“Yes, general,” the officer who conducted them into the tent replied.  “Two balls right through her, and one of the men was hit on the shoulder.”

“The reconnaissance looks as if Wolfe meant to attempt a landing here,” Bougainville said.  “We must keep a sharp lookout.  I will send them on to Quebec, for the general to question them.  He will find someone there who speaks their language.  I will send, at once, to tell him we have captured them.  But I can’t very well do so, till we have a convoy going, with regulars to guard it.  If they were to go in charge of Canadians, the chances of their arriving alive in Quebec would be slight.

“Let the sailors be placed in a tent in your lines, Chateaudun, and place a sentry over them, to see that the Indians don’t get at them.  The two officers can have the tent that Le Boeuf gave up yesterday.  You can put a sentry there, but they can go in and out as they like.  There is no fear of their trying to escape; for, if they once went outside the lines of the regulars, the Indians and Canadians would make short work of them.”

The officer led James and the midshipman to a tent in the staff lines, whose owner had ridden to Quebec, on the previous night, with despatches, and motioned to them that it was to be theirs.  He also made signs to them that they could move about as they chose; but significantly warned them, by a gesture, that if they ventured beyond the tents, the Indians would make short work of them.

For a time, the prisoners made no attempt to leave the tent, for the Indians stood scowling at a short distance off, and would have entered, had not the sentry on duty prevented them from doing so.

“Do not talk too loudly,” James said.  “It is probable that, in a camp like this, there is someone who understands English.  Very likely they are playing the same game with us that we are with them.  They pretend there is no one who can speak to us; but, very likely, there may be someone standing outside now, trying to listen to what we say.”

Then, raising his voice he went on: 

“What abominable luck I have!  Who could have reckoned upon the boat being hit, twice, at that distance?  I thought we had fairly succeeded.  The general will be in a nice way, when he finds we don’t come back.”

“Yes,” Middleton rejoined, “and to think that we are likely to spend the winter in prison, at Quebec, instead of Old England.  I am half inclined to try and escape!”

“Nonsense!” James replied.  “It would be madness to think of such a thing.  These Indians can see in the dark, and the moment you put your foot outside the lines of these French regulars, you would be carried off and scalped.  No, no, my boy; that would be simply throwing away our lives.  There is nothing for it, but to wait quietly, till either Wolfe takes Quebec, or you are exchanged.”

The prisoners were treated with courtesy by the French officers, and comfortable meals were provided.  In the evening, they went outside the tent for a short time, but did not venture to go far, for Indians were still moving about, and the hostile glances, which they threw at the prisoners, were sufficient to indicate what would happen to the latter, if they were caught beyond the protection of the sentry.