saw "the tip-top lass o' the wide world." A time
came, however, when McGilveray's last state was worse than his first,
and that was the evening before the day Quebec was taken. A dozen
prisoners had been captured in a sortie from the Isle of Orleans to the
mouth of the St. Charles River. Among these prisoners was the grinning
corporal who had captured McGilveray and then released him.

Two strange things happened. The big, grinning corporal escaped from
captivity the same night, and McGilveray, as a non-com said, "Got
shameful drunk." This is one explanation of the two things. McGilveray
had assisted the grinning corporal to escape. The other explanation
belongs to the end of the story. In any case, McGilveray "got shameful
drunk," and "was going large" through the camp. The end of it was
his arrest for assisting a prisoner to escape and for being drunk and
disorderly. The band of Anstruther's regiment boarded H.M.S. Leostaf
without him, to proceed up the river stealthily with the rest of the
fleet to Cap Rouge, from whence the last great effort of the heroic
Wolfe to effect a landing was to be made. McGilveray, still intoxicated
but intelligent, watched them go in silence.

As General Wolfe was about to enter the boat which was to convey him
to the flag-ship, he saw McGilveray, who was waiting under guard to be
taken to Major Hardy's post at Point Levis. The General knew him well,
and looked at him half sadly, half sternly.

"I knew you were free with drink, McGilveray," he said, "but I did not
think you were a traitor to your country too."

McGilveray saluted, and did not answer.

"You might have waited till after to-morrow, man," said the General, his
eyes flashing. "My soldiers should have good music to-morrow."

McGilveray saluted again, but made no answer.

As if with a sudden thought the General waved off the officers and men
near him, and betkcned McGilveray to him.

"I can understand the drink in a bad soldier," he said, "but you helped
a prisoner to escape. Come, man, we may both be dead to-morrow, and
I'd like to feel that no soldier in my army is wilfully a foe of his
country."

"He did the same for me, whin I was taken prisoner, yer Excillincy,
an'--an', yer Excillincy, 'twas a matter of a woman, too."

The General's face relaxed a little. "Tell me the whole truth," said
he; and McGilveray told him all. "Ah, yer Excillincy," he burst out,
at last, "I was no traitor at heart, but a fool I always