"Not yet, though I wish he might; then I would go home, too."
"But seriously, where do you think he is going?" urged Putnam.
"I fear that he is bound to New York, for that is a port more important to him than even Boston." Washington spoke as if he were greatly perplexed.
"Well," added Putnam in his resolute way, "if he is bound for New York it won't do for us to be fooling about here long."
"No; and if I were certain that his destination were there, I should put you in command of that post at once," said Washington. "Besides the importance of the position to him, the large number of Tories in that town is a great inducement for him to strike there. Governor Tryon has been plotting something with them, and who knows but his appearance there will be the signal for them to rise against their own country."
"Just like 'em," answered Putnam. "A man who will turn against his own country ought to dangle at the end of a halter. With the British army outside, and hundreds of traitors inside, New York will make a poor show."
"There is no telling what a strong defence of the town can be made with the Lord on our side. My hope is in the righteousness of our cause."
Washington called a council of war in his perplexity. He laid before his military advisers his reasons for supposing that the foe, driven from Boston, had sailed for New York.
"The English will be chagrined over their defeat here, after all their boasting," said Washington, "and we may expect heavier blows in future somewhere. The king will not suffer 'rebels' to remain unmolested. We do well to expect that in future the king will concentrate the military power of his government and hurl it upon us to bring us to terms."