CHAPTER IX.

At the especial invitation of Captain Molineux, Gerald

Grantham dined at the garrison mess, on the evening of

the day when the circumstances, detailed in our last

chapter, took place. During dinner the extraordinary

adventure of the morning formed the chief topic of

conversation, for it had become one of general interest,

not only throughout the military circles, but in the town

of Amherstburg itself, in which the father of the Granthams

had been held in an esteem amounting almost to veneration.

Horrible as had been the announcement made by the dejected

and discomfited settler to him who now, for the first

time, learnt that his parent had fallen a victim to

ruffian vindictiveness, too many years had elapsed since

that event, to produce more than the ordinary emotion

which might be supposed to be awakened by a knowledge

rather of the manner than the fact of his death. Whatever

therefore might have been the pain inflicted on the hearts

of the brothers, by this cruel re-opening of a partially

closed wound, there was no other evidence of suffering

than the suddenly compressed lip and glistening eye,

whenever allusion was made to the villain with whom each

felt he had a fearful account to settle. Much indeed of

the interest of the hour was derived from the animated

account, given by Gerald, of the circumstances which had

led to his lying in ambuscade for the American on the

preceding day; and as his narrative embraces not only

the reasons for Captain Molineux's strange conduct, but

other hitherto unexplained facts, we cannot do better

than follow him in his detail.

"I think it must have been about half past eleven o'clock,

on the night preceding the capture," commenced Gerald,

"that, as my gun boat was at anchor close under the

American shore, at rather more than half a mile below

the farther extremity of Bois Blanc, my faithful old

Sambo silently approached me, while I lay wrapped in my

watch cloak on deck, calculating the chances of falling

in with some spirited bark of the enemy which would afford

me an opportunity of proving the mettle of my crew.

"'Massa Geral,' he said in a mysterious whisper, for old

age and long services in my family have given him privileges

which I have neither the power nor the inclination to

check--'Massa Geral,' pulling me by the collar--'I dam

ib he no go sleep when him ought to hab all him eyes

about him--him pretty fellow to keep watch when Yankee

pass him in e channel.'

"'A Yankee pass me in the channel!'" I would have exclaimed

aloud, starting to my feet with surprise, but Sambo, with

ready thought, put his hand upon my mouth, in time to

prevent more than the first word from being uttered.

"'Hush! dam him, Massa Geral, ib you make a noise you no

catch him.'

"'What do you mean then--what have you seen?'" I asked

in the same low whisper, the policy of which his action

had enjoined on me.

"'Lookee dare, Massa Geral, lookee dare?'

"Following the direction in which he pointed, I now saw,

but very indistinctly, a canoe in which was a solitary

individual stealing across the lake to the impulsion of

an apparently muffled paddle; for her course,

notwithstanding the stillness of the night, was utterly

noiseless. The moon, which is in her first quarter, had

long since disappeared, yet the heavens, although not

particularly bright, ware sufficiently dotted with stars

to enable me, with the aid of a night telescope, to

discover that the figure, which guided the cautiously

moving bark, had nothing Indian in its outline. The crew

of the gun boat (the watch only excepted) had long since

turned in; and even the latter lay reposing on the

forecastle, the sentinels only keeping the ordinary look

out. So closely moreover did we lay in shore, that but

for the caution of the paddler, it might have been assumed

she was too nearly identified with the dark forest against

which her hull and spars reposed, to be visible. Curious

to ascertain her object, I watched the canoe in silence,

as, whether accidentally or with design, I know not, she

made the half circuit of the gun boat and then bore away

in a direct line for the Canadian shore. A suspicion of

the truth now flashed across my mind, and I resolved

without delay to satisfy myself. My first care was to

hasten to the forecastle, and enjoin on the sentinels,

who I feared might see and hail the stranger, the strictest

silence. Then desiring Sambo to prepare the light boat

which, I dare say, most of you have remarked to form a

part of my Lilliputian command, I proceeded to arm myself

with cutlass and pistols. Thus equipped I sprang lightly

in, and having again caught sight of the chase, on which

I had moreover directed one of the sentinels to keep a

steady eye as long as she was in sight, desired Sambo to

steer as noiselessly as possible in pursuit. For some

time we kept the stranger in view, but whether, owing to

his superior paddling or lighter weight, we eventually

lost sight of him. The suspicion which had at first

induced my following, however, served also as a clue to

the direction I should take. I was aware that the scoundrel

Desborough was an object of distrust--I knew that the

strictness of my father, during his magistracy, in

compelling him to choose between taking the oaths of

allegiance, and quitting the country, had inspired him

with deep hatred to himself and disaffection to the

Government; and I felt that if the spirit of his vengeance

had not earlier developed itself, it was solely because

the opportunity and the power had hitherto been wanting;

