doubtful, resolved to conciliate his countrymen, and gratify himself, by
calling his daughters into his own abode. Miss Peyton consented to be
their companion; and from that time, until the period at which we
commenced our narrative, they had formed one family.

Whenever the main army made any movements, Captain Wharton had, of
course, accompanied it; and once or twice, under the protection of
strong parties, acting in the neighborhood of the Locusts, he had
enjoyed rapid and stolen interviews with his friends. A twelvemonth had,
however, passed without his seeing them, and the impatient Henry had
adopted the disguise we have mentioned, and unfortunately arrived on the
very evening that an unknown and rather suspicious guest was an inmate
of the house, which seldom contained any other than its regular
inhabitants.

"But do you think he suspects me?" asked the captain, with anxiety,
after pausing to listen to Caesar's opinion of the Skinners.

"How should he?" cried Sarah, "when your sisters and father could not
penetrate your disguise."

"There is something mysterious in his manner; his looks are too prying
for an indifferent observer," continued young Wharton thoughtfully, "and
his face seems familiar to me. The recent fate of Andre has created much
irritation on both sides. Sir Henry threatens retaliation for his death;
and Washington is as firm as if half the world were at his command. The
rebels would think me a fit subject for their plans just now, should I
be so unlucky as to fall into their hands."

"But my son," cried his father, in great alarm, "you are not a spy; you