r, until suddenly a light gleamed for an instant, low down on
the water, two or three hundred yards from the shore.

They at once stepped into the river, and, wading out for some little
distance, struck out towards where they had seen the light. A few
minutes' swimming, and they saw something dark ahead. Another few
strokes took them alongside, and they were hauled into the boat.

The slight noise attracted the attention of a sentry, some little
distance along the shore, and his qui vive came sharply across the
water, followed a few seconds later by the flash of his gun.

The crew now bent to their oars, and, a quarter of an hour later, the
boat was alongside the Sutherland, which, with her consorts, was slowly
drifting up the stream. General Wolfe and the admiral were on deck, and
anxiously waiting the arrival of the boat. The former, in his anxiety,
hailed the boat as it approached.

"Is Captain James Walsham on board?"

"Yes, sir," James replied.

"Bravo, bravo!" the general cried, delighted.

"Bravo!" he repeated, seizing James Walsham's hand as he stepped on
deck. "I did not expect to see you again, Captain Walsham, at least
until we took Quebec. Now, come to my cabin at once and tell me all
about it. But perhaps you are hungry."

"I am rather hungry, general," James said quietly. "We have had nothing
to eat but a crust of bread for three days."

"We? Who are we?" the general asked quickly.

"Mr. Middleton and myself, sir. He escaped after I had left, and joined
me."

"The galley fires are out," the admiral said, "but you shall have some
cold meat in my cabin, instantly."

James was at once led to the cabin, where, in two or three minutes,
food and a bottle of wine were placed before him. The general would not
allow him to speak a word, till his hunger was satisfied. Then, when he
saw him lay down his knife and fork, he said:

"Now, Captain Walsham, in the first place, have you succeeded--have you
found a practicable path down to the river?"

"I have found a path, sir. It is cut in one place, and blocked with
felled trees, but the obstacles can be passed. There are some
Canadians, in tents, near the top of the path, but they seem to keep a
very careless watch, and no sentry is placed at the bottom, or on the
edge of the river anywhere near."

"Admirable, admirable!" Wolfe exclaimed. "At last there is a chance of
our outreaching Montcalm. And you were not seen examining the path?
Nothing occurred