One was just saying to the other he expected, when they got back to camp, to find that some of the other parties had overtaken us." Another mile further, and they saw the light of several fires ahead.
"That is a French battery," James said.

"We must make a detour, and get to the other side of it; then I will crawl back, and see if there is any path down to the river." The detour was made, and then, leaving the midshipman in hiding a few paces from the edge, James crawled back.

He soon saw, by the fires, that the battery was manned by sailors from the French fleet, and he had little fear of these discovering him.

Keeping well below them, he came presently upon a narrow path.

Above him, he could hear a French sentry walking.