Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/204

 we always left him in the nest; but Hunter and myself continued our nightly excursions to the "Cat," and found its inmates at each succeeding visit, more and more determined to persevere in rendering us assistance; indeed, so much had we grown upon their esteem, and so intense was the interest excited by the extremity of our sufferings, that, on one occasion, poor old Cocher, the servant, offered to pawn even her gold cross and heart, and all she possessed, to Moitier, if he would but befriend the poor "Englishers." About this time, Madame Derikre's visits to Moitier were so frequent, that he, at length, forbad them. She, however, learnt that Mansell had embarked for England, with a smuggler, in an open boat fifteen feet in length; this was a great point, and our hopes were once more turned towards the coast, in the full expectation that he would return in the night, with a boat to take us off; but day after day passed without intelligence.

Moitier not having fulfilled his promise of sending us supplies, so soon as Mansell was gone; and, indeed, seeming to have for