Bay, but also objected to military service. At Isle aux Coudres they
disregarded Nairne's summons to meet him, while at St. Anne de Beaupre
they made open manifestations of hostility.

In the actual fighting, now imminent, Nairne was eager to take part,
and, on August 12th, he wrote to Sir Guy Carleton offering himself for
any service and applying for a vacant captaincy. On the 9th of September
he received an urgent summons to Quebec, and, from that time, for six or
seven years, he was engaged in the great fratricidal struggle.

Again, in a time of crisis, Great Britain made special use of the
Highlanders. Many of those who had served during the conquest of Canada
had become settlers in the New World. Now at the call to arms some of
them--between one and two hundred--rallied again to fight Britain's
battles. They were formed into a regiment known as the Royal Highland
Emigrants. It was not a regular corps but was organized for this special
campaign only. Nairne's rank in the regular army was that of Captain;
now he was given the duty of Major, though this promotion was not yet
permanent. Malcolm Fraser served in the same corps as Captain and
Paymaster. The commanding officer, Colonel Allan McLean, was brave and
indefatigable and he and his Highlanders played a creditable part in the
work of saving Canada for Britain.

When the American colonies saw that the war was inevitable they saw too
that Quebec was the key of the situation. Washington himself declared
that in favour of the holders of Quebec would the balance turn in the
great conflict. From the outset there was an eager desire to attack the
Canadian capital. Washington believed--with some truth, indeed,--that
its defences were ridiculous. He thought, too, that the Governor, Sir
Guy Carleton, had no money to buy even provisions, that the Canadians
were eager to throw off the yoke of Great Britain and to co-operate with
the revolted colonies, and that some even of the few regulars to be
found in Quebec would join the colonial army. To take Quebec seemed,
therefore, comparatively easy, and the task was undertaken by a man with
a sinister name for posterity as a traitor to the young republic, but a
vigorous and able officer,--Colonel Benedict Arnold. Wolfe's role Arnold
essayed to play and Wolfe's fame he fondly hoped would be his.

A fundamental difference existed, however, between Arnold's task and
that of Wolfe. Wolfe's army had been carried to Quebec in ships;