Wesley Corpus

a child told him they were at hand, and had only time to run and get into a hollow which was under the house. The maid clapped to the trap-door, and covered it over with flax. They searched the house from top to bottom,opened all the closets, turned up the beds, and, finding nothing, went away. He was scarce come out, when another party beset the house, and came so quick, that he had but just time to get in again ; and the maid, not having flax enough at hand, covered the door with foul linen. When these also had wearied themselves with searching, and went away, he put on his boots and great coat, took a gun and a rug, (it being asharp frost,) and crept into a little marsh near the house. Athird party came quickly, swearing he must be about the house, and they would have him if he was alive. Hearing this he stole away with full speed, and lay down near the sea-shore, between two hillocks, covering himselfwith seaweeds. They came so near that he heard one ofthem swear, " If I find him, Iwill hang him on the nexttree." Another answered, "Iwill not stay for that : I willshoot him the moment I see him." After some time, finding theywere gone, he lifted up his ! head, and heard a shrill whistle from aman fifty or sixty yards off. He soon knew him to be a deserter from the rebel army. He asked Mr. H. what he designed to do ; who answered, " Go in my boat to the English ships, which are four or five and twenty miles off." But the rebels had found and burnt the boat. So, knowing their life was gone if they stayed till the 1 morning, they got into a small canoe, (though liable to overset 1 with a puff ofwind,) and set off from shore. Having rowedtwo or three miles, they stopped at a little island, and made a fire, being almost perishedwith cold. But they werequickly alarmed, byaboat rowing toward the shore. Mr. Hatton, standing up, said, " We have a musket and a fusee. If you load one, as fast as I discharge the other, I will give a good account of them 174 [Feb. 1780. all. " He then stepped to the shore, and bade the rowers stop,