ld strike some great blow.

He strove to dismiss Garay from his mind, and, in his interest in what
was going on about him, he finally succeeded. He saw Frenchmen and
Canadians leaving the camp and others returning. His knowledge of war
made him believe that those coming had been messengers sent forth to
watch the Anglo-American army, and those going were dispatched on the
same service. Their alarm must be great, he reflected pleasantly,
and none could bring to Montcalm any reassuring news. Once he saw
Montcalm, and once St. Luc, but neither spoke to him.

He and his comrades, the other prisoners, slept that night in the
open, the weather being warm. A blanket was allotted to every one by
their captors, and Robert, long used to unlimited fresh air, preferred
the outside to the inside of a tent. Nothing disturbed his slumbers,
but he expected that the French retreat would begin the next day. On
the contrary, Montcalm stayed in his camp, nor was there any sign of
withdrawal on the second and third days, or on others that came. He
inferred then that the advance of Abercrombie had been delayed,
and the French were merely hanging on until their retreat became
compulsory.

He had been in the camp about a week, and as he saw no more of Garay
he concluded that the man had been sent away on some errand. It
was highly probable that he was now in the south spying upon the
Anglo-American army. It was for just such duties that he was fitted.
Then he began to think of him less and less.

His old impatience and keen disappointment because he was a prisoner
when such great days were coming, returned with doubled vigor. He
chafed greatly and looked around again for an opportunity to escape,
but did not see the remotest possibility of it. After all, he must
reconcile himself. His situation could be far worse. He was well
treated, and some of the French leaders, while official enemies, were
personal friends.

His mind also dwelled upon the singular fact that the French army did
not retreat. He tried to glean something from De Galissonniere, who
talked with him several times, but the young captain would not depart
from generalities. He invariably shut up, tight, when they approached
any detail of the present military situation.

A dark night came with much wind and threat of rain. Robert thought
that he and his fellow captives would have to ask the shelter of
tents, but the rain passed farther to the west, though the heavy
darkness