Strong parties held the Heights of Harlaem, and the north-
em end of Manhattan Island was bristling with the bayo-
nets of the English sentinels, yet the peddler glided among
them unnoticed and uninjured. His approaches to the
American lines were also frequent; but generally so con-
ducted as to baffle pursuit. Many a sentinel, placed in the
gorges of the mountains, spoke of a strange figure that had
been seen gliding by them in the mists of the evening.
These stories reached the ears of the officers, and, as we
have related, in two instances the trader had fallen into tlie
hands of the Americans. The first time he had escaped
from Lawton, shortly after his arrest; but the second he was
condemned to die. On the morning of his intended execu-
tion, the cage was opened, but the bird had flown. This
extraordinary escape had been made from the custody of a
favorite officer of Washington, and sentinels who had been
thought worthy to guard the person of the commander-in-
chief. Bribery and treason could not be imputed to men so
well esteemed, and the opinion gained ground among the



I40 THE SPY.
