e coast will be our aim, and they will have it watched for
miles, so that even if we found a boat and got to sea (in which we
might fail), we should certainly be espied and chased and caught.
What we must do, as it seems to me, is to strike into the country
and find a hiding place where we may lie until the first alarm has
passed, and then endeavor by some means to learn of a secluded
fishing hamlet whither we may steal our way by night. Can you
suggest a better plan?"

For a brief space there was silence; then the bosun said:

"If we can not tell the way to the coast, neither can we know if we
be going inland, and so we may stumble into the very danger we
ought to avoid."

"There is the north star above us," I replied, "and by going south
it would appear that we shall go away from the sea. I propose,
then, that we turn our backs on the star and march southward,
trusting to find some wood or perchance some ruin where we may lurk
a day or two."

"And our bellies empty," groaned Tolliday.

"Let us hope not," I said. "We may come upon some fruit gardens
where we can find enough to keep us from starvation. But if we must
fast, then I warrant we, being Englishmen, can endure our pangs for
a day. Time is passing; 'tis gone midnight, if I guess right, and
since move we must, I speak for moving at once."

No other course suggesting itself, we set off, and, having the good
luck to strike a road, we marched along in dogged silence for what
must have been a couple of hours. We passed but one house, and that
was in total darkness, and if any person in it had been awake, our
passage would not have been heard, for we were all barefooted but
three, myself and two others.

After pausing a while to rest, we set off again, and tramped on
until there was a hint of daybreak in the sky. Then, being utterly
weary (for none of us had enjoyed a full night's sleep for months),
we looked about for some spot where we might rest without danger.
We found ourselves between open fields, somewhat cut up by low
stone dykes, but with no buildings or copses that offered even a
temporary shelter. We had perforce to continue on our way, and
about half a mile farther on our eyes were gladdened by the sight
of a large, low, dismantled farmhouse lying somewhat back from the
road. It appeared at first to be a total ruin, and bore the marks
of fire upon its blackened walls: but on entering we discovered one
room that had some portion of a roof over it