lt so keenly his helpless condition.

But his despair was short-lived, for his wife declared that she would
carry the news to the British general. Quickly she told him her plans,
and although it seemed to him that there was little prospect of her
being able to carry them out, he did not attempt to dissuade her from
the undertaking.

At daybreak the following morning Laura Secord, disguised as a
farm-maid, quitted the house bare-footed and bare-legged, and walked
straight to the cow to milk her. But she had scarcely begun her task
when the cow kicked over the milking pail and ran forward towards the
bush. The American soldiers laughed heartily at the mishap, but
ignoring them Laura Secord picked up her stool and pail and ran after
the cow. Her second attempt to milk her ended in the same way--the cow
kicked over the pail and frisked a few yards nearer to the bush. To
the delight of the soldiers this performance was repeated several
times, and chasing the cow Laura Secord passed the pickets and entered
the bush. The Americans saw her make another and equally unsuccessful
attempt at milking. Soon cow and milk-maid were lost to sight. Again
Laura Secord approached the cow and began to milk her, and this time
the animal stood quietly.

The pinch which Laura Secord had given the cow on the previous
occasions was not repeated, and the milking could soon have been
finished, had the brave woman time to spare. Sitting on her stool, she
peered in the direction whence she came and listened. Convinced that
the soldiers had not had their suspicions aroused, she sprang up and
leaving cow, pail and stool, started on her long journey.

Hour after hour she pressed forward, fearful that at any moment she
might come face to face with the enemy's scouts. Nor was this the only
danger she had to fear. The bush was infested with venomous snakes,
and on several occasions she found one lying in her path. Sometimes
she succeeded in frightening away the reptile, but frequently she was
compelled to make a detour to avoid it. Her feet and legs were torn
and bleeding, but still she plodded on, across hill and dale, through
swamp and stream.

When night came she was still wearily trudging along, but uncertain
whether she was proceeding in the right direction. Again and again she
fell to the ground, and would have lain there, but for the knowledge
that the lives of hundreds of her countrymen would be lost if she did
not reach the B