Despard, the Spy: Or, The Fall of Montreal — page 17: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE TOKEN. 15 “ Had he been in the garrison ?”’ “T fear so.” | “ That young rogue will live to be hung yet,” said the other, with asmile. “ He has the most impudent way of going in- to danger of any man I ever,saw., Witness him here, hail- fellow-well-met with Lamont and Dujardin, and the nephew of the Governor, drinking and fencing with them, as. perfect a Frenchman as you could wish tu see. I am a good French- -man myself, but I.take.no merit in it, for I was brought up among them. He has picked up.all,he:knows of Frensh by himeelf.” “J have written to him to beware of thrusting himself into _ danger, but, he is too venturesome for his own good. He gays ' that he has his duties to perform,and he will. do them bravely. I know him well enough to be sure of that. He has a noble heart.” “ You.are right. Of all men on earth, he i3 chief of..the few that I,can Jove and trust. No Frenchman ean be my friend, because I hate. the very name of France. Did you know that the English troops .are coming. down upon the island ?” “ Ts .it true?” “Yes, Wilton has sent me a token which only we can read. It was left at.a hollow tree upon the bank of the river, near the rapids.” “ Who. left it?” “ A half-breed, in. the pay of the English, Be has a-cabin on the upper Champlain. This is-the sign. You can not, of course, solve the riddle,” He took three small sticks from his bosom, and spread them out upon the table which stood at his elbow. They were colored red, white, and blue. “I will explain to. you,” he said, with a smile, “ because I know you have been won over to the English side. These sticks mean the different English Jeaders. The green, the one in advanee, signifies. the Rangers of Seely and Putnam, tothe first of whom Wilton is attached. They. take the. post of danger, ‘from. ohaice. The leaders of the English regular troops .are growing wieer J in their generation, and .will. asia} ee - that the provincials have good stuff in them.’ . cComicboOoks C@