on my side, shall know that if Madame Drucour is within the
walls of Quebec, no garrison can fail to be gallant and devoted.
Such an example before their eyes would put heart and heroism into
the most faint hearted."

A very sincere liking grew up between Madame Drucour and her guests
before Wolfe was on his legs again, and able to return to his
quarters amongst his men. Indeed, his happiest hours were spent in
the company of that lady, for there was much to vex and try him
when in the camp.

There was to be no move upon Quebec that season and Wolfe chafed
rather bitterly at the decision, and wrote to General Amherst in
stronger terms than most subordinate officers would have ventured
to do. He even spoke of throwing up the service, if nothing were to
be done at such a critical time; but the General would not hear of
losing so valuable an officer, and indeed, in spite of the
irritability sometimes engendered by his ill-health, Wolfe was too
much the soldier at heart ever to abandon his calling.

It was, however, rather hard to one of his ardent and chivalrous
temperament, eager for the great blow to be struck against Quebec,
to be deputed to harry and destroy a number of little fishing
settlements along the Gulf of St. Lawrence--which measure he
considered a needless severity, and hated accordingly. It was a
relief to him to know that Pitt, having heard of his severe bout of
illness after the taking of Louisbourg, had summoned him back to
England to recruit his health.

"When we have finished our great exploit of robbing fishermen of
their nets and burning their huts, we will to England again,
Julian; and you will come with me, my trusty comrade and friend. If
we are spreading the terror of England's name here, we are not
adding to her laurels. Let me remain at home till there be real
warfare to accomplish, and then let me come out again. This task is
odious and sickening to me. Were it not that another might show
more harshness and barbarity over it, I would e'en decline the
mission."

Humphrey had already left Louisbourg for Philadelphia and the
western frontier; but Julian had elected to remain with Wolfe, who
had come to depend upon him in no small measure. There was
something in the temperaments of the two men which made them
congenial one to the other. Wolfe's restless irritability was
soothed by Julian's quiet calmness, and there was in both men a
strain of ardent patriotism and self devotion which gave