The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-06


IL take you at your word" said he,
| and he gave orders that McGilvray
should proceed at once aboard the flag
ship, from whence he should join An
struther's Regiment at Cap Rouge.
The General entered the boat, and
McGilvray followed with some non.
com. officers in another. II was now
quite dark, and their motions. or the
motions Of the vessels OF war, could not
be seen from the French encampment
or the citadel. They neared the flag.
ship, and the General, followed by his
officers, climbed up. Then the men in
McGilyray's boat climbed up also, until
only himself and another were left.
At that moment the General, looking
down from the side of the ship, said
sharply 20 an officer beside him:
whats that, sir?"
He pointed TO dark object floating
near the ship, from which presently
came n small light with kissing sound.
''Its a fire organ, sir" was the reply.
a fro organ was raft, carrying
long tubes like the pipes of nn organ,
and filed with explosives. They were
used by the French 10 send among the
vessels Of the British fleet 10 disorganize
and destroy them. The little light
which the general saw was the burning
fuse. The raft had been brought out
into the current by French sailors, the
fuse had been lighted. and it was
headed to drift towards the British
ships. The fleet was now in motion,
and apart from the havoc which the
bursting flre-organ might make, the
Hight from the rxTJtosfUu would reveal
the fact that the English men o war
were now moving towards Cap Rouge.
This knowledge would enable Mont
calm, the French general, TO detect
Wolfe's purpose, and he would at once
move his army in that direction. The
west side of the town had meager mill
tary defenses, the great cliffs being
thought impregnable. And so they
were safe at one point, and at this point
Wolfe had discovered a narrow path up
n steep cliff.
McGilvray had seen the fire-organ at
the same moment as the general. sect
up the SIDE" he said to the remaining
soldiers in his boat. The soldier be-
gan climbing, and McGilvray caught
the oars and was instantly away
towards the raft. The general, looking
over the ships side, understood his dar-
ing purpose. In the shadow, they saw
him near il, they saw him throw boat
hook and catch II, and then attach q
rope; they saw him sit down, and, TAX
ing the oars, laborously row up stream
toward the opposite shore, the fuse
burning softly, somewhere among the
great pipes of explosives. McGilvray
knew that it might be impossible to
reach the fuse-there was no time to
spare, and he set about to row the devil
ish machine out of range of the vessels
which were carrying Wolfe's army to a
last forlorn hope.
For minutes those on deck watched
and listened. Presently nothing could
he seen, not even the small glimmer
from the burning fuse.
Then, all at once, there was terrible
report, and the organ pipes belched
their hellish music upon the sea. With
in the circle of light that the explosion
made there was no sign of any ship, but,
strangely tall in the red glare, stood
McGilvray in his boat. An instant he
stood so. then he fell, and presently
darkness covered the scene-the furious
music Of death and war was over.
There was silence on the ship for a
time as all watched and waited. Pres.
emily an officer said to the general:
I'm afraid he's gone, sir"
"Send boat 10 search" was the re.
ply. IF he is dead" the general took
OF his hat-"we will. please God, bury
him within the French citadel to-mor-
row."
Dut McGilyrny vns nliye and In half