"We have discharged your tea, captain, but we have disturbed nothing else. If we have we will cheerfully pay the damage."
The captain thanked him for being so considerate.
Tom, Abraham, and Roger, and the other Indians, walked up the street past the house of Nathaniel Coffin, his majesty's receiver-general. His eldest son, Isaac, one of Tom's schoolmates, had just sailed for England, Admiral Montague having obtained a commission for him in the king's navy, but John, the younger brother, was at home.
Admiral Montague was there standing by an open window.
"Well, boys, you have had a fine, pleasant evening for your Indian caper; but don't forget, you will have to pay the fiddler by and by."
"Oh, never mind, admiral, we are ready to pay him now," Tom replied.
The other Indians laughed as the admiral closed the window and turned away.
Very quietly the Mohawks separated. Abraham went to his own house, Roger went with Tom. They were soon in their chamber washing the garget stains and charcoal from their faces and hands.
"Rat-a-tat-tat!" went the knocker on the door.
They heard feet tripping over the stairs and then Berinthia's voice. "Oh, Tom, the officers are at the door. Put out your light. Let me have your Indian clothes. Get to bed, quick."
Tom raised the window, emptied the water from the bowl into the alley behind the house, handed his Indian suit to Berinthia, put out the light, and jumped into bed. Captain Brandon was not at home, having gone to Maine to obtain timber for the building of a ship. Berinthia returned to her room, lifted the sheets and blankets, tucked Tom's suit safely away between the feather bed and the straw mattress beneath it.
"Rat-a-tat-tat! Rat-a-tat-tat!" went the knocker, louder than before. Tom heard Berinthia's window open.
"Who's there, and what is wanted?" It was Berinthia speaking.
"Is Captain Brandon at home?" asked one of the men at the door.
"An outrage has been committed, and we believe that his son had a hand in it!"
"My brother is in bed, and a friend is spending the night with him; but I will go and tell him."
Several minutes passed before Tom could strike a light with the tinder-box, put on his clothes, and get to the door. Before descending the stairs he looked in the glass to see that the stains had been wholly removed from his face, and examined the floor to ascertain that no tea-leaves had been dropped from their clothing. He then descended the stairs and opened the door.