Page:Arthur Stringer-The Loom of Destiny.djvu/161

Thicker than Water Freckles, I know you're telling the most hor'ble stories!"

"Yes, Freckles," said Georgie quite as dolefully, "and I'm going to ask my Uncle Charley."

This Georgie, with much fear and stammering, actually did. "What—what's this the youngster is trying to get at?" said Georgie's Uncle Charley, looking up over his paper when the questions were timidly put to him. "American Revolution? Bah, all rot, boy, all rot! The American Revolution was won right in England—sympathy of the great middle classes of the home country! But, dear me, child, you can't understand those things! What's that? War of 1812? No, sir," thundered Georgie's Uncle Charley, in his good British wrath, "no, sir, it was not won by America. England had her hands tied, sir, her hands tied fighting Napoleon, and she had nothing but a few scrub regulars to send out. But they did what they were sent for, and along with the Canadian militia they kept it mighty hot for the American forces 149