Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/200

 with much difficulty, that the boy could get to our retreat with provisions. On the morning of the 21st, he came, almost out of breath, with information, that a party of men were again about to surround the house, and, it was supposed, to search the adjoining woods. Upon this, we instantly broke up our camp, threw the twigs in all directions, and ran through the woods a mile due east. A ditch, about eighteen feet wide, now presented itself before us; luckily, at a little distance, was a piece of timber lying across, upon which we passed without a moment's delay, and being too well versed in military tactics to leave the bridge for the enemy, it was drawn over, and thrown into a hedge.

Our hasty retreat was continued about three miles, when reaching an almost impenetrable thicket, we crept in and hid ourselves. In this thicket we lay some time, expecting every moment the approach of the pursuers; but, as we occupied a very favourable position for retreat, the surrounding woods being intersected with wide ditches, one of which was imme