“My name is Dautray,” answered the dark-eyed man.  “We have travelled to England together, my friend and I, but have also been in France, to visit some of those there still bearing my name, although my immediate forefathers have lived and died in the lands of the far West.  We have met with much kindness in this country, and have some time since accomplished the mission on which we were dispatched.  Our thoughts are turning once more towards the land of our birth.  Had we not been in France at the time, we would gladly have accompanied the expedition which set sail for Louisbourg not long since.”

“I cannot regret that you failed to do so,” answered Wolfe, in his winning way, “since it has brought me the pleasure of this visit.  I trust, gentlemen, that you will honour me by being my guests for a few days at least.  There is very much that I desire to learn about the lands from which you come.  My friend Sir Charles speaks as though you were wanderers upon the face of the earth.  If that be so, I may hope that you will stay your wanderings meantime, and make my home yours for a while.”

“You are very kind, Captain Wolfe,” said Julian gratefully; “if it be not trespassing too far upon your hospitality, we should be glad and grateful to accept it.”

“The honour will be mine,” said Wolfe; “I have long desired to know more of that world beyond the seas.  Hitherto I have seen nothing save my own country, and a few of those which lie nearest to it.  But I have the feeling within me that the time is coming when I shall be sent farther afield.  Men will be needed for the strife which must soon be waged on the far side of the Atlantic, and it may be that I shall be chosen as one of those who will go thither.”

“That is what Sir Charles said when he gave us this letter for you,” said Julian.  “He said that Mr. Pitt had named you once or twice as a rising officer, likely to be chosen for service there.  That is why Sir Charles thought that a visit from us would be welcome.  I do not know whether we can give you any news which you have not heard already; but we can at least answer such questions as to the country and its life as may be interesting to you, though it is now two years since we sailed from its shores.”

Into Wolfe’s eyes there had leaped a bright light.

“Spoke Sir Charles such words of me?” he said eagerly.  “Has Mr. Pitt named me as likely for this service?”

“So it was told us,” answered Julian.  “We came to England in the early spring of last year, with letters and urgent appeals to friends in England from their kinfolk beyond the sea.  We went from place to place, as our directions were, and saw many men and heard much hot discussion; but it seemed hard to get a hearing in high places, and for a while we thought we had had our journey in vain.  Nevertheless they would not let us go.  One and another would keep us, hoping to gain introduction to some influential man, in whose ears we could tell