“I should hazard that it is of unusual importance,” returned the ensign; “though I have not the faintest knowledge of its nature.”
A few minutes’ brisk traveling and they reached the headquarters; George was at once admitted to the room where he had previously spoken to General Putnam.
The latter was still there, as was General Sullivan, and with them was an artillery captain who was talking volubly and with much excitement. But as George entered he ceased, at a sign from General Putnam.
“Prentiss,” said Putnam, after a moment’s pause, during which he studied the young New Englander carefully, “I have several times had occasion to benefit by your service in somewhat venturesome matters. And now,” here he bent forward a trifle, his hands upon the table in front of him, “that an occasion has arisen, I can offer you another service, which while it may not prove dangerous, seems sufficiently interesting to occupy a youth of your inches for some little time. Would you care to undertake it?”
“That you think it necessary that the thing be done is enough for me,” replied George.
“That is an excellent answer,” said Putnam, his big, round face beaming. “There are, no doubt,” he proceeded, and he glanced at General Sullivan as though in explanation, “numbers of young men in every branch of the service here in New York who could bring this matter to a highly successful issue. But as I am not acquainted with their individual merits, I might make a sad mistake in trying to select the proper one. Here,” and he nodded toward George, “is one of whom I have personal knowledge. That is why I have preferred him.”
The others signified that the reason appealed to them as being a perfectly just one.
There was a short pause. General Putnam seemed to be marshaling his thoughts together; then he said, addressing George:
“New York has been most difficult to control in the present crisis; there were many Tories about Boston, but here they number fully half the population. And their numbers make them dangerous. We have seized upon the persons of the most aggressive of them; but in spite of this a steady opposition continues to be made to everything we do. If this were openly done, it would be a simple matter. But it is carried on secretly. Information of some of our most intimate designs, so we have discovered, is regularly had by our enemies. Our troops are being corrupted; our stores and magazines are in real danger of destruction.
“Of late this Tory system seems to have selected our posts upon the Highlands for especial attention,” proceeded Putnam, and the artillery officer pursed his lips and wrinkled his brow as though in agreement. “Nothing, mind you, is definitely known, but there is a feeling among us all that our work is in some way being steadily undermined. Recruiting has been brought almost to a standstill because we have become convinced that many of those offering themselves have other motives than the preservation of our liberties.