“I could find my way even in the night if we stood on either shore of the point,” the French lad said, half to himself, and Oliver Perry’s brother made answer, as if it was a simple thing to walk out of the thicket:-- “Tell me in which direction you wish to go, and I will lay out the course.” I should have made no reply to such a remark, believing my comrade was in jest; but Leon, whose faith in Alec seemed perfect, said quietly:-- “If we could gain the northern shore of the Foreland it would not be far to my home.” Alec stepped out from the thicket where he might gain a view of the sky, and after searching with his eyes as if hunting for some particular star, said in the tone of one who defies contradiction:-- “In that direction is the north; but, unfortunately, I cannot tell you how far we may be from the shore.” “It makes little difference; even though we were on the very southern edge I could gain my home before daylight. That which troubles me now is, where I am to find you again.” “We can easily settle the question. Dicky Dobbins and I will follow till we are come near to your mother’s home, and then hide at some convenient place for a time.” “Why should you not enter my home?” “For many good reasons, my friend. In the first place there is no question whatsoever but that the Britishers will make careful search for us as soon as sunrise, if not before, and most likely your home will be visited. In such a case there is little fear of your getting into serious trouble, because in the darkness I guarantee those soldiers did not see who made the attack upon them, and thus you will be free to wait upon us.” Now I began to understand more of what Alec would do, and straightway, after an unfortunate habit of mine, I at once believed it would be possible to better the plan. “If we can make our way so far as Leon’s home, what prevents us from going directly on board our boat? I have no desire to linger on the North Foreland, and surely there is nothing more to be learned regarding the movements of the enemy.” “Nothing would please me better than to set sail within the hour; but according to my thinking we had best keep away from the shore during this night at least, for if the Britishers have sentinels near to the mainland to prevent any one from coming upon the point, they know beyond a question we arrived in a boat of some kind, and most likely men are searching for our craft, if they have not already found her. After sunrise Leon can easily learn the condition of affairs, and thus we shall avoid running unnecessarily into danger.” I was not thoroughly convinced that this would be the wisest course, for it seemed to me better that we take some chances with the hope of getting away speedily, than to linger where there was so much of danger. However, I said nothing, luckily, else would I have been put to shame two or three hours later, when we were come near to where Leon lived.