the country where his mission should be successfully ended.
There had not come into his mind the possibility that he could by any chance be considered a suspicious character by those whom he would aid, and he thought that it had been an excess of precaution to send word regarding the journey to his mother.
"I shall be back by the time Jacob and Enoch have had a chance to tell the story," he muttered, "and it would have been as well if I hadn't allowed mother an opportunity to worry about me. General Howe must have little fear of those whom he calls rebels if he allows people to leave the city as readily as I have done."
Twenty minutes later he was made glad by the sight of half a dozen horsemen on the road in advance of him, for he felt positive they were none other than those whom he wished to meet.
Now it was no longer necessary he should press forward rapidly in order to accomplish his purpose, for the mounted party came toward him at full speed.
"Where are you from, lad?" the leader asked as he drew rein directly in front of Seth.
"From the town," the young patriot replied readily, positive of receiving a friendly greeting as soon as his errand was made known. "I want to see Colonel Powers. Ezra Grimshaw told me I would find him hereabouts."
"Where did you see Grimshaw?" the horseman asked more sternly than Seth thought necessary.
"On the pillory. He was captured by the Britishers somewhere out – "
"Yes, we know all about that," the man interrupted, "but Grimshaw would never have told anybody where we might be found."
"But he did," Seth replied stoutly, "and it was under his advice that I came out here to see Colonel Powers."
It seemed strange that this statement should be questioned, yet the young messenger was quite certain from the expression on the faces of the horsemen that such was the case, and as they glanced at each other suspiciously and incredulously, he hastened to add:
"I have information which should be made known to the leaders of the Continental army, and Grimshaw told me to come here and repeat it to Colonel Powers."
"You have information?" the leader asked sharply. "And who may you be, sir?"
"Seth Graydon."
"Are you the son of that widow Graydon who keeps the boarding-house for English officers?"
"Yes," Seth replied without hesitation. "I heard – "
"How did you get speech with Grimshaw if he was on the pillory?" one of the men asked abruptly.
"I, with two friends, was near the town-house when those who made the capture brought him in, and by waiting until the curious ones had gone away it was not difficult to speak with him privately."
"Was he flogged?" the leader asked.
"No, sir."
"Nor treated more severely than being put on the pillory?"
"No, sir."
"And yet he told where we could be found?"
"Yes, because he was eager one of us should have speech with Colonel Powers."
"If the British officers who board with your mother have sent you on this errand they will be disappointed at the result of their scheme. The Tories of Philadelphia are not giving out valuable information to those who are faithful to the cause."
The leader spoke so sternly that for the first time since he parted with his comrades Seth began to feel uncomfortable in mind.
"But I am not a Tory!" he cried stoutly.
"Then you have not taken due advantage of your surroundings," the officer said with a laugh. "A great hulking lad like you would be in the Continental army if he had any love for the cause, instead of playing the spy for the sake of British gold."
"But I am not playing the spy," and now Seth began to grow angry. "I came out here to render you a service, at the risk of being flogged if it is known that I left the city for such a purpose. I intend to enlist as soon as the Britishers have left Philadelphia."
"Indeed? Is that true, my lad? You will enlist when we are on the winning side, and not before, eh?"
"Can I see Colonel Powers?" Seth asked hotly. "Or will you take me to some one equal in rank with him?"
"You shall have an opportunity of seeing an officer in the Continental army, don't fear as to that; but if you count on going back to Philadelphia in time to give valuable information to the Britishers, you are mistaken. They will look for their spy quite a spell before seeing him."
"I tell you I am not a spy!" Seth interrupted.
"That you shall have an opportunity to prove. Have you any weapons?"
"Indeed I haven't."
"Look him over, Hubbard, and make certain he isn't telling more lies," the leader said to one of his followers, and the man dismounted at once, searching Seth's person so roughly that the boy forgot Grimshaw's warning to control his temper.
"You shall be made sorry for this!" he cried hotly. "You shall learn – "
A blow on the side of the head caused him to reel, and he would have fallen but that he staggered against one of the horses.
"Howe's Tory brood grow bold, thinking their master as powerful as he would make it seem," the leader said with a laugh, and added in a threatening tone to Seth, "March ahead of us, young man! Don't make the mistake of thinking you can give us the slip! Your desire to see an officer in the Continental army shall speedily be gratified."
"If this is the way you treat those who would do you a service, it is little wonder you fail to receive much valuable information!" the boy cried angrily.
"Keep your tongue between your teeth, and march on! Any further insolence, and you shall be made to understand that Howe is not the only person who can order floggings administered. Forward, men, and shoot the Tory spawn if he makes any attempt to escape."
Seth recognized the fact that it would be worse than useless to resist, and obeyed sullenly.
At that moment he was very nearly a Tory at heart, for such treatment seemed brutal in the extreme after he had ventured so much in the hope of being of service to his country.
"If this is the way those who would aid the cause are received I don't wonder General Washington finds it difficult to raise recruits," Seth said to himself. "When I have told Jacob and Enoch of my reception by those whom we called friends there will be three who won't enlist as was intended."
It seemed to the boy as if there was no excuse for his thus being made a prisoner, and he felt only bitterness toward those who, an hour previous, he would have been proud to assist.
The troopers kept him moving at his best pace, urging him in front of the horses with their naked swords, hesitating not to prick him roughly now and then when he lagged, until two miles or more had been traversed, when they arrived at what was little more than a trail through the woods, leading from the main road, and here he was ordered to wheel to the right.
Just for an instant he was tempted to make one effort at escaping; but, fortunately, he realized the futility of such a move, and went swiftly
