along the top. It was believed that the
French officer Vergor, with a small detachment of troops, was
somewhere in the vicinity; but the renown of that worthy was not
such as to check the ardour of the English troops.

Wolfe remained below, silent and motionless. His hands were locked
together, and his pale face upturned towards the towering heights
above. The gurgle and plash of the river was in his ears, mingled
with those other sounds--the sounds of scrambling as his soldiers
made their way up the rugged heights in the uncertain light of the
waning stars. It was a moment never to be forgotten in his life.
The presentiment of coming death was forgotten--everything was
forgotten but the wild, strong hope of victory; and when from the
top of the gorge there came at last the ring of a British cheer,
the sound of brisk musket firing, and then another ringing shout as
of triumph, the blood rushed into his white face, and he sprang
from the boat on to the strand, exclaiming:

"They have won the foothold. Form up, men, and follow. We have
England's honour in our keeping this day. Never let her say we
failed her at the moment of greatest need."

It was a precipitous gorge up the sides of which the men had to
climb. Julian looked anxiously up it and then at Wolfe, and said:

"It is too steep; do not try it. Let me find an easier path for you
if I can."

He smiled as he scanned the sides of the gorge.

"I doubt if I shall get up," he answered; "but I mean to try."

And so strong was the resolution which inspired him that he found
strength to drag himself up the steep declivity, with only a little
assistance from Julian; and found himself, with the first breaking
of the dawn, breathless, giddy, exhausted, upon the summit of those
Heights of Abraham which today he was to make famous.

Instantly he took the command of the situation. Cannon were heard
opening fire close on the left. It was the battery of Samos firing
upon the English boats in the rear, now just visible in the
broadening daylight.

"Silence that battery!" said Wolfe to an officer whose men were
just forming up.

Their response was a cheer, as they moved away in orderly array;
and when the distant battery of Sillary opened its mouth and
uttered its menacing roar, there was another battalion ready to
start off to capture and silence it. Soon the great guns uttered
their voices no more. The English were masters of the coveted
heights, and still their troo