The party proceeded with little or no interruption, and once beyond the sight of patroling parties, Anderson's naturally buoyant spirit resumed its wonted cheerfulness, and he astonished his companion by the sudden change from taciturn despondency to unusual hilarity. Poetry, art and literature, formed alternate themes of discourse, and already he seemed to behold the reduction of the Colonies and the end of the war--a consummation to which his own sagacity and personal daring would so largely have contributed. Near Pine's Bridge, a few miles above Tarrytown, Smith parted from him to return to Fishkill, while Anderson pursued his way onward, until three armed militia-men, lying in wait for suspicious men and cattle going to New York, brought him to a stand. Under the impression that they were adherents of the British from their replies to his inquiries, he announced himself a British officer, and exhibited his passport, but it was too late, the fatal admission was made. The men took him into the bushes and searched him, when six papers, mostly in Arnold's handwriting, were found inside of his stockings and beneath his feet, filled with details of the state of the forces, ordnance, and defenses at West Point. Patriotically disdaining the proffered bribe of a purse of gold and permanent support and promotion on condition of suffering him to proceed, the captors conveyed him to Colonel Jameson, who commanded the nearest American outpost at North Castle. This officer, unaccountably bewildered, resolved to dispatch the captive to Arnold, to whose command he belonged, in spite of the damning proof of the former's treachery. Major Tallmadge, the second officer in command at the post, was absent when Anderson was brought in, and did not return until evening. When Jameson told him what had occurred, he was filled with amazement, and openly declared that Arnold was a traitor, offering to take upon himself the responsibility of acting on that conviction. To this Jameson would not listen, but he finally yielded to the entreaties of Tallmadge to recall Anderson, while he persisted in sending a note to Arnold, informing him of the suspicious arrest of the prisoner. The six papers he had already dispatched to be delivered to Washington. The messenger sent to recall Anderson overtook the party and returned with them to North Castle. Conscious that his fate was sealed, exposure inevitable, and proofs of his own and Arnold's crime more than ample, Anderson paced up and down the apartment with measured step, pondering on the gloomy prospect which awaited him, while Tallmadge sat watching him, more and more convinced that the indifferently dressed prisoner before him had been bred to the profession of arms. On the next morning the captive wrote a letter to Washington, describing the manner in which he came within the American lines, and announced himself to be Major JOHN ANDRE, the Adjutant-General of the British army.