upon his companion
for a moment, and said, stifling a sigh:--

"They'd have gone at it splendidly!"

"Yes," answered the Commodore; "but this is better. Only we must not
give those ships time to come up, or Duchambou may change his mind, and
we may have our fight on worse terms."

"I agree with you perfectly," answered Pepperell. "We will be no
sticklers for trifles."

Another boat beside the Commodore's had lain rocking on the tide in the
shallow water while the General was speaking to his men. At the end of
his address the oars were plied vigorously, and the boat shot out from
the shore. Suddenly, by tacit consent, every oar hung poised on the
boat's edge, and the stalwart rowers, bending forward with upturned
faces, remained motionless, their eyes fastened upon some object on
shore.

"Yes, it's a white flag!" said one of them at last. "Truce? Aint we
going to have a chance at the '_parley-vous_?'"

A murmur of disappointment answered him.

"I do believe they've struck," said another. And the oars began to be
moved again, as if the sooner their work was over the sooner the pliers
would learn what they were anxious to know.

"What are you saying?" cried Mr. Royal. "What's that about truce?" he
added to the man next him.

"Don't know, sir," the man answered.

"Don't you see the officer with the white flag going up to the General?"
volunteered another.

"Stop!" cried Mr. Royal, decidedly. "Wait a moment. If there's a truce,
I'm not going to Canso yet." The boat was almost at the side of the
waiting vessel, and the men exchanged looks of impatience, although they
complied at once.

"There's Col. Vaughan," said Nancy. "See! he's there beside the General,
and he looks as cross as can be."

"Then you may be sure the engagement is put off," returned Elizabeth.

"I shall not leave yet. I will go back to shore," said her father, glad
to return to a place which only consideration for his daughter's safety
had induced him to leave at that time.

They had just stepped upon the beach again when the General came up,
accompanied by Commodore Warren.

"They're going to surrender," said Pepperell to Elizabeth, as the two
commanders bowed, and passed on hastily.

So Elizabeth did not go to Canso, where the hospitals had been removed.
In the light of after events she felt sometimes that it might have been
better if she had gone.

Two days later Pepperell marched into Louisburg, at the head of his
troops. The Fren