reached the _neutral ground_ and"----

_William_. "Pray, father, may I interrupt you, to inquire what was
meant by the 'neutral ground?"

_Gen. P_. "I will explain it to you. At this time (Sept. 1776,) the
head quarters of the British army were in the city of New York. The
American army lay up the Hudson, fifty or sixty miles, either at, or
near, West Point.

"Between the two armies, therefore, was the county of West Chester,
the centre of which being occupied by neither, was called the 'neutral
ground.' But, in reality, it was far from being a neutral spot."

_William_. "Why not, father, if neither the British, nor the
Americans, occupied it?"

_Gen. P_. "Because, my son, it was here that a great number of tories
resided--the worst enemies which the Americans had to contend with."

_Henry_. "Worse than the British, father?"

_Gen. P_. "In several respects worse. The tories, in general, were
quite as unfriendly to American liberty, as the British themselves.
And, besides, living in the country, and being acquainted with it,
they could do even more injury than strangers.

"Many of this description of persons lived on the 'neutral ground;'
and, what was worse, they often pretended to be Whigs--and passed for
such--but in _secret_, did all in their power to injure their country.

"Crosby, as I told you, had reached a part of this ground, on his way
to the American camp. It was just at evening, that he fell in with a
stranger, who appeared to be passing in the same direction with
himself.

"'Good evening,' said the stranger--'which way are you travelling?--
below?'"

_William_. "Which way was that?"

_Gen. P_. "Towards New-York. The British were sometimes called the
'_lower party_'--the Americans the '_upper party_' because the latter
lay north of the former. The stranger meant to ascertain which party
Crosby was going to join."

_Henry_. "And did Crosby tell him?"

_Gen. P_. "No: he replied, that he was too much fatigued to go much
farther that evening, either above or below; but he believed he should
join himself to a bed, could he find one.

"'Well,' said the stranger, 'listen to me; it will soon be dark--go
with me--I live but a short distance from this--you shall be welcome.'

"Crosby thanked him, and said he would gladly accept his kind
invitation.

"'Allow me to ask,' said the soldier, 'your advice, as to the part
which a true friend of his country should take, in these times?'

"'Do I underst