IX. IN WHICH GEORGE PRENTISS RECEIVES AN INVITATION 129 X. SHOWS HOW WASHINGTON CAME TO NEW YORK 138 XI. IN WHICH GEORGE PRENTISS MAKES A SUDDEN RESOLUTION 152 XII. TELLS HOW TWO PEOPLE PEERED THROUGH THE WINDOW OF THE OLD MILL 163 XIII. IN WHICH PEGGY CAMP SHOWS HER COURAGE 171 XIV. SHOWS HOW THE BRITISH SHIPS CAME INTO THE BAY 181 XV. TELLS HOW GEORGE VISITED THE HOUSE IN CROWN STREET 190 XVI. PEGGY SPEAKS HER MIND 204 XVII. SHOWS WHAT HAPPENED IN THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER 217 XVIII. IN WHICH IS FOUGHT THE BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND 229 XIX. DESCRIBES HOW GEORGE AND HIS FRIEND START UPON A DANGEROUS MISSION 255 XX. TELLS OF TWO PATRIOTS IN TRENTON 274 XXI. HOW COLONEL RAHL PROPOSED GIVING A CHRISTMAS CONCERT 283 XXII. TELLS HOW A FIRE WAS KINDLED ON A HILLSIDE 301 XXIII. SHOWS HOW THE CONCERT WAS INTERRUPTED 317 Illustrations PAGE “GET OUT OF THE WAY, MY HEARTY” _Frontispiece_ GENERAL PUTNAM GLANCED UP 47 “I WALKED INTO A NEST OF KING’S MEN” 89 LORD STERLING BROKE THE SEAL 156 “ALEXANDER HAMILTON,” HE REPLIED 184 THE HAND PAUSED 221 “IT’S THE ARMY OF WASHINGTON” 315 The Young Continentals at Trenton CHAPTER I SHOWS HOW MERCHANT DANA BOARDED THE “NANCY BREEN” AND WHAT CAME OF IT A dry, weazened little man with a halt in his step passed “The Brigantine” inn which faced the East River at the foot of Broad Street; and as he did so, he peered in at the windows and doors, for it was a fine spring morning and they stood wide. “The Brigantine” was a place for captains and mates and merchants to congregate; and all about it were warehouses, shipping offices and places for the sale of maritime stores. Apparently what the weazened little man sought was not visible in or about the tavern, for he went halting across the roadway and out upon the wharf, peering inquisitively here and there through a pair of huge, horn-rimmed glasses. A good-sized shallop was moored to the wharf. She had come down the Sound during the night; a lean looking lad with a vacant grin upon his face was furling her clumsy lugs, and in the waist the skipper was coiling a line with expert neatness. The dry little man limped to the string-piece; readjusting his glasses, he inquired in a high thin voice which squeaked when he sought to raise it: “Just in to-day, captain?” “An hour ago,” replied the skipper.