A meetiug of Arnold and Andre was arranged.^ On the morning of the 20th of August, the latter officer left New York, proceeded by land to Dobbs's Perry, and from thence to the Vulture, where it was expected the traitor would meet him that night. The wily general avoided the great danger. He repaired to the house of Joshua Hett Smith, a brother to the Tory chief justice of New York, and employed him to go to the Vulture at night, and bring a gentleman to the western shore of the Hudson.

i92

THE HUDSON.

There was delay, and Smith did not make the voyage until the night of the 21st, after the moon had gone behind the high hills in the west. AVith muffled oars he paddled noiselessly out of Haverstraw Creek, and, at little past midnight, reached the Vulture. It was a serene night, not a ripple was upon the bosom of the river. Not a word was spoken. The

jmeetikg-plack of akdee akd ae^old.

boat came alongside, with a concerted signal, and received Sir Henry's representative. (Andre was dressed in his scarlet uniform, but all was concealed by a long blue surtout, buttoned to the chin. He was conveyed to an estuarv at the foot of Lons Clove Mountain, a little below the

THE HUDSON.

Village of Haverstraw. Smith led the officer to a thicket near the shore, and then, in a low whisper, introduced " John Anderson " to "Gustavus," who acknowledged himself to be Major-General Arnold, of the Continental Army. J There, in the deep shadows of night, concealed from human cognizance, with no witnesses but the stars above them, they discussed the dark plans of treason, and plotted the utter ruin of the Eepublican cause. The faint harbingers of day began to appear in the east, and yet the conference was earnest and unfinished.