Apprehensive of a foray, Arthur carefully concealed from female inquisition, the fact that he had in his possession sun-dry chests of the delectable leaf, but by some means it be-came whispered about, that such was the case. This news was carried from farm house to farm house, until at length it reached the country along the Hudson; where the good housewives had so long abstained from the bewitching in-fusion, that they began to forget its joyous qualities. The information that now came from the direction of Bedford,

Chapter I

BEFORE THE BATTLE OF WHITEPLAINS 37

Brought back their old appetites. Their thoughts hovered about Bohea throughout the day, and they fancied its fra-grance during the visions of the night. The tea was within their reach, and not many miles distant. Daughters of Eve as they were, the time soon came when they could no longer resist the temptation. As the giant in the nursery tale. When he had smelt the blood of the Englishman, gave way to his cannibal instincts and resolved, dead or alive, to have some; so the dames of Philipse Manor, when in dreams they had scented the treasures in their vicinity, felt their old tastes revive, and determined once more to enjoy the "liquor that they loved," by coming down upon the ex-grocer, Arthur, for the needful material. A rendezvous was consequently agreed upon at the most convenient place. At the appointed time, upon an autumnal morning, upward of thirty females assembled, from the precincts of Sing-Sing, Tarrytown, Sleepy-Hollow, and Weekersqueeke, all mounted on horseback, and eager for the enterprise. As captain of their company, they unanimously made choice of Jonas Orser's better half, a woman of undaunted resolution who ruled her own household and influenced her neighbor-hood. Placing herself at the head of her forces, she at once put them in motion, toward Arthur's Hamlet.