"What a pity! Why didn't he live to enjoy the glory of his victory! He shouldn't have led the charge. But it's too late now."
Meanwhile the exultant English swept on, driving their panic-stricken opponents before them almost up to the gates of the city through which the fugitives poured pell-mell, with their gallant commander Montcalm, mortally wounded, in their midst and supported in his saddle by a soldier on either side.
Wolfe's work was done, and he had paid for it with his own life. With the taking of Quebec the mastery of the continent passed into the hands of the English, and the dominion of the French ceased for all time.
When the joy over the victory and the sorrow over the death of Wolfe had in a measure moderated, a piece of news reached Seth that gave him keen satisfaction, and made him wish that it had been possible for him to be in two places at once.
This was that a strong force under the command of Lord Amherst had succeeded in wresting both Ticonderoga and Crown Point from the enemy, and that the whole region about the beautiful lakes was in possession of the English.
"And can you tell me how are Major Rogers and the Rangers?" Seth eagerly inquired of his informant.
"They're all right, so far as I know," was the satisfactory answer. "They did splendid work all through the campaign."
There being nothing for him to do in Canada Seth lost no time in rejoining his own leader, whom he found at Albany, enjoying a well-earned rest after his arduous services.
The meeting between the two friends was very cordial, and it took many hours of talk for them to tell each other of their experiences during their long separation.
The conclusion of the war rendering unnecessary the maintenance of the Rangers their commander returned to his more profitable occupation of trading, but Seth had grown too fond of a soldier's life to give it up, and accordingly he sought and obtained a commission in the regular army, where he ultimately rose to high rank by the exercise of those same qualities of self-control, steadfastness, and sagacity which had distinguished him when he was one of Rogers' Rangers.