t drive--"the
night is same as day to man of spirit! 'Tis the sort of encouragement
half the world needs to succeed," said M. Radisson, throwing down the
cudgel.

And Godefroy, the skulker, was glad to run for the marsh. The rest of
us waited no urgings, but were to our posts on the run.

I saw M. Radisson passing fife, piccolo, trumpet, and drum to the two
tatterdemalion lads of our army.

"Now blow like fiends when I give the word," said he.

Across the courtyard, single file, marched the New Englanders from
barracks to boat. La Chesnaye leading with drawn sword, the marquis
following with pointed musket.

Foret and La Chesnaye then mounted guard at the gate. The sailor of
our company was heaping cannon-balls ready for use. Jack Battle
scoured the fort for odd headgear. M. de Radisson was everywhere,
seizing papers, burying ammunition, making fast loose stockades,
putting extra rivets in hinges, and issuing quick orders that sent Jack
Battle skipping to the word. Then Jack was set to planting double rows
of sticks inside on a level with the wall. The purpose of these I
could not guess till M. Radisson ordered hat, helmet, or cap clapped
atop of each pole.

Oh, we were a formidable army, I warrant you, seen by any one mounting
the drift to spy across our walls!

But 'twas no burlesque that night, as you may know when I tell you that
Governor Brigdar's forces played us such a trick they were under
shelter of the ship before we had discovered them.

Foret and La Chesnaye were watching from loopholes at the gates, and I
was all alert from my place in the bastion. The northern lights waved
overhead in a restless ocean of rose-tinted fire. Against the blue,
stars were aglint with the twinkle of a million harbour lights. Below,
lay the frost mist, white as foam, diaphanous as a veil, every floating
icy particle aglimmer with star rays like spray in sunlight. Through
the night air came the far howlings of the running wolf-pack. The
little ermine, darting across the level with its black tail-tip marking
the snow in dots and dashes, would sit up quickly, listen and dive
under, to wriggle forward like a snake; or the black-eyed hare would
scurry off to cover of brushwood.

Of a sudden sounded such a yelling from the New Englanders imprisoned
in the ship, with a beating of guns on the keel, that I gave quick
alarm. Foret and La Chesnaye sallied from the gate. Pistol-shots rang
out as they rounded the sh