so very
critical, he could not restrain a word or two.

"Your pardon, if I interrupt," he said, "but hearing you speak in a
somewhat slighting manner of Ticonderoga I'm bound to advise you that
you're wrong, since I was there. The English and Scotch troops, with our
own Americans, showed the very greatest valor on that sad occasion.
'Twas no fault of theirs. Our defeat was due to the lack of artillery,
the very skillful arrangements of the French commander, the Marquis de
Montcalm, and the extreme courage of the French army."

The two, who seemed to be merchants or shipping men, regarded him with
interest but with no appearance of resentment because of his
interference in their conversation. Apparently the criticism that they
permitted so freely to themselves they were willing also to allow to
others.

"But you are English," said the first who had spoken, "and 'tis most
natural for you to defend the generals who are sent out from the home
country."

"I am not English. I am a native of the Province of New York, and being
a colonial like yourselves, I think we allow too little credit to the
old country in the war. I speak as one who through the force of
circumstances has been an eye witness to many of the facts. My name is
Robert Lennox, sir, and my companions are Captain Stuart Whyte and
Lieutenant John Lanham of His Majesty's twenty-two gun sloop of war
_Hawk_, now in Boston harbor."

"And I, sir," responded the thin man with much courtesy, "am Samuel
Carver, wholesale dealer in cloth and leather, and my friend is Lemuel
Mason, owner of shipping plying principally to the West Indies. We're
pleased to meet His Majesty's officers and also you, Mr. Lennox, who we
can see is very young to have had so much experience in the wars. We
trust that all of you will pardon our freedom of criticism, but we're at
the heart of affairs here, and we see very clearly. It's not a freedom
that we'll give up."

Captain Whyte laughed easily.

"If what we hear in England of Boston is true," he said, "'tis a
privilege that nothing can make you give up. Perhaps 'tis as well. I'm
all for free speech myself. Through it affairs are well threshed out.
But I assure you you're wrong about General Wolfe. 'Tis true that he's
young and that he's sickly, but he's been chosen by Mr. Pitt for most
solid reasons. He has a great gift for arms. I've been fortunate enough
to meet him once or twice, and I can assure you that he makes a most
favorable