ntry are dependent on him or his friend, it will
be impossible for you to find shelter among them. If you should be
apprehended, he will commit you to jail, where you may possibly in
great misery languish till the next assizes, and then be transported for
assaulting a magistrate."

While she thus warned me of my danger, we heard a knocking at the door,
which threw us both into great consternation, as in all probability, it
was occasioned by my pursuers; whereupon this generous old lady, putting
two guineas into my hand, with tears in her eyes, bade me, for God's
sake, get out at the back-door and consult my safety as Providence
should direct me. There was no time for deliberation. I followed her
advice, and escaped by the benefit of a dark night to the seaside,
where, while I ruminated on my next excursion, I was all of a sudden
surrounded by armed men, who, having bound my hands and feet, bade
me make no noise on pain of being shot, and carried me on board of a
vessel, which I soon perceived to be a smuggling cutter. This discovery
gave me some satisfaction at first, because I concluded myself safe from
the resentment of Sir Timothy; but, when I found myself in the hands of
ruffians, who threatened to execute me for a spy, I would have thought
myself happily quit for a year's imprisonment, or even transportation.
It was in vain for me to protest my innocence: I could not persuade them
that I had taken a solitary walk to their haunt, at such an hour, merely
for my own amusement; and I did not think it my interest to disclose
the true cause of my retreat, because I was afraid they would have made
their peace with justice by surrendering me to the penalty of the law.
What confirmed their suspicion was, the appearance of a custom-house
yacht, which gave them chase, and had well nigh made a prize of their
vessel; when they were delivered from their fears by a thick fog, which
effectually screened them, and favoured their arrival at Boulogne. But,
before they got out of sight of their pursuer, they held a council
of war about me, and some of the most ferocious among them would have
thrown me overboard as a traitor who had betrayed them to their enemies;
but others, more considerate, alleged, that if they put me to death,
and should afterwards be taken, they could expect no mercy from the
legislature, which would never pardon outlawry aggravated by murder. It
was therefore determined by a plurality of votes, that I should be s