God pity the men ordered out into them parts." "But there's a guard, stationed across yonder." "Pish, a corporal's squad, just about opposite at the ferry landin', an' a company of Yagers down at Gloucester.

There's plenty room between for a bold lad to find free passage." The two fell silent, staring out over the water.

They had set me thinking, however, and this knowledge of where the British pickets were stationed was exactly the information I most required.

I had no desire to cross the Delaware, yet apparently in that direction lay the only remaining avenue of escape.

I could no longer hope to get away either to north or west--every picket post along those lines would be instructed to watch out for me 'ere this.