“Doctor,” I said, “the names in those letters were the names of two hundred British sympathizers, obtained by Marie de Sabrevois to help in the defeat of these colonies. Now, doctor, that’s information possessed only by Marie de Sabrevois, by the headquarters staff of your army, and by those in this room. I’ll tell you what I’ll do: I’ll trade you those two hundred Tories for Nathaniel. That’s a generous offer.”

He looked staggered. “Trade them? Trade them?”

“Yes, trade them. Ordinarily, Tories in Albany who might come to your support would have little interest for me. That’s particularly true now. Burgoyne’s captured. The campaign’s over. You’ll never threaten us from the north again. It doesn’t matter to me whether people in this section are Tories or not; but I think the Patriots who live here would be glad to know the names of those friends of England. They’ll lose property, liberty—even their lives if the Patriots happen to be in a hanging mood. You’re a humane man, doctor, I take it. Now then: either you release my brother, or I’ll make public the names of those two hundred Tories, and their blood’ll be on your head.”

Hayes eyed me uncertainly. “I have no authority,” he began. “You’re asking me to surrender a prisoner—–”

At that I interrupted him by laughing, and not politely. “Prisoner! Let’s not be quite that ridiculous! You’re a prisoner yourself, and I’m an officer of the army that holds you. My prisoner refuses to give up his prisoner to the captor of both of them. Make an end of it, doctor! I want my brother, and you ought to be humane and not ridiculous. If that’s not enough for you, I’ll take other measures.”

“Dear me!” he said. “Yankee Doodle!”

But his derision was feeble, so that I knew he was beaten. He said no more, but drooped his shoulders and went to the door. Ellen gave me one swift look, stepped after him, and the two of them left us, closing the flimsy door behind them. Even Cap Huff was silent while we waited.

When the door opened again, Hayes wasn’t there. Nathaniel stood waveringly before us, his arm across Ellen’s shoulders. He gave us a quick glance; then stared at the floor.

Ellen guided him in and knelt beside him so that he could lower himself to a bench. He looked ghastly.

I went and sat beside him and put my hand on his knee. His lips moved.

“I’m sorry to see you like this,” I said.

“Not badly hurt,” he said shakily. He sighed, a faint, ironic sigh. “Hit in the back!”

“Nathaniel,” I said, “we’re going to take you away. We’re going to look out for you.”