It was a beautiful morning when the boat landed at the picturesque
little Canadian town of L----. The first that Ashton knew of the
arrival was when he was awakened from his drunken stupor by being
violently shaken by Ginsling; and, as he gained consciousness, he
heard that worthy saying, with a subdued voice: "Come, wake up,
Ashton, for we are again on British soil. Why, is not that strain
enough to cause any true Briton to rise from the dead?"

He was at last aroused, and his first sensation was that he had a
terrible pain in his head, a horrible thirst, and a certain vague
realization that he heard the strains of "Rule Britannia." He
staggered out to the bar, for he felt he must soon have a drink,
or he could not live. Ginsling also stepped up without being
invited; for that worthy could not righteously be charged with too
much modesty, as he never was backward in helping himself at a
friend's expense.

They immediately, after securing their luggage, stepped out upon
the wharf, where there was a large crowd gathered, listening to
the music of a band--each member of which was dressed in the garb
of a British soldier--as it played patriotic airs, such as "Rule
Britannia," "God Save the Queen," etc. The reason of this
manifestation of patriotism will be readily understood when we
inform the reader that it was the Queen's Birthday.

Ashton, for a moment or two, almost thought he was back in Old
England again, and he was so carried away by the grand old airs
that if a recruiting sergeant had presented himself just then he
might have taken a step in haste of which he would have repented