"I must," he told him, "leave the country in the best state of security
I can; your presence is needed here. I am sending you as a mark of my
sincere regard my favourite horse, Alfred." This was a high-bred animal,
and our hero's charger in the war that followed.

It was not, however, until war was regarded as unavoidable, and not
until after he was promoted to be a major-general and appointed
President and Administrator of Upper Canada, as successor to Governor
Gore, that Isaac Brock became reconciled to life in Canada, and with set
purpose assumed the duties of his high calling.

* * * * *

Our hero had passed his _third_ milestone.

FOOTNOTE:

[2] Miss Carnochan, as the Curator of the Niagara Historical Society the
custodian of many relics of the war of 1812, has in her keeping this
identical cocked hat. It arrived "shortly after Brock's death, and was
given by his nephew to Mr. George Ball, near whose residence the 49th
was stationed. The hat measures twenty-four inches inside, and was used
at the funeral obsequies of 1824 and 1853, when many old soldiers
requested, and were permitted, to try it on." The usage that the cocked
hat then received has not improved its appearance.




CHAPTER XII.