Those with telescopes, watching from the heights above, declared that the English were pursuing their occupations with the most perfect unconcern, that they were bringing up more guns, and that the batteries were now so well planted and defended that the city guns did no harm.  Shell away as they might from Quebec, no effect was produced upon their solid earthworks; and it was abundantly evident that very soon they would he in a position to open fire upon the hapless city.  Down to the river level rushed the excited people, to meet the returning boats.  Such a clamour of inquiry, response, anger, and disappointment arose that at first nothing could be made out.  The midshipmen cleared a path for the Abbe and Colin through the gathering crowd; and as soon as they were fairly within the walls of their home, they began to tell the dismal tale.

“It was just a fiasco from first to last!” cried Colin.  “It was as our uncle said:  there was no order or discipline or preparation.  One might as well have sent out a pack of children to do the work!”

“What happened?” cried Corinne breathlessly.

“Why, nothing but a series of gross blunders.  We got across all safe, and landed unopposed.  The Seminary scholars were over first, and marched off up the hill before the rest came.  We got separated in that way, and almost at once one felt that a sort of panic had got hold of the people.  The burghers who were so anxious to come now got frightened, and were most difficult to get into order.  Dumas and the regulars did their utmost; but it was plain that the people were scared out of their lives lest the English should suddenly appear and attack them.  After a long time we got into a sort of order, and began the march, when all of a sudden there were a crash and a blaze, and everything was thrown into confusion.  They yelled out that the English were upon them, and headed for the boats.”

“O Colin—­the men who were so keen to fight!” cried Corinne; whilst the midshipmen doubled themselves up with laughter, exclaiming beneath their breath: 

“O gallant burghers of Quebec!”

“It was disgraceful!” cried Colin hotly; “and more disgraceful still was it that the fire came from our own side—­from the Seminary scholars, who had gone in advance; a thing they had no business to do.  But this was not the worst—­at least it was not the end of the bungling; for if you will believe me, the same thing happened three distinct times.  Twice more after we had got the men formed up again, and were leading them up the hill behind the English guns, did those wretched Seminary scholars mistake them for the enemy and fire into their ranks.  The last time they killed a score or more, and wounded quite a large number of others.  That was too much.  The men turned tail and fled helter-skelter back to the boats, and there was no getting them back after that.  The scholars, too, when they heard what they had done, were seized with panic, and joined the rout.