but that now, when hostilities between his natural and

adopted countries had been declared, there would be ample

room for the exercise of his treason. It was the strong

assurance I felt that he was the solitary voyager on the

face of the waters, which induced me to pursue him, for

I had a presentiment that, could I but track him in his

course, I should discover some proof of his guilt, which

would suffice to rid us for ever of the presence of so

dangerous a subject. The adventure was moreover one that

pleased me, although perhaps I was not strictly justified

in fitting my gun boat, especially as in the urgency of

the moment, I had not even thought of leaving orders with

my boatswain, in the event of any thing unexpected

occurring during my absence. The sentinels alone were

aware of my departure.

"The course we pursued was in the direction of Hartley's

point, and so correct had been the steering and paddling

of the keen-sighted negro, that when we made the beach,

we found ourselves immediately opposite to Desborough's

hut.

"'How is this, Sambo?' I asked in a low tone, as our

canoe grated on the sand within a few paces of several

others that lay where I expected to find but one--'are

all these Desborough's?"

"'No, Massa Geral--'less him teal him toders, Desborough

only got one--dis a public landin' place.'

"'Can you tell which is his?' I inquired.

"'To be sure--dis a one,' and he pointed to one nearly

twice the dimensions of its fellows.

"'Has it been lately used, Sambo--can you tell?"

"'I soon find out, Massa Geral.'

"His device was the most simple and natural in the world,

and yet I confess it was one which I never should have

dreamt of. Stooping on the sands, he passed his hand

under the bottom of the canoe, and then whispered.

"'Him not touch a water to-night Massa Geral--him dry as

a chip.'

"Here I was at fault. I began to apprehend that I had

been baffled in my pursuit, and deceived in my supposition.

I knew that Desborough had had for years, one large canoe

only in his possession, and it was evident that this had

not been used during the night. I was about to order

Sambo to shove off again, when it suddenly occurred to

me that, instead of returning from a visit, the suspected

settler might have received a visiter, and I accordingly

desired my fides achates to submit the remainder of the

canoes to the same inspection.

"After having passed his hand ineffectually over several,

he at length announced, as he stooped over one which I

recognized, from a peculiar elevation of the bow and

stern, to be the same we had passed.

"'Dis a one all drippin' wet, Massa Geral. May I nebber

see a Hebben ib he not a same we follow.'

"A low tapping against the door of the hut, which although

evidently intended to be subdued, was now, in the silence

of night, distinctly audible; while our whispers, on the

contrary, mingled as they were with the crisping sound

of the waves rippling on the sands were, at that distance,

undistinguishable. It was evident that I had erred in

my original conjecture. Had it been Desborough himself,

living alone as he did, he would not have knocked for

admission where there was no one to afford it, but would

have quietly let himself in. It could then be no other

than a visiter--perhaps a spy from the enemy--and the

same to whom we had given chase.

"From the moment that the tapping commenced, Sambo and

I stood motionless on the shore, and without trusting

our voices again, even to a whisper. In a little time we

heard the door open, and the low voice of Desborough in

conversation with another. Presently the door was shut,

and soon afterwards, through an imperfectly closed shutter

on the only floor of the hut, we could perceive a streak

of light reflected on the clearing in front, as if from

a candle or lamp, that was stationary,

"'I tink him dam rascal dat man, Massa Geral;' at length

ventured my companion. "I 'member long time ago,' and he

sighed, "'when Sambo no bigger nor dat paddle, one berry

much like him. But, Massa Geral,' Missis always tell me

nebber talk o' dat.'

"'A villain he is, I believe, Sambo, but let us advance

cautiously and discover what he is about.'

