The dragoon looked at him for a minute with the drollery
that characterized his manner, and then continued:

" This is a new comer in the scene ; it is usual, you know,
for strangers to be introduced ; I am Captain Lawton, of the
Virginia horse."

" And I, sir, am Captain Wharton, of his Majesty's 60th
regiment of foot," returned KTenry, bowing stiffly, and recov-
ering his natural manner.
The countenance of Lawton changed instantly, and his
assumed quaintness vanished. He viewed the figure of
Captain Wharton, as he stood proudly swelling with a pride
that disdained further concealment, and exclaimed, with
great earnestness:

" Captain Wharton, from my soul I pity you!"

" Oh ! then," cried the father, in agonj', " if you pity him,
dear sir, why molest him? He is not a spy; nothing but a
desire to see his friends prompted him to venture so far from
the regular army in disguise. Leave him with us; there is
no reward, no sum, which I will not cheerfully pay."

" Sir, your anxiety for your friend excuses your language,"
said Lawton haughtily; "but you forget I am a Virginian,
and a gentleman." Turning to the young man, he contin-
ued: "Were you ignorant. Captain Wharton, that our
pickets have been below you for several days?"

" I did not know it until I reached them, and it was then
too late to retreat,'' said Wharton sullenly. " I came out, as
my father has mentioned, to see my friends, understanding
your parties to be at Peekskill, and near the Highlands, or
surely I would not have ventured."



72 THE SPY.
