He examined their passes, and, beingsatisfied, they proceeded on tluur journey eastward about half a mile, until they reached the road southerly to Tine's Bridge over the Croton. Taking that road, they proceeded to the house of Isaac Underbill, where they took breakfast of corn meal mush and milk. They journeyed no farther together. Smith returned to Peekskill, and then went to Fishkill, where his family was, stopping on his way at the Robinson house to dine with Arnold and notify him of the progress that Andre had made. When Andre and Smith parted, it was understood that Andre was to go to Xew York by way of White Plains, but, after passingPine's Bridge, which was located about half a mile north of the present bridge, he took the westerly road leading toward the Hudson River. Captain Boyd had told Andre to avoid the river road, as there were many British upon it. He was probably induced by this remark to change his plans and take it, hoping thereby to fall in with friends. At this time there was a class of men known as Cowboys (mostly,

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

if not wholly, American refugees belonging to the British side), who were engaged in stealing and purchasing cattle on the ill-fated Neutral Ground and driving them to Now York as beef supply for the British army. In order to cheek the prosecution of this practice, small scouting parties were frequently sent out beyond the American posts to reconnoiter the country between the posts and those of the enemy. As the cattle taken from the Cowboys, unless stolen and reclaimed, were by legislative enactment held to be " prize of war," small volunteer parties were occasionally formed by the young men attached to the American cause to watch the roads in order to suppress the practice which exposed their stock to depredation.