We used some precaution in travelling, sleeping in
the woods; but we kept moving by day as well as by night, and halting only
when tired, and a good place offered. We were not very well off for food,
though we brought a little from the fisherman's hut, and found quantities
of winter-berries by the way-side.
We entered Liverpool about eight at night, and went immediately to the
rendezvous of the privateer, giving a little girl a shilling to be our
guide. The keeper of the rendezvous received us gladly, and we shipped
immediately. Of course we were lodged and fed, in waiting for the schooner
to come in. Each of us got four pounds bounty, and both parties seemed
delighted with the bargain. To own the truth, we now began to drink, and
the next day was pretty much a blank with us all. The second day, after
breakfast, the landlord rushed into our room with a newspaper in his hand,
and broke out upon us, with a pretty string of names, denouncing us for
having told him we were deserters, when we were only runaway Yankees! The
twelve pounds troubled him, and he demanded it back. We laughed at him,
and advised him to be quiet and put us aboard the privateer. He then told
us the guard was after us, hot-foot, and that it was too late. This proved
to be true enough, for, in less than an hour an officer and a platoon of
men had us in custody. We had some fun in hearing the officer give it to
the landlord, who still kept talking about his twelve pounds.
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