But how will you get along with your indenture if you
leave him?"
"I am justified by the circumstances in using the indenture, on the
back of which is his own endorsement of my freedom. He released me
from all obligations to him, that I might run the paper when he could
not."
"But the understanding between you was, if I remember, that it was
only a formality to evade the action of the General Court. He did not
mean that you should take advantage of it and refuse to serve him."
"That is true; but I say the circumstances justify me in using it as
if he really meant to give me my freedom. He has another indenture
which I signed, designed to be kept private, but he won't dare to
bring that out to the light of day, because it may get him into
further trouble with the General Court."
"You have the advantage of him there, I see, if you see fit to avail
yourself of it. Does James know how you feel about it?"
"He ought to know, for I have told him that I should leave him if he
continued to treat me as he has done. Probably he does not believe
that I shall quit, but I am not responsible for that. He ought to see
that such treatment would cause any apprentice to leave his master."
"What does he do that is so bad?" inquired John.
"He undertook to flog me, the other day. He did strike me, but I
showed him that I believed in self-defense, and he desisted.
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