The route lay across the Hudson at King’s Ferry from Stony Point to Verplanck’s Point. The party, after stopping over the first night, proceeded successfully until they reached Pine Bridge on the Croton River where Smith left Andre to pursue his own course through the neutral country. Smith now returned to Robinson House and reported to General Arnold where he had left Mr. Anderson. Arnold seemed to be more than pleased with the progress events were making at this report. He felt sure of Andre reaching King’s Bridge. When Andre left Smith he also felt assured of his success, for he rode boldly along until he was near Tarrytown. Here he was accosted by three men dressed in the uniform of British soldiers. Their story is best told in their own words. Paulding, one of the three, said, when relating the capture: “Myself, Isaac VanWart, and David Williams were lying by the side of the road about half a mile above Tarrytown, and about fifteen miles above King’s Bridge, on Saturday morning, the 23rd of September. We had lain there about an hour and a half, as near as I can recollect, and saw several persons we were acquainted with, whom we let pass. Presently one of the young men who were with me said: “‘There comes a gentleman-like looking man, who appears to be well-dressed and has boots on, and whom you had better step out and stop, if you don’t know him.’ “On that I got up and presented my fire-lock at the breast of the person and told him to stand, and then I asked him which way he was going. “‘Gentlemen,’ said he, ‘I hope you belong to our party.’ “I asked him: “‘What party?’ “He said: ‘The lower party.’ “Upon that I told him: “‘I do.’ “Then he said: ‘I am a British officer out of the country on particular business, and I hope you will not detain me a minute.’ “To show that he was a British officer, he pulled out his watch, upon which I told him to dismount. “He then said: “‘My God, I must do anything to get along.’ “He seemed to make a kind of laugh of it and pulled out General Arnold’s pass, which was to John Anderson to pass all guards to White Plains and below. Upon that he dismounted and said: “‘Gentlemen, you had best let me go or you will bring yourselves into trouble, for your stopping me will detain the General’s business. I am going to Dobb’s Ferry to meet a person there and get intelligence for General Arnold.’ “Upon that I told him I hoped he would not be offended, that we did not mean to take anything from him; and I told him there were many bad people going along the road, and I did not know but perhaps he might be one.” Paulding stated: “If Andre had not declared himself a British officer, when he produced General Arnold’s pass I would have let him go. However, when he pulled out his watch my suspicions were further aroused.” The three volunteers searched Andre, and David Williams, one of the party, relates this part of the story most minutely: