ing, and grasping his
excited friend by the arm--"come with me."

"Ah, to be sure!--yes," said he, looking over his shoulder and waving a
last adieu to Charley. "Good-bye, God bless you, my dear boy!--I say,
Grant, come along; quick, man, and let's have a pipe--yes, let's have a
pipe." Mr Kennedy, essaying once more to crush back his rebellious
feelings, strode rapidly up the bank, and entering the house, sought to
overwhelm his sorrow in smoke: in which attempt he failed.

CHAPTER NINE.

THE VOYAGE--THE ENCAMPMENT--A SURPRISE.

It was a fine sight to see the boats depart for the north. It was a
thrilling, heart-stirring sight to behold these picturesque, athletic
men, on receiving the word of command from their guides, spring lightly
into the long, heavy boats; to see them let the oars fall into the water
with a loud splash, and then, taking their seats, give way with a will,
knowing that the eyes of friends and sweethearts and rivals were bent
earnestly upon them. It was a splendid sight to see boat after boat
shoot out from the landing-place, and cut through the calm bosom of the
river, as the men bent their sturdy backs, until the thick oars creaked
and groaned on the gunwales and flashed in the stream, more and more
vigorously at each successive stroke, until their friends on the bank,
who were anxious to see the last of them, had to run faster and faster
in order to keep up with them, as the rowers warmed at their work, and
made the water gurgle at the bows--their bright blue and scarlet and
white trappings reflected in the dark waters in broken masses of colour,
streaked with long lines of shining ripples, as if they floated on a
lake of liquid rainbows. And it was a glorious thing to hear the wild,
plaintive song, led by one clear, sonorous voice, that rang out full and
strong in the still air, while at the close of every two lines the whole
brigade burst into a loud, enthusiastic chorus, that rolled far and wide
over the smooth waters--telling of their approach to settlers beyond the
reach of vision in advance, and floating faintly back, a last farewell,
to the listening ears of fathers, mothers, wives, and sisters left
behind. And it was interesting to observe how, as the rushing boats
sped onwards past the cottages on shore, groups of men and women and
children stood before the open doors and waved adieu, while ever and
anon a solitary voice rang louder than the others in the chorus, and a
pair