The Canadian Brothers (Volume I) or The Prophecy Fulfilled

ans, and the council was nearly concluded, when suddenly the attention both

at heat of the weather, bad been left open. After traversing about fifty yards of sward, intersecting the high road, which, running parallel with the river, separated the council hall from the elevated bank, the officers found, collected in groups on the extreme verge of this latter and anxiously watching certain movements in the battery opposite to them, most of the troops and inferior Indians they had left loitering there at the commencement of the council. Those movements were hasty, and as of men preparing to r

although at an object little calculated to inspire ranch alarm, still, as the first indications of an active hostility

report, accompanied as it was by the wild yell of their followers without, reached their ears, than, wholly losing sight of the dignity attached to their position as councillors, they sprang wildly up, and seizing the weapons that lay at their side, rushed confusedly forth, leaving Tecumseh, and two or three

to a light skiff that lay chained to the gnarled root of a tree overhanging the current, and close under the battery. A few sturdy strokes of the oars soon brought the boat into the cent

uld on no account leave his post, unless summoned by signal," observed one of the group of younger officers

tioner, and with a solemnity of tone and manner that caused the whole of

more than one voice, while all close

oat to be sure. "And the truism was perpetrated with the same provo

ll you never give over th

le," said

s," repeat

a fourth, and each, as he thus expressed hims

the ground hogs that abound on his Island, he must fatten on hickory nuts. Only see how the man melts in the noon-day sun. But as you say, Villiers, what can brin

ed the incorrigible Middlemore, with the same affected unconscio

ppearance of the fat Lieutenant in the boat." But your pun, infamous as it would be at the best, is

e, with well affected surprise at the c

e principal group. The former had now reached the shore, and, shuffling up the bank as fast as his own corpulency and the abruptness of

smile at the heated appearance of the fat subaltern, the loud puffing of whose lungs had been audible before he himself drew near enough to address the chie

e nothing of the gun boat that should be stationed there. A shot was fired from the eastern battery, in the hope of bringing her to, but, as the guns mounted there are only carronades, the ball fell short, and the suspicious looking

?" exclaimed the General; "how is this, a

ed for that duty for the very vigilance and desire for service attributed to him by my predeces

" asked th

nant Gr

ovement of surprise; "It is indeed strange

ommands should have disappeared altogether. Can there be any ques

er who had been noticed so particularly b

blood of a proud race can make them Britons, such they are. Be they which they may however, I would stake my life on the fidelity of the Granthams-still, the caus

aid-de-camp, and the general having dismissed Lieutenant Raymond back to his post on the island, these officers de

r, who had been to profuse in his witticisms on the corpulency of Lieutenant Raymond; "the General may say

ed, whose uniform attested him to be a brother officer of the speaker. He had been absent for a few

ing indignation, and his downy cheek crimsoning with warmth. "Why this

or am I accountable for any observations I may make. Let me tell you, moreover-" this was said with the advising air of a superior in rank-"t

pardon," checking himself and glancing at the rest of the group, who were silent witnesses of the scene; "I confess I do feel the distinction of being admitted into so gallant a corps-thi

is the general topic of conversation; but, as you seem to require an answer from me particularly, you shall have it. My remark referred to the absence of the o

er, "you would imply that officer i

t, even if I did, I should be more born

rother shuns the enemy, Captain Molineux-Y

Grantham, but on o

it," said the youn

ly proved your brother h

ciously touching the hilt of his sword, he replied: "If your hope of avoid

dently making every effort to get beyond the reach of the battery, (whither Lieutenant Raymond had returned) under whose range she was unavoidably impelled by the very wind that favored her advance. Owing to some temporary difficulty, the gun boat, just ordered by the Commodore to follow in pursuit, was longer than suited the emergency in getting under way, and when she had succeeded in so doing, nearly half an hour elapsed, before, owing to the utter absence of wind (which was partial and

apparent neglect this escape of the enemy was to be attributed, until at length the conduct of Lieutenant Grantham was canvassed generally, and with a freedom little inferior to that which, falling from the lips of Captain Molineux, had so pained his sensitive brother; with this dif

the fact, yet unable, as be had done before, to stand forth the champion of his brother's honor, where all (with a very few exceptions, among whom he had the consolation to find the General) were united in opinion against him, his situation was most painful. Not t

cooling triumph. The assurance was strong within him, not only that his brother would soon make his appearance before the assembled groups who had had the cruelty to impugn his conduct, but that he would do so under circumstances calculated to change their warm censure into even more vehement applause. Fully impressed with the integrity of his absent relative, the impetuous and generous hearted youth paused not to reflect that circumstances were such as t

, the young officer heard footsteps approaching him. Hastily dashing away a tear which had been called up by a variety of emotions, he tamed and beheld the Chieftain Tecumseh, and wit

t the observations caused by Gerald's strange absence, but I have brought you one who is too partial to you both, to join in the condemnation. I have ex

ame time his eloquent eye upon that of the chieftain, and, in a few brief but expressive sentences, conveyed, in the language of the Warri

lay floating on the river, unemptied of their warriors, staling at the same time, that had not his confidence in his young friend been unbounded, he would long since have dispatched those canoes in pursuit; but he

erfect knowledge of localities, had, throughout, pointed as the spot most likely to conceal the hitherto invisible gun boat, his

the forest with the shore. She had now arrived opposite a neck of land beyond which ran a narrow, deep creek, the existence of which was known only to few, and here it chanced that in the exultation of escape, (for they were not slow to perceive the difficulties opposed to the progress of their pursuer,) they gave a cheer that was echoed back from either shore, hoisting at the same moment the American colours. Scarcely, however, had this cheer been uttered, when a second and more animating, was heard from a different point, and presently, dashing into the river, and app

e. The "Canadian" as he imagined he had been superciliously termed, would be the first to reap for Britain's sons the fruits of a war in which those latter were not only the most prominent actors, but also the most interested. Already in the enthusiasm o

moved-my brother has revenged himself. With me yo

'Egville; "surely you have not been imprudent enough to

rsation which had taken place bet

who is, moreover, a very young man, may not have expressed himself in the most guarded manner, but he only repeated what I have been compelled to hear myself-and from persons not only older, but much higher

ng cheek, "Gerald is sufficiently avenged, but yo

my country, I feel pride in having received my being in a land where every thing attests the sublimity and magnificence of nature. Look around you, my nephew, and ask yourself what there in

d when at length she also was put about, the breeze blew so immediately in her teeth that it was found impossible to regain the advantage which had been lost. Meanwhile, the American continued her flight, making directly for the land, with a rapidity that promised fair to baffle every exertion on the part of her pursuer. The moment was one of intense interest to the crowd of spectators who lined the bank. At each instant it was expected the fire of the gun boat would open upon the fugitives; but although this was obviously the course to be adopted, it being apparent a single shot was sufficient to sink her, not a flash was visible-not a report w