y and eager to be allowed a fling at the foe.
They were full of ardour and enthusiasm, for so far every attempt
made had been vigorously and successfully carried out, and they
began to have an idea that Wolfe could not be frustrated in any
scheme of his.

To attack the city itself was obviously impossible under present
conditions, They could never get a footing near those solid walls
and ramparts. But the camp along the Beauport shore was more
vulnerable. If they could effect a landing there, they might rush
one or more of the batteries, and bring about a general engagement.
It was impossible, as it happened, for Wolfe to estimate the full
strength of the French position; but he knew that the task would be
no light one, even though he could not see that there were
batteries upon the heights above.

It was near to the Montmorency that he designed to make the attack.
The shores of the river were, for the most part, very steep here;
but at one place there was at low water a strand of muddy ground
about half a mile wide, protected at the edge by a French redoubt.
From there the ground rose steep and slippery to the higher land
above. If the men could land and take the redoubt, Wolfe had hopes
of bringing men over by the Montmorency ford--the one above the
cataract--and effecting a junction there, and by combining the
actions of these two detachments, succeed in dislodging a portion
of the French army, and effecting a firm foothold upon the north
bank of the St. Lawrence.

It was a rather desperate scheme; but it was received with
enthusiasm by the soldiers and sailors, both of whom would be
needed for the attempt. The vessels and boats for the transport of
the men were quickly made ready, whilst others were told off to
hover about the basin in order to perplex the French, and keep them
ignorant of the real point of attack.

Wolfe himself took up his position in the battleship Centurion,
which anchored near to the Montmorency, and opened fire upon the
redoubts just beyond the strand. Julian was with him, watching
intently, and noting every movement made by enemy or friend. But
Fritz and< Humphrey could not be denied their share in the fight.
They were upon an armed transport that was standing in shore to
further harass and batter the redoubt, and to be left stranded by
the ebb tide, as near to her as might be.

It was at low water that the attack must be made. Boats from Point
Levi were hovering around the strand all