“In the course of the day, he was strongly urged to enlist—­but he wished to see the company together, he said.  ’You shall see them together,’ said the captain, ’it would be well to meet—­we must arrange matters before we go.’

“A hasty summons, was therefore, sent round, and before nine o’clock that night, the whole company had assembled;—­it was a season of great joy among them—­the rebels, they said, were so depressed, that they would have but little to do, but to march down and see them ground arms.

“‘Well, Mr. Crosby,’ bawled out the captain, ’what say you? will you go with us, and’—­

“‘Hark! hark! hark!’ exclaimed a soldier, who sat near the door—­’I hear horses approaching.’

“‘Out with the lights!—­out with the lights!’ said the captain—­ ‘silence every man—­keep your places.’

“At this moment, a loud rap was heard at the door—­soon after which it was thrown open, and the word ‘surrender,’ uttered by an officer, came in like a peal of thunder.

“‘Who are you?’ demanded the tory captain, rising with some effort—­ his knees trembling under him.

“‘Who am I!’ uttered the same voice, ’you will soon know who I am, unless you surrender—­you are surrounded—­you are prisoners.’

“Dismay now filled the company.  They rose, and in the darkness which pervaded the room, attempted to escape.  In the haste and confusion, chairs were broken—­benches overturned—­pitchers and tumblers dashed in pieces—­some plunged from the windows, and were taken—­others felt their way up chamber, and hid in the garret, while several, in attempting to reach the cellar, were plunged headlong upon the bottom.

“In a little time, however, matters were more quiet.  The horsemen had surrounded the house, and none could escape.  From their hiding places they were, at length, dragged—­poor Crosby 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.