 old soldier, laughing bitterly. »Hoot! hoot! you're an impatient boy, sir,
and cannot give the gentlemen leisure for their march!«
    »They are coming then? The scout has said as much?«
    »When? and by what path? for the dunce has omitted to tell me this! There is
a letter, it would seem, too; and that is the only agreeable part of the matter.
For the customary attentions of your Marquis of Montcalm - I warrant me, Duncan,
that he of Lothian would buy a dozen such marquessates - but, if the news of the
letter were bad, the gentility of this French monsieur would certainly compel
him to let us know it!«
    »He keeps the letter, then, while he releases the messenger?«
    »Ay, that does he, and all for the sake of what you call your bonhommie. I
would venture, if the truth was known, the fellow's grandfather taught the noble
science of dancing!«
    »But what says the scout? he has eyes and ears, and a tongue! what verbal
report does he make?«
    »Oh! sir, he is not wanting in natural organs, and he is free to tell all
that he has seen and heard. The whole amount is this: there is a fort of his
majesty's on the banks of the Hudson, called Edward, in honour of his gracious
highness of York, you'll know, and it is well filled with armed men, as such a
work should be!«
    »But was there no movement, no signs, of any intention to advance to our
relief?«
    »There were the morning and evening parades, and when one of the provincial
loons - you'll know, Duncan, your're half a Scotsman yourself - when one of them
dropped his powder over his porretch, if it touched the coals, it just burnt!«
Then suddenly changing his bitter, ironical manner, to one more grave and
thoughtful, he continued; »and yet there might, and must be, something in that
letter, which it would be well to know!«
    »Our decision should be speedy,« said Duncan, gladly availing himself of
this change of humour, to press the more important objects of their interview;
»I cannot conceal from you, sir, that the camp will not be much longer tenable;
and I am sorry to add, that things appear no better in the fort; - more than
half the guns are bursted.«
    »And how
