GENERAL KING'S LETTER. 97 



of them took his watch from him and then 

 ordered him to dismount. 



The moment that was done, he found he 

 was mistaken and he must shift his tone. He 

 says, " I am happy, gentlemen, to find I am 

 mistaken. You belong to the upper party 

 and so do I, and to convince you of it, here is 

 Gen. Arnold's pass," handing it to them. 

 "Damn Arnold's pass," said they. *'You 

 said you were a British officer, where is your 

 money?" *' Gentlemen, I have none about 

 me," he replied. " You are a British officer, 

 with a gold watch and no money ! Let us 

 search him." They did so, but found none. 

 Says one : *' He has his money in his boots ; 

 let's have them off and see." They took off 

 his boots, and there they found his papers, but 

 no money. Then they examined his saddle, 

 but found none. He said he saw they had 

 such a thirst for money, he would put them in 

 the way to get it if they would be directed by 

 him. He asked them to name their sum to 

 deliver him at Kingsbridge. They answered 

 him in this way: '' If we deliver you at Kings- 

 bridge, we shall be sent to the sugar-house, 

 and you will save your money." He says : 

 "If you will not trust my honor, two of you 

 may stay with me and one shall go v/ith the 

 letter I will write. Name your sum. The 

 sum was agreed upon, but I cannot recollect if 

 it was 500 or 1000 guineas, but the latter, I 

 think, was the sum. They held a consultation 



7 



