ousand, and he is not an Abercromby to run his head against
a wall for nothing. I believe we are not even going to hold Crown
Point, strong as it is. No, no; forty or fifty leagues of well-nigh
impassable country lie between this and the St. Lawrence, as you ought
to know, Master Isidore, and that will fight for us without our losing
a man. Amherst can only advance by water, and as we have armed vessels
on the lake and he has not, why there is as much chance of his doing
anything before the winter sets in again, as there is of my being made
a Field Marshal."

Thanks to the Indian's simple medicines, and the subsequent care of the
regimental surgeon, Boulanger was doing well, and was able, on the
following day, to accomplish the short march made by the detachment.
Nor was Isidore at first sufficiently strong to do more. They
accordingly accompanied the troops as far as Crown Point, and then
pushed forward alone. The journey which the travellers had undertaken
was long and difficult. On reaching the northern end of Lake
Champlain, however, they obtained a small canoe, in which they
descended the Richelieu River, and thus reached Sorel.

Here Isidore, to his great disappointment, found that Baron de
Valricour was no longer commandant of the place, and had quitted it for
Quebec early in June. During the three months that had elapsed the
little garrison had been changed, and the few guarded inquiries which
he ventured to make respecting any persons formerly detained in the
fort proved fruitless.

There was nothing for it but to go on to Quebec, where Boulanger indeed
was anxious to rejoin his family, and they accordingly continued their
journey, traversing Lake St. Peter, and passing down the St. Lawrence
in their canoe. To their surprise and mortification they now found
that for a considerable distance above Quebec small vessels belonging
to the English fleet had the command of the river. Still they made
their way onward, once or twice narrowly escaping capture by an English
cutter, until they reached a spot called Le Foullon, about three miles
above the great fortress, where a rugged and winding footpath led to
the top of the lofty and precipitous cliff not far from the Canadian's
cottage.

Arrived at the summit, they were instantly challenged, and then taken
to the officer in command of the detachment posted there. De Montenac
had taken the precaution to obtain for Isidore a despatch from General
de Bourlem