They ought to have been more than a match for her.

No doubt they would have done so if they had thought that they would be attacked tonight; but they relied upon the battery, and allowed themselves to be taken completely by surprise.
"I could see, even from this distance, that most of them were fighting in their shirts; and I expect that they were sound asleep when the attack began, and men roused in that sudden way can never be relied upon to do their duty as they would do, if prepared to meet it." The party were soon on board the lugger again.

Just as daylight was breaking there was a trampling of feet on the deck, and Leigh, going up, found that sail was being hoisted.

Keeping close to the shore they ran down, without putting in anywhere, to La Rochelle.
Here they waited for a day and then, keeping inside the Isle of Oleron, entered the Gironde and, the next day, anchored in the Garonne, off the quays of Bordeaux.
After thanking the captain very heartily for his kindness during the passage, they landed, showed their papers to an official on the quay, and then, being unhampered by luggage, walked quietly away.
As there was nothing particularly noticeable in their appearance, they attracted no attention whatever.

It was five o'clock when they landed, and already becoming dusk.