When they had disappeared out of sight of the New Jersey shore their goal was still unknown.

At sea they might turn in any direction.

Washington's uncertainty was partly relieved on the 30th of July when the fleet appeared at the entrance of Delaware Bay, with Philadelphia some hundred miles away across the bay and up the Delaware River.

After hovering about the Cape for a day the fleet again put to sea, and Washington, who had marched his army so as to be near Philadelphia, thought the whole movement a feint and knew not where the fleet would next appear.

He was preparing to march to New York to menace General Clinton, who had there seven thousand men able to help Burgoyne when he heard good news.