two in the afternoon
But the next day it all turned out to be lies , and off they were marched again . To be short , 't was n't till the end of April that they came to the river opposite Bordeaux , and were taken in charge by English red-coats , who told them they were free men . On the 28th of that month Abe and Billy , with forty others , were put on board a sloop and dropped down the river to the _ Dartmouth _ frigate , from which they were drafted on to the _ Lord Wellington _ , and again on to the _ Suffolk _ transport . And on May 4 the _ Suffolk _ , with six other transports , having about fifteen hundred released prisoners on board , weighed anchor under convoy for Plymouth before a fine breeze , S.E. by S. On Monday , May 9 , at half-past two in the afternoon -- the wind still steady in the same quarter , and blowing fresh -- the _ Suffolk _ sighted land , making out St. Michael 's Mount ; and fetching up to Mousehole Island , the captain hailed a mackerel boat to come alongside and take ashore some officers with despatches . Abe Cummins and Billy Bosistow were both on deck , you may be sure , watching the boat as the fishermen brought her alongside . Not a word had been said between them on the matter that lay closest to their minds , but while they waited Billy fetched a look at the boat and another at Abe . `` The best man wins , '' he said to himself , and edged away towards the ladder .