re
not more than seven hundred in number, but by a judicious evolution of
the wings were made to appear more numerous. Some of the officers looked
very smart, having donned the full-dress uniforms which had not been
used since the expedition left Cambridge two months previously.

Pauline and Zulma occupied a favorable position in the midst of a large
group where they could see everything and hear all the commentaries of
the crowd.

"Why don't the Bastonnais come on?" said an old Frenchman, dashing his
blue woollen bonnet to one side of his forehead. "They are imbeciles.
They don't understand their chance."

"You are right," answered another old man near him. "If the rebel
General only knew it, the gates are not properly manned, and the
stockades only half made up. He could rush in and carry the city by a
_coup de main_."

This conversation was striking, and later in life Zulma used to say that
it expressed what was true. If Arnold had made a dash upon Quebec that
November morning, it is asserted by Sanguinet and others, that he would
have carried it. Thus would he have been immortalized, and the world
would have been spared the most dastardly traitor of modern times.

The foregoing dialogue took place to the right of Zulma and Pauline. The
following was held on their left, between two Englishmen--a
tavern-keeper and a sailor.

"If our commander made an attack on these ragamuffins he would sweep
them into the St. Lawrence," said the sailor.

"Or capture the most of them," said the tavern-keeper.

Here was a contrary opinion to the foregoing, and yet it too has been
expressed by subsequent historians. The Quebec garrison was fifteen
hundred strong, and well supplied with arms and ammunition. The American
army was only half that number, ill accoutred and poorly armed. The
British had a base of operations and a place of retreat in Quebec. The
Continentals had no line of escape but the broad St. Lawrence and a few
birch-bark canoes which a dozen torches could have destroyed. Who knows?
A great opportunity of fame was perhaps lost that day.

"I wish they would sally forth against the Americans," said Zulma to
Pauline. "But the shadow of Montcalm is upon them. Had the Marquis
remained behind his intrenchments, we should never have been conquered
by the English. If the English would now only follow his bad example."
And she laughed heartily.

VI.

THE FLAG OF TRUCE.

Suddenly a singular movement was obse