"We now stole along the skirt of the forest, until we

managed to approach the window, through which the light

was still thrown in one long, fixed, but solitary ray.

It was however impossible to see who were within, for

although the voices of men were distinguishable, their

forms were so placed as not to be visible through the

partial opening.

"The conversation had evidently been some moments commenced.

The first words I heard uttered, were by Desborough.

"'A Commissary boat, and filled with bags of goold eagles,

and a fiftieth part ourn, if we get her clean slick

through to Detroit. Well, drot me, if that aint worth

the trial. Why didn't they try it by land, boy?'

"'I reckon, father, that cock wouldn't fight. The Injuns

are outlyin' every where to cut off our mails, and the

ready is too much wanted to be thrown away. No, no: the

river work's the safest I take it, for there they little

expect it to come.'

"The voice of the last speaker, excited in me a strong

desire to see the face of Desborough's visiter. Unable,

where I stood, to catch the slightest view of either, I

fancied that I might be more successful in rear of the

hut. I therefore moved forward, followed by Sambo, but

not so cautiously as to prevent my feet from crushing a

fragment of decayed wood, that lay in my path.

"A bustle within, and the sudden opening of the door

announced that the noise had been overheard. I held up

my finger impressively to Sambo, and we both remained

motionless.

"'Who the hell's there?' shouted Desborough, and the

voice rang like the blast of a speaking trumpet along

the skirt of the forest.

"'Some raccoon looking out for Hartley's chickens, I

expect,' said his companion, after a short pause. 'There's

nothin' human I reckon, to be seen movin' at this hour

of the night.'

"'Who the hell's there?' repeated Desborough--still no

answer.

"Again the door was closed, and under cover of the slight

noise made by the settler in doing this, and resuming

his seat, Sambo and I accomplished the circuit of the

hut. Here we had an unobstructed view of the persons of

both. A small store room or pantry communicated with that

in which they were sitting at a table, on which was a

large flagon, we knew to contain whiskey, and a couple

of japanned drinking cups, from which, ever and anon,

they "wetted their whistles," as they termed it, and

whetted their discourse. As they sat each with his back

to the inner wall, or more correctly, the logs of the

hut, and facing the door communicating with the store

room left wide open, and in a direct line with the back

window at which we had taken our stand, we could distinctly

trace every movement of their features, while, thrown

into the shade by the gloom with which we were enveloped

we ran no risk of detection ourselves. It is almost

unnecessary to observe, after what has occurred this

morning, that the companion of Desborough was no other

than the soi-disant Ensign Paul, Emelius, Theophilus,

Arnoldi; or, more properly, the scoundrel son of a yet

more scoundrel father. He wore the dress in which you

yesterday beheld him, but beneath a Canadian blanket

coat, which, when I first saw him in the hut, was buttoned

up to the chin, so closely as to conceal every thing

American about the dress.

"'Well now I reckon we must lay our heads to do this

job;' said the son as he tossed off a portion of the

liquid he had poured into his can. 'There's only that

one gun boat I expect in t'other channel.'

"'Only one Phil, do you know who commands it?'

"'One of them curst Granthams, to be sure. I say, old

boy,' and his eye lighted up significantly, as he pointed

to the opposite wall, 'I see you've got the small bore

still.'

"A knowing wink marked the father's sense of the allusion.

'The devil's in it,' he rejoined, 'if we can't come over

that smooth faced chap, some how or other. Did you see

any thin' of him as you come along?'

"'I reckon I did. Pretty chick he is to employ for a look

out--why I paddled two or three times round his gun boat,

as it lay 'gin the shore, without so much as a single

livin' soul being on deck to see me.'

"It is proverbial," continued Grantham, "that listeners

never hear any good of themselves. I paid the common

penalty. But if I continued calm, my companion did not.

Partly incensed at what had related to me--but more

infuriated at the declaration made by the son, that he

had paddled several times round the gun boat, without a

soul being on deck to see him, he drew near to me, his

white teeth displaying themselves in the gloom, as he

whispered, but in a tone that betrayed extreme irritation.

"'What a dam Yankee liar rascal, Massa Geral. He nebber

go round: I see him come a down a ribber long afore he

see a boat at all.'

