"This way, yer Excellency," obsequiously cried the landlord,
catching up a candle and coming out from behind the
bar. "I've set apart our settin'-room and our bestest room
--thet 'ere with the tester bed--for yer honourable Excellency."

"Come with me, Colonel Brereton," ordered the general, as
he followed the publican.

Motioning the tavern-keeper out of the room, Washington
threw aside his wet cloak and hat, and taking from a pocket
what looked like a piece of canvas, he unfolded and spread
it out on the table, revealing a large folio map of New Jersey.

"You know the country," he said; "show me where the
Raritan can be forded."

"Here, here, and here," replied Brereton, indicating with
his finger the points. "But this rain to-night will probably so
swell it that there'll be no crossing for come a two days."

"Then if we destroy the bridge Cornwallis cannot cross for
the present?"

"No, your Excellency. But if 't is their policy to again try
to outflank us, they'll send troops from Staten Island by boat
to South Amboy; and by a forced march through Monmouth
they can seize Princeton and Trenton, while Cornwallis holds
us here."

"'T is evident, then, that we can make no stand except at