me upon those whom we had the same as abandoned?

It was much the same as folly for me to hark back in my mind to all the
dangers which might come upon us, for I had agreed to follow the lad
wheresoever he might lead, and for me to dwell upon the probable danger
could serve no other end than that of making me timorous, therefore it
was I strove earnestly to put from my mind everything save the old
thought that I would do all within my power to help him carry out his
purpose.

The lad had not set out toward the boat until the sentry, who had been
pacing to and fro near us, turned to go to the other end of his beat,
and when we were come to the craft there were none within sight so far
as I could make out.

She was a light skiff, perhaps one of the smallest that could have been
found on the shore, and had friends been making arrangements for us to
do this very work they could not have laid the tools more conveniently
at hand, for there were two pairs of oars in the craft, and it only
needed we should shove her ten or twelve paces before she was water
borne.

I followed Pierre over the gunwale, kicking at the bank as I did so with
sufficient force to send her rocking like an egg-shell out into the
current.

The night was not so dark but that we could see the black tracery of the
English ships as they lay at anchor guarding both encampments, and
unless the sentries on board these vessels of the king were asleep or
blind they could not fail of seeing us, however wide a detour we might
make.

I fully expected to hear one of the sentinels on the shore ordering us
to come back and show a permit for being aboard at such an hour; but no
one hailed, and we set the skiff's bow on a direct course to that part
of the Gloucester shore which we hoped to gain, giving no heed to his
majesty's vessels in the way.

"We cannot hope to pass them without being discovered," I said in a low
tone as I settled back at the oars, putting into them every ounce of
strength I could summon.

"It may be they will let us go on after we have explained our purpose,
or so much of it as we may be pleased to give," Pierre said hopefully;
"but even if they turn us back, we shall be no worse off than before,
and will have the satisfaction of knowing that we strove to our utmost
to do as the Jerseyman desired."

"We shall be no worse off unless we are sent to share Saul's
imprisonment in the guard-house."

Then I bent my back yet more vigorously at