The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-05
the young genral, which sounded prophet
even to them, as he quoted: &a = ...-

even 10 tnem, as ne quoted: .a = ....
The boast Of heraldry. the pomp Of power,
And all that beauty. all that wealth e'er gave,
Await alike the nevtabo hour-..s
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
AS the words fell from his lips he
stopped. as If startled by their significance
'Gentlemen.' he said at last, II would
rather have written that poem than take
Quebec"
He was silent again for a little space
after this surprising declaration. No one
broke the reverie in which the general
seemed plunged after that, and before he
spoke again a. voice called out from the
black mass of the shore:
'Qui ViVe!'
1t was the old cry of the soldiers Of
France; the bold demand with which, as of
yore, they met their ancient foes, rang
sharply over the waters through the night
'F'rance!' promptly replied the Jacobite
IN the bow. with ready presence Of mind
"A quel regiment!'' called the hidden
sentry.
DE la Reine!' was the reply in excel
| lent French.
1t was the name Of one of the regiments
known to be with Bougainville. So far
the conversation had been easy, but if
the Frenchman asked more. If he de-
manded the password-what then ?
Inc men In the boat held their
breath as they drifted on, but
the unseen watcher was satisfied, appar-
emily. for he said nothing more.
Fhls augurs we'll for our success"
whispered Wolfe to Grafton after the last
boat had passed the danger point. Gle
evidently thinks we are
| lie was interrupted again. They were
nearer the shore now. There were fewer
trees, too. A challenge rang out over
| the water once more. They could see
this sentry running toward the bank of
the river. This one was wiser than the
other; he demanded to know what boats
| those We're
''Provision boats for Quebec" answered
the Scotsman readily. BE quiet! Don't
| make noise or the English will hear u.s."
AS 1t happened. there was an English
sloop out in the river and the man, Vav-
ing his hand, said no more. They were
safe again. But the suspense was ter
rlble. fortunately it was soon relieved
Presently the boats swept around a huge
headland juttng out into the stream. Be
low the headland lay a little cove The
current shot swiftly about the promontory
and swept around the little bay The
boats were carried below the landing
place and it took some hard pulling before
their stems touched the shore.
Wolfe had gone forward in the cutter
and the others drawing back to give him
passage. he was the first man to set foot
upon the muddy shore. It was o'clock
now. They could hear eight bells CHM
ing family from a ship in the river. Dawn
was beginning across the hills. Around
them in the shadow it was as still as
death--that most silent hour before the
day breaks. A gentle breeze had sprung
up and was signing softly through the
trees at the top Of the cliff; the sky was
overcast; they would have rain presently.
About two hundred feet away, since it
was low tide, the bluffs rose precipitously
from the level Of the beach. There
was room at the base to disembark q
whole army. After Wolfe and the officers
including Grafton, had landed, the light
infantry noiselessly clambered out of the
boats and advanced toward the foot of the
cliffs =.
1t was as dark as midnight under their
shadow, but at the top the first grayness
OF the coming morning was dinly percept-
lole: Trees were silhouetted against the
SKY. and the tents, white blurs, could be
seen from the river. The enemy was
there. then. Was he ready? They would
soon know.
A zigzag path, up which single file Of
men might with difficulty make its way
broke the sheer face Of the cliff It had
been barricaded with heavy ttmbers and
was at present unscalable.
There was a mOmentary pause
1t seemed as If the whole enterprise. so
brilliantly conceived and so successfully
carried out hitherto would be blocked by
| this unfortunate obstacle. They had
succeeded in landing unobserved but if
they attempted to tear down the
harricade they would inevitably attract
the attention Of the negligent defenders
at the top Of the path. Under such cir
cumstances the attempt would have to
be given over. AS Wolfe had said,
one hundred men might hold that
towering cliff against an army