"Once out of the town the river would be open to us, but it would be next to impossible to pass those semicircles of fortifications on both sides of the town.

You can see the masts of the craft lying at the quays and, though I should not like to rob a fisherman of his boat; I should not feel the smallest scruple in taking a ship's boat, which would be, comparatively, a small loss to the owner.

The worst of it would be that, directly we were found to be missing, and the owner of the boat reported its loss, they might send out some of their gunboats in search of us, and we should very soon be overtaken." Discipline was not very strict in the French army, except when in an enemy's country; and the sentries, knowing well that there was really no occasion for watchfulness, answered willingly the questions that Terence asked them as to the names of places within sight.
"It must be rather tedious work for you, on the wall here," Terence said to one whose post was shielded by a building close by, from observation from below.
"Very dull," the soldier said, "and we shall be glad enough when we are relieved and marched into Spain.

Here we are doing no good.
There is no chance whatever of the prisoners attempting an escape, for if they did get out of here they could get no further; but they say that we shall not stop here long, and we shall be heartily glad when the order comes.

They say the convalescents who came in yesterday will take over the prison duties next week." Terence's motive for speaking to the men was to discover whether they were forbidden to talk, and it was satisfactory to find that, if there was such a rule, it was by no means strictly observed.
Leaning on the parapet, he and Ryan stood for some time looking at the sea.