. Highways and byways in Devon and Cornwall. or threepots of beer, the sergeant, whose name was Hill, having heardmy name mentioned by some of my companions, went out withhis men, and soon they returned again, having armed them-selves with swords and muskets. The sergeant then advancedtowards me and said, You are my prisoner. You are adeserter, and must go along with me. For a moment I wasmuch terrified, knowing that if I was taken I should, in allprobability, be obliged to go aboard the fleet; and thiswrought up my mind to a pitch of desperation. I endeavoured,however, to keep as cool as poss
. Highways and byways in Devon and Cornwall. or threepots of beer, the sergeant, whose name was Hill, having heardmy name mentioned by some of my companions, went out withhis men, and soon they returned again, having armed them-selves with swords and muskets. The sergeant then advancedtowards me and said, You are my prisoner. You are adeserter, and must go along with me. For a moment I wasmuch terrified, knowing that if I was taken I should, in allprobability, be obliged to go aboard the fleet; and thiswrought up my mind to a pitch of desperation. I endeavoured,however, to keep as cool as possible ; and in answer to hischarge, I said, Sergeant, you are surely labouring under anerror; I have done nothing that can authorise you in taking meup or detaining me. You must certainly have mistaken me forsome other person. In this manner I contrived to draw himinto a parley ; and while it was going on I jumped into thecellar. I then threw off my jacket and shirt, to prevent anyone from holding me, and having armed myself with a reap-hook. You arc my prisoner. {To face p. 2a ii A JOVIAL LAWBREAKER 23 and a knife, which I had in my pocket, I threw mysell into an altitude of defence at the entrance, which was a hair hatch door, the lower part of which I shut, and then d«( lared that 1 wouldkill the lust man that came near me, and that 1 would not hetaken from the spot alive. At this the sergeant was evidentlyterrified; hut he said to his men, Soldiers, do your duty;advance and seize him. To which they replied, Sergeant,you proposed it ; take the lead and set us an example, and wewill follow. No one, however, offered to advance, and Iremained in the position I have described for four hours,holding them at bay. Not knowing how to act, the sergeant atlast sent for Lieutenant Durall; but before he arrived, somewomen ran into the house with a story that there was a vesseldrifted ashore, and a boy in danger of being drowned. Thistale they told in such a natural manner, that it attra
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