Over the next few months, I managed to get into Boston a half a dozen times as a sort of bodyguard to one of the locals who ventured back into his home town to spy out what the Brits were up to. He was a fine, brave little man named Richard Backus, and although I could hardly understand him at first, we became reasonably good friends, as much as you can be friends with an well-educated officer. Colonel Backus had been involved in every action so far including the running fight from Concord and the debacle on Breed's Hill, and he had the scars to show for it. He also knew many people in Boston and, I believe, had several mistresses there. I do not think he was married, but I am not sure.
The first time I rowed him across, he asked me, as we dragged our small boat up into some weeds, if I was interested in getting laid. I had to inquire twice before I was sure what he meant and by then he had run through his gaudy, Harvard vocabulary until he reached "foocked."
"Oh," I said brightly, feeling the fool, "of course, if we have the time."
"We shaul maike the toime," he said, slapping me on the back, and I will not try again to duplicate his speech.
I followed him as unobtrusively as I could, often on the other side of the street, covering his back as he visited several homes, businesses and, thankfully, taverns. The town was full of what he called "lobsterbacks," but we both tried to ignore them as if they were not there and went about our business quietly. At about sunset, which came early as winter set in, he handed me a few shillings, pointed me toward a many-windowed tavern, and said he would join me in an hour or so. "Ask for Roxy," he said, as he slipped into an alley and disappeared.
When I ducked my head to enter the tavern, a kind of hush fell over the place. It was not very crowded, perhaps fifteen or twenty men were drinking and smoking, but I felt a lot of eyes on me as I ordered an ale and plunked down a shilling.
"An' `oo moite you be?" asked a small man at my elbow. Wizened was the word for him and nearly toothless.
"Lord North," I said, wiping the foam from my lips.
"Indeed," he said, "delighted." He stuck out his hand, and when I took it another man grabbed me from behind, pining my arms. I did not struggle. The little man searched me quickly, dumped my thin purse on the bar, and nodded to the unseen man behind me. I was released, flexed my shoulders and looked about. No one was there and almost all the eyes were looking away from us.
"Din' oye see ye wif Backys, tidday, up town?" asked the little man.
"Who?" I pushed my tin toward the inn-keeper for another. "Can I buy you a drink?"
"Gin," said the little man, and a small glass of cloudy liquid appeared along with my beer.
"Is Roxy about?" I asked, making my face look pleasant.