Canadians, they certainly are Canadians; but if the blood
of a proud race can make them Britons, such they are. Be
they which they may however, I would stake my life on
the fidelity of the Granthams--still, the cause of this
young officer's absence must be inquired into, and no
doubt it will be satisfactorily explained. Meanwhile,
let a second gunboat be detached in pursuit."

The Commodore having given the necessary instructions to
a young midshipman, who attended him in the capacity of
an aid-de-camp, and the general having dismissed Lieutenant
Raymond back to his post on the island, these officers
detached themselves from the, crowd, and, while awaiting
the execution of the order, engaged in earnest conversation.

"By Jove, the Commodore is quite right in his observation,"
remarked the young and affected looking officer, who had
been to profuse in his witticisms on the corpulency of
Lieutenant Raymond; "the General may say what he will in
their favour, but this is the result of entrusting so
important a command to a Canadian."

"What do you mean, sir?" hastily demanded one even younger
than himself--it was the youth already named, whose
uniform attested him to be a brother officer of the
speaker. He had been absent for a few minutes, and only
now rejoined his companions, in time to hear the remark
which had just been uttered.

"What do you mean, Captain Molineux?" he continued, his