There was little chance he would give us an opportunity of slipping into old Mary's cabin unobserved, and I pictured to myself the alarm and distress of Uncle 'Rasmus as the hours went by and we failed to put in an appearance.
I had come to understand that we must walk the streets of York during all the hours of darkness, and, what was of far more importance, must hold back from performing that task which the Jerseyman had set us.
There was little hope we would be able to set off in a boat alone, and it was quite positive we would not dare do so while Hunt was holding us under his eye, therefore had we missed an opportunity of serving the Cause, as well as paved the way, perhaps, for our own arrest as spies.
I turned the matter over and over in my mind as I walked by Pierre's side in silence, asking myself whether this dissolute fellow could gain speech with any of the king's officers, and as I asked the question I could answer it full well, for he had only to whisper the fact that he could give information as to spies, and even my Lord Cornwallis himself would listen to him.
We had come to grief, as it seemed to me, and what presented itself to my mind as the most painful of all the sorry business, was that we had been brought to such a pass by a worthless, ignorant lout whom I would not have allowed to linger even in the Hamilton stables.
CHAPTER XI
A DESPERATE VENTURE
As Pierre and I walked aimlessly to and fro without other purpose than to convince Abel Hunt we were really without a shelter, and not daring to hold converse one with another lest he should overhear, the bitter thought was in my mind that Uncle 'Rasmus must perforce remain in old Mary's cabin standing guard over the prisoner.