taking the word of the Delft burgomaster, locked me up with a batch
of other English prisoners to await the issue of the coming war.

For three months I languished here in a dismal dungeon in dismal company
and fed on dismal fare. But I who had lodged in the Conciergerie at
Paris in "the terror" could afford to think my Dutch hosts lavish in
their comforts.

Once and again some new captive brought us news from outside, the
purport of which was that the great Irish expedition, after lying for
weeks and weeks at the Texel, held prisoner there by the unyielding west
wind and by Admiral Duncan, had collapsed like a burst bubble. The
troops had all been landed, the ships had returned to refit, and the
pack of Irishmen, seeing the hunt up in this quarter, had gone off in
full cry to Paris. If the Dutch ventured anything now, it would be
against England, and on their own account.

One day towards the end of September a great surprise broke the tedium
of our captivity. Our jailer brought an announcement that an exchange
of prisoners was in contemplation, and that some twenty of us might
reasonably hope to see our native land again in a few days. Whether the
fortunate score would be selected according to rank or to seniority of
captivity would depend on the prisoners handed over by Admiral Duncan.

It was a pleasing subject of speculation with me, as you may guess. For
were the selection to be by seniority, I was excluded; if by rank, as a
petty officer in a company which largely consisted of common seamen, I
might count with tolerable certainty on my liberty.

The few days that intervened were anxious and wearisome. Should I miss
my chance, I had nothing to look for but a prolongation of this wretched
existence, with perhaps an ounce of lead, when all was said and done, to
end it. If, on the other hand, luck were to favour me, a week hence,
who could say, I might be by my little mistress's side at home; for I
made no doubt that when I came to inquire at the "White Angel," as I
certainly would do, I should find that Biddy had taken her thither, or,
if not there, at least to some safe place at which I could hear of her.

In due time came the end to our suspense. The twenty were appointed by
rank, and I marched one fine evening out of that wretched dungeon a free
man--stay, not quite free. There was no slipping away to the Hague and
the "White Angel;" no walking through the port of Amsterdam to inspect
the enemy's