e! But
hark, he is going on again!"

The Intendant, after examining some papers, entered into a detail of the
resources of the Colony, the number of men capable of bearing arms,
the munitions and material of war in the magazines, and the relative
strength of each district of the Province. He manipulated his figures
with the dexterity of an Indian juggler throwing balls; and at the
end brought out a totality of force in the Colony capable unaided of
prolonging the war for two years, against all the powers of the English.

At the conclusion of this speech Bigot took his seat. He had made a
favorable impression upon the Council, and even his most strenuous
opponents admitted that on the whole the Intendant had spoken like an
able administrator and a true Frenchman.

Cadet and Varin supported their chief warmly. Bad as they were, both
in private life and public conduct, they lacked neither shrewdness nor
courage. They plundered their country--but were ready to fight for it
against the national enemy.

Other officers followed in succession,--men whose names were already
familiar, or destined to become glorious in New France,--La Corne, St.
Luc, Celeron de Bienville, Colonel Philibert, the Chevalier de Beaujeu,
the De Villiers, Le Gardeur de St. Pierre, and De Lery. One and all
supported that view of the despatches taken by the Governor and the
Intendant. All agreed upon the necessity of completing the walls of
Quebec and of making a determined stand at every point of the frontier
against the threatened invasion. In case of the sudden patching up of a
peace by the negotiators at Aix La Chapelle--as really happened--on the
terms of uti possidetis, it was of vital importance that New France hold
fast to every shred of her territory, both East and West.

Long and earnest were the deliberations of the Council of War. The
reports of the commanding officers from all points of the frontier were
carefully studied. Plans of present defence and future conquest were
discussed with reference to the strength and weakness of the Colony, and
an accurate knowledge of the forces and designs of the English obtained
from the disaffected remnant of Cromwellian republicans in New England,
whose hatred to the Crown ever outweighed their loyalty, and who kept
up a traitorous correspondence, for purposes of their own, with the
governors of New France.

The lamps were lit and burned far into the night when the Council broke
up. The most part o