Here they were billeted for five weeks or so, and here, one night, they
were waked up and told that Bonaparty had gone scat, and they must come
forth and dance with the townspeople in honour of it. You may be sure
they heeled and toed it that night, and no girl satisfied unless she had
an Englishman for a partner. But the next day it all turned out to be
lies, and off they were marched again. To be short, 'twasn't till the
end of April that they came to the river opposite Bordeaux, and were
taken in charge by English red-coats, who told them they were free men.
On the 28th of that month Abe and Billy, with forty others, were put on
board a sloop and dropped down the river to the _Dartmouth_ frigate,
from which they were drafted on to the _Lord Wellington_, and again on
to the _Suffolk_ transport. And on May 4 the _Suffolk_, with six other
transports, having about fifteen hundred released prisoners on board,
weighed anchor under convoy for Plymouth before a fine breeze, S.E. by
S.
On Monday, May 9, at half-past two in the afternoon--the wind still
steady in the same quarter, and blowing fresh--the _Suffolk_ sighted
land, making out St. Michael's Mount; and fetching up to Mousehole
Island, the captain hailed a mackerel boat to come alongside and take
ashore some officers with despatches.
Abe Cummins and Billy Bosistow were both on deck, you may be sure,
watching the boat as the fishermen brought her alongside.
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