your inches for some little time. Would you care to undertake it?” [76] “That you think it necessary that the thing be done is enough for me,” replied George. “That is an excellent answer,” said Putnam, his big, round face beaming. “There are, no doubt,” he proceeded, and he glanced at General Sullivan as though in explanation, “numbers of young men in every branch of the service here in New York who could bring this matter to a highly successful issue. But as I am not acquainted with their individual merits, I might make a sad mistake in trying to select the proper one. Here,” and he nodded toward George, “is one of whom I have personal knowledge. That is why I have preferred him.” The others signified that the reason appealed to them as being a perfectly just one. There was a short pause. General Putnam[77] seemed to be marshaling his thoughts together; then he said, addressing George: [77] “New York has been most difficult to control in the present crisis; there were many Tories about Boston, but here they number fully half the population. And their numbers make them dangerous. We have seized upon the persons of the most aggressive of them; but in spite of this a steady opposition continues to be made to everything we do. If this were openly done, it would be a simple matter. But it is carried on secretly. Information of some of our most intimate designs, so we have discovered, is regularly had by our enemies. Our troops are being corrupted; our stores and magazines are in real danger of destruction. “Of late this Tory system seems to have selected our posts upon the Highlands for especial attention,” proceeded Putnam, and the artillery officer pursed his lips and wrinkled his brow as though in agreement. “Nothing, mind you, is definitely known, but there is a feeling among us all that our work is in some way being steadily undermined. Recruiting has been brought almost[78] to a standstill because we have become convinced that many of those offering themselves have other motives than the preservation of our liberties. [78] “To-day Captain Hall unearthed some traces of what might possibly be a plot. But I am sorry to say that what he has discovered is not of sufficient directness to warrant our arresting any one. However, it affords us a most excellent beginning for a counter
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