that Bourlamaque won't
stand. I've heard that he'll retreat to the outlet of Lake Champlain and
make a last desperate defense at Isle-aux-noix. If he's wise, and I
think he is, he'll do it."

"Do you know whether St. Luc is with him or if he has gone to Quebec
with Montcalm?" asked Robert.

"I haven't heard, but I think it's likely that he's here, because he has
so much influence with the Indians, who are far more useful in the woods
than in a fortress like Quebec. It's probable that we'll hear from him
in the morning when we try a landing."

"You mean we'll spend the night on the lake?"

"Aye, lad. It's blowing harder, and we've a rough sea here, though 'tis
a mountain lake. We make way but slowly, and we must be full of caution,
or risk a shipwreck, with land in sight on both sides of us."

Night drew on, dark and blowy, with the army still on the water, as
Willet had predicted, and much of it seasick. The lofty shores, green by
day, were clothed in mists and vapor, and the three saw no trace of the
French or the Indians, but they were quite sure they were watching from
the high forests. Robert believed now that St. Luc was there, and that
once again they would come into conflict.

"Do you think we'd better try the shore to-night?" he asked.

Willet shook his head.

"'Twould be too risky," he replied, "and, even if we succeeded, 'twould
do no good. We'll find out in the morning all we want to know."

They tied their canoe to one of the long boats, and, going on board the
latter, slept a little. But slumber could not claim Robert long. All
about, it was a battle-ground to him, whether land or water. Armies had
been passing and repassing, and fighting here from the beginning. It was
the center of the world to him, and in the morning they would be in
battle again. If St. Luc held the shore they would not land unscorched.
He tried to see signals on the mountain, but the French did not have to
talk to one another. They and their red allies lay silent and unseen in
the dark woods and waited.

Dawn came, and the three were back in their canoe. The wind had died,
and the fleet, bearing the army, moved forward to the landing. Officers
searched the woods with their strongest glasses, while the scouts in
their canoes, daring every peril, shot forward and leaped upon the
shore. Then a sheet of musketry and rifle fire burst from the woods. Men
fell from the boats into the water, but others held on to the land that
they