"We hoped to hear of ye as in Philadelphia before this,
Sir William," said the squire, so soon as they were seated at
the table.

"Ay, and so did we all; but Mr. Washington was too quick
and sharp for us. By the time we had reached Trenton, he
had got safely across the river, and had taken with him or
destroyed all the boats."

"Could ye not have forded the river higher up?"

"Cornwallis was hot for attempting something of the sort,
but sight of the ice-floes in the river served to cool him, so he
is going into winter quarters and will not stir from his cantonments
until spring, unless the river freeze strong enough for
him to cross on the ice."

"And what of the rebels?"

"'T is sudden gone so out of fashion there is scarce one
left. Washington has a few ragged troops watching us from
across the river; but, except for these, there 's not a man in
the land who will own himself one. How many pardons have
we issued in the Jerseys alone, Henry?" demanded the
general, appealing to his secretary.

"Nigh four thousand; and at Trenton and Burlington, Mr.
Meredith, the people are flocking in in such numbers that
over four hundred took the king's oath yesterday," responded