ed vessels were lying at anchor,
ready to loose from their moorings when the sun had sunk. Wolfe in
his light boat, managed by Humphrey and Fritz, had made a tour of
inspection, and was now speeding across the water towards Point
Levi, up the heights of which several additional powerful guns had
been carried earlier in the day to assist in the cannonade planned
for the night.

Little was spoken by the General or his subordinates. Wolfe had
been suffering much during the past days from acute rheumatism, and
from the inward malady which gave him little rest night or day. His
face looked very thin and drawn, but the fire in his eyes was
unquenchable, and it was plain that his mind was not with himself,
but with the enterprise, carefully thought out and courageously
planned, which was to be attempted that night.

"Take me as near to the town batteries as is safe," he said; and
the boat's head was directed towards the northern shore.

"I believe it will be done," he said, after a keen inspection of
the batteries through his glass. "The guns are almost all pointed
towards Point Levi. If the ships make good way with wind and tide,
as they should, they will glide so fast along that, even if
sighted, they will almost have passed before the guns can be
depressed sufficiently to be dangerous."

Then they made for Point Levi, and Wolfe stepped ashore, to be
received by Moncton, who escorted him to the batteries to see their
preparations. The three friends, released from attendance upon him,
took up a position from which they could command a view of what
passed, in so far as the darkness of night should permit them any
view. A pall of cloud hung in the sky, and the shades of evening
fell early. Yet it seemed long to the anxious watchers before the
darkness blotted out the view of the distant city, and of the
panorama of dancing water beneath.

Generally the guns from Point Levi boomed all day, but were silent
at night, leaving the camp to repose. But though they had ceased to
fire at sundown, darkness had no sooner fallen than the iron mouths
opened in a prolonged and terrific roar, a blaze of yellow light
glowed along the batteries, and the watchers from the strand heard
the huge shells screaming overhead as they hurtled through the air,
carrying with them their terrible messages of death and
destruction.

The noise was terrific; the sight was terrible in its fierce
grandeur. The three companions had seen many strange and