m his breviary. "His has been a difficult post from first to
last, and he has filled it with marked ability. The Governor seeks
to take to himself all the credit of success throughout the colony
and the war, and to heap upon Montcalm all the blame wherever there
has been discomfiture and defeat; but from what I can learn, the
Minister of France is not deceived. The powers of the campaign are
vested mainly in the hands of the General of the forces, let the
Governor rage as he will."

Colin and Corinne stood at the window watching the hubbub down in
the lower town and along the quays. They could obtain a fair view
from the upper window, where the girl spent so much of her time;
and whilst the Abbe and Madame Drucour talked of public matters and
the political outlook, Colin poured broadsides of information into
the ears of his sister.

"They say that the English ships can never navigate the waters of
this great river!" he cried. "I was talking with the sailors on the
vessels which have come in. They dare not bring their own ships up
without a pilot on board. If the English try to sail their great
battleships up through the shoals and other perils, they will
assuredly, say the men, run them upon the jagged edges of the
sunken reefs and wreck them hopelessly. I was telling them that the
English are better sailors than ever the French will be; but they
only laughed grimly, and bid them come and see what their sailor
craft could do without pilots in the mouth of the St. Lawrence. I
should grieve if the noble vessels were wrecked and stranded in the
Traverse, which they say is the most dangerous part of all. But the
sailors are very confident that that is what will happen."

"I don't believe it!" cried Corinne, with flashing eyes. "The
English have always been masters of the sea; have they not won
themselves the name of 'sea dogs' and 'sea rovers' even from their
enemies? The walls and guns of Quebec may prove too much for them,
but not the navigation of the St. Lawrence."

"So I think," answered Colin eagerly; "but that is what the men
say.

"The French are always something overconfident and boastful, I
think," said Corinne gravely. "They like to win their battles
before they fight them, and beat back the foe before he appears.
But we shall see--we shall see."

Colin and Corinne were both much interested in the General of the
forces, Monsieur the Marquis of Montcalm. In addition to being a
very excellent soldier--brav