"'My plan's already cut and dried by a wiser head nor yours nor mine, as you shall larn; but first let a feller wet his whistle.' Here they both drained off another portion of the poison that stood before them.
"Not to tire you," pursued Grantham, "with a repetition of the oaths and vulgar and interjectional chucklings that passed between the well-assorted pair during the disclosure of the plan, I will briefly state that it was one of the most stupid that could have been conceived, and reflected but little credit on the stratagetic powers of whoever originated it.
"The younger scoundrel, who since his desertion from our service, claims to be a naturalized citizen of the United States, (his name of Desborough being changed for that of Arnoldi, and his rank of full private for that of Ensign of Militia,) had been selected, from his knowledge of the Canadian shore and his connexion with the disaffected settler, as a proper person to entrust with a stratagem, having for its object the safe convoy of a boat with specie, of which the American garrison, it appears, stands much in need. The renegade had been instructed to see his father, to whom he was to promise a fiftieth of the value of the freight, provided he should by any means contrive to draw the gun-boat from her station. The most plausible plan suggested was, that he should intimate to me that a prize of value was lying between Turkey Island and our own shore, which it required but my sudden appearance to ensure, without even striking a blow. Here a number of armed boats were to be stationed in concealment in order to take me at a disadvantage, and even if I avoided being captured, the great aim would be accomplished—namely, that of getting me out of the way until the important boat should have cleared the channel running between Bois Blanc and the American shore, and secreted herself in one of the several deep creeks which empty themselves into the river. Here she was to have remained until I had returned to my station, when her passage upward might be pursued, if not without observation, at least without risk. As Desborough was known to be suspected by us, it was further suggested that he should appear to have been influenced in the information conveyed to me, not by any motives of patriotism, which would have been in the highest degree misplaced, but by the mere principle of self-interest. He was to require of me a pledge that, out of the proceeds of the proposed capture a twentieth share should be his, or, if I would not undertake to guarantee this from the Government or my own authority, that I should promise my own eventual share should be divided with him. This stratagem successful, the younger Desborough was to repair to the boat which had been lying concealed for the last day or two, a few miles below me, with an order for her to make the best of her way during the night if possible. If failing on the other hand, she was to return to the port whence she had sailed, until a more fitting opportunity should present itself.
"This," continued Grantham, after a slight pause, during which the bottle was again circulated, "was delightful intelligence. Distrustful as I was of Desborough, I could not have been deceived by this advice, even had I not thus fortunately become acquainted with the whole of the design; but now that I knew my man, and could see my way, I at once resolved to appear the dupe they proposed to make me. Specie, too, for the payment of the garrison! This was no contemptible prize with which to commence my career. Besides, the boat was well manned; and although without cannon, still, in point of military equipment, quite able to cope with my crew, which did not exceed thirty men.
"With your knowledge of Desborough's character, it will not surprise you to learn, although I confess I boiled with indignation at the moment to hear, that the object of the scoundrels was, with a view to the gratification of their own private vengeance, not merely to raise a doubt of my fidelity, but to prefer against me a direct charge of treason. Thus, in their vulgar language, they argued. If misled by their representations, I quitted my station on the channel, and fell into the ambuscade prepared for me near Turkey Island, I raised a suspicion of the cause of my absence, which might be confirmed by an anonymous communication; and if, on the other hand, I escaped that ambuscade, the suspicion would be even stronger, as care would be taken to announce to the English garrison the fact of my having been bribed to leave the channel free for the passage of a boat, filled with money and necessaries for Detroit. My return to my post immediately afterwards would confirm the assertion; and so perfectly had they, in their wise conceit, arranged their plans, that a paper was prepared by the son and handed to his father, for the purpose of being dropped in the way of one of the officers—the purport of which was an accusation against me, of holding a secret understanding with the enemy, in proof whereof it was stated that at an important moment, I should be found absent from my post. I think I am correct, Captain Molineux."
"Perfectly," returned that officer—"such indeed were the contents of the paper which I picked up in my rounds about daylight yesterday morning, and which I have only again to express my regret that I should have allowed to make on me even a momentary impression. Indeed, Grantham, I am sure you will do me the justice to believe, that until we actually saw the American boat passing, while you were nowhere to be seen, I never for one moment doubted its being, what it has proved to be—the falsest and most atrocious of calumnies."
"Your after doubt was but natural," replied the sailor, "although I confess I could not help wincing under the thought of its being entertained. I knew that, on my return, I should be enabled to explain everything, but yet felt nettled that even my short absence should, as I knew it must, give rise to any strictures on my conduct. It was that soreness of feeling which induced my impatient allusion to the subject, even after my good fortune of yesterday, for I at once detected that the slanderous paper had been received and commented on; and from the peculiar glance, I saw Henry direct to you, I was at no loss to discover into whose hands it had fallen. But to resume.
"Their plan of action being finally settled, the traitors began to give indication of separating—the one to hasten and announce to the American boat the removal of all impediment to her passage upwards—the other to my gun-boat, in order to play off the falsehood devised for the success of their stratagem.
"'Here's damnation to the curst race of Granthams,' said the son, as raising his tall and lanky body, he lifted the rude goblet to his lips.