 should it be otherwise! some were fished from the bottom of the
lake; some have been rusting in the woods since the discovery of the country;
and some were never guns at all - mere privateersmen's playthings! Do you think,
sir, you can have Woolwich Warren in the midst of a wilderness; three thousand
miles from Great Britain!«
    »The walls are crumbling about our ears, and provisions begin to fail us,«
continued Heyward, without regarding this new burst of indignation; »even the
men show signs of discontent and alarm.«
    »Major Heyward,« said Munro, turning to his youthful associate with the
dignity of his years and superior rank; »I should have served his majesty for
half a century, and earned these gray hairs, in vain, were I ignorant of all you
say, and of the pressing nature of our circumstances; still, there is every
thing due to the honour of the king's arms, and something to ourselves. While
there is hope of succour, this fortress will I defend, though it be to be done
with pebbles gathered on the lake shore. It is a sight of the letter, therefore,
that we want, that we may know the intentions of the man, the Earl of Loudon has
left among us as his substitute.«
    »And can I be of service in the matter.«
    »Sir, you can; the Marquis of Montcalm has, in addition to his other
civilities, invited me to a personal interview between the works and his own
camp; in order, as he says, to impart some additional information. Now, I think
it would not be wise to show any undue solicitude to meet him, and I would
employ you, an officer of rank, as my substitute; for it would but ill comport
with the honour of Scotland, to let it be said, one of her gentlemen was outdone
in civility, by a native of any other country on earth!«
    Without assuming the supererogatory task of entering into a discussion of
the comparative merits of national courtesy, Duncan cheerfully assented to
supply the place of the veteran, in the approaching interview. A long and
confidential communication now succeeded, during which the young man received
some additional insight into his duty, from the experience and native acuteness
of his commander, and then the former took his leave.
    As Duncan could only act as the representative of the commandant of the
fort, the ceremonies which should have accompanied a meeting between the heads
of the adverse forces, were of course dispensed with. The truce still existed,
