vious day was at once resumed.

"I am quite ashamed of having talked of nothing but myself yesterday,"
said Isidore, "instead of listening to others. You were saying
something about our having had successes to set against the fall of
Louisburg, and I did hear a report that Montcalm had repulsed the
English on Lake George, but of course I have heard no particulars.
What does it all amount to?"

"I fancy I can tell you about as much as any one," answered Boulanger;
"I happened to be there."

"You!" exclaimed Isidore, with some surprise.

"Yes. You must know that very shortly after you left us, and whilst I
was fretting about Miss Amoahmeh's unceremonious departure, I found our
folks at Quebec preparing to send up reinforcements to General Montcalm
at Ticonderoga, where a great attack was expected."

"I thought so," said his guest; "indeed I heard even before leaving
France that Pitt's plans comprised not only the attack on Louisburg,
but simultaneous operations on the lakes, and also in the west, on the
Ohio."

"Well, it is all up with them on Lake George, at all events," continued
the forester. "I found they wanted guides at Quebec for the
detachments going up country, and being unsettled and just in the
humour for it, I offered my services, and so it came about that I
reached Ticonderoga at the beginning of last month. It was on the 4th,
just as Montcalm's scouts reported the embarkation of the English at
the southern end of Lake George, on the way to attack us. You know
that country, monsieur?"

"Of course; I was at Fort William Henry, you know. Ticonderoga, I
recollect, lies just at the southern extremity of Lake Champlain, just
where the northern end of the comparatively small Lake George almost
joins it. What was the English force?"

"Ah, you gentlemen on the staff are always asking what's the enemy's
strength. Well, I heard one of our officers say that General
Abercromby had with him nine or ten thousand New England militia, and
about six thousand English regulars. They had more than a thousand
boats and barges, and I'm told that there never was a grander sight
than to see them all coming up the lake on the 5th of July, with music
playing and streamers flying, just for all the world like a holiday
procession."

"They could not add to the beauty of that lovely lake," said Isidore,
interrupting him. "Well do I remember it with its myriads of
enchanting little islands mirrored in its clear smooth