“Mr. Young and Crosby now retired to a neighbouring inn.  But the door was fastened, and the landlord was fast locked in sleep.  They rapped at the door, and called, and, as you say, Master Henry, when you speak Monsieur Tonson—­

   “’And loud indeed were they obliged to bawl,
   Ere they could rouse the torpid lump of clay.’

“The door, however, was at length opened, and after receiving a growl from the landlord, and a snarl from the landlady, that their rest should be thus broken—­they were shown to a bed room, where both in the same bed soon forgot the toils of the night, in a refreshing sleep.

“The committee were together at an early hour, as had been promised.  Again Crosby told over his story—­and when he had finished,—­’Are you willing,’ asked the committee, ’to accompany a body of horse to the spot, and attempt to take the traitors?’

“‘Sure I am,’ said Crosby.  ’I gave them encouragement that I would ‘join’ them, and well should I like to fulfil such an engagement.’

“‘You shall have an opportunity,’ said the committee.  ’Hold yourself in readiness, and may success crown the enterprise.’

“’At the appointed time, a company of troop well mounted, left White Plains; and, under the pilotage of Crosby, directed their course towards the spot.  In the mean time, the company had assembled, and now, amid the darkness of the night, were arranging their plans——­”

* * * * *

“‘What noise is that!’ asked one—­rising from his seat, and turning his ear towards the quarter whence the sound came.

“‘Nothing, I guess,’ said a witty sort of fellow, in one corner of the room, ‘but my old horse, taking lessons at the post, before——­’

“‘Something more serious, perhaps,’ said the farmer, with whom Enoch Crosby had quartered, ‘that yankee!’

“‘Where is he?’ asked a dark eyed, keen sighted tory, rising from his seat—­’I didn’t much like his looks, the other day.’

“’Something serious abroad!’—­exclaimed several at the same time rising—­’Captain!  Captain!’

“‘Go to the door,’ thundered the Captain of the gang—­’and reconnoitre’—­

“‘You are prisoners!’ exclaimed a voice which struck a panic through the clan, as the door was opened—­’surrender, or you are dead men!’

“‘By whose authority is this?’ asked the captain of the tories, rushing to the door, with his sword drawn, followed by his clan, with their guns uncharged.

“’We demand it in the name of the Continental Congress’—­exclaimed he of the whigs.

“‘We surrender to nothing, but to superior strength,’ said the tory captain.  ‘Soldiers! come on.’

“‘My brave comrades! advance,’ exclaimed the leader of the patriots—­ ’death or victory—­make ready!’—­

“‘It’s of no use to contend,’ said the farmer—­’not a gun loaded, captain!—­we’re betrayed!—­a blight on that yankee!—­’