victory for the British; but it had been dearly
bought. The British general was dead, and the battle-field was strewn
with the bodies of brave volunteers who had died in defence of their
homes and liberty.

Before the last of the invaders had surrendered or been killed, Laura
Secord was on the battlefield searching for her husband. She found
Captain Secord's men, but he was not with them, and not one of them
knew where he was. In the hand-to-hand fight they had lost sight of
their captain, but they pointed out to the distressed lady the spot
where they had fought.

Hither Laura Secord hurried, and where the dead and dying lay thick she
found her husband terribly wounded. Falling on her knees beside him,
she called him by name, but he gave no sign that he heard her.
Believing him to be dead, she cried bitterly, and taking him up in her
arms carried him to their house. Then as she laid him down she found
to her great joy that he still breathed.

By her tender nursing she saved his life, although his recovery was
very slow. Winter and spring passed, and summer came, and Captain
Secord was still an invalid and unable to walk. It was a great trial
to him to be kept to the house, fur another American force had landed
at Queenston, and occupied the town and neighbourhood. It had been
impossible to remove Captain Secord when the other Canadians retired,
and thus he and his wife were left in the midst of the Americans. But,
as it turned out, it was a happy thing for the British that he was too
ill to be removed.

One day, towards the end of June, some American officers entered the
Secords' house, and commanded Laura to give them food. She did so, and
while waiting on them listened to all they said. Of course she did not
let them see that she was taking an interest in their conversation, and
succeeded in making them believe that she was a very simple and
unintelligent person. Imagining that she would not understand what
they were saying, they began to discuss their general's plans, and
unwittingly revealed to her the fact that a surprise attack was to be
made on the British force. When the officers, having eaten a hearty
meal, departed, Laura Secord repeated to her husband all that they had
said.

Captain Secord was at a loss what to do. The British would have to be
warned of the attack, but who could he get to pass the American pickets
and carry a message through twenty miles of bush? Never before had he
fe