Shube Merritt, being active, sprang over the fence and stripped the French- -man of a belt he wore about his waist which contained two or three hundred "French guineas." These the robbers divided - Shube retaining the largest portion. Another Frenchman was (previously?) overtaken, and surrendered himself (to Shube Merritt?) a prisoner. The third ran north, towards Samuel Brown's (the next house) for his life, pur- -sued by Neb. Merritt with his unloaded gun. The Frenchman, hand pressed by Neb. Merritt, took up a large stone and faced him. He pointed his gun. The Frenchmen hurled the stone, and running round Samuel Brown's house, jumped
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Neh. Brown cont'd.
in at the window and got under a table followed by Neb. who could not find him. Neb. then left the room in search of him, and Mrs. Brown concealed him first in a closet or pantry, but he was so incautious as to (look) stick his head out the moment Neb. left the room. Mrs. Brown then concealed him in the cellar. Neb. Insisted Mr. Brown should tell him where the Frenchman was. Brown did not know the Frenchman was in the house - not having yet seen him, and denied him to Neb. declaring he was not in the house. Neb at length went away. Sometime afterwards, a detachment of Continentals with an officer, being informed &c. came to Brown's and inquired for the Frenchman in the cellar. Brown at first denied him because several neighbors, loyalists, were present. He managed to acquaint the officer of ^with this who ordered the tories off, and then he brought out the Frenchman