He rose and began to pace the handsome parlour, evidently worried and perplexed; and presently he halted before us, who had of course risen in respect.

“Gentlemen,” he said, “I must lay bare to you our military necessity, embarrassment, and mortification in this country of Westchester, so that you may clearly understand the difficulty of furnishing the recruits you ask for.

“South of us, from New York to North Castle, our enemy is in possession.  We are attempting to hold this line; but it is a vast country.  We can count on very few Continental troops; our militia has its various rendezvous, and it turns out at every call.  The few companies of my regiment of foot are widely scattered; one company left here as escort to the military train an hour ago.  Sheldon’s 2nd Light Dragoons are scattered all over the country.  Two troops and headquarters remain now here at my house.”

He waved his hand westward:  “So desperate is our condition, gentlemen, that Colonel Moylan’s Dragoons have been ordered here, and are at this moment, I suppose, on the march to join us.  And—­ I ask you, gentlemen—­ considering that in New York City, just below us, there are ten thousand British regulars, not counting the partizan corps, the irregulars, the Tory militia, the numberless companies of marauders—­ I ask you how you can expect to draw recruits from the handful of men who have been holding—­ or striving to hold—­ this line for the last three years!”

Boyd shook his head in silence.  As for me, it was not my place to speak, nor had I anything to suggest.

After a moment the Major said, more cheerfully: 

“Well, well, gentlemen, who knows after all?  We may find ways and means.  And now, one other matter remains to be settled, and I think I may aid you.”

He went to the door and opened it.  The sentry who stood across the hall came to him instantly and took his orders; and in a few moments there entered the room four gentlemen to whom we were made known by Major Lockwood.  One of these was our Captain of Minute Men.  They were, in order, Colonel Sheldon, a fretful gentleman with a face which seemed to me weak, almost stupid; Colonel Thomas, an iron-grey, silent officer, stern but civil; Captain William Fancher, a Justice of the Peace, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and holding his commission as Captain of Minute Men; and a Mr. Alsop Hunt, a Quaker, son-in-law of Major Lockwood, and a most quiet and courteous gentleman.

With one accord we drew chairs around the handsome centre table, where silver candlesticks glimmered and a few books lay in their fine, gilded bindings.

It was very evident to us that in the hands of these five gentlemen lay the present safety of Westchester County, military and civil.  And to them Major Lockwood made known our needs—­ not, however, disturbing them in their preconceived notion, so common everywhere, that the blow to be struck from the North was to be aimed at the Canadas.