“If they become troublesome,” said Montcalm, with a tightening of the lips, “they will be told that the Indians shall be loosed upon their lands and farms to harry and destroy!  Mutineers are accorded scant mercy.  Monsieur de Vaudreuil has made up his mind how to deal with them in such case.”

The Abbe stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“If we alienate the Canadians, and have only the regulars to fall back upon, we shall be very short handed.”

“True; but I do not anticipate such a contingency.  The Canadians are no more desirous of seeing England’s flag waving over their lands than we are ourselves.  They may be rebellious and discontented, but they will hardly go further than that.”

“It is ill work fighting with discontented soldiers,” said Madame Drucour thoughtfully.

“Very true, Madame.  I often wish we had better material for our army.  I abhor the Indians, and distrust the Canadians.  But what can we do?  France has sore need of all her soldiers for her European wars.  What can she do for us here out in the western wilds?  She has her hands full at home.”

“And yet,” said the Abbe, “if she loses her hold upon these same western wilds, she will lose that new kingdom upon which her eyes have been greedily fastened for two centuries or more.  She has claimed half the world as her own; will she lose all for the sake of some petty quarrel with her neighbours?”

Montcalm smiled and slowly shook his head.

“Our royal master has his hands something too full at times,” he said; “yet we will do our best for him out here.”

“And if General Amherst with his great army should succeed in capturing Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and should advance upon us by the interior, and steal upon us from behind, what then?” asked the Abbe, who, having come from that part of the world, and knowing the apprehensions of the French along the western border, was not unmindful of this possible danger.

Montcalm’s face was grave.

“That will be our greatest danger,” he said.  “If that should take place, we shall have to weaken our camp along the river and send reinforcements to the small detachments now placed along the upper river.  But the English were routed at Ticonderoga once; let us hope it will happen so a second time.”

“General Amherst is a very different commander from General Abercromby,” said the Abbe gravely; and Madame Drucour added her testimony to the abilities of the General who had commanded at the siege of Louisbourg, although the dash and energy of Wolfe had been one of the main elements of strength to the besiegers.

“Yet I have confidence in our good Boulamaque,” answered Montcalm.  “He will do all that can he done to check the advance of the invaders and hold out fortresses against them.  We have had our disasters—­far be it from me to deny it—­but Ticonderoga is strong, and has long held her own; I think she will do so once again.”