"'Hush Sambo--hush not a word,' I returned in the same

low whisper. "The villains are at some treason, and if

we stir, we shall lose all chance of discovering it."

"'Me no peak Massa Geral; but dam him lyin' teef,' he

continued to mutter, 'I wish I had him board a gun boat.'

"'A dozen fellors well armed, might take the d----d

British craft,' observed Desborough. 'How many men may

there be aboard the Commissary.'

"'About forty, I reckon, under some d----d old rig'lar

Major. I've got a letter for him here to desire him to

come on, if so be as we gets the craft out of the way.'

"'Drot me if I know a better way than to jump slick aboard

her,' returned Desborough musingly; 'forty genuine

Kaintucks ought to swallow her up, crew and all.'

"'I guess they would,' returned his companion, 'but they

are not Kaintucks, but only rig'lars; and then agin if

they are discovered one spry cannon shot might sink her;

and if the eagles go to the bottom, we shall lose our

fiftieth. You don't reckon that."

"'What the hell's to be done then,' exclaimed Desborough,

resorting to his favorite oath when in doubt.

"'My plan's already cut and dried by a wiser head nor

yours nor mine, as you shall larn; but first let a fellor

wet his whistle.' Here they both drained off another

portion of the poison that stood before them.

"Not to tire you," pursued Grantham, "with a repetition

of the oaths and vulgar and interjectional chucklings

that passed between the well assorted pair, during the

disclosure of the younger, I will briefly state that it

was one of the most stupid that could have been conceived,

and reflected but little credit on the stratagetic powers

of whoever originated it.

"The younger scoundrel, who since his desertion from our

service, claims to be a naturalized citizen of the United

States (his name of Desborough being changed for that of

Arnoldi, and his rank of full private for that of Ensign

of Militia,) had been selected from his knowledge of the

Canadian shore, and his connexion with the disaffected

settler, as a proper person to entrust with a stratagem,

having for its object the safe convoy of a boat, filled

with specie, of which the American garrison it appears

stands much in need. The renegade had been instructed to

see his father, to whom he was to promise, a fiftieth of

the value of the freight, provided he should by any means

contrive to draw the gun boat from her station. The most

plausible plan suggested, was that he should intimate to

me, that a prize of value was lying between Turkey Island

and our own shore, which it required but my sudden

appearance to ensure, without even striking a blow. Here

a number of armed boats were to be stationed in concealment,

in order to take me at a disadvantage, and even if I

avoided being captured, the great aim would be accomplished

--namely, that of getting me out of the way, until the

important boat should have cleared the channel, running

between Bois Blanc and the American shore, and secreted

herself in one of the several deep creeks which empty

themselves into the river. Here she was to have remained

until I had returned to my station, when her passage

upward might be pursued, if not without observation, at

least without risk. As Desborough was known to be suspected

by us, it was further suggested that he should appear to

have been influenced in the information conveyed to me,

not by any motives of patriotism, which would have been

in the highest degree misplaced, but by the mere principle

of self interest. He was to require of me a pledge that,

out of the proceeds of the proposed capture, a twentieth

share should be his, or, if I would not undertake to

guarantee this from the Government or my own authority,

that I should promise my own eventual share should be

divided with him. This stratagem successful, the younger

Desborough was to repair to the boat which had been lying

concealed for the last day or two, a few miles below me,

with an order for her to make the best of her way during

the night if possible. If failing on the other hand, she

was to return to the port whence she had sailed, until

a more fitting opportunity should present itself.

"This," continued Grantham, after a slight pause, during

which the bottle was again circulated, "was delightful

intelligence. Distrustful as I was of Desborough, I could

not have been deceived by this device, even had I not

thus fortunately become acquainted with the whole of the

design: but now that I knew my man, and could see my

way, I at once resolved to appear the dupe they purposed

to make me. Specie too, for the payment of the garrison!

This was no contemptible prize with which to commence my

career. Besides the boat was well manned, and although

without cannon, still in point of military equipment

quite able to cope with my crew, which did not exceed

thirty men.

