said the Commandant. "But in war one has to
take account of every chance, and this may pass sometimes for want of
faith."

So, like an honest gentleman, he took his absolution, and afterwards
went to Mass and spent half an hour with his mind withdrawn from all
worldly care, greatly to his soul's refreshment. But with the
ringing of the sanctus bell a drum began to beat--as it seemed, on
the very ridge of the chapel roof, but really from the leads of the
flagstaff tower high above it. Father Launoy paused in the
celebration, but was ordered by a quiet gesture to proceed. Even at
the close the garrison stood and waited respectfully for their
Commandant to walk out, and followed in decent order to the porch.
Then they broke into a run pell-mell for the walls.

But an hour passed before the first whaleboat with its load of red
uniforms pushed its way into sight through the forest screen.
Then began a spectacle--slow, silent, by little and little
overwhelming. It takes a trained imagination to realise great
numbers, and the men of Fort Amitie were soon stupefied and ceased
even to talk. It seemed to them that the forest would never cease
disgorging boats.

"A brave host, my children! But we will teach them that they handle
a wasps' nest."

His men eyed the Commandant in doubt; they could scarcely believe
that he intended to resist, now that the enemy's strength was
apparent. To their minds war meant winning or losing, capturing or
being captured. To fight an impossible battle, for the mere sake of
gaining time for troops they had never seen, did not enter into their
calculations.

So they eyed him, while still the flotilla increased against the far
background and came on--whaleboats, gunboats, bateaux, canoes; and
still in the lessening interval along the waterway the birds sang.
For the British moved, not as once upon Lake George startling the
echoes with drums and military bands, but so quietly that at half a
mile's distance only the faint murmur of splashing oars and creaking
thole-pins reached the ears of the watchers.

The Commandant suddenly lowered his glass and closed it with a snap,
giving thanks to God. For at that distance the leading boats began
heading in for shore.

"Etienne, he intends at least to summon us!"

So it proved. General Amherst was by no means the man to pass and
leave a hostile post in his rear. His detractors indeed accused him
of spending all his time upon forts, either i