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Page 45
"The conductor, a middle-aged, harsh-looking man, was here about to
require all present, before he could conduct them farther, to swear upon
the Scriptures not to make the least attempt at escape, and never to
reveal the circumstances or agents in the proceeding, whatever might
befal them. But before they had time to take the oath, their practised
ears detected the sound of the alarm-gun; and the conductor, directing
the party to follow him in close order, immediately left the house,
taking with him a dark lantern. Lee's reflections were not now the most
agreeable. If he were to be compelled to accompany his party to the
British lines in New York, he would be detected and hanged as a spy; and
he saw that the conductor had prepared arms for them, which they were to
use in taking the life of any one who should attempt to escape. They
went on with great despatch, but not without difficulty. Lee might now
have deserted, in this hurry and alarm; but he had made no discovery,
and he could not bear to confess that he had not nerve enough to carry
him through. They went on, and were concealed in a barn the whole of the
next day. Provisions were brought, and low whistles and other signs
showed that the owner of the barn was in collusion with his secret
guests. The barn was attached to a small farm-house. Lee was so near the
house that he could overhear the conversation which was carried on about
the door. The morning rose clear, and it was evident from the inquiries
of horsemen, who occasionally galloped up to the door, that the country
was alarmed. The farmer gave short and surly replies, as if unwilling to
be taken off from his labour; but the other inmates of the house were
eager in their questions; and, from the answers, Lee gathered that the
means by which he and his companions had escaped were as mysterious as
ever. The next night, when all was quiet, they resumed their march, and
explained to Lee that, as he was not with them in their conspiracy, and
was accidentally associated with them in their escape, they should take
the precaution to keep him before them, just behind the guide. He
submitted without opposition, though the arrangement considerably
lessened his chances of escape.
"For several nights they went on in this manner, being delivered over to
different persons from time to time; and, as Lee could gather from their
whispering conversations, they were regularly employed on occasions like
the present, and well rewarded by the British for their services. Their
employment was full of danger; and though they seemed like desperate
men, he could observe that they never remitted their precautions. They
were concealed days in barns, cellars, caves made for the purpose, and
similar retreats; and one day was passed in a tomb, the dimensions of
which had been enlarged, and the inmates, if there had been any,
banished to make room for the living. The burying-grounds were a
favourite retreat, and on more occasions than one they were obliged to
resort to superstitious alarms to remove intruders upon their path.
Their success fully justified the experiment; and unpleasantly situated
as he was, in the prospect of soon being a ghost himself, he could not
avoid laughing at the expedition with which old and young fled from the
fancied apparitions.
"Though the distance of the Delaware was not great, they had now been
twelve days on the road, and such was the vigilance and suspicion
prevailing throughout the country, that they almost despaired of
effecting their object. The conductor grew impatient, and Lee's
companions, at least one of them, became ferocious. There was, as we
have said, something unpleasant to him in the glances of this fellow
towards him, which became more and more fierce as they went on; but it
did not appear whether it was owing to circumstances, or actual
suspicion. It so happened that, on the twelfth night, Lee was placed in
a barn, while the rest of the party sheltered themselves in the cellar
of a little stone church, where they could talk and act with more
freedom; both because the solitude of the church was not often disturbed
even on the Sabbath, and because even the proprietors did not know that
illegal hands had added a cellar to the conveniences of the building.
"Here they were smoking pipes with great diligence, and, at intervals
not distant, applying a huge canteen to their mouths, from which they
drank with upturned faces, expressive of solemn satisfaction. While they
were thus engaged, the short soldier asked them, in a careless way, if
they knew whom they had in their party. The others started, and took
their pipes from their mouths to ask him what he meant. 'I mean,' said
he, 'that we are honoured with the company of Capt. Lee, of the rebel
army. The rascal once punished me, and I never mistook my man when I had
a debt of that kind to pay.'
"The others expressed their disgust at his ferocity, saying that if, as
he said, their companion was an American officer, all they had to do was
to watch him closely. As he had come among them uninvited, he must go
with them to New York, and take the consequences; but meantime it was
their interest not to seem to suspect him, otherwise he might give an
alarm--whereas it was evidently his intention to go with them till they
were ready to embark for New York. The other person persisted in saying
that he would have his revenge with his own hand; upon which the
conductor, drawing a pistol, declared to him that if he saw the least
attempt to injure Capt. Lee, or any conduct which would lead him to
suspect that his disguise was discovered, he would that moment shoot him
through the head. The soldier put his hand upon his knife, with an
ominous scowl upon his conductor; but he restrained himself.
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