attack the forts.

Hamburg! thought I; why, Minnie Vanderwelt is at Hamburg with her
father. I will go and try if I cannot get to Hamburg. The remembrance
of Minnie gave a spur to my energies, and created a new stimulus. I
then told the governor that I had a few men doing nothing; that I would
join them to the expedition, and serve as a volunteer. The governor
thanked me for my zeal, and I left him to go down and communicate my
intentions to the commanding officer of the gun-brig, who expressed
himself most happy at my assistance and co-operation.

CHAPTER FORTY THREE.

As neither my men nor I had any luggage to hamper us--for we had just
the clothes we stood in--we were not long getting ready. We started
next morning; and on entering the river, found that the French had
destroyed their flotilla, and soon afterwards we were invited by the
people to come on shore and take possession of the batteries which the
French had evacuated. I remained with Cross and my men on shore at
Cuxhaven, while the brigs went up the river, in pursuit of a privateer.

After a day or two, tired of inactivity, and anxious to arrive at
Hamburg, I proposed to Cross that he should accompany me, which he
cheerfully acceded to. I had drawn a bill at Heligoland, so that we
were in no want of money, and we set off on our expedition. We had not,
however, proceeded far before we were informed that the road to Hamburg
was so full of French troops, scattered about, that it would be
impossible to gain the city without we made a _detour_. As we knew that
our throats would be cut by these disorganised parties, we followed the
advice given to us, walking from village to village, until we had put
Hamburg between us and the river. But when there, we found that we
could not approach the imperial city, but were obliged to direct our
steps more inland. At last, we heard that the inhabitants of the town
of Lunenburg had risen, and driven out the French garrison, and I
resolved to proceed there, as it was more advisable than being
continually in danger of being picked up by the French stragglers, who
were committing every enormity that could be imagined.

We arrived safe; stated who we were to the authorities, and were well
received; but we had not been there more than two days, when the
rejoicings and braggings of the town's-people, on account of the late
victory over the French garrison, were turned to consternation by the
intelligence that Ge