with the rest--and tied
together in pairs, were marched to the village of White Plains."

CHAPTER V.

GEN. P. TELLS HOW CROSBY CONTRIVED TO EFFECT AN ESCAPE.

_Gen. P_. "Crosby was now a prisoner and"--

_Henry_. "Pray, father, may I interrupt you to inquire why Crosby did
not tell who he was, and in that way escape?"

_Gen. P_. "The committee of safety had given him orders at no time to
tell his secret, unless he was likely to suffer death. Had it been
known, that persons of this character were abroad in the country, no
traveller would have been safe.

"On the arrival of the party, at White Plains, the prisoners were
examined privately, one by one, and ordered to be marched to Fishkill,
a small village, near the Hudson, about seventy miles from New York.
Crosby underwent an examination also--but when he came before the
committee, they highly commended him--told him that he must go as if a
prisoner to Fishkill; but, in a little time, they would provide for
his escape.

"On the following morning, the whole party were early on their way up
the river. On reaching Fort Montgomery, near Peekskill, a short halt
was made, and here Crosby met with one of the most trying incidents of
his life.

"On entering the fort, whom should he see before him, but his former
schoolmaster--a worthy man, who had often been at his father's, while
teaching the village school in Southeast. And well did that
schoolmaster know the attachment of old Mr. Crosby to American
liberty--yet, here was his son, among a set of tories and a prisoner.

"The schoolmaster started back, with a kind of horror, and even Crosby
was for a moment nearly overcome.

"'Is this possible?' exclaimed the schoolmaster, 'do my eyes serve me?
Enoch Crosby! Why do I see you thus?'

"Crosby advanced, and taking his old friend by the hand, replied, 'you
see me just as I am--among tories, and a prisoner--but--I have no
explanations to offer."

"'No explanations!' uttered the other--'are you, then, indeed, an
enemy to your country? Oh! your poor old father, Enoch--it will bring
down his gray hairs with sorrow to the grave when he hears of this.'

"For a moment, Crosby felt a faintness come over him--his father! he
loved him--revered him--but he could not explain--it would not do--he,
therefore, only replied, that God was his judge, and the time might
come, when things would appear otherwise than they did.

"In the midst of this conversation--painful and unsa