"I'll detain you, then, but a short time, while I write a letter to Sir
Samuel Hood," he said. "I hope that you'll be as successful on your
journey back, as you were in coming here."
Before he began to write, he ordered a servant to bring me refreshments,
and to look after my companion. The walk had given me an appetite; and
I did justice to the food placed before me.
The general had soon finished his letter; and, giving it to me, with a
warm shake of the hand, told me that I was at liberty to set out when I
was ready.
"My orders are to return without delay, sir," I answered, and took my
leave.
The sentry accompanied Larry and me to the outer picket, thence we
hurried on as fast as we could manage to get along. Still I maintained
the same caution as in coming, for at any moment we might fall in with
some of the enemy, who might be watching the fort from a distance. The
farther we got, the more my hopes of succeeding increased. I could
already make out the lights of the ships in the bay, and the sheen of
the intermediate water. We reached the wood through which we had before
passed, and had just made our way to the outside, when I caught sight of
a body of men, apparently a patrol, a short distance to the right. We
were still under the shade of the trees, and I hoped that we should not
be discovered. We drew back to see in what direction they were coming.
It appeared to me that they had already passed, and that we might gain
the landing-place, even should they see us making towards it. We
accordingly, after waiting a short time, darted forward, running at our
full speed. Scarcely, however, had we begun to run, than I heard a
shout of--
"_Arretez la_!"--Stop there, stop!
It was an order we were not likely to obey. It was too late to return
to the wood, so, scampering as fast as our feet could move, we ran on to
where we expected to find the boat.
Again the Frenchmen shouted to us, and presently a shot came whistling
by my ear.
"Stoop down, Larry," I cried, "as low as you can; it doesn't do to
present a larger target to the enemy than is necessary."
I hoped that the shots would attract the attention of Nettleship, and
that he would pull in to take us aboard. I turned my head for a moment,
and saw the soldiers running towards us; still, as we were some way
ahead, I expected that we should have time to reach the boat, and to
shove off to a distance before they came up.