ked
with Bourlamaque, Trepezec, Lotbiniere, the engineer, Langy, the
partisan, and other of my lieutenants whom you know. They express
varying opinions. Now, Colonel de St. Luc, I want yours, an opinion
that is absolutely your own."

St. Luc drew himself up and his warrior soul flashed through his blue
eyes.

"Sir," he said, "it goes as ill with me as it does with you to
retreat. My heart is here at Ticonderoga. Nor does prudence suggest to
me that we retreat to Crown Point. My head agreeing with my heart says
that we should stand here."

"And that is your conviction?"

"It is, sir. Ticonderoga is ours and we can keep it."

"Upon what do you base this opinion? In such a crisis as this we must
be influenced by sound military reasons and not by sentiment."

"My reasons, sir, are military. That is why my heart goes with
my head. It is true that the Anglo-American army will come in
overwhelming numbers, but they may be overwhelming numbers that will
not overwhelm. As we know, the British commanders have not adapted
themselves as well as the French to wilderness, campaigning. Their
tactics and strategy are the same as those they practice in the open
fields of Europe, and it puts them at a great disadvantage. We have
been willing to learn from the Indians, who have practiced forest
warfare for centuries. And the British Colonials, the Bostonnais,
fall into the faults of the parent country. In spite of all experience
they, continue to despise wilderness wile and stratagem, and in a
manner that is amazing. They walk continually into ambush, and are cut
up before they can get out of it. I am not one to cheapen the valor
of British and British Colonials. It has been proved too often on
desperate fields, but in the kind of war we must wage here deep in the
wilds of North America, valor is often unavailing, and I think, sir,
that we can rely upon one fact. The enemy will take us too lightly. He
is sure to do something that will keep him from using his whole force
at the right moment against us. Our forest knowledge will work all
the time in our behalf. I entreat you, sir, to keep the army here at
Ticonderoga and await the attack."

St. Luc spoke with intense earnestness, and his words had all the ring
of conviction. Montcalm's dark face was illumined. Again he walked
back and forth, in deep thought.

"The engineer, Lotbiniere, a man whose opinion I respect, is of
your mind," he said at last. "He says that whether Crown P