as he was only then emerging from his first stage of
intoxication, (which we have already shown to be tantamount
to perfect sobriety in any other person) there had been
no time for a display of those uproarious qualities which
characterized the last, and which, once let loose, scarcely
even the presence of the General could have restrained.
With an acuteness, however, which is often to be remarked
in habitual drunkards at moments when their intellect is
unclouded by the confusedness to which they are more
commonly subject, the hawk's eye of the old man had
detected several particulars which had escaped the general
attention, and of which he had, at a later period of the
day, retained sufficient recollection, to connect with
an accidental yet important discovery.

At the moment when the prisoners were landed, he had
remarked Desborough, who had uttered the hasty exclamation
already recorded, stealing cautiously through the
surrounding crowd, and apparently endeavouring to arrest
the attention of the younger of the American officers.
An occasional pressing of the spur into the flank of
Silvertail, enabled him to turn as the settler turned,
and thus to keep him constantly in view; until, at length,
as the latter approached the group of which General Brock
and Commodore Barclay formed the centre, he observed him
distinctly to make a sign of intelligence to the Militia
Officer, whose eye he at length attracted, and who now
bestowed upon him a glance of hasty and furtive recognition.
Curiosity induced Sampson to move Silvertail a little
more in advance, in order to be enabled to obtain a better