He had already taken off his shoes; and he now crawled out from the tent, and, moving with extreme caution, made his way round to the back of the general's tent, just as the latter, having thrown on his coat and lighted a candle, unfastened the entrance.

The midshipman, determined to see as well as hear what was going on, lifted up the flap a few inches behind, and, as he lay on the ground, peered in.

A French officer had just entered, and he was followed by a Canadian, whom the midshipman recognized at once, as being the one who piloted the Sutherland up and down the river.
"Where do you come from ?" Bougainville asked.
"I swam ashore two hours ago from the English ship Sutherland," the Canadian said.
"How did you manage to escape ?" "I would have swam ashore long ago, but at night I have always been locked up, ever since I was captured, in a cabin below.

Tonight the door opened quietly, and someone came in and said: "'Hush!--can you swim ?' "'Like a fish,' I said.
"'Are you ready to try and escape, if I give you the chance ?' "'I should think so,' I replied.
"'Then follow me, but don't make the slightest noise.' "I followed him.

We passed along the main deck, where the sailors were all asleep in their hammocks.