The Canadian Brothers (Volume I) or The Prophecy Fulfilled

h we have already introduced him. At a considerable distance beyond that again, (its intermediate shores washed by

ning the opposite coast. Not satisfied however with their double treason, they, in the true spirit of the dog in the manger, seemed resolved others should not enjoy that which was no longer available to themselves, and the dawn that succeeded the night of their departure, more than once broke on scenes of spoliation of their several possessions, which it required one to know these desperate people well, to credit as being the work of their own hands. Melancholy as it was, however, to reflect that the spirit of conciliation had been thus repaid, the country had reason to rejoice in their flight; for, having thus declared themselves, there was nothing now, beyond their open hostility, to apprehend. Not so with the few who remained. Alike distrusted with those who had taken a more decided part, it was impossible to bring any charge home to them, on which to found a plea for compelling them to quit the country, in imitation of the example of their fellows. They had taken the oaths of allegiance to England-and, although ninety-nine had deliberately violated these, there was no legal cause for driving forth the hundredth, who still kept the "word of promise to the ear," however he might break it to the hope. Not that, on this account, the hundredth was held to be one whit more honourable or loyal. It was felt and known, as though it had been written in characters of fire upon his brow, that if he did not follow in the steps of his predecessors, it was because his interests, not his inclination, induced his pursuing an apparently opposite course. It is true, those who remained were few in number; but scattered, as they were, over various isolated parts of the country, this only rendered them greater objects of suspicion. If the enemy became apprised of any of our movements, for the successful termination of which it was necessary they should be kept in ignorance,

e apparent absence of all resources, it was subject of general remark, that he not only never wanted money, but had been enabled to bestow something like an education on a son, who had, at the epoch opened by our narrative, been absent from him upwards of five years. From his frequent voyages, and the direction his canoe was seen to take, it was inferred by his immediate neighbours, that he dealt in contraband, procuring various articles on the American coast, which, he subsequently disposed of in the small town of Amherstburgh (one of the principal English posts) among certain

he still remained in undisturbed possession of his rude dwelling, watched as well as circumstances would permit, it is true, but not so narrowly as to be traced in his various nocturnal excursions by water. Nothing could be conceived more uncouth in manner and appearance than this man-nothing more villainous than the expression of his eye. No one knew from what particular point of the United States he had come, and whet

that passed within the clearing, from the log hut to the sand of the lake shore. There had been an indication by one of these of a design to step forth from his concealment into the clearing, and advance boldly toward the house; but this had been checked by his companion, who, laying his hand upon his shoulder, arrested the movement, pointing out at the same time, the leisurely but ca

al Desborough setting out on one of his contraband excursions. He seems to have

the eye. In the first instance, remove the pistols from the cas

he first speaker, following however the hint that had been given hi

cautiously and noiselessly advanced to the hut. In the course of a few minutes he again appeared a

xchange a long shot with poor Molineux, I hope-if so, my dear fellow, I cry off,

the serious tone in which his companion expressed himse

wholly from the country, a man whom we all suspect of treason, but are compell

n are we to discover in the mere fact of his departing on what he may choose to call a hunting excursion? even admitting

re the traitor. For this have I removed the rifles which may, in a moment of desperation, be turned at backwoodsman's odds against our pistols.

ait for us. They have already e

tly grasped the shoulder on which his hand h

ence of the rifles. A moment's reflection seeming to satisfy him it was possible his memory had failed him, and that they had been left within the building, he hurried forward to assure himself. After a few moments of apparentl

k, on t'other shore-if I wouldn't tuck my knife into his b--y gizzard,

sible sign of the individual who had been Desborough's companion. In the bows of the canoe were piled the blankets, and in the centre was deposited the provision bag that had formed a portion of their mutual load. The mast had not been hoisted, but lay

h retraced his steps to the canoe. More than once he looked back to see if he could discover any traces of the purloiner, u

en on the look out- if so, I must

ty. He grasped the handle of his huge knife that was thrust into the girdle around his loins, and rivetting his gaze on the point whence the sound had proceeded, retrea

nger, as they both advanced leisurely to the be

uitting his firm grasp of the knife, he suffered his limbs to relax their tension, and aiming

ed to see two officers so fur away from t

of the first opening to a pun which had been affo

ge sort of a dress that for shootin' I guess-them

m," continued Middlemore, perpet

dry, I reckon; but I can't see the good of keepin' the fowlin' pieces warm. Have you met any game

ow; but we have appointe

anced an eye of suspicion around, to see if others than the two officers were in vie

other things, and yet, dang me if I ever calculated the game woul

d what game we are driving at," observed Mid

readers have doubtless recognized for Henry Grantham; "

for being here, and to find out if we are in any w

sposition of the sail. The officers, the younger especially, keeping a sharp look out upon his movements, followed at some little d

f, if not chastisement, "you will only be losin' time here for nothin'-About a mile beyond Hartley's there'll be p

ets, Desborough-for, in the hurry of departure, you seem likely to forget the only medi

