all her babble about the
coming marriage were torture to him. He could not endure it. Worst of
all, he was in a way where there is no turning. He must go on. He had
begun to know that he was suspected. The conduct of the scout, Solomon
Binkus, had suggested that he knew what was passing. Arnold had seen
the aides of Washington as they came in. The chief could not be far
behind them. He dreaded to stand before him. Compared to the torture
now beginning for this man, the fate of Bill Scott on Rock Creek in the
wilderness, had been a mercy.

Soon after sunrise came a solitary horseman, wearied by long travel,
with a message from Colonel Jameson to Arnold. A man had been captured
near Tarrytown with important documents on his person. He had
confessed that he was Adjutant-General Andre of Sir Henry Clinton's
army. The worst had come to pass. Now treason! disgrace! the gibbet!

Arnold was sitting at breakfast. He arose, put the message in his
pocket and went out of the room. _The Vulture_ lay down the river
awaiting orders. The traitor walked hurriedly to the boat-landing.
Solomon was there. It had been his custom when in camp to go down to
the landing every morning with his spy-glass and survey the river.
Only one boatman was at the dock.

"Colonel Binkus, will you help this man to take me down to the British
ship?" Arnold asked. "I have an engagement with its commander and am
half an hour late."

Solomon had had much curiosity about that ship. He wished to see the
man who had gone into the bush and then to Smith's with Arnold.

"Sart'n," Solomon answered.

They got into a small barge with the General in the cushioned rear
seat, his flag in hand.

"Make what speed you can," said the General.

The oarsmen bent to their task and the barge swept on by the forts. A
Yankee sloop overhauled and surveyed them. If its skipper had
entertained suspicions they were dissipated by the presence of Solomon
Binkus in the barge.

They came up to _The Vulture_ and made fast at its landing stage where
an officer waited to receive the General. The latter ascended to the
deck. In a moment a voice called from above:

"General Arnold's boatmen may come aboard."

A British war-ship was a thing of great interest to Solomon. Once
aboard he began to look about him at the shining guns and their gear
and the tackle and the men. He looked for Arnold, but he was not in
sight.

Among the crew then busy on the deck,