"After the battle, the British officers treated us worse than ever, and wouldn't allow our men to go out of the city without being examined. Every day they searched the houses for arms. If any were found in a house, they had the family examined before a board appointed by Gage; and if none was found, they abused the people, and called them 'rebels.' At night, they patrolled the streets; and when they caught any poor fellow out, locked him up in the barracks. Once or twice, Doctor Griffin was taken; but the general let him go, when he told who he was."

"How could you live in such a place? Enquired one of the soldiers.

"It was hard living enough," Smith replied; "but let me tell you, boys, it was still harder work to get out of the town. Besides the red-coats, there were more tories than a few, watching us; and they had eyes behind as well as before. The scoundrels knew that we'd have no mercy on them, if once they were in our hands; so they worked mischief on us, day and night. And, to be more particular, lads, for I'm not ashamed of it, I had determined never to leave Boston while Caddy Lowell was there. I won't say much about her now, boys, --- she used to talk to me of Heaven, and call it her home; and sometimes she wished to be an angel, so that I could only be with her. I didn't care much about such things then, though I believed them all, and liked to listen because it was Caddy that spoke. But I've thought a good deal about them since, though I am a soldier; and I believe she's happier to-night, than if she had lived to see the evil that's come on her country. She was a sweet girl, lads," continued the young man, as his voice sank to a whisper, and he seemed to be musing on some pleasant vision of the past.

"And why didn't you try to escape, and take her along with you? enquired Wilson.

"So I did," he answered; "but I was pursued and arrested. Heaven will yet blast the cursed red-coats for it. I believe I would have escaped in spite of them, if it hadn't been for that sneaking old Quaker, Jacob Browne."

"I knew him," remarked Hanna. "He's a bad man."

"He is a villain!" rejoined Smith. "He wanted to get Caddy for his son Ben, because he knew her uncle had property, which would be hers at his death. But she sent the young, long-faced, tory hypocrite, about his business; and, from that day forward, he and his revengeful father kept their eyes on me. One day, Caddy heard them talking together about me; and says the old fellow to the young, rogue, 'Thee knows, Benjamin, there are smore days to pay the debt thou owest him, than the day of judgment.' When she told me, in the evening, my blood boiled right up; but she made me be quiet, and sit down by her; and then we agreed to attempt an escape. Poor girl! It was me she cared about most. Sometimes I think it would have been better if she had stayed."

"But, let's hear about it," said Hanna.

"Well, you see, lads, that was on a Friday. The weather was pretty cool, for the sun had crossed the line about a week before; and if we put the matter off much longer, winter would be upon us. So I told Caddy I'd be at her house on the next Tuesday afternoon, and we could walk to Peter Gamble's house, and stay till about ten o'clock, when we'd start away, pretending to go home, but really for the purpose of pushing over the Neck, toward Roxbury. There was an old widow lady living in the frame-house just outside the Neck; and with her I thought we might hide till we could pursue our journey without danger. It was a desperate chance, and neither of us thought of much else till Tuesday came. At two o'clock I was at Caddy's. She had hid all her jewels, and some other little notions that her parents gave her before they died about her person, in such a manner that they couldn't be found. She was as merry as a bee, and told me that we were going out of the land of bondage, as Moses, I think she said, did with his family. As for myself, I felt a little solemn, though I tried to laugh, and keep down the thoughts that would come up. We went through the garden gate, and round the little white fence, where the rose-bushes used to grow, so that Browne wouldn't see us. But we hadn't gone a rod, before he came sneaking into the lane by a by-path, right opposite to us; and no sooner had he set his eye on Caddy, than he pushed up his green spec's, kind of made a halt, and looked right at her. We pretended not to mind him; but we could see his head beginning to jerk sideways, as it does when he's in trouble. Says Caddy, when we got a little further down, 'That sight will do us no good.' I told her it wouldn't; and soon afterwards we struck into another street. We reached Gamble's house without being seen by the soldiers. After we had eaten supper, says I, 'Pete, how late can a fellow travel with his girl, down here, without being nabbed by the red-coats 'Till sundown,' says he; and tonight you had better be exact in the time, for a whole company are gong to reconnoitre, near the Neck about nine o'clock tonight.' This made me feel pretty blue; and turning to Caddy, I told her we must be going. Peter wanted us to say all night, for he wasn't in the secret; but, says I, 'We can't.' It was near sundown then; and as soon as we had turned the next corner above, we turned back again behind Pete's ghouse, and then pushed for Mrs. Hoover's. We got along pretty smoothly for awhile, till it began to grow black, and we heard thunder in the distance. Then says I, 'Caddy, shall we go back?" but she wouldn't listen to it. We ran as fast as we could; and I knew we couldn't be very far from the frame-house, but couldn't see a thing before me. Buy and by, my foot struck the root of a tree, and down I went. Caddy didn't cry, as other girls would have done; for she could stand a great deal more than some men can, though she was so quiet and gentle. I was up in no time; but on feeling round me, I found we had lost the road. It was now time to stop; for if we ran on, we might pluonge into the bay. When the lightning began to flash, we saw some tall trees before us, and a sort of ditch, that seemed to me, as well as I could guess, to have been ploughed up by a cannon-ball. That sight made me feel queer; and says I, 'Dear Caddy, I wish I hadn't brought you here.' She asked me if I was afraid; and that made me ashamed ofmyself. I resolved, therefore, to take the worst. By and by, the rain came down like rivers; there we were, clinging to each other, drenched through, and afraid to stir one way or another. I threw my coat over Caddy, knowing she was cold; and she leaned her head on my shoulder, without speaking a word, till the first storm-clouds had blown over."

