e do? He thought--pondered--
hesitated--but at length, resolved. Midnight came. He rose, and having
put on his clothes, softly passed from his chamber down stairs. At
every step he listened--all was still--without disturbing even the
wary captain, he left the premises, and was soon on his way towards
White Plains.

"An hour or two brought him to the residence of Mr. Jay, whom he
called from his bed, and to whom he related what he knew. A plan was
soon concerted, by which to take the whole company. This being
settled, Crosby hastened back; and, before any one was up at the
captain's, was safely, and without having excited suspicion, in his
bed.

"In the course of the day, he was strongly urged to enlist--but he
wished to see the company together, he said. 'You shall see them
together,' said the captain, 'it would be well to meet--we must
arrange matters before we go.'

"A hasty summons, was therefore, sent round, and before nine o'clock
that night, the whole company had assembled;--it was a season of great
joy among them--the rebels, they said, were so depressed, that they
would have but little to do, but to march down and see them ground
arms.

"'Well, Mr. Crosby,' bawled out the captain, 'what say you? will you
go with us, and'--

"'Hark! hark! hark!' exclaimed a soldier, who sat near the door--'I
hear horses approaching.'

"'Out with the lights!--out with the lights!' said the captain--
'silence every man--keep your places.'

"At this moment, a loud rap was heard at the door--soon after which it
was thrown open, and the word 'surrender,' uttered by an officer, came
in like a peal of thunder.

"'Who are you?' demanded the tory captain, rising with some effort--
his knees trembling under him.

"'Who am I!' uttered the same voice, 'you will soon know who I am,
unless you surrender--you are surrounded--you are prisoners.'

"Dismay now filled the company. They rose, and in the darkness which
pervaded the room, attempted to escape. In the haste and confusion,
chairs were broken--benches overturned--pitchers and tumblers dashed
in pieces--some plunged from the windows, and were taken--others felt
their way up chamber, and hid in the garret, while several, in
attempting to reach the cellar, were plunged headlong upon the bottom.

"In a little time, however, matters were more quiet. The horsemen had
surrounded the house, and none could escape. From their hiding places
they were, at length, dragged--poor Crosby