"With your knowledge of Desborough's character it will

not surprise you to learn, although I confess I boiled

with indignation at the moment to hear, that the object

of the scoundrels was, with a view to the gratification

of their own private vengeance, not merely to raise a

doubt of my fidelity, but to prefer against me a direct

charge of treason. Thus in their vulgar language they

argued. If misled by their representations, I quitted my

station on the channel, and fell into the ambuscade

prepared for me near Turkey Island, I raised a suspicion

of the cause of my absence, which might be confirmed by

an anonymous communication; and if, on the other hand,

I escaped that ambuscade, the suspicion would be even

stronger, as care would be taken to announce to the

English garrison, the fact of my having been bribed to

leave the channel free for the passage of a boat, filled

with money and necessaries for Detroit. My return to my

post immediately afterwards, would confirm the assertion;

and so perfectly had they, in their wise conceit, arranged

their plans, that a paper was prepared by the son and

handed to his father, for the purpose of being dropped

in the way of one of the officers; the purport of which

was an accusation against me, of holding a secret

understanding with the enemy, in proof whereof it was

stated that at an important moment, I should be found

absent from my post--I think I am correct, Captain

Molineux."

"'Perfectly,' returned that officer--'such indeed were

the contents of the paper which I picked up in my rounds

about day light yesterday morning, and which I have only

again to express my regret that I should have allowed to

make on me even a momentary impression. Indeed, Grantham,

I am sure you will do me the justice to believe, that

until we actually saw the American boat passing, while

you were no where to be seen, I never for one moment

doubted its being, what it has proved to be--the falsest

and most atrocious of calumnies."

"Your after doubt was but natural," replied the sailor,

"although I confess I could not help wincing under the

thought of its being entertained. I knew that, on my

return, I should be enabled to explain every thing, but

yet felt nettled that even my short absence should, as

I knew it must, give rise to any strictures on my conduct.

It was that soreness of feeling which induced my impatient

allusion to the subject, even after my good fortune of

yesterday, for I at once detected that the slanderous

paper had been received and commented on; and from the

peculiar glance, I saw Henry direct to you, I was at no

loss to discover into whose hands it had fallen. But to

resume.

"Their plan of action being finally settled, the traitors

began to give indication of separating--the one to hasten

and announce to the American boat the removal of all

impediment to her passage upwards--the other to my gun

boat, in order to play off the falsehood devised for the

success of their stratagem.

"'Here's damnation to the curst race of Granthams,' said

the son, as raising his tall and lanky body, he lifted

the rude goblet to his lips.

"'Amen,' responded the father, rising also and drinking

to the pledge, 'and what's more, here's to the goold

eagles that'll repay us for our job. And now Phil, let's

be movin'.'

"The heavy tread of their feet within the hut as they

moved to and fro, to collect the several articles belonging

to the equipment of Desborough's canoe, promising fair

to cover the sound of our footsteps, I now whispered to

Sambo, and we hastily made good our retreat to the point

where we had left our skiff. In a few minutes, we were

again on the lake, paddling swiftly but cautiously towards

my gun boat. I had instructed the sentinels not to hail

me on my return, therefore when I gained the deck, it

was without challenge or observation of any kind, which

could denote to those from whom I had so recently parted,

that any one had been absent,

"Again I had thrown myself upon the deck, and was ruminating

on the singular events of the evening, associating the

rich prize, which I now already looked upon as my own,

with the rascality of those who, imagining me to be their

dupe, were so soon to become mine; and moreover meditating

such measures as I fancied most likely to secure a result

so opposite to that which they anticipated, when the loud

quick sharp hail of the sentinels announced that a craft

of some kind was approaching.

"'Want to see the officer,' shouted a voice which I knew

to be Desborough's. "Somethin' very partick'lar to tell

him, I guess."

"Permission having been granted, the canoe came rapidly

up to the side, and in the next minute, the tall heavy

form of the settler stood distinctly defined against the

lake, as he stepped on the gun-wale of the boat.

"It must be needless here to repeat the information of

which he was the bearer," pursued Grantham. Its purport

was, in every sense, what I had so recently overheard in

the hut.

"'And how am I to know that this tale of yours is correct,'

I demanded when he had concluded, yet in a tone that

seemed to admit, I was as much his dupe as he could

reasonably desire. 'You are aware Desborough, that your

character for loyalty does not stand very high, and this

may prove but a trick to get me out of the way. What good

motive can you give for my believing you.'

