She must grieve at their parting, long for his
home-coming. So convinced was he of such feelings on her part, that he
pitied her for them, felt the start of many a tear in sorrow for her
sorrow.
"Poor girl!" he thought. "How her face would gladden if I were to walk
into her presence at this moment!"
And the thought gave birth to the resolution. The joy of such a
meeting was worth a thousand risks and efforts.
His first step was to get leave of absence and General Washington's
permission to enter New York. The former was quickly obtained, the
latter less so. But if he failed to demonstrate to the commander the
possible profit of his secretly visiting the enemy's town, he
convinced him that the entrance was not too difficult to one who knew
the land so well, and who could so easily find concealment.
Sympathising with Philip's private motive in the case, trusting him
implicitly, and crediting his ability to take care of himself in even
so perilous a matter, Washington finally gave consent.
Philip rode in proper manner from the rebel camp, bound apparently
Southward, as if perchance he bore despatches to the rebel civil
authorities at Philadelphia. Once out of observation, he concealed his
uniform cap and outer coat, and provided himself at a New Jersey
village with an ordinary felt hat, and a plain dark overcoat. He then
turned from the Southward road, circled widely about the rebel camp,
and arrived at a point some distance north of it.
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