"And did you leaver here there?" asked one of the men.

"Leave her!" ejaculated Smith. "What do you mean?"

"I merely asked," was the reply.

"I didn't leave her," said Smith, solemnly. "No man that has a heart, could leave so gentle a girl, in such a storm, for a minute."

"But how did you get off?"

"I was just going to tell you. After the first shower, it grew a little lighter; so that we picked our steps pretty well, till we came to a fence which looked as if it had just been set up. Thinks I, 'If we follow this, it may lead us to the road;' and so I walked along feeling the rails with one hand, and leading Caddy with the other. But her thin shoes stuck so in the mud, that I had to lift her at every three or four steps; and, at last, I fairly carried her. But no sooner had we reached the end of the fence, than I saw the old tall poplar-tree, where the schoolboys used to shoot squirrels, on Saturday afternoons; and I knew right away that the road was near. Caddy's ear was quicker than mine. She heard horses' footsteps in the road, and told me to stand close to her; because, if we were seen, I would not be fired at, for fear of shooting her. After listening a little while, we heard wheels; and then some one singing a psalm. Says I, 'That's no soldier' when he got nearer, it seemed as though I knew his voice; for it sounded like Jeremiah Longacre's, who came to town on business every week, and went back again under a permit from Gage. Sure enough, it was he. I called him by name, and he stopped. When he saw what condition we were in, he held up both hands in astonishment, telling us he never heard of such rashness. There wasn't room for us both in his little wagon; so, after wrapping up Caddy pretty warm, I put on my coat, and got on the horse. I thought we were safe at last; but the red-coats were on the track; and, before long, we heard them coming down the road at full gallop. I wanted to set the horse a-going with all his might; but Mr. Longacre told me it was of no use. We kept, therefore, on the old trot; and the British were soon up with us. The officers knew the wagon, and I believe would have passed on, if I hadn't been sitting on the horse. Seeing me, they turned round, and ordered a halt. Mr. Longacrew showed his permit; but it wouldn't do. They knew that he had gone from town alone, and demanded how I came there. He told them he had found me lost on the road; and, after a good deal of parleying, one of thehorsemen ordered me to get behind him on his horse; saying that I must be taken before Gage, and go through an examination.

'All this time, Caddy hadn't spoken a word, nor had they seen her. But when she found that I was to be taken back, she began to wring her hands, and beg the men to let me go. Then I gave up all for lost; for I trembled at the thought of these British soldiers finding her in that place. They all started to hear a girl's voice; and one of them told Mr.