ng commander, and were ready to follow him to the
death.

"That's something like a man for a general," Nat said enthusiastically,
as he marched, with the Royal Scouts, past the spot where Lord Howe was
sitting on the ground, eating his dinner with a pocket knife.

"I have never had much hope of doing anything, before, with the
regulars in the forest, but I do think, this time, we have got a chance
of licking the French. What do you say, captain?"

"It looks more hopeful, Nat, certainly. Under Loudon and Webb things
did not look very bright, but this is a different sort of general
altogether."

On the evening of the 4th of July baggage, stores, and ammunition were
all on board the boats, and the whole army embarked at daybreak on the
5th. It was indeed a magnificent sight, as the flotilla started. It
consisted of 900 troop boats, 135 whale boats, and a large number of
heavy flatboats carrying the artillery. They were in three divisions,
the regulars in the centre, the provincial troops on either flank.

Each corps had its flags and its music, the day was fair and bright,
and, as the flotilla swept on past the verdure-clad hills, with the sun
shining brilliantly down on the bright uniforms and gay flags, on the
flash of oars and the glitter of weapons, a fairer sight was seldom
witnessed.

At five in the afternoon, they reached Sabbath Day Point, twenty-five
miles down the lake, where they halted some time for the baggage and
artillery. At eleven o'clock they started again, and by daybreak were
nearing the outlet of the lake.

An advanced party of the French were watching their movements, and a
detachment was seen, near the shore, at the spot where the French had
embarked on the previous year. The companies of Rogers and James
Walsham landed, and drove them off, and by noon the whole army was on
shore.

The troops started in four columns, but so dense was the forest, so
obstructed with undergrowth, that they could scarcely make their way,
and, after a time, even the guides became confused in the labyrinth of
trunks and boughs, and the four columns insensibly drew near to each
other.

Curiously, the French advanced party, 350 strong, who had tried to
retreat, also became lost in the wood, and, not knowing where the
English were, in their wanderings again approached them. As they did so
Lord Howe, who, with Major Putnam, and 200 rangers and scouts, was at
the head of the principal column, suddenly came upon them