The Canadian Brothers (Volume I) or The Prophecy Fulfilled

ter, 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 t

act 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

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 w

which I have neither the power nor the inclination to check-'Massa Geral,' pulling me by the collar-'I dam ib he no go

g to my feet with surprise, but Sambo, with ready thought, put his hand up

Geral, ib you make a

'" I asked in the same low whisper, the pol

, Massa Geral

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

ct had been the steering and paddling of the keen-sighted negro, that when w

ted on the sand within a few paces of several others that lay

him toders, Desborough only got

l which is hi

e pointed to one nearly twice

ately used, Sam

ind out, M

ess it was one which I never should have dreamt of. Stooping on the sand

er to-night Massa Ger

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 r

gth announced, as he stooped over one which I recognized, from a pe

ssa Geral. May I nebber see a He

isping 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 n

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 cl

'member long time ago,' and he sighed, "'when Sambo no bigger nor dat paddle, one

mbo, but let us advance cautious

still thrown in one long, fixed, but solitary ray. It was however impossible to see who were within, for although

d evidently been som

heard uttered, w

th part ourn, if we get her clean slick through to Detroit. Well, drot

to cut off our mails, and the ready is too much wanted to be thrown away. No, no

to catch the slightest view of either, I fancied that I might be more successful in rear of the hut. I therefore moved forward

unced that the noise had been overheard. I held up my fin

, and the voice rang like the blast of a sp

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

re?' repeated Desbor

tles," 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

son as he tossed off a portion of the liquid he had poured into hi

, do you know w

' and his eye lighted up significantly, as he pointed to t

's in it,' he rejoined, 'if we can't come over that smooth faced chap

paddled two or three times round his gun boat, as it lay 'gin the sh

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 s

l. He nebber go round: I see him come a dow

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

lyin' teef,' he continued to mutter,

d--d British craft,' observed Desborough. 'Ho

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

board her,' returned Desborough musingly; 'forty genu

rig'lars; and then agin if they are discovered one spry cannon shot might sink her; a

' exclaimed Desborough, resorting

as you shall larn; but first let a fellor wet his whistle.' Here they

between the well assorted pair, during the disclosure of the younger, I will briefly state that it was one of the most s

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 in

us 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

o 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 afte

xpress 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 s

elt 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 ye

ne to hasten and announce to the American boat the removal of all impediment to her passage upwards-th

ams,' said the son, as raising his tall and la

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

pered 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 se

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

e which I knew to be Desborough's. "Someth

and in the next minute, the tall heavy form of the settler stood distinc

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

it, I was as much his dupe as he could reasonably desire. 'You are aware Desborough, that your character for loyalty does not

y, 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 wit

t do you call w

king her slick and clean out, and g

arity of the grin which accompanied this reply, and as for Samb

as 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 abs

sm which was however lost upon him, 'and I certainly do you the justice to believe that to the self interest you have avowed

m,'-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 hi

lly 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

on 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

, repeat to you my promise, that if your claims are not attended to elsewhere, you shall have my share of the profits,

e now prepared to recross the gun-wale into his canoe; 'but I guess, Mr. Grantham, you might at least

Government refuse to confirm your claims, we will share equally; but, as I sai

me to his heart's content, stepped heavily into his canoe, which he directed along the lake

e upon my word," in

he coolness and self-possession you evinced on this occasion. Had I been there in your stead, I should have

y, in a tone rather less marked by confidence than that of the preceding day, and, on this occasion, no

nious way of treating vulgar people, who are my antipat

," observed Cranstoun. "Na, na, Granville, our friend here has acted like a pru

the prize money," gaily remarked the you

eretion too, Geerald; and one that may weel joostify your

anville, "you have not informed us of what h

sted 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

onsequent 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 anch

s 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 t

y 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

ou doubled the point?" inquired Captai

ment, 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 Am

tham; did he behave

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

cious smile; "but what became of the lady all this time, my conquerin

posed 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 s

erald, a do not like this accoont ye gi' of her coonduct. A wooman who could show no ageetation in sooch a scen

nmixed with serious displeasure, "I do not quite understand you-you appear to assume something betwee

grenadier. "The soobject was discoosed after dinner yeesterday, and there was noobody pre

r from satisfied countenance of his conscious brother, "for I repeat, with Captain Cranstoun, I like her not. Why, I kn

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 i

and although satisfied that mere pleasantry was intended, it was not without a sensation of relief he found it interr