“You had best go into the house and notify them,” said Belt, “for they are to be taken to Burgoyne under a white flag this very afternoon.” I found Mistress Kate first and told her what Belt had done. She did not seem to be much surprised. In truth, she said she had expected it. “I trust, Mistress Kate,” I said, “that while you are in Burgoyne’s army you will not let your opinions be influenced too much by your surroundings.” “My opinions are my own,” she said, “and are not dependent upon time and place.” Then I said something about its being a pity that Captain Chudleigh was a prisoner in our hands at such a time and was not with his own army, but she gave me such a sharp answer that I was glad to shut my mouth. Madame Van Auken said she was glad to go, but she would revisit her house when she came southward with Burgoyne after he had scattered the rebels, provided the rebels in the meantime had not burned the house down. Which, considering many things, I felt I could overlook. Both promised to be ready in an hour. I went outside and found that Belt was able to surprise me again. “You are to take the ladies into Burgoyne’s camp,” he said. “I wished to do it myself, but I was needed for other work.” I was not at all averse to this task, though it had never occurred to me that I would enter the British lines, except possibly as a prisoner. “I wish you luck,” said Belt, somewhat enviously. “I think the trip into the British lines is worth taking.” Right here I may say--for Belt does not come into this narration again--that after the war I told him the whole story of these affairs, which he enjoyed most heartily, and is at this day one among my best friends. The preliminaries about the transfer of the ladies to Burgoyne’s camp were but few, though I was exposed on the way to much censure from Madame Van Auken because of my rebel proclivities. In truth, Mistress Catherine, I think, took after her deceased and lamented father rather than her mother, who I knew had made the signal of the light to Martyn, and to Albert, who was on foot near him. But I bore it very well, inasmuch as one can grow accustomed to almost anything. I found that during my few days’ absence our army had pushed up much closer to Burgoyne, and also that we had increased greatly in numbers. Nothing could save Burgoyne, so I heard, but the arrival of Clinton from New York with heavy re-enforcements, and even then, at the best for Burgoyne, it would be but a problem. My heart swelled with that sudden elation one feels when a great reward looks certain after long trial.