, on the youth, as if he would have sought a meaning deeper than the

half insolent, "if I have hid my rifle near the

out on a WILD GOOSE CHASE, indeed. Your prospects of a good hunt, as you call it, cannot be said to be SU

s for this trip, Desborough," remarked Henry G

four days," was

ficer partly raised a corner of the sail, "provisions f

e attention of the settler. He was visibly disconcerted, nor

w you leave the hut with a com

self-possession, met the question wi

help as I had from Hartley's farm, to assist gittin' down the things. H

ifles ate not then

swamp,

subdued rage, he muttered something amounting to a desire that he could produce them at that m

k, jist as I and Hartley's help left the hut, I pit my rifle against the outside wall, not being able to carry it dow

d, would you?" asked Middlemore, in a nearly verbatim repetition of the horrid oath originally uttered by De

ce as he replied, "well now sure-LY, you officers didn't think nothin' o' that-I expect I w

ultiplied in your

looked at the hu

he particular d--d rascal that sto

heartily at his com

who removed, not stole the

s hesitation, he continued, with a forced grin, that

ell me, Mr. Grantham," and his discordant voice became more offensive in its effort at a tone of entreaty, "do tell me where you've hid my small bore-you little th

served Grantham; "but as you say you value your ri

e settler, somewhat startled at

what your canoe

the bows

earer approach, "that bag, I calculate, contains my provisions, and these here blankets th

-nay do not protest-you cannot answer for what may have occurred

miah Desborough, there was any thin' beside them blankets in the canoe, I woul

whip my own weight in wild cats, I tell you there is something more than th

ch they stood; but there were two, and while attacking the one, he was sure of being assailed by the other; nay, what was worse, the neighborhood might be alarmed. Moreover, although they had kept their cloaks carefully wrapped around their persons, there could be l

and that the fact is, he is merely going to earn an honest penny in one of his free commercial

that had been so acutely made, "I expect you won't hurt a poor fellor for doin' a little in this wa

ight an arrival instead of a departure, but we al

e grin of the wild cat, to which he had so recently alluded; "but I expect it would be non

" said Grantham, leisurely drawing forth and cocking a pistol

time manifesting serious alarm-"you sure-LY don't

be something more than SKIN deep I reckon-these pistols, to my k

both he and Grantham saw, or fancied t

"show us those said skins, my good fellow, and if we find they are not filled with any thing it would be treason in

the custom-house I reckon, and so I wish you a good day, for I have a considerable long course to run, and must

, to ascertain the true quality of your s

to foot, with a look of concentrated but suppressed fury, "you wouldn't dare to do this-you wouldn't dare to fire into my canoe- besides, consider," he sai

ter, by refusing to show us wh

o," fiercely retorted the other,

said Grantham. "The injury be on y

cast the blankets on one side, and presently the figure of a man stood upright

up, like the ghost in Hamlet, Ensign Paul, Emilius, Theophilus, Arnoldi, of the United States Michigan Militi

ce from the regiment you relieved-I recognized him yesterday on his landing, as my brother Gerald, who proposed making his report to the General this morning, had done before. Let us secure both, Middlemore, for, thank Heav

the clenching of his teeth and the tension of every muscle of his iron frame, "and t

sue. No sooner had the formidable Yankee closed with his enemy, than, pressing the knuckles of his iron hand which met round the body of the officer, with violence against his spine, he threw him backwards with force upon the sands. Grasping his victim with one hand as he lay upon him, he seemed, as Grantham afterwards declared, to be groping for his knife with the other. The settler was evidently anxious to despatch one enemy, in order that he might fly to the assistance of his son, for it was he whom Middlemore, with a powerful effort, had dragged from the canoe to the beach. While his right hand was still groping f

emore. Seizing him from behind by the arm within his nervous grasp, he pressed the latter with such prodigious f

ified and half throttled. The next instant saw him heaving the canoe from the shore, with all the exertion called for by his desperate situation. And all this was done so rapidly, in so

he strange horseman, checking his rein, and burying the rowels of his spurs deep into the fl

perate and infuriated efforts to reach his assailant; but in so masterly a manner did his adversary use his simple weapon, that every attempt was foiled, and more than once did the hard iron-wood descend upon his shoulders, in a manner to be heard from the shore. Once or twice the settler stooped to evade some falling blow, and, rushing forward, sought to sever the hand which still retained its hold of the stern; but, with an activity remarkable in so old a man as his assailant, for he was upwards of sixty years of age, the hand was removed-and the settler, defeated in his object, was amply repaid for his attempt, by a severe collision of his bones with the cudgel. At length, apparently enjoined by his companion, the younger removed his paddle, and, standing up also in the canoe, aimed a blow with its knobbed handle at the head of the horse, at a moment when his rider was fully engaged with Desborough. The quick-sighted old man saw the action, and, as the paddle descended, an upward stroke from his own heavy weapon sent it flying in fragments in the air, while a rapid and returning blow fell upon the head of the paddler, and prostrated him at length in the canoe. The opportunity afforded by this diversion, momentary as it was, was not lost upon Desborough. The horseman, who, in his impatience to avenge the injury offered to the animal, which seemed to form a part of himself, had utterly forgotten the peril of his hand; and before he could return from the double blow that had been so skilfully wielded, to his first enemy, the knife of the latter had penetrated his hand, which, thus rendered powerless now relinquished its