“You have the idea all right, Mr. Eden,” said Carlisle, as he slyly winked at Andre, “but we must have some others to listen to us than these bottles of Madeira and Major Andre.
“Now, Eden,” continued Carlisle, “let’s have one glass to the words of Dr. Johnson:
“‘That patriotism is the first business of scoundrels.’”
After this last appeal to Bacchus for inspiration, these two pillars of British statesmanship found that they needed the assistance of Major Andre to help them to their bed-chambers.
While the commissioners were exchanging empty platitudes, and drinking the wine furnished by the Crown, the real business of the evening was being concluded between General Clinton and Barclugh. As soon as General Clinton had led the way to an airy bed-chamber Barclugh began to unfold his plans:
“General Clinton, I must not delay here one minute longer than necessary, for Washington has this town filled with spies, and my detection here, at this house, means disaster.”
“How do you propose to return to Philadelphia?” asked General Clinton.
“My plan,” replied Barclugh concisely, “is to return as far as possible by water. I wish that you could put me aboard one of your small armed cruisers and send me down into one of those numerous inlets that are opposite Philadelphia on the Jersey coast. I can be furnished a small boat, and in case of capture I can pretend to have escaped from an English vessel. In any event I shall be taken to Philadelphia and turned over to Arnold.”
“That’s an excellent plan, Barclugh, and I have just the man to perform the task,” said Clinton, “Captain Sutherland of the Sloop Albatross. I shall send for him at once, and have you secreted on board to-night, and then you can rest from your former journey. I know that Washington’s spies are among us, and that you must be spirited away or you will surely be traced to us.”
While the two were waiting for Captain Sutherland, for whom an order had been despatched to report at the Beekman house for duty orders, Barclugh went over the details for the fruition of Arnold’s plot. The correspondence was to be conducted between Barclugh and Major Andre. Barclugh would sign as Gustavus; Andre would reply as John Anderson. Barclugh would turn over his letters to Arnold so that no traces could be found for detection. As Barclugh was known among his commercial associates to be in touch with merchants in New York, he could correspond with little suspicion.