."

"I am to steal another horse in order that you may not get into trouble?"

"It can make but little difference to you, so long as you see Master Revere by daylight, and I must not neglect my own interests. No one has seen you, and you may be able to get out of town secretly."

Walter could not afford to waste any more time in what seemed very like quibbling, and without further parley he turned to act upon his friend's suggestion.

"It is not well that you remain in Boston any longer than may be absolutely necessary for your business," the worthy Master Cotton called after him, warningly. "There is that being done which you need not be identified with."

Walter made no reply; but when he was out of the building on his way to the stable, he muttered to himself,--

"If I was as timorous as you, Master Cotton, I should now be in the company of Sam Haines, with a rope tied tightly about me."

Five minutes later he was riding out of Salem at full speed on the fleetest horse to be found in the stable, and there was every reason for him to believe that he would, in due season, deliver the message with which he had been charged.

CHAPTER III

IN BOSTON

The light of the coming day had not yet appeared in the eastern sky when the young messenger drew rein at the edge of Charlestown harbour, and sat in the saddle, gazing curiously around, as he speculated upon the chances of being ferried across to Boston.

It was well the journey was ended, for the heaving flanks of Master Cotton's horse told that he had been ridden so long at full speed as to be well-nigh exhausted.

Immediately on leaving Salem, Walter had debated in his mind as to the choice of roads. By making a long detour he could ride directly into the city of his destination; but it would be at the expense of considerable time, which he believed to be precious.

On the other hand, by traversing the shortest road he would, as he now did, find himself penniless, with a broad stretch of water to be crossed before the message could be delivered.

"I shall get over in some way," he had said, as he arrived at a decision, and now was come the time when that "some way" must be found.

"It is certain I shan't be able to take the horse with me," he said, after a brief time of silence, "and I must look around for a place in which he can be hidden."

By riding slowly along the sh.o.r.e-line, he soon found a spot where the gra.s.s was luxuriant, which was hidden I from view of those on the road by a heavy growth of trees, and here he resolved Master Cotton's horse should be left to take care of itself. It was not probable the tired animal would stray very far from where food could be had in such abundance, and Walter made no other preparation for the halt than to secrete the saddle and bridle in the thicket.

Returning to the landing-stage of the ferry-boat, he waited impatiently for some signs of life on the water-front.

During fully half an hour he was forced to remain in idleness, while he mentally reproached himself for not having taken the longest road, and thereby arrived in Boston without being forced to depend upon a boat to conclude the journey.

More than once was he tempted to take possession of one of the small craft hauled up on the sh.o.r.e without the formality of asking the owner's permission, but the thought that he had already put himself in a position to be charged with theft deterred him from such a lawless proceeding.

Then, just as the day was beginning to break, a boat filled with sailors rowed up to the landing. All the occupants save one disembarked without paying any attention to the idle boy who was watching them intently, and the little craft was being pushed off, when Walter cried,--

"If you are going back to Boston I will gladly work the oars to pay for my pa.s.sage."

"Can you row?"

"As well as you."

"Then come aboard, and let me see how quickly you can pull to the other sh.o.r.e."

The young messenger did not require a second invitation. He gave the boat a vigorous push with his foot as he clambered over the bow, and the man in charge had no reason to complain of his skill at the oars.

"If you want work, you should buy a boat and ply your trade as a waterman," the sailor said, when the short voyage had come to an end, and Walter leaped ash.o.r.e, impatient to conclude the mission with which he had been intrusted.

"I want work that will pay," he said, halting for an instant; "but I don't intend to find it as a boatman. Can you tell me where Master Paul Revere lives?"

"Do you mean the lieutenant,--him as has set up for a goldsmith?"

"The very one."

"And you count on goin' into a shop, instead of pullin' boats, eh? I'll wager you're a sailor who has given his captain the slip."

"I have never been beyond the sight of land, neither do I care to work in a shop; but I have business which admits of no delay, and if you will give me the information I shall be very grateful."

"Do you know where North Square is?"

"I have never been in Boston before."

"Then inquire of the first one you see. It is not far."