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,