use in attempting resistance or escape, for the hut was thronged with 'officers' going to and fro with reports, orders, and what not; and as every man in the force was loaded with arms, it would have been simple folly to do aught but wait, as patiently as might be, for whatever was in store. From the conversation of the rebels-and they were not in the least degree reticent-it appeared that they had crossed the lake on the ice from Sandusky, a town on the American shore, by means of sleighs, and had disposed of their whole force on commanding points on the island, which they intended to hold until reinforcements arrived. Then, it was their purpose to cross the twenty miles of ice between Pelée and Colchester on the Canadian shore, burn that place, and immediately advance to attack Colonel Maitland in Amherstburgh-destroying and devastating the whole country through which they would pass. Such was Sutherland's programme, and Strangways, when he had made it all out, began to be very seriously alarmed for the safety of the garrison under Maitland; he knew they were very weak, all young and quite untried soldiers, badly armed (he noticed all the rebels carried rifles, while 'Brown Bess' was the English weapon), and with but small stores of ammunition; and he had amply sufficient reasons to fear, on their behalf, the effects of a surprise.

A

CHAPTER II.

A WELCOME SNOWSTORM.

S the evening wore on, the rebels began to make themselves very comfortable. Sutherland, who seemed strongly impressed with the dignity of his position, ordered all the officers, except the three seniors, to retire to their several posts and bivouac with their own men; while the party in Strangways' hut prepared to be very jolly—having previously taken the precaution of again securing the wrists of their prisoners with tough thongs of deerskin. They lighted up the hut with the whole of Strangways' small stock of rude tallow candles; they had an ample supper, of which they kindly allowed the young men but a very small share indeed; and finally they attacked the quarter-cask of rum, laid in for winter use, with an energy and determination that proved. they quite intended to make a night of it.' The good liquor expanded Sutherland's heart so much that he ordered Bradley to brew a jug for the special delectation of a bony Kentuckian, acting as servant and sentry in one-a boon which that worthy so appreciated, as to ask for another, and another, over which he speedily became sleepily drunk. Then, as the night

wore on, and the candles burnt dim, the party found out that it was a mere waste of time to mix the rum with water, so they proceeded to enjoy it in raw 'nips' till they were all considerably the worse for it. All this time Blunt and Strangways had been sitting silent in the remote corner of the hut where their stores were kept, brooding over their position, and meditating on plans of escape which they dared not mention to one another for fear of attracting attention. At last Bradley seemed quite overcome by the potent liquor, slipped down on the floor in front of the fire, where the other two leaders were already enjoying a stertorous slumber, and Sutherland alone of the group seemed tolerably sensible and awake. At last he rose, stretched himself with a great yawn, gave Bradley a sound kick-as he muttered "Drunken sow! why'sh not shober like me?"—which that worthy only resented with a hollow groan of hopeless drunkenness; and then Sutherland staggered to the far end of the hut, where the prisoners were leaning back feigning sleep. He stared at them with tipsy solemnity, while he grunted out: "Shafe—all shafe-go bedsh!"-turned round, and was making for his former place, when, to Strangways' intense surprise, Blunt bounded on the General as a tiger would on his prey, grasped his

throat as in a vice, and dragged him half-insensible to the ground without much noise. Strangways leaned forward and eagerly whispered: "How did you cut your bands?”

"The fixed knife there for the twine." The other immediately remembered, that he himself had firmly fixed the blade of a broken knife in the top of a porkbarrel for trimming fishing-lines and such purposes; in a second he, too, had severed his deer-thongs, and was helping Blunt to gag the General. That done, they silently secured a couple of rifles with pistols to match; took the best furs they could find; opened the door without a sound; and in a moment were standing free in the brilliant moonlight of the Canadian winter. Quick as lightning they made for the shanty where Bobtail was, hitched him to the sleigh, and set off as hard as they could go for the shore. They were just congratulating themselves on their clever escape, when a sort of sentry, who had been concealed behind, or in, an old timber erection that did duty for a lighthouse, challenged them. Strangways turned the sleigh rapidly to the left, and got on the ice without replying, whipping the horse to its topmost speed. The fellow hesitated for a moment or two, as if uncertain whether the fugitives were friends or foes, and then fired. The ball whizzed

harmlessly over their heads, and by the time the man had reloaded, they were almost out of range. The shot had, however, disturbed a guard who were surveying in their sleighs some distance down the island, concealed amongst the bush, and they at once put out on the open ice and gave chase-the bright moonlight showing them their game. For the first few miles they gained but little; but soon poor Bobtail, who had already done his day's work, began to exhibit evident signs of fatigue, and Strangways, with a groan, expressed his fears that they would soon be recaptured.

"Would it not be better," suggested Blunt, "if you shaped our course for Point au Pelée,* rather than for Colchester?"

"Why? The road is only more hummocky, and the ice-banks higher and more frequent."

"Well, but don't you see there's a snowstorm coming up in that direction?"

"Where?" cried Strangways, with great eagerness. "Oh, I see! Thank God for it! Though I never was glad to see one before, I am glad from the bottom of my heart now."

He swung Bobtail round in the new direction,

* A promontory running into the lake from the Canada shore.