Peter: you have hard work to go through yet, and I must take
care of you. You're but a bud, and I'm a full-blown rose." So saying,
he put the spirit-flask to his mouth, and then handed it to me. "Now,
Peter, we must make a start, for depend upon it, they will scour the
country for us; but this is a large wood, and they may as well attempt
to find a needle in a bundle of hay, if we once get into the heart of
it."

We set off, forcing our way through the thicket, for about three hours,
O'Brien looking occasionally at his pocket compass; it then was again
nearly dark, and O'Brien proposed a halt. We made up a bed of leaves
for the night, and slept much more comfortably than we had the night
before. All our bread was wet, but as we had no water, it was rather a
relief; the meat we had with us was sufficient for a week. Once more we
laid down and fell fast asleep. About five o'clock in the morning I was
roused by O'Brien, who at the same time put his hand gently over my
mouth. I sat up, and perceived a large fire not far from us. "The
Philistines are upon us, Peter," said he: "I have reconnoitred, and they
are the gendarmes. I am fearful of going away, as we may stumble upon
some more of them. I've been thinking what's best before I waked you;
and it appears to me, that we had better get up the tree, and lie
there."

At that time we were hidden in a copse of underwood, with a large oak in
the centre, covered with ivy, "I think so, too, O'Brien; shall we go up
now, or wait a little?"

"Now, to be sure, that they're eating their prog. Mount you, Peter and
I'll help you."

O'Brien shoved me up the tree, and then, waiting a little while to bury
our haversacks among the leaves, he followed me. He desired me to
remain in a very snug position, on the first fork of the tree, while he
took another amongst a bunch of ivy on the largest bough. There we
remained for about an hour, when day dawned. We observed the gendarmes
mustered at the break of day by the corporal, and then they all
separated in different directions to scour the wood. We were delighted
to perceive this, as we hoped soon to be able to get away; but there was
one gendarme who remained. He walked round the tree, looking up into
every part; but we were well concealed, and he did not discover us for
some time. At last he saw me, and ordered me to come down. I paid no
attention to him, as I had no signal from O'Brien. He walked round a
little farth