of impending death that, taking a miniature of his
fiancee from his breast, he asked a fellow-officer to return it to her.
About midnight the tide began to ebb, and two lanterns were hung as a
sign from the masthead of the _Sutherland_. Instantly all the ships
glided silent as the great river down with the tide. The night was
moonless. Near the little bridle path now known as Wolfe's Cove the
ships draw {270} ashore. Sharp as iron on stone a sentry's voice rings
out, "Who goes?"

"The French," answers an officer, who speaks perfect French.

"What regiment?"

"The Queen's," replies the officer, who chances to know that
Bougainville has a regiment of that name. Thinking they were the
provision transports, this sentry was satisfied. Not so another. He
ran down to the water's edge, and peering through the darkness called,
"Why can't you speak louder?"

"Hush you! We 'll be overheard," answers the English officer in French.

Thus the English boats glided towards the little bridle path that led
up to the rear of the city. Wolfe's Cove is not a path steep as a
stair up the face of a rock, as the most of the schoolbooks teach; it
is a little weed-grown, stony gully, easy to climb, but slant and
narrow, where I have walked many a night to drink from the spring near
the foot of the cliff.

Twenty-four volunteers lead the way up the stony path, silent and agile
as cats. At the top are the tents of the sentries, who rush from their
couches to be overpowered by the English. Before daybreak the whole
army has ascended to the plateau behind the city, known as the Plains
of Abraham. No use entering here into the dispute whether Wolfe took
his place where the goal now stands, or farther back from the city
wall. Roughly speaking, the main line of Wolfe's forces, three deep,
with himself, Monckton, and Murray in command, faced the rear of Quebec
about three quarters of a mile from what was then the wall. To his
left was the wooded road now known as St. Louis. He posts Townshend
facing this, at right angles to his front line. Another battalion lay
in the woods to the rear. There were, besides, a reserve regiment, and
a battalion to guard the landing.

What was Wolfe's position? Behind him lay Bougainville with three
thousand French soldiers, fresh and in perfect condition. In front lay
Quebec with three thousand more. To his right was the river; to his
left, across the St. Charles, Montcalm's main army of five