of the Marquis of Montcalm, whose name no doubt you know by this
time."

"He is the new military commander sent out by the King of France,
to take the lead in the war now commenced in Canada and along the
border between France and England," answered Stark promptly.

"Yes; and my father and uncle came out with him, and my brother and
I also. My uncle is the good Abbe Messonnier; but you will not have
heard of him, though he is well known and well beloved in France.
My father has certain work to do here the nature of which I do not
fully know, nor could I divulge if I did. We arrived at Quebec a
short time ago, and thence we moved on to Montreal. But it was
needful for my father and uncle to visit some of these outposts,
and we begged, Colin and I, not to be left behind. We burned with
curiosity to see the strange sights of which we had heard--the
Indians in their war paint, the great forests and lakes, the forts
and their garrisons, and all the wonders of the west.

"So they brought us in their company. My father takes me everywhere
with him that he can. Since my mother's death he seems unable to
lose sight of me. We have been hard upon a month at the fort now.
We are learning all we can of the condition of affairs, to report
to the Marquis when we return to Montreal or to Quebec. He himself
talks of coming to command here when the time comes for the attack
to be made upon your fort; but that will scarcely be yet, for there
is so much he has to set in order in Canada. Oh, the way things are
managed there--it is a disgrace!"

"Is Canada weak then?" asked Stark, burning with curiosity for