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21 the detour and approach the fort from south instead of north." Heyward realised the wisdom of the scout's proposal, and with an inclin- ation of his head he signified his wil- lingness to fall in with it. A moment later a start was made. The Tide of War. ON learning that the long-awaited powder-train had been destroyed. General Montcalm acted with that promptitude which characterised his actions. He had depended upon the supply of powder to enable him to advance on Fort William Henry, a vulnerable point in the British chain of defence, and batter it to the ground after a few hours' bombardment. Since this was no longer possible, he resolved to invest the stronghold with what munitions of war he possessed, relying upon the over- whelming strength of his army to crush rGsisttincG. Colonel Munro's garrison was inade- quate, but, knowing the British as he did, Montcalm was well aware that the siege might occupy a number of days. Nevertheless he hoped to wear down the defenders by pouring successive waves of shock-troops against them, and, so long as no relief was forthcoming, the British must sooner or later give way before the odds. The French commander held a brief conference with his chief officers of staff, and this was followed by feverish activities in the camp of his army. Before nightfall the troops were on the march, horse, foot and artillery in form- idable array, and at noon of the follow- ing day they encountered Magna and his braves. These were lying in wait for Hawk- eye, but they now chose to advance with their French allies, and one hour later the invading host was in contact with small outposts of British infantrymen. The red-coat pickets were driven in. surrounded by masses of French foot, and almost annihilated after a gallant but futile resistarce. Only one man escaped death or captivity to tell the tale of the enemy's surprise onset, and he. severely wounded, gained Fort William Henrv in a fainting condition. He was half-carried to the quarters of Munro, where the colonel was in council with two or three of his officers, and, rousing himself, the wounded man blurted out his staggering information. "Montcalm's entire force is headed this way, sir," he gasped. "They've wiped out the pickets——" Munro stared at him in bewilderment. "Impossible," he exclaimed. "Mont- calm is encamped on the St. Lawrence." "No. sir," the infantryman panted. "He's here with horse, foot and artillery »> Even as he spoke, the words were borne out by the roar of a cannon, and, whistling through the air, a round-shot plunged into the fort and crashed through the roof of the colonel'6 room Timber and rafters fell in with loud uproar, and for several seconds all was din and confusion, the thunder of tumbl- ing logs being accompanied by the shouts and groans of men who were pinned under the debris. Munro was one of those who escaped unscathed, and, amid the disorder, he blundered from his quarters and ordered the alarm to be sounded. The cannon-shot that had wrecked his room was the signal for a desperate bom- bardment from several enemy batteries that had been brought up under cover of the woods, and the bellow of the guns greeted the soldiers of tho garrison as they ran to their posts. Meanwhile the shells rained thick and fast on the fort, March 4th, 1933. BOY'S CINEMA battering the tough stockade and the dwellings that, were enclosed by it. There were many civilians in the British stockade, and all non-combat- ants were quickly helped into compara- tive shelter, while the troops took their places by the gates, now closed, or lined a lofty parapet built around the interior of the fort's wooden wall. The cannonade soon ceased, on account of Montcalm's meagre supply of gun- powder, but it was succeeded by a de- termined attack by three battalions of French foot and a swarm of Huron braves. The British troops on the fighting parapet stood firm, a thin red line, pour- ing volley after volley of musketry into the oncoming foe. Raked by that withering hail of bullets, French and Indians fell by the dozen, but still the seried ranks pushed on. and great numbers of them grained the stockade. Groups of the invaders carried scaling ladders and these were set against the wall. One or two were hurled down by the defenders, but a good many were held firm in position, and with loud jells the foe scrambled up the rungs. Munro was encouraging his men by word and action, and ascending to the parapet, he drew his sword from its sheath. A moment later he was in the thick of a bitter struggle for possession of the fort, a struggle during which the red-coats made good the British boast that thev were a match for three times their number in enemies. Bayonet and musket-butt took heavy toll of the besiegers, and Frenchmen and redskin tumbled to the ground out- side the stronghold, their bodies Iving in heaps at the foot of the ladders. Many a Briton breathed his last as well, but the onslaught was broken, and Mont- calm's men driven back with their Indian allies. A few of the latter succeeded in gain- ing the interior of the fort, and at- tempted to run amuck, but they were speedily bayoneted by the party of red- coats grouped behind the stockade gates, and soon the British stronghold was resounding with lusty cheers as the dis- comfited survivors of the first attack retreated to the woods. But. whereas the British garrison could ill-afford any serious losses, Mont- calm had powerful bodies of troops in reserve, and the opening affray was rapidly followed by an assault even more desperate. This. too. was smashed with consider- able bloodshed in the ranks of the foe, but the defenders had suffered numerous casualties, and Munro's face was serious as he took stock of his forces. Dusk fell without further incident, but, towards midnight, the French launched a sudden and furious attack. Again they were baffled by British courage and determination, and a dawn rush was also repulsed. Yet, though he chafed at these signal failures. Mont- calm had good reason to feci confident in effecting his purpose sooner or later. He now resigned himself to the pro- longed siege that he had anticipated in the first place, and contented himself by harassing the defenders with short, sharp onsets which could not hope to prove effective but which steadily drained the numerical strength of the beleaguered British, already confronted by such overwhelming odds. It was neither French nor Indians, however, who succeeded in wearing down the resistance of the defenders. A supply coloumn which had been due to arrive at the fort about the time of Montcalm's appearance on the scene had approached only to discover the strong- hold surrounded and blockaded. Thus, Every Tuesday without food and with very little am- munition, Munro found himself con- fronted by the prospect of starvation or annihilation. He and his troops were ready enough to meet either fate, but the colonel had to consider the mass of civilians under his care, and he knew full well that, if the fort were stormed, the French would not be able to hold their Huron allies in the heat of the action. It was certain that every woman and child would be put to the dagger or the tomahawk. Munro held out for two more days in the hope of a relief force arriving, but none appeared, and, in the face of an imminent mass attack by the enemy, he resolved to submit. The thought of surrender was a dare blow to his pride as a soldier, but he had the safety of the non-combatants in mind, and a flag of truce was run up from the fort. A parley with Montcalm swiftly followed, and, after the fashion of the times the French general chival- rously agreed to a peaceful evacuation. On delivering up their arms, the gar- rison would be permitted to march out and made their way to the nearest British post, Fort Edward. The civil- ians would be allowed to accompany, them. The terms were arranged in a room of the garrison barracks, Magua being present with Montcalm and the latter's staff officers, and immediately the treaty had been signed the French troops occupied the fort, while the remnants of the British soldiery gloomily piled their muskets in the forecourt. In the room where the formal sur- render of the fort had been made. General Montcalm was graciously com- plimenting Munro on the courage shown by the defenders when Hawk-eye and his party entered under escort. They had been seized by a French patrol oil emerging from the woods, and had learned with dismay that the fort was in enemy hands, but,' for Colonel Munro and his daughters at least, the situation was made less disheartening by the joy they felt at being reunited. Montcalm, with his unfailing nobility of character, proceeded to assure the colonel that the girls would be per- mitted to leave with him, but at that Magua stepped forward. "The general forgets that the Pale- face maidens are my prisoners," he said. "He forgets, too, that he ordered Hawk- eye to be shot as a spy when the scout was a prisoner in the French camp." Montcalm looked at Magua with ill- concealed scorn. "The ladies are prisoners neither of the French nor the Hurons," he de- clared with finality, " and they shall go where their father pleases. As to the scout Hawk-eye, I am countermanding the order for his execution here and now. I have spoken, Magua." The Huron chief gave him a sullen glance, and then, with a shrug of his powerful shoulders, he passed from the room, gathered his braves around him, and strode from the fort. In the meantime, Hawk-eye had thanked Montcalm for his humane re- prieve, and now he turned to Munro. "I was bearing messages for you, colonel," he said, "but I reckon it's too late to impart them now." Munro nodded dismally, and, after a moment's silence, faced his daughters. " You had better go with the rest of the civilians," he said. "Major Hey- ward, I am placing them in your good care. When all final arrangements have been made here, I shall follow you." Heyward nodded, and conveyed the (Continued on page 26.)