Chapter XXIII: Out of Captivity Into Action Again

It was many days before Seth recovered from what he had endured at the hands of the Indians, and some of his injuries left scars which he bore for the remainder of his life.

At Montreal he found a number of his fellow-countrymen in the same plight as himself. They were fairly well treated, but of course kept under constant surveillance, and allowed little liberty of movement, so that their life soon became very monotonous, and each one of them cherished his own hopes of escape.

Now and again attempts were made, but they proved for the most part failures, the vigilance of the French and the incessant activity of the Indians rendering it wellnigh impossible to get safely away.

Of course Seth had no sooner recovered his strength than he likewise set his ingenuity to work upon the problem of regaining his freedom, but rack his brains as he might he could devise no scheme that seemed feasible, while the days grew into weeks, and the weeks into months of maddening monotony.

"I believe I'll go out of my mind if I don't get free soon," he said to one of his companions in captivity. "Just to think of all that's going on, and we have no hand in it. We might as well be dead and buried for all the good we are."

No wonder, indeed, if this forced inaction told hard upon the prisoners, and particularly upon those of them like Seth, whose delight it was to be in active service no matter how dangerous, as in their durance vile there reached them rumors of the tremendous effort England was putting forth to conquer Canada, and stirring accounts of the vast fleet which was pushing its way up the St. Lawrence River for the taking of Quebec. Nearly the whole force of the colony had been brought together at the threatened capital, where both Vaudreuil and Montcalm were making all possible preparations to meet the invaders, and Seth raged against the fate which kept him out of the arena of action, until at last he grew so desperate as to be ready to seize upon the wildest scheme for escape.

Such was his mood when all unexpectedly there came to him the chance he craved. During the early days of his imprisonment he had had the opportunity of doing a service for the wife of one of his guards, and thereby won her gratitude.

She had come from his own Province, and in spite of having lived many years in Canada her heart still held a warm corner for her countrymen. Although Seth knew nothing of it he had been much in the good woman's mind, and she was possessed with the idea of enabling him to escape, but wisely kept her own counsel about it until the opportunity offered. Then she surprised him by taking him aside, and saying in a significant tone:

"Are you tired of being a prisoner here?"

"Of course I am," responded Seth, emphatically. "Tired to death of it. I don't know what I'll do if I can't manage to get out of this somehow."

"You would like to make your escape, then?" continued the woman.

Seth laughed bitterly as he answered:

"Why do you ask me that? You know as well as I do that I would give anything on earth to escape, and be with my men again."

The woman smiled at his earnestness.

"If I were to show you how you might escape, what would you do?"

Seth's face lit up, and his eyes dilated. He was about to say that he would do anything in the world for her, and then he checked himself, for the humiliating thought came that he, a poor penniless prisoner--did not have it in his power to reward her at all.

She quite understood how it was, and went on to say: "Do not mind about that. I meant nothing. If I do help you to escape it will be because you come from my own country, and I shall not want anything from you."

She then proceeded to explain herself, and Seth listened with every nerve a-quiver.

It seemed that preparations were being made to send more soldiers down to Quebec by the river, and that a number of canoes duly supplied with stores were ready for the start in the morning. If Seth could contrive to get off with one of these canoes he might make his way down the river to where the English were encamped on the shore opposite Quebec.

Seth heard her with indescribable delight. The dangers and difficulties of the undertaking were as naught in his eyes, and he poured out his gratitude in the strongest words he could command.

Of course he could not make the venture alone. He must needs have a companion to help him in paddling the canoe.

But there could be no difficulty about that; one of his fellow-prisoners, Lieutenant Putnam of Connecticut, would be only too glad to join him, and, having arranged with the woman to meet her at midnight, he went off with bounding heart to find Putnam, and tell him the good news.

Putnam was at first inclined to suspect some trap.

"It seems too good to be true," he said doubtfully.

"Not a bit of it," replied Seth. "I'm sure the woman is to be trusted, and if you feel like holding back, why just say so, and I'll get somebody else."

But Putnam at once declared his readiness to share the venture, and they proceeded to perfect their plans.

The night proved favorable in every particular. It was very dark and still, and had it not been for the woman's perfect familiarity with the premises they could never have found their way to the landing-place where the canoes were drawn up.

Happily the sentries had fallen asleep, and there was no one to challenge them when they pushed off, after whispering their gratitude to the good woman who had so signally befriended them.

Out into the swift current they sent the canoe, and as they sped down stream their hearts beat high with hope, and they would have sung for joy had they dared.

