“What a bold and deliberate scoundrel,” added Captain Granville.  “I confess, Grantham, I cannot but admire the coolness and self-possession you evinced on this occasion.  Had I been there in your stead, I should have tied the rascal up, given him a dozen or two on the spot, and then tumbled him head foremost into the lake.”

“Oh yes, but then you have such a short way of doing things, Captain Granville,” remarked Ensign Langley, in a tone rather less marked by confidence than that of the preceding day, and, on this occasion, not omitting to prefix the rank of him whom he addressed, and his acquaintance with whom had been slight.

“I admit, Mr. Langley, I have a very short and unceremonious way of treating vulgar people, who are my antipathy,” returned Captain Granville, in his usual dry manner.

“Had Geerald doon this he would ha’ maired his feenal treomph over the veellain,” observed Cranstoun.  “Na, na, Granville, our friend here has acted like a prudent mon, as well as a gaillant officer.  Geerald, the boottle stands with you.”

“To say nothing of his desire to secure the prize money,” gaily remarked the young sailor, as he helped himself to wine.

“Eh, true, the preeze mooney, and a very neecessary consederetion too, Geerald; and one that may weel joostify your prudence in the affair.  I did na’ theenk o’ that at fairst.”

“But come, Grantham,” interrupted Captain Granville, “you have not informed us of what happened after the departure of the settler.”

“The remainder is soon told,” continued Gerald.  “On parting from Desborough I continued my course directly up the channel, with a view of gaining a point, where unseen myself, I could observe the movements of the American boat, which from all I had heard, I fully expected would attempt the passage in the course of the following day.  My perfect knowledge of the country suggested 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, or at least in safety.  If my gun boat should be seen returning unharmed from Turkey Island, the American was to run into the first creek along the shore, which she had orders to hug until I had passed and not until I had again resumed my station in the channel, was she to renew her course upwards to Detroit which post it was assumed she would then gain without difficulty.”

“It was scarcely yet day,” continued Grantham, “when I reached and ran into the creek of which I have just spoken, and which, owing to the narrowness of the stream and consequent 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 anchor, made the gun boat fast to a tree; and, desiring the men, with the exception of the watch, to take their rest as usual, lay quietly awaiting the advance of the enemy.”