"But it was too late; Arnold had got nearly six hours the start of him. When Hamilton reached the Point a flag of truce was approaching from the Vulture to that post. The bearer brought a letter from Arnold to Washington. Hamilton forwarded it at once to the commander-in-chief, then wrote to Greene, who was at Tappan, advising him to take measures to prevent any attempt the British might make to carry out the traitor's plans.
"But the plot had failed; and when Sir Henry Clinton heard of it the next morning, on the arrival of the Vulture at New York, knowing that the Americans must now be wide awake to their danger, he gave up all thought of carrying out his scheme for getting possession of West Point."
The captain paused in his narrative, and Eric asked, "What did Arnold write to Washington about, uncle?"
"To ask protection for his wife and child, and to say that love for his country had actuated him in this thing."
"Humph! a queer kind of love I should say," sneered the boy.
"Yes; a love that led him to do all in his power for the utter destruction of her liberties."
"And was Washington good to his wife and child?"
"Yes, very kind and sympathizing; and she was soon able to rejoin her husband—going down the river to New York with her babe.
"Washington promptly sent orders to General Greene to march with his portion of the army toward King's Ferry. Greene did not get the order before midnight, but by dawn his whole division was on the march. Washington sent a letter to Colonel Jameson also, telling him to send André to Robinson's house under a strong guard. That order also was received at midnight; André was aroused; and, though the night was very dark and rain falling fast, a guard under Major Tallmadge set off with the prisoner. They rode the rest of the night, and reached their destination at dawn of the 26th. On the evening of that day André was taken over to West Point, and on the morning of the 28th to Tappan. But we have already finished his story."
"I wish our folks could have got Arnold and punished him!" exclaimed
Eric.