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   dymatsuoka

   eNotes Editor

   In Chapter 7 it is established that Dove is working as a horse boy for the British Army, but Paul Revere does not actually give Johnny advice concerning him until the first section of Chapter 9.  At that time, Paul Revere organizes an elaborate spy system, and he advises Johnny,

   "Don't you lose track of that Dove, Johnny...for if ever the British march out to attack us a colonel's horse boy might well know something is happening, in advance".

   Following Paul Revere's direction, Johnny begins to cultivate a "friendship" with Dove, and Dove, lonely and unwanted, responds quite positively.  The British horse boys torment him, and the officers, who consider him to be lazy and stupid, abuse him regularly, speaking to him harshly and on occasion even knocking him down, and Dove, as he has been all his life, is desperate for the attention of anyone who will treat him kindly.  When he sees that Johnny is inclined to be nice to him, Dove begins sneaking over the the Observer's office several times each day.  He considers himself to be part of the British Army now, and, in keeping with his character, often brags about what the British are going to do to the rebels.

   In his position as a horse boy, Dove is privy to the plans of the British soldiers.  By being vigilant, and once by purposely getting Dove drunk, Johnny is able to extract information from the hapless young man concerning the movements and plans of the British Army (Chapter 9).

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   Posted by dymatsuoka on Friday October 23, 2009 at 2:09 PM