Arnold's TempterComfort, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Freeman)
History
Arnold's Tempter
Comfort, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Freeman)
Arnold, Benedict, 1741-1801 -- Fiction; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Fiction
Barclugh was taken aboard and informed that he could bunk in the
cuddy until morning. Then the fishermen hoisted sail and cast off the
moorings. He gladly accepted the offer, for he had been well fed by the
Swede’s wife, and what he most needed was rest.
A long bag full of marsh grass was in the bunk to lie upon, and a
dunnage bag made his pillow. The cuddy was as neat and clean as one
could expect aboard a fisherman’s craft. When the water went swishing
by on the sloop’s planking, Barclugh fell into a sound sleep.
The two Swedes were brothers. One was married, and the other was his
partner in the fishing trade. The lad was a nephew that had come from
Sweden to live with his uncles. They plied their occupation between
Little Egg Harbor inlet and Philadelphia, and sold their catch to Sven
Svenson. In the summer season they took out enough ice each trip to
keep their fish until their return, and when Barclugh boarded their
sloop they were in a hurry to get to Philadelphia in the shortest time
possible.
The wind was light when the sun went down, but with the rising of the
moon the wind freshened and carried them down the coast at eight knots
an hour.
Nothing disturbed the serenity of the trip. When everything was sailing
smoothly, the older one crawled into the cuddy and occupied the bunk
opposite Barclugh. He slept soundly until after midnight, when he
relieved his brother and let him turn in.
At sunrise Barclugh arose and after freshening up with a good wash,
he looked around to see where they were. He saw the sloop heading
northwest, and a low-lying point of land astern.
“Where are we now?” he asked, as he took a good long breath of fresh
air.
“Wee aare finfe hoors sail fram Pheeladalpheea, Meester,” was the reply
of the Swede at the tiller.
The younger one was busy at the cooking of the morning meal. Barclugh
discouraged talk and the Swedes knew what they had been given the
guineas for.
The British spy took a seat forward and began to swell with exultation
when he pondered over his journey to New York, his interview with
General Clinton, and his participation in the capture of the Holker.
Now he was speeding to the conclusion of his journey,--the sloop
skimmed over the rolling waves of the Atlantic, as his enthusiasm grew
apace, and he thought of the subjugation of West Point by intrigue.
When the sloop reached the fishmonger’s landing in Philadelphia and
Barclugh stepped ashore, he walked unnoticed to his lodgings and
inwardly exclaimed:
“Victory! Victory!”
CHAPTER XXVI
No sooner was Barclugh settled in his lodgings, than he began to resume
his business duties.
“Mr. Hopewell,” he ordered, calling his clerk from the accounting room
to his private office, “go, and inform General Arnold that Mr. Barclugh
has arrived and that he wishes to see him at five o’clock in his
private office.
“Inform any personage of importance that I had a fall from my horse and
broke my collar-bone; be careful to whom you impart this information.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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