“Who is that man?” asked the stranger of Walter.
“That,” answered the boy, “is Mr. Hancock, president of Congress.”
The stranger’s teeth gleamed in a mocking smile.
“Ah, yes, I have heard of him,” he said. “It was he that caused this war with England.”
Walter and Philip looked at each other; the boy at the man’s side nudged him in a manner that said as plainly as words: “Be careful of what you say.”
“It’s news to me,” spoke Walter Stanton, “to hear that Mr. John Hancock was the cause of the war.”
“We had always fancied that it was begun by that old madman, King George,” said Philip Morgan, who was a blunt spoken lad at best; and the man’s manner irritated him. The stranger bent his brows and a glint of anger came into his sharp, black eyes. He seemed upon the point of making a biting retort; but once more the boy at his side warned him to beware.
“Be careful, Danvers,” he whispered. “You’ll get into trouble. They are all Whigs here.”
Danvers hesitated a moment; then he turned to Philip with a cold smile that showed his strong white teeth.
“If it had not been for Major Pitcairn’s being called out that day with his men to seize this Mr. Hancock for treason to the crown, there would have been no fight at Lexington; and had that skirmish not taken place there would have been no rebellion.”
“Revolution is a better word, I think,” said Walter Stanton, quietly.
“Call it what you will,” answered the man sneeringly, “the fact remains the same.”
“And I don’t like your calling the fight at Lexington a skirmish,” spoke the blunt-tongued Philip, who had come to think of that first exchange of shots as a most glorious engagement. “It resulted in three hundred British troops being killed, and when Putnam and Arnold hurried up to take command of the minutemen, they walled General Gage up in Boston, for all his army and ships.”
“Putnam!” said the man in his mocking way. “What is he? An old farmer turned soldier; and Arnold is a swaggering, reckless ruffian.”
“Be quiet,” whispered Stephen Wheelock, as he dragged at the man’s sleeve, his face growing pale as he noted the resentful expressions of those about them. “Be quiet, I tell you!”
Danvers’ quick eye saw the effect of his words and he smiled coolly. It seemed as though he rather enjoyed the risk he ran in being so open in his words.