“Will not the town batteries sink them like logs as they pass?” he asked.

“They will, if they see them.  They have left the river free of vessels; they trust entirely to their guns.  But our sailors have done bolder deeds before this than the passing of some batteries upon a dark night.  If you were to cover their advance by a furious cannonade upon the town, do you not think we could slip a few past those frowning batteries, and make a new basis of operations for ourselves in the upper reach of the river, above the town?”

Moncton’s eyes glistened.  It was a daring project, but it was not without promise of success.  Such things might be done, and yet there was serious risk.

“It will weaken us in one way,” pursued Wolfe, speaking in his quiet, meditative fashion.  “As it is, we are divided into three camps—­one here, one at Montmorency, and one on the Isle of Orleans.  If we carry out this plan, we shall be divided into four; and should any pressing danger menace any one of those four camps, it might be some while before assistance could be sent.  And yet I am more than half disposed to try.  Montcalm does not appear to have any intention of attacking us.  And if we weaken ourselves, we shall also weaken him by this movement.  At present he is concentrating his whole strength in and below the city.  If we get a footing on the upper river, he will have to send a contingent there to watch us.  Whether we have any reasonable hope of getting at the city in that way, I cannot yet tell; I know too little of the character of the ground.  But at least we shall have won a strategic victory in getting our ships past the guns of Quebec; and we shall cause consternation and alarm there, even if nothing else.”

“I will cover the movement with all the power of my guns,” cried Moncton eagerly; “and if the thing can be done, our sailors will do it; they are in no whit afraid of the enemy’s guns.  And look—­if the ships get through, why not let our red-coats and blue-jackets drag a fleet of boats across the base of this Point Levi, along the low ground yonder, and launch them in the river above, where they can join the ships and bring them reinforcements of men?  Then we shall have means of transporting men and provisions to these vessels, and the sight of them upon their upper river will further dishearten the citizens of Quebec, who have been very well punished already by our guns.”

“Yes,” answered Wolfe.  “I would sooner have shattered the citadel than the houses and convents; but we must e’en do what we can in this game of war.  But your idea is excellent, Moncton.  If the ships succeed in making the passage, the boats shall certainly be brought across, as you suggest.  It will be a strategic triumph for us, even though we do not reap immediate fruit from it.  And if once Amherst can march to join us, it will be everything to have shipping in the upper river.”

“And you are hopeful that he will?”