to the men who had leaped to his side, "Take breath,
my good fellows; you will need all you have, and more, in a few
minutes," words which evoked much cheering. Then he breasted the rise at
a canter, exposed to a galling enfilading fire of artillery, and running
the gauntlet of the sniping of some invisible marksmen, reached the
redan, half-way to the summit. Here he dismounted, threw his charger's
reins to a gunner, and entered the enclosure.

* * * * *

From the loftier elevation of the Heights a still more striking scene
confronted him. He saw, in the yellow light, battalion after battalion
drawn up in rear of the Lewiston batteries, across the river, only two
hundred yards wide at this point, awaiting embarkation. Other soldiers
he saw crouching in the batteaux on the river, while an unknown number
had already crossed and were in possession of Queenston landing. Round
and grape shot from the American batteries were searching the banks and
scourging the village, while shells from mortars at short range came
singing across the river. He saw a boat with fifteen American soldiers
smashed in mid-stream by a six-pounder from Dennis's battery, and
watched the mangled bodies drift into the gloom.

* * * * *

Having surveyed the position rapidly, ignorant of the concealed
movements of the American troops, Brock at a first glance pronounced the
situation favorable.

The crest of the Heights was wooded densely. The leaves still clung to
the trees in all the spangled glory of autumn, and the thickets afforded
far too safe cover for the American sharpshooters. In answer to his
inquiry, Williams, in charge of the light company of the 49th, told him
that at least 350 United States regulars and 250 militia must already
have been ferried over. In the chilling gray of dawn, four boats, filled
with armed men, had been seen crossing the river, which here had a
four-mile current. The head of a column had also been seen above the
river bank at the Queenston landing. The soldiers from the three
batteaux, previously landed below Hamilton's garden, had already been
met by Dennis's men, who had killed several and captured others. Later,
more boats had come ashore, knocked out of commission by Vrooman's big
gun and the six-pounders. Their crews had surrendered. Some of these
Brock had met. Many more, however, had landed safely, hidden by the
shadows, and were doubtless then a