“Just so; you will be there in good time, for he is now three miles above the fort; indeed, he cannot well pass it without their seeing him.”
“Yes he can, now that the water is so rough,” replied Alfred; “recollect that they are soldiers in the fort, and not sailors, who are accustomed to look on the water. A piece of drift timber and a punt is much the same to their eyes. Come, let us go in to dinner.”
“Yes, sir, I’ll follow you,” replied Malachi; “but, before I come in I’ll catch the horse and saddle him for you. You can tell Miss Emma to hold her tongue about it.”
Alfred rejoined Emma, whom he cautioned, and then they went in to their dinner.
“Where’s John?” said Mr Campbell; “he promised me some lake-fish for dinner, and has never brought them in; so you will not have such good fare as I expected.”
“And where’s Malachi?” said Alfred.
“I daresay he and John are out together somewhere,” observed Henry, who, with Martin, had come in before Alfred.
“Well he will lose his dinner,” said Mrs Campbell.
“That’s what I cannot afford to do, mother,” said Alfred; “I am very hungry, and I have not more than five minutes to spare, for that seed must be put in to-night.”
“I thought Malachi was with you, Alfred,” said Mr Campbell.