Page:Narrative of a captivity and adventures in France and Flanders between the years 1803 and 1809.djvu/249

 of Walcheren, which had taken place since my departure from this coast, it was reasonable to suppose that the vigilance of the enemy had considerably increased, and it therefore became indispensably necessary that the greatest circumspection should be observed in my proceedings. I accordingly consulted Rickets' father, then in the Theseus, and in one of the boats of that ship, most ably manned with a crew of the Bas Roads fire eaters, made sail with Peter. On approaching the main, about midnight, we struck the mast, pulled in with muffled oars, and silently landed him, unobserved by the patroles, on the very spot whence I had embarked on the 8th of May, notwithstanding the enemy in the interim had erected a two-gun battery but a few yards distant; we shoved gently out, and came to a grapnel, waiting his return with the fugitives; but they not appearing, at dawn of day we returned to the Theseus. This trip was repeated four other nights without success; no signal being made. On the sixth day the Arachne was ordered to sea, and I was thereby most unwillingly obliged