their being touched by the Indians. The
young midshipman spoke French fluently, having been specially selected
by the captain for that reason; but it had been agreed, between him and
James, that he should not betray his knowledge of the language, as he
might, thereby, pick up information which might be useful.

They were at once conducted before Bougainville.

"Do you speak French?" he asked.

James shook his head. The midshipman looked as if he had not understood
the question.

"It is clear," the French officer said to those standing around him,
"that they came in to reconnoitre the landing place, and thought, in
the dim light, they could run the gauntlet of our sentries' fire. It
was more accurate than they gave them credit for."

"The boat was struck twice, you say?"

"Yes, general," the officer who conducted them into the tent replied.
"Two balls right through her, and one of the men was hit on the
shoulder."

"The reconnaissance looks as if Wolfe meant to attempt a landing here,"
Bougainville said. "We must keep a sharp lookout. I will send them on
to Quebec, for the general to question them. He will find someone there
who speaks their language. I will send, at once, to tell him we have
captured them. But I can't very well do so, till we have a convoy
going, with regulars to guard it. If they were to go in charge of
Canadians, the chances of their arriving alive in Quebec would be
slight.

"Let the sailors be placed in a tent in your lines, Chateaudun, and
place a sentry over them, to see that the Indians don't get at them.
The two officers can have the tent that Le Boeuf gave up yesterday. You
can put a sentry there, but they can go in and out as they like. There
is no fear of their trying to escape; for, if they once went outside
the lines of the regulars, the Indians and Canadians would make short
work of them."

The officer led James and the midshipman to a tent in the staff lines,
whose owner had ridden to Quebec, on the previous night, with
despatches, and motioned to them that it was to be theirs. He also made
signs to them that they could move about as they chose; but
significantly warned them, by a gesture, that if they ventured beyond
the tents, the Indians would make short work of them.

For a time, the prisoners made no attempt to leave the tent, for the
Indians stood scowling at a short distance off, and would have entered,
had not the sentry on duty prevented them from doing so.

"Do no