"Where do you come from?" Bougainville asked.
"I swam ashore two hours ago from the English ship Sutherland," the
Canadian said.
"How did you manage to escape?"
"I would have swam ashore long ago, but at night I have always been
locked up, ever since I was captured, in a cabin below. Tonight the
door opened quietly, and someone came in and said:
"'Hush!--can you swim?'
"'Like a fish,' I said.
"'Are you ready to try and escape, if I give you the chance?'
"'I should think so,' I replied.
"'Then follow me, but don't make the slightest noise.'
"I followed him. We passed along the main deck, where the sailors were
all asleep in their hammocks. A lantern was burning here, and I saw, by
its light, that my conductor was an officer. He led me along till we
entered a cabin--his own, I suppose.
"'Look,' he whispered, 'there is a rope from the porthole down to the
water. If you slide quietly down by it, and then let yourself drift
till you are well astern of the ship, the sentry on the quarterdeck
will not see you. Here is a letter, put it in your cap. If you are
fired at, and a boat is lowered to catch you, throw the paper away at
once. Will you swear to do that?'
"I said I would swear by the Virgin.
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