"Isn't this wonderful?" Seth exclaimed when they were well out into the river. "After all our months of waiting for a chance to escape to have it come to us in this way! It seems like a dream."

"Thank Heaven it's a reality," responded Putnam fervently. "And if we do reach the camp all right we may perhaps be in time to have a share in the taking of Quebec."

They paddled strongly and steadily until daybreak, and then sought out a secluded cove where they could go into hiding for the day.

There was no difficulty in this, the shores of the St. Lawrence being densely wooded, and they soon had their canoe concealed amongst the trees where no passer-by could discover it.

They slept soundly during the greater part of the day and as they were enjoying a hearty supper they saw a flotilla of canoes hastening down river.

"That's where our canoe rightfully belongs," laughed Seth, pointing to the heavy-laden craft. "I wonder what was said when they missed it. I hope our good friend did not get into any trouble on account of it."

"No fear of that," replied Putnam, "she's too clever to be found out. They'll just think we managed it ourselves somehow."

"But we'll have to be doubly careful with all those canoes ahead of us," said Seth. "What had we better do? Keep behind them, or try and get away ahead to-night?"

"Get ahead of them to-night by all means," responded Putnam, "even though they do pass us again next day."

And this is what they did day after day and night after night, playing a unique and thrilling game of see-saw with the unwitting flotilla, which kept steadily on its way seaward, while they alternately led and followed in the rear.

Many a narrow escape from discovery they had. More than once it seemed impossible that they should evade detection. But by a series of happy chances they succeeded in keeping out of sight to the end of the journey.

Landing at Point Levi, which had been for some time in the possession of the English under General Wolfe, they met with a warm reception, and Seth was particularly pleased to find a band of Rangers forming part of the force there strongly entrenched. He was, of course, a welcome addition to the company, and had no difficulty in obtaining an officer's outfit, which enabled him to take his proper place among them.

The siege of Quebec had now been going on for many weeks, and although the English had firmly established themselves on the opposite shore of the St. Lawrence, as well as on the Island of Orleans below, and had wellnigh reduced the city itself to ruins, the French showed no signs of yielding, and seemed determined to maintain the struggle indefinitely.

Realizing that his operations, thus far, while no doubt greatly distressing the enemy, had not brought the surrender of the city very much nearer, since it was nothing to lay Quebec in ruins if he could not also defeat the army that protected it, General Wolfe, with an ardor and daring that no difficulties could daunt, resolved to attempt an effective blow by striking the French army in flank or rear.

To accomplish this his plan was to land below Montmorenci Falls, ascend the lofty river bank, cross the stream at the first ford above the falls, and attack the enemy from that quarter.

The venture was made at night after several frigates had spent the day shelling the camp of the Chevalier de Levis, who occupied the heights just above the cataract.

A force of three thousand men in all, including a company of Rangers under Seth's command, landed before daybreak a little below the cataract, where they were opposed by a troop of Canadians and Indians.

After a short but sharp encounter, with some loss on both sides, these were routed, and, led by the Rangers, the English made their way up the heights, gained the plateau above, and at once set about entrenching themselves, while Seth took his men into the forest in search of a place to ford the river.

It was a dangerous mission, for who could tell how many Indians lurked in the leafy fastnesses; but Seth was too happy at being once more in the thick of things to give a thought to the perils of his position.

Following up the course of the tumultuous torrent he found it growing more placid and less deep, and felt confident of coming upon what he sought, when he was met by a large party of Indians, who poured a heavy fire upon his scanty ranks.

The bullets whistled all about him, and several of his men went down, but he stood his ground at first, returning the fire with good effect until it became so clear that the odds were overwhelmingly against him that he ordered a retreat.

Fortunately the sound of the firing brought the regulars up to his support, and the Indians were repulsed with heavy loss.

But the search for the ford was discontinued, as Wolfe decided it would be best to make his position thoroughly strong before doing anything else, and the French allowed him to fortify himself undisturbed.

Seth saw a great deal of the famous general at this time. His first impression was one of surprise. He could not understand how so renowned a commander could have so unimposing an appearance. His slight frame, homely features, and red hair had nothing martial about them, and only his clear, bright, and piercing eye gave any hint of the heroic soul within.

But as the days went by and he witnessed his amazing energy, his wonderful foresight, his thorough mastery of the art of warfare, and his dauntless courage, he came fairly to worship him, and to have implicit faith in his achieving the great thing he had undertaken.

"We may be a good while doing it, but we'll take Quebec just as surely as we stand here at this moment," he said to one of the English officers as they stood together looking toward the beleaguered city. "Whatever General Wolfe has set his mind upon is bound to be done."