He expressed himself delighted with Washington’s project of sending off an expedition to Quebec, regretting only that it had not been thought of earlier. “Should the detachment from your body penetrate into Canada,” added he, “and we meet with success, Canada must inevitably fall into our hands.” Having sent off these despatches, Schuyler hastened back to Ticonderoga. Before he reached there, Montgomery had received intelligence that Carleton had completed his armed vessels at St. Johns, and was about to send them into Lake Champlain by the Sorel River. No time, therefore, was to be lost in getting possession of the Isle aux Noix, which commanded the entrance to that river. Montgomery hastened, therefore, to embark with about a thousand men, which were as many as the boats now ready could hold, taking with him two pieces of artillery; with this force he set off down the lake. A letter to General Schuyler explained the cause of his sudden departure, and entreated him to follow on in a whale-boat, leaving the residue of the artillery to come on as soon as conveyances could be procured. Schuyler arrived at Ticonderoga on the night of the 30th of August, but too ill of a bilious fever to push on in a whale-boat. He caused, however, a bed to be prepared for him in a covered bateau, and, ill as he was, continued forward on the following day. On the 4th of September he overtook Montgomery at the Isle la Motte, where he had been detained by contrary weather, and, assuming command of the little army, kept on the same day to the Isle aux Noix, about twelve miles south of St. Johns—where for the present we shall leave him, and return to the head-quarters of the commander-in-chief. CHAPTER V. A CHALLENGE DECLINED—A BLOW MEDITATED—A CAUTIOUS COUNCIL OF WAR—PREPARATION FOR THE QUEBEC EXPEDITION—BENEDICT ARNOLD THE LEADER—ADVICE AND INSTRUCTIONS—DEPARTURE—GENERAL SCHUYLER ON THE SOREL—RECONNOITRES ST. JOHNS—CAMP AT ISLE AUX NOIX—ILLNESS OF SCHUYLER—RETURNS TO TICONDEROGA—EXPEDITION OF MONTGOMERY AGAINST ST. JOHNS—LETTER OF ETHAN ALLEN—HIS DASH AGAINST MONTREAL—ITS CATASTROPHE—A HERO IN IRONS—CORRESPONDENCE OF WASHINGTON WITH SCHUYLER AND ARNOLD—HIS ANXIETY ABOUT THEM.