resolved to
walk towards the farm-house, which being close to the road, would give
me a chance of meeting with O'Brien. I soon arrived there, and prowled
round it for some time, but the doors and windows were all fast, and I
dared not knock, after what the woman had said about her husband's
inveteracy to the English. At last, as I looked round and round, quite
at a loss what to do, I thought I saw a figure at a distance proceeding
in the direction of the copse. I hastened after it and saw it enter. I
then advanced very cautiously, for although I thought it might be
O'Brien, yet it was possible that it was one of the men who chased the
wolf, in search of more plunder. But I soon heard O'Brien's voice; and
I hastened towards him. I was close to him without his perceiving me,
and found him sitting down with his face covered up in his two hands.
At last he cried, "O Pater! my poor Pater! are you taken at last? Could
I not leave you for one hour in safety? Ochone! why did I leave you?
My poor, poor Pater! simple you were, sure enough, and that's why I
loved you; but, Pater, I would have made a man of you, for you'd all the
materials, that's the truth--and a fine man too. Where am I to look for
you, Pater? Where am I to find you, Pater? You're fast locked up by
this time, and all my trouble's gone for nothing. But I'll be locked up
too, Pater. Where you are, will I be; and if we can't go to England
together, why then we'll go back to that blackguard hole at Givet
together. Ochone! Ochone!" O'Brien spoke no more, but burst into
tears. I was much affected with this proof of o'brien's sincere regard,
and I came to his side, and clasped him in my arms. O'Brien stared at
me--"Who are you, you ugly Dutch frow?" (for he had quite forgotten the
woman's dress at the moment,) but recollecting himself, he hugged me in
his arms. "Pater, you come as near to an angel's shape as you can, for
you come in that of a woman, to comfort me; for, to tell the truth, I
was very much distressed at not finding you here; and all the blankets
gone to boot. What has been the matter?" I explained in as few words
as I could.

"Well, Peter, I'm happy to find you all safe, and much happier to find
that you can be trusted when I leave you, for you could not have behaved
more prudently. Now I'll tell you what I did, which was not much, as it
happened. I knew that there was no cabaret between us and Flushing, for
I took particular notice