Page:A French Volunteer of the War of Independence.djvu/108

84 whereas by going only a mile or so they would meet General Washington, who ought then to be crossing North River on his return from a council of war held at Hartford. This was agreed, and the three militia men conducted their prisoner, without knowing who he was, to Kingsferry, where they awaited at the inn the arrival of the commander-in-chief.

Arnold, however, being suspicious, had had the major followed by a farmer of the district. Being advised by his messenger that Andre was captured, Arnold at once jumped into a boat manned by English sailors in disguise, and which was waiting for him below the fortifications, and was rowed to the Vulture, a British corvette lying about two cannon shot off, and so the unfortunate major was the only victim of Arnold's treason.

All this passed at very little distance from our camp. I had gone, out of curiosity, to see the generals arrive, and so was a witness, by accident, of this great drama. The inn-keeper told me that three militia men had arrested a very sus-