He took me prisoner
unlawfully, and I had a right to make my escape if possible."
"That is very true; yet, because you are one of the Sons of Liberty,
Master McCleary thinks an arrest will surely follow."
"Is it not safe for me to see my mother a few moments? "
"She herself told me to warn you against coming. That half-breed, Jim, has
been seen near the farm twice since yesterday noon, and he can be there
for no other purpose than to give notice of your arrival."
"But, Stephen, I can't go up the Pascataqua without some preparation. I
must at least have my musket and ammunition; otherwise, I would stand a
good chance of starving to death."
"I have arranged for that portion of the business. Your knapsack, well
filled by your mother, and everything you may need during a few weeks in
the woods, is hidden a couple of miles down the road. I brought the things
as far away from the farm as I thought necessary, and then left them in
the bushes."
CHAPTER IV ON THE PASCATAQUA
TWENTY-FOUR hours after Stephen Kidder had warned Walter Neal against
returning to Portsmouth the latter was skirting the west bank of the
Pascataqua River, within sight of the tract of land whereon he hoped to
see at some day a grist-mill owned by himself.
When Stephen selected such goods as he thought Walter might need during
his enforced retreat, he did not neglect anything which would possibly be
useful to the fugitive, and the result was that when the young messenger
started through the pathless forest, his load was so heavy as to retard
his progress very decidedly.
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