major andré was appointed to confer with arnold, and got off the ship vulture to make his way to the appointed place, but it was daylight by that time, and the vulture, having been fired on, dropped down the river. andré now saw no way for him but to get back to new york; but at tarrytown he was met by three patriots, who caught his horse by the reins, and, though andré tried to tip them, he did not succeed. they found papers on his person, among them a copy of punch, which made them suspicious that he was not an american, and so he was tried and hanged as a spy. this was one of the saddest features of the american revolution, and should teach us to be careful how we go about in an enemy's country, also to use great care in selecting and subscribing for papers.