Another half hour's work took him to the top again, and a few minutes
later he rejoined his companion.
"That won't do," he said. "We must try again. There is a path, but the
troops could scarcely climb it if unopposed, and certainly could not do
so without making such a noise as would attract the notice of the
sentinels above."
"That is the battery they call Sillery," the midshipman said. "They
have fired at us over and over again from there, as we went up or down
the river. There is another about a mile further on. It is called
Samos."
Upon reaching the Samos battery, James again crept up and reconnoitred.
The way down, however, was even more difficult than at Sillery. There
was, indeed, no regular path, and so steep was the descent that he
doubted whether it would be possible for armed men to climb it. Even
he, exceptionally strong and active as he was, and unencumbered with
arms, had the greatest difficulty in making his way down and up again
and, indeed, could only do so by grasping the trunks of trees and
strong bushes.
"It can't be done there," he said to the midshipman when he joined him
again. "And now we must look for a hiding place. We must have been five
or six hours since we started, and the nights are very short.
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