to
old Malachi's to-night; for it occurs to me that any attack is more
likely to be made between the fall of the leaf and the fall of the snow
than afterwards; so the sooner I put Malachi on his guard the better.
Good evening, sir."

Captain Sinclair and Alfred continued on their way to the fort. They
had contracted a strong friendship, and were unreserved in their
communication with each other.

"You have no idea, Alfred," said Captain Sinclair, "how the peculiar
position of your family occupies my thoughts. It really appears almost
like madness on the part of your father to bring out your mother and
cousins to such a place, and expose them to such privations and dangers.
I can hardly sleep at night when I reflect upon what might happen."

"I believe," replied Alfred, "that if my father had known exactly what
his present position would have been, he would have decided upon not
leaving England; but you must remember that he came out with much
encouragement, and the idea that he would only have to surmount the
hardships of a settler in clearing his land. He fancied, at least, I'm
sure _we_ all did, that we should be surrounded by other farmers, and
have no particular danger to incur. When at Quebec, he found that all
the good land near to civilisation was bought up or possessed by the
French Canadians; he was advised to come further westward by those who
ought to have been aware of what he would have to encounter by so doing,
but who probably considered that the danger we now apprehend no longer
existed; and he has followed that advice, which I have no doubt was
conscientiously given. I think myself, even now, that the advice was
good, although we are accompanied by females who have been brought up in
so different a sphere, and for whose welfare such anxiety is shown; for
observe now, Sinclair, suppose, without having made our acquaintance,
you had heard that some settlers, men and women, had located themselves
where we have done; should you have considered it so very rash an
undertaking, presuming that they were merely farmers and farmers'
wives?"

"I certainly should have troubled myself very little about them, and
perhaps not thought upon the subject."

"But supposing that the subject had been brought up at the fort, and you
heard that the parties had a stockaded house and four or five good
rifles to depend upon, with the fort to fall back upon if necessary?"

"I admit that I should most probably have sai