hould it prove to be you, to
offer such services as I am able to render."

"The fortune of war, Mr Hurry. I may be thankful that I have escaped
wounds or death," he answered in a cheerful tone. "Believe me, I am
grateful to you for this attention, and I only wish that I had the means
of showing my gratitude."

He, of course, well knew that he might some day have the power of
showing it most effectually. My first inquiry was, of course,
respecting the safety of his daughter, and he assured me that he had
every reason to believe that she and her companions had reached the
house of some relations in the interior, and that he should have
accompanied them had he not been so hotly pursued by Colonel Simcoe's
persevering and lightly-accoutred troops. When he heard that I had made
preparations to go up to Mrs Langton's house he exclaimed--

"You may render me a great service by so doing. In the hurry of our
departure, in consequence of your warning, a small desk was left behind.
It contains not only money and jewels of considerable value, but some
papers of the greatest importance. I had but just discovered my loss
when I was taken prisoner, and the only person I could have entrusted to
go in search of it was killed in the same skirmish in which I became a
prisoner."

I naturally was much pleased with this opportunity of rendering a
service to Colonel Carlyon. I had but little time, however, left in
which to perform it. After he had explained to me in what part of the
house I was to look for the desk, I took my departure and hastened back
to the river, where I found O'Driscoll with Rockets and two other men
waiting for me. The tide was favourable, so that we had no difficulty
in getting there. The scenery wore so different an aspect by daylight
to what it had done in the dark that we could scarcely recognise the
spots we passed. We landed and approached the house. There, indeed,
was a melancholy change. The shrubberies had been cut down, the garden
trampled under foot, and the house itself plundered and set on fire--I
think by accident--I scarcely believe it could have been done wantonly.
I began to fear, when I saw what had occurred, that I must give up all
hopes of finding the desk of which I was in search. O'Driscoll and I
felt very indignant when we saw the destruction which had been wrought
by our troops.

"Well, after all, war is a dirty business!" he exclaimed, after
contemplating the scene of ruin fo