ng purport: "This will be delivered to you by Mr. Smith, who
will conduct you to a place of safety. Neither Mr. Smith nor any other
person shall be made acquainted with your proposals: if they (which I
doubt not) are of such a nature that I can officially take notice of
them, I shall do it with pleasure. I take it for granted Colonel
Robinson will not propose anything that is not for the interest of the
United States as well as of himself." All this use of Colonel
Robinson's name was intended as a blind, should the letter be
intercepted.

Robinson introduced Andre to Smith by the name of John Anderson, who
was to go on shore in his place (he being unwell), to have an
interview with General Arnold. Andre wore a blue great coat which
covered his uniform, and Smith always declared that at the time he was
totally ignorant of his name and military character. Andre, embarking
in the boat with Smith, was silently rowed to the western side of the
river, about six miles below Stony Point. Here they landed a little
after midnight, at the foot of a shadowy mountain called the Long
Clove. Arnold was in waiting, but standing aloof among thickets. The
midnight negotiation between Andre and Arnold was carried on in
darkness among the trees. One hour after another passed away when
Smith approached the place of conference, and gave warning that it was
near daybreak, and if they lingered much longer the boat would be
discovered.

The nefarious bargain was not yet completed, and Arnold feared the
sight of a boat going to the Vulture might cause suspicion. He
prevailed therefore upon Andre to remain on shore until the following
night. The boat was accordingly sent to a creek higher up the river,
and Andre set off with Arnold for Smith's house. The road passed
through the village of Haverstraw. As they rode along in the dark, the
voice of a sentinel demanding the countersign startled Andre with the
fearful conviction that he was within the American lines, but it was
too late to recede. It was daybreak when they arrived at Smith's
house. They had scarcely entered when the booming of cannon was heard
from down the river. It gave Andre uneasiness, and with reason.
Colonel Livingston, who commanded above at Verplanck's Point, learning
that the Vulture lay within shot of Teller's Point, which divides
Haverstraw Bay from the Tappan Sea, had sent a party with cannon to
that point in the night, and they were now firing upon the
sloop-of-war. And