"But do you think he suspects me?" asked the captain, with anxiety,
after pausing to listen to Caesar's opinion of the Skinners.
"How should he?" cried Sarah, "when your sisters and father could not
penetrate your disguise."
"There is something mysterious in his manner; his looks are too prying
for an indifferent observer," continued young Wharton thoughtfully, "and
his face seems familiar to me. The recent fate of Andre has created much
irritation on both sides. Sir Henry threatens retaliation for his death;
and Washington is as firm as if half the world were at his command. The
rebels would think me a fit subject for their plans just now, should I
be so unlucky as to fall into their hands."
"But my son," cried his father, in great alarm, "you are not a spy; you
are not within the rebel--that is, the American lines; there is nothing
here to spy."
"That might be disputed," rejoined the young man, musing. "Their pickets
were as low as the White Plains when I passed through in disguise. It is
true my purposes are innocent; but how is it to appear? My visit to you
would seem a cloak to other designs. Remember, sir, the treatment you
received not a year since, for sending me a supply of fruit for
the winter."
"That proceeded from the misrepresentations of my kind neighbors," said
Mr.
Pages:
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59