Arnold sat in the prow of his barge. When they came in sight of the _Vulture_ he raised a white handkerchief upon a walking-stick. They soon reached the vessel. Arnold ascended to her deck, where he met Colonel Robinson, and briefly related to him the unhappy state of affairs. He tried, in vain, to lure the crew of his barge into the king's service. "If General Arnold likes the King of England, let him serve him; _we_ love our country, and mean to live or die in support of her cause," indignantly exclaimed James Larvey, the coxswain. "So will we," said his companions. They were sent on shore at Teller's Point by the same flag. Arnold sent a letter to Washington, covering one to his wife. He assured the commander-in-chief that his wife was innocent of all knowledge of his act, and entreated him to extend his protection to her and her child. He also exonerated his military family from all participation in his designs. By the same flag Colonel Robinson wrote to Washington, asserting that, under the circumstances which led to André's arrest, he could not detain him without "the greatest violation of flags and contrary to the usage of all nations"; and, assuming that the American commander would see the matter in the same light, he desired that he would order Major André to be "set at liberty, and allowed to return immediately." [Illustration: The Robinson House.--(From a Sketch by the Author in 1849.)] The _Vulture_ returned to New York the same evening, and early the next morning Arnold conveyed to General Clinton the first intelligence of the capture of Major André. Let us go back to Arnold's quarters at Robinson's house, in the Highlands. Washington arrived at Arnold's quarters an hour after the traitor's flight. Informed of the illness of Mrs. Arnold, and that her husband had gone over to West Point, the chief took a hurried breakfast and proceeded thither with all his staff, excepting Colonel Hamilton. As they touched the west shore of the river they were surprised at not receiving the usual cannon-salute. "Is not General Arnold here?" Washington asked Colonel Lamb. "No, sir," Lamb replied; "he has not been here for two days, nor have I heard from him in that time." Meanwhile Hamilton, as Washington's private secretary, had received and examined the papers taken from André's stocking; also the letters of Jameson, and that of the prisoner to Washington revealing the conspiracy. Hamilton immediately sought his chief. He met him on his way up from the river, and told him of his discovery of Arnold's treason and of his flight to the _Vulture_. Men were dispatched to Verplanck's Point to intercept him, but they arrived too late. An order was sent to Colonel Jameson to forward André to West Point immediately. He said to Lafayette and Knox, sadly: "Arnold is a traitor! Whom can we trust now?" The whole plot was revealed, and the danger impending over the post was made manifest.