"I am sorry to interrupt you, lad, especially when you are looking on such a scene; but it must be done. We should not lose any more time."
"But surely you don't expect there will be work to do now the Britishers have really begun to go?"
"I don't expect it, lad; but yet at the same time something of importance might happen, and I must be where I can hear all the news."
Enoch could not well linger after this, and turning irresolutely, as if it cost him some effort to shut out such a view, he followed the spy.
By making a wide detour they entered the town from the rear, and walked through the almost deserted streets without molestation.
Every person able to be abroad on that morning, whether patriot or Tory, was assembled on the river bank to witness the departure of the troops, and even General Washington himself might have walked through a goodly portion of the city at that time without attracting attention.
The meeting between Enoch and his mother was, as may be fancied, particularly affectionate, and while each was clasped in the other's embrace Greene left the house.
During an hour or more Enoch told in detail all his adventures, and then, when that subject was exhausted, began to wonder why Greene did not return.
Not until night had come did the spy enter the house, and then it was to greet his young comrade with a hearty hand-clasp, as he said:
"There will be no hitch in the programme, lad. At daybreak to-morrow the last redcoat will go. This evening such of the troops as remain were drawn up into line, and without warning marched down the river a mile or more, where they are bivouacked on the shore."