"General," said Justice Powell, the rays from a waning moon flooding the
hall-way as the outer door was opened by Brock for the exit of his
councillors, "having implicit confidence in your judgment and military
ability, I believe you will overthrow Hull. Assuming that you capture
old Fort Lernoult and seize Detroit, what then?"

"What then, sir?" said Brock--emphasizing his parting words with a
gesture of his hand--"why, Detroit taken, I shall return here, batter
Fort Niagara--providing Prevost consents--and then by a sudden movement
I could sweep the frontier from Buffalo to Fort Niagara and complete the
salvation of Canada by the occupation of Sackett's Harbor. Good-night,
gentlemen. _En avant_, Detroit!"




CHAPTER XVI.

"EN AVANT, DETROIT!"


Under an August moon Lake Erie shone as a shield of silver. Brock, with
a fleet of small craft, batteaux and boats of every kind given him by
the settlers, had pulled out from Long Point with 40 regulars and 260
militia for the relief of Amherstburg, two hundred miles distant.

The news of the fall of Mackinaw and the official declaration of war had
only reached him as Parliament rose. He had proclaimed martial law
before leaving York. He had also heard details of the attack by Hull's
raiders on the Moravian settlement, sixty miles up the Thames. He knew