No sooner had he stepped on the street, however, than he was arrested.
"Of what offence am I accused ?" he asked.
"Treason." "Treason! it is false; I am guilty of no treason." The mother and sister, hearing the angry words without, hurried to the street to find him in custody.

Wringing their hands in an agony of distress, they demanded to know the cause of the arrest, and were informed that Robert had been accused of treason to the governor and must be committed to jail.
Robert slept behind iron bars that night.

He had many friends in the town, who no sooner learned of his arrest, than they began to appeal to the governor for his release.

Among them was Drummond, Cheeseman and Lawerence; but all supplications and entreaties were of no avail.

Hugh Price made a pretence of defending his wife's son; but the hollow show of his pretended interest was apparent.
One night, as he was lying on his hard prison bunk, Robert heard the sound of footsteps without.