Behind him the great lake, Champlain, stretched far into north and south.

To the west the ground sloped gently upward a half mile and then sank again.

On each side of the ridge formed thus was low ground, and the ridge presented itself at once to the military eye as a line of defense.

Hugues, one of his officers, had already recommended it to Montcalm, and men under two of his engineers, Desandrouin and Pontleroy, were now at work there.
The final line of defense was begun at dawn, and Robert, whom no one disturbed, witnessed a scene of prodigious energy.

The whole French army threw itself heart and soul into the task.