d at length sallied out
and beat them decisively."

"I will not detain you, now," the colonel said; "but I hope, ere long,
you will give us a full and detailed account of the fighting you have
been in, with your idea of the best way of training regular troops for
the sort of work we have before us. Mr. Edwards will take you over to
the mess, and introduce you to your brother officers."

James was well received by the officers of his regiment, and soon found
himself perfectly at home with them. He had to devote some hours, every
day, to acquiring the mysteries of drill. It was, to him, somewhat
funny to see the pains expended in assuring that each movement should
be performed with mechanical accuracy; but he understood that, although
useless for such warfare as that which they had before them, great
accuracy in details was necessary, for ensuring uniformity of movement
among large masses of men in an open country.

Otherwise, the time passed very pleasantly. James soon became a
favourite in the regiment, and the young officers were never tired of
questioning him concerning the redskins, and their manner of fighting.
There were plenty of amusements. The snow was deep on the ground, now,
and the officers skated, practised with snowshoes, and drove in
sleighs. Occasionally they got up a dance, and the people of Albany,
and the settlers round, vied with each other in their hospitality to
the officers.

One day, in February, an orderly brought a message to James Walsham,
that the colonel wished to speak to him.

"Walsham," he said, "I may tell you, privately, that the regiment is
likely to form part of the expedition which is being fitted out, in
England, against Louisbourg in Cape Breton, the key of Canada. A
considerable number of the troops from the province will accompany it."

"But that will leave the frontier here altogether open to the enemy,"
James said in surprise.

"That is my own opinion, Walsham. Louisbourg is altogether outside the
range of the present struggle, and it seems to me that the British
force should be employed at striking at a vital point. However, that is
not to the purpose. It is the Earl of Loudon's plan. However, it is
manifest, as you say, that the frontier will be left terribly open, and
therefore two companies of each of the regiments going will be left.
Naturally, as you are the only officer in the regiment who has had any
experience in this forest warfare, you would be one of those le