she neared Cap Rouge, then they rowed in towards the
French shore. The day was just beginning to break, in the east, as they
neared the spot where the French camp was situated. It stood high up on
the plateau; but there were a small number of tents on the low ground,
by the river, as some batteries had been erected here. They were but
two hundred yards from the shore when a French sentry challenged. They
gave no answer, and the soldier at once fired.

"Keep about this distance out," James ordered. "Row quietly. I will
stand up, as if I were watching the shore."

As soon as the shot was fired, it was answered by shots from other
sentries. A minute later, a drum was heard to beat sharply, and then,
in the faint light, a number of French soldiers could be seen, running
at full speed towards the shore. The shots fell thickly round the boat,
and one of the men dropped his oar, as a bullet struck him on the
shoulder.

"Pull out the plugs," James said.

The oakum was pulled out and thrown overboard, and the water rushed in.

"Now turn her head from the shore, as if we were trying to escape."

So rapidly did the water rush in through the four holes that, in a
minute, the gunwale was nearly level with the water.

"Turn her over now," James said, and in a moment the boat was upset,
and the men clinging to the bottom.

A shout of exultation rose from the shore, as the boat was seen to
upset, and the firing at once ceased.

"Swim towards the shore, and push the boat before you," the young
midshipman said. "They won't fire any more now, and we have finished
the first part of our business."

Pushing the boat before them, the men made their way slowly towards the
shore, striking the land half a mile below the point where they had
overturned. The French soldiers had followed them down the bank, and
surrounded them as they landed. The holes in the boat explained for
themselves the cause of the disaster.

An officer stepped forward.

"You are our prisoners," he said to James.

The latter bowed.

"It is the fortune of war," he said. "Your men are better shots than I
gave them credit for," and he pointed to the holes in the boat.

He spoke in English, but the officer guessed his meaning.

Some of the Indians and Canadians soon came flocking down, and, with
angry gestures, demanded that the prisoners should be shot; but the
French officer waived them off, and placed a strong guard of his own
men around them, to prevent