When I would have whispered to Pierre, counting on asking him if we had not best try to escape from the fellow by the quickness of our heels, the little lad motioned for me to remain quiet, and because of past experience I obeyed him on the instant.
Now and then a soldier bent on some errand, or a sentinel on duty, passed by; but gave no heed. None save Abel Hunt in all that town of York appeared to fancy that it might be worth while to watch us.
Then, after it seemed as if a full night had passed, I heard the sentries call the hour of midnight. We must have been there on the river bank not less than three hours, and now it was, being thus warned of the passage of time, that Abel Hunt began to grow uneasy.
Watching him out of the tail of my eyes as I lay silent and motionless by Pierre's side, I saw the fellow raise himself on his elbow and look steadily at both us lads, as if striving to make out whether we might have fallen asleep, and I began to breathe heavily, as does one who slumbers soundly, whereupon Pierre, who must also have been taking note of Hunt's movements, followed my example.
Then the fellow rose to his feet, came softly beside us and bent over, striving to get a view of our faces even though the night was dark, and all the while we gave him fair token of being wrapped in the unconsciousness of slumber.
He stood over us a full two minutes striving to make out to his entire satisfaction whether we were asleep or awake, and then, evidently having come to the conclusion that we were indeed in Dreamland, he stole softly away.
Raising my head ever so slightly I noted that he took the direction which would lead him near to my Lord Cornwallis's headquarters, and for the first time since we had come upon the knave did I grow really timorous. It needed not any very quick-witted lad to understand what would be the result if even such a dissolute fellow as Abel Hunt should give information that the son of a well-known rebel was loitering around the village after night-fall, claiming to have no place where he could find shelter.
"I believe he is going directly to headquarters to make report concerning us," I whispered in Pierre's ear, taking good care meanwhile not to move my body lest peradventure Hunt might look back and discover that we were not asleep.
"Well, there is nothing we can do to prevent him if he be so disposed," little Frenchie replied indifferently, and I exclaimed in surprise:
"One would suppose that it concerned you very little, whereas I'm not so certain but that the end of it may be a halter for both of us."