"'The best I calculate as can be,' he unhesitatingly

answered, 'and that is my own interest. I don't make no

boast of my loyalty, as you say, to be sure, Mr. Grantham,

but I've an eye like a hawk for the rhino, and I han't

giv' you this piece of news without expectin' a promise

that I shall git a purty considerable sum in eagles, if

so be as you succeeds in wallopin' the prize.'

"'Walloping--what do you call walloping, man?'

"'What do I call wallopin'? why licking her slick and

clean out, and gettin' hold of the dust to be sure.'

"I could have knocked the scoundrel to the deck, for the

familiarity of the grin which accompanied this reply,

and as for Sambo, I had more than once to look him

peremptorily into patience.

"I knew from what had passed between father and son,

that, until the former had communicated with, and impressed

a conviction of the accuracy of his report, upon me,

nothing was to be attempted by the boat, the capture of

which was now, for a variety of reasons, an object of

weighty consideration. Whatever violence I did to myself

therefore, in abstaining from a castigation of the traitor,

I felt that I could not hope for success, unless, by

appearing implicitly to believe all he had stated, I thus

set suspicion at rest.

"'A more satisfactory motive for your information you

could not have given me Desborough,' I at length replied,

with a sarcasm which was however lost upon him, 'and I

certainly do you the justice to believe that to the self

interest you have avowed, we shall be indebted for the

capture of the prize in question. She lies, you say,

between Turkey Island and our own shores.'

"'I guess as how she does,' replied the settler, with an

eagerness that betrayed his conviction that the bait had

taken; 'but Mr. Grantham,'--and I could detect a lurking

sneer, 'I expect at least that when you have lick'd the

prize you will make my loyalty stand a little higher than

it seems to be at this moment, for I guess, puttin' the

dollars out of the question, it's a right loyal act I am

guilty of now.'

"'You may rely upon it, Desborough, you shall have all

the credit you deserve for your conduct on the occasion--

that it shall be faithfully reported on my return, you

may take for granted.' Here I summoned all hands up to

weigh anchor and make sail for Turkey Island. 'Now then,

Desborough, unless you wish to be a sharer in our

enterprize, the sooner you leave us the better, for we

shall be off immediately.'

"'In obedience to my order, all hands were speedily upon

deck, and busied in earnest preparation. In pleasing

assurance that I was as completely his dupe as could be

desired, the villain had now the audacity to demand from

me a written promise that, in consideration of the

information given, five hundred dollars should be paid

to him on the disposal of the prize. This demand (aware

as he was--or rather as he purposed--that I was to play

the part of the captured instead of that of the captor),

was intended to lull me into even greater reliance on

his veracity. I had difficulty in restraining my

indignation, for I felt that the fellow was laughing at

me in his sleeve; however the reflection that, in less

than twenty-four hours, the tables would be turned upon

him, operated as a check upon my feelings, and I said

with a hurried voice and air:

"'Impossible, Desborough, I have no time now to give the

paper, for as you perceive we are getting under way--I

however, repeat to you my promise, that if your claims

are not attended to elsewhere, you shall have my share

of the profits, if I take this prize within the next

eight and forty hours within the boundary of Turkey

Island--Will that content you?'

"'I expect as how it must,' returned the secretly delighted,

yet seemingly disappointed settler, as he now prepared

to recross the gun-wale into his canoe; 'but I guess,

Mr. Grantham, you might at least advance a fellor a little

money out of hand, on the strength of the prize. Jist

say twenty dollars.'

"'No, Desborough, not one. 'When the Turkey Island prize

is mine, then if the Government refuse to confirm your

claims, we will share equally; but, as I said before, I

must first capture her, before I consent to part with a

shilling.'

"'Well then, I guess I must wait,' and the scoundrel

confidently believing that he had gulled me to his heart's

content, stepped heavily into his canoe, which he directed

along the lake shore, while we with filling sails, glided

up the channel and speedily lost him from our view.'

"A perfect adventure upon my word," interrupted De Courcy.

"What a bold and deliberate scoundrel," added Captain

Granville. "I confess, Grantham, I cannot but admire the

coolness and self-possession you evinced on this occasion.

Had I been there in your stead, I should have tied the

rascal up, given him a dozen or two on the spot, and then

tumbled him head foremost into the lake."

"Oh yes, but then you have such a short way of doing

things, Captain Granville," remarked Ensign Langley, in

a tone rather less marked by confidence than that of the

preceding day, and, on this occasion, not omitting to

prefix the rank of him whom he addressed, and his

acquaintance with whom had been slight.

"I admit, Mr. Langley, I have a very short and unceremonious

way of treating vulgar people, who are my antipathy,"

returned Captain Granville, in his usual dry manner.

"Had Geerald doon this he would ha' maired his feenal

treomph over the veellain," observed Cranstoun. "Na, na,

Granville, our friend here has acted like a prudent mon,

as well as a gaillant officer. Geerald, the boottle stands

with you."

"To say nothing of his desire to secure the prize money,"

gaily remarked the young sailor, as he helped himself to

wine.

"Eh, true, the preeze mooney, and a very neecessary

consederetion too, Geerald; and one that may weel joostify

your prudence in the affair. I did na' theenk o' that at

fairst."

"But come, Grantham," interrupted Captain Granville, "you

have not informed us of what happened after the departure

of the settler."

"The remainder is soon told," continued Gerald. "On

parting from Desborough I continued my course directly

up the channel, with a view of gaining a point, where

unseen myself, I could observe the movements of the

American boat, which from all I had heard, I fully expected

would attempt the passage in the course of the following

day. My perfect knowledge of the country suggested to

me, as the safest and most secure hiding place, the creek

whence you saw me issue at a moment when it was supposed

the American had altogether escaped. The chief object of

the enemy was evidently to get me out of the channel.

That free, it was of minor importance whether I fell into

the ambuscade or not, so that the important boat could

effect the passage unobserved, or at least in safety. If

my gun boat should be seen returning unharmed from Turkey

Island, the American was to run into the first creek

along the shore, which she had orders to hug until I had

passed and not until I had again resumed my station in

the channel, was she to renew her course upwards to

Detroit which post it was assumed she would then gain

without difficulty."

"It was scarcely yet day," continued Grantham, "when I

reached and ran into the creek of which I have just

spoken, and which, owing to the narrowness of the stream

and consequent difficulty of waring, I was obliged to

enter stem foremost. That no time might be lost in getting

her out at the proper moment, I, instead of dropping her

anchor, made the gun boat fast to a tree; and, desiring

the men, with the exception of the watch, to take their

rest as usual, lay quietly awaiting the advance of the

enemy."

The gun fired from the lower battery on the island, was

the first intimation we had of the approach of the prize

which I had given my gallant fellows to understand was

in reserve for us; and presently afterwards Sambo, whom

I had dispatched on the look out, appeared on the bank,

stating that a large boat, which had been fired at

ineffectually, was making the greatest exertions to clear

the channel. A second shot discharged from a nearer point,

soon after announced that the boat had gained the head

of the Island, and might therefore be shortly expected,

in the impatience of my curiosity I sprang to the shore,

took the telescope out of the hands of Sambo, and hastened

to climb the tree from which he had so recently descended.

I now distinctly saw the boat, as, availing herself of

the rising and partial breeze, she steered more into the

centre of the stream; and I thought I could observe marks

of confusion and impatience among the groups in front of

the fort, whom I had justly imagined to have been assembled

there to witness the arrival of the canoes, we had seen

descending the river, long before the first gun was fired.

"The opportunity of achieving a daring enterprize, in

the presence of those assembled groups," pursued Grantham

with a slight blush, "was, I thought, one so little likely

to occur again, that I felt I could not do better than

turn it to the best account; and with this view my original

intention had been to man my small boat with the picked

men of my crew, and attempt the American by boarding.

Two circumstances, however, induced me to change my plan.

The first was that the enemy, no longer hugging the shore,

had every chance of throwing me out by the sudden and

unexpected use of her canvass, and the second (here Gerald

slightly colored, while more than one emphatic hem! passed

round the table,) that I had, with my telescope, discerned

there was a lady in the boat. Under these circumstances,

I repeat, I altered my mode of attack, and proposed rather

to sink my laurels than to lose my prize. ("Hem! your

prizes I suppose you mean," interrupted De Courcy,) "and

adopted what I thought would be a surer expedient--that

of firing over her. This demonstration, I imagined might

have the effect of bringing her to, and causing her to

surrender without effusion of blood. You were ail witnesses

however of the unexpected manner in which, owing to the

sadden falling off of the wind, I was compelled to have

recourse to the boat at last."

"But the chase, and the firing after you doubled the

point?" inquired Captain Granville. "We saw nothing of

this."

"The American, plying his oars with vigour, gave us

exercise enough," answered the young sailor, "and had

made considerable way up the creek, before we came up

with him. An attempt was then made to escape us by running

ashore, and abandoning the boat, but it was too late.

Our bow was almost touching his stern, and in the

desperation of the moment, the American troops discharged

their muskets, but with so uncertain an aim, in consequence

of their being closely crowded upon each other, that only

three of my men were wounded by their fire. Before they

could load again we were enabled to grapple with them

hand to hand. A few of my men had discharged their pistols,

in answer to the American volley, before I had time to

interfere to prevent them; but the majority, having

reserved theirs, we had now immeasurably the advantage.

Removing the bayonets from their muskets, which at such

close quarters were useless, they continued their contest

a short time with these, but the cutlass soon overpowered

them, and they surrendered."

"And the Major, Grantham; did he behave well on the

occasion?"

"Gallantly. It was the Major that cut down the only man

I had dangerously wounded in the affair, and he would

have struck another fatally, had I not disarmed him.

While in the act of doing so, I was treacherously shot

(in the arm only, fortunately,) by the younger scoundrel

Desborough, who in turn I saved from Sambo's vengeance,

in order that he might receive a more fitting punishment.

And now, gentlemen, you have the whole history."

"Yes, as far as regards the men portion," said De Courcy,

with a malicious smile; "but what became of the lady all

this time, my conquering hero? Did you find her playing

a very active part in the skirmish?"

"Active, no;" replied Gerald, slightly coloring, as he

remarked all eyes directed to him at this demand, "but

passively courageous she was to a degree I could not have

supposed possible in woman. She sat calm and collected

amid the din of conflict, as if she had been accustomed

to the thing all her life, nor once moved from the seat

which she occupied in the stern, except to make an effort

to prevent me from disarming her uncle. I confess that

her coolness astonished me, while it excited my warmest

admiration.

"A hope it may be noothing beyoond admeeration," observed

the Captain of Grenadiers, "a tell ye as a freend, Geerald,

a do not like this accoont ye gi' of her coonduct. A

wooman who could show no ageetation in sooch a scene,

must have either a domn'd coold, or a domn'd block hairt,

and there's but leetle claim to admeeration there."

"Upon my word, Captain Cranstoun," and the handsome

features of Gerald crimsoned with a feeling not unmixed

with serious displeasure, "I do not quite understand

you--you appear to assume something between Miss Montgomerie

and myself, that should not be imputed to either--and

certainly, not thus publicly."

"Hoot toot mon, there's no use in making a secret of the

maitter," returned the positive grenadier. "The soobject

was discoosed after dinner yeesterday, and there was

noobody preesent who didn't agree that if you had won

her hairt you had geevin your own in exchange."

"God forbid," said Henry Grantham with unusual gravity

of manner, while he looked affectionately on the changing

and far from satisfied countenance of his conscious

brother, "for I repeat, with Captain Cranstoun, I like

her not. Why, I know not; still I like her not, and I

shall be glad, Gerald, when you have consigned her to

the place of her destination."

"Pooh! pooh! nonsense;" interrupted Captain Granville,

"Never mind, Gerald," he pursued good humouredly "she is

a splendid girl, and one that you need not be ashamed to

own as a conquest. By heaven, she has a bust and hips to

warm the bosom of an anchorite, and depend upon it, all

that Cranstoun has said arises only from pique that he

is not the object preferred. These black eyes of hers

have set his ice blood on the boil, and he would willingly

exchange places with you, at I honestly confess I should."

Vexed as Gerald certainly felt at the familiar tone the

conversation was now assuming in regard to Miss Montgomerie,

and although satisfied that mere pleasantry was intended,

it was not without a sensation of relief he found it

interrupted by the entrance of the several non-commissioned

officers with their order books. Soon after the party

broke up.