"Someone told me," said Mr. Townsend, "that on the day war was declared all the ships in Boston harbour displayed flags at half-mast, and at a meeting of the citizens resolutions were passed stating that the proposed invasion of Canada was unnecessary and would lead to connection with France, which would be destructive to American independence." "Quite so," said the Chief. "Our friends in New England have much to contend with in the foreign element that is creeping into the Democratic party--such as German socialists, refugees from the Irish rebellion and of the French Revolution, who have little or no true patriotic spirit." "Imagine any of our neighbors at Woburn," interrupted Martin Eberts, "stooping to seduce the people of this or any other country from their allegiance, and converting them into traitors, as a preparation for making them good American subjects. I hear," he continued, "that Eustis pointed out the advantage it would be to secure Canada, and said that it was a most opportune time while Britain had her whole force engaged with Napoleon." "Yes," said the Chief, "and he stated that it could be taken without soldiers, and that if they sent a few officers into the country Canadians would rally round their standard. So they sent poor old Hull, after whom our township was named, with twenty-five hundred men, to open the campaign in Upper Canada about two years ago. As soon as he met Brock he hoisted the white flag and fell back to Detroit, and he and all his men were taken prisoners. Hull was condemned to be shot, but was spared because of his great age, and in consideration of former good service." "It is no wonder," said Mr. Fessenden, "that the attempt has failed, for it had not the backing of thinking men nor of true Republicans." "It's an ill wind that blows nobody good," said the Chief. "The price of wheat has gone up three dollars per bushel, and I have just disposed of our fall crop at a profit of $7,000." "May the war continue," said Martin Eberts, "and we'll all sow wheat." "Let us hope that it won't," said Mr. Honeywell, "for I had to go all the way to the front for three barrels of flour, for my family was on the verge of starvation. I had just rolled it into the shanty, when who should come along but Dow and Billings, who wanted to buy two barrels, but I wouldn't sell, for I had hauled it all the way from Kingston on a jumper. Well, sir, they laid down $50, and walked off with the flour." But to return to our party. It was a glorious moonlight night, and the young people would probably have kept up the sport the whole night long had not Ephraim announced that the "lateer" was ready. The cushions and buffalo robes were then taken from the sleighs and spread upon the snow, and the gentlemen served each lady with a block of hard snow, upon which had been poured some of the boiling sugar, which immediately hardened into "lateer," or taffy.