Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/171

 of the vessel, were circulating; some attributing it to the unusual height of the tides, whilst others confidently asserted that an attempt had been made to steal her. This dispute was productive of no other evil, than an order to haul the vessels higher up; that, however, was sufficient to deprive us of all hope of getting away from Blankenberg until the embargo was taken off; we, therefore, consulted upon other means, when Madame Derikre agreed to go to Bruges, and advise with a friend of her's, named Moitier, with whom she had before been leagued, in unlawful practices respecting conscripts. To guard against treachery on his part, she was instructed in the following tale:—"A young Englishman, late a prisoner of war, is concealed at Flushing, and offers £50 to any one who will land him in England, or cause him to be put on board an English vessel." In the event of succeeding, my plan was to get away, and return in the night to carry off my comrades; but they, unwilling that I should leave them, proposed that Mansell should be the one to