emotions induced by suspense--knew not what inference to
draw from the fact of his brother's protracted absence.
Could it be that the American, defended as she was by a
force of armed men, had succeeded, not only in defeating
the aim of her pursuer, but also in capturing her? Such
a result was not impossible. The enemy against whom they
had to contend yielded to none in bravery; and as the
small bark which had quitted the gun boat was not one
third of the size of that which they pursued, it followed
of necessity, that the assailants must be infinitely
weaker in numbers than the assailed. Still no signal of
alarm was made by the gun boat, which continued to lie
to, apparently in expectation of the return of the detached
portion of her crew. Grantham knew enough of his brother's
character to feel satisfied that he was in the absent
boat, and yet it was impossible to suppose that one so
imbued with the spirit of generous enterprise should hare
succumbed to his enemy, after a contest of so short
duration, as, from the number of shots heard, this had
appeared to be. That it was terminated, there could be
no doubt. The cheers, which had been followed by an
universal silence, had given evidence of this fact; yet
why, in that case, if his brother had been victorious,
was he not already on his return? Appearances, on the
other hand, seemed to induce an impression of his defeat.
The obvious course of the enemy, if successful, was to
abandon their craft, cut off from escape by the gun boat
without, and to make the best of their way through the
woods, to their place of destination--the American fort
of Detroit,--and, as neither party was visible, it was