spirit will wear out the frail body."

"That is the danger," said Julian gravely; "but it is wonderful
what he can compel that frail body to go through. He will rise from
an almost sleepless night of pain and exhaustion, and do the work
of a man in sound health, infusing life and energy and enthusiasm
into everyone with whom he comes in contact! Truly the King's words
about him contained a great truth."

"What words?" asked Fritz.

"Why, you know that this Wolfe of ours is but a young man, gallant
enough, but far younger and less known than many another of half
his capacity. You know, too, that the Duke of Newcastle, to whose
blundering we owe half our misfortunes in the west, was never known
to make a wise selection of men for posts of command, and was
shocked and alarmed when he heard that Pitt had appointed a
comparatively young and untried man for the command of such an
expedition as this. He once said testily to the King that Pitt's
new general was mad.

"'Mad is he?' quoth His Majesty, with a laugh; 'then I hope he will
bite some more of my generals!'"

Fritz laughed at the sally.

"In truth we could have done with some more of that sort of madness
amongst the leaders of those border wars which have ended so
disastrously for us. But in very truth the tide did turn, as the
Abbe Messonnier had foretold, when Pitt's hand was placed upon the
helm of England's government. So much has been accomplished already
that I myself do not believe we shall turn our backs upon these
scenes before Quebec is ours."

"That is what they say in Philadelphia," cried Humphrey--"that
Quebec must and shall fall. If General Amherst can but capture
Ticonderoga and Crown Point, he will march to our assistance by
land. Then the French will be caught between two armies, and the
nut will be cracked indeed! Did I tell you that our kinsman
Benjamin Ashley has declared that, directly Quebec falls, he will
come and visit the great city of which so much has been spoken, to
see for himself the great work? If he does this, he will bring his
wife and Susanna with him. You cannot think how keenly alive the
Philadelphians are becoming to the glory it will be to rid Canada
of French rule, and found an English-speaking colony there. The
Quakers still stand aloof, and talk gloomily of the sin of warfare;
but the rest of the people heed them no whit. They have furnished
and equipped a gallant band to join General Amherst, and they are
kindling w