Page:The Adventures Of A Revolutionary Soldier.pdf/149

Rh us, bound to the army. We halted at night at a cluster of houses; the Lieutenant took up his abode for the night in a farmer's house;—I staid out with the wagons. In the evening I strolled into a cornfield, upon some occa-casionoccasion (at line break) [sic] or other, where I discovered a large patch of watermelons; I took one and went to the wagon and ate it, although the Lieutenant had given me a strict charge not to meddle with any kind of fruit until I had fully digested the apples. He insisted upon my lodging in the house from fear of taking cold, but I chose to keep out with the baggage, which I did till supper time, he then sent out to me to come in and get supper, I could not well refuse this invitation, and went in; the lady of the house provided me a rarity, homminy and milk; the Lieutenant again urged me to stay in the house, but I pretended that our clothing might be in danger unless I attended to it; he said no more to me but left me to regulate my own conduct. It was not the clothing I had so much at heart, though that bore some weight on my mind, but the thought of the luscious watermelons was what so strongly attracted my mind in that direction. Accordingly, when all was still, I went and took as many as I thought necessary, stowed them into the wagon and then lay down under it, and slept very contentedly till morning, without once thinking of the danger of the baggage. We started early next morning and arrived at Dobb's ferry about noon.

Soon after this journey, one night, the British brig came down the river with her precious cargo—Arnold—on board. There were several shots discharged at her as she passed the block-house, but she went by without paying us much attention. The next day it was reported that Gen. Arnold had deserted; I should as soon have thought West point had deserted as he; but I was soon convinced that it was true. Had I possessed the power of foreknowledge, I might twice have put Arnold asleep without any one knowing it and saved the life of, perhaps, a better man, and my country much trouble and disgrace. The first time was at the Peekskill in a barn, just before Andre came to his quarters and while their clandestine negotiation was in progress. I was upon a guard. "There are men," says Shakespear, "who, in their sleep mutter all their conceits." Such an one was