Part 11 (1/2)

”It is not altogether my grandfather's being an enemy to the colonies that troubles me,” said Ezra. ”He is a very old man and can do no great harm. But he has made himself hated by the people. And if they are, by any chance, starving in Boston, there will one day come an outbreak; and it is not against the soldiery that vengeance will be directed. It will be against such bitter-spoken partisans as Seth Prentiss.”

Nat nodded.

”That is usually the way,” he said. ”Such a thing is greatly to be feared; but in this case it will hardly go so far. I have heard that there is a plan afoot to permit those who so desire to leave Boston. If this is carried out, it will help matters wonderfully.”

But, though Ezra drew some small measure of hope from this suggestion, he was still vaguely troubled. Somehow, the thought of his grandfather kept recurring to him. He seemed filled with an indefinite fear concerning him; it was as though the future held something unpleasant in store. As this state of mind continued, he finally arose and bid his friends good-night with a feeling of great depression. He had entered his room and lighted a candle when he heard a low knock upon the door.

Opening it he saw his brother.

George entered and closed the door behind him.

”I have been wanting to say something to you all evening,” said he, ”but could not get the opportunity.”

He drummed with his fingers upon the back of a chair, and the other saw a troubled look in his eyes.

”What is it?” asked Ezra.

”It's about this man Pennington,” replied George. ”And also about the one you call Abdallah.”

Ezra regarded him steadily.

”What do you know of them?” he asked.

George, from the time of their father's death, had made his home with their Tory grandfather. In a measure he had shared the old man's views.

But at the Lexington fight, all this changed, and now he was the stoutest patriot of them all. Ezra had scarcely seen his grandfather in years; for the boy's open advocacy of the cause of liberty had deeply incensed the old man against him.

”I don't know a great deal about them,” answered George. ”I wish I did.

It might save us something. Pennington is a King's man, of course. He and grandfather have been intimate-I might say, very intimate. I noticed even long ago that they whispered a great deal in corners and held many consultations in the library with the doors carefully closed.”

Ezra pursed up his mouth and frowned.

”I see,” was all he said.

”Pennington came and went a great deal. Sometimes I would not see him for weeks. Then, again, he'd be at the house almost constantly. Now and then he'd bring a stranger. That is how I came to see Abdallah.”

”Ah.”

”They came late one night, in the midst of a storm. There was a great banging of doors and lifting of voices. I had gone to bed some time before; but the noise was so unusual that I got up again, dressed and came down. The library door stood open, and I saw grandfather, Mr.

Pennington, Abdallah and General Gage.”

”Did you by any chance hear what was said?”

”Not much. But I learned that grandfather had been expecting Abdallah for months. The man had just arrived that night in a brig from San Domingo. I also drew from what I heard that grandfather desired him to perform some work of great value. But just what its nature was, I did not know until to-night.”

”So grandfather is intimately concerned in the affair,” said Ezra. ”Do you know, somehow I felt that some such condition existed. Ben Cooper says he can often feel things coming; and in this case, at any rate, it's been so with me.”

He paused a moment, then he resumed:

”Grandfather always hated spying and spies. And the fact that he has personally imported this man, shows how great is his hatred of the cause.”

”It has no end,” and George Prentiss shook his head.