We had no water with which to refresh him, therefore it was we could only wait until he was in a measure revived, for strong though the man had appeared to be, now was he apparently on the verge of exhaustion. His face was powder-stained, as if he had been doing full share in holding back our people, and his clothing torn and rent, showing token of some desperate struggle.
Not until four or five minutes had elapsed, during which we knelt by the side of the man unable to give him any aid, did he recover some portion of his strength, and then he said, speaking indistinctly because of his heavy breathing:
"There is nothing to cause alarm. The enemy have not discovered who I am; but yet would I hide myself here with the hope of being able to make my way through the lines this night."
"But with whom have you been fighting?" I cried, pointing to his trousers which literally hung in rags.
"That was done in the trenches when seeing, as I believed, an opportunity to get into our lines, and having as companion only a wounded Britisher, I strove to make my escape; but he, suspecting what I would do, grappled with me. The fellow had more strength than I gave him credit for, because he held me in good play, and before I succeeded in overcoming him there were so many red-coats around that I dare not make the attempt."
"Then he knows that you are a spy, and will give information to Cornwallis!" I exclaimed, my voice trembling with excitement, and the Jerseyman replied gravely:
"He may have suspected, and probably did; but never can he carry information to any officer."
Then it was I understood the man was dead; but whether killed by the Jerseyman, or by his wounds, I knew not, nor did I dare make inquiries.
"Why did you come in such hot haste?" Pierre asked anxiously. "You must have run at full speed from the farthermost outworks."
"So I did, lad; two of us were sent to headquarters to bring up some horses, and I, outstripping the fellow who went with me, decided on making my way here, believing now the village is so closely besieged that I would not have another opportunity